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buyer’s guide:
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NASFT announces sofi Gold winners;
trendspotters pick top food trends
of the year
volume 75, number 8
AUGUST 2010 $7.00
n
By ELLEN RANTA
11
specialty
retailers
Chocolatier opens new
flagship store page 7
n The Cook’s Warehouse Founder
teams with chefs and the White
House to end childhood obesity
n
page 7
grocery &
department
Stores
Fresh & Easy to acquire
two suppliers page 8
n New and improved Pompton Plains
A&P store reopens after flood
n
page 8
Specialty
Distributors
& Brokers
n
Polka Dot Bake Shop opens new
facility, gains Kosher certification
page 10
supplier
business
n
Lindt USA unveils new
cocoa facility page 16
News...................................................3
Special Section:
IDDBA Show Wrap-Up.......................11
Buyer’s Guide:
Foods from Australia..........................15
Marketwatch.....................................17
Ad Index............................................18
Smorgasbord/Classifieds...................19
www.gourmetnews.com
NEW YORK—Winners of the 38th
annual sofi Awards for outstanding food and beverages of the year
were announced June 28 and The
Ginger People and Rozendal’s Hibiscus
Vinegar took some of the top prizes.
Trendspotters also picked the best food
trends of 2010 at the Summer Fancy
Food Show here, held June 27-29.
Presented by the National
Association for the Specialty Food
Trade (NASFT), the sofi Awards
honor the best products of the year
in 33 categories.
The awards, which recognize
specialty outstanding food innovation (sofi), were presented at
the Summer Fancy Food Show by
Executive Chef Dan Barber at a redcarpet event at the Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center here.
Rozendal’s Hibiscus Vinegar was
recognized as the Outstanding New
Product of 2010, while The Ginger
People line was named Outstanding
Product Line of the year.
The Ginger People line launched
in 1997 by Bruce Leeson, when
after selling ginger as an ingredient,
By MEGAN WADDING
he realized that manufacturers
weren’t taking full advantage of
its flavor and health benefits and
decided to produce his own line of
ginger products.
Continued on Page 5
United States olive oil producers aim to
become players in global market
By KELLY LEWIS
Olive oil: it’s been hailed for its health
benefits and is one of the best-selling
items in the specialty food market. It’s
been shown to decrease the risk of
cardiovascular disease and diabetes,
lower blood pressure and help cut
calories. And until now, it’s been a
Mediterranean delight.
Today, countries as far away as
Argentina, Chile, Australia and
South Africa have begun to increase
production of olive oil, while
domestic producers here in the
United States try to follow suit.
“The U.S. is the fourth-largest
consumer of olive oil in the world,
and the consumption is going up
at about five percent each year, so
there is room for a domestic industry to grab a piece of that market
share,” said Dan Flynn, Executive
Director of The Olive Center at
University of California- Davis,
which is leading the field in U.S.
olive oil research.
Winners
abound at
Coffee Fest
Minneapolis
At the moment, California is
virtually the only state that produces a sizeable amount of olive
oil, Flynn said. And even still, they
are producing only one percent of
the 75 million gallons of olive oil
that Americans consume, so the
United States is importing about
99 percent.
But after years of technological advances, Flynn added,
U.S. olive oil producers finally
Continued on Page 5
MINNEAPOLIS—Coffee Fest
Minneapolis, which was held in
the Minneapolis Convention Center
here on June 4-6, was host to a
variety of educational seminars,
fun coffee-related challenges and
new and exciting products.
Many exhibiting companies
seemed to have a particular focus
on customization at this show.
Exhibitors stressed the multi-purposes of their products, allowing
attendees to consider new ways
of utilizing each product for their
own benefit. Caffe D’Amore showcased different ways to personalize
its Bellagio Epicurean chocolate,
including using it to make gelato,
frozen drinks, sipping chocolate
and martinis, among other things.
Monin offered their premium syrups in 100 different flavors which
can be used to make cocktails,
smoothies, coffee, tea, Italian sodas
and more.
The show saw over 1,300 attendees—not including exhibitors
and booth staff—and housed 165
booths and 143 companies.
“June is our smallest show every
year and the attendance [this year]
Continued on Page 3
Wal-Mart and Target expand to urban areas,
bringing new options to ‘food deserts’
By Kelly Lewis & Megan Wadding
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target
Corp. are both starting to roll out
new, smaller stores in urban areas,
creating more possibilities for manufacturers to profit and providing
fresh food for consumers who live
in underserved areas.
“We, as a company, sell more
locally-grown produce than any
other company in America,” said
Steven V. Restivo, Director of
Community Affairs at Wal-Mart.
“Last year in Chicago alone we spent
16 billion dollars just with Chicagobased suppliers, and that’s not just
grocery, but general merchandise
as well.”
Those numbers, Restivo said,
speak to the fact that Wal-Mart is
always looking for new suppliers
to supply their merchandise. To
be considered, manufacturers can
follow the “supplier” tab on any
Wal-Mart website.
“That’s just one end of the
spectrum,” Restivo said. “Each
store has the ability to sell local
product as well, so there’s an
opportunity to supply individual
product as well.”
The new stores would range
in size from 30,000 to 150,000
square feet and will carry everything a customer would expect in a
traditional grocery store, including
baked goods, meats, cheese and
produce, Restivo said.
“We opened a store in the city
of Chicago in 2006 and we just got
approval to open another,” said
Restivo. “There are over 600,000
people who live in ‘food deserts’ in
the city, and these people have to
travel several miles outside of their
own neighborhood just to get good,
healthy food. We want to be part of
the solution to that problem.”
The focus on creating small,
urban area grocery markets has
also been picked up by Target,
although the company has not
moved on the idea as quickly as
Continued on Page 4
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
general NEWS
www.gourmetnews.com
briefs
James Beard
Foundation awards
best cookbooks
NEW YORK—The James Beard Foundation
selected The Country Cooking of Ireland by
Colman Andrews as the Cookbook of the Year
for 2010, on May 3 here.
The book, which was published by Chronicle
Books, also took home honors as the year’s best
international cookbook.
A Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia
Roden was named to the cookbook hall of fame.
Other books that were recognized in various
categories are:
American cooking: Real Cajun by Donald
Link with Paula Disbrowe.
Baking and dessert: Baking by James Peterson.
Beverage: Been Doon So Long: A Randall
Grahm Vinthology by Randall Grahm.
Cooking from a professional point of view: The
Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts
by The French Culinary Institute with Judith Choate.
General cooking: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas
Keller with Dave Cruz.
Healthy focus: Love Soup: 160 All-New
Vegetarian Recipes from the Author of The
Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas.
Photography: Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine
Way photographed by Santiago Soto Monllor.
Reference and scholarship: Encyclopedia
of Pasta by Oretta Zanini de Vita, translated by
Maureen B. Fant.
Single subject: Pasta Sfoglia by Rona and
Colleen Suhanosky with Susan Simon.
Established in 1990, the James Beard
Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields
and continue to emphasize the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, preserve and nurture America’s
culinary heritage and diversity.
Louisiana mandates
origin labels for
strawberries
BATON ROUGE, La.—On May 26, Governor
Bobby Jindal signed House Bill 430 that requires
all strawberries sold in the state to have a “farm
of origin” label on its packaging.
In a prepared statement, Commissioner Mike
Strain, D.V.M. of the Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) said, “Our Louisiana
strawberry growers produce the best berries in the
country. The labeling will let consumers know they
are getting the freshest product possible.”
The bill was initiated by Rep. Stephen E. Pugh
of Ponchatoula, and passed in the Legislature
unanimously, according to Pugh.
“The strawberry growers saw this as a way
to protect the integrity of their industry. The
Legislature thought so too...” Pugh said, in a
prepared statement.
According to Strain, the LDAF’s Food Quality
Services staff, along with input from the Louisiana
Strawberry Marketing Board, will announce the
rules and regulation for the enforcement of the
law sometime in 2010. The process of creating
the new rules takes approximately 120 days.
3
Organic coffee sales top $1.4 billion
NEW YORK—The North
American organic coffee market
topped $1.4 billion in 2009,
according to new data from market analyst Daniele Giovannucci’s
North American Organic Coffee
Industry Report 2010.
According to the report, which
was released June 15 at the
Organic Coffee Collaboration,
a project of the Organic Trade
Association, more than 93
pounds of organic coffee were
imported into the United States
and Canada in 2009.
“The 4.1 percent growth
of the organic coffee market
this past year is an important
achievement for a higher-priced
product during a recession and
when much of the conventional
coffee industry has been stagnant,” said Giovannucci, in a
prepared statement.
Recent data from the OTA’s
2010 Organic Industry Survey
indicate that U.S. sales of organic
products, including food and
non-food, reached $26.6 billion
by the end of 2009, a 5.1 percent
increase over 2008.
“It’s not surprising that
demand for organic coffee is
growing. Consumers are increasingly knowledgeable about the
attributes of organic coffee—its
benefits not only to the environment and health but also to the
livelihoods of the farmers who
produce it,” said OTA’s Executive
Director Christine Bushway, in a
prepared statement.
The Organic Coffee
Collaboration is comprised of 11
companies from throughout the
U.S. and Canada that represent a
spectrum of roles within the coffee
supply chain spectrum. gn
Spring retail sales continued to grow, says NRF
WASHINGTON—According to
the National Retail Federation
(NRF), retail industry sales
(excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) continued
their upward climb in April.
The sales increased 0.5 percent
seasonally adjusted over March,
COFFEE FEST
Continued from Page 1
in Minneapolis, while less than
the others, was quality. Nearly
every exhibitor was satisfied
with the leads they collected
and the sales they made,” said
David Heilbrunn, Co-Owner
and Show Manager of Coffee
Fest and President of Lifestyle
Events, Inc.
The fourth Tinker’s
Minute contest, which
showcases new non-consumable and consumable
products, was held at the
show. The contest was
sponsored by Specialty
Coffee Retailer magazine
and was emceed by its
Editor, Dan “Tinker Dan”
Bolton, who originally
came up with the idea
for the year-old contest.
“The event is both entertaining
and educational. The highlight is
the 60-second pitch by marketers,
founders and sales executives of
exhibiting companies...” explained
Bolton, in a prepared statement.
“Exciting new products all too
often languish in a tradeshow
display case. Tinker’s Minute
taps the unbridled enthusiasm of
exhibitors whose pitch and performances not only draw applause
and laughter, they greatly increase
booth traffic and buzz.”
On June 4, each of the 20
exhibitors involved in the contest
gave a one-minute presentation
showcasing their new product. The audience then voted
in secret ballots. On June 5,
Bolton along with an assistant
and 4.6 percent unadjusted yearover-year. Sales for March and
April increased 5.6 percent unadjusted over 2009.
“Spring shopping and seasonal
weather helped boost sales [in
April],” said Rosalind Wells, Chief
Economist for NRF, in a prepared
statement. “Spending on discretionary items had fallen by the wayside
these last few years and we are
encouraged to see consumers dipping into that pot once again.”
The U.S. Commerce Department
released April retail sales on May
14 which show total retail sales
(including automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) as increasing by 0.4 percent seasonally
adjusted over March, and 9.3
unadjusted year-over year.
“The slow road to recovery is
turning into a sprint as retailers
Continued on Page 5
judge, reviewed the products
and judged them on a scale of
one to five, depending on the
product’s level of both innovation and retail-ability. Fourteen
of the 20 exhibitors were showing products that fell into the
consumables category, and six
had non-consumable products.
Winners were announced before
the show opened on June 6.
First place in the Tinker’s
Minute consumable
products category
went to TeaSource for
its Iced Tea Pouches. In
the non-consumables
category, the first place
award went to VitaMix Corp., for “The
Quiet One” blender.
Other winners in
the consumables category included Roastery
7’s Tiny Footprint
Coffee in second place, and Caffe
D’Amore’s Bellagio Epicurean in
third place. Other winners in the
non-consumables category included Xpress lid by SmartCup Inc. in
second place, and the drinkware
products by Vessel Drinkware in
third place.
First-time winner Bill
Waddington, Owner of TeaSource,
was surprised that his 10-ounce
Iced Tea Pouches came in first
place in the consumables category, but attributes his win to
the company’s approach.
“I’m surprised [to win]
because [my tea] is not fancy.
Our approach to innovation is
going back to basics. Often, that
means better quality, price and
products. But that’s not trendy,”
Waddington said. “The whole
idea is to make a good product
easy for customers.”
The New World Latte Art
Championships, sponsored
by Nuova Simonelli, Dillanos,
Ghirardelli, Barista Magazine
and Barista Exchange, were held
each morning before the show
opened. A total of 32 competitors
faced-off in one-on-one matches,
and were given four minutes
each to create a drink to be
scored by the three judges. Each
drink was based on five criteria:
Aesthetic Beauty, Definition,
Color Infusion, Degree of
Difficulty and Creativity and
Speed. The competitor with
the higher score moved on; the
other was eliminated. After 18
matches, Christopher Alameda
of Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea
in Los Angeles, was awarded
the first place prize of $2,500.
The second place winner,
Daniel Demers of Breaking New
Grounds in Portsmouth, N.H.,
received $1,000, and the third
place winner, veteran competi-
tor Andrew Milstead of Urban
Coffee Lounge in Kirkland,
Wash., received $500.
Heilbrunn called the Latte Art
Championships “amazing.”
The Aroma Challenge, run by
Olympia, Wash.-based Espresso
Parts, was another popular event
at Coffee Fest. Attendees who
were up to the challenge tried
to identify 18 unnamed, bottled
scents out of a possible 36 provided scents listed on a worksheet. The bottled scents were
part of the La Nez du Cafe kit,
which aims to provide people
with “the means to discover the
world of coffee.”
“[The challenge is] a training tool used to educate people
[through] language and [the]
sense of smell,” said Angie Toner,
Espresso Parts. “It’s popular with
roasters[and] it’s popular [at
Coffee Fest].”
Anyone who was able to identify all 18 scents correctly was put
into a drawing to win their own
La Nez du Cafe kit.
At their booth on the floor,
Pacific Natural Foods held the
All-Natural Barista series, which
challenged contestants to create
both hot and cold drink recipes using soy-milk as the main
ingredient. In the cold drink category, Chris DeFerio of the Coffee
Institute landed the first place
award. In the hot drink category,
past winner Anna Gutierrez of
Dillanos Coffee Roasters won
first place.
Coffee Fest Seattle will be held
at Washington State Convention
& Trade Center in Seattle on
Oct. 29-31. gn
4
general NEWS
www.gourmetnews.com
Trade Show Buzz
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
The spring and summer trade shows have
been abuzz with guest speakers, high
exhibitor and attendee turnout and great
new products on display.
The 14th annual Sweets & Snacks Expo was
held at McCormick Place West in Chicago May
25-27. The Expo, sponsored by the National
Confectioners Association, boasted the highest
registration numbers ever, with more than 486
exhibitors from the United States and around
the world, as well as 5,000 key confectionery
and snack buyers—a double digit increase
over the already strong 2009 show numbers.
There were also 130 first-time exhibitors, an
8 percent increase from 2009.
The Gourmet Marketplace at Sweets &
Snacks, since its inception three years ago,
has grown to include more than 60 confectionery and snack companies. Total show
attendance was close to 15,000, according
to NCA President Larry Graham. Graham
said that because overall verified show
attendance grew 7 percent, that proves
that “the confectionery and snack industry
continues to flourish even in challenging
economic times.”
The Magic of Merchandising display gallery at the Marketplace, co-located with the
Merchandising Solution Center this year,
featured a variety of shippers and permanent
displays providing retailers with merchandising techniques. For the first-time ever,
awards were given to those products that
embodied the “Best New Concept” in both
the Magic of Merchandising display gallery
and the New Product Showcase.
“Our buyer attendees were given the
opportunity to vote for their favorite new
products and merchandising vehicles on
the first day of the show, votes were tallied
and the winners were announced the following morning,” said NCA Expo Chairman,
Michael Rosenberg, of The Promotion In
Motion Companies, in a prepared statement.
“The exhibitors took these awards very seriously since it was their customers selecting
the winning concepts. We will definitely
continue to offer the awards in 2011.”
Award winners for the Best New Concept’s
New Product Showcase category were: Jelly
Belly’s Cocktail Classics, Mars’ Pretzel M&M’s,
Proctor & Gamble’s Pringle Multigrain chip
– assorted flavors, The Hershey Company’s
Reese’s Minis and Just Born’s Dark Chocolate
Peeps. In the Magic of Merchandise category, award winners included: The Hershey
Company, Squire Boone Village and Jack
Link’s Beef Jerky.
“This was a truly stellar event with the Expo
tracking significant growth in every aspect.
With new products accounting for 30 percent
of confectionery and snack sales every year,
the show was positioned as ‘the venue’ to
experience all that is new in the industry,”
said Graham, in a prepared statement.
At the 2010 World Tea Expo, held
June 11-13 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas
Convention Center, over 200 companies
exhibited—47 percent of whom do not exhibit at any other trade show in the U.S.—and
more than 4,700 industry members attended,
along with more than 1,100 delegates from
the co-located Natural MarketPlace event.
Overall, the show attendance was near 6,000,
up 68 percent over last year.
“There’s no stopping the specialty tea
industry,” said George Jage, President and
Founder of the World Tea Expo, in a prepared statement. “While the global economy
is slowly repairing itself, the tea industry
is thriving. The energy, aroma and, most
importantly, the business activities on the
show floor is a powerful leading indicator
of the explosive growth for specialty tea in
North America in the year ahead.”
In a prepared statement, Beth Johnston,
Founder and CEO of Teas Etc., one of the
many exhibitors at the 2010 World Tea Expo,
said, “It was exciting to see even more new
faces at the exhibition. We were able to meet
face-to-face with the tea industry, which
allowed us to close numerous deals. Only
the World Tea Expo gives you that kind of
opportunity to market and sell your products
and services to an eager buying audience.”
The 2011 World Tea Expo takes place June
24–26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center
in Las Vegas.
On July 26, the keynote presentation during The Chicago Market: Living and Giving
was led by Jerry Greenfield, Co-Founder of
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Greenfield’s presentation was full of business philosophies and strategies, as well
as anecdotes about how Ben & Jerry’s got
started and what he learned along the way.
An ice cream reception followed Greenfield’s
presentation.
“The Chicago Market recognizes the
importance of featuring high profile speakers that can inspire and educate retailers
on the challenges of what it takes to build
a successful business and brand,” said Joan
Ulrich, Senior Vice-President, MMPI, in a
prepared statement.
The show ran from July 22-28.
The 40th annual Heimtextil show in
Frankfurt, Germany, was held Jan. 13-16.
The show saw 72,000 visitors from more
than 120 countries—a 6 percent increase
in international attendance.
Heimtextil 2010 presented the latest
products and trends of 2,521 exhibitors
from 60 countries in Frankfurt. This year,
65 percent of visitors came from outside
of Germany. Of the exhibitors, 2,140 were
foreign companies.
In a prepared statement, Detlef Braun,
Member of the Board of Management of
Messe Frankfurt—the company in charge
of organizing Heimtextil—said, “This year’s
Heimtextil was a complete success. Despite
the difficult situation in the textile industry and the retail market, the fair was not
only distinguished by a stable number of
exhibitors but also by an increase in the
number of visitors. The mood among participants was highly optimistic. They are
fed up with tales of woe and were prepared
to make active use of the fair to boost business by beginning the new year with fresh
products, concepts and themes.”
In accordance with their sustainability
theme, Heimtextil is launching the Green
Directory at Heimtextil 2011. The Guide will
enable buyers to find sustainable products
and exhibitors with sustainable manufacturing processes quickly.
Heimtextil 2011 will be held Jan. 12-15,
2011.
The New York International Gift Fair
(NYIGF), which is taking place Aug. 14-19
in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Pier
92 & Pier 94, is debuting new tools before
and at the show to improve the experience
of attendees.
New online tools, such as an improved
exhibitor search function complete with
a walking list and heat map download
function, are available in order to help
attendees plan for the show. On-site,
information kiosks and a team of “greeters” will assist attendees in navigating the
Fair. These new and improved methods
resulted from the introduction of new
product divisions at the Fair, reorganization of existing divisions and construction
within the Javits Center.
As of June 11, the site search.nyigf.com
has been allowing attendees to locate vendors, and find and sort them by keyword,
company name, division, category and venue.
The site was developed by Whereoware, and
allows for searches to be filtered, saved and
then printed with an accompanying floor
plan of the Fair.
As of Aug. 1, attendees with smartphones
such as iPhone, Blackberry and Android are
now able to use a new mobile application
which allows users to access the exhibitor search function, or browse the nyigf.
com website, which has been adapted for
mobile use.
On-site at the Fair, a new “Information
Station,” located in the Crystal Palace lobby
of the Javits Center, will offer navigational
tips to attendees as well as outline changes
recently made to the Fair. NYIGF “greeters,”
will be stationed at kiosks near the entrances
of the show floor in the Javits Center as
well as on both Piers, to offer attendees
directions to exhibitors and to help with
the flow of traffic. Four assisted self-service
kiosks will also be on-site to provide access
to the exhibitor search function as well as
to provide the option of purchasing seminar
and event tickets.
“Last year, NYIGF was ahead of the
curve by allowing buyers pre-show access
to extensive online product catalogs and
vendor information,” said Dorothy Belshaw,
NYIGF Director and GLM Senior VicePresident, in a prepared statement. “These
new improvements, added functionality and
the addition of a mobile app will exponentially improve our exhibitor and product
search and will enable retailers to orient
themselves and adapt quickly and easily to
on-going floor-plan changes.” gn
TARGET
According to Bakken, Target will focus
on expanding in “densely-populated, urban
areas,” over the next few years, but said
they haven’t identified particular locations
as of yet.
Bakken said the new, smaller format
stores will be roughly 60,000 to 100,000
square-feet, in comparison with the current
Target stores which average about 125,000
square-feet.
“We’re opening our first store in Harlem
in Manhattan this July. It’s another example
of how we’re bringing Target to urban areas,”
Bakken said. “We want to make sure that we
have a base of stores that are wide in breadth.
We’ve found that our urban guests are craving
locations near to their home or workplace,
so we’re bringing Target to them.” gn
A monthly update on the goings-on at industry-related shows
BY Megan Wadding
Continued from Page 1
their competitor.
Sarah Bakken, Manager for Target
Communications, said that Target’s plan to
start rolling out smaller format stores is “still
in development,” and not much info about
the plan has been released to the public.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
general NEWS
www.gourmetnews.com
OLIVE OIL
Continued from Page 1
understand what it takes to produce a
high-quality product.
“The olive oil industry is growing rapidly,”
Flynn said. “To put it in perspective, in 2001,
about 50,000 gallons were produced in
California. For the 2011 season, we will produce over a million gallons and in five years,
we will produce over five million gallons.”
Although the California olive oil industry
is still very young, really emerging competitively in the past five years, countries
like Australia have been working diligently
over the past 15 to increase domestic olive
oil production and have proven successful.
“Fifteen years ago we imported 90 percent
of our consumption,” said Simon Field,
Managing Director of Salsi Pty Ltd., dba
Olive Business in Victoria, Australia. “But
now, with a surge in Australian production,
we have come so far as to replace up to 50
percent of imported oil.”
One exciting aspect of the expanding olive
oil business is that it brings fresh olive oil
into market six months earlier than usual,
as the world no longer has to wait for the
European market to be ready, Field said.
Even with the increase in worldwide
production, the shelf price of olive oil has
stayed relatively the same. But John B. Wu,
Founder of House of Oil in Macau, China,
and olive oil importer, said he believes a drop
in price could be coming.
“Four years ago, when I started in this
business, the price of olive oil was four
euros per kilo,” Wu said. “Now, it’s not
even two. I think the price of olive oil will
NASFT GOLD
WINNERS
Continued from Page 1
Christie Pearson, Vice President of Sales
and Marketing for The Ginger People, said
she attributes this year’s award to a confluence of different factors.
“With the recent resurgence of people
cooking at home, and wanting to use more
adventurous flavors, our line makes it simple
for them to do that,” Pearson said. “People
are also looking for better-for-you options,
and really looking for preventative medicine
in their diets. Ginger—which aids digestion
and is high in antioxidants—definitely fits
that bill.”
Pearson added that out of the 40-plus-item
product line the Ginger Chews are the most
requested, recognizable product.
Some other winners included Ritrovo
Selections’ Mt. Townsend Limited Edition
Truffle & Salt Seastack for Outstanding
Cheese or Dairy Product, Poco Dolce’s Sesame
Toffee Tiles for Outstanding Chocolate and
Dave’s Gourmet, Inc.’s Masala Marinara for
Outstanding Pasta Sauce. The complete list
continue to stay down because of all the
upcoming producers.”
By and large, one of the greatest enhancements to the olive oil industry has come as
consumers become more educated in the
benefits of olive oil.
“I think everyone is looking at the growth
of olive oil and it’s tremendous,” said Al
Hamman, an international market consultant who works with PackTec and the olive
oil producers in Tunisia. “We’re starting to
get that this is a good fat and we seem to be
consuming a lot more of it. It’s very difficult to get online and not see articles about
Mediterranean oil and olive oil. It seems like
at every site, you are seeing the benefits of
an olive oil diet.”
But we still have a long way to go,
suppliers say.
“In South Africa, most of the olive oil producers have one main goal,” said Ashleigh
Boggon, Sales and Marketing Director
of Green Leaf Olive Co. in South Africa.
“Educate the consumers out there on the
health benefits of olive oil, and (how to)
choose a healthy quality oil that you can
get the most out of. That doesn’t necessarily mean it has to come from the normal
countries in the world it’s associated with,
but right here on your own doorstep.”
Here in the United States, as we start to
learn how to become competitive, two sectors are emerging.
“One is the artisan producers that are
smaller, creating olive oils, seeking to develop
their own personal style,” Flynn said. “And
then there are the high-volume makers who
are making enough to compete with international companies.” gn
of winners is available at www.foodspring.
com/sofiawards/.
Ritrovo received three Outstanding Product
nominations in three different food categories
this year.
“The Mt. Townsend Seastack was born
out of a truly local partnership with local
cheesemakers in Pt. Townsend, Wash. as well
as our imported products from small, local
farms in Italy,” said Ilyse Rathet, Co-Founder
of Ritrovo Selections. “Our partnership with
Mt. Townsend Creamery literally came from
a friend’s suggestion that we work with them.
It is the fruit of our involvement with the
local community.”
The truffle- and salt-infused cow’s milk
cheese debuted at the Seattle Cheese Festival
this year to a great response, and Rathet said
the interest has increased even more since
winning sofi Gold.
“As a small, West Coast company, winning
a sofi really helps to increase our visibility,”
she said.
The Gold award is the company’s first for a
joint venture with a U.S. artisan producer.
Competition was stiff this year, with a
record 2,257 entries across all 33 categories.
This spring, a national panel of specialty food
experts narrowed the field to 140 silver finalists during five days of judging at NASFT’s
offices in New York City. More than 300
buyers at the Summer Fancy Food show cast
ballots to select the gold winners. The results
were tabulated by an outside accounting
firm on June 28.
“A sofi Award means instant visibility and
recognition by discerning buyers of specialty food and beverages across the U.S. and
around the world,” said Ann Daw, President
of the NASFT, in a prepared statement. “This
year’s winners reflect the spirit of innovation
and excellence that are the foundation of the
5
International Home + Housewares
Show to stay in Chicago
CHICAGO—The International Housewares
Association is negotiating a long-term agreement with McCormick Place, here, to keep
the International Home + Housewares Show
here, the association announced June 8.
The decision to stay in Chicago was made
after the Illinois General Assembly last month
passed McCormick Place reform legislation
meant to reform labor rules and establishes
exhibitor rights, ultimately lowering the costs
of doing business at the convention center.
“This is extremely positive news for our
industry,” said Phil Brandl, IHA President,
in a prepared statement. “IHA’s Board of
Directors has long been in support of staff’s
research-based assessment that Chicago is
the ideal location for its International Home
+ Housewares Show to be held, but only if the
cost environment is competitive with other
venues. This new labor reform will allow us
to remain in the world-class city of Chicago
and McCormick Place for the longer term.
Chicago is an important part of the brand of
the show, and this positive change makes it
the right place for us to be.”
Some of the new exhibitors’ rights include
things like the right to use a ladder and
power hand tools to set up and dismantle
a booth, unload and load materials from a
privately-owned car with the use of a dolly
or non-motorized hand cart and install signs,
props, ballots and other decorations.
In addition to spelled-out exhibitors’ rights,
exhibiting companies will notice reductions
in cost and more available options for various
things, from electrical service to foodservice.
“Exhibitors will benefit in several ways
including cost reduction opportunities, a
friendlier work environment allowing exhibitors more options and ultimately becoming
a more cost-competitive environment,” said
Mia Rampersad, Vice President, Trade Show
at IHA, in a prepared statement.
The International Home + Housewares
Show attracts more than 60,000 attendees and
generates $82 million in spending in the city.
It has been held in Chicago since its inception
in 1939. The 2011 show will be March 6-8
and will include co-location with The Travel
Goods Show. gn
NRF
unemployment, the breadth and sustainability of this recovery remains uncertain.”
The National Retail Federation’s global
membership includes retailers of all sizes,
formats and channels of distribution, as
well as chain restaurants and industry
partners from the U.S. and more than 45
countries abroad. gn
Continued from Page 3
experienced a nice bounce in April,” said
NRF President and CEO Matt Shay, in a
prepared statement. “But maintaining this
sales momentum will be challenging. Until
our economy begins to create jobs and reduce
specialty food industry.”
Meanwhile, at the show, trendspotters
picked the top five food trends of 2010,
one of which was great vinegars, keeping
in line with the sofi Award for Outstanding
New Product. Innovative flavors of vinegars
included hibiscus, walnut champagne, peach
balsamic, lime rice and apple ice wine. The
other four top trends are:
• Indian Products – Unexpected creations
like Curry Ketchup, Cashews and Cream
Cooking Sauce, Tandoori Chicken Naanwich
and Tikka Masala Marinara.
• Grains, Nuts and Seeds – Sweet and savory
items make up this category with Flax Seed
Crackers, Oat and Corn Cakes, Pumpkin
Palooza Nut Confections and Lentil Chips.
• Squash, Pumpkin and Sweet Potato – These
fall favorites are showcased in Pumpkin
Salsa, Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, Sweet
Potato Butter, Butternut Squash Tart and
Sweet Potato Chocolate.
• Handcrafted Local Heritage Foods – Soups,
pickles and sweets including Linekin Bay
Lobster Corn Chowder, Brooklyn Pickles,
Wild West Steak Rub and Sticky Toffee
Pudding offer fresh takes on classics.
Other emerging trends identified are fig
products, including a cabernet wine and fig
preserve, unusual teas infused with turmeric
and cardamom, and specialty flavored honeys
such as chestnut, lime, pine and raspberry.
The trendspotters are Fran Carpenter,
Parade Magazine; Faith Durand, Apartment
Therapy: The Kitchen; Nancy Wall Hopkins,
Better Homes and Gardens; Sara Moulton,
Chef, cookbook author and “Good Morning
America” food personality; Rachel Mount,
O Magazine; Kara Nielsen, Center for Culinary
Development; Denise Purcell, Specialty Food
Magazine; and Jenna Zimmerman, Food
Network. gn
6
general
EDITORIALS
NEWS
www.gourmetnews.com
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
From the editor
W W W. G OU R M E T N E W S . C O M
Around the world in 24 pages
P
utting this issue of Gourmet News
together has reminded me of just
how global the specialty food industry has become.
From our front page story by Associate Editor Kelly Lewis about new sources
around the world for olive oil, to our Foods
from France supplement and our Australian products Buyer’s Guide, we’re hitting
almost all the continents this month.
Exotic flavors are also a trend in the
condiments category—check out our special Condiments supplement to learn how
companies like Robert Rothschild Farm
are incorporating new flavors into traditional products.
These worldly flavors were prevalent
around the show floor at the Summer
Fancy Food Show too, especially Indian
flavors. NASFT’s trendspotters called out
things like Curry Ketchup, Cashews &
Cream Cooking Sauce, Tandoori Chicken
Naanwich and Tikka Masala Marinara,
and named Indian Products as a top trend
this year. I heard many times from manufacturers that they are looking to meet
the demand from consumers that want
to replicate restaurant dining at-home.
Whether it be a simmer sauce that allows
someone to recreate an entire ethnic dish
in their own kitchen, or a curry-infused
condiment that adds a touch of something
unique to an everyday item, the American
palate has changed, and it is increasingly
important to offer new flavors. See the
story on page one to read more about the
top trends at the show, and find out more
about the winners of the coveted sofi Gold
Awards. (Congrats to all!)
The Outstanding New Product went to
Rozendal’s Hibiscus Vinegar, keeping in
line with another of the top trends this
year, great vinegars. We saw vinegars boasting unique flavors like walnut champagne
and peach balsamic.
Also in this issue, after a month of what
seemed like nonstop tradeshows, we have
tons of post-show information. Former
Associate Editor, Megan Wadding, went to
CoffeeFest Minneapolis in June, where she
got to scope out new trends and products
in the coffee industry. Check out her wrapup piece on page one.
This issue also features an IDDBA wrapup section that highlights companies that
exhibited at the Dairy-Deli-Bake in Houston, where I was lucky enough to meet
many of them—and sample lots of their
great products!
We also have two supplements this
month—Foods from France and Condiments. Be sure to peruse their pages
to check out some great products in
both categories.
EditOr
Ellen Ranta
520-721-1300
ellen_r@oser.com
Associate editorS
Kelly Lewis
520-721-1300
kelly_l@oser.com
Megan Wadding
520-721-1300
megan_w@oser.com
PUBLISHER
Lee M. Oser
SENIOR Associate Publisher
Kate Seymour
520-721-1300
kate_s@oser.com
The Ginger People team with their sofi Gold
Award. Left to right: Bruce Leeson, Evan
Leeson, Abbie Leeson, Christie Pearson,
Cameron Young, Yanne Clerc.
I’d love to hear from you retailers out
there—are your customers asking for more
exotic flavors and products? Give me a ring
or shoot me an e-mail. GN
– Ellen Ranta, Editor
520-721-1300
ellen_r@oser.com
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GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
specialty retailers
www.gourmetnews.com
briefs
The Wedge Co-op
named top place
to work
MINNEAPOLIS—The Wedge Co-op, a natural
and organic food cooperative here, was hailed
as one of the top 100 workplaces in the Twin
Cities, based on an employee survey conducted by the Star-Tribune newspaper.
Star-Tribune’s Top Workplaces recognizes the
most progressive companies based on employee opinions about company leadership, career
opportunities, workplace flexibility, compensation
and benefits. The analysis included responses
from more than 33,000 employees at Minnesota
public, private and nonprofit organizations.
The Wedge Co-op came in at 28 in the top
midsized company list.
“When we began in 1974, our employees
were a determined group of neighbors who
donated their time to provide a lasting source
of sustainable food for health and environmentally-conscious consumers,” said The
Wedge’s General Manager, Lindy Bannister, in
a statement on the company website. “That
founding principle remains; our staff works
here because they are passionate about natural and organic products and advocates for a
vibrant local food economy.”
To qualify for the Star-Tribune Top
Workplaces, a company must have more than
50 employees in the Twin Cities metro area. The
newspaper invited more than 1,000 companies
to participate and based its rankings solely on
composite scores of employee responses.
Dean & Deluca adds
Shot of Charity
philanthropy program
to SoHo location
NEW YORK—Gourmet retailer Dean & Deluca
is partnering with a Shot of Charity to offer
customers the opportunity to support unique,
charitable causes through cafe purchases.
Founded by three Georgetown University
graduate students, Shot of Charity is a nonprofit
platform that enables customers to incorporate
the act of giving into their daily habits. As of
June 21, customers at Dean & DeLuca’s SoHo
market can add a 25 cent Shot of Charity or
50 cent Double Shot of Charity to their cafe
purchase. All of the shots will be given to a
featured charity that will rotate on a regular
basis. The first benefiting charity was Apne
Aap, an organization that works to empower
the women and children of India’s red-light districts to escape human trafficking.
“We’re excited to launch the Shot of Charity
program at Dean & DeLuca’s flagship location,” said Daley. “Shot of Charity is a terrific
platform that’s making a marvelous impact.
We’re confident that Dean & DeLuca customers will embrace the opportunity to help
improve the welfare of others.”
Customers who order a hot beverage
and make a Shot of Charity contribution will
receive their beverage wrapped in a distinctive, orange sleeve.
7
Chocolatier opens new flagship store
By ELLEN RANTA
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio—PMG Chocolatier
celebrated the grand opening of its flagship
store here on June 22, providing a new chocolate experience for northeast Ohio.
The 7,000-square-foot store, located at 4325
Kirk Road, is the creation of Perry Macheras,
nephew of Gorant Candies Co-Founder,
Charles Gorant. After growing up in and
around the candy business, Macheras wanted
to open his own store, and made it a reality
with the PMG store.
“The grand opening went really well, with
a great turnout. It was better than I could
expect,” Macheras said.
PMG features family recipes in the Greek
candy-making tradition, and all are based on
classic techniques, hand-made preparation
and natural ingredients.
“Over the years, chocolate has gone mainstream, but true connoisseurs appreciate the
difference that premium ingredients make,”
Macheras said. “At PMG Chocolatier we have
a team of candy makers who are painstakingly
trained and insist on quality. We make everything in small batches, and we are constantly
innovating. To us, chocolate is an art.”
The new store features a 90-foot candy
counter lined with hundreds of chocolates, a
massive PMG surfboard showcasing the salt-
water taffy display and a giant pretzel tree.
“The two key elements of our stores right
now are the in-case candies and the box
chocolates,” said Macheras. “Those are the
top sellers.”
A centerpiece of the store is the indoor
gazebo, which spotlights PMG’s wedding
products and services, a growing niche for
the company. PMG offers custom candy
tables for receptions, as well as an extensive
selection of wedding favors and other celebratory edibles.
PMG currently operates three other locations throughout Ohio. For more information
visit www.pmgchocolatier.com. gn
The Cook’s Warehouse Founder teams with chefs
and the White House to end childhood obesity
WASHINGTON—Mary Moore, Founder and
CEO of the Atlanta-based Cook’s Warehouse,
joined chefs from Atlanta and around the
country on the South Lawn of the White
House to launch the Chefs Move to Schools
program of First Lady Michelle Obama’s
Let’s Move! campaign
on June 4.
The goal of Let’s Move!
is to end childhood obesity within a generation,
and the Chefs Move to
Schools program is an
outreach opportunity for
chefs around the country
to adopt a local school to
help solve the childhood
obesity epidemic.
“Chefs Move to
Schools will pair chefs
with schools in their
communities to bring
fun to fruits and vegetables, and teach kids
about food, nutrition
and cooking in an engaging way,” said First Lady
Obama, in her remarks to the group. “And by
working with school foodservice employees,
administrators and teachers, chefs can help
deliver these messages from the cafeteria to
the classroom. After hearing fifth graders
cheer for broccoli, I know firsthand that
chefs can have a huge impact on kids’ health
and well-being.”
Moore traveled to the capital with a group
of 31 chefs representing 12 U.S. chapters and
Canada from Les Dames
d’Escoffier International, a
worldwide philanthropic
society of professional
woman leaders in the
fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality.
Moore, who is the
current Treasurer of the
organization and incoming Vice President in
October, said in a prepared statement, “Our
day at the White House
was extremely motivating. To be in the presence
of so many other chefs
committed to this initiative and to have the First
Lady support our efforts was profoundly
moving. I know together we can mitigate
childhood obesity.”
The Chefs Move to Schools program is led
by Sam Kass, White House Sous Chef and
the Food Initiative Coordinator. He oversaw
the groundbreaking of the White House
Kitchen Garden more than a year ago, where
local students have spent time on the South
Lawn planting seeds, harvesting vegetables
and learning about health and nutrition
along the way.
The Cook’s Warehouse, a gourmet cookware
store and cooking school with three locations
in the Atlanta area, has a history of supporting the farm-to-school movement through
community gardens and cooking classes. In
November 2009 it expanded its commitment
with a daylong seminar for Decatur City
Schools’ cafeteria staff, demonstrating freshfood cooking skills and talking about farmto-school opportunities. The second class in
this series was in late June. gn
Alfalfa’s to reopen in original Boulder location
BOULDER, Colo.—A-M Holdings, LLC, the
holding company for Alfalfa’s Market, will
acquire the Whole Foods Market store at 1651
Broadway, here, which is the original location
of Alfalfa’s, as well as the Alfalfa’s Market
name and intellectual property, the company
announced June 21, after receiving approval
from the Federal Trade Commission.
The transaction is the culmination of a
several-year negotiation between Whole
Foods Market and the FTC that required
Whole Foods to divest certain stores and
other assets obtained in the 2007 merger
with Wild Oats Markets. The terms of the
transaction are not being disclosed.
“We are thrilled to bring Alfalfa’s back to
our hometown of Boulder in the exact location where it all started,” said Mark Retzloff,
Co-Founder of Alfalfa’s Market, in a prepared
statement. “As Boulderites ourselves, we will
be able to directly address the needs of this
community with our passion for natural and
organic food, and healthcare products. We
are working with a team of seasoned foodies,
retail and organic industry pros to develop
a new, state-of-the-art retail experience
while maintaining the local, all-natural and
community market feel Alfalfa’s was always
known for.”
Alfalfa’s Market will obtain ownership of
the store at the end of July, and it will close for
an extensive remodel. The store is expected
to re-open by the end of the year.
Founded here in 1983, Alfalfa’s grew to 11
locations throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In
1996 it was acquired by Wild Oats Markets,
and now, 14 years later, Retzloff, along with
Barney Fleinblum and Hugo van Seenus, have
resurrected the Alfalfa’s name. gn
8
GROcERy & DEpARTMENT STORES
www.gourmetnews.com
FRESHDIRECT
EXPANDS
PRODUCE
OFFERINGS,
FOCUSES ON
LOCALITY
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.—
Online grocer FreshDirect, based
here, announced in June that it
was doubling its local offerings to
include more than 350 products
from more than 30 farmers and
suppliers within 300 miles of
New York City.
In a prepared statement,
M o n i c a Wo o , t h e C h i e f
Marketing and Strategy Officer
at FreshDirect said, “We’ve traveled locally to find small-scale
producers and family-run businesses that offer the freshest,
most delicious, highest-quality
food direct from the farm. At
FreshDirect, our criteria for
the local products are that they
must not only be good for our
customers, but also good for
local farmers and good for our
environment, too.”
FreshDirect, introduced in
2002, has a fresh selection
that includes local fruits, vegetables, cheese, seafood, dairy
and grass-fed beef. FreshDirect
also has specialty products
available for delivery, including
beer and wine. All products are
produced within 300 miles of
New York City, sticking to the
FreshDirect principle of supporting local producers and
providing a clear traceability of
products. A customer can have
produce picked and delivered to
them within 48 hours.
Customers are now able to
order hormone-free, antibioticfree dairy from Ronnybrook
Farm, Constant Bliss Cheese
from Jasper Hill Farms, grassfed beef from Hardwick Beef,
Long Island wines, Ommegang
beer, new offerings from Satur
Continued on pAGE 9
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
BRIEFS
HEB’s Mike Eardley
receives 2010 IDDBA
President’s Award
Fresh & Easy to acquire
two suppliers
By ELLEN RANTA
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—Fresh
& Easy Neighborhood Market,
based here, is set to acquire two
of its suppliers, the company
reported June 22.
A c c o rd i n g t o F re s h &
Easy spokesperson Brendan
Wonnacott, the company intends
to acquire 2 Sisters Food Group
and Wild Rocket Foods, subject
to regulatory approvals. 2 Sisters
is Fresh & Easy’s primary supplier of meat, fish and poultry,
and Wild Rocket is their main
supplier of produce.
Wonnacott said that the acquisition of the two business will
allow the company to better
service their ‘Kitchen’ operation
of prepared foods, which has seen
major growth as of late.
“The Fresh & Easy Kitchen
produces a range of freshly prepared meals,” said Wonnacott.
“Ingredients for these products
are sourced locally and deliveries
are made daily to each store to
ensure all products are as fresh
as possible. We are expanding
our kitchen concept after sales
have exceeded all targets despite
having fewer stores that we
originally planned.”
The acquisition is expected
to allow the company to create
an integrated campus with their
Kitchen facility, and enable them to
further develop their offerings.
Additionally, “the move is
intended to help with the launch
of a Global Sourcing Hub in
California, which will allow us
the opportunity to source more
products from the region, especially produce from California,
for the rest of the Tesco (Fresh
& Easy’s parent company) business. This move builds on the
successful work in Europe and
Asia to develop the company’s
International Sourcing operation,” Wonnacott said.
Fresh & Easy is consulting
with both businesses and intends
to move all 750 employees over
to the Fresh & Easy payroll. gn
New and improved
Pompton Plains A&P store
reopens after flood
POMPTON PLAINS, N.J.—After
being rebuilt and remodeled
following a devastating flood
in March, The Great Atlantic &
Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P),
headquartered here, re-opened
its Pompton Plains A&P store on
May 21. The store now features
an expanded selection of deli,
bakery, floral, meat, seafood
and organics departments, as
well as new specialty sections
such as a kids and toddler aisle,
an enhanced pet selection and
an expanded men’s offering.
Additionally, the store also has
dedicated a section to gluten-free
packaged products.
“While the March flood was
devastating for the Pompton
Plains community, and certainly
impacted our store greatly, we
are deeply invested in this community. When we began reviewing the options for rebuilding, we
decided to not only bring this
store back, but also to create a
completely enhanced innovative
shopping experience for our
customers,” said Ron Marshall,
CEO, The Great Atlantic &
Pacific Tea Company, in a prepared statement. “We are excited
to once again be part of this
neighborhood and we can’t wait
to serve our customers in our
new store.”
The reopening was celebrated with a weekend full of
special events including free
samples, prizes and giveaways.
The Pompton Plains A&P Store
Manager Roger Quick, also made
a donation to local fire and police
departments in honor of the
reopening.
Founded in 1859, A&P operates 429 stores in eight states and
the District of Columbia under
the following trade names: A&P,
Waldbaum’s, Pathmark, Best
Cellars, The Food Emporium,
Super Foodmart, SuperFresh
and Food Basics. gn
MADISON, Wis.—At the International Dairy-DeliBakery Association’s (IDDBA) Awards Banquet,
the closing event of the Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010,
Mike Eardley, HEB Grocery Co.’s Director of
Deli, Cheese and Prepared Foods, received the
IDDBA’s President’s Award.
Eardley was selected for the award by John
J. Sullivan, President of the International DairyDeli-Bakery Association and President and CEO,
Norseland, Inc. The award, presented on June 8,
recognizes distinguished service or contribution
to the industry and honors those who have led
with vision and dedication.
As he presented the award to Eardley, Sullivan
said, “[Eardley’s] life-long work ethic is based on
a passion and enthusiasm for excellence and for
accountability in himself and in others. In recognition of his passion and enthusiasm for excellence, and on behalf of the [IDDBA] and our grateful industry, we are delighted to present the 2010
IDDBA President’s Award to Mike Eardley.”
Eardley got his start in the grocery industry
at his father’s supermarket. Later he worked for
D&W Food Centers in Grand Rapids, Mich. for
29 years as Director of Food Services and then
Vice President of Fresh Foods. In 2001 Eardley
was hired as Business Development Manager
for Deli at HEB Supermarkets in San Antonio.
Recently he was named Director of Deli, Cheese
and Prepared Foods. Eardley also served on
the IDDBA Board for nine years and as IDDBA
President from 2001-2002.
The Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010 was held in
Houston from June 6-8.
Whole Foods Market
kicks off 30th
birthday celebration
AUSTIN, Texas—To acknowledge the long-term
support and loyalty of its customers, Whole
Foods Market is inviting shoppers to enter a
short essay contest for a chance to win a culinary celebration weekend here.
The contest is the first in a series of celebrations for the company’s 30th birthday, held at all
298 stores in Canada, the United Kingdom and
the United States.
“From the moment our original 19 team members opened our first store in Austin 30 years
ago, we have appreciated the support from our
shoppers who have truly been the secret to our
success,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole
Foods Market, in a prepared statement.
To enter, participants can visit wholefoodsmarket.com/birthday to share their special
stories, inspirations and memories about Whole
Foods Market.
Thirty winners will be chosen to each receive
an all-expense paid trip for two to the birthplace
of Whole Foods Market, where they will be treated to a VIP culinary weekend.
The company officially turns 30 on Monday,
Sept. 20.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
Grocery & Department Stores
www.gourmetnews.com
Whole Foods Market requires
certification of organic
non-food products
AUSTIN, Texas—Whole Foods Market,
based here, is now requiring personal care
products and cosmetics that make an “organic” product claim to be certified to the United
Status Department of Agriculture National
Organic Program (USDA NOP) standard, to
which organic food must already be certified to under U.S. law. This certification
will honor the authenticity of the organic
label and will ensure that claims on product
labels in their stores are accurate.
Although the USDA certification is not
currently mandatory for non-food products,
according to the company’s new requirements,
all personal care products and cosmetics that
use the word “organic” on the product label
in any way—including the use of the word
“organic” in the brand name—must also be
certified to the NOP standard. Products with
a “contains organic ingredients” claim must
be certified to the NSF 305 ANSI Standard for
Organic Personal Care products, a consensus-
based industry standard accepted by the
American National Standards Institute and
managed by NSF International.
“At Whole Foods Market, our shoppers
do not expect the definition of organic
to change substantially between the food
and non-food aisles of our stores,” said Joe
Dickson, Quality Standards Coordinator for
Whole Foods Market, in a prepared statement. “We believe that the ‘organic’ claim
used on personal care products should have
just as strong a meaning to the ‘organic’
claim used on food products, which is
currently regulated by the USDA’s National
Organic Program.”
As of Aug. 1, suppliers of Whole Foods
Market who make an “organic” claim have to
submit their plans for compliance. They have
until June 11, 2011 to be in full compliance.
Whole Foods Market is currently working
with suppliers to transition their label claims
to the meet these new standards. gn
ShopRite opens eighth
Maryland location
GLEN BURNIE, Md.—ShopRite is set to
open its eighth Maryland store—its first
in Anne Arundel County—here in the fall
of 2010. The new store will be located in
the Chesapeake Square Shopping Center,
which is owned by principals of the Fedder
Company and the Briarwood Group.
ShopRite, a New Jersey-based supermarket
chain, will be filling the 85,000-squarefoot store—which previously housed a
K-Mart—and will be operated by Collins
Family Markets, which also currently owns
three ShopRite locations in Pennsylvania.
“We are excited to have the first new
ShopRite store in the Baltimore area, and
look forward to leveraging this excitement into a great ‘renovation’ of the shopping center, in every sense of the word,”
said Robert G. Pollokoff, President of the
Fedder Company. “Having ShopRite, with
their aggressive marketing and renowned
customer service will create wonderful
energy for the shopping center, the other
merchants in the shopping center and the
entire community that has been looking for
a full-service grocer to fill the void since
some local stores have closed in the last
couple years.”
The new ShopRite store will include a
fresh seafood department and a full-service
f loral department, a sushi bar, a bake
shop, a full-service butcher and a catering
department, as well as a new organic and
natural products department. Prepared
foods will also be available, both in the
store and online.
ShopRite, founded in 1985, is a member
of the Wakefern Food Corp., a retailerowner cooperative based in New Jersey
that operates more than 200 ShopRite locations throughout Connecticut, Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, New York and
Pennsylvania. gn
Continued from Page 8
Farms, hand-made fruit pies by the local
Breezy Hill Orchards, fresh Long Island
seafood and local corn from Altobelli
Farms, among others.
The FreshDirect website has new features
such as an interactive map of the farms,
allowing customers to shop by proximity.
Sweepstakes and discounts will also be available via the website.
FreshDirect’s always-expanding home
delivery service currently reaches most
of Manhattan, locations in Brooklyn, the
Bronx, Staten Island and Queens, as well as
parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, Nassau
County and Westchester. gn
By Megan Wadding
Town & Country Markets receives
FRESHDIRECT
retail grocery award
LOS ANGELES—Town & Country Markets,
Inc., a chain of six unique supermarkets in
the Seattle metropolitan area, was named the
recipient of the 2010 Ben Schwartz Retail
Grocery Visionary Award by Unified Grocers
on June 8 here.
The award, which is named after a long-time
director and former chairman of the board at
Unified Grocers, is an honor given annually to
an independent retail grocer or grocery company that is a leader and innovator in the retail
grocery industry. The award recognizes retailers
who, through their practice and example, have
consistently demonstrated initiative, creativity
and leadership within their businesses and, in
the process, have inspired others to think and
act creatively and with passion in the grocery
field. To be eligible, retailers must be, or must
have been, a member of Unified Grocers or
one of its predecessor companies.
Founded as a neighborhood market on
Bainbridge Island, Wash., in the 1920s, Town
& Country Markets today has grown into a
company featuring six grocery stores—Ballard
Market and Greenwood Market in Seattle, Town
& Country Markets on Bainbridge Island, and
three Central Markets, located in Mill Creek,
Poulsbo and Shoreline. The company is unique
in that its past and current leadership consists
of members from the two families who founded
the company more than 80 years ago, the
Loverich family and the Nakata family.
In presenting the award, Al Plamann,
President and Chief Executive of Unified
Grocers, said, “Town & Country Markets has
consistently been a pioneer in the development and implementation of new ideas that
have since become standard within the world
of grocery retailing.”
One of the company’s most successful innovations, Plamann said, was the launch in 1995
of the company’s Central Market format.
“In addition to being one of the nation’s first
grocery stores that fully embraced the ‘fresh’ and
‘healthy foods’ concepts, Central Market was
a destination store, a grocery market that was
literally designed to attract customers and shoppers from well beyond the store’s traditional
marketing territory,” Plamann said.
Town & Country Co-Owners Larry Nakata
and Wayne Loverich accepted the award.
Unified Grocers is a retailer-owned
wholesale grocery distributor that supplies
independent retailers throughout the western United States. gn
9
10
specialty Distributors & Brokers
Polka Dot Bake Shop
opens new facility, gains
Kosher certification
By Megan Wadding
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—So far in 2010, the
Polka Dot Bake Shop, based here, has
opened a new production facility and was
awarded Kosher certification from Star K
Certification, Inc.
The bake shop, founded in 2007, started
a wholesale cracker line made from sweet
potatoes in 2009, and just recently moved the
cracker production into its own facility.
The Polka Dot Bake Shop’s legal entity,
Millchap Purveyors, started leasing space
here, which allows for the business to produce
more than eight times its previous volume.
The facility is solely used for the production,
packaging and distribution of the crackers.
“We have signed on with several distributors and needed to set up a production facility
to meet this increased demand,” said Michelle
Miller, Co-Owner of Millchap Purveyors, in
a prepared statement. “After introducing the
sweet potato crackers at gourmet food shows
in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco, the
demand has increased over the last year.”
Currently the crackers are sold in roughly
100 stores across the U.S., including the Polka
Dot Bake Shop. Jennifer Chapman, Co-Owner
of Millchap Purveyors, said a new page on the
Polka Dot Bake Shop’s website shows, state
by state, where the crackers are currently
UNFI extends distribution
agreement with Whole Foods
PROVIDENCE, R.I.—United Natural
Foods, Inc. and the Austin, Texas-based
Whole Foods Market extended their partnership for an additional seven years, in an
amendment to the terms of their primary
distribution agreement.
Under the amended agreement, UNFI,
based here, will continue to serve as the primary wholesale natural grocery distributor to
Whole Foods Market in U.S. regions where it
already is the primary distributor. This new
agreement amends and extends an existing
seven-year primary distribution agreement
that was not scheduled to expire until Sept.
25, 2013, to Sept. 25, 2020.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership
with Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading
natural and organic foods supermarket. This
amendment reflects the continued evolution
of our relationship and secures distribution
with our largest customer for the next decade,”
said Steven Spinner, United Natural Foods’
President and Chief Executive Officer, in a
prepared statement.
“Extending the term of our Whole Foods
Market distribution agreement provides UNFI
with a platform to continue to grow our
market share in specialty foods and organics, as well as invest in our infrastructure,”
Spinner added, in a prepared statement. “We
look forward to capitalizing on the tremendous growth opportunities that exist in the
www.gourmetnews.com
available. Millchap Purveyors has a goal to
introduce a new product every year, all of
which will be produced at the new facility,
according to Chapman.
The Polka Dot Bake Shop has been certified
through a local rabbi, and while working to
open their new production facility, Millchap
Purveyors also managed to obtain a Star K
kosher certification. Currently, both Polka
Dots Bake Shop products and its new facility
are dairy-free, nut-free and egg-free.
“We met the Star K Certification, Inc. representatives at the 2010 Winter Fancy Food
Show in San Francisco this past January and
felt that their culture was a match with ours,”
said Chapman.
“With our sweet potato crackers having
a national distribution, we felt that the
Star K certification was vital to having a
nationally recognized kosher product. It
made sense to coordinate the opening of
the new facility with the new kosher certification,” said Chapman, in a prepared
statement. gn
industry as a whole, as well as helping Whole
Foods Market, as it implements its strategy
for growth.”
In a prepared statement, Walter Robb,
Co-Chief Executive Officer of Whole Foods
Market, said, “Whole Foods Market is pleased
to extend our long-term relationship with
United Natural Foods. Having a long-term
primary distribution partner is an important
element of our growth strategy, as it allows us
to concentrate our capital and resources over
the next decade on growing and improving
our store base while focusing our internal
distribution efforts around key perishable
departments. We continue to seek opportunities to enhance the strategic partnership
between UNFI and Whole Foods Market.”
United Natural Foods, Inc. carries and
distributes more than 60,000 products
to more than 17,000 customer locations
nationwide. gn
Unified Grocers, Inc. reports increased earnings
LOS ANGELES—Unified Grocers, Inc.,
based here, announced net earnings of $3.1
million for the second fiscal quarter ending
April 3, up from $2.5 million for the second
fiscal quarter of 2009, the company reported
May 19. This increase is due to a combination of both sales increases and expense
reductions.
For the 2010 period, the company reported
net sales of $959.7 million, compared to
$951.7 million for the 2009 period, a 0.8
percent increase mainly attributed to the
timing of the Easter holiday which fell in
the second quarter in 2010 versus the third
quarter in the fiscal year 2009. Aside from
the timing of the Easter holiday sales, the
company would have experienced roughly
a 1 percent sales decline due to the current
economic conditions.
Before patronage dividends and income
taxes, earnings were $4.9 million—a 20
percent increase—for the 2010 period, compared to the 2009 period’s $4.1 million. The
increase is most likely a result of continuing
emphasis on cost controls within the company’s wholesale operations. These factors are
partially offset by increased pension and post
retirement expenses and reduced inventory
holding gains.
“At Unified Grocers, we are holding our
own by making sure we have the right mix
of products and services available for our
member retailers and by continuing to
keep a tight lid on expenses,” said Alfred
A. Plamann, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Unified Grocers, in a prepared statement. “The results have been positive—our
earnings before patronage dividends for the
first half of fiscal 2010 are almost exactly
what we budgeted and we expect this trend
to continue for the remainder of the year.”
On a year-to-date basis, net earnings
increased to $6.8 million (up 7 percent)
while sales and earnings before patronage
dividends decreased to $1.960 billion (down
1.8 percent) and $15.6 million (down 23
percent) respectively. The decline in year-todate earnings before patronage dividends is
being attributed to the unusually high level
of food inflation and other vendor-related
support during the first quarter of fiscal
2009 that has not been present thus far in
fiscal 2010.
“Consumer demand for grocery items continues to be mixed in Unified’s marketplace,”
said Plamann, in a prepared statement. “Some
of our member retailers are doing quite
well, particularly those in locations where
consumer spending remains strong. On the
other hand, some of our independents are
finding this market—and the much hoped-for
recovery—to be far more sluggish and distant
than they had originally anticipated.” gn
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
briefs
Laurel Hill Chips gain
national distribution
ATTLEBORO, Mass.—Laurel Hill Foods,
based here, nationally launched its Laurel Hill
Tortilla Chips in May. The new tortilla chips
line can be found at 164 Whole Foods stores
throughout the states of Arizona, California,
Illinois and Maryland.
Because of the success of Laurel Hill Chips
within its first nine months, selling over 111,000
units in the New England, New Jersey and New
York areas, Whole Foods decided to expand the
line nationally.
The chips currently come in four unique flavors available including: Multigrain, Sea Salt and
Lime, Olive and Caper, and Pepita and Spice.
The chips are all-natural and gluten-free.
Laurel Hill, founded in 1965, has a full range
of products which includes: imported vegetables, olives, premium snacks, trail mixes, condiments and sauces, and the latest addition,
all-natural tortilla chips.
Taste of Africa
unveiled at National
Specialty Show
LEICESTER, Mass.—On May 11-13, United
Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) unveiled their
new “Taste of Africa” program at the 2010
National Specialty Show at Foxwood’s Resort
in Mashantucket, Conn.
Joe Forgette, UNFI’s Specialty Food Category
Manager, is leading the venture. “The is truly
the last frontier of specialty foods, and we are
all thrilled to be a part of such a dynamic concept,” said Forgette, in a prepared statement.
The “Taste of Africa” program is a specialty
foods concept developed and implemented by
Talier Trading Group, in an effort to bring trade
to under-represented regions of Africa. Talier
works directly with African specialty food manufacturers on all aspects of the value chain and
then focuses on creating market demand for
the products in the U.S. market.
“This program is allowing African farmers
and manufacturers the opportunity to compete
on a global level, and bring much needed, sustainable trade to this fascinating continent,”
said Managing Director of Talier Trading Group,
Jim Thaller.
“The Taste of Africa continues to grow
stronger every year, with new products being
developed, new economic development models
being implemented and new retailers embracing the concept, and we look forward to this
solid partnership with UNFI,” said Thaller, in a
prepared statement.
Placon’s bowl line
contains post-consumer
recycled content
Reser’s unveils
revamped
Sensational Sides line
Mindoro brand
cheeses are
blue-ribbon quality
SEE PAGE 12
SEE PAGE 13
SEE PAGE 14
SUPPLEMENT TO
AUGUST 2010
2010
IDDBA
SHOW WRAP-UP
12
IDDBA SHOW WRAP-UP
www.gourmetnews.com
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
IDDBA SHOW WRAP-UP
IDDBA highlights
new trends
in cheese
By ELLEN RANTA
HOUSTON—Living up to its tagline, “The Show
of Shows,” International Dairy-Deli-Bakery
Associations’ show had a record-breaking
event this year. The 46th annual seminar and
expo was held June 6-8 at the George R. Brown
Convention Center here, and it attracted topranked retail buyers, merchandisers, executives,
food manufacturers, brokers and distributors.
The show had more than 8,000 registered
attendees with representatives from over 40
countries. After the original exhibit floor sold
out early, IDDBA added additional booth space,
which also sold out.
According to an IDDBA statement, “The general feeling that we’d turned the corner on the
economy provided an added boost or electrical
charge to the atmosphere. The show floor was
extremely crowded and busy as exhibitors and
retailers set a crisp pace that opened the door
to new business, new marketing ideas and new
relationships.”
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, an exhibitor at IDDBA, had a “very successful show,” said
Joanna Miller, spokesperson for WMMB.
The Board introduced several new mozzarella products such as the Fresh Mozzarella
Prosciutto Roll from BelGioioso and the
Mozzarella Pearls and Marinated Mozzarella
from Crave Brothers.
“One thing people seemed especially interested in was the recipe information included on
the inside of the lids for the Crave Brothers products,” said Miller. “This is a trend we noticed
with other producers as well, and something
that helps consumers better understand the
products and get the most out of them.”
Miller also added that flavored cheeses were
quite popular, including the Burning Melange,
Foenegreek and Honey Clover Goudas from
Holland’s family Cheese, as well as the Carr
Valley Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar and the
Henning’s Mediterranean Sunset.
The WMMB also featured the new line from
Kretschmar Deli, a company known for its deli
meats. Kretschmar worked with Wisconsin
Master Cheesemakers for their line of cheeses,
which include Mild Red Wax Cheddar, Smoked
Baby Swiss, Pepper Jack and Colby Jack, Havarti,
Sharp Cheddar, Butterkase and Muenster.
“When we made the decision to extend
our deli line with premium cheeses, we knew
to look to Wisconsin because of the state’s
well-earned reputation for superior products,”
said Erik Waterkotte, Director of Marketing
at Kretschmar.
Off the show floor, the Dairy-Deli-Bake featured an array of interesting speakers. President
George W. Bush spoke to a standing-room-only
crowd about his years in office, his management
philosophy, his family and leadership, while
Rachael Ray shared details of her early days
working in foodservice.
The Show & Sell Center proved to be a
highlight again this year, as retailers took to
the display area to learn about new ideas and
innovative merchandising themes created by
the retailers and volunteers on the committee.
IDDBA’s Dairy-Deli-Bake 2011 will be held
in Anaheim, Calif. June 5-7. gn
Placon’s bowl line contains
post-consumer recycled content
Falafel Republic brings
fresh falafel home
Placon has introduced unique bowls and lids in its
Fresh ‘n Clear™ line of products for the foodservice
market. Neither square nor round, the new bowls and
lids are referred to as “scround” and allow food and deli
items to look appetizing and attractive. For retailers,
the products mean a high level of effectiveness in
the use of available case and shipping space, but
also a high visual appeal for the sale of items like
deli products, lettuce salads and cut fruit.
The product is made with food-grade recycled
PET, which contains a minimum of 35 percent postconsumer recycled water bottles. Available in clear
or black, Fresh ’n Clear bowls come in eight sizes
ranging from eight to 64 ounces.
Three lid styles allow versatility and choice
including an embossed design, an unadorned flat lid
designed for easy accommodation of self-adhesive
labels, and a dome lid effectively adds more available
storage space to the bowl.
When packed and closed, the bowls offer the
convenience of nestable stacking, creating attractive
and secure displays.
For Fresh ‘n Clear samples, sizing and ordering
information, call Placon at 800-541-1535 or visit
www.placon.com.
As America’s fascination with authentic ethnic
foods continues to grow, Falafel Republic proudly
introduces fresh, fully-cooked falafel in a convenient
retail package. Based on traditional Mediterranean
and Middle Eastern cuisine, Falafel Republic is a
wholesome blend of chickpeas, fava beans, and exotic
spices, available in two savory flavors: Traditional
and Roasted Garlic. This protein-rich product, once
considered “the secret of the pharaohs,” appeals to
falafel lovers, those with a curious palate, as well as
vegetarians and gluten-sensitive consumers alike.
While falafel may be a new food to some, it is
believed to have originated some 4,000 years ago!
The recipe has stood the test of time and today is
enjoyed by many around the globe. Until now, falafel
was only available to the American consumer in
restaurants or had to be made from scratch. Now,
Falafel Republic makes fully-cooked falafel readily
available for retail distribution nationwide so that
consumers can now purchase fresh falafel in a
convenient 9-oz. retail pack in the grocery store.
Falafel Republic’s retail pack contains nine 1-oz.
falafel balls with a suggested retail price of $5.99,
designed to be merchandised in the deli section
alongside hummus or other Mediterranean foods.
Humble falafel—the secret of the pharaohs and the
faithful food of the Mediterranean and Middle East—is
now shared with the whole world, an egalitarian feast
for all humankind everywhere.
For more information, contact Bob Catinella, V.P.
of Sales at 781-444-2790.
Beano’s is the number one selling brand of deli
condiments. Conroy Foods Inc., the maker of Beano’s
Deli Condiments, is unveiling a totally new family look
for our extensive line of high-quality condiments.
Born in 1986, Beano’s Submarine Dressing was
the first condiment created specifically for sale through
grocers’ deli departments. Over the years, Beano’s
has introduced many new flavors that exceed their
customers’ expectations for fantastic flavors that
enhance the flavors of food. 2010 finds us introducing
new Beano’s Buffalo Sandwich Sauce. This new, thick
and rich formula is the perfect dressing when making
Buffalo Chicken sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas and
even pizza. It has the perfect balance between heat
and flavor. With the flavor of Buffalo now the No. 2
restaurant menu mention, Beano’s know this item is
going to be a real hit with consumers who want to
duplicate their favorite restaurant item at home.
Beano’s website, www.conroyfoods.com, provides a
quick and easy reference point to see all of the varieties
of Beano’s Condiments and Sauces. Beano’s also
have a link so you can follow them on Facebook and
Twitter. For more information, contact Conroy Foods at
800-317-8316. Remember, Beano’s makes it better!
Creta Farms first to market
with deli meat innovation
Pasta Romana offers freshfrom-the-market products
The Pasta Romana difference is in their superior,
fresh-from-the market products, uncompromising
appreciation of tradition and careful preparation.
Fresh pasta: their pasta is made according to
the exacting Italian standards that govern the “fresh
pasta” designation. They use only 100 percent durum
semolina and the freshest of eggs, thereby decreasing
cooking time and giving the pasta a rich, golden tint,
the signs of quality artisanal cooking.
Quality meats: Only grade-A meats are used in their
food, and their prosciutto comes straight from Parma.
Authentic wines and cheeses: The wines and
cheese they use are all proudly made locally,
or imported from Italy, as is their Romano and
Parmigiano Reggiano.
Market-fresh vegetables: All of their vegetables,
herbs and condiments are incorporated into their
dishes while they still resonate with the freshness,
color and aroma of the garden.
Pasta Romano’s foods are all prepared just like
home-made, in small batches without even a hint of
artificial color and flavor.
At Pasta Romana, they prepare their dishes in
the style of trattoria, those easygoing Italian dining
establishments with their simple, aromatic cuisine
so beloved of foodies…and forever associated with
proud Italian moms!
Beano’s makes it better!
Action Images: no risk,
only rewards
Set up a custom cookie factory in your bakery with
no inventory, no expense and no risk!
Extract additional profit from your loyal customers.
Have any furnished artwork for any occasion custom
directly printed onto an old-fashioned iced shortbread
cookie. Three easy steps: first, have your customer
fill out the furnished order form; secondly, have them
email you their .jpeg artwork. Lastly, e-mail the form
and art to Action Images and in 7-10 days the cookies
will be delivered to your bakery. Now the fun begins...
call them to pick up their custom cookie order and
share in the joy when they see their image on their
cookie. You will build a stronger bond with your
customer, while you have another opportunity to sell
them additional bakery goods. No risk, only rewards!
For more information, e-mail info@actionimagesinc.
net or call 847-763-9700.
Patented method replaces saturated fat in deli
meats with extra virgin olive oil, adds health
benefits and flavor.
Already well established in European grocers and
delicatessens, Creta Farms™ launched its Gourmet
Deli Meats, June 6 - 8 at the International Dairy, Deli
and Bakery Association’s Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar
and Expo in Houston.
By removing animal fat and replacing it with Cretan
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Creta Farms increases the
nutritional value of deli cuts. The proprietary product
preparation method is patented in more than 90
countries and is achieved by removing animal fat
by hand from top-quality, lean meat and immediately
infusing extra virgin olive oil. The result is a highly
nutritional product, rich in taste.
Creta Farms offers a full line of gourmet deli
meats, including oven roasted turkey breast, hickory
smoked turkey breast, honey roasted turkey breast,
rotisserie-style turkey breast, black forest ham, honey
roasted ham, hardwood smoked ham, extra lean
cooked ham, lightly seasoned roast beef, and oven
roasted chicken breast. Creta Farms is also currently
developing extra virgin olive oil-infused hot dogs,
bologna and sausage.
The company’s deli meats have already captured
the attention of The American Heart Association, who
has certified all of the company’s turkey, ham and
roast beef offerings.
For more information visit www.cretafarms.com.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
IDDBA SHOW WRAP-UP
www.gourmetnews.com
13
MariekeTM Gouda Italian Herb–
Handcrafted with PassionTM
Perfect packaging
for a better world
Reser’s unveils revamped
Sensational Sides line
Klondike Feta Cheese offers
a variety of options
Holland’s Family Cheese, LLC, a family-owned,
artisan cheese company offers an extensive range of
award-winning Gouda. Marieke’s Italian Herb Gouda
holds a national title from the American Cheese
Society held in Texas in 2009. Their handcrafted,
farmstead Italian Herb Gouda is flavored with basil,
thyme, pepper, tomato, onion, paprika and garlic.
It’s like eating a slice of tasty pizza without the crust!
One of the cheesemaker’s (Marieke’s) personal
favorites; the warm and zesty flavors in this Gouda
will not disappoint. All of Marieke’sTM authentic Dutch
cheese is made from raw, farm-fresh, rBGH-free milk
crafted in a cheese vat from Holland. The 18-pound
wheels are carefully aged in a special curing cellar
on Dutch pine planks.
Marieke Italian Herb Gouda is a great snacking
cheese. Give your omelet a Mediterranean twist by
adding grated Italian Herb Gouda. Add it to your next
homemade pizza or bread it to make your very own
“Melted Gouda Sticks.” This cheese is so versatile
you’ll love coming up with new recipes. Pair it with
an Italian wine, like Nebbiolo. Visit them on the web
at www.hollandsfamilycheese.com or give them
a call at 715-669-5230. Wholesale and distributor
pricing available.
Novelis Foil Products offers a full line of up-scale,
heavy gauge, smooth wall aluminum packaging.
This packaging comes in gold and black and elegant
silver. These pans come in 11 different sizes, the
largest variety in the industry. All of the pans have
flat flange edges which can be used with OPS or PET
dome lids as well as heat sealing film. These pans
are both ovenable and microwavable and are 100
percent and infinitely recyclable and are perfect for
catering or in store grab ‘n go programs. At Novelis
we share a deep appreciation of our collective role
in the vibrant health of our environment and our
customers. Novelis operates seven recycling centers
around the world. Every year Novelis recycles more
than 35 billion aluminum cans, not only providing
an important source of metal for our company, but
also helping to combat global climate change. By
recycling used cans instead of making new metal,
Novelis saves the energy equivalent of more than
11 million barrels of oil and prevents the production
of more than four million tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions annually. We not only talk it, we live it!
For more information, contact 800-776-8701.
Reser’s Fine Foods, the largest manufacturer of
refrigerated side dishes in the United States and a
continuing category leader, unveiled their recently
revamped Sensational Sides line at this year’s
IDDBA trade show.
Sensational Sides is a complete line of familysized side dishes that include Creamy Mashed
Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese, Homestyle
Gravy, and other timeless favorites. The line offers
consumers convenient mealtime solutions they feel
good about serving to their families while providing
supermarkets popular and versatile sides that
enhance their deli selection.
In addition to product mix and recipe enhancements,
the Sensational Sides revamp included a complete
packaging redesign. A blend of clean, uncluttered
design and familiar, nostalgic elements makes the
new design feel both contemporary and timeless;
meanwhile, bold, appetizing product photography
and vivid colors evoke freshness and quality.
Not only that, but the new design incorporates
multiple product benefit call-outs ranging from “made
with real cheese” to “good source of potassium.”
The revamped Sensational Sides line offers the
same unbeatable taste, quality, freshness, and
convenience as before, but it now makes those
qualities clearer to consumers. Look for them in your
local supermarket’s deli department.
You’re always looking for new menu options for
your business or family. Now, Klondike Feta Cheese
is offering options to you. High-quality Klondike’s
OdysseyTM Feta Cheese is available in a variety of
styles, sizes and packaging options. In addition to
Odyssey Feta Crumbles, Loaves and Chunks made
from cow’s milk delivered from family farms, you can
also select OdysseyTM Feta Cubes in Brine. You even
have a choice of cube sizes. The standard Feta cube
size of 5/8” is cut by a robot for uniformity however,
you can also order other cube sizes tailored to your
own menu needs.
Feta Cubes offer a variety of menu applications,
ranging from appetizers and salads to pastas and
entrees. Feta Cubes are sold in pails of various
sizes. Brine-packed Feta also offers a longer
shelf life after opening, which allows you to take
advantage of the economy and convenience of
ordering larger quantities.
The Buholzer family has operated the Klondike
Cheese Factory, originally started by a farmers’
cooperative, for more than 75 years. Third
generation cheesemakers include brothers Ron,
Steve and Dave Buholzer, all of whom have attained
the Master Cheesemaker designation. Fourth
Generation cheesemakers are also following the
path for their Master Cheesemaker achievement.
For more information about brine-packed Feta
Cubes from Klondike, or to learn about the
company’s other award-winning cheeses, visit the
newly redesigned website at www.klondikecheese.
com, or call 608-325-3021.
Ole takes Mexican food
products to the next level
Litehouse Foods launches
line of artisan cheese
Perfect breads for the times:
Rich’s All-Natural Heart
Healthy Breads
More than ever, consumers are looking for bakeryfresh products that are better for them. Rich Products
offers retail groceries an enticing and delicious line of
all-natural breads that are packed with wholesome
taste and honest nutrition. Even the names say these
are superior breads by design: Heart Healthy Apple
Crisp, Oatmeal Crunch, Ancient Grain and Italian
Heartland Grain.
The government’s MyPyramid dietary guidelines
recommend three daily servings of whole grains. Each
of Rich’s All-Natural Heart Healthy Breads sports
a Whole Grain Council and most a heart-healthy
stamp of approval. Every serving provides a source
of whole grains and protein. Packaging confirms
quality ingredients. One bite confirms the great flavor
and wonderful texture.
Quality and taste are important for today’s
consumers who are turning down traditional white
bread products as never before. A decade ago, wheat
and grain breads represented 10 percent of sales.
Today, it’s 40 percent and growing.
Still, it’s one thing to talk about eating healthier,
but actually doing it is another. When genuinely
healthy breads taste this good, it’s easy to build
loyal fans of fresh-baked Heart Healthy Breads at
the in-store bakery.
Litehouse Foods—long known for their quality salad
dressings—introduced a gourmet line of artisan cheese
at the recent IDDBA Show, with fantastic success!
Handcrafted in the rich tradition of artisan
cheesemakers, Litehouse bleu and gorgonzola cheese
are rich, creamy full-bodied cheese handcrafted in the
way of the masters. Blue veins run deep with an origin
reaching back to the caves of French Roquefort.
The line of Artisan Cheese also include feta,
parmesan, romano and asiago; available for retail
delis, specialty wine and cheese stores, food
service and club stores. Litehouse can customize a
comprehensive program; from do-it-yourself cheese
displays and on-site hand cut cheese, or to include
a large variety of pack sizes:
Artisan Heart of Bleu – various tub weights
available.
Wedges of Bleu Cheese and Creamy Gorgonzola
Cheese – various weights available.
Large and small cut crumbles of Bleu Cheese,
Creamy Gorgonzola, Handcrafted Feta in both
cryovac bags and tubs.
Shredded Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, 3 Cheese in
5-ounce tub (additional sizes available upon request).
Shaved and Grated Parmesan in 5-ounce tub.
Litehouse Foods is a 50 year family owned
company that has recently become an employee
owned company.
For more information, please contact Elaine Simon
at 208-263-7569,e-mail esimon@litehouseinc.com
or visit www.litehousefoods.com.
Rain Creek Baking expands
selection of homemade
baklava and desserts
Grocers and bakeries looking to add profitable variety
to their pre-made dessert offering will want to check
out Sinbad Sweets baklava and specialty desserts,
including the new Baklava Chocolat.
Produced by Rain Creek Baking, a division of
Kronos Foods, these handmade treats are the perfect
complement to dessert cases and bakery sections.
“Our new Baklava Chocolat adds a broad appeal
twist on an old-world favorite,” said Valerie Lester, Vice
President of Marketing and Product Development.
“As with our other premium specialty desserts, it is
available in bulk trays for behind the glass and retail
packs for the self service bakery tables.”
The company’s artisan bakers are renowned
for their blending of Mediterranean spices, nuts
and honey, combined with wholesome ingredients,
inside layers of flaky filo dough. Nuts, honey and
dairy products used in the company’s recipes are
sourced locally, via local California growers, to ensure
freshness. The Rain Creek Baking team produces
filo dough on site, guaranteeing stringent quality
standards are consistently met.
For more information, contact Rain Creek Baking
at 800-530-0505.
No doubt, the Mexican food category has been a
growth story in supermarkets for more than a decade.
Why? Let’s see, Hispanics are now the largest minority
in the United States—the result of nearly 30 percent
growth in the last decade. Significantly, most of the
growth came from Mexico and Central America, and
with them came demand for a food staple—tortillas. At
the same time, Mexican restaurants popped up in every
corner of America in a variety of formats—authentic,
Tex-Mex, casual and fast food. Americans latched on
to the taste and fun, and began to experiment with
those flat, round pieces of bread.
Veronica Moreno saw the trend coming to Atlanta
in 1988 and acted on her dream of bringing fresh,
authentic tortillas to her family and eventually to the
growing Mexican and Central American population
settling in the Southeast. She founded Olé Mexican
Foods, starting with limited production capability,
an old pickup truck and daily visits to local retailers
where Mexicans shopped. Consumers got hooked
and today Olé is the second-largest tortilla producer
in the United States with plants in Georgia, Texas and
California, as well as an authentic Mexican cheese
plant in Tennessee and a chorizo plant in Atlanta.
Olé makes and sells its three brands—La
Banderita, Verolé and Olé—through a network of
company-owned routes and distribution partners
across most of the United States. Products include
corn and flour tortillas, tortilla chips and chicharrones,
tostadas, Mexican pastries, authentic Mexican and
Central American cheeses and chorizo sausage.
For more information about Olé Mexican Foods,
their products, and some great recipe ideas, check
out their website at www.olemexicanfoods.com, and
start a fiesta!
14
IDDBA SHOW WRAP-UP
www.gourmetnews.com
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
Buddy’s Kitchen offers quality
items at competitive prices
Treat your customers to the
great taste of Ilchester
Dietz & Watson offers premium
quality in extensive product line
Sartori artisan goat cheese takes
top honors at Wisconsin State Fair
In 2001, Minneapolis-based Buddy’s Kitchen was a
robust supplier of custom frozen entrees to airline
customers. Its specialty: premium hand-made
omelets. Events that year dramatically reduced the
food that airlines served passengers.
Nine years later, Buddy’s still supplies major airline
customers, but airlines, once 80 percent of revenue,
are now only 30 percent.
“Recently, we have successfully added customers
in the retail, c-store and specialty restaurant arenas,”
said Buddy’s CEO Dave Smith, who invested in
Buddy’s in 2007. “People ask us to customize frozen
sandwiches and breakfast entrees for their labels.
We deliver that at a very competitive price.”
Buddy’s uses its 200-member production team to
its advantage. “We have very skilled food assemblers,”
said VP of Operations Lyle Horrmann. “We’re
not afraid to invest in technology, but we produce
such unique products because our core process
is manual.”
A recession year for many, Buddy’s grew 40
percent in 2009 after a 20 percent 2008 surge. The
formula seems to be working.
An example of the customization is a ‘Green
Chile Cheeseburger’ developed at the request of
a southwestern C-store chain. “A sandwich for the
Minnesota palate wouldn’t sell in El Paso,” said Smith.
Buddy’s has a passion for food safety. “We co-pack
for some of the largest food companies in the world, and
our QA/food safety team matches them stride for stride,”
according to Horrmann. Buddy’s expects to earn the
SQF (Safe Quality Food) designation in late 2010.
Learn more about Buddy’s Kitchen at www.
buddyskitchen.com.
England’s leading specialty cheeses are now available
in exact weight packaging
Introduced at this year’s IDDBA, Ilchester Cheese
Company unveiled its new line of exact weight
parchment film wrapped cheeses. With over 20
premium varieties, the new line up includes: Ilchester’s
award-winning Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Original
Beer Cheese, Five Counties, Spicy Cheddar,
Wensleydale with Mango & Ginger, Wensleydale
with Mango & Orange, Wensleydale with Lemon,
Double Gloucester with Rosemary & Thyme, Cheddar
with Apple & Sage, Wensleydale with Cranberries
& Maple as well as a selection of mild and mature
cheddars and territorials.
Based in southwest England, Ilchester is able to
source products from some of the finest producers
in the country, blending Britain’s territorials to bring
you a wide selection of fruited Wensleydales and
white Stiltons and Cheddars and Double Gloucester
blended with savory herbs & spices.
Crafted from only the finest English cheeses,
their uniquely flavored varieties are anything but
ordinary!
For sales information, contact: Ruth Flore,
Marketing Manager for Ilchester British Cheese brand,
at Norseland, Inc, 1290 East Main Street, Stamford,
CT 06902-1-800-326-5620, rflore@norseland.com.
For additional product information and recipes visit
www.norseland.com and www.ilchester.co.uk.
It addition to traditional premium deli meats, gourmet
franks and sausages and artisan cheeses, Dietz &
Watson also carries a full line of authentic Italian
meat specialties, including mortadella, hard salami,
prosciutto, Genoa salami, pepperoni, capocollo,
pancetta and sopressata.
As with all of its more than 450 products, Dietz &
Watson’s salumeria features items prepared using only
the finest ingredients, including natural spices.
Dietz & Watson firmly believes that its meat
delicacies and cheeses are superior to all others
in the marketplace. Under the watchful eyes of the
family, they are prepared from recipes that demand
the freshest lean hand-trimmed beef, pork, ham,
turkey breast and chicken breast. Then, to enhance
the natural flavors and goodness of the meats, only
the freshest all-natural spices and seasonings are
added. Dietz & Watson never use artificial flavors,
colors or fillers and never any MSG.
If you are interested in learning more about Dietz &
Watson Italian specialty meats or any of their product
line, call 800-333-1974 and ask for sales, or e-mail
them at sales@dietzandwatson.com.
The new Sartori Caprimenthe goat cheese was
honored with a first place finish at the prestigious
Wisconsin State Fair Cheese and Butter Contest this
weekend. The award was one of seven awarded to
Sartori in this year’s competition.
Caprimenthe Goat Cheese is a new and unique
cheese for Sartori. “It was our first foray into using
goat milk,” said Pam Hodgson, Artisan Cheesemaker
at Sartori. “It has taken our team several years of
experimenting with different cultures, aging processes
and complementary rubs to get the cheese to be just
right. What a wonderful achievement to be recognized
as the best in the state of Wisconsin—home of the
best cheesemakers in the world.”
Unlike most goat milk cheese which is soft and
crumbly, Sartori’s Caprimenthe is handmade in
20-pound wheels, aged for nearly a year, creating
an incredibly unique ‘hard’ goat’s milk cheese. The
wheels are hand-rubbed with a proprietary blend of
imported olive oil and spearmint, delivering a mellow
Mediterranean-style flavor profile.
Sartori’s Caprimenthe cheese combines traditional
Mediterranean flavors with a distinctive hard texture,
and a citrus zest. “The majority of goat’s milk cheese
sold today are young, soft and fresh. It took nearly
three years to develop this very approachable, aged,
goat’s milk cheese,” said Hodgson.
For more information, please visit www.sartorifoods.
com or call 800-558-5888.
IPL—A leader in plastic
packaging for food
Robbie introduces new
Hot N Handy Pouch
with a matte finish design
Mindoro brand cheeses
are blue-ribbon quality
Hand-crafted in our Mindoro, Wis. cheese plant,
Swiss Valley Farms’ Mindoro brand cheeses are
must-have additions to steaks, hamburgers, salads
and appetizers. Our authentic Danish-style Mindoro
Blue cheese is aged over 60 days and has a rich
and buttery, yet piquant flavor. Swiss Valley Farms
Mindoro Gorg, a creamier and milder form of blue
cheese, is aged over 90 days. These cheeses have
been consistent award winners at state, national
and international contests. Our blue and gorgonzola
cheeses are available in a variety of packaging options
to suit the needs of our industrial, foodservice and
retail customers. Sizes include wheels, wedges,
crumble bags and deli cups.
For more information, contact Swiss Valley Farms
at 563-468-6600 or visit us on the web at www.
swissvalley.com.
Rotisserie chicken is the fastest-growing item in
supermarket delis and is now packaged in one of the
most eco-responsible packages offered today.
Robbie’s new matte finish pouch designed to
hold rotisserie chicken blends nicely with the natural
design styles found in the marketplace and contains
consumer-friendly sustainable language to help
drive the sustainable message with the consumer.
Located above the resealable zipper is a colorful
message directing the consumer to the bottom of
the pouch for reading valuable communication as
to why their grocer has chosen to make a change in
their rotisserie packaging.
A simple yet powerful message―“Your grocer
has chosen to bring you this delicious, freshprepared chicken in an eco-responsible pouch
that is both convenient for you and better for the
environment. Lightweight and strong, this package
perfectly protects flavor and freshness but is more
environmentally efficient to manufacture than
most rigid containers frequently used for rotisserie
chicken. It uses less plastic, which means less trash
in our landfills. And, its slim, lightweight design is
more compact to ship, which means less fuel and
greenhouse gas emissions.”
®
For more information on Robbie’s Hot N Handy
Pouch, visit ww.robbieflexibles.com.
IPL has always been recognized as an innovator.
The company, located in Saint-Damien, Quebec
was the first company to introduce the break tab
tamper-evident system in 1993, greatly improving
food safety. IPL was also the first in North America
to master In Mold Labelling (IML) technology on
injection molded food containers and pails, providing
the highest quality graphics on the market.
Helping food manufacturers stand out
IPL understands the challenges that food
manufacturers face everyday to satisfy increasingly
knowledgeable and demanding consumers. Modern
consumers spend no more than seven seconds to
choose a product or a brand from a shelf.* Today’s
food manufacturers need to make sure their products
stand out from their competitors at the point of sale
and this is where packaging plays a key role.
IML Round Series – Stand out from the crowd
IPL’s IML Round containers were designed to
differentiate your brand from the competition while
protecting the freshness and unique taste of your
product. Its larger decoration surface and elevated
base make your product stand out on the shelf.
Film-seal ready, these containers can be decorated
with In-Mold Labels for photo-quality graphics and
can also be offset printed. IML Round containers are
ideal for deli applications such as specialty cheese,
dips, salsa, hummus and spreads.
For more information visit www.ipl-plastics.com.
*Source: Packaging-Gateway.com
Rupari Food Services launches
Butcher’s Prime “Grab and Go”
home solutions delivering a full
line of fully cooked barbecue
items to your deli
Rupari Food Services’ Butcher’s Prime “Grab and
Go” products are increasingly in demand. These great
tasting ribs and pork products are now becoming
available for consumers to enjoy in the comfort of their
own home, but at a price they can feel really happy
about. They provide an alternative line, catering to an
already existing deli customer that allows retailers to
capture a wider market for ready to eat products.
Choices on fully cooked Butcher’s Prime include:
Butcher’s Prime Baby Back Rib – The newest item
in their assortment, this 1-pound item is designed
to give you the high quality of a baby back rib, at a
very affordable price.
Butcher’s Prime Spare Rib – This item has become
a solid staple item in deli departments around the
country. Sell it as a ready to go item, or as a ready
to go item with a hot case strategy.
Butcher’s Prime Pulled Pork and Shredded Beef
Brisket – Fully cooked in an 18-ounce package, very
affordable and built with the grab-and-go consumer
in mind.
Butcher’s Prime Boneless Rib–Their “Cadillac”
when it comes to quality. This item is a whole select
meat cut product, not pressed and formed like their
competitors’ product.
For more information call Peter Redmond at 479530-8768 or e-mail predmond@rupari.com.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
www.gourmetnews.com
BUYER’S GUIDE
15
Buyer’s Guide
This listing is compiled from a survey conducted by Gourmet News and sent to all manufacturers known to the staff.
Inclusion in this section is based on a company’s response to our request for information. Information included in this listing is provided by the featured companies.
Australian Lamb
Australian lamb is an all-natural, pasture-raised and free-range product that is free of artificial additives and hormone
growth promotants.
Australian lamb is a sustainable and high quality product, Australian ranchers and processors use the world’s best practice on
farm and food safety systems to produce a high yielding, well trimmed, chilled vacuum packed product that is perfect for gourmet
retailers as it has a shelf life of up to 90 days from pack-on-date as long as the cold chain temperatures are maintained.
Australian Lamb
202-552-9922
www.australian-lamb.com
American Vintage Wine Biscuits are cracker snacks made with
wine and pepper. The striking flavor combinations and eyecatching artwork of framed grapes create customer interest and
add rich color to any counter display or gift basket. Contain no
preservatives or cholestrol.
American Vintage Wine Biscuits
718-361-1003
www.americanvintage.com
Number of items from Australia: 8
Brookfarm, distributed in the U.S.
by Ciao Imports
www.brookfarm.com.au
Cobram Estate Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresher is better. Australia’s No. 1 producer of premium extra virgin olive oil, and its most awarded—including a Gold Medal for
Australia’s best olive oil—is now available in the U.S. Cobram Estate olives are nurtured from seed to bottle in Cobram’s own
nursery and groves and are processed on-site within hours of picking. Certified by Australian Extra Virgin for quality, authenticity
and freshness. Six varieties of extra virgin olive for every taste and cooking need: Light & Delicate, Fresh & Fruity, Rich & Robust,
as well as Lemon Twist, Garlic Crush and Chilli Blast. 375-ml bottles, six per case.
Be the first in line to magically increase sales. Tervis Tumbler prides
itself on having a design for everyone. The Disney license with
Disney Consumer Products is a magical addition that will enhance
the brand’s ability to market to children, collectors and those with
fond memories of Disney.
Tervis Tumbler
866-392-1964
sales@tervis.com
SRP: $6.99
Cobram Estate Party Ltd.
925-516-7741 (U.S.)
011 61 407 043 010 (Australia)
www.cobramestate.com.au
Natural Pickled Sushi Ginger
Discriminating sushi chefs will tell you that this is the purest sushi ginger. It contains none of those nasty artificial dyes, sweeteners
or preservatives. Available in small jars for the home chef and in larger pack sizes for sushi bars and restaurants. For salads,
sushi and gourmet sandwiches. As a garnish, use it along with a dab of wasabi on grilled ahi tuna.
SRP: $3.00
The Ginger People
800-551-5284
www.gingerpeople.com
Lesley Elizabeth Inc.
800-684-3300
www.lesleyelizabeth.com
This feta is a farmstead produced creamy style feta, we use olive oil, fresh thyme and garlic in our marinade.
The cows graze year round on lush pastures in the Yarra Valley wine growing region of Australia.
12/6.35 ounce cups
SRP: $5.99/unit
Number of items from Australia: 30
McKenna Marketing
415-621-2569
website in development
Tim Tam Classic
A Tim Tam is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated
in a thin layer of textured chocolate. The cream used in Tim Tams is a delicate mixture of vanilla, butter and chocolate that
complements the biscuit base and the chocolate. It’s this unique cream which sets Tim Tam apart from any other chocolate
biscuit. Each 7-ounce/200-gram package contains 11 biscuits. Tim Tams are made by Arnotts Biscuits, Australia. According to
Arnotts, around 35 million packs are sold each year; nearly 400 million biscuits.
SRP: $3.95
Number of items from Australia: 70+
Piccadilly Imports, a subsidiary of International Food LLC
310-352-6200
www.piccadillyimportsusa.com Rubschlager Baking offers a delicious line of European-style breads,
made with 100 percent chopped whole rye with no wheat added and
are an excellent source of fiber. Available in Pumpernickel, Black Rye,
Sunflower and Soybean, these dense and hearty breads carry the Whole
Grain Council stamp and are Kosher Pareve.
Rubschlager Baking Corporation
773-826-1245
www.rubschlagerbaking.com
A Special Advertising Section
Yarra Valley Dairy Marinated Feta
Lizzie’s Kitchen flavored dipping and grilling oils are made with an
abundance of seasonings and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Use for
bread dipping, salad dressings, marinades or tossed with pasta. Visit
their website to view over 80 products available with Lesley Elizabeth, Lizzie’s Kitchen and private labels.
GOURMET MARKETPLACE
Gluten-Free Cranberry Muesli
A gourmet gluten-free muesli, free of all preservatives. Savour the light crunchy texture of wholesome buckwheat, brown rice puffs
and protein rich amaranth from the grain fields of central NSW, sunflower and pumpkin kernels, natural currants and sultanas
from the Barossa Valley and succulent cranberries rich in antioxidants, together with the magical taste of our own macadamia
nuts, lightly toasted with Australian Bush honey. Available in both 300-gram and 1-kilogram sized bags.
A Special Advertising Section
FOODS FROM AUSTRALIA
16
Supplier Business
Ritrovo
partners with
ItC for promo
campaign
SEATTLE—Ritrovo Italian
Regional Foods, an importer of
artisanal Italian products based
here, launched a special dinner
series in support of the Authentic
Italian Food initiative sponsored by
the Italian Trade Commission.
“Ritrovo was selected by the
Italian Trade Commission for its
Authentic Italian Food promotion
in recognition of the company’s
efforts to promote authentic Italian
foods, its constant research and
development of new products,
and years of successful promotion
of authentic Italian products,”
said Letizia Miccoli, Executive
Director of Italy-America Chamber
of Commerce West.
The promotion, which ran
through June 20, aims to showcase
Italian cuisine at its most authentic.
Ritrovo owners Ron Post and Ilyse
Rathet selected Seattle-based and
nationally-acclaimed Chefs Holly
Smith (Cafe Juanita) and Ethan
Stowell (Tavolata) as partners
for this promotion based on their
passion for authentic Italian cooking and their history of creating
inspired menus showcasing an
array of Ritrovo’s products.
During the promotion, Cafe
Juanita and Tavolato featured special menus made with a wide variety of Ritrovo’s products, including olive oils, pinenuts, balsamic
vinegars, salted capers, chickpeas,
honey and chestnut flour.
The Authentic Italian Food project is co-sponsored by the Italian
Trade Commission, the Italian
Ministry of Economic Development
and the Italy-America Chamber of
Commerce West. gn
www.gourmetnews.com
Lindt USA unveils new
cocoa liquor facility
By Ellen Ranta
STRATHAM, N.H.—Lindt &
Sprungli, a producer of premium
chocolate, opened a new stateof-the-art bean roasting facility
at its U.S. headquarters here on
June 16.
The new 40,000-square-foot,
multi-million dollar cocoa liquor
plant provides Lindt USA with
the capability to clean, roast
and grind cocoa beans, and ultimately to create cocoa liquor, a
key component in the chocolate
production process.
The expansion allows Lindt
USA to control the entire chocolate production process, from bean
to finished product, at the Lindt
USA manufacturing facility.
“Lindt’s major investment in
the U.S. production facility reinforces our commitment to the
highest quality standards and
our desire to accommodate the
growing consumer demand for
premium chocolate,” said Ernst
Tanner, CEO and Chairman of
the Board of Swiss-based Lindt
& Sprungli Group, in a prepared
statement. “The U.S. cocoa liquor
plant is another example of Lindt’s
ongoing passion for producing the
most premium chocolate made
from the finest ingredients.”
In addition to an increase in
quality control, the new facility also allows the company to
reduce its carbon footprint, said
Thomas Linemayr, President and
CEO of Lindt USA.
“In the past, we were shipping beans from Africa or South
America to Switzerland for the
melting process, and then to the
U.S. It was a huge distance to
travel that didn’t add any value,”
Linemayr said.
The new roasting facility is
the latest development of Lindt
USA’s ongoing expansion efforts,
which includes the addition of
350,000 square feet of production, packaging and distribution
facility space over the last four
years. The total investment for
the new facilities was $50 million and the facility is now four
times the size that it used to be,
Linemayr said.
In the future, the investment
will save the company money in
transportation costs, but before
that advantage can be fully leveraged, the primary benefit is the
ability to control all aspects of
production, Linemayr said.
The expanded facility now
makes chocolate from bean to
finished product for the United
States, Canada, Mexico, England
and Australia using Lindt’s
165-year-old Swiss recipes and
quality standards.
“Originally we only produced
truffles in the U.S., but now we
also have the capability to produce our premium chocolate
bars, which have been increasing
in popularity in the U.S.,” said
Linemayr. “The U.S. consumer is
trading up in quality, and accepting the notion of eating less, but
better quality.”
Linemayr said the more sophisticated American palate can be evidenced by the success of companies
like Starbucks and Robert Mondavi,
who capitalized on an interest in
higher-end coffee and wine, respectively, and that Lindt is aiming to do
that for chocolate in America.
“As the fastest-growing chocolate brand in the U.S. market, we
had to bring in the capabilities to
meet the demand,” Linemayr said.
“Our goal is to be an everyday,
affordable luxury. Life is too short
for ordinary chocolate.” gn
The Cheeses of France launches
new marketing campaign
NEW YORK—The Cheeses
of France Marketing Council
launched a new, integrated marketing program in the U.S. in May.
The campaign, from new agency of
record Jaffe & Partners, positions
French cheese as a perfect part of
any meal, everyday of the week.
To increase awareness, the
effort includes an online video—
to be viewed by millions of consumers on hundreds of popular
websites including top news,
entertainment and food sites.
To foster involvement with the
brand, there is a monthly sweepstakes to win a dinner for two at
select French restaurants in 14
major markets. To encourage
trial, over 600 sampling events
will be held throughout the year
where recipes will be provided
for everyday menu items using
cheeses of France. E-mail marketing and social networking will
foster long-term relationships
with target consumers.
“The goal of the ‘Everyday
Perfect’ campaign is to break
through the barriers to regular
consumption of The Cheeses
of France,” said J.M. Sepancy,
Director of Strategic Services at
Jaffe, in a prepared statement.
“The advertising and promotion
entice consumers to infuse classic
American fare with French flair,
from topping a burger with Bleu
D’Auvergne to filling an omelet
with creamy Brie. The new website educates consumers with a
practical pronunciation guide,
recipes, diet information and
much more.”
Visit www.thecheesesoffrance.
com to learn more.
The Cheeses of France
Marketing Council is composed
of industry and promotion agency personnel, the Council is led
by representatives of the Centre
National Interprofessionnel de
l’Economie Laitiere (CNIEL)
and FranceAgriMer—the
national establishment for food
and fishery products. gn
AUGUST 2010
GOURMET NEWS
briefs
The British
Aisles launches
new website
NASHUA, N.H.—The British Aisles, Ltd., an
independent importer and distributor of
British food products based here, launched
a new customer-focused, interactive website
in June. The site, www.britishaisles.com,
was designed in direct response to research
regarding what their customers wanted.
“Talking and listening to our customers
and taking their views on board, have influenced the new website design and content,”
said Sales Director Denise Pressinger, in a
prepared statement. “Our customers want to
be able to choose and order online, and to see
the products. We are continually innovating
and improving our products and services. The
new website is the natural next step.”
The company has grown substantially
since its foundation in 1989. It now does business in more than 40 states nationwide, and
distributed more than 1,200 products from its
15,000-square-foot warehouse here.
“We are in a competitive market,” Pressinger
said. “Customers rightly expect a good deal
and a professional service. We know that our
products are not only the very best available
but also that we listen to our customers. As a
result, we will continue to refine our products
and services...in the future.”
WIT Beverages
launches line of
Jelly Belly
Gourmet Sodas
REDDING, Calif.—WIT Beverages, a beverage
distributor based here, introduced a new line
of bottled Jelly Belly Gourmet Sodas in May.
The line celebrates the unique and beloved
flavors of Jelly Belly jellybeans.
The sodas are made with only 100 percent
cane sugar and are caffeine free. The use of
pure cane sugar as the sole sweetener helps
set the sodas apart from the majority of soft
drinks that rely on high fructose corn syrup,
according to a WIT prepared statement.
The sodas come in ten flavors and are
made with only all-natural ingredients. The
current line-up includes: Blueberry, Crushed
Pineapple, Green Apple, Sour Cherry, Lemon
Drop, Juicy Pear, Strawberry Jam, Tangerine,
Very Cherry and French Vanilla.
Jelly Belly Gourmet Sodas are shipping
now and are available in 100 percent recyclable 12-ounce glass bottles. The line is sold
in individual bottles and in four-packs.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
Marketwatch
www.gourmetnews.com
17
Marketwatch
NON-ALCOHOLIC GOURMET BEVERAGES
Non-alcoholic beverages become
healthier, more sophisticated
By ELLEN RANTA
F
or non-drinkers, sophisticated alcoholfree beverages have been hard to come
by in specialty stores and restaurants.
But a few manufacturers have noticed that
void and are producing grown-up options
for designated drivers, pregnant women
and teetotalers.
“My wife was pregnant
with our first child, and it
really limited her options of
beverages,” said Pat Galvin,
Founder of Vignette Wine
Country Soda, a fizzy nonalcoholic beverage that is
sweetened with the juice of
California varietal grapes.
“I explored the idea of wine
sodas, and no one was really
doing it, aside from some
wineries that do it as a side
business.”
Galvin launched his product in January 2007 and had
a great response. “It turns out that nondrinkers were really craving more options,”
Galvin said. “They were craving a foodfriendly, sophisticated option.”
Vignette is offered in three varietals—
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rose, of which
Pinot Noir is the bestseller, Galvin said.
“What’s really unique about our products is that they are actually
made from California varietal
grapes, so it’s really close
to a wine experience. It is a
beverage that enhances the
experience of food, like wine,”
he added.
Galvin said that once he
started producing Vignette
he realized that there was a
bigger market than he had
expected.
“Non-drinkers are a big
group, but kind of a hidden
group,” he said. “Lots of restaurant owners and retailers
don’t really cater to the non-drinker, so
when they are offered a beverage beyond
sparkling water and soda, they are really
appreciative.”
Sharelle Klaus, Founder of Dry Soda,
echoed Galvin’s sentiments.
“I have four kids, so I was pregnant a
lot,” said Klaus, who developed Dry Soda
six years ago. “I like pairing wine with food
and I found there was no substitute available. Sugary sodas were a no because I care
about my health, and sparkling water sure
gets boring quickly.”
Dry Soda, which is billed as a modern
alternative in refreshment, comes in seven
flavors—Cucumber, Juniper Berry, Kumquat,
Lavender, Lemongrass, Rhubarb and Vanilla
Bean—and is made with natural extracts and
a small amount of cane sugar.
The product initially was sold only in
restaurants, Klaus said, but then retailers
began showing an interest as well.
“The American palate is getting more
sophisticated, and people are more interested
in their health. Soda sales have been declining,
and traditional retailers are wanting to emulate
specialty retailers in some of their product
offerings. QFC (a Kroger-owned grocery store
in the Northwest) picked it up, which was
huge for us,” she said. “It has been a great
time for our company as soda has become a
bit evil in some people’s eyes.”
Klaus also pointed to the health benefits
of non-alcoholic beverages as a driving force
in their sales.
“Even people who love wine may not
want to drink wine every night because of
the calories, or because they want to lower
their alcohol consumption. We’re finding
lots of drinkers who intersperse Dry Soda
with wine,” she said. “A big portion too is
people who stopped drinking soda because
of its sugar and calorie content. We kind of
re-imagined what soda could be.”
Healthier beverages were prevalent in this
18
Marketwatch
year’s sofi Awards as well.
The sofi Gold for Outstanding Cold
Beverage went to Fever Tree Ginger Beer,
imported by Brands of Britain. Fever Tree
Ginger Beer works well as a mixer in a cocktail, but can also be enjoyed as a beverage
on its own, replacing beer, wine or soda for
consumers looking for a healthier option.
A runner-up in the sofi Awards, ALO
Enrich offers not just a healthier alternative to other calorie-laden beverages, but
additional health benefits from the real aloe
www.gourmetnews.com
vera pulp and juice infused within.
All ALO Drink blends contain at least 25
percent aloe vera content, from juice and pulp
directly from the aloe vera plant (not reconstituted from powders). Nothing artificial is
used, nor are any thickeners or emulsifiers
added. Aloe vera has been shown to help
promote a healthy digestive system and aid
in the absorption of vitamins and minerals,
according to a company statement.
The Enrich flavor is a blend of pomegranate, cranberry and aloe vera and was just
launched this year. gn
GOURMET NEWS
Advertiser Index
Advertiser
Page
Aloha from Oregon**
American Vintage Wine Biscuits
Website
Phone
2
www.alohafromoregon.com
800-241-0300
15
www.americanvintage.com
718-361-1003
BNR Holdings**
5
www.pedroplains.com
876-815-9817
Coffee Fest
6
www.coffeefest.com
425-295-3300
Conroy Foods Inc.**
7
www.conroyfoods.com
412-781-1446
Crossings*
2
www.crossingsfrenchfood.com
800-209-6141
www.ecovitausa.com
877-343-6534
ECO VITA LLC 17
The French Farm*
4
www.thefrenchfarm.com
713-660-0577
Fromagerie Henri Hutin*
3
www.fromagerie-hutin.fr 800-659-2603
Golden West Specialty Foods**
6
www.goldenwestsf.com
800-584-4481
Helco Import-Export**
4
www.austriasfinestnaturally.com
703-360-5766
15
www.lesleyelizabeth.com
800-684-3300
Litehouse Foods Inc.**
6
www.litehousefoods.com
800-669-3169
Magic Seasoning Blends**
2
www.chefpaul.com
504-731-3578
Milo’s Whole World Gourmet**
2
invigorating, delicious selection of six
distinctive flavors, delighting customers of
discerning taste here across the pond.
Fentimans’ six flavors are:
• Traditional Ginger Beer
• Curiosity Cola
• Victorian Lemonade
• Full-bodied Shandy
• Mandarin & Seville Orange Jigger
• Dandelion & Burdock Soda
New Hope Natural Media
4
www.expoeast.com
303-939-8440
PackTec c/o Hamman Marketing**
4
www.100percenttunisian.com
423-467-9864
Pardigm Foodworks, Inc.**
3
www.paradigmfoodworks.com
503-595-4360
www.robertrothschild.com
800-356-8933
Everything about Fentimans is extraordinary—
from the way it tastes to the way it looks. Each
distinctive, award-winning flavor showcases
the company’s Victorian heritage and botanical
brilliance, delivering a truly unique look. Naturally
fermented, Fentimans contains less than 0.5
percent alcohol by volume. Classified as a soft
drink by the Food & Drug Administration, their
sodas may therefore be enjoyed by all ages.
Visit them at www.DrinkFentimans.com.
Lesley Elizabeth Gourmet Foods
Fentimans brews a smashingly good Ginger Beer
In 1905, Thomas Fentiman of Northumberland,
U.K., found himself in possession of a secret
process for brewing a smashingly good Ginger
Beer. His quintessentially British beverages
soon became one of Europe’s most renowned
effervescent refreshments. To this day, the
Fentimans seven-day botanical brewing process
is still going strong, using only the finest allnatural ingredients sourced from around the
globe. Their commitment to the botanical
brewing process hasn’t really changed since
they sold their botanical brews door-to-door
from the family wagon. Made in this timehonored tradition, their drinks still deliver a
more invigorating taste that is “once tasted,
never forgotten.”
Now more than 100
years later, Fentimans
Botanically Brewed
Beverages are
delivering an
AUGUST 2010
Robert Rothschild Farm
2**, 24
www.vinodemilo.com
866-589-MILO
Rubschlager Baking
15
www.rubschlagerbaking.com
773-826-1245
San Francisco Herb & Natural Food Co. 19
www.herbspicetea.com
800-227-2830
Sante Fe Gourmet, LLC**
4
www.chipotlemayo.com
917-968-3616
Sarabeth’s
9
www.sarabeth.com
718-589-2900
Society Hill Snacks
18
www.societyhillsnacks.com
215-708-8500
Stonewall Kitchen
2
www.stonewallkitchen.com
888-326-5678
Sublime
5
www.sublimeco.com
704-287-1805
www.tervis.com
866-886-2537
Tervis Tumbler
15
*These companies are featured in the Foods from France supplement.
**These companies are featured in the Condiments supplement.
Ten-Chi Cha: Japanese herbal tea that detoxifies your body and soul
The use of herbs in removing toxins from the body helps promote its natural selfhealing system. A Japanese herbal tea that helps remove these toxins without the
use of cleansers or chemicals is now available in the U.S. for the first time. Ten-Chi
Cha, distributed by ECO VITA, is a fusion of 12 traditional Japanese herbs effective
in detoxifying the intestines and maintaining a healthy circulatory system.
The principal ingredient of Ten-Chi Cha (literally translated from Japanese as
“Heaven and Earth Tea”) is Dokudami (houttuyria cordata), an herb venerated by
the Japanese for its healing properties. Nutritional studies have shown that the
Dokudami leaf positively impacts the capillaries and can help reduce arteriosclerosis,
the hardening of the arteries. In addition to these health benefits, Ten-Chi Cha is
A Special Advertising Section
www.alexianpate.com
All natural paté, no added antibiotics or growth
stimulants, plus web 2.0! Visit our new site with monthly
updates, fresh content, sweepstakes, and links to the social
media platforms. Alexian, distinctive and extraordinary
flavors, is the paté that satisfies consumers on all levels.
home page

unique from other herbal teas in that it does not have a strong and bitter taste,
a result of our special roasting process, making it very easy to drink. Blending
Dokudami with other traditional Japanese herbs such as sicklepod, kumazasa,
persimmon, hardly rubber tree, nomame senna, Chinese boxthorn, mulberry,
large-fruited adlay, shiso, lindera and loquat combined with the aforementioned
roasting technique, gives the tea its naturally delicious taste. Ten-Chi Cha contains
zero caffeine, zero sugar and zero calories while possessing a pure natural taste
that everyone can enjoy.
For more information, e-mail info@ecovitausa.com, call 877-343-6534 or visit www.
ecovitausa.com. Ten-Chi Cha is distributed by ECO VITA.
home page
A Special Advertising Section
www.litehousefoods.com
www.societyhillsnacks.com
www.100percenttunisian.com
Litehouse Foods—long known for their quality
salad dressings—has introduced a gourmet line
of artisan cheese. Litehouse bleu and gorgonzola
cheeses are rich, creamy, full-bodied cheeses.
Society Hill Snacks is an artisanal purveyor of
premium sweet and savory snacks for gourmet
retailers, upscale department stores and gift basket
retailers. All shipped freshly made in small batches.
Experience the exquisite taste and aroma of
100 percent Tunisian Olive Oil in its pure,
unblended state—just as nature intended.
GOURMET NEWS
AUGUST 2010
SMORGASBORD
www.gourmetnews.com
HARD FACTS
180,000
2,500
81
Approximate
number of products
on display at the
Summer Fancy
Food Show.
Approximate number
of exhibitors at the
Summer Fancy
Food Show.
Number of countries
represented at the
Summer Fancy
Food Show.
Source:
Source:
Source:
The National Association for
The National Association for
The National Association for
the Specialty Food Trade
the Specialty Food Trade
the Specialty Food Trade
Are you attending more tradeshows
this year than last year?
100%
• NO
• YES
SOURCE: GOURMET NEWSPOLL: JULY 2010
2010 CALENDAR
The Fall CGTA Toronto
Gift Show, Toronto, Canada.
AUGUST 8-12
AUGUST 25-28
Visit www.www.cgtanews.org.
The American Cheese Society
National Conference, Seattle.
Visit www.cheesesociety.org.
AUGUST 15-16
New York International
Gift Show, Javits Center, New York.
Visit www.nyigf.com.
OCTOBER 12-15
New York Tabletop Week
CLASSIFIEDS
Visit www.7wnewyork.com.
OCTOBER 14-16
Natural Products Expo East, Boston.
Visit www.expoeast.com.
OCTOBER 29-31
Coffee Fest Seattle
Visit www.coffeefest.com.
NOVEMBER 5-7
Second Annual Wisconsin Original
Cheese Festival, Madison, Wis.
Visit www.wicheesefest.com.
Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 10524630) is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ
85715; 520-721-1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted
in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information.
©2010 by Oser Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part,
without written permission of the publisher, is expressly prohibited. Back issues, when available,
cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months.
19
PEOPLE WATCH
NCA announces appointment of Larry Wilson to
head customer relations team
The National Confectioners Association is pleased to announce the addition of Larry Wilson as Vice President of
Customer Relations. Wilson is charged with leading NCA’s
customer relations team in strengthening relationships
with trade customers, providing insight into category
performance and growth, and successfully executing
the annual Sweets & Snacks Expo, the industry’s leading
trade show targeting confectionery and snack buyers.
Wilson has more than 25 years of experience in sales,
marketing and business development through a variety
of positions with the Campbell soup company, a global
manufacturer and marketer of soup, baked snacks and
healthy beverages. He most recently served as Director of
Category Management at Campbell’s world headquarters
in New Jersey. He has a proven track record of developing
strategic alliances with both manufacturers and brokers
in many classes of trade including a special emphasis in
supermarkets and wholesalers.
Best Cheese Corporation names Cheryl Sullivan
as Northeast Regional Sales Manager
Best Cheese Corporation, importer of specialty Dutch
Cheeses, announced that Cheryl Sullivan has been
named Northeast Regional Sales Manager. “Cheryl
is a well respected veteran of the specialty cheese
industry. Her knowledge of cheese and the market will
allow us to assist our customers on all areas of their
cheese needs. We are thrilled to have her on the Best
Cheese team,” stated Steven Margarites, President
of Best Cheese Corporation. Prior to her joining Best
Cheese, Sullivan held the position of Specialty Sales
Manager-New England with Atalanta Corporation.
While with Atalanta, she led a national corporate sales
initiative on a range of specialty food items which resulted in product placement with several key accounts.
Sullivan has over 20 years of experience in the food
service industry holding key management positions
with an array of organizations including Mount Snow
Resort and Crystal Food Import. A devotee to the world
of specialty cheese and food, Sullivan serves on The
American Cheese Society’s Sponsorship Committee, the
Cheese Certification Committee and is on the Advisory
Committee for Culture: the word on cheese.
Rooibee Red Tea announces the recent hiring of
Heather Howell as the company’s first CTeaO.
“Heather’s extensive management experience will
greatly benefit Rooibee Red Tea’s continued growth,”
said Jeff Stum, Rooibee Red Tea Founder, Director of
Sales and Marke(tea)ing. “Her new position as CTeaO
will be to lead our Rooibee Red Team in all areas of
operation. A leader in workforce development, talent
attraction and branding, Heather Howell has 15 years
experience as a strategic partner for Fortune 500
and Fortune 100 companies, both in Louisville and
across the country. In her recent position as a leader
of Humana’s diversity and talent outreach, Howell was
a driving force in establishing Humana and Louisville
as an employer and city of choice for top talent. Prior
to Humana, Howell served as Vice President of Trillium
Talent Resource, Inc., establishing the U.S. operations
of this Canadian healthcare consulting and executive
staffing firm in 2003. Howell earned her executive MBA
while serving as Director of Workforce development
at CARITAS in Louisville, now Jewish Hospital and St.
Mary’s. She currently holds seats on the Corporate Advisory Boards of the National Association of Women MBAs.
Howell’s trusted community leadership has brought her
recognition as one of the Leadership Louisville Center’s
first Connectors, and as a recent Bingham Fellow, Howell played a key role in envisioning and developing plans
to make Louisville a cool region for top talent.
DCI Specialty Foods adds culinary talent to product
development team
DCI Specialty Foods, a division of Richfield, Wis.-based
DCI Cheese Company, announces the addition of Sandra
Gray, Corporate Chef, and David Wall, Assistant Chef.
“The addition of Sandra and David to our product development team further enhances our ability to provide
distinctive solutions for our customers,” said David Blair,
General Manager at DCI’s Santa Rosa facility. “Their
preeminent culinary training and extensive practical
backgrounds will bring our customers the best quality
products at the greatest possible value.”
Delhaize Group Announces Senior Management
Changes at Delhaize America
Delhaize Group, the Belgian international food retailer,
announced today that Rick Anicetti, Executive Vice President of Delhaize Group and CEO of Delhaize America
Shared Services, left the organization, effective May 21,
2010. Carol Herndon, currently Senior Vice President of
Accounting and Finance of Delhaize America, is named
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Delhaize America,
reporting to Pierre-Olivier Beckers, President and CEO
of Delhaize Group and of Delhaize America.
“I want to thank Rick for his significant contributions
to the Company, both as CEO of Food Lion, LLC and as
CEO of Delhaize America Shared Services where he
helped to lay strong foundations for Delhaize America’s
further development,” said Pierre-Olivier Beckers, CEO
and President of Delhaize Group.
Athena Marketing International (AMI) President
re-appointed to second term at USDA
Thomas J. Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, reappointed Peter Guyer, President of AMI, to a second term
as a member of the Advisory Committee on Emerging Markets of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Advisory Committee provides information and advice
to the USDA to promote exports of U.S. food, beverage and
agricultural products in developing economies.
Peter Guyer is the President and Founder of
Seattle-based AMI, a highly-specialized marketing,
business development and consulting firm serving the
food, beverage and agricultural products industries.
Prior to founding AMI, Mr. Guyer was an expatriate
executive for Nestlé S.A., based in Switzerland. Mr.
Guyer is also a member of the Board of Directors of
The World Trade Club, The Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Trade Development Alliance, Gerson Lehrman
Group Educator’s Council, is an Advisor with Pacific
Northwest Advisors, Trustee of the Mercer Island Parks
and Recreation Department and Treasurer of the Youth
& Family Services Foundation. GN
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Card. Gourmet News is distributed without charge in North America to qualified professionals in
the retail and distribution channels of the specialty foods and hardgoods trade; paid subscriptions
cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 annually to cover air
delivery. All payments must be made in U.S. funds and drawn on a U.S. bank.
For subscriber services, including subscription information, call 520-721-1300.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gourmet News, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715.
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In the French food sector,
classics reign supreme
Mustard from Meaux
by Pommery
Eating “a la Francaise”
with Crossings’ collection
of fine products
SEE PAGE 3
SEE PAGE 4
SEE PAGE 4
SUPPLEMENT TO
FOODS
FROM
FRANCE
AUGUST 2010
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■
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FOODS FROM FRANCE
www.gourmetnews.com
3
In the French food sector,
classics reign supreme
BY ELLEN RANTA
C
heese. Bread. Wine. There is a reason
the mainstays of French food are,
well, mainstays. And according to
importers and retailers of foods from France,
that won’t be changing anytime soon.
“Hands down, it’s cheese,” said Steve
Winston, Owner of Seattle’s The Paris Grocery, when asked what their top seller is.
Winston, who also owns The Spanish
Table and is relatively new to the world of
French imports, said he has been surprised
by how much money people are willing to
spend on cheese from France.
“The Spanish cheese market is a little
more conservative. The more expensive
cheeses from France definitely sell better.
And it doesn’t seem to be any one kind, it is
across the board,” he said.
Winston said his top sellers are Fleur Verte
for goat cheese, Basque a’Argental in the
sheep’s milk category, Tomme de Savoie for
cow milk and Brie d’Affinois for the brie group.
In an effort to introduce more of these
classic French products to the United States,
Palm Bay International, a wine and spirit importer, recently established the Esprit du Vin
French Wine Merchants, a new business unit
within the company dedicated to importing
and bringing to market a portfolio of fine
wines from some of France’s most prestigious and well-known domaines, chateaux
and estate-bottled producers.
“We believe firmly in the future of the
French wine business in the U.S. and value
its place in the global wine market,” said
David S. Taub, Chairman and CEO of Palm
Bay International, in a prepared statement.
“We will continue to invest strategically in
the growth of this historic category, in partnership with fine wine producers in the country’s top appellations.”
Houston-based importer The French Farm
offers a plethora of French products such as
olive oil, sea salt, confits, paté and foie gras,
spices, pasta, honey and jam.
According to Gisele Oriot, Owner of The
French Farm, cheese accompaniments are a
big seller right now.
“We don’t actually import cheese, so retailers are buying these separately, but instore the retailers pair the different confits
with different cheeses,” Oriot said.
These side-by-side product placements
help to drive sales for retailers, and make
pairings easier for the consumer.
Most recently, the company introduced a
new extra virgin olive oil from Provence, Le
Moulin Arizzi, with a suggested retail price of
$9.50 for 3.4 ounces or $25.50 for 16.9 ounces.
While French products tend to run at a bit
of a higher price point, consumers seem to
be willing to spend a little extra for items
from France, Winston said. GN
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FOODS FROM FRANCE
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■
AUGUST 2010
■
GOURMET NEWS
Featured PRODUCTS
Eating “a la Francaise” with Crossings’ collection of fine products
Mustard from Meaux by Pommery
Crossings reports increased interest in its lines of fine French imports that range from simple ingredients to
elegant gifts. The new pantry items mesh well with the trend towards wholesome, easy-to-use ingredients.
All Crossings products are from more than 30 top French producers: Pralus and Bonnat bean-to-bar
French chocolatiers, Paris Caramels, Guyaux Truffles and A lʼAncienne Hot Chocolate. Gavottes Crepes
Dentelle cookies have been traditional best sellers. Lines that Crossings has introduced during the last
year include Eric Bur, Henaff Pates, Madeleines de Commercy, Rougie and Mouettes dʼArvor Sardines.
As more people report cooking at home, items in the pantry, which can turn the core staples into
a fine meal in minutes, are a real asset. Just warming up a jar of award-winning Eric Bur Lentils in
goose fat and tomatoes transforms chicken and a salad into a delectable dinner. All these preparations turn the pantry into a treasure trove of riches for the harried cook looking for compliments.
The increased awareness on the part of the consumer of the importance of quality ingredients,
makes Crossingsʼ selections of the past 17 years all the more relevant.
Crossingsʼ large collection is all about eating “a la Francaise” with a sense of discovery
and pleasure. For more information call 800-209-6141, e-mail crossings@charter.net or visit
www.crossingsfrenchfood.com.
The jealously kept secret of Meaux mustard from France was passed on by the monks
(Chanoines) to J.B. Pommery. In 1890, the Pommery family was the only mustard manufacturer
left in Meaux. Since then, the mustard has never lost its quality and has never been equaled.
Its carefully chosen ingredients, its slightly spicy flavor and its legendary mildness contribute
to making it a refined mustard. Its subtle taste makes it a great condiment for all imaginable
dishes as it does not cover up their flavor.
For more information, contact The French Farm at 713-660-0577, visit www.thefrench
farm.com or e-mail ffinfo@frenchfarm.com.
Bridor USA stands out
with innovative products
Bridor offers you authentic European-style
bread which is a rare find with its crisp,
golden crust and soft, mouthwatering interior as well as croissants and French pastries which blend divine ingredients.
Bridorʼs 2010 product introductions are
characterized by bold innovation. Amongst
the novelties are the Viennois Sandwich
Roll which will boost your sandwiches to
another level, the Traditional French
Baguette which is an all natural product and
will be the favorite of discerning palates,
and the Multigrain Loaf that combines distinctive cuts and colors and the great taste
of cereals and grains.
Bridor also offers customers a variety of
unmatched services including, but not limited to, product development and customization, technical support and training,
market trend analysis, brand and private
label marketing support, menu consulting,
merchandising consulting, category management and equipment recommendations.
This year, Bridor is presenting itself through a brand new image that carries the foundation of
its heart and soul: “Baking isnʼt just our profession. Itʼs our passion—and has been for generations. We are bakers and pastry chefs who, as children, enjoyed an array of fresh breads and
French pastries from our familiesʼ ovens. Our grandfathersʼ croissants were the envy of neighborhoods, and flour was worn like a badge of honor. Today, we are part of a dedicated, international company, shaping the bakeries of tomorrow and sharing our delicious tradition with you.”
“Time may pass. Cultures may blend. Tradition remains,” is the message that Bridorʼs new
image is carrying.
For more information, visit www.bridor.com or contact Bridor at 800-361-1450, ext. 2235.
Fromagerie Henri Hutin/Hochland
Fromagerie Henri Hutin, the maker of Brie
Couronne and Belletoile, has introduced Valbrie 7-ounce sandwich and panini slices.
This is a soft ripened, partly pressed cheese
made in France from pasteurized cow milk.
Features an easy-to-open, re-closable package with paper between each slice to prevent sticking. Valbrie is a versatile cheese
that can be used as a topping on cold sandwiches; an ingredient in hot sandwiches
such as paninis and wraps; and as an ingredient in hot meals such as gratins, macaroni
and cheese, casserole dishes, etc.
Contact Fromagerie Henri Hutin/
Hochland at 800-659-2603 or visit
www.fromagerie-hutin.fr.
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Litehouse launches
new yogurt dressings
with kefir probiotics
Stonewall Kitchen’s
dessert toppings
Aloha From Oregon
offers a delicious
array of products
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Manufacturers
introduce exotic
flavors into
traditional
condiments
BY ELLEN RANTA
C
ondiments have long been a strong
seller in the specialty food industry,
and are the second largest category in
the industry, with $2.55 billion in sales last
year, according to the National Association
for the Specialty Food Trade’s State of the
Specialty Food Industry Report 2010.
While traditional products like
Dijon mustard are still mainstays in
the condiments category, manufacturers are looking to exotic locales for
new takes on classic products.
The sofi Gold Award for Outstanding Condiment this year went to Dulcet Cuisine, LLC for their Mild Indian
Curry Ketchup. The company also
was recognized with a Silver Award
for its Moroccan Mustard, another exotic
reinvention of a familiar product.
“I think these more exotic condiments
give people a chance to stay at home and
play with some of the ethnic flavors
they’ve been trying at restaurants, without
starting from scratch,” said Pam Kraemer,
Founder of Dulcet Cuisine. “And with
things like the Curry Ketchup, consumers
can infuse these flavors into American
comfort foods like burgers.”
Robert Rothschild Farm just launched a
new International line of products that
draws on flavors from around the world,
said Kim Maalouf, Marketing Director for
Robert Rothschild Farm.
“The American palate is always changing and growing, so we have to keep up
with that,” she said. The new line
includes Simmer Sauces with Mexican, Indian and Asian influences,
such as Mexican Mole, Thai Peanut
Ginger
and
Tikka
Masala,
as well as a plethora of new, exotic
mustards, like Cilantro Jalapeno
and Peach Mango Habanero.
When formulating new products,
Maalouf said, the company focuses
heavily on versatility.
“People want products that can be used in
a variety of ways—for marinating, for slowcooking, as a ready-to-eat dip or part of a
quick appetizer—and we aim to make products that are more versatile than just say,
mustard on a sandwich. Consumers don’t
want to buy a whole jar for one-time use and
then have it go bad in their fridge.”
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Maalouf also mentioned the recent uptick
in at-home gourmet dining as people look to
recreate the restaurant experience in their
own homes.
“Quality condiments can really add that
gourmet aspect to any meal without prep
work,” she said.
Another manufacturer that has seen success with exotic flavors is Eugene, Ore.based Aloha From Oregon, who produces
chutneys and pepper jellies infused with various exotic flavors, such as Habanero Pepper
Jelly, Mango Ginger Chutney and Plum Ginger Thai Pepper Jelly.
“The Jalapeno Pepper Jelly is by far our bestseller,” said Lynn Jolly, Co-Owner of Aloha
From Oregon. “People are using it beyond pairing it with cream cheese; they are putting it on
meats as both a condiment and a marinade. All
the pepper jellies are very versatile and work
really well as barbecue marinades.”
Jolly added that the company is introducing a Mint Pepper Jelly in September that
will be a spiced-up version of the classic
lamb condiment.
“We’ve gotten lots of requests for a mint
jelly and finally decided to do a Mint Pepper
Jelly, adding to our line of exotic condiments,” said Jolly.
Although new flavors are gaining popularity, don’t count out the classics when it comes
to condiments, said Ron Johnson at Encore
Foods, an importer of specialty foods based
in Hingham, Mass.
“Our latest arrival is a French mustard that
is absolutely terrific. It has a creamy sharpness
www.gourmetnews.com
that we’ve never seen before, and goes from
a sandwich spread to a dolloping on anything
grilled seamlessly,” he said.
Another worldly product that Johnson
noted is in high-demand is Tahini. The
demand for the crushed sesame-seed
product has swelled over the past few
months, he said.
“Retailers and foodservice distributors are
repeatedly calling and asking for Tahini,” he
said. “It is the basis for so many of those
popular Mediterranean recipes.”
Some condiments are also gaining popularity due to low-calorie and fat content, as
consumers pay more attention to the nutrition of their food, said Johnson.
“People are using ingredients to flavor
their foods in a more healthful way,” he said.
Brendan Contant of Sante Fe Gourmet, a
new company that just launched with a shelfstable Chipotle Mayonnaise, echoed the sentiment that consumers are increasingly
health-conscious.
“People love the Chipotle Mayo, but we
heard from a lot of people that they’d only
buy it if there was a low-fat version, so we
launched our light product,” said Contant.
“We’ve found that people are using it in
various ways, like for sushi and dips; definitely not just for sandwiches. The smokiness of the chipotle peppers also translates
well into different cuisines.”
The mayonnaise has been so well received, Contant said, that the company plans
to introduce dips and dressings in the future.
With so many new products on the market, many companies are looking to place
their items in non-traditional areas to help
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GOURMET NEWS
encourage consumers to pair their favorite
foods with new and exciting condiments.
“Placement in the condiment aisle was a
major obstacle, as the bigger brands command a fixed amount of shelf space. So we’ll
do placements in other areas, like in the
seafood section, paired with something like
crab cakes,” Contant said.
Rudy van Baal, Director of Emerging
Channels at Robert Rothschild agreed, saying that they often look to do product placement in different store sections, like with
wine and cheese.
“Pairings are a win for us and a win for the
retailer,” said van Baal. GN
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Featured PRODUCTS
Vino de Milo: Wine-Based Specialty Foods
A leader in the specialty foods industry for its innovative lines
of wine-based specialty foods, Vino de Milo last year introduced its new bruschetta line to strong sales.
“Weʼve been pleased to see the strong positive reaction our
bruschettas have received at retail,” said founder Jonathan
Milo Leal. “As the chunkiest bruschetta topping on the market, we have the added advantage of having a super-clean
ingredient list, which includes the tomatoes from a local, fourthgeneration family farm.”
The bruschetta toppings are available in three varieties:
Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta with Chianti, Black Olive &
Currant Bruschetta with Malbec, Artichoke & Garlic Bruschetta
with Pinot Grigio.
The artichoke received a rare 91 rating from Phil Lempert, the
Supermarket Guru, who commented: “Tasting a product from
Vino de Milo is always a treat. Their new Bruschetta Artichoke
Garlic with Pinot Grigio flavor continues the tradition. Diced
tomato is the first ingredient, artichoke hearts the second.”
In addition to the new bruschettas, there are five Vino de Milo
wine-based pasta sauces and seven wine-based salad dressings. The company has a strong direct wholesale sales program.
For more information, call 866-589-MILO (6456), e-mail
sales@vinodemilo.com or visit www.vinodemilo.com.
Litehouse launches new yogurt
dressings with kefir probiotics
Paradigm Foodworks offers ‘turn-key’
operation, expands own line
Litehouse Foods—long known for their quality salad dressings—has introduced a line of pourable yogurt salad dressings
with kefir probiotics.
The line of yogurt dressings includes Creamy Bleu Cheese,
Creamy Ranch and Creamy Caesar. They boast half the fat
and half the calories of regular salad dressing. And, they are
the only yogurt dressing in the market to have the added benefit of Kefir with eight live and active culture probiotics. Like all
Litehouse dressings, the new yogurt/kefir dressings have no
preservatives, no MSG, and are made with 100 percent heart
healthy canola oil.
Why a yogurt/kefir dressing? According to Dave Rich, Brand
Development Manager, the answer is in the numbers. “As kefir
and particularly probiotics become household words and more
mainstream, it appeals to our consumer, which is primarily female. We watch the trends very closely, and did not think the
market needed another “me too” product, so we stepped up
and developed the only yogurt/kefir dressings in the market
with the benefit of probiotics and eight live and active cultures.”
Litehouse Foods is a family-owned company that has
recently become an employee-owned company. For over 50
years the Hawkins family has been providing the grocery
industry with the highest quality refrigerated salad dressing,
dips and sauces. From their humble beginnings in the restaurant in Hope, Idaho to today—Litehouse has been delighting
customers with innovative recipes using the highest quality ingredients and attention to detail.
For more information, please contact David Rich at 208-263-7569,
e-mail drich@litehouseinc.com or visit www.litehousefoods.com.
Paradigm Foodworks has been a direct manufacturer of specialty sauces since 1981.
Their own line of branded products includes award-winning
curds and spreads, dessert sauces, (fudge, caramel and fruit
sauces) scone mixes and flavored waffle mixes, award-winning muesli cereals, beautiful fruit-enhanced wine vinegars,
barbecue sauce and salad dressings.
Two product lines have been recently introduced to the
market. The first, three Milazzo Cheese Spreads made with
Mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses to use as a topping for bruschetta, tomatoes to be grilled, mix in tuna salad
or stir into pasta.
Also new to Paradigm Foodworks, Hot Chihuahua Brand
Sauces, a line of three authentic Mexican regional condiments
for cooking and dipping. The Enchilada Sauce is Puebla style
made with peanut butter and cocoa for a mole taste. The
Sinaloa Verde is a crisp, clean flavor from the Sinaloa region
and the Durango Salsa has a touch of Chipotle. Each jar has
a chapter in the adventures of Ole Chihuahua on the label and
one of his recipes using his romantic style.
In addition, Paradigm Foodworks Co-Packing division specializes in small runs but is set up and capable of running large
orders as well. Paradigm offers a “turn-key” operation. They
can supply everything for a customerʼs product except the labels so that all you need to do is place an order and then pick
it up when itʼs finished.
For more information about Paradigmʼs products or co-packing
services, please e-mail Lynne Barra at lbarra@paradigm
foodworks.com or visit www.paradigmfoodworks.com.
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CONDIMENTS UPDATE
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Featured PRODUCTS
Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk Sauce
Stonewall Kitchen’s dessert toppings
Beano’s makes it better!
Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk Sauce is proud to proclaim its 100 percent Jamaican authenticity. Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica (observed and documented in 1503 by Christopher
Columbus, Spanish explorer), where meats are dry-rubbed or wet
marinated with jerk spice. Recipes for Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk
Sauces call for the application of the product to pork, chicken, fish,
shrimp, shellfish, beef, sausage or tofu.
Traditionally, Jerk cooking was done in an open pit using
pimento wood as the source of fire, yielding a distinct smoked aromatic flavor. The process yielded the much sought after staples in
Jamaica, Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork.
Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk Sauces are distinctively different,
due to the nature of the “must have” ingredients for a wonderful
sauce—Pimento (all spice), Scotch Bonnet Pepper (among the
hottest peppers on the Scoville scale), thyme and sea salt. The
ingredients are carefully harvested in the Pedro Plains farming
community of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. The manufacturing process
is true to tradition and the result is an ever-inviting, robust, tantalizing Pedro Plains Jamaica Jerk 100 percent authentic product.
Jamaican Jerk Sauce: a little taste of home.
For more information, call 876-815-9817,
e-mail bnrs@pedroplainsjm.com or visit their
website at www.pedroplains.com
Stonewall Kitchen, one of the most awarded specialty food manufacturers in the nation, offers a complete line of sinfully delicious
dessert sauces that are perfect when used to top ice cream,
pound cake, drizzled on fresh fruit or simply eaten with a spoon
right from the jar! Traditional favorites like Raspberry Liqueur Hot
Fudge and Mocha Espresso Sauce are mouth-watering sauces
spooned on ice cream or stirred into milk shakes or iced coffee.
The new Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Sauce, a heavenly
combination of dark chocolate and sea salt, is only made more
decadent with the addition of buttery caramel. The sea salt brings
out both the intense flavor of the chocolate and the sweetness of
the caramel. Drizzled on coffee ice cream it makes an elegantly
simple dessert. Dark Chocolate Toffee Sauce is the best of everything in a jar, buttery toffee and deep dark chocolate … what better to top a hot fudge sundae! Also included in the line are curds,
Lemon and Key Lime. Both are refreshing, creamy and luscious
versions of a classic, ideal for breakfast, desserts or afternoon
tea! For more information contact Kathy Mauro, National Sales
Director at 888-326-5678 or visit www.stonewallkitchen.com.
Beanoʼs is the number one selling brand of deli condiments. Conroy
Foods Inc., the maker of Beanoʼs Deli Condiments, is unveiling a totally new family look for their extensive line of high-quality condiments.
Born in 1986, Beanoʼs Submarine Dressing was the first condiment created specifically for sale through grocersʼ deli departments.
Over the years, Beanoʼs has introduced many new flavors that exceed their customersʼ expectations for fantastic flavors that enhance
the flavors of food. 2010 finds the company introducing new Beanoʼs
Buffalo Sandwich Sauce. This new, thick and rich formula is the perfect dressing when making Buffalo Chicken sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas and even pizza. It has the perfect balance between heat and
flavor. With the flavor of Buffalo now the number two restaurant menu
mention, Beanoʼs knows this item is going to be a real hit with consumers who want to duplicate their favorite restaurant item at home.
Beanoʼs website, www.conroyfoods.com, provides a quick and
easy reference point to see all of the varieties of Beanoʼs Condiments and Sauces. They also have a link so you can follow them
on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, contact Conroy
Foods at 800-317-8316. Remember, Beanoʼs Makes It Better!
New building
and a new look for
Magic Seasoning Blends
Chef Paul Prudhommeʼs Magic Seasoning
Blends®, established in 1983, is now the proud
occupant of a modern and efficient 125,000 sq.
ft. blending facility outside of New Orleans, La.
Moving up in space and equipment has allowed for growth in private label, co-packing
and custom blending for their retail, foodservice and bulk ingredient customers.
Besides moving into their new international
headquarters, Magic Seasonings has “refreshed” the look of their popular “7 Original”
all-natural blends. This entailed eliminating
the white box and showing off different colors
and textures of Blackened Steak®, Blackened
Redfish ®, Poultry®, Seafood ®, Meat®, Vegetable ® and Pork & Veal ® Magic. These
blends continue to set the standard for quality
and consistency with their all-natural ingredients (no MSG, no additives and gluten-free).
At present, Chef Paul offers a total of 21
distinctly different Magic Seasoning Blend
products, including four Magic Sauce and
Marinades® and a Magic Pepper Sauce®. In
addition to sales in all 50 states, Magic Seasonings exports to 25 countries, servicing
both retail and foodservice customers.
For more information on Magic Seasoning
Blends, visit www.chefpaul.com or contact
John McBride, Vice President―Sales, at
jlm@chefpaul.com or call 504-731-3578.
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GOURMET NEWS
Featured PRODUCTS
Robert Rothschild Farm introduces
International Gourmet Sauce line
Golden West Specialty Foods presents
Wok Mei Asian Condiments
Austria’s Finest Naturally Traditional
Extra Virgin Pumpkin Seed Oil
A new International Gourmet Sauce line is the latest innovation from Robert Rothschild Farm. These sauces from around
the world will tempt and tease the palate. Deeply flavored and
ready-to-serve, each of the ten unique sauces incorporates
spices and flavors from every corner of the world, making them
this seasonʼs “must-have” line! Cilantro, cumin, fire roasted
onions and lime juice heat up the Hispanic-influenced sauces,
which include Mexican Mole, Verde Mexican and Spicy Mexican. The Indian-inspired flavors, Tikka Masala and Zesty
Madras Curry, incorporate authentic Indian spices such as
curry, fenugreek, cloves, turmeric and cardamom. Spicy Moroccan, the African-inspired sauce, blends jalapenos, onions
and chili peppers, and is delicious folded into couscous. The
four Asian-influenced flavors are as diverse in flavor as the region itself. These sauces include Asian Ginger Teriyaki, Thai
Peanut Ginger, Thai Plum Garlic and Thai Sweet Chili. Aside
from using them as finishing accents, the International Gourmet Sauces lend themselves to simmering in a slow cooker
with meats and vegetables. With todayʼs hectic lifestyles,
Robert Rothschild Farm products allow the busiest consumer
to create gourmet meals using every-day ingredients and
cooking methods.
For more information, call 800-356-8933, e-mail info@robert
rothschild.com or visit the website at www.robertrothschild.com.
Wok Mei All Natural Asian Condiments are 100 percent clean,
all-natural condiments. These sauces are tested gluten-free,
and made without refined sugars, MSG, modified starches or
preservatives. Used by discriminating chefs in white-tablecloth
restaurants, Wok Mei condiments appeal to kitchens and consumers looking for a clean ingredient deck.
According to the New York Times, “The hoisin sauce, made
with a miso base, is dark and tangy. The oyster sauce combines a real briny flavor with a hint of sweetness. With a fruity
richness, the plum sauce works well as a glaze for meat or fish
or as a dip for spring rolls.”
Wok Mei All Natural Oyster Flavored Sauce adds a lowsodium richness to Chinese stir-fry, and is a perfect base for
marinades and gravies. Wok Mei All Natural Hoisin Sauce has
a sweet and spicy flavor that makes it an ideal choice for basting and glazing meat, and a must for Mu-Shu Pork or Peking
Duck. Wok Mei All Natural Plum Sauceʼs sweet and sour taste
makes it ideal as an all-purpose dipping sauce, or for stirfrying, grilling and basting.
Made in the USA. Available in a retail size or in foodservice
and bulk sizes for industrial applications, ready-cooked meals,
and frozen entrées.
For more information, call 800-584-4481 or visit www
.goldenwestsf.com.
Austriaʼs Finest Naturally ® Traditional Extra Virgin Pumpkin
Seed Oil, slightly roasted, cold-pressed, trans-fat free, has
been known in Austriaʼs Steiermark (Styria) for three centuries.
This tasty finishing oil is perfect in any diet. Use as a vinaigrette ingredient or add to cooked foods as desired, pasta,
rice, potatoes, soups etc. The oil is gluten-free, non-hydrogenated, free of additives and color enhancers. This green,
100 percent pumpkin seed oil is made from pumpkin seeds
that grow without hulls naturally, No GMO. Packaged in Austria
and warehoused in USA. The history of the Steiermark Oil
Pumpkin is fascinating. It was in 1492 Christopher Columbus
saw the first pumpkins in the Caribbean. Leonard Fuchs described the Oil Pumpkin in his New Herb Book in 1543 as
Ocean-cucumber (Cucurbita pepo) without knowing about its
culinary and nutrient rich properties. The youth of Austriaʼs
Steiermark, working in the fields, were the first to discover the
pleasant taste of the unique seeds that possess a flavorful
membrane over the seeds as opposed to a hard shell. Today,
the Botanical Registry lists this Styrian specialty as Cucurbita
pepo L. Convar. pepo var. styriaca GREB. Each pumpkin
produces about 150 seeds.
For more information about Austriaʼs Finest Naturally® products
see www.austriasfinestnaturally.com, e-mail office@austriasfinest
naturally.com or austriasfinest@att.net or call 1-800-630-5766.
Original Chipotle Mayonnaise:
Finally, mayo with taste!
Aloha From Oregon offers
a delicious array of products
Plocky’s Tortilla Chips & Salsa
Santa Fe Gourmet, LLC is the first company to bring to market a highquality chipotle mayonnaise. Developed by classically trained chefs,
their products are designed for the easy use of gourmet cooks, food
aficionados, barbecue lovers and connoisseurs of ethnic cuisines.
Original Chipotle Mayonnaise takes a giant leap past the ordinary with an optimal blend of chipotle peppers and silky smooth
mayonnaise. The full-bodied taste artfully mingles the smokywarm complexity of the chipotle pepper with a cool mayonnaise
base, resulting in a sumptuous spread that livens up all kinds of
sandwiches, dips, salads and sauces. Finally—mayo with taste!
Made from only the finest ingredients, Original Chipotle
Mayonnaise has zero trans fats or high fructose corn syrup.
They have also developed Original Chipotle “Light” Mayonnaise. Cutting the calories and fat content in half, this new
formula sacrifices none of the distinctive bold flavor.
Original Chipotle Mayonnaise is anything but ordinary.
Santa Fe Gourmetʼs customers have used this product in or
on a vast array of dishes with some of the favorites being
sushi, baked potatoes, fresh vegetables, deviled eggs, smoked
salmon, burgers, steaks, crab cakes and more.
For more information please visit their website at
www.chipotlemayo.com or call 917-968-3616.
For nearly 20 years, Aloha From Oregon has supplied discriminating customers a wide selection of beautifully packaged and
truly delicious pepper jellies, chutneys and other specialty food
items. Aloha From Oregonʼs customers are passionate about
food and love the memorable taste experience their products
offer. They are confident Aloha From Oregon will attract and
delight your customers as well. Theyʼll appreciate the elegant
appearance and enjoy the quality and richness of each mouthwatering flavor.
Aloha From Oregon produces 14 different tantalizing pepper
jellies with the perfect fusion of sweet and spicy flavors as well as
six unique “split jellies” (two separate jellies in one jar).
Additionally, they offer six different and unique, full-bodied
chutneys and a delicious array of specialty products including
Marionberry Preserves, Spiced Wine Jelly, Tangerine Marmalade
and Crystallized Ginger. They also provide their products in foodservice sizes for your catering needs.
Aloha From Oregon is glad to send you samples so that you
can see and taste for yourself how these delicious products
can be a spectacular addition to your gourmet food selection.
Please contact them at ljolly@alohafromoregon.com or call
541-343-5519.
Experience the savory taste of Plockyʼs Specialty Tortilla Chips
and Salsa. Made from the finest all-natural ingredients, they
contain no trans fat and have no genetic alteration.
Black Beans ʻN Rice, a popular Caribbean dish, is turned into
one savory tortilla chip with a special blend of nutritious black
beans, whole brown rice and whole grain corn.
Red Beans ʻN Rice is Plockyʼs version of the quintessential
New Orleans dish—a blend of old-fashioned Southern red
beans with whole brown rice and whole grain corn.
Plockyʼs Salsas, blend red or black beans with whole brown
rice, crushed tomatoes and special all-natural ingredients,
resulting in tangy salsa versions of the Tortilla Chips, complimenting each with matching label designs.
Plockyʼs Three Grain Tortilla Chips combine the goodness of
whole grain corn, cracked whole wheat and whole brown rice
into one nutritious tortilla chip. Three Grain won the top award
for Best Tortilla Chip from Diabetic Living Magazine and was
awarded the Seal of Approval for 2010.
About Plocky’s Fine Snacks
Plockyʼs® is a privately held company established in 1988 with
headquarters in Hinsdale, Illinois. Plockyʼs can be found in
specialty shops, natural food stores and fine supermarkets
nationally or online at www.plockys.com.