Hannah Howard is a food writer and blogger. She recently visited the Mifroma production facility in the Swiss Alps.
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The Future is Food
The youngest generations are shaping what’s next in dining.
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Meet the New Arrivals
A tasty selection of new offerings.
13
It’s Aisle Right
How Atalanta and Camerican can provide solutions for every part of the supermarket.
15
Serving Foodservice
Options are key in foodservice, we can help.
17
Earth Friendly
Partnering with a mind towards sustainabiltyincluding our newest acquisition.
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Going Gruyère It’s Made
Visiting the ancient home of Mifroma Cheese.
25
Joining the Club
Our Club Sales team talks about how they can help your business.
Check out page 29 to see how to take your fries to whole new heights! Happy FRY-yay!
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
A note from Tom Gellert, President of Corporation
Happy New Year!
Welcome to the Winter 2025 issue of First Bite! I am excited to share this season’s stories, trends, and tasty tidbits.
Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:
80 Years of Atalanta: We’re marking a huge milestone—Atalanta’s 80th anniversary! We’re proud to look back on our family’s journey while continuing to bring you the best food from around the globe.
What’s New?: Check out our roundup of new products, including Mediterranean delights, phyllo crisps, and exciting twists on your favorite foods.
Sustainability That Matters: It’s not just a trend; Gellert Global Group is investing in brands making a difference from regenerative farming to compostable coffee pods.
Say Cheese!: From the lush fields of the Swiss Alps to bold, new flavors like spicy cayenne goat cheese, discover traditional flavors along with new ones.
Plus, our team examines how younger generations are redefining food with their techsavvy, values-driven approach. Don’t miss guest writer Hannah Howard’s magical trip to the Swiss Alps, where she reveals the secrets behind crafting Gruyères AOP cheese.
I hope this issue inspires you, informs you about the latest trends, and gives you a few new ideas to try.
By Eunice Park, Staff Writer
TOMATOES TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT
2024 may have set the stage for tomatoes, but 2025 solidifies them as culinary stars. Expect creative uses like fermented tomato dips, smoked tomato sauces, and even tomatobased desserts. With granular menu descriptions taking center stage, restaurants are celebrating this versatile fruit with storytelling that resonates with younger diners.
Atalanta and Camerican are ready to meet this demand, offering tomatoes in all varieties and formats—from frozen and fresh to juice, pasta sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup—making us the perfect partners for any culinary innovation.
THE ALLURE OF AFFORDABLE
LUXURY
Economic uncertainty has intensified the appeal of “affordable luxury.” Younger generations are investing in premium yet accessible products—think small-batch chocolate, craft ice creams, and hand-picked olives. This trend reflects their desire to elevate everyday meals with indulgent touches, bridging comfort and sophistication.
Atalanta has successfully harnessed the power of influencer programs to showcase their products in trending recipes, creating authentic connections with followers and driving awareness through visually stunning, shareable content.
APPETIZER SAMPLERS & EXCLUSIVE MENUS
Shared dining experiences remain a favorite, with appetizer samplers and limitedtime offers (LTOs) continuing to dominate menus. FOMO (fear of missing out) is a driving force, as Gen Z and Millennials flock to pop-ups and seasonal menus offering unique, ephemeral experiences.
Camerican is tapping into this trend by offering a variety of frozen appetizer items—such as Mac and Cheese Bites, Jalapeño Poppers, Baked Potato Skins, and French fries—perfect for sharing and creating memorable dining moments.
Key takeaways for 2025
To connect with Gen Z and Millennials, food brands and retailers must:
• Be transparent: Emphasize sustainability, ethical practices, and product storytelling.
• Leverage tech: Enhance the customer journey with interactive, personalized shopping tools.
• Ride the trends: Engage with social media-driven recipes and prioritize shareable, limited-edition offerings.
In 2025, Gen Z and Millennials are not just shaping food trends—they’re re-imagining the entire food ecosystem. From the way groceries are bought to how meals are shared, their influence is redefining what it means to eat, cook, and connect. For the food industry, staying relevant means embracing their tech-savvy, value-driven, and experience-oriented approach.
See page 21 and travel to the Swiss Alps and learn how this exquisite cheese is made using ancient techniques.
Swiss A10210 12/4.9 OZ
BIG PICTURE FOODS
The newest addition to the GGG family! See a full introduction to this line of organic and ethically produced specialty accompaniments on page 19.
Regenerative Organic Banana Peppers
A126724 Rings Jar 8/12 OZ
Regenerative Organic Kalamata Olives
A126706 Pitted Tray 8/8 OZ
Regenerative Organic Red Peppers
A126722 Strips Jar 8/12 OZ
Regenerative Organic Pepperoncini
A126700 Whole Tray 8/9 OZ
Cavern Gruyère A10208 12/4.9 OZ
Gruyère AOP
A10211 12/4.9 OZ
Presenting a lineup of our newest offerings sure to elevate your dining experience. We can’t wait for you to taste what we’ve got in store!
Contact your Atalanta Representative for more information.
SERVING EVERY AISLE
HOW ATALANTA & CAMERICAN MEET GROCERY RETAIL NEEDS
Grocery retail is an ever-evolving landscape where consumer preferences and trends demand versatility and innovation. To stay competitive, retailers must provide diverse products that appeal to varying tastes and lifestyles while ensuring quality, affordability, and reliability. Atalanta and Camerican offer comprehensive solutions across all grocery store channels, including the perimeter, center store, and frozen aisles.
From Freezer to Flavor: Our Diverse Frozen Food Solutions
Our frozen food solutions, from staples to specialty items, deliver convenience, versatility, and exceptional taste. We offer a diverse range of high-quality frozen foods designed for retail and food service. Our portfolio includes versatile options like frozen breaded eggplant, perfect for dishes like eggplant rollatini, and a variety of appetizer favorites, such as mozzarella sticks and stuffed jalapeños. We also provide curated party packs, frozen vegetables, and a selection of proteins, including seafood and plant-based alternatives.
At DeMedici Imports, we are dedicated to sourcing exceptional specialty foods crafted by artisans from generational families who pour tradition and passion into every product. Our commitment goes beyond taste—we partner with producers who prioritize sustainability, ensuring their time-honored practices protect the environment and support local communities for generations to come.
SUS TAIN ABILITY
Big Picture Foods (BPF) is a recent acquisition by Atalanta, aimed at expanding its Mediterranean specialty food offerings with a focus on sustainable and organic products. BPF specializes in Regenerative Organic Certified foods, partnering with small farmers committed to regenerative agriculture. Their mission is to produce high-quality, nutrient-dense foods that promote health, sustainability, and ecosystem restoration.
At BPF “flavors are grown” by maintaining healthy soil which goes beyond the certified organic certification. Olives, peppers, and capers are harvested, packed in mother brine (a blend of artesian mineral water, sea salt, and organic kosher wine vinegar) to naturally ferment and preserve without pasteurization,
additives or heat. Finished goods are loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, minerals, vitamins and probiotics. Every fresh refrigerated tray or traditional center store grocery jar is ready to be added to your favorite application.
This acquisition aligns with Atalanta’s values, enhancing its Mediterranean category while offering consumers more options for authentic, sustainable, and delicious foods. We are excited to bring their exceptional products to even more consumers. Together, we will innovate and transform our food system as well as continue our mission to be a part of every food experience.
DISCOVER Reporting By Susan Lopez, Editor-In-Chief, Nicole DeLuca and Megan Corey, Staff Writers
By Hannah Howard Guest Writer
It’s truly a breathtaking sight—rounds of Gruyère as far as the eye can see. We kept walking and walking, and the wheels of Gruyère kept going and going. The sandstone creates an ideal environment for aging this cheese. Humidity levels remain steady at 95% -96%. The temperature stays around 55 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to the spongy rock, which naturally fosters humidity, and the deep underground location carved into the side of the mountains. The Maîtres Fromagers carefully tap, taste, smell, and evaluate each wheel to ensure it’s ready to be shipped and enjoyed after a minimum of five months (and some wheels age up to two years).
The Exquisite Cheese
The final product reflects all this meticulous work, care, tradition, and attention to detail. While no two wheels are completely identical, Le Gruyère AOP shares a supple, smooth texture and balanced, multi-layered notes of roasted hazelnuts and brown butter. With age, the flavor becomes even more pronounced, and the smoothness yields to a slightly crumbly texture.
Le Gruyère AOP adds depth and richness when melted over French onion soup, sandwiched in a gooey grilled cheese, baked into a quiche with fresh herbs, or melted atop roasted potatoes. The possibilities are endless.
Mifroma, founded in 1964 and part of the Migros group, is a Swiss cheese company known for crafting and aging traditional cheeses like Le Gruyère AOP, Emmentaler, and Raclette. With a strong commitment to sustainable practices, Mifroma uses natural sandstone caves to combine Swiss cheesemaking traditions with eco-friendly methods, delivering premium quality to tables worldwide.
ATALANTA IS PROUD TO BE AN IMPORT PARTNER OF MIFROMA PRODUCTS
MC: What are the key factors that contribute to the overall success of this team?
JH: I could go on and on about this as there are so many different factors, but one that I feel is right at the top is trust. If you cannot build trust with your customers, suppliers, or your own internal teams, you will not be successful in this channel. This is a relationship based business where you need to build and earn trust in all aspects.
JF: Another point to add is that we all support each other on our team. Yes — building relationships with internal teams and customers is vital, but the camaraderie within the Club team is a special dynamic.
MC: How do you feel when you see an item on the shelf that you worked on to get there?
JH: That is what it is all about! There really isn’t anything much better as there is so much time, effort, and detail required to launch a successful item. With that said, the same goes the other way when you see a competitor’s product on the shelf that you feel you could have done better or just as well.
SD: It’s such a great feeling. Each item we work on has its own unique development story and challenges so to see it on the shelf is a nice reminder of why we do what we do. At the same time, it can also
make me anxious if we are unsure how well the item is selling right after launch. The more I see an item on shelves, the better I feel.
PD: Feels great to see. It’s the culmination and embodiment of everyone’s hard work. To see it out in the stores reminds you how important the work is that everyone here at Atalanta does. That being said, it feels twice as good when you know sales are doing well!
JF: It’s the absolute best! Successfully launching a product into the market is the result of countless hours of teamwork, collaboration, and communication — it really takes a village. Seeing a product we worked so hard on displayed in the club, snapping a picture of it, and sharing that moment with your team, friends, and family is incredibly rewarding and something to be truly proud of.
KS: The team collectively said it best. It’s awesome.
MC: Thank you all for sharing your insights and expertise! We are grateful for your time and thoughtfulness.
Our Club team is truly one of a kind and they no doubt work hard to bring the latest and greatest to our nearest club. Keep your eyes peeled for more innovations and delicious bites in this new year! Stay tuned for our next summer edition where we will connect with another valued GGG team that allows us to be a part of every food experience.
Tater Tots bring the heat with a Sonoma Hot Pepper Jack cheese sauce that is poured over crispy tots and finished with Casa Diva essentials Sliced Jalapenos and Sliced Banana Peppers Served with a chipotle aioli.
Let Us Show You How to Take Fries to the Next Level
Classic, sweet potato, curly, tater tot, waffle... whatever variety you fancy, GGG is your ONE-stop shop. We’re excited to bring you a plethora of spuds from Camerican, topped with ingredients from across Atalanta!
Waffle Fries have their passport stamped in Greece and are enjoyed with a Mediterranean style salsa crafted with chopped cucumber, red onion Big Picture Foods Organic favorites: Red Peppers, Kalamata Olives, Pepperoncini, and Capers. Served with whipped Mt Vikos Feta dipping sauce infused with lemon and herbs.
Sweet Potato Fries pair JF Braun Dried Cranberries with Celebrity Goat Cheese Crumbles for a unique combination of flavors and textures.
Classic Cut Fries travel to Spain with grated Casa Flores Manchego and sliced Casa Flores Serrano, finished with cilantro, diced tomato and sour cream.
Curly Fries are an essential pub food and are blanketed in a layer of chili and Cracking Good Cheddar Cheese sauce. Garnished with scallions and sliced serrano peppers.
