Gourmet News July 2012

UPDATE:

Sweeteners

Grassfed Beef

Heat & Serve

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E: D SI IN

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ET SK E BA T T DA IF P G U

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T H E

VOLUME 77, NUMBER 7 JULY 2012 n $7.00

SPECIALTY RETAILERS n n

Putnam Market opens new cheese room PAGE 9 Oregon specialty store launches its newest exclusive: compost PAGE 9

GROCERY & DEPARTMENT STORES n n

Wegmans launches new gluten-free pasta, mixes PAGE 10 A&P announces comprehensive store investment strategy PAGE 10

SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS n n

UNFI Q3 results: net income up 24 percent to $29 million PAGE 11 Organic hard candy line rapidly gains distribution PAGE 11

SUPPLIER BUSINESS n n

Gourmet du Village turns 30 PAGE 12 Farley's & Sathers, Ferrara Pan Candy merge PAGE 12

News..............................................2 New Section: Giftware..........................................7 Ad Index .......................................39 Smorgasbord/Classifieds ..............39

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Summer Fancy Food Show successfully concludes DC run Ginger-pear sorbet, Vermont dairy line win top awards Brisk order-writing balanced what appeared to be lighter traffic at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show, held June 17-19 in Washington D.C. “The exhibitors seemed pleased.

One of the challenges was to move the traffic evenly through both floors, but even on Tuesday at 2 p.m., the aisles seemed to be full and writing business,” said Ron Tanner of the NASFT. Preliminary audience numbers were not yet available at press time, but many exhibitors felt that attendance was lower than last

year. Having the show open on Father’s Day did not help.

Despite this, many smaller exhibitors did draw a steady crowd, and the business-building programs for brokers and distributors had their highest participation ever.

The seminars for those entering the industry were highly successful, an indicator of the number of people still keen to enter the industry.

One highlight this year was “A Visual Feast”, an exhibit which used the occasion of the NASFT’s 60th anniversary to chronicle the growth of the U.S. specialty food industry and recognize some of the pioneers who built it. The exhibit, with

extended articles, can be viewed online at www.specialtyfood.org.

Among the tasting sessions, Korean cuisine drew the biggest response. Tanner speculates that this may be due not only to the relative novelty of the cuisine, but to a recently signed free trade agreement between the U.S. and Korea that will be conducive to new product sourcing. A U.S.-made Korean hot sauce, KimKim, also won a sofi Gold for Best Cooking Sauce, while CJ Foods drew traffic to its booth with a range of heatand-serve Korean barbecue meals.

it the opposite way. We are trying to create Filipino food as an option for everyday American families, in the same way that you don’t have to know anyone Chinese, Indian or Thai to buy that food in the supermarket.

Even though the Filipino demographic is one-tenth the size of the Latin one, we’ve observed that while Latino buyers tend to stay

This year’s Natural Products Expo East, set from Sept. 19-21 at the Baltimore Convention Center, offers natural retailers additional value with an evening workshop keynoted by business consultant Gerry O’Brion.

With the VIP Hosted Buyer program providing airfare and accommodation for qualified buyers and a conference keynote by restaurateur and activist Alice Waters, this indicates a show on the upswing, toward becoming more like its high-profile West Coast counterpart.

The workshop is set for Sept.

19, at $95 ($75 for members of the Natural Products Assn. East).

It will be followed by a Business Forum focused on retail concerns such as staffing, marketing and pricing.

The event is on top of Expo East’s VIP Hosted Buyer program, through which primary buyers for natural products can get their registration, airfare and hotel (up to four nights) paid for by the show. The show will also set up

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long history of collaboration.

During the past decade, organically grown products have become the fastest growing sector in agriculture, with sales increasing by as much as 20 percent annually to represent a $31 billion agricultural sector.

“A united organization will strengthen our advocacy efforts, expand educational programs, and improve certification services. Together, our highly engaged membership of over 4,200 organic

farmers, processors, handlers, retailers, and 600 supporting members will cultivate change, advocating on behalf of organic and sustainable agricultural practices,” said the group’s release.

Farmers and food processors who currently use CCOF or Oregon Tilth labels on their product can continue to so, without having to print new labels and packaging. A new CCOF Tilth label and branding will be released this fall. Both offices will be retained, with the LLC headquartered in Corvallis and the foundation in Santa Cruz.

For information, visit www.ccoftilthmerger.org.

Continued on PAGE 5

One on One:

Philippine food makes its way mainstream From the Huffington Post and Wall St. Journal to tv chefs Bourdain and Zimmern, buzz is building for Philippine food. With a slot in Whole Foods, Ramar Foods’ appetizer and ice cream lines are in a good spot. VP for Marketing PJ Quesada chats with us about representing one’s culture through food, working with family and venturing out from a comfortable niche.

As of 2012, we’ve been in the

Filipino food business in the U.S. for 44 years, and Filipinos are the second-largest Asian sub-group in the U.S.––more than four million in the last census. Yet when we looked at the international frozen food category offering in mainstream supermarkets, we saw little sign of the demographic’s size.

Usually, an ethnic food category grows in retail through a network of restaurants; we’re trying to do

Leading organic certifiers CCOF and Oregon Tilth to merge CCOF and Oregon Tilth, the country’s largest and third-largest organic certifying bodies, are merging this year. Together, the two organizations, as CCOF Tilth, will strengthen the visibility and voice of organic. Members of both organizations will be asked to ratify the merger before October 31, 2012.

It is hoped that the merger will enable a more affordable, more efficient process that will make organic certification easier and faster for those who qualify. For

retailers, this may allow organiccertified products to get to stores faster and at a price closer to that of non-certified items.

“The merger will create the strongest mission-driven certification program in the country,” said CCOF Executive Director Cathy Calfo, “supported by a trade association of nearly 4,000 certified farmers, ranchers, and processors, and a robust educational foundation.”

The two organizations have a

Expo East adds value for retailers with VIP Hosted Buyer program, workshop

GENERAL NEWS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

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General News BRIEFS La Tienda announces new COO, Jim Easton La Tienda, the Virginia-based specialty importer of gourmet foods from Spain, has announced Jim Easton as its new Chief Operating Officer.

For the previous ten years, Jim was Vice President of the Products Division with Colonial Williamsburg, and prior to that he was with Toys R Us, Lord & Taylor and Dayton Hudson.

“We are thrilled to have Jim on board, given his vast experience in consumer product marketing and business development,” said CEO and co-owner, Tim Harris, “He’s a terrific addition to our passionate and talented staff at La Tienda.”

La Tienda just celebrated its 15th anniversary as an online retailer with distribution channels through the internet, catalog and a retail store on 1325 Jamestown Road in Williamsburg. The family-owned and managed business offers a selection of more than 800 gourmet items from artisan and small family businesses in Spain.

Sweet Shop USA names Michael Moss as new President Sweet Shop USA, a family-owned manufacturer of gourmet, all-natural and OU Kosher certified handmade chocolate, recently named Michael Moss as president and member of the Board of Directors.

"As we celebrate our 40th year in crafting American handmade chocolates, I am delighted that Michael has joined Sweet Shop USA,” CEO Krista Webb said. “His experience with growing national brands in the retail specialty food segment will be key to our future success.

With his leadership experience and strong operational background, Michael has the experience and drive that will prove invaluable as we continue to grow Sweet Shop USA." Moss has more than 10 years of experience developing, operating and successfully growing retail brands. He was most recently the Vice President of Heritage Family Specialty Foods, and a key member of the company’s leadership team for more than nine years. During that time, Heritage Foods saw rapid growth, expanding into retail frozen food production and multiple specialty brands, including the Country Living Collection, the Brack Ranch Collection and the Vintage Farms Collection.

Based in Mount Pleasant, Texas, Sweet Shop USA is known for its handmade chocolate truffles, toffee, Famous Brags ® and Fudge Love ®.

Smart Balance to buy Udi’s Healthy Foods Further consolidation in natural foods; signals bid to lead gluten-free market Leading natural food brand Smart Balance Inc. has agreed to acquire gluten-free baked goods leader Udi’s Healthy Foods for $125 million cash. The deal comes just 10 months after Smart Balance bought Glutino, a leader in gluten-free snacks and grocery items, and marks the brand's bid for leadership in the expanding category.

"This portfolio...will enable us to offer all retailers in North America a one-stop strategic partner to address the growth in gluten-free,” said Smart Balance Chairman and CEO Stephen Hughes.

“Udi’s leading bread and bakery portfolio is the perfect complement to Glutino’s wide range of [snack and] grocery products."

Furthermore, Hughes stated, “This acquisition will be transformational to our company, as it will position Smart Balance as a leader in gluten-free, accelerate our growth rate, and further diversify our mix

toward high-growth natural brands. The gluten-free category is now a cornerstone within our corporate vision,” Hughes remarked.

Based in Denver, Colo., Udi’s is a leading brand of gluten-free bread and baked goods in the retail market, and in foodservice since mid-2011.

Its other products include frozen pizza and granola. In the twelve month period ended March 31, 2012, Udi’s sales doubled to $60.9 million.

Smart Balance purchases Udi's from majority shareholder Hubson Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of E&A Industries, the family of founder Udi Bar-on, and other minority holders. Considering future tax benefits, the effective purchase price is approximately $103 million.

“Regarding Glutino,” Hughes concluded, “we are beginning to see benefits associated with the consolidation of this acquisition and, while reduction of distributor inventory impacted our sales to customers in the past two quarters, inventory levels are now stable. As expected, Glutino net sales are now tracking retail sales.”

Smart Balance will take on long-term debt of approximately $240 million to finance the buy, expected to close by July. GN

Mintel reveals top five new product claims in 2011 Data released in June from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) spotlights 2011’s most frequent healthfocused on-package claims for new food and beverage products.

Topping the list by a large margin was “kosher,” which appeared on 27 percent of new products, more than twice as often as the second most common claim, “all natural product.”

Rounding out the top five were “no additives/preservatives,” “low/no/

reduced allergen,” and “gluten-free.”

Near the bottom of the list was “no-High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)” which appeared on only 2 percent of product introductions.

“New product introductions in the US, across all categories, usually total more than 20,000 in most years,” says Lynn Dornblaser, director, innovation and insight at Mintel, a leading consumer research company. “Those with ‘no-HFCS’ claims only accounted for about 400 new

U.S. cheese retailers can enter to win a trip to SIAL Paris Online applications are due by July 30 Qualified U.S.-based cheese retailers are invited to join a lottery for a rare chance to join the Cheese Importers Association of America (CIAA) on its all-expenses-paid trip to Paris to attend SIAL, the world’s largest food show, from Oct. 20-24.

In order to qualify, a retailer must either have 20 retail establishments or buy 500,000 pounds of wholesale cheese annually. Retailer applicants should be category managers or cheese buyers, and the CIAA reserves the right to ask for validation.

The trip will be open to ten representatives from retail companies, which will be

drawn by lottery. Retailers must apply by July 30 via the CIAA’s website: www.theciaa.org/news/05-16-2012_1.html.

According to CIAA President Tom Gellert, retailers can benefit tremendously from the chance to network and connect with international food manufacturers and professionals, allowing them to better promote specialty cheeses. Attendees will not only visit the SIAL Show, but also enjoy special events and dinners for CIAA members, visit a French hypermarket and tour a French cheese plant.

“This trip will be a real educational experience for many cheese buyers. As U.S. cheese importers, we want retailers to

product intros in 2011, or 2 percent. By comparison, they’re a very small part of the market.”

The results align with a separate consumer study conducted by Mintel last year that shows HFCS to be a low priority when grocery shopping. The 2011 research found that only four percent of consumers indicated they were looking to avoid HFCS, and only three percent indicated that they were reading labels for HFCS. GN become familiar with the wide variety of wonderful cheeses from around the world,” Gellert added.

The trip is part of the CIAA’s Qualified Importer Program. Through this program, importers of products containing cow’s milk solids pay an assessment of 7.5 cents per hundredweight of imported products, and notify the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to send 2.5 cents per hundredweight to the CIAA; the remaining 5 cents goes to the National Dairy Board. The Qualified Importer Program creates events and opportunities to promote consumption of imported dairy products, as well as fund research and consumer education aimed at increasing consumption of imported dairy products.

Formed more than sixty years ago, the CIAA comprises the majority of firms engaged in importing, selling, promoting, and distributing cheese and cheese products in the U.S. GN

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GENERAL NEWS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Sweets & Snacks names most innovative new products in eight categories During May’s Sweets & Snacks Expo® in Chicago, the National Confectioners Association awarded 40 nominations for Most Innovative New Product in eight categories of confectionery and snacks.

A panel of experts made up of retail customers, food industry icons and trend experts, helped NCA narrow down the field of entrants. Nearly 200 products were submitted for consideration. The panel analyzed packaging, concepts and salability of each entry, and had the opportunity to taste the products in their effort to select the top 40 items among eight categories. Finally, retail and wholesale trade customers helped selected the category winner.

“The Expo’s new product tasting session has been not only one of the most unique and diverse as far as product submissions, but also one of the most fun and flavorful events to collaborate on,” said Phil Lempert, food trends editor for NBC’s Today Show and panel moderator.

“Where else but at the Sweets & Snacks Expo will you find cocoaflavored freezer pops up against habanero corn nuggets, bacon and chocolate-flavored popcorn and sour gelfilled pens? All of the Expo’s panel participants were true professionals who were not afraid to infuse a little fun in the process.”

Announced at a keynote session during the Expo, the winners in each category are as follows: Chocolate winner: Hammond’s Candies – Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Milk Chocolate Bar Non-chocolate winner: Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company – Skittles® Riddles™ Sweet snacks winner: Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. – Nutella® & Go! Salty snacks winner: Mars Chocolate North America – M&M’S® Brand Snack Mix Savory snacks winner: Nopal Bros. – Nopal Bros. Sweet & Spicy Dried Cactus Snack Novelty and licensed winner: Jelly Belly Candy Company – Jelly Belly UNO Game Box Seasonal winner: Mars Chocolate North

Ramar Foods

squeezed out. Now we build our own warehouses and factories, because while we’re a Filipino food brand we make everything here in the USA. We’re now building our biggest facility ever in Hawaii, and looking to open that by October.

Of course, the staff has known all three of us since we were toddlers. As kids we went our own ways––Susie became a teacher, my brother a musical anthropologist and I’m a filmmaker––but we found ourselves drifting back. But it still takes all three of us to do what my dad did, seemingly part time!

My thesis was on succession in family businesses. About 80 percent of all businesses in America are family owned and run, which affects not only finances but also culture and people issues. The three of us have plenty of room to be creative, but our parents are still the sounding board and the big picture.

When Susie was in kindergarten, the teacher recommended that we stop speaking Filipino at home. Many immigrants instruct their kids to be more American, and as these kids grow up they have less and less foundation for preserving their parents’ cultures.

At Ramar we’re trying to figure out how to move forward, and food is a great way to do this. If the kitchen is the heart of a home, food is at the heart of the culture. This is why we put fun facts about Philippine culture, history and language on our packaging, and why we sponsor events ranging from food symposia to the Philippine Independence Day parade in New York.

Continued from PAGE 1 loyal to their own shops, second-generation Asian Americans go to American shops, like Whole Foods, HEB and Safeway.

We have tremendous interest from these players, and expect to be in Safeway in the Western U.S. soon. We’re also working on the North- and Southwest. But it’s definitely an uphill battle, especially at the higher level of the buying chain.

What do you think is behind the growing interest in Filipino food?

People are always looking for new flavors, and this is still largely undiscovered –– unless you have a Filipino friend, in which case you grew up eating it and you want more! In a traditional Filipino cookbook, most recipes are for big groups. We make products with authentic taste but for today’s lifestyle and households.

Plus the American palate is becoming more appreciative of the sour side in food, and marinating in vinegar is a big part of our cuisine. Our chicken adobo is classic, but we use gluten-free soy sauce and highlight the protein content per serving. Core flavors like coconut and mango are also trending.

You’re the third generation in this business. Tell us a bit about that.

My grandparents started the business, but my parents brought it here when they migrated during the late 1960s. They started selling imported food in the San Jose flea market, but by the 1970s my father decided to start manufacturing – because he realized that we had to become producers, not middlemen, or else we could always be

You have ice cream as well as heat-and-serve.

Our ice cream brand is Magnolia.

America – M&M’S® Brand Candy Corn White Chocolate Candies Gourmet & premium winner: Brown & Haley – Dark ROCA “The Awards nomination really did drive traffic to our booth,” commented Margie Walter about Haribo’s nominated LemonGinger Gummi Candy. “Attendees were coming up saying, ‘I want to try that new product.’ It was really valuable for us.”

Meanwhile, Brown & Haley’s new Dark Roca won top honors in the gourmet category. Brown & Haley CEO Pierson Clair said of the nomination, “Being recognized by our peers speaks volumes about our Continued on PAGE 4

Filipinos will recognize this it from home, but here in the U.S. we’ve grown it in a different direction. We took the top flavors and made them all natural.

Texas was our first market, and the milk bars recently debuted in Whole Foods Northern California. We have ube (the taro-like purple yam), coconut and of course Philippine mango, but also adzuki red bean and Thai iced tea. It’s typical of the integration of flavors in Southeast Asia. That’s also why our identity here is as a tropical ice cream.

What’s it like going from a strong base in ethnic stores to the big mainstream chains?

Last year (2011) was our year of proving that our concept is real. We went from zero to nearly a hundred mainstream stores. It’s been a major learning experience. We’re in 1,500 Asian markets, with two or three of the top Filipino brands. But with the mainstream stores and major national distributors, we’re at the stage of building credibility. It helps that we have a 40-year history of doing our own manufacturing and distribution. This gives them a lot of confidence. We’ve got something new, yet we also have data and a track record from doing it ourselves. GN

GENERAL NEWS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

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Whole Foods Market names winners of Supplier Awards Top award goes exporter Agritalia

to

Italian

food

Whole Foods Market recently announced the winners of its inaugural Supplier Awards, spotlighting natural and organic vendors who best embody the grocer’s mission and core values.

The highest honor, Top Supplier of the Year, went to Italian food exporter Agritalia, for “outstanding all-around performance, including commitment to quality, consistent customer service and transparency.” The company has been a Whole Foods supplier for 15 years, working with them in pasta, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

“Working with [Whole Foods] has been a tremendous privilege for us since the very first day,” said Sergio Massa, founder and president of Agritalia, in a release following the award.

Awardees were chosen by the grocer’s global buyers and experts, who work sideby-side with national vendors to bring products to market.

Supplier partners were recognized in nine other categories: Best in Class, Best New Product, Cheese, Environmental, Quality Assurance, Special Achievement, Innovation, Wine and the company’s ethical sourcing program, Whole Trade® Guarantee.

“We’re excited to spotlight our outstanding vendors whose shared passion, hard work and true partnership is helping us set the industry gold standard—for quality, ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and more,” said Jim Speirs, global vice president of procurement, non-perishables.

“We launched these awards to honor partners who not only exemplify our core values, but who also demonstrate true commitment to growing with Whole Foods Market,” said Edmund LaMacchia, global vice president of procurement, perishables.

“We’re always challenging our suppliers to

Summer Fancy Continued from PAGE 1 Trends A panel of trendspotters picked the five food trends for 2012 at the show: small batch mixers, such as syrups and drinking vinegars; “local global” foods, ethnic dishes recreated or updated in American city kitchens; the sweet hybrid known as “cookie cracker crunch”; the culinary New South, and “chocolate change-ups,” with the ingredient showing up in unexpected forms like jam and tea.

Other trends identified for 2012 are pistachio in butters and desserts; beer as an ingredient in jams, chocolates and crackers; coffee and chocolate combinations; and rosemary in sweets. Trends from last year that came to fruition included grains and seeds, like quinoa and chia; along with premium gluten free foods and snacks.

deliver superior quality products. Their eagerness to innovate makes these suppliers true partners in defining Whole Foods Market’s mission. We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments.”

Top Supplier of the Year: • Agritalia – for best overall performance, including superior product quality, consistent delivery and leadership in the industry.

Best in Class: • Garden of Life (Non-Perishable) – for consistently launching products with a “Whole Foods Market first” strategy, for strong training support, and for joining Whole Planet Foundation’s Supplier Alliance for Microcredit.

• Cox Seafood (Perishable) – for delivering premium quality seafood from boat to store in record time, and for pioneering Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for pink shrimp.

Best New Product: • Wallaby Organic Greek Yogurts (NonPerishables) – for delivering a humanelysourced, organic product that has driven explosive sales in a competitive category.

• OLLI Salumeria’s Organic Prosciutto (Perishables) – for producing the first organic and most authentic-tasting prosciutto outside of Italy, as well as sourcing from family-owned farms that have been certified by Global Animal Partnership’s (GAP) 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program.

Cheese: • Crave Brothers Farmstead – for strongest alignment with Whole Foods Market’s mission, including green practices like water conservation and achieving negative carbon status through the use of bio-digesters to power production facilities and 300 surrounding homes. The company makes award-winning artisan cheeses, including two 2012 sofi™ finalists.

Award-winners This year was certainly memorable for the winners of the sofi™ (Specialty Out-standing Food Innovation) award, presented this year by keynote speaker and D.C. resident Chef Jose Andres.

Rick Blakeney, of California's Cable Car Delights, topped a record 374 entries to win Outstanding New Product for his Ginger-Pear Sorbet.

The night's other top prize, Outstanding Product Line, went to Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery. The company won two other awards: Best Cheese or Dairy Product for its flagship cheese Bonne Buche, and tied for Best Perishable Foodservice Product for its Cultured Butter Mini. Winners were selected by a panel of more than 200 retail buyers. The complete list is available at www.specialtyfood.com.

The Summer Fancy Food Show returns to New York City next year, June 30July 2, 2013. GN

Environmental: • Boiron Homeopathic (NonPerishable) – for environmental stewardship on all levels, from green packaging and waste recovery to land conservation.

• Mood Fisheries (Perishables) – for reviving the Nova Scotia sword fishery and helping local harpoon fishermen bring the industry’s first MSC-certified sword fish to Whole Foods Market.

Innovation: • Jasper Products, Stremicks Heritage Foods (Non-Perishables) – for creating a line of organic nondairy beverages that not only exceeds Whole Foods Market’s strict Quality Standards, but helps meet consumers’ growing demand at great value prices.

• Lady Moon Farms (Perishables) – for becoming the first Florida farm to sign with the Coalition of Immokolee Workers (CIW), an organization supporting increased rights and pay for Florida farm workers.

Quality Assurance: • FGF Brands, Inc. (Non-Perishables) – for upholding thorough, third-party verified quality and process control programs to help meet and exceed shoppers’ expectations.

• IMI Global, Inc. (Perishables) – for playing a crucial role in the launch and continued success of GAP’s 5-Step program at Whole Foods Market.

Special Achievement: • Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative (Non-Perishables) – for providing Whole Foods Market with a steady organic milk

supply during the 2011 industry-wide shortage, while upholding ethical sourcing and sustainable farming practices.

• Durst Organic Growers/Organic Harvest Network (Perishables) – for implementing farming techniques that boost soil fertility and balance wildlife and insect ecology – all creating soil that sprouts exceptional produce.

Whole Trade Guarantee ethical sourcing: • Theo Chocolate (Non-Perishables) – for not only supporting ethical sourcing through the Whole Trade program, but for creating high quality products that are sparking consumer demand for ethicallysourced cocoa.

• The Elite Flower (Perishables) – for strong commitment to workers, environment and community in Facatativa, Colombia. Through Whole Trade, Elite now supports education for more than 300 local children and adults, programs for more than 500 adolescent women and housing opportunities for more than 50 families.

Wine: • The Wine Group – for delivering diverse, complex and high quality varietal wines at great value prices, and for offering shoppers a new, lightweight bottle that lowers waste without raising costs. GN

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GENERAL NEWS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Trade Show Buzz

Expo East Continued from PAGE 1

A MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE GOINGS-ON AT INDUSTRY-RELATED SHOWS

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Seems like these days we’re all keeping our eyes peeled for the “Made in the USA” signs when we’re walking the aisles at trade shows. There are a couple of good reasons for that. Good old-fashioned patriotism is one of them, of course, but beyond that, we trust that American products are safe and made with high-quality materials without raping the environment. We don’t feel that same assurance when we’re looking at items shipped in from countries where it seems like quality control isn’t held in such high esteem. The trend is so strong that we’ve started to see retailers who are stocking their shops entirely with Americanmade goods.

On top of all that, we have American unemployment rates that have left some smart creative people with time on their hands and ideas in their heads. They’re starting businesses to make products—in the USA—that they’re bringing to the market now. “A lot of them are driven by young people—young people coming up with these great ideas,” says Jhana Jordan, Buyer Relations Director for Urban Expositions.

These new companies that are popping up all over the place are part of what’s bringing buyers in flocks to the Urban Expositions shows, where attendance has been up, sometimes way up, at Urban’s 25

shows all across the country.

“People are coming back because the dollars are coming in,” Jordan says.

A lot of giftware retailers are finding that these smaller regional shows are great places to find items that are different from what’s on display at the shop down the block from them. That’s what consumers are looking for too—things their friends and family members can’t just buy for themselves at their local Target or Walmart.

“Made in the USA” isn’t all that’s selling these days. Although color doesn’t seem to be quite the driver for the kitchenware market that it was last year, buyers are still excited about items in the vibrant oranges and reds. “No one wants to go back to a black and white kitchen,” Jordan says.

Products to help consumers control their food portions are selling strongly also. In particular, there’s a new generation of people in their 20s and 30s who are baking now, and they want to bake tiny treats they can enjoy without too much guilt. The cupcake craze isn’t necessarily over, but now home bakers are eagerly adopting the idea of cake-on-a-stick, so they’re buying the pans for that.

The same folks who are looking for

one-on-one meetings with industry professionals and exhibiting manufacturers aligned with buyers’ needs.

Qualifying buyers are selected according to criteria such as individual purchasing authority and annual purchasing budget.

An application can be downloaded from the show site, www.expoeast.com. For more information, please contact the show’s Retail Account Manager, Mary Beth Catapano, at 603-672-2765 or via mcatapano@newhope.com. GN “Made in the USA” labels are also looking for all-natural and organic products, sometimes with the idea of private-labeling them for their chain of retail shops. “Fair trade” is important to them too, Jordan says.

“They don’t want it if it isn’t fair trade.”

Altogether, it’s a pretty exciting time for the giftware industry. Americans are traveling and buying souvenirs, and although they’re being careful about how they spend their money, they’ll part with it when they find products that offer quality and that line up with their moral compass. GN

See two Made in the U.S.A. gift manufacturers on page 31, in our section on the Dallas Marketplace.

Sweets & Snacks Continued from PAGE 4 commitment to quality and our desire to delight consumers throughout the world.”

NCA President Larry Graham noted that that in any given year, about 30 percent of all confectionery sales are attributed to products launched in the previous 24 months. “Innovation is an essential part of the confectionery and snacks industry,” said Graham. “Last year there were nearly 4,800 new candy and snack items launched in the U.S., many of them making their debut at the Sweets & Snacks Expo.”

Confections and snacks are two of the fastest growing categories in the market, helping make up the $80 billion U.S. sweets and snacks industry. GN

GIFTWARE

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

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Giftware Gift Basket Makers Opting for Classic, Well-Made Products

BY LUCAS WITMAN

WABASH VALLEY FARMS The company that’s been delivering premium popcorn poppers for more than 30 years now introduces their top-quality popcorn accessories and unique gift sets for all occasions.

Wabash Valley Farms Inc. introduced more than 25 NEW products at the Fancy Food Show. Starting with 11 Fresh & Natural Gourmet Popcorns, to 10 creatively designed Ready-to-Give gift sets, to seven Sweet & Savory Flavors, they have enough to keep customers coming back all year long.

Plus, with over a dozen unique bowls, Wabash Valley offers an array of options for building your own distinctive gift set. Everything from wood to plastic, interactive to glow-in-the-dark, from serving to individually sized, the opportunities and choices are endless.

Choose between 60+ different products, and let them help you with their proven winning combinations.

Contact Wabash Valley Farms Inc. 877-888-7077 or via www.wfarms.com.

AROMA RIDGE Offering a slate of creative gift options for coffee lovers, artisan coffee company Aroma Ridge’s gourmet gift baskets feature Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, Wicked Jack’s Tavern Jamaican Rum Cakes, handmade biscotti and a wide variety of freshly roasted coffees that have been harvested from around the globe and conveniently packaged in 2 oz. single pot sizes. Aroma Ridge will also private label coffees and biscotti. Call for samples.

Contact Aroma Ridge at 770.421.9600 or via www.aromaridge.com

at

SIERRA FOODS PAPA BEN’S KITCHEN Papa Ben’s sweet, crispy twice-baked Mandelbread or Mandelbroyt, the Eastern European cousin of the biscotti, is a delectable anytime treat, low in calories and made with all-natural products.

That’s why this delicious delicacy is an ideal addition to any gift basket or gift in general!

These anytime treats are prepared using simple, fresh and natural ingredients, and are bursting with mouth-watering flavor. How could anyone resist such a scrumptious gift? In five flavors, the delectable Mandelbroyt are Kosher, Pareve (non-dairy) and complement any sweet tooth. Flavors include Original Family Recipe, Lemon Blueberry with Poppy Seeds, Minty Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso Bean and a unique new flavor, Spicy Chipotle with Ginger and Dark Chocolate.

Papa Ben learned the art of baking as a young boy while helping his father in their family kitchen in Eastern Europe. Using the ancient stone oven in their cottage, they worked together to prepare the finest baked goods for family, friends and their surrounding village. At the age of 80, Ben rediscovered his passion for baking and is excited to share his cherished family recipe with families all over the country.

Contact Papa Ben’s at 888-233-1072 or visit www.papabenskitchen.com.

At Sierra Foods they take great pride in creating distinctive ready-made gifts. Whatever the sentiment being expressed—Happy Birthday, Get Well, Congratulations, Thank You or I Love You—they have the perfect gift to convey the thought.

For those occasions when only custom will do, their fine selection of products allows the creation of one-of-a-kind gifts for a more personal touch.

They are continually seeking out the highest quality products, with a particular focus on providing the best of California agriculture.

Their specialty food product lines are the perfect addition to any type of gift basket, from corporate gifts to housewarming gifts.

Sierra Soups Inc. is a line of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free soups, created from traditional recipes. Great for food lovers' or vegetarianthemed gift baskets.

Sierra Harvest (a division of Sierra Nut House, Inc.) is an organic grain line featuring hard-to-find items like tri-colored couscous and quinoa, and a whole grain bulgur wheat pilaf mix made from their own special blend. Ideal in organic-themed gift baskets.

Meadow Lakes Dressings (a division of Sierra Nut House, Inc.), features all natural, fruit-based dressings with fabulously unique flavors.

Contact Sierra Foods at 800-397-6887, or via www.sierrasoups.com and www.sierra nuthouse.com.

Over the past several years, many people have made concerted moves toward simplifying their lives. People are not only economizing in their day-to-day activities, but they are actually taking greater pleasure in the simple, the classic, the homemade and the repurposed. This trend has impacted not only the ways in which individuals shape their own lifestyles, but also the gifts they give one another.

The gift basket industry in particular has certainly evolved over the past few years in response to this larger trend toward downsizing and simplifying.

Jennifer Simon, founder and owner of online gift basket retailer Simon & Co. said that whereas a few years ago, the most popular gift baskets were those with elaborate and kitschy themes, today her company has the most success in marketing smaller, more simple baskets, full of higher quality gourmet snacks and desserts. “For us what’s most important is the quality of the food. We never skimp,” said Simon. “There’s nothing that we carry that doesn’t meet our taste test, our taste standards.”

“We carry a lot of higher end brands, and I’ve noticed that other companies are sort of doing the same thing,” Simon added. For example, she pointed out one high-end item in particular that her company first began including in gift baskets several years ago, and which she has since seen explode in popularity across the industry: Creminelli gourmet salami. When she first made the move toward including this pricey gourmet snack in her baskets, she was not sure how consumers would respond, but the item not only became popular with her customers, she noticed other retailers including the item in their own gift baskets.

Simon also said that she has noticed an increase in retailers including organic and all-natural products in their gift baskets. Simon herself seems to be innovating within the larger industry in relation to including more fresh and homemade items in gift baskets. “We have a bakery section that’s constantly growing because of its popularity,” said Simon. “Not every gift basket place deals with perishables.

For me it all goes back to the quality of the food and what people want.

People would rather get something that’s good and that’s homemade. That’s

what makes us different.”

Simon also shared another popular characteristic of today’s gift baskets: the move toward turning the baskets themselves into high quality, reusable containers. Consumers purchasing gift baskets today want to know that the baskets themselves will have a continued life after the tasty contents have been devoured.

Regarding the overall popularity of gift baskets, and the occasions for which people are purchasing them, the classic occasions continue to be the most popular. “The popularity of giving and receiving gift baskets is grounded in traditional occasions, from new births and birthdays to bereavements, and holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day,” said Shirley George Frazier, Author and Gift Basket Industry Expert at giftbasketbusiness.com. Like Simon, Frazier agrees that it is not necessarily giving occasions that are changing within the industry, but rather the quality and diversity of products that gift baskets contain.

In addition, Frazier identified the growing role of gift baskets as a corporate gift as important to the continued growth of the industry. “Thankfully, corporations and institutions are now on board as part of the industry’s expansion, as both entities fully recognize gift baskets as the gift of choice when a wrist watch or gift card is too small or not as tasteful to express appreciation to clients and benefactors,” she said.GN

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EDITORIAL

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

GOURMET NEWS

®

FROM THE EDITOR

WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER

W

e are just back from the Summer Fancy Food Show, where we saw firsthand the creativity, excitement and the passion for both food and business that make specialty food so interesting. For me, the show is not only for discovering new food favorites, but also talking with producers and seeing businesses grow and partnerships formed in a few hectic days.

As a bit of a food history geek, I particularly enjoyed being able to go from “What’s New, What’s Hot” to “A Visual Feast” in just a few steps. I’ve never had the privilege of meeting any of the pioneers profiled in the exhibit, but one can imagine their amazement (and surely, amusement) at the size and participation the industry has achieved. One only needs to listen to speeches like that of Chef Jose Andres to remember that while it is just food, it will always have the potential to be much more.

Gift and holiday orders are always an important part of the show, as buyers try to pick sales winners for the big season.

For a look at the trends here, check out our Giftware feature on page 7, and our Gift Basket supplement starting on page 13. This month’s Trade Show Buzz is on the gift market as well, looking at the new

Lee M. Oser

vitality and interest in “Made In the U.S.A.” Check it out on page 6.

Our other supplement, Heat & Serve (page 29), looks at healthy, high-quality new options for the time-pressed cook, while Marketwatch (page 36) looks at the growing popularity of grass-fed beef.

In time for the holiday home baking season, don’t miss our Sweeteners guide, on page 35. Home-business baking looks to be big this year, so make sure you’re well-stocked with the gluten-free flours, dairy substitutes and alternative sweeteners that the new wave of healthy bakers will be looking for.

Once your orders are in, don’t forget your staff―there’s still time to make sure they have both the allergen-free knowledge and basic baking chops to keep customers coming back.

With that, it’s time to start on August’s Holiday issue. If you have some great pasta or pasta sauce, a winning jam/jelly/chutney or holiday item to share, now’s the time to drop us a line―don’t wait for fall. I look forward to hearing from you! GN – Rocelle Aragon, Editor 520-721-1300 rocelle_a@oser.com

SENIOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

BRIEFS Kate Seymour

520-721-1300 kate_s@oser.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Lorrie Baumann 520-721-1300 lorrie_b@oser.com

EDITOR

Rocelle Aragon 520-721-1300 rocelle_a@oser.com

CONTRIBUTOR

Lucas Witman

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Yasmine Brown

Italian floral honeys from Viola Imports, page 25.

520-721-1300 art@oser.com

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Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal 520-721-1300 tara_n@oser.com

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SPECIALTY RETAILERS

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Specialty Retailers BRIEFS A Southern Season opens coffee and tea bar Charlotte, N.C.-based specialty food emporium A Southern Season has opened a new Coffee & Tea Bar, coming full circle from its beginnings in 1975 as an 800-square-foot coffee roastery.

Whether providing a quick java fix on the way to work, or a leisurely cup of tea while touring the store’s 60,000 feet of space, the coffee bar is the perfect addition. Besides more than 20 different coffee and tea varieties on the menu, customers can choose from any of the coffee or teas sold in the store and have a customized beverage freshly made for them. The bar also features a brew rail, which uses the pourover method of brewing.

Caroline Cahan, Southern Season’s Coffee and Tea Merchant stated, “This exciting new addition completes the coffee and tea experience by offering a wide selection of our locally roasted, freshly brewed coffees and custom steeped fine teas by the cup or pot.”

The store also announced new coffeefriendly hours, opening at 8:00 a.m. from Monday to Saturday. Sunday openings remain at 10:00 a.m.

Retailer TASTE named Norfolk’s Small Business of the Year TASTE, a family-owned specialty food store, restaurant and catering company, has been named Norfolk, Va.’s Small Business of the Year by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center of Hampton Roads.

TASTE President Jon Pruden commented, “We are thrilled to be recognized by the Chamber as the Small Business of the Year for Norfolk. This honor validates all the hard work and commitment of ‘TEAM TASTE’ members and their dedication to making the customer experience at TASTE the best it can be.”

Businesses were evaluated based on financial performance, business history, staff training and motivation, community involvement, business plan, growth and customer service.

TASTE employs 125 people at its six locations. Sales have increased by more than 60 percent in recent years (26 percent in 2011), and the retailer continues to re-invest in location improvements and customer service excellence.

TASTE was also honored as 2009 Hampton Roads Retailer of Year by Retail Alliance, and was named one of five “Outstanding Specialty Food Retailers” in the nation for 2009 by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. Founder Peter Coe, who passed away last year, was a pioneer in building Virginia’s specialty food industry.

Putnam Market opens new cheese room Putnam Market, an independent specialty food retailer in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has built a cheese room that the owners believe is the first of its kind in the United States–– and customers are loving it.

“They’re flipping out,” said co-owner Cathy Hamilton of early response to the cheese room, which opened in June.

Inspired by the cheese room at London’s La Fromagerie, Putnam Market’s room is a chilled space where staff can accompany customers to walk in, sample and explore the store’s artisanal and raw milk cheese up close.

As such, it promotes greater customer interaction and one-on-one service, while providing cheese fans an experience that cannot be duplicated at an online vendor

or a big-box store.

“It’s not about aging, it’s about retail,” said Hamilton. “The [typical] experience and conversation is across a cheese counter.

[Here] we’re standing next to them, walking around and giving them tastes. They learn how the cheese is made, who the cheesemaker is, etc. To some extent it’s more theatrical, and the cheese is right there.”

The cheese room is about 100 square feet in size, with controlled temperature and humidity. Shelving is designed to promote air circulation. Whole cheeses are unwrapped, but cut cheeses are wrapped to control evaporation and follow New York state food safety rules.

The cheese room is a longtime dream for Hamilton, who opened the market in 1995

with her sister Gloria Hamilton Griskowitz.

Adjacent is Putnam Wine, run by Hamilton’s husband William Roach. Located in a small town with an active tourist business, the store ultimately hopes to triple the amount of cheese they sell. GN

Organic chocolate maker NEWTREE opens San Francisco cafe/shop Gourmet Belgian chocolate maker NEWTREE has opened its first retail location in downtown San Francisco, a cafe/chocolate shop featuring healthy Belgian treats and serving as a showcase for the brand’s sustainable philosophy.

Among the highlights are a wall of chocolate, where shoppers can sample the company’s award-winning chocolate bars, spreads and soft waffle cookies, all developed with strict requirements on taste, quality and ethical sourcing. Patrons stand on flooring made of reclaimed pebbles, and look up at a striking canopy of handcrafted bamboo.

The cafe menu is Belgian-inspired, featuring signature items such as salad dressings, sandwich spreads, brownies, mousses, mi-cuits (similar to molten desserts), mendiants, speculoos, florentins

and hot chocolate and other beverages.

Classic recipes are made healthier with local and organic ingredients, responsible portions and less fat and sugar.

Crafted with organic and fair trade cacao from the Dominican Republic and Peru, NEWTREE chocolate is a proprietary blend with intense cacao flavor, fruity notes and sustainable ingredients. Distinctive flavors such as Lavender, Ginger or Chili Pepper are combined with beneficial ingredients like grape extract or flax seeds for added nutrition. The chocolate also has reduced sugar content and two to five times more fiber than regular chocolate.

The shop is open weekdays, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NEWTREE products are available in more than 5,000 grocery and specialty markets across the United States and Europe. GN

Oregon specialty store launches its newest exclusive: compost Customers invited to fill five-gallon buckets for free at program launch In the annals of store brands, it is probably a first. Bend, Ore. specialty grocery Newport Ave. Market has launched its newest exclusive—ReGrow Compost, in partnership with Deschutes Recycling.

The compost is the by-product of Newport Avenue Market’s one year participation in Deschutes Recycling’s food composting collection project. Customers were invited to bring and fill a five-gallon bucket, free of charge, with ready to use, nutrient rich soil.

The Market will now carry one cubic yard bags of ReGrow Compost for purchase.

A local business in Bend, Deschutes Recycling receives and processes approximately 10 tons of compostable food

material weekly from food stores, hospitals, restaurants and schools. ReGrow Compost is a result of the collected food materials, mixed with yard debris compost, resulting in soil to be used as an exclusive supplement to the sandy Central Oregon soils.

“The initial response to our ReGrow Compost product has been much more successful than we ever thought,” said Brian Stone, Deschutes Recycling Operations Manager. “People in this area recognize the importance of organic matter in their garden mix and are excited to purchase a product that is produced locally and completes the recycling circle.”

Newport Avenue Market launched its composting program in partnership with Cascade Disposal in May 2011. Today, more than 2,000 pounds of food waste is collected

each week. The composting program has reduced the Market’s garbage contribution by nearly 60 percent, from 251 yards of garbage each month to only 104 yards.

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring the composting program full circle by offering the exclusive ReGrow Compost soil,” said Rudy Dory, Owner of Newport Ave. Market. “We have significantly reduced landfill waste and save approximately $100 per month, but more importantly, we have the satisfaction of knowing we are helping reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill. It is helping to create jobs and doing the right thing for the neighborhood, community and environment.”

Newport Avenue Market was founded by Dory in 1991, and offers specialty food and wine in a fun, relaxed environment. GN

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GROCERY & DEPARTMENT STORES

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Grocery & Department Stores New healthy features draw crowds to new Kings Food Markets store Upscale grocer Kings Food Markets (Kings) opened its second renovated store in May, in Livingston, NJ. The location is the second of the chain’s 24 stores to undergo major renovations as part of a company-wide re-launch of the brand and website. The initiative will continue over the next few years across the company’s footprint in New Jersey and New York.

The Livingston store has been reinvented with unique offerings designed for the area’s upscale customer. The produce department has doubled in size, with a broader organic and local selection that includes fresh-squeezed juice.

Two features are unique in quickly channeling food trends: Customers can create their own parfaits at a Greek yogurt bar, with two kinds of yogurt and a changing menu of toppings, or pick up healthy, bean-based options at the pre-

pared-food Grain Exchange. A Neapolitanstyle pizza can be cooked in two minutes in a special Italian-style wood oven. Also fea-

tured are chef-inspired prepared foods, freshly-rolled sushi, an olive and pickle bar and more than 400 international cheeses and a Wi-Fi enabled café.

“Greek yogurt sales have been tremendous recently, and we saw an opportunity to capitalize on this craze,” said Tom McNerny, Area Director for Kings. “The Grain Exchange was introduced in our Bedminster store and has been very successful.” Recent choices at the bar have included curried cauliflower and basmati rice with toasted cashews and currants; small grain couscous with raisins, red peppers, turmeric and curry; and Mediterranean farro salad with green beans, Kalamata olives, shaved parmesan and red bell peppers in a balsamic vinaigrette.

“Customer response has been fantastic so far,” McNeary said. As of the first month, the new features have made the store a destination for lunch as well as take-home dinner traffic. GN

Wegmans launches new gluten-free pasta, mixes Rochester, New York-based retailer Wegmans Food Markets has launched a store line of gluten-free foods, featuring pasta and mixes for cake, brownies and cookies.

The line is the result of a year of recipe testing, toward developing items that “everyone at the table can enjoy...[without realizing that] they’re eating a gluten-free version of a much-loved food,” according to the company’s release.

Customers will find new items in both the Nature’s Marketplace section and in regular pasta and baking aisles. Key items include gluten-free spaghetti, fusilli, penne and elbows, as well as four mixes for key home baked items: vanilla and chocolate cake, sugar cookies and double chocolate brownies.

“We see more gluten-free products every year and the quality keeps improving,” said Charlie Gardner, category merchant for Nature’s Marketplace. “The gluten-free area has grown from a 12-foot section to several aisles in the Nature’s Marketplace department. In fact, gluten-free foods are found all over our stores—there are about 1,700 different Wegmans brand items alone, from orange juice to ketchup, and they’re easy to spot because there’s a gluten-free wellness key on the package.”

When Wegmans decided to bring out its own brand of gluten-free pasta, the company

asked customers to help with a taste test.

“Last July, about 100 customers tasted current products and ones we had in development.

The winner was a corn-based pasta we chose for our own gluten-free pasta line,” said Gardner. “Not only are the flavor and texture pleasing, but we think home cooks will have more success with it. When we tested various other brands, we saw it could be tricky to get things just right—a bit undercooked, and the pasta was grainy; a bit overcooked, and it was mushy. Our corn-based pasta keeps a nice texture even if it sits in the pot a little past recommended cooking time.”

Also launched were Wegmans brand gluten-free mixes. Patty Fowler, one of the retailer’s artisan bakers, worked for nearly a year testing the formulations for the mixes.

“Whenever Wegmans develops a product for its own label, we want it to be as good or better than national brands,” Fowler said.

The mixes are very simple to use, calling for adding just a couple of fresh ingredients, perhaps an egg and some butter. The batter or dough is easy to work with. “We think home cooks will have a lot of success with these mixes,” Fowler said.

Wegmans Nutritionist Trish Kazacos, RD, ACE-CPT follows a gluten-free diet herself and cooks for her family. “When everyone around the table eats the same

foods, it makes the meal a better experience,” she said. “And when gluten-free foods taste this good, everybody can enjoy them. You can make and bake a dessert in less than an hour that’s so delicious nobody will even realize it’s gluten-free.”

Growing awareness of celiac disease and other related health conditions has heightened interest in gluten-free versions of foods over the last decade. The research firm Packaged Facts calculates that U.S. retail sales of gluten-free products have risen from just under $1 billion in 2006 to an estimated $2.6 billion this year. There are now thousands of gluten-free foods available in stores or online from specialty websites. GN

BRIEFS Sprouts, Sunflower merger completed Sprouts and Sunflower Farmers Markets have formally completed their merger, announced in March. With 144 locations and six more planned within the year, the combined Sprouts Farmers Market will be one of the larger grocers in the Western United States. Projected 2012 revenues are about $2 billion.

All Sunflower stores will be re-branded under the Sprouts banner, beginning in July and continuing in phases through the end of the year. The stores will receive new interior and exterior signage, updated fixtures and an expanded merchandise mix.

Sprouts will remain headquartered in Phoenix, while Sunflower’s corporate headquarters in Phoenix and Boulder will be consolidated into the Sprouts office.

The merger completes the reunification of three natural foods chains—Sprouts, Sunflower and Henry’s Farmer’s Markets—founded by the Boney family in California before being sold and merged with other entities in the last two decades.

Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods agree to swap various locations Harris Teeter plans new upscale format in three stores Grocery chains Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods have agreed to swap a total of 16 locations in the Carolinas, with Harris Teeter acquiring 10 Lowes locations in the central Carolinas, including Charleston area, and Lowes acquiring six Harris Teeter locations in western North Carolina as well as a cash payment.

The move allows both chains to geographically consolidate.

Three of the stores acquired by Harris Teeter will be converted into a “new innovative format featuring a worldwide variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other selected merchandise,” according to the company.

In addition to turning over the six stores, Harris Teeter has agreed to pay Lowes Foods $26.5 million in the transaction, which was expected to close July 1. The acquired stores will be closed for five to 16 weeks for remodeling, stocking and training. Three of the stores will be converted to the new Harris Teeter format, and one is expected to be subleased.

Harris Teeter expects to record pre-tax noncash impairment losses and other related expenses totaling between $23 and $26 million during the second half of fiscal 2012.

“This transaction aligns with our strategic plans to replace rural store locations with more urban locations, with higher density of our target demographic groups. It provides us with the opportunity to explore in selected locations an innovative format that we think our customers will find exciting,” said Thomas W. Dickson, Harris Teeter Chairman and CEO. Lowes Foods also plans to reopen the six stores after a brief closing for remodeling, stocking and training of employees.

SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

11

Specialty Distributors & Brokers BRIEFS Innovative Food Holdings buys Chicago’s Artisan Specialty Foods Inc. Innovative Food Holdings, parent company of Food Innovations Inc. and direct-to-consumer website www.forthegourmet.com, has agreed to acquire Artisan Specialty Foods, a Chicago-based gourmet foodservice distributor whose customers include some of the city’s top restaurants.

Artisan Specialty Foods CEO David Vohaska will join Innovative Food Holdings as Executive VP of Artisan Specialty Foods. He will continue operating Artisan as a wholly-owned subsidiary, reporting directly to senior management of Innovative Food Holdings.

In 2011, Artisan had estimated unaudited sales of over $5.6 million (including sales to Innovative Food Holdings and affiliates) and adjusted estimated EBITDA of approximately $360,000.

Associated Buyers signs up Canaan Fair Trade Natural and specialty foods wholesaler Associated Buyers has partnered with Canaan Fair Trade to distribute the company’s organic olive oils, couscous, za’atar, olives and spreads in New England and the Hudson River Valley.

The products have been added to Associated Buyers’ warehouse and were introduced at the 2012 Table Top Show and in the Associated Buyers Catalog in May. “Associated Buyers ‘seeks to build sustainable relationships, both ecological and economic, by providing healthy products and personal service’,” said Nasser Abufarha, Founder and Director of Canaan Fair Trade. “They ‘strive to source products of quality, distinction, authenticity, originality and nutritional value.’

You can see why they are a great fit for Canaan.”

Produced by small-farmer cooperatives in Palestine, Canaan Fair Trade products are sold in 15 countries. The company is the largest exporter of olive oil from Palestine to Europe and North America.

KeyImpact enters Arizona market via acquisition of Creative Food Service, LLC KeyImpact Sales & Systems Inc., the U.S.’s largest independent foodservice sales and marketing agency, enters the Arizona market with the acquisition of Phoenix-based Creative Food Service LLC. “We at KeyImpact are delighted to welcome Bill Donelson and the entire Creative Food Service management, sales and administrative teams to our family,” said Dan Cassidy, President and CEO of KeyImpact. “They have a proven track record of success as a result of their knowledge, dedication and core values which mirror ours here at KeyImpact.” Creative Food Service LLC was founded in 1997 by George Navratil, Jennifer Peterson, Eric Nelson and Bill Donelson.

KeyImpact was formed in 2000, through the merger of Key Brokerage in New Jersey and Impact Sales in Maryland. The company provides sales and marketing to distributors and operators across all segments of foodservice. Its supermarket division represents many of the nation’s leading manufacturers at over 1,200 supermarkets in at least 12 states.

UNFI Q3 results: net income up 24 percent to $29 million Times are good in natural food. Leading distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) has reported net sales of $1.39 billion for Q3 of fiscal 2012, up 15.3 percent from this time last year.

Other financial highlights of the report are higher earnings per share ($0.59, up 22 percent compared to $0.48 last year) and a higher operating margin at 3.5 percent, an increase of 27 basis points compared with the prior year.

“Continued demand for UNFI’s products and services drove our net sales growth during the fiscal third quarter,” said Steven Spinner, UNFI’s President

and CEO. “Our results demonstrate UNFI’s continued commitment to growing at a rate that exceeds the industry, while delivering exemplary customer service to the organic and specialty foods retailer.”

Gross margin was 17.6 percent for the quarter, representing a 53 basis point decline from the prior year comparable period. In the third quarter, this figure was affected mainly by the continued shift in customer mix to the conventional supermarket channel.

Total operating expenses as a percentage of net sales were 14.1 percent for Q3, a

Organic hard candy line rapidly gains distribution Fourteen distributors and six brokers signed up Torie & Howard is rapidly gaining distribution for its new line of USDA Organic and Kosher-certified hard candy, with the addition of UNFI, Haddon House and 14 other distributors. The line is also now being represented by six brokers.

All four flavors of Torie & Howard 2-oz. recyclable steel tins of candy are being carried by UNFI East and the Hawaiian region, with headquarters in Providence, R.I.; Haddon House, Medford, N.J.; Wythe Will, Toano, Va.; Daprano & Co., Charlotte, N.C.; Redstone Distributing, Carrollton, Texas; European Imports, Chicago; Imperial Foods, Glendale Heights, Ill.; Renaissance, South San Francisco; Sosnick, South San Francisco; Nassau Candy,

Hicksville, N.Y.; Quality Frozen Foods, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Associated Buyers, Barrington, N.H.; Paradigm Food Works, Lake Oswego, Ore.; Crown Pacific, Kent, Wash.; McClain’s Old Florida Gourmet, Sarasota, Fla.; and Gourmet Trading, Ontario, Canada, according to Torie Burke, company cofounder.

In addition, UNFI East, Redstone Distributing, Paradigm Food Works and McClain’s Old Florida Gourmet are carrying Torie & Howard’s new 6-oz. gift handbag, Burke said. Haddon House is including the handbag in its holiday calendar.

Representation includes the following brokers: H&H Specialty Food Associates of Red Bank, N.J.; Building Food of West New York, N.J.; The Cristol Group,

decrease of 81 basis points compared with last year. This improvement was driven by UNFI’s ongoing initiatives to enhance productivity and reduce operating expenses as a percentage of net sales.

“Our associates’ continued efforts towards productivity improvements combined with our strong sales volume contributed to our operating margin expansion in the quarter,” added Spinner.

“We believe our year to date results have left us in a solid position to achieve our operating result targets for fiscal 2012, which supports our revised fiscal 2012 guidance.” GN Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Maria Green & Associates, Inc., Richmond Heights, Mo., and Exclusively Gourmet, Chicago.

Berry’s Gourmet Specialties of Discover Bay, Calif., is handling the organic candy in bulk for hospitality and other markets.

The jewel-shaped treats are available in four flavors: Italian Tarocco Blood Orange and Wildflower Honey, California Pomegranate and Sweet Freestone Nectarine, D’Anjou Pear and Ceylon Cinnamon, and Pink Grapefruit and Tupelo Honey. All are free of preservatives, additives and artificial flavorings. The 2-oz. recyclable steel tins have a $4.99 SRP, with the handbag gift package at $8.99. The candy also is sold in bulk. More information is available by calling 888-826-9554 or online at www .torieandhoward.com. GN

Global Specialty Foods Inc. signs up sweet potato crackers Global Specialty Foods Inc., a national leader in the distribution of gourmet specialty foods, has become a distributor of Polka Dot Bake Shop’s Sweet Potato Crackers in the Southern region of the United States.

Global Specialty has placed the crackers in the South region locations of Whole Foods Markets. The crackers will hit the shelves within July, in 17 stores in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“We are very proud to be distributing Polka Dot Sweet Potato Crackers to our customers. Our company values are in line with the quality and value offered by Polka

Dot. It is a great fit for us,” said John Magnuson, Founder and CEO of Global Specialty Foods Inc. “We are excited to be working with Global Specialty Foods,” added Michelle Miller, co-owner at Millchap Purveyors, makers of Polka Dot Bake Shop’s Sweet Potato Crackers. “They are respected in the specialty food industry and we feel like they are the right distributor to help us grow our presence in the South.”

Since its founding by Magnuson in 1989, Global Specialty Foods Inc. has focused on niche products from around the world, many of them natural and organic foods from small producers who are the best in

their respective categories. Their website is www.globalspecialtyfoods.com. GN

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SUPPLIER BUSINESS

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Supplier Business Gourmet du Village turns 30 “Homemade success story” marks milestone with its own retail store Gourmet du Village, a maker of specialty food and matching tabletop and cookware, marks its third decade with a series of events, including the opening of their first-ever freestanding retail store in the mountain town of Morin Heights, Quebec.

The cover of the company’s latest catalog cover reads, “From our Village to yours, for 30 years.” The catalog introduces more than 100 new and improved products.

Founders Mike and Linda Tott first started the company as a hobby, making herb and spice blends in their kitchen to sell at the local farmers

market while Mike continued to work in the advertising industry.

Today the products reach all across Canada, the United States and Europe, and Gourmet du Village has won numerous awards for products (such as dips and hot chocolates), packaging and innovation, as the first to introduce items as the now-classic and still bestselling Dip Chiller and Brie Baker.

The business is now run by Mike and daughter Ashley, Linda having retired a few years ago. Asked about his plans, Mike said, “We started this business as a hobby, it still is. I love the creativity, searching out new tastes to share with our customers, creating new dishes, designing matching tableware and kitchen accessories. Why would I retire from a hobby?”

“The biggest celebration will be the opening this spring of our flagship Gourmet du Village retail store, right here in Morin Heights. It will feature all of our products, along with complementary products from the many friends in the industry whose products we admire and want to share with our local market,” Mike Tott summarized.

Tott said he wants to use the new store “to learn more about retailers’ challenges, to test products, to gain more knowledge to share with [our retail] customers.”

The store will also have a cafe, to serve meals and takeout food inspired by company recipes. The cafe may eventually grow into a full-service restaurant, perhaps with a small pub—a nod to Tott’s English roots. GN

Artisanal Brands launches Owners Club for direct stock ownership Customers can invest $500 up to help build brand into the Kraft of specialty cheese Leading specialty cheese name Artisanal Brands Inc., has launched its Owner’s Club, offering shares of its common stock directly to individual investors without assistance from an investment banking firm.

Share price is fifty cents per share, with customers able to buy from 500 shares ($250) to 20,000 shares ($10,000). At press time the offering was available until September 4, or until available shares were fully subscribed.

Artisanal has built a loyal direct-to-consumer following via catalog and website since its inception in 2003. The “Main Street not Wall Street” approach is inspired by crowd-funding sites such as Kickstarter, where consumers who support a project or product directly contribute small amounts of capital to the business that provides it.

The timing is good. Specialty cheese sales are growing nearly 10 percent annually; the market size at retail, not including

foodservice and E-commerce, is $3.4 billion. Specialty cheese has been the leading product category in the specialty food sector for three straight years. The growth is attributed to greater consumer demand for more natural products and information about the products they consume as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Daniel W. Dowe, President and CEO of Artisanal Brands commented, “Offering an ownership stake to the customers who are our lifeblood is a major step for us. Loyal customers that own shares of a company contribute more in the form of continued purchases and referrals. Members of our new Owner’s Club will have a seat at the table…with voting privileges and attendance at shareholder meetings. Just as social media has transformed E-commerce into a ‘corner store’ experience, the Owner’s Club will encourage existing and new customers to become active in our business.

Members will also receive enhanced services, quarterly offers of pre-ordered cheeses not available in the U.S. market, newslet-

ters about our company and industry, free shipping and we will look for their input as to what we are doing right and wrong to help our business improve.

“Under the Artisanal Premium Cheese brand, we can market an unlimited supply of artisan, specialty and farmstead cheeses.

Our overriding goal is to build one umbrella brand that consumers can trust when purchasing specialty cheeses. Just what Kraft did with basic cheeses, we want to accomplish at the specialty cheese category,” Dowe concluded.

According to the company, funds raised through the Artisanal Owner’s Club is expected to go toward widening it’s the company’s cheese supply, paying down initial development stage loans, reaching its goal of making the company’s new retail program available in 500 stores, improving its website and for working capital to ensure its relationships with suppliers remain strong. Details on the program and purchasing shares can be found at www .artisanalcheese.com/ownersclub. GN

Farley’s & Sathers, Ferrara Pan Candy merge Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company Inc. and Ferrara Pan Candy® Company Inc. in May announced their merger into a single general line candy manufacturer. The combined company, Ferrara Candy Company Inc., will maintain the century-old Ferrara name and will be led by Salvatore Ferrara II, Chairman and CEO of Ferrara Pan. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Ferrara Pan manufactures both branded and private label confections including Lemonheads®, Red Hots®, Black Forest ®, Atomic Fireballs ® and Boston

Baked Beans ®. Farley’s & Sathers is a leading manufacturer and distributor of products including Brach’s ®, Now and Later ®, Trolli ®, Jujyfruits ® and Chuckles®. The combination will leverage Ferrara Pan’s and Farley’s & Sathers’ combined portfolio of products, collective knowledge of confections, category management expertise and broad supply chain to offer superior branded and private label solutions to their customers and consumers.

“This transaction brings together two

well-positioned candy companies with iconic brands and loyal consumer and customer followings to create a category leader,” said Ferrara. “Farley’s & Sathers has significant expertise in confections and a strong portfolio of brands that connect with consumers, and both companies have outstanding teams of hard working employees.”

Catterton Partners, the consumer-focused private equity firm which owns Farley’s & Sathers, will remain as a majority investor in the combined company. GN

BRIEFS J&J Snack Foods to buy Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels J & J Snack Foods Corp. has acquired the assets of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels, a Chicago-based brand of all-natural, premium frozen soft pretzels.

“For the past 16 years, we have put our heart and soul into this small business,” said Co-founder Scott Holstein. “We sought out this opportunity from J & J to ensure bigger and better for our brand, our company and our family.”

Holstein will remain with the company as Senior Vice President.

Each Kim & Scott’s pretzel is twisted by hand and made from scratch. In flavors including stuffed grilled cheese and stuffed pizza, the pretzels are a good source of whole grains and are free from trans fats, preservatives and hydrogenated oils. A glutenfree version was introduced in March 2011.

Gerald B. Shreiber, President and CEO of J & J Snack Foods Corp., commented, “We are pleased to welcome the Kim & Scott’s family into our organization. We look forward to expanding the brand in the future.”

J & J Snack Foods Corp. is a publicly-traded corporation whose principal products include Superpretzel, Pretzel Fillers and other soft pretzels, Icee and Slush Puppie frozen beverages, frozen snacks, biscuits and dumplings, churros, funnel cakes and several cookie brands. The company has manufacturing facilities in 10 states.

Wind & Willow launches “Soup for One” Wind & Willow, a creator of gourmet mixes for cheeseballs, dips, drinks, soups and other specialty foods, expands its bestselling soup line with “Soup for One,” a line of single-portion products targeted to the booming camping and outdoor market.

“Our soups are awesome, but the traditional size makes six cups,” said Pete Hood, the company’s Sales Director.

“We’ve always had requests from customers for a smaller size.” Since they require only hot water, the soups can work for offices as well; instructions for cooking by microwave and open fire are printed on each pack.

The line comes in four flavors: Broccoli Cheddar, Tortilla con Queso, Homestyle Potato and Grilled Cheese and Tomato. All four are available in larger sizes as well.

They come in a preprinted display sleeve of 12. The sleeve can be placed by the cash register or counter, and other impulse-friendly spots. SRP is about $3.50 / $3.75 each.

The line became nationally available on July 1, in specialty food and camping/outdoor stores.

Sierra Foods

Invisible Chef

Aloha Shoyu

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SEE PAGE 18

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Gift Basket 2012 UPDATE

I N D U S T R Y

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Gift baskets continue to be a holiday staple, whether preassembled in-store or created by customers. See our Giftware story on page 7 to see how food gifting is shifting from cheap and cheery to premium and curated, with an eye toward Courtesy of Fresh & Easy

recipients' diets and environmental impact.

With that in mind, you can return here to ďŹ nd unusual, well-priced products to create a striking basket.

Now all you need is a container.

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Jamaican hot pepper jellies from Busha Browne Busha Browne’s complement of awardwinning product offerings includes a trio of distinctive pepper jellies. This is a traditional spicy-sweet condiment based on the hot and flavorful Jamaican Scotch Bonnet pepper, and combined with sweet peppers and aromatic cane vinegar.

Original Hot Pepper Jelly is the perfect accompaniment for all meats, hot or cold, and excels when mixed with cream cheese for canapes or used as a spread or dip.

Lime Hot Pepper Jelly blends their famous Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers with lime pulp and peel, for an extra tart touch to their classic flavor profile. The citrus tang perfectly sets off fish or seafood.

Ginger Hot Pepper Jelly utilizes the wonderful flavor of their Jamaican Ginger, globally recognized as the best. This classic condiment enhances Chinese or Indian dishes and makes a

superb glaze for meats and vegetables.

All of their Busha Browne products are made utilizing the fresh bounty of local fruits, vegetables and spices, and are prepared and bottled in small batches as they were 200 years ago.

Celebrate with the classic Busha Browne taste enhances, favored for entertaining and gifting.

Busha Browne’s—Fresh Ingredients, Artisan Quality. Tradition Preserved.

For wholesale inquiries, please visit www.bushabrowne.com.

Authentic Munich desserts from Wolfgang’s Bavarian Pretzels Add a continental touch to your gift basket with original German desserts from Wolfgang’s Bavarian Pretzels. Made from traditional recipes, using ingredients simply unavailable elsewhere: pure, chemical-free Munich water, and tart cold-weather apples from Bavaria.

Their Apple Strudel is not a single burrito-like roll; it is multilayers of pastry dough, painstakingly rolled with rich apple filling in between. (Also available in Apricot.)

Their Apple Rings are coated in a featherlight eggwhite batter, delicious as a snack but also an eye-catching

base for original desserts.

Plus of course Original German Potato Pancakes, which are exclusive to them. Enjoy them with jam, as a side dish with applesauce—they particularly love them with shrimp! Combine with unusual jam for a memorable Europeanthemed gift basket.

All of their specialties are packed fully baked and require no additional baking.

To order online or find out more, please visit www.wolfgangspretzels.com or call 209-295-4664. Taste the difference that only Munich-baked can make!

Sweet treats from Gloria’s Gourmet Cookies Gloria’s Gourmet Cookies uses simple, fresh, and timeless ingredients, from our signature sandwich cookies to new gluten-free almond cookies. Each is a scrumptious confection, from our original lemon raspberry to award-winning chocolate orange with raspberry. Priced and packaged to delight cookie connoisseurs and aficionados alike. We created the perfect package to add the right sweetness to any gift basket. We offer four different combinations of sandwich cookies, six distinctive varieties of gluten-free almond cookies, two combinations of cookie bites, and the classic chocolate chip. For whole-

sale pricing and to receive a sample, we invite you to contact Gloria’s at 949-8618820 or email us at sales@gloriasgourmet cookies.com. Come taste the difference!

Boyajian Inc. Artisan bread is back in a big way for the holidays––and what goes better with a superior bread than a superior dipping oil?

Add Old World elegance to holiday gifts with dipping oils from Boyajian Inc. Handcrafted in small batches, 100 percent pure olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are packed with fresh herbs and spices.

Three offerings include Moroccan Blend, Herbes de Provence and Italian Herb. Arrange any of these dipping oils in a festive basket with a crusty loaf or flatbread and a shallow dish for the perfect holiday or hostess gift.

Founded in 1981, Boyajian Inc. is a family business based in Canton, Mass., near Boston. Boyajian products are found in top retailers throughout the United

States and several other countries, and the brand has long been a favorite of food-service professionals, cookbook authors and consumers.

For wholesale information and inquiries, contact 781-828-9966 or www.boyajianinc.com.

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Introducing CookieZen Bites!

Introducing CookieZen Bites from Cookie Zen LLC. They have it on good authority— from the mouths of their consumers— that their Sea Salt Chocolate Oatmeal and Zesty Lemon are two very popular cookies!

If they look familiar, it’s because they’re the stars of their product line Cookies & Corks, —sweet and savory cookies for wine pairing. Everybody told them how much they enjoyed their cookies, not just with wine, but with beer, coffee and even milk. So they decided to put their two most popular flavors in a new convenient, affordable grab-n-go package.

Sea Salt Chocolate Oatmeal is light and

crisp with delicious bittersweet chocolate chips and a light sea salt topping, while Zesty Lemon is a perfect balance: not too sweet, not too tart, just right. Each 2-oz. package contains four cookies.

Their cookies contain no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. There are no hydrogenated oils or trans-fats, only delicious ingredients. They have a ninemonth shelf life and are certified Kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

These cookies are the perfect addition to any gourmet basket, amenity bar or deli counter. Available in a counter POP Display or sold by the case in individual units.

Give yourself a cookie break…relax, nibble, smile!

Marley Coffee RealCup stirs up single-serve Marley Coffee, a sustainably grown, ethically farmed and artisan-roasted gourmet coffee, has started taking orders for its newest product offering for home and office: Marley Coffee™ RealCup™.

Marley Coffee RealCup will be compatible for use with most models of Keurig/KCup brewers, the leading single-cup brewing system in North America. The new products are expected to start shipping in September 2012.

At launch, Marley Coffee RealCup is expected to be available in four varieties: Get Up, Stand Up (light roast), One Love 100% Ethiopia Yirgacheffe (medium), Lively Up 5 Bean Espresso (medium dark), and Talkin’ Blues 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain®] (medium).

“Our vision is to give coffee lovers an opportunity to enjoy Marley Coffee wherever, whenever and however they choose,” said Rohan Marley, Chairman and Co-founder, Marley Coffee. “Marley Coffee RealCup will help us expand our movement even deeper into homes and offices around the country.”

Marley Coffee currently offers two new varieties of Jamaica Blue Mountain Ground Coffee roasts and six varieties of certified USDA Organic Ground Coffee, as well as Whole Bean Coffee and earthfriendly, compostable Single-Serve AtHome Pods in an array of roasts.

To order Marley Coffee RealCup or other products, call 323-556-0746 or email sales@marleycoffee.com.

Crunchies single-serve pack is ideal for healthy gift basket Crunchies ® Food Company LLC (www.crunchiesfood.com), the leading producer of all-natural freeze-dried vegetable and fruit snacks, has launched the new single-serving pack for some of its most popular flavors. These individual-serving pouches of all-natural, freeze-dried fruit, otherwise known as the *Munch Pak*, are perfect for a snack on the go, as a stocking stuffer or in a gift basket to add a healthy and tasty treat to any gift. They are currently available in six different flavors: Strawberry, Mixed Fruit, Mango, Pear, Cinnamon Apple and Pineapple. Soon to be added are four veggie flavors, a novel option for savory baskets.

Nutritious and delicious replacements for high-calorie sweets or chips, Crunchies contain no fat, cholesterol,

sodium or added sugars. The convenient single-serving size makes fitting in the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables easy as crunch!

Crunchies are made in the United States through a unique freeze-drying process, in which individually frozen fruits are placed in a refrigerated vacuum chamber that removes around 97 percent of the moisture. This special process gives Crunchies their crunchy texture and a great concentrated flavor that explodes in your mouth. This process also allows them to retain a high percentage of the nutritious enzymes that are invariably lost through traditional heat drying, making Crunchies both a tasty and wholesome snack.

For information, visit www.crunchies food.com.

Gourmet du Village goes nostalgic for the holidays For Christmas 2012, Gourmet du Village is introducing a “Country Village Collection” of gourmet tastes and matching kitchenware. Packaged in exclusive country fabric bags, this nostalgic collection brings back many all-time classic favorites from the days when the business began as a cottage industry 30 years ago. Products range from their best-selling dips and tastiest Apple Spice Pancakes to their Hot Apple and Cranberry cider mixes.

To go with this collection, the company is also introducing a “Country Cottons” collection. The warm Cranberry

Red fabric goes beautifully with Gourmet du Village’s bestselling red ceramic Brie Bakers, Dip Chillers, Casseroles and other tableware. The “Country Cottons” collection includes aprons, oven mitts and pads, tablecloths, table runners and more—all perfect gifts, bringing the very best of the country look with festive colors for the holiday season.

“From our Village to yours for 30 years,” is the headline in the company’s latest catalogue featuring this new nostalgic collection. 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Gourmet du Village creating their very first herb and spice

blends to sell in the nearby country market, and today their products can be found in fine food and gift stores all across North America. Visit www .gourmetduvillage.com for information.

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Taylor’s of Harrogate Founded in 1886, Taylors of Harrogate is an independent family business dedicated to the pleasures of premium tea and coffee. Offering an enormous amount of choice, all personally selected by in-house experts, the Taylors’ range of high-quality teas consists of seasonal, hand-plucked black teas, light green teas blended with natural fruit flavors and naturally caffeinefree herbal infusions.

In every cup of Taylors, you can taste the skill, creativity and craftsmanship of its blenders. All of its teas are 100 percent natural and do not include any artificial colors, flavorings or preservatives. Taylors never compromises on quality. Available in a variety of formats, Taylors’ premium loose teas in decorative tin caddies make for the perfect gift. Veteran tea drinkers and novices alike will immediately taste the difference and quality that Taylors offers.

Taylors’ wide selection––including

classic offerings like English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Afternoon Darjeeling–– makes for beautiful gift items anyone will enjoy. Taylors’ caddies offer rare loose leaf black teas and premium quality loose leaf green teas.

For more information, please contact Brands of Britain at 800-646-6974, by email at info@brandsofbritain.com or visit www.brandsofbritain.com to view their entire range of premium products.

Beano’s makes gift baskets better Conroy Foods, the makers of America’s number one brand of deli condiments, offers a variety of flavors that perfectly compliment a wide variety of gift baskets. As an example, Beano’s Deli Mustard would be perfect with summer sausage, pepperoni, cheese and crackers, while Beano’s Original Submarine Dressing is great in a tailgate or holiday basket. All of Beano’s products are made with only the highest quality ingredients. Many products are Kosher as well.

Complement gourmet baskets with Beano’s Deli Bistro Sauces. Available in four ethnic flavors: Cilantro & Lime, Sweet Chili Pepper, Mesquite Smoked and Roasted Chipotle.

A pizza-themed basket may include a Beano’s White Pizza Sauce––available in Oregano, Sun Dried Tomato, and Basil–– while a seafood themed basket may include a Beano’s Seafood Sauce Party

Pack, which combines Tartar, Cocktail, and Lemon Butter Dill Sauces.

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. 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!

Beano’s Makes It Better! Live, Love, Get Sauced with Beano’s Deli Condiments.

Pack your products in Le Parfait for a unique gift idea First impressions are as important in marketing products as they are in life, and nothing says “quality” like specialty glass containers that allow the consumer to easily view the contents. Whether you pack spices, jams, skin care lotions, candies, nuts, sauces or baking mixes, the newest product offerings will catch the consumer’s eye if packaged in the sophisticated French jars knows as Le Parfait— “the perfect.”

Let your imagination be your guide for ways to bring your product to market using the classic Le Parfait jars and terrines—containers that have been widely used in Europe for more than 70 years.

The clarity of the glass allows easy identification of the contents and makes this an inventive packaging solution for suppliers looking for a way to present products containing the latest ingredients and using current technologies.

Products packed in Le Parfait will appeal to consumers who recognize the environmental value of this packaging; once the original product is consumed, the jars can be recycled for many household storage uses and can be resealed again and

again. Reusable packaging allows consumers to be proactive for a green environment even as they are embracing top-quality foods or other specialty items.

Great products deserve great packaging, so whether yours is a new brand or one that is well-established, look to glass and let them explore with you its possibilities in packaging and presentation. With their wide variety of applications, Le Parfait jars and terrines are sure to make a memorable impression on your customers and boost consumption of your products.

Bannex International Inc. is the importer of these classic containers. For more information, visit www.bannex.com or contact them at sales@bannex.com.

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Authentic Caribbean gift ideas from Tortuga Rum Cake Company Known worldwide for their authentic and original Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes, the company also offers hot and savory Scovie-Award winning sauces, rum flavored gourmet coffees, rum fudge, truffles, honey, pepper jelly, conch chowder and its latest product, Tortuga Chocolate Rum Turtles with Sea Salt.

This wide selection provides a delicious array of tasty tropical treats with colorful, distinctive packaging—ideal for gift baskets and holiday gift displays.

Baked in the Caribbean from a fourgeneration old island family secret recipe, Tortuga Rum Cakes are made with the finest ingredients and special

oak-barrel-aged Tortuga gold rum. Each cake is hand glazed and vacuum sealed, locking in the delicious freshness and giving the cakes a shelf life of up to nine months, or indefinitely if refrigerated or frozen.

Flavors available in Tortuga’s traditional six-sided 4-oz., 16-oz. and 33-oz. boxes include original golden with walnuts, coconut, chocolate, banana, key lime and pineapple, with Blue Mountain coffee offered in 16-oz. and 33-oz. sizes.

For more information, call 305-3786668 or 877-486-7884, or email sales@tortugaimports.com. Online, visit www.tortugarumcakes.com.

Truebar Gluten free leader Bakery On Main has recently unveiled Truebar, a new fruit and nut bar with nothing to hide. Clear packaging allows consumers to see the all-natural ingredients. The bars come in six exotic flavors: Hazelnut Chocolate Cherry, Walnut Cappuccino, Fruit & Nut, Raspberry Chocolate Almond, Coconut Cashew and Apricot Almond Chai.

This is good news for on-the-go health conscious consumers, including anyone who follows a gluten free diet, and that’s a growing population. Now it’s not only individuals with Celiac disease (who must adhere to a lifelong gluten free diet), but also people with gluten intolerances, those with autism who eat a gluten free casein-free (GFCF) diet in an attempt to reduce symptoms, a growing number of athletes who have adopted a gluten free

diet to improve performance, and even people who have tried it and stuck with it because they report feeling better eating less or no gluten.

Truebars are a good source of fiber and omega3s, made with many low-GI ingredients, are dairy and casein-free and low in sodium with no transfat or cholesterol.

The bars are also GFCO-certified, Kosher Parve and Non-GMO Verified.

Contact Bakery on Main at 888-5338118 or visit www.bakeryonmain.com.

Gourmet cupcake kits from The Invisible Chef The Invisible Chef (800-456-7115 or www.theinvisiblechef.com) has a Chef’s Promise in every box! They pride themselves on using the finest all-natural ingredients in every mix they make, so customers know they are bringing the very best to their family and friends. Their flavor combinations include classic standbys everyone loves, as well as unique offerings for the sophisticated inner chef in everyone.

Party Planning Made Perfect! The Invisible Chef’s newest collection, the Frosted & Fabulous Cupcake Kits, will put a smile on everyone’s face. The collection includes Chai Latte, Dark Chocolate, Limoncello and Salted Caramel. Every kit is packed complete with an all-natural cupcake mix and frosting packet that just needs a few basic ingredients to complete. All you have to do is….bake, frost, serve and smile!

Other products offered by The Invisible Chef include Coffee & Tea Cakes, Bake It Quick Breads, Bed & Breakfast Favorites, Savory Muffin Cakes, Sweet Muffin Cakes and Cookie Jar Classics. With so many categories and flavors to choose from, your customers are sure to find a favorite.

To learn more about setting up a wholesale account, email contactus@theinvisiblechef.com or call 800-456-7115.

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Dilettante Dilettante offers a large variety of items that would be great for gift basket inclusions.

Their individually wrapped TruffleCreme chocolates are made with an all-natural truffle ganache, and enrobed in selected blends of cacao. The TruffleCremes were created by Master Chocolatier, Dana Taylor Davenport, who was inspired by formulas from his grandfather and great uncle who were Master Confectioners to the crowned heads of Europe.

The TruffleCremes are available in these flavors: Peppermint, Toffee Crunch, Ephemere, Raspberry, Peanut Butter, and Mocha/Latte/Espresso Blend.

Their new line of Meltaway Truffles uses the same delicious formulations as the

TruffleCremes, and are packaged in beautifully designed gift boxes.

Other gift basket items from Dilettante include the gourmet hand dipped truffles, dragees, biscotti, cookies, foil wrapped chocolate and chocolate molds.

For wholesale inquiries, please call 800800-9490, or visit www.dilettante.com or www.seattlegourmetfoods.com.

Rubschlager vacuum-packs for gifts

ect Verified * Vegan * Certified Kosher * Certified 100% Whole Grain * Low Sodium * No Trans Fat, Artificial Colors, Flavors or Preservatives For information and to order, call 631761-6950 or visit www.gowaybetter.com.

Rubschlager Cocktail Breads in all four varieties—Rye, Pumpernickel, Whole Grain and Sourdough—are now available in halfloaf (8-oz.) atmosphere-controlled packaging, giving them a shelf life of six months.

These little breads are the perfect complement to gifts containing cheese, smoked fish, deli meats, preserves—almost anything—and offer a nice alternative to the traditional cracker products frequently used in gifts. Like all Rubschlager products, these breads are 100 percent whole grain, OU kosher pareve and provide a flavorful and healthful addition to almost any gift, large or small.

Write to them at 3220 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651, call 773-826-1245 or visit www.rubschlagerbaking.com.

Way Better Snacks What do you get when you add sprouted ingredients to a tortilla chip? A Way Better Snack! Bursting with goodness, because they’ve unlocked the powerful nutrients found in germinated (or sprouted) seeds, grains and beans. They maintain only the highest sprouting standards to offer a way better snack, and they didn’t compromise on taste—these chips are delicious! The company offers six varieties: Simply Sunny Multi-Grain, Unbeatable Blues, Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Sweet Chili and No Salt. The chips are available in a full-size 5.5-oz. bag and a 1.25-oz. single serve size that is perfect for gift baskets.

Certified Gluten Free * Non-GMO Proj-

Gourmet Virginia Peanuts from Purely American Spice up a gift basket with incredibly crunchy Virginia “homestyle” peanuts, made from the company’s own time-honored recipe. They select the largest Virginia peanuts, water blanch them and then cook them in pure peanut oil. The moisture that’s trapped inside attempts to escape, creating the crunchy “blisters” you see on the surface of the nuts any time you crack open a can. Still made by hand in small batches, these are available in 12 flavors including the two newest—Margarita! (citrus flavored) and Sea Salt & Black Pepper.

Other best sellers include Spicy Virginia Crabbin’, Garlic & Herb, Salt & Vinegar and Texas Mesquite BBQ. For information, please contact Ray Leard at 740-592-3800 or via www.purelyamerican.com. Also great for gift baskets are the company’s signature “storytelling” soup and stew mixes.

Introducing Hood River Cherry Company They specialize in high-elevation cherries that are tree-ripened to perfection. Their orchard is located high in the valley near the base of Mount Hood, Ore., and their cherries are consistently praised as the sweetest and best tasting in the market.

Since cherry season is short—July through the beginning of September— they found the perfect way for their cherries to be enjoyed year round by creating Bing Cherry Jam, Bing Cherry Spread, Dark Cherry Salsa and Cherry Chutney.

Enjoy the Bing Cherry Jam or Bing Cherry Spread over ice cream, or pair with cheese and crackers for a sweet taste of summer. With just the right amount of heat, their Dark Cherry Salsa is sweet with an irresistible zing. With a crisp bite and peppery finish, their addictive Cherry Chutney is delicious with pork or with cheese and crackers.

For information or to order online, please call 800-709-4722 or visit www.hrcherrycompany.com.

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Jelly Belly introduces new package line, ideal for baskets and gift-giving Jelly Belly Candy Company brings a luxurious look to your favorite Jelly Belly® Jelly Beans and Confections, with a stunning new line of gift bags ideal for the gift-giving seasons. With a polished exterior in a vibrant collection of colors, these bags stand upright, making them a perfect addition to gift baskets for holidays, and other special events.

With the variety of colorful bags in this new line, retailers will find it easy to include a variety of Jelly Belly candy in their custom gift baskets. For instance, the Jelly Belly jelly beans 49 Flavors bag is a brilliant classic red color, while the

Raspberries and Blackberries are packaged in a rich royal purple bag. An array of Gift Bags with classic and seasonal products will be available beginning this holiday season.

Jelly Belly Candy Company makes more than 90 flavors of Jelly Belly jelly beans, the largest selection on the market, plus 100 other gourmet candies including jells, gummies, chocolate covered treats and seasonal sweets for the major holidays. For information about ordering the new Jelly Belly Gift Bags, please call Jelly Belly at 800-3239380 or visit www.jellybelly.com.

Wicked Jack’s Tavern knows: It’s the rum that makes a rum cake!

The world recognizes Jamaican rum as the best in the world, and Wicked Jack’s Tavern rum cakes more than live up to the reputation.

Rum lovers and cake lovers alike will fall for the exquisite, rich full taste of Wicked Jack’s Tavern True Jamaican Rum Cakes. Carefully crafted recipes, derived from generations of tradition, have produced a cake so flavorful that it’s quickly gained a reputation as the tastiest rum cake available anywhere!

Moist, buttery texture and a rum-soaked glaze add delicious detail that makes all others just walk the plank. Baked in four distinct, unforgettable flavors: Chocolate Rum, Caramel Rum, traditional Butter Rum and Red Velvet Rum Cake, each

with their own unique taste characteristics, but all with the unmatched flavor of true Jamaican rum.

Wicked Jack’s Tavern also offers a line of small batch, hand-roasted coffees, with taste profiles designed to enhance their rum cakes. Pirate’s Blend and Silver Oar Estate are skillfully blended and roasted for a bold flavor; in flavored coffees, choose from Ol’Gran Butter Rum, Three Barrel Chocolate Rum and Captain Jack’s Red Velvet Brew. Each coffee is outstanding in its own right, but combined with Wicked Jack’s Rum Cake, they’re unbeatable.

Wicked Jack’s Tavern Rum Cakes are baked in the USA for quality control and freshness.

For information and to order, visit www.wickedjackstavern.com.

Fine Italian Food offers customized-label gifts in the Italian tradition In business since 1905, Fratelli Mantova offers a wide range of premium specialty products. Born from the long experience of a master oil producer and from the ancient Italian cooking tradition, they are available in several product lines to satisfy the most discerning customers.

The Grand’Aroma line offers balanced blends of herbs and spices in high quality, extra virgin olive oil, designed to make cooking favorite dishes easier. Specific blends are available for use in different recipes to restore the taste of typical Italian cooking. Art&Taste is a line of special gifts, developed to combine product quality with the elegance and functionality of attractive packaging—unique, original and fine. The label can be customized to mark special events, express the giver’s style or as a personal touch for highly original presents.

For more information, call them at 630-904-0002 or view their online catalogue at www.fineitalianfood.com.

Wind & Willow Be ready for the changing of the seasons this fall with Wind & Willow Cider Mixes.

With three flavors to choose from, each mix will make you feel like you’ve been on a hayride. The Original Mulled Cider Mix will take you back to your childhood.

Sugar, cinnamon, cloves and other natural flavors make this the perfect treat to share as you snuggle in front of the fireplace.

Caramel Apple Cider Mix combines two fall favorites, caramel apples and cider! Try topping with whipped cream and caramel to create a new favorite fall tradition. English Wassail Cider Mix is a balanced blend of cinnamon and spices with a hint of orange, perfect for a Christmas Eve fireplace.

Of course as with every Wind & Willow product, each box has an alternate recipe printed on the back. Try delicious Orange Spice Cookies, Caramel Apple Smoothie or Incredible Apple Cake.

With the simplicity of their recipes and the decadent results they produce, Wind & Willow mixes are a must for any kitchen pantry.

For more information on these and other products from Wind & Willow, contact them at 888-427-3235 or visit their website at www.windandwillow.com.

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Robert Rothschild Farm introduces customer favorites in new smaller, 4-oz. jars

Carolyn Saucier makes healthy cooking…easy!

Gift baskets are an excellent gift for the upcoming holidays. Everyone enjoys receiving delicious gourmet products that they can sample. Robert Rothschild Farm offers a selection of their consumer’s favorite products in a smaller 4oz. jar that makes it perfect to include in a gift basket. You can easily create a savory, a sweet or a combination basket that will delight the recipient. Some of the flavors available include Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip, Onion Blossom Horseradish Dip, Raspberry Wasabi Dipping Mustard, Chocolate Caramel & Sea Salt Sauce and Seedless Red

Create magic in your kitchen! Carolyn Saucier offers five, all-natural, gourmet sauces and marinades that are bold yet versatile: Tornado Dijon, Earthquake Garlic, Monsoon Chinese, Volcano Italian and Wildfire Hot Sauce. Whimsical disasterthemed packaging hints at the whirlwind of fresh flavor inside. All five sauces are great for vegans.

What can you use them for? Anything!

Add some chopped onion, cilantro and a splash of Volcano Italian Sauce to ground turkey; then fire up the grill for terrific turkey burgers. For a quick and easy stir-fry, toss some freshly grated ginger and Monsoon Chinese Sauce with your favorite seasonal veggies—you can’t go wrong. Short on time and ingredients for a weeknight dinner? Squeeze fresh lemon on salmon, coat with Tornado Dijon Sauce, grill and top with capers—outstanding!

For ideas, recipes and more, visit www.carolynsaucier.com. Special wholesale pricing available. For inquiries, call 510-336-9403.

Raspberry Preserves.

To complete the basket, add snacks which will allow the consumer to begin enjoying the gourmet products immediately. Robert Rothschild Farm has a variety of snacks that pair perfectly with each of the basket size jars. The Pretzel Twists or Pretzel Dippers are delicious with savory and sweet products, or try including the Chocolate Dipping Pretzels or Cinnamon Honey Dipping Pretzels in the basket.

Create the perfect gift basket by pairing the Robert Rothschild Farm gourmet products. Selections of gluten-free

Rabbit Creek Products introduces Soup for One

By Rabbit Creek Products Gift baskets—everyone wants them.

From a young age, human beings are conditioned to lust after gift baskets the way kitties lust after tummy rubs. There has always been one hiccup in the maturation of the gift basket though, and that is what to place inside its wicker womb of wonder. Well wait no longer, because like a lightning strike upon Castle Grayskull, Rabbit Creek Products has the answer: Soups for One! Born amid the bountiful array of quick, delicious meals, Rabbit Creek’s Soups for One transforms your daily ritual, much as the sword of power transforms Prince

Adam into He-Man. Coming in five wonderful flavors— cheesy broccoli, cheesy potato with bacon, chicken noodle, hearty vegetable, and potato—ready to assault your taste buds like a rollerblading Jesus and Chuck Norris love child.

“What if I don’t feel like a cornucopia of soup?” you ask. In that case, Rabbit Creek has more than 200 different products running the gauntlet from breads and brownies to dips and cheeseballs. No matter the occasion demanded from a gift basket, Rabbit Creek is here to help fight the evil of hunger. Contact them at 800-837-3073 or visit www.rabbitcreekgourmet.com.

products are available as well.

For more information, call 800-3568933, e-mail info@robertrothschild.com or visit the website at www .robertrothschild.com.

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Ariston: Greek for “the very best” Ariston’s name is Greek for “the very best” —not just in quality but in price.

Whether you are creating your own baskets or stocking your shelves with ready-made gift items, Ariston’s fine olive oils and balsamic vinegars are the perfect present.

The four-pack shown is just one example, including the company’s pride: Ariston Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a recent award-winner at Montreal’s SIAL 2012 Olive d’Or Competition and at the International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition in Los Angeles. Produced from

Koreneiki olives in Kalamata, Greece by the Doukas family (owners of Ariston), this is the company’s flagship product.

Pair it with a dipping or herb-infused oil, balsamic vinegar and intensely fruity balsamic *condimenti* for a gift that will be appreciated year-round.

Also available are savory fruit preserves (fig, strawberry, apricot, orange and peach) and many varieties of jarred olives––low in sodium so you taste the olives, not the salt. Both are excellent either combined with the oils and vinegars, or completing a basket with

fine crackers, cheese and sweets.

To see the full range, visit www.ariston oliveoil.com or www.facebook.com/ aristonoliveoil, or contact Ariston Specialties at 860-224-7184.

Holiday flavors, jams and gluten-free options from Sticky Fingers Bakeries Sticky Fingers Bakeries, known for allnatural, premium scone, muffin and brownie mixes, has lots of news for gift basket season: a new flavor, four glutenfree options and a recently expanded line of sweet and savory jams, curds, fruit butters and jellies.

Debuting this year are Vanilla Chai scones—a new flavor joining recent introductions like Carrot Spice, Strawberry and decadent Raspberry White Chocolate. Special holiday options include Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Chocolate Chip and Spiced Eggnog Scones. Retailers will also want to stock up on Merry Eggnog Muffins, which are sold only for the season and much awaited all year. For the gluten-free basket, the brand is also introducing certi-

fied gluten-free versions of four bestselling scone mixes: Original, Wild Blueberry, Meyer Lemon and Apple Oat. The company now has 12 varieties in the jam line, which are made in small batches with all-natural ingredients: fresh (never frozen) eggs, Wild Maine blueberries, Northwest red raspberries, Oregon blackberries and Washington apples. There are no artificial flavors and no corn syrup. Traditional flavors like Blueberry Jam and Lemon Curd join new savory choices. Tomatillo Pepper Jelly with Fire Roasted Jalapenos makes a terrific base for a marinade or a filling for burritos or omelets. Pair crackers and cream cheese with the Raspberry Chipotle Jam. There also some unique and some more traditional

takes on the fruit butter category, like Cranberry Apple and Pumpkin Spice.

Call 800-458-5826 or visit www.sticky fingersbakeries.com to learn more.

Light up the grill with Vanns Spices It’s summertime, and we all know what that means: Time to grill. Time to scrape off those charred racks, buy some beautiful steaks, chicken, pork, fish or vegetables, load up on charcoal or propane, invite your friends over and have a barbecue.

Grilling is one of the simplest ways to cook almost any kind of food. Although the steps and ingredients required are not complicated, the components must be top quality. Meat must be juicy, vegetables must be fresh and the seasonings must be just right to allow the main ingredients to shine through.

That’s where Vanns Spices comes in.

With a commitment to procuring only the best herbs and spices for their all-natural blends, Vanns’ grilling spices are the perfect complement to whatever it is you want to cook on the barbecue. From their classic Quebec Steak Seasoning, which works equally well on steak and vegetables, to their smoky Chipotle Barbeque Rub, which complements just about everything (even potato salad!), Vanns’ blends make grilling easy and delicious.

SQF-certified, Vanns cares as much about the quality of your grilling seasonings as you do, and with their wide variety of blends, rubs and spices, there’s certain to be something that will appeal to every palate.

For more information, call 800-583-1693 or visit www.vannsspices.com.

New size tin from the Peanut Shop of Williamsburg The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg now offers a 4-oz. tin! Great for gift baskets or personal consumption. Their extralarge Virginia peanuts are selected and hand-cooked according to their old, traditional, homestyle recipes and lightly seasoned with sea salt. Also available in 32-oz., 20-oz. and 10.5-oz. tins. For information or to order, contact Michael McDonald at 800-831-1828, ext. 1, or visit www.thepeanutshop.com.

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

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ALO drink launches ALOtones Most gift baskets are eye-catchers, but how many sound as good as they look?

ALO Drink, the makers of the number one ready-to-drink aloe vera beverage in the U.S. natural market and a 2012 Beverage Innovation Functional Drink award winner, adds free music inside every bottle.

“We’re helping ALO drinkers feel good from the inside out. We’ve added free music inside all of our new ALO drinks.

Every bottle lets consumers unlock and share their flavor’s track. We call these tracks ALOtones™—matching the ‘tones of flavor’ found inside of our drinks. They can be easily unlocked and shared from any bottle [via QR-Code],” said Henry Chen, Founder, ALO Drink.

“ALOtones deliver on our brand’s promise of Goodness From Inside Out™ and add value to every bottle.

They’re also a tremendous boost for our brand ]—engaging our drinkers in a memorable way,” said Brian Choi, SVP Sales, ALO Drink.

ALO Drink blends are made with real aloe vera pulp and juice straight from the leaf. ALO’s beverages are available in both mainstream and natural markets in the United States, Canada and other countries around the globe.

To enjoy better refreshment naturally, plus a positive boost to your body’s karma, visit www.alodrink.com and www.face book/ALOdrink.

Bakto Flavors: Vanilla, spice and flavors— gift baskets aren’t just for wine and cheese anymore Need something new to spark up the old reliable baker’s basket? Bakto Flavors’ retail line includes 40 different natural flavors and extracts—from exotic fare like lavender, rose, mango, cardamom and bergamot, to classic bestsellers such as coconut, orange, almond, lemon, lime, rum and coffee. All come in 1-oz. bottles and in sets such as extract trios and boxes of 12.

All of their products are natural, kosher (OU), GMO-free and gluten-free, with no sugar or color added.

Bakto’s vanilla extract is made from 100 percent Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla, in 2-, 4-, and 8-oz. bottles. The company also carries beans of different origins, Golden Vanilla Cane Sugar, and Ground

collection, visit www.baktoflavors.com or email info@baktoflavors.com.

Vanilla Beans, which are made with a proprietary drying technique for a flavor superior to typical beans.

New this year are antioxidant-rich baking spices and herbs––including Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Mace, all from Indonesia, in 3-4-oz. retail pouches.

Committed to high quality, Bakto takes raw material sourcing very seriously. The entire line can be beautifully displayed in gift baskets, on its own or with other products. This family-owned company is a top seller on www.amazon.com and sells to the highest quality gourmet bakeries, hotels and restaurants around the world.

To see the range and create your own

Pure Leaf Iced Teas & Distinctive Herbs from The Tao of Tea The Tao of Tea®, one of nation’s true pureleaf specialty tea companies, has launched 11 flavors of ready-to-drink iced teas and herbs. The bottled drinks, a line of iced tea and a line of Tulsi, are organic and unsweetened, freshly and carefully brewed in craftstyle batches at The Tao of Tea’s own tea brewery in Portland, Ore., without any added juices, powders, extracts or flavorings.

The iced tea line includes eight refreshing varieties: Darjeeling, Osmanthus Oolong, Lapsang Souchong (Pine Smoked Black), Tippy Assam, Gunpowder Mint, Oregon Berry Black, Lemon Myrtle (caffeine free) and Cape Town Rooibos (caffeine free).

The Tulsi line offers Tulsi Pure, Tulsi Lavender and Tulsi Ginger. Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a caffeine-free Ayurvedic herb from India that has been

gaining popularity in the United States. The Tao of Tea grows Tulsi in parts of India by supporting small farmers and promoting organic cultivation.

Most varieties are currently available at select Whole Foods Market stores, Zupan’s Market, New Seasons, independent co-ops and other natural foods stores in the Pacific Northwest and California, and soon nationwide. Bottles are 11.5 fluid ounces and shelf-stable. SRP $2.99. All drinks have zero sugar and zero calories.

The Tao of Tea won the Best Packaging award at the 2011 North American Bottled Tea Championship. The Osmanthus

Oolong and Darjeeling varieties were amongst the top three winners in the Ready-to-Drink category.

Founded by Veerinder S. Chawla in 1997, The Tao of Tea is one of the leading tea purveyors in the country promoting organic loose leaf teas, handcrafted teaware and organic, pure leaf bottled teas. For more information, call 503-736-0198 or visit www.taooftea.com.

Beach Plum Specialties of Cape May For anyone who has spent time on the New England or Mid-Atlantic Coast, the Beach Plum is a popular and tasty sign of late summer, where the colorful shrubs pop up along the sand dunes all along the shore from Maine to Maryland.

Now people everywhere can enjoy this distinctive regional fruit through the unique foodstuffs offered by Beach Plum Specialties of Cape May. Beach Plum Specialties proudly produces delicious jam, jelly, wine vinegar and vinaigrette, all made from the tasty little

Beach Plum. All products are made from hand-picked, local wild and cultivated Beach Plums. The taste is unique, reminiscent of cherry and traditional plum with just a hint of cinnamon.

This product has been locally famous not only in Cape May, NJ, but across the entire Northeast Coast for decades, with locals devoting a great deal of time to foraging for the plum and finding the best spots for the fruit.

Now you don’t have to take to the dunes yourself for a taste of Beach Plum. Contact Michael Craig

at Beach Plum Specialties of Cape May, 609-425-9057 or via beachplum specialties@gmail.com, for information on the company and its products.

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GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Pick a perfect present: Pepper Creek Farms’ kit combines two trends An irresistible addition for a cook’s gift basket is the Victory Garden Pickle Kit from Pepper Creek Farms. Addressing both the interest in pickled foods and the make-at-home/gourmet DIY trend, the kit contains four seasoning packets: Kosher Dill, Bread & Butter, Polish Dill and Sweet. Each packet makes four pints, making a total of 16 pints of pickles.

Simply dissolve the seasonings in water and vinegar (possibly sugar, depending upon variety), add sliced or

speared cucumbers and refrigerate—and find wonderful tasting, crisp and crunchy pickles the next day. It is also suitable for creating unique pickles with other vegetables like carrots, green beans, asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower.

But more than just seasonings, the kit is a complete package that also makes a great gardening project. It also includes a seed packet to grow your own pickling cucumbers, 16 blank labels with special adhesive and a handy tip sheet

to assist with packing. Display near the produce or gardening gift sections as well for a versatile product that reaches many markets.

For information and orders, visit www.peppercreekfarms.com or call 800526-8132. Pepper Creek also has a wide range of other beautifully packaged food items for gifting and baskets.

Distinctive, natural gourmet gifts from Sierra Foods At Sierra Foods they take great pride in creating distinctive ready-made gifts. Whatever the sentiment being expressed— Happy Birthday, Get Well, Congratulations, Thank You or I Love You—they have the perfect gift to convey the thought.

For those occasions when only custom will do, their fine selection of products allows the creation of one-of-a-kind gifts for a more personal touch. They are continually seeking out the highest quality products, with a particular focus on providing the best of California agriculture.

Their specialty food product lines are the perfect addition to any type of gift basket, from corporate gifts to housewarming gifts.

Sierra Soups Inc. is a line of vegan, veg-

etarian and gluten-free soups, created from traditional recipes. Great for food lovers' or vegetarian-themed gift baskets.

Sierra Harvest (a division of Sierra Nut House, Inc.) is an organic grain line featuring hard-to-find items like tri-colored couscous and quinoa, and a whole grain bulgur wheat pilaf mix made from their own special blend. Ideal in organicthemed gift baskets.

Meadow Lakes Dressings (a division of Sierra Nut House, Inc.), features all natural, fruit-based dressings with fabulously unique flavors.

Contact Sierra Foods at 800-3976887, or via www.sierrasoups.com and www.sierranuthouse.com.

Grab and go gifts from Stonewall Kitchen For more than 20 years, Stonewall Kitchen has provided customers with high-quality products that make cooking and entertaining easy and delicious.

Stonewall Kitchen offers a large assortment of gift options at various price points, making it easy to select the perfect gift for all occasions. The “Grab and Go” gift offerings include two products matched with a high-quality cooking tool and wrapped in cellophane and grosgrain ribbon ready

to treat someone.

Stonewall Kitchen also offers timeless collections incorporating its highly sought-after products that have made the Maine-based company one of the most awarded specialty food makers in the nation. The in-house designers create new holiday packaging each year, making gift-giving even easier—no wrapping needed at all.

The gift of food is always a welcomed

Papa Ben’s Kitchen

tious gift? In five flavors, the delectable Mandelbroyt are Kosher, Pareve (non-dairy) and complement any sweet tooth. Flavors include Original Family Recipe, Lemon Blueberry with Poppy Seeds, Minty Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso Bean and a unique new flavor, Spicy Chipotle with Ginger and Dark Chocolate.

Papa Ben learned the art of baking as a young boy

Papa Ben’s sweet, crispy twice-baked Mandelbread or Mandelbroyt, the Eastern European cousin of the biscotti, is a delectable anytime treat, low in calories and made with all-natural products. That’s why this delicious delicacy is an ideal addition to any gift basket or gift in general!

These anytime treats are prepared using simple, fresh and natural ingredients, and are bursting with mouth-watering flavor.

How could anyone resist such a scrump-

MarDona introduces Asiago-Parmesan Cheese Dip MarDona Specialty Foods and Wild Forest Products are all about great taste, great prices, convenience and consistency. That is especially true of their Asiago-Parmesan Cheese Dip, a new item that is the perfect addition to a 2012 holiday basket.

MarDona merges the finest extra virgin olive oil

with the finest Asiago and Parmesan cheeses and select spices, to create a year-round savory treat whose umami-rich Parmesan content enriches the flavor of everything you have it with.

Enjoy it straight from the jar, dip in your chips, spread on your favorite focaccia, on bread, crackers, raw vegetables or sliced apples. Spread it on

treat, and is a nice way to introduce someone to Stonewall Kitchen’s great tastes and good food. For information and orders, visit www.stonewallkitchen.com. while helping his father in their family kitchen in Eastern Europe.

Using the ancient stone oven in their cottage, they worked together to prepare the finest baked goods for family, friends and their surrounding village. At the age of 80, Ben rediscovered his passion for baking and is excited to share his cherished family recipe with families all over the country.

To bring this unique treat to your store shelf, contact 888-233-1072 or visit www.papabenskitchen.com. sandwiches, top a steak or baked potato, mix it into an omelet. Change up your favorite garlic bread by adding their dip on top, then slightly broiling, for a wonderful new taste experience. Add to hot pasta and toss for an easy yet deluxe MarDona version of pasta and cheese. Let your imagination fly––it will complement anything you can think of! Your recipients will have fun discovering their own special uses for this dip that enhances any food you add it to.

Visit them at www.mardonaspecialty foods.com, call 855-OIL SPRAY or fax 646-619-4640.

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Looking for the happiest holiday gift?

Look no further than Java Frost’s seasonal gift canisters filled with gourmet holiday drink mixes. Three delicious flavors designed to delight, each packaged in a case of eight enchanting, 8-oz. gift canisters.

Java Frost canisters are the perfect addition to corporate or holiday gift baskets.

Available July 2012.

Usher in fall with the perennial favorite, Pumpkin Cheesecake. Made with real pumpkin and aromatic spices, this ultimate indulgence is sure to please. Your customer will enjoy this rich and creamy cup.

Then, capture the nostalgia of the holiday season by adding Candy Cane Crème. Experience the delight of your first candy cane, in a cup. Candy Cane Crème delivers real mouth-watering candy cane bits with every sip.

Finally, spice up your Christmas sales

with Red Hot Cinnamon. Real Cinnamon Imperials make this wonderful cinnamon smoothie more fun than Santa’s reindeer prancing on the roof!

All Java Frost products are carefully crafted with quality and value in mind.

Call Java Frost today for sales, samples and product information. Call 800-6763661 or visit www.javafrost.com.

J&M Foods Inc. J&M Foods is family owned and operated, serving the gift packing and gift basket industry for more than 25 years with the highest standards of product quality and customer satisfaction.

The award-winning product line continues the tradition with the newly introduced Cookie Straws, offered in four indulgent flavors: Cinnamon Black Walnut, Lemon, Key Lime and Sugar. Continuing the excellence, Apple Cinnamon and Oatmeal Raisin Pecan are a welcome addition to the line of crisp Traditional Cookies and are sure to satisfy. Using the 100 year old, southern inspired, family recipe, J&M Foods’ scrumptious Cheese Straws continue to be a favorite of all connoisseurs, in Original, Asiago, Bleu and Jalapeno.

J&M Foods’ Tea Cookies are a little taste of heaven, delicate and sweet in four flavors: Raspberry, Chocolate Orange,

Lemon and Key Lime.

These gourmet delicacies are baked to perfection using only the finest, all-natural ingredients. With beautiful and elegant designs, the 2.5-oz. boxes are perfect for every basket and all occasions. The savory treats are available in 1.5-oz. snack bags, 6-oz. boxes, and 10- or 16-oz. tins.

Private labeling options are offered as well.

For more information, call 800-2642278, email sales@jm-foods.com or visit www.jm-foods.com.

Mieli Thun Monofloral Honeys from Viola Imports An excellent choice for any gourmand’s gift basket, Mieli Thun honeys are available in beautifully packaged sets of three, five and 10 mini jars of varied flavors and colors. Each tube allows the discovery of the great variety of these monofloral honeys. The senses will feast on the individual character of each honey—each with its unique color, texture and flavor.

In keeping with his grandfather’s tradition of nomadic beekeeping, Mieli Thun’s Andrea Paternoster travels throughout Italy, from north to south, following the flowering seasons of dozens of different types of flowers. Andrea’s timing and sensitivity allows him to trap the pure fragrance and flavor of each flower species in its respective honey.

The 10 mini gift tube is a collection of Apple, Dandelion, Fir Tree Honeydew, French Honeysuckle, Thyme, Acacia, Sunflower, Chestnut, Orange and Eucalyptus.

Each individual honey provides the recipient numerous ways to enjoy: paired in a basket with cheese or fresh fruit, used as a topping for yogurt—the possibilities are left to one’s culinary imagination.

Mieli Thun Gift Tube Gift Sets are available in limited quantities. Preorders are encouraged.

Please contact Viola Imports at 847690-0790, on Facebook and Twitter, and via www.violaimports.com.

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Peppadew: what’s hot (and sweet) in premium gift baskets Looking for something to lift a gift basket out of the ordinary? Instantly upscale your basket with Peppadew. Their intense color is eye-catching; their sharp-sweet-tangy flavor adds premium appetite appeal. On salads, pizza, meat dishes, on appetizer trays, stuffed with goat cheese or in a signature sandwich, these little red fruits add delight to anything you serve them with.

Like the ads say, “Put them on everything!”

Restaurants add Peppadew to their menu descriptions and watch their average ticket increase; specialty food producers partner with them to create foods with the spicy-tangy flavor profile the market is looking for. In stores, they are a great impulse item as well as a strong seller in salads, deli and condiment

aisles.

Suitable for healthy, vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free and allnatural gift baskets as well.

For information or to order, please visit www.peppadewfresh.com.

Great gift basket selections from Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, purveyor of artisan cheeses, offers the perfect and most unique addition to your retail cheese collection.

If you’re a retailer putting together your own holiday baskets, do not hesitate to include their award-winning cheeses. It is the sure way to please the discerning palate.

Great products to consider are: Widmer 1, 2, 4, 6 or 10 Year Cheddars available in (20 8-oz.), (10 1-lb.) or (2 5-lb.) sizes.

Widmer’s Aged Brick available in (10

1-lb.), (4 2.5lb.) or (2 5-lb.)

W i d m e r ’s Authentic Colby available in (10 1-lb.) or (2 5-lb.)

Widmer’s Washed Rind Cold Pack Brick Spread Available in (12 8-oz.)

Pre-pack labels are available for aged brick, cheddar and colby cheeses.

For more information, contact Kristine Miescke at 888-878-1107 or email kristinem@widmerscheese.com.Visit them online at www.widmerscheese.com.

The finest gourmet gifts come from Italy…naturally In a few short years, Po Valley Foods has become the ìgo toî company for all things naturally Italian. Whether it is specialties sourced directly from Italy for the nation’s largest all-natural chain stores, or unique products for the gourmet gift shop, they’ve managed to please even the most discerning palates.

This year, their selection of important brands––like La Campofilone (gourmet egg pasta), Moro buckwheat pasta and polenta, Dolced’olio (extra-virgin olive oil biscotti) and Afeltra pasta from Gragnano––expands to include selections from Rafaelli (gourmet gift products), Valgri pizza-ready tomatoes, Cararecci di Calabria spices blended to instantly recreate famous Italian dishes, DellaGiovanna specialty and gluten-free flours,

Bertoni (balsamic vinegars from Modena) and Marchesi flavored organic olive oils.

While it’s true that the path to a person’s heart is through the stomach, it is also true that people eat with their eyes. Lucky for them, many of their producers expend the extra energy–– and equity–– to get their packaging just right. They’re proud their selections represent innovation in gourmet food packaging. They’re the highest quality allnatural Italian foods they could find. Equally appealing to the eyes and the stomach!

So if you’re looking for something uniquely Italian to add gourmet glamor to your gift basket, call 516-801-4688, email povalleyfoods@gmail.com or visit them online at www.povalleyfoods.com to see their full line-up.

House of Caviar & Fine Foods Experts say the trend in gift baskets is toward high value and quality over large size and flashy packaging. Sounds like the perfect description for caviar!

At the House of Caviar & Fine Foods, their international experts source the finest caviar from the cleanest waters. They offer a selection of caviar-based gift baskets, including American, Imperial/European and Sushi/Caviar, all at extremely competitive prices. Caviar serving accessories complete the gift and add the final elegant touch.

If you prefer to assemble your own assortment, you will also find the perfect elements here. Visit their website to see their range of caviar, truffles and mushrooms, European honeys, foie gras, specialty salts

and even premium chocolate—everything you need to create baskets to please the most demanding clients.

For information and orders, call 877-462-0533 or visit www.houseof caviarandfinefoodscom.

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Boxed and ready-to-ship ‘Slap packs’ from Slap Ya Mama The holidays aren’t far... Soon it will be the season for weekends away, time with family and friends and plenty of great food for sharing. It’s the season everyone looks forward to—and for that special event to reach top-notch perfection, the food must taste phenomenal! Slap Ya Mama’s new box sets have everything you need to accomplish just that. From their three seasoning blends, pepper sauce, fish fry, seafood boil and etoufee sauce, these Slap packs cover all your gifting and culinary needs.

Slap Ya Mama offers three different pack sizes: the “Everything Slap Pack,” “The Essential Slap Pack” and “The Traveler’s Slap Pack.” To check out their new box sets, please visit slapyamama.com. For the masters of the grill, these Slap packs have everything you need! Also, be on the lookout for an

expansion of Walker & line throughout the year. everything possible to easier while standing burner, pit or grill Slap it, Eat it, Love it!

Sons’ product They are doing make your life at the stove,

Caribbean Dreams: a quality line of authentic Jamaican tea and chocolate For those producing a Caribbean or tropical-themed basket, Caribbean Dreams is a must-see. The company was born in 1996, the brainchild of Adeeb and his son John Mahfood. At the time, the company only produced traditional black tea under the Tetley Brand, but soon after, both men saw the opportunity to introduce traditional herbal teas to the Jamaican market.

Caribbean Dreams, now the largest tea packer in the Caribbean, produces more than 100 million teabags each year and currently has in its inventory almost 20 different types of traditional Jamaican teas, including Bissy, Ginger, original Peppermint, Noni-ginger, Jamaican Sorrel and Ginger and Ginger mint.

The company has also expanded its product line to include “healthy teas” such as Cleansing Tea, Slimming Tea, Cinna-

mon Mint Diabetics Tea, Cranberry Tea and Instant Ginger- sweetened and unsweetened. Jamaicans can also look forward to trying their newest addition, Jamaican Old Style Chocolate, a favorite of many for decades.

Since 2000, Caribbean Dreams has been exporting to a number of countries in the Englishspeaking Caribbean, as well as the United States and Canada. Approximately 40 percent of the company’s sales are represented by exports.

According to John Mahfood, this is a “perfect way to get a piece of Jamaica abroad. The teas are so authentic, all you have to do is add water.”

For more information, visit their website at www.jamaicanteas.com or call them at 876-928-5863.

Aloha Shoyu: from the island to the mainland Ask anyone who’s lived in Hawaii, and they will recognize the name Aloha Shoyu. The company’s signature blend is a zestful combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sugar, a longtime island favorite for marinating and basting. It is ready for use “as is” or as a foundation for other recipes, as a marinade for steaks, poultry or seafood or as a sauce for vegetables. The company’s line also includes low-sodium soy and other

sauces, plus vinegars (for sushi and others), marinades and tropical fruit glazes such as pineapple and mangos.

In 1946, five Japanese families created the Aloha Shoyu Company in a small factory in Kalihi, just outside downtown Honolulu. The word “Shoyu” originates from Japan, and is a term widely accepted in Hawaii as referring to soy sauce. “Aloha,” while known as a greeting, also signifies important values in Hawaiian culture: kindness, unity, humility and perseverance.

The company still gets letters from former Hawaii residents looking for the distinct, slightly sweet soy taste they associate with the island. With the opening of Aloha Shoyu Company West in Hayward, Calif., it’s now easier than ever for retailers to provide these delicious condiments for their customers. For information, call 808-456-4519 or 808-216-6844 or visit www.alohashoyu.com.

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Light up the Barbeque! New Mesquite Smoked New Zealand Pacific Sea Salt For the barbeque expert who has everything, try New Zealand Pacific Sea Salt. The outstanding sweet salt flavor brings out the very best in favorite dishes, without the bitterness found in highly mineralized salt or plain sodium chloride sea salt, that may contain free flowing anti-caking agents, yellow dyes and even dextrose.

New Healthy Mesquite Smoked Pacific sea salt is great for that down-home barbeque flavor.

Available in Fine or Coarse (best for rubs). The secret Lvouisiana mesquitesmoked family recipe, combined with

the sweet salt flavor of New Zealand Pacific Sea Salt, will impress any recipient.

Pacific Resources also imports the finest all natural New Zealand Honeys, including Bio Active and UMF Manuka Honey. These help with digestive problems but are also good friends in the kitchen, delicious in cooking, on cereal or yogurt or to sweeten your favorite hot beverage.

Improve your health and treat your taste buds with these great New Zealand products. Email info@pri-nz.com or visit www.shoppri.com.

Formaggio goes for the gold with new tray products, artisan wraps On the heels of two first place awards at the World Dairy Expo of 2011 in Wisconsin, fresh mozzarella innovator Formaggio once again prepares to go for the gold.

With Anthony “The Big Cheese” Mongiello’s knack for generating trendsetting food ideas, Formaggio enters the 2012 contest season with even more innovative product offerings. First is Wine and Cheese, a whole new twist on enjoying the classics: a two-compartment tray holding sliced aged cheddar and spreadable wine topping.

Other new products include two additional multi-compartment trays: Feta with Mediterranean topping and Fresh Mozzarella with Rustica topping.

Also up for 2012 is Artisan Wraps. The Big Cheese says, “I feel that finger-size

appetizers with genuine Italian meats wrapped around the soft creamy center of fresh mozzarella is a truly savory experience of honest-to-goodness Italian cuisine.”

Visit them on the web at www .formaggiocheese.com, or contact Ricky Pagan at 845-436-4200 or ricky formaggio@yahoo.com.

Hot new products from Wabash Valley Farms The company that’s been delivering premium popcorn poppers for over 30 years now introduces their top-quality popcorn accessories and unique gift sets for all occasions.

Wabash Valley Farms, Inc. introduced more than 25 NEW products at the Fancy Food Show.

With eleven Fresh & Natural Gourmet Popcorns, ten creatively designed Ready-to-Give gift sets, and seven Sweet & Savory Flavors, they have enough to keep customers coming back all year long.

Plus, with over a dozen unique bowls, Wabash Valley offers an array of options for building your own distinctive gift set.

Everything from wood to plastic, interactive to glowin-the-dark, from serving to individually sized, the opportunities and choices are endless.

Choose between 60+ different products, and let them help you with their proven winning combinations.

For more information, contact Wabash Valley Farms, Inc., at 877-888-7077 and www.wfarms.com

Old Amsterdam Premium Aged Gouda With an irresistible smooth, rich and robust taste, Old Amsterdam is the perfect cheese to include in a gourmet gift basket.

Combined with fine condiments, nuts, premium crackers and wine, a basket with Old Amsterdam is a premium cheese every food lover will enjoy.

Old Amsterdam is Holland's top selling aged Gouda, judged Best in Class at the 2010 Wisconsin World Championship Cheese Contest. This is testament to Old Amsterdam's taste and quality, proof positive that it is the best aged Gouda in the

world. Old Amsterdam production is constantly monitored by master cheese-makers; it is matured until it has reached the perfect taste and texture, and only then is it packaged.

With just the right amount of ripening crystals and a smooth creamy texture, it is easily enjoyed by all. A premium aged Gouda with an irresistible taste. Available in half wheels and 5.2-oz. exact weight wedges.

For more information, contact Norseland Inc. at dseife@norseland.com, by calling 203-324-5620 or through www.oldamsterdam.com.

MTR Foods

Start Healthy

Kohinoor Foods

SEE PAGE 32

SEE PAGE 32

SEE PAGE 31

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Healthy revamps, ethnic cuisines bring specialty customers to the freezer aisle Does the increased prevalence of consumers cooking at home signal a dip in specialty frozen food?

Not according to a survey by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT). The organization's State of the Industry 2012 report noted $1.21 billion in sales of specialty frozen lunch and dinner entrees last year, up 3.6 percent from 2009—in contrast to negative sales for the category in the general market.

Frozen breakfast foods are up by 15.3 percent (compared to 12 percent overall market), perhaps led by the popularity of frozen Belgian waffles that have become more widely available. Specialty frozen fruits and vegetables showed striking growth as well, rising 24.6 percent on the strength of frozen-fruit smoothies and the demand for organic produce.

Clearly, convenience still counts. But

for the specialty shopper, so does uniqueness. This is one reason that global cuisines are a heat-and-serve staple, as shoppers seek to enjoy new flavors without having to invest in a pantry of costly, unfamiliar ingredients.

“Culinary convenience” is also cited as the main trend behind the launch of Christian Potier sauces, a joint venture between the French manufacturer and culinary sauce and stock producer More Than Gourmet (MTG). The latter is the exclusive U.S. importer for the line, which is critically acclaimed in Europe.

The line includes seven sauces: Bearnaise, Hollandaise, Lemon Dill, Red Wine Shallot, Dijon Mustard Wine, Mushroom and Roquefort. The sauces can be ready in less than 15 seconds, and are well-priced at $4.49-$4.99 SRP. More Than Gourmet is betting that the line will resonate with consumers whose

expectations have been raised by food media and the internet, who prefer to skip the exacting work needed to correctly produce classic French sauces but are unwilling to compromise with previously available versions. The sauces are gluten-free, which should also contribute to their popularity.

Where else is growth coming from then? From the healthy side. While vegetarian burgers and meals have long been a staple of natural food freezer aisles, gluten-free and whole grain options are multiplying, and turkey is also showing up in foods from breakfast sandwiches to all-natural burritos.

Global cuisine Long popular in the frozen aisle for its high percentage of vegetarian choices, Indian food is making a big push as Americans become more familiar with it.

The cuisine was named as the No. 2 or No. 3 fastest growing cuisine for 2011 by specialty importers and retailers in the last NASFT survey. Two recent entrants, MTR Foods and Kohinoor, are U.S. offshoots of top Indian brands.

MTR is strong on heritage, while Kohinoor's healthy positioning (cooked in olive oil) offers a strong proposition for adventurous specialty consumers.

For Asian food, the dumplings, potstickers and steamed pork buns ubiquitous in Asian stores are starting to trickle into the mainstream. Interesting options include Feelgood Foods' dumplings and egg rolls (gluten-free down to the soy sauce), and Ramar Foods' oven-baked lumpia (Filipino spring rolls), recently declared a lowcalorie “hit” by Phil Lempert. The Southeast Asian country's cuisine has been getting a bit of buzz lately, and Ramar's product line is one of the more accessible ways for curious consumers to try it.

A likely crossover is adobo, a soy sauce and vinegar stew that can be served with rice, vegetables or quinoa.

The rise of 'flexitarian' diets Consumer interest in plant-based diets, along with advances in freezing technology, are improving frozen vegetables' questionable reputation. Lisa's Organics has come out with a line of frozen sides featuring vegetables with sauces, and Otsuka America's Wild Veggie line is promoted as both frozen soup and a cooking ingredient in six variants.

On the whole grain front, rice company Otis McAllister has launched Village Harvest, a line of medleys that add novelty to the typical quinoa-couscousrice-and-beans combinations.

Retailers should expect this category

to grow more, as customers trying to eat more plants (and less meat) start to demand choices that offer heat-and-serve convenience while still being organic and flavorful.

Frozen pizza Specialty and natural makers are banking on pizza's huge popularity with American families to push new lines with upgraded ingredients and health benefits. Frozen Naked, a retail affiliate of the groundbreaking Naked Pizza restaurants, was introduced in October 2011, in partnership with Denver neighbor Sunflower Markets. Their Superbiotic, a vegetarian pizza with probiotics and ancient grains in the crust, began being heavily promoted in March and April.

Two gluten-free pizzas making their bid for specialty store presence include Bold and Russo. Natural foods staple Annie's also launched their Rising Crust pizza with a food truck at this year's Expo West.

Luxury in the frozen aisle Rising interest in artisan bread should yield some interesting parbaked options in the year to come. Spanish importer La Tienda is doing well with Barra Gallaga, a Galician bread that ships prebaked to customers, while Apex Imports has seen foodservice and retail interest with its Bavarian pretzels and strudels, both shipped fully-baked from Munich.

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CHOLENT—Kosher meals made easy Introducing Cholent—another creative series of salt-free dinner kits from Purely American Foods.

What exactly is Cholent? It’s a traditional Jewish meal that, for generations, has been prepared on Friday before the Sabbath begins. Slow cooked all night, this savory stew is the main course at Saturday’s noonday meal.

Now, busy health-conscious consumers

of all faiths can enjoy these time saving, salt-free meals any day of the week.

Gluten-free, salt-free, all-natural, no MSG, Kosher-certified.

The Cholent kits are just one among many delicious and healthy meal solutions created by Purely American. Check them out at www.purelyamerican.com and contact Ray Leard at 740-592-3800 for information and orders.

Wolfgang’s Bavarian Pretzels: pretzels and desserts, authentic from Munich Add a European touch to your freezer case!

The Original Munich Oktorberfest Pretzel is now available in the United States.

The Bavarian Pretzel recipe is more than a thousand years old, with a rich flavor and taste that cannot be duplicated. Their pretzels are made from the finest natural ingredients, including pure, chemical-free Munich water and a secret assortment of gourmet spices. Available in three sizes: Regular 3-oz; King size 5-oz; and Giant 10-oz.

Also available are a unique pretzel Hoagie (4 oz.) from the same dough, and the Party Mix (1.6-oz. versions of the Mini Hoagie, Mini Bun and Mini Knot).

The company’s Bavarian fare would not be complete without authentic German

desserts: flaky, multilayered Apple and Apricot Strudels, featherlight Apple Rings and Original German Potato Pancakes, exclusive to them in the United States.

All specialties are fully baked in Munich and require no additional baking.

Just open, heat and enjoy.

For more information or to order online, visit www.wolfgangspretzels.com or call 209-295-4664.

Healthy Indian cuisine from Kohinoor Foods Eating a healthy diet is a way of living a healthy lifestyle, especially when customers can enjoy their favorite foods while still keeping their diet.

Kohinoor’s ‘India on Platter’ brings consumers selected Indian delicacies that preserve the authentic taste but also contribute to their health. Their foods are cooked in olive oil, for rich flavor with very low cholesterol content and negligible trans fat. The perfect blend of authentic taste and health, ‘India on Platter’ brings you a range of Ready to Eat Curries, Rice, Rice & Curry and Ready to Cook Sauces, Pastes & Chutneys, providing an excellent athome eating experience. This range is also 100 percent vegetarian.

In addition to their shelf stable products, Kohinoor combines convenience and taste in its frozen range, which includes Indian Breads, Snacks, Curries and Desserts. Specially selected from Indian culinary heritage, the range offers

Healthy Revamp Continued from PAGE 30 Meanwhile Hancock Gourmet Lobster has expanded its award-winning line with a new gluten-free version of its bestselling,

a flavor that’s truly Indian. With a freezer full of the highest quality, most nutritious authentic Indian foods, the range lets you choose from a wide variety.

Processed and packed with up-to-theminute technology, the range has its nutritive value and flavor intact for everyone to savor.

For information, call Kohinoor Foods at 732-868-4400, email info@ kohinoorfoods.com or visit www .kohinoorfoods.com.

not-for-kids Lobster Mac & Cheese. Macand-cheese as a whole is a popular heatand-serve item, upscaled with premium cheeses and made healthy with vegetables. In appetizers, Saffron Road has a new line that adds novel flavors and an appealing global flair to the typical menu.

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Start Healthy: Breakfast sandwiches done right Start Healthy brings the best of all-natural ingredients from the farm to families, so they can enjoy the wholesome and quality flavors of home! They are dedicated to developing healthy alternatives to the standard breakfast fare that saturates the fast food industry today, by using all-natural ingredients to keep Americans healthy. Their all-natural sandwiches contain only the highest quality ingredients, without additives and unnecessary fillers.

They recently introduced their Start Healthy Turkey Sausage and Provolone Cheese on Whole Grain Bagel, complementing their two other sandwiches:

Turkey Sausage, Egg and Cheese on Whole Grain English Muffin and Turkey Bacon, Egg and Cheese on Whole Grain English Muffin. To complement the heart healthy contributions of lean turkey proteins, their eggs are cholesterol free and their cheese is reduced fat.

Start Healthy is currently embarking upon new marketing campaigns to drive customers to your stores. Over the next six months they will do four segments on the Lifetime Channel’s Balancing Act, a morning program targeting Start Healthytype customers that reaches over two million viewers daily. Additionally, Start

Healthy will be attending and promoting their products at athletic events across the country. A joint marketing campaign with Tiger Rock Martial Arts will also reach thousands of consumers in markets served by those locations.

For information and to order, call 800-4560532 or visit www.starthealthyfoods.com.

MTR Foods: authentic and delicious Indian food for every kitchen A tradition that began in 1924 has transformed into an illustrious venture today.

A business that brings quality and authenticity in Indian cuisine, and that blends entrepreneurship with originality.

This is the rich legacy of MTR Foods.

Standing tall as an Indian heritage brand, MTR Foods has firmly consolidated its market leadership and is a household name in India.

The company’s vision is to be the indispensable companion in every kitchen, to help consumers create authentic and delicious Indian food, with the finest ingredients and the most authentic recipes.

The product range includes more than

40 varieties of ready to eat vegetarian curries, meals, soups, special spices, South Indian breakfast mixes, vermicelli, pickles, papads, dessert mixes, almond milk drinks and many more.

All products are imported by MTR’s exclusive national distributor, Amtrade Inc., NY, and are made available at Indian groceries and selected mainstream stores throughout the United States.

For information or to bring MTR Foods to your store, please call Amtrade Inc. at 212-725-0679, email tejensen@aol.com or visit www.amtradefood.com.

More Than Gourmet launches French sauce joint venture Ohio sauce and stock maker More Than Gourmet has completed a joint venture with Christian Potier-SA, based in Monteux in Southern France. Christian Potier produces authentic, classic French sauces in heat-and-serve portion packs that have been critically acclaimed in Europe.

More Than Gourmet is the exclusive U.S.importer for this full line of sauces, which currently includes seven: Sauce Hollandaise, Béarnaise, Roquefort, Dijon Mustard Wine Sauce, Mushroom, Lemon Dill, and Red Wine Shallot. The company presented the line to retailers at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington DC.

“Our consumer research points to a high demand for what we call ‘culinary convenience’,” explained Bill Finnegan, President of More Than Gourmet. “An authentic, clean label sauce, gluten-free, and ready to serve in less than 15 seconds. With the Potier products, we’ve achieved our objective to provide consumers with a terrific sauce that requires virtually no time to prepare.”

Each box contains

three pouches, with 12 pouches per case; shipper becomes merchandising tray.

For more information, contact Bill Finnegan, President, at info@morethan gourmet.com or 330-762-6652.

Hancock's award-winning Lobster Mac & Cheese goes gluten free Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company is especially excited about the gluten free version of their signature Lobster Mac and Cheese. The new product matches the quality and taste of the original, a two-time sofi Gold award winner and a 2010 Throwdown winner against Bobby Flay. The product is made with Ancient Harvest quinoa pasta and Maine lobster, smothered in a mascarpone-cheddar sauce made with gluten free flour. It's all topped with a crunchy mix of Aleia’s breadcrumbs (made from corn and rice) mixed with Romano cheese. The texture and taste are very similar to the original.

It is shipped frozen and packed in individual 9 ounce portions.

For information, contact them at 800-552-0142 or e-mail cal@Hancock GourmetLobster.com.

Ramar Foods Considered the national dish of the Philippines, our Kusina ni Maria (Maria's Kitchen) Chicken Adobo is a traditional recipe featuring all natural chicken cooked in vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce. Serve over white rice, brown rice or quinoa. Ready in 5 minutes, gluten free, with an SRP of $5.99.

For wholesale information, please contact Tom Chisari, National Sales Manager, via tomc@ramarfoods.com, 805-660-6162 or visit us at www.ramarfoods.com/kusina.

DALLAS MARKETPLACE

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Dallas Marketplace Retailers Welcome Corn-n-Tater® Microware Cooking Bag

Anne Koplik Designs: Handmade in the USA Anne Di Franco, Founder and President of Anne Koplik Designs, brought three new lines and her popular existing range to this year’s Total Home & Gift Market. She sat down with Gourmet News to tell us what’s hot—and cool—in costume jewelry.

GN: Can you tell us a bit about the new lines for fall/winter2012?

AD: We are showcasing several new collections this season: a selection of long metal chains designed to be layered; next, a group of unadorned beaded necklaces and with complementary earrings which can be worn for everyday; also, a small group of limited-edition necklaces, earrings, pins and rings with vintage stones, sourced from the 1920s thru the 1960s. The stones used in the vintage collection are not replicas, they are the real thing.

I think the unadorned necklaces and earrings are going to be really hot this season.

They are wearable for every day, you can

throw them on for yoga and the supermarket, or when you dress up to go out to dinner. All pieces are available in silver or gold finish, with and without glass beads. I am very excited about this new look!

GN: What larger trends do you see in the jewelry and gift industry?

AD: I see costume jewelry looking classic, reverting from using unusual fabrics and other bizarre materials in big, complicated pieces. The trend is returning to traditional metals and stones, which provide the appearance of being designed and made by an experienced professional. Metal is favorable because there is a utility. It is easy to Continued on Page 34

Steve Spatz, CEO, of Homecooked Shortcuts sat down with us to talk about the Cornn-Tater® Microwave Cooking Bag. GN: Tell us about the Corn-n-Tater Microwave Cooking Bag. SS: Crafters and home makers have been making potato bags for years. What we’ve done is some exhaustive laboratory testing and we discovered the exact blend of materials that retain the maximum amount of food’s natural nutrients during the cooking process––even better than on the stove-top or oven, and definitely with less energy consumption.

GN: How is that?

SS: How long you cook food significantly determines the food’s nutritional value.

Foods cooked in the microwave, using The Corn-n-Tater bag, retain the maximum amount of their nutritional value.

It’s reusable, which makes it a green

product, it’s also BPA-free, making it safer than using plastics in a microwave.

GN: How did you get started in this business?

SS: My wife Suzy, the President of Homecooked Shortcuts, Inc., had been making potato bags for years. When she decided to start a business, together we evolved the product and started selling it. We started the business from our home in Wichita, Kansas, and now we’ve recently located to a 3,500 square-foot facility. The business has 12 employees. We’ve polished our packaging, created a cookbook included with the bag and completed our research and testing of our materials. The current materials are custom-made for us (in the Continued on Page 34

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GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

Anne Koplik Designs (Con’t. from p. 33)

quality manufacturing in this country.

maintain. Moreover, of course, it shines!

Especially these days, when you need a lift a little ‘bling’ goes a long way. It turns out that ‘what’s new’ isn’t so new after all!

Our friends in the business should also check out our new website. We created the e-commerce site for both retail and wholesale customers. It’s very user friendly, with more than 1,600 items which you can browse and shop 24/7, and order wholesale directly. There is also a monthly coupon to check out. We are also very active in social media, like Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, to engage the fashionable customer.

GN: What else Designs apart?

sets

Anne

Koplik

AD: Our jewelry is completely handmade in the USA; designed, manufactured and distributed in Brewster, N.Y. We exclusively use Swarovski Elements for our crystal and pearls. In addition, it is a family-owned, female operated business: successful for more than 30 years.

I have kept it onshore because I believe in supporting American workers and

See the full range from Anne Koplik Designs at www.annekoplik.com. For information, please call 800-542-3134, e-mail info@ annekoplik.com or visit them on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

USA). The Corn-n-Tater has been a big seller at regional markets, and a major retailer has picked up the product, to reach their shelves early next year.

baby food. You can actually hold a crying baby in one arm and make cooked carrots for the baby with the other––as long as you have the Corn-n-Tater bag to help.

No risk of burning the baby on the stovetop or getting splattered by boiling water.

GN: It sounds like the product is really taking off in the market. Why do you think that is?

GN: Is the Corn-n-Tater Microwave Cooking Bag your only product, or do you have others on the market?

SS: Well, I think it has something to do with the ease of use along with its versatility, NO cleanup, and most of all, how great food tastes when it’s cooked in the bag. Moms have really picked up on the product because it makes great natural

SS: Other products are in the planning stages, and we’re excited about launching them.

Homecooked Shortcuts (Con’t. from p. 33)

For more information, www.homecookedshortcuts.com.

TRAVELER ZITA BY FINUM A double-wall tumbler for cold and hot drinks. It includes the world-wide patented Tea Control™ Kit (as well as further pending patents), avoiding the weak tea of over packaged tea bags. By simply screwing the lid on the tumbler the tea is trapped, thereby containing the brewing of the tea and keeping taste uncompromised. TRAVELER ZITA™’s exceptional and appealing look is largely owed to its lid, which resembles a tea cup. This durable and elegant tumbler is made from BPA-free Tritan™ (FDA approved material). Its brand new Corkmec™ closes the spout with a silicone cork. As a result, tea leaves can be re-brewed just by adding hot water! Delicious tea is now made to everyone’s personal taste and the waste of over packaged tea bags is avoided. Finum by Riensch & Held.

For wholesale orders contact Ms. Paola Pollmeier, +49-40-734-240-183 or visit www.finum.com.

ZOKU INTRODUCES CHOCOLATE STATION Following up on the bestselling Quick Pop Maker, Zoku’s Chocolate Station lets home cooks easily add chocolate shells and sprinkles to create chocolate gourmet pops. Designed specifically to work with the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, the Chocolate Station allows you to dip and drizzle chocolate without mess. Use the dipping cavity to evenly coat the pops with chocolate, the Drizzle Spoon to create fun designs and patterns and the provided Sprinkle Trays to top pops with sprinkles and nuts. With an SRP of $19.95, the Chocolate Station is available now at Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table and at www.zokuhome.com. Includes: 1 Chocolate Station, 1 Drizzle Spoon, 2 Sprinkle Trays, a Cover to store unused chocolate and a recipe booklet for pop bases and chocolate shells.

Contact Zoku for wholesale, sales@zokuhome .com or visit www.zokuhome.com

visit

GOURMAC Gourmac’s new Snack Attack line is all about a healthy lifestyle. The new Apples & Dip To-Go, Carrots & Dip To-Go and Celery & Dip To-Go take healthful snacking to a whole new level. Each looks just like its namesake, while incorporating a container for cut apples or baby carrots and a sealable container for a favorite coordinating dipping sauce. Nutritious snacking is a lot more fun when you can easily combine apples and peanut butter, or carrots and hummus. The combinations are endless! Grapes To-Go is a similar container to protect your grapes and keep them fresh for snacking, while Kiwi To-Go lets you transport, slice and eat a kiwi. It even includes a spoon. Perfect for school, office and road trips, Snack Attack cuts down on packaging waste and are dishwasher safe, BPAfree and lead-free. MSRP: $6.00 each.

Contact Gourmac, the gourmet division of Hutzler Manufacturing Company for more information at info@hutzlerco.com, call 800-243-7700 or visit www.hutzlerco.com.

MEASURYOSHKA Add a touch of culture to the kitchen space with Measuryoshka. This is true kitchen “eye candy” that adds vibrant color and fun––no need to hide it in a cluttered drawer. Traditional, hand-painted designs in four color variations. Packaged in a beautiful gift box, it is the perfect gift even for the cook that has everything. SRP $34.99, available at www.ekitchenista.com.

Contact Olesea Svet for additional inquiries at 305-400-4992, ext. 1007.

MICRO-GREENS GROW BOX™ The perfect gift for urban food lovers: a complete windowsill garden to grow fresh, intensely flavored greens year-round, in seven to ten days. Picked fresh from the grow box™, these intensely flavored micro-greens offer an inspired addition to sandwiches, soups, salads, hors d’oeuvres, sushi, pastas, rice blends or couscous. It is available in two varieties: ‘Veggie’ includes seed for three traditional flavors (pea, carrot and cabbage), while ‘Spice’ focuses on traditional Japanese flavors (mibuna mustard, shungiku chrysanthemum and diakon radish).

The package includes powder-coated recycled U.S. steel grow box (18 inches long), hand-coiled bamboo lid (inverts for saucer), three seed varieties (enough for at least two crops), soil and directions for planting, growing and harvest. Replant kits are available separately.

Wholesale price is $20 per casepack of three grow boxes; replant kits $4.00 per casepack of six. All products are handmade in the U.S. Contact Ann Killen for more information at 800-505-7496 or via www.pottingshedcreations.com.

BUYERS GUIDE

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

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BUYERS GUIDE SWEETENERS 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.

PowderPure

PowderPure’s living powders retain the real color, full flavor and 100 percent nutrition of organic fruits and vegetables. Their pioneering technology removes water molecules without disturbing the enzymes, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins or minerals, enabling them to offer the highest quality nutrition at competitive pricing. Whether you are looking for products to add to your company’s portfolio or wanting to enhance your existing offerings, their 35 powders can be customized for multiple applications, including nutraceutical, food, beverage, flavor and color powders. Let them assist you in creating a unique product, tailored to your market niche.

PowderPure 801-854-9399 www.powderpure.com

Eden Barley Malt

EDEN Barley Malt Syrup is crafted from two ingredients: U.S.A. organic whole grain malting barley and pure water. It uses only enzymes, created as the grain sprouts, to convert starch to healthy sweet sugars that slowly metabolize and do not stress us, as do refined sugars. Artisan maltsters finesse this creation using simple methods and three undeclared ingredients: skill, patience and practice. Its enticing mild caramel flavor and malty fragrance adds complexity to breads, baked goods, glazes, sauces, cereals and home brews. A non-diastatic sweetener. 76 percent maltose. No additives or preservatives and K pareve.

SRP: $6.55 (20 oz.)

No. of sweeteners offered: 2 Eden Foods 800-248-0320 www.edenfoods.com

Hey Shuga!

Hey Shuga! (12 fl. oz.) and Lil’ Shuga! (8.5 fl. oz.) are two new sweeteners that are 100 percent USDA organic, vegan, kosher and are gluten-, GMO- and preservative-free. Hey Shuga! is pure sugar cane syrup, while Lil’ Shuga! is a lowcalorie blend of cane sugar and Stevia. Both pour more easily than honey and are wonderful for baking, as condiments and effortlessly blend into hot and cold beverages—a versatile, shelf-stable addition to anyone’s pantry in attractive glass bottles. The pure sugar cane becomes liquid via a natural enzymatic process that mimics the way bees make honey.

SRP: $7.99 (Hey Shuga!) / $9.99 (Lil’ Shuga!)

No. of sweeteners offered: 2 Caribbean Liquid Sugar 585-545-6300 www.heyshuga.com

Madhava Organic Blonde Coconut Sugar

Since 1973, Madhava Natural Sweeteners has been providing pure natural products that offer healthier alternatives to highly processed sugars and artificial sweeteners. Madhava’s delicious, sustainable products include Pure Honey, Organic Agave Nectar and its new Organic Coconut Sugar. Madhava Organic Coconut sugar is available in two flavors: Original, with a caramelized maple flavor ideal for replacing brown sugar in recipes; and Blonde, an easy substitute for granulated white sugar. It is available in 1 pound bags, 5 oz. shakers, and 4 gram single-serve packets, perfect for adding to beverages, for baking or mixing into yogurt and smoothies.

SRP: $4.39 No. of sweeteners offered: 3 (Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Agave and 100% Pure Honey) Madhava Natural Sweeteners 800-530-2900 www.madhavasweeteners.com

Navitas Naturals Coconut Palm Sugar

Tropically sweet Navitas Naturals Coconut Palm Sugar has a sweet caramel-like flavor, and is a 1:1 replacement for cane sugar. It’s naturally low on the glycemic index, and contains amino acids, minerals and B vitamins. This organic, golden brown sugar from Indonesia is sustainably harvested from the nectar of coconut flowers. Like all the products offered by Navitas Naturals, Coconut Palm Sugar is certified organic.

SRP: $5.99 for each 16-oz., re-sealable pouch (made from recyclable #4 plastic).

No. of sweeteners offered: 3 Navitas Naturals 888-645-4282 www.navitasnaturals.com

SugarLeaf

SugarLeaf™ from Wisdom Natural Brands® is an all-new, 100 percent natural low-calorie sweetener great for baking and cooking, aimed at meeting the demands of increasingly health-conscious consumers who want to reduce sugar in their food and beverages without sacrificing taste or texture. Made by bonding SweetLeaf Stevia® and raw cane sugar, SugarLeaf offers the sweet taste and browning and bulking qualities of sugar, but has two-thirds fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar. SugarLeaf uses a water-only extraction process with no other ingredients added. It’s free of erythritol, chemicals, genetically modified organisms or other sugar alcohols and maltodextrin.

SRP: $8.99 No. of sweeteners offered: 3 SweetLeaf Stevia 480-921-1373 or 800-899-9908 www.sweetleaf.com

Sohgave! Blue Agave Nectar

There are more than 168 varieties of agave in the world, but only one Blue Werber agave and only one Sohgave. Approximately 30 percent sweeter than sugar, it is a pure, unrefined and economical alternative. Sohgave is the low glycemic agave––tested at 17 in glycemic index labs in Toronto; trustowrthy, being certified USDA Organic and Kosher; trendy in its BPA free bottle; and tasted and trusted, endorsed by Chef Ania Catalano, author of “Baking with Agave Nectar.”

Please see their website for a full line of flavors and sizes.

SRP: $4.69-$5.89 per 17-oz. bottle No. of sweeteners offered: 5 syrups, in a variety of sizes (17 oz., 23 oz., 46 oz., 3 gallon and bar mix) Sohgave LLC 480-246-2796 / Lynn Snyder (Sohgave) on Facebook www.sohgave.com

36

MARKETWATCH

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

MARKETWATCH GRASSFED

BEEF

Grassfed beef grows greener Grassfed beef is growing in acceptance, expanding the taste profile of premium meat Lower in fat and higher in omega 3 and other nutrients, grassfed beef is not only healthier than its conventional counterpart, but also benefits from the interest in animal welfare and antibiotic-free meat.

“We can barely keep it in stock,” says Justin Marx, whose family’s company Marx Foods imports and distributes Silver Fern, a line of grassfed beef from New Zealand.

“We’re seeing it on every level—restaurants, consumers, distributors. Everyone’s clamoring for product.”

Earlier in the year, leading food trendwatchers Hartman Research picked grassfed as one of the top trends for 2012. Proteinheavy diets like paleo are trendy, while “flexitarians” are eating less meat but demanding higher quality. Mike Myers, meat buyer at independent natural retailer Berkeley Bowl, cited Michael Pollan’s book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” as a driver for interest at his store. Others mention e-coli and

pink slime, which made consumers acutely concerned about their meat’s origin.

While grassfed beef enjoys an ethical halo, labeling and terminology vary between brands, and retailers should be aware of the differences. In its Guide to Meat Terminology, the American Grassfed Association points out that “Grassfed is a USDA term that means the animal has been fed nothing but grass from weaning to harvest.

[This] doesn’t guarantee that the animal wasn’t given antibiotics or hormones, [or that] the animal was raised without some confinement. Meat labeled grassfed may be imported. This term has legal standing.”

The guide goes on to note that “organic” does not equal grassfed, while “natural” refers to processing and artificial colors, not how an animal was raised.

Fortunately, even with the confusion there is plenty of business.

“In the past, grassfed was what you imported cheap, then cut in-store so it could be sold as U.S. beef,” says Marx Foods’ Frank Marx, a meat industry veteran. In contrast, many of today’s producers also export to the European Union, which has significantly stricter rules for documentation, traceability and animal welfare. As a result,

they are automatically well above U.S. certification standards.

But ultimately, it is about taste.

“People are shocked at how good it is, how flavorful. They want more. Yet it’s light. When you eat a grassfed burger, there’s no weight in your chest; you can eat a 16-ounce steak without having to take a nap afterward,” says Frank Marx.

Grassfed beef also has a nostalgic taste for older consumers, who remember the flavor of beef from their childhoods, before grain-feeding became standard in the 1950s and ’60s. Bill Reed, who grassfeeds cattle in Uruguay for his label Estancia, says he often hears from European and Latin American consumers that “it tastes like the meat back home.”

“I have a lot of positive response. Customers find it tender and flavorful, because there’s no starchy taste from corn,” said a senior meat buyer from an regional chain in the Southwest.

TALLGRASS BEEF

Premier Proteins provides the very best American Kobe Beef, Japanese Kobe Beef, 100 percent Berkshire Pork, American Grass-Fed beef and Australian Grass-Fed beef. Both beef and pork are naturally raised, 100 percent with no added hormones or antibiotics.

Our grass-fed beef comes from cattle that roam their entire lives on open pasture in California and Missouri, eating only fresh grasses and plants, no animal by-products or grain-based feeds. The ranches make a full commitment to sustainable farming practices and land management. This results in beef that is lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than grain-fed beef.

Premier Proteins is a family-owned business that services retail and distribution markets of specialty meat throughout the U.S. and the world. They provide refrigerated LTL service for pallet quantities, plus a UPS container program offering overnight and two-day shipping for quick needs. Their patented bag allows UPS ground or three-day select for most areas of the U.S. They are based in Kansas City, Mo.

By Bill Kurtis, Founder Tallgrass Beef arrived in Chicago six years ago, as a new beef product that most people hadn’t tasted before. It was grass-fed and grass-finished.

In fact, grass-fed beef was hardly new. Cattle evolved in pastures eating only grass and forage, and they still do in most countries of the world.

But sixty-some years ago, when corn became king in America, we started raising cattle on grain in giant feedlots. We could fatten cattle much faster and cheaper, and supply a growing demand for hamburgers and steaks. But we didn’t know that we were losing. The starch in corn replaced the high nutritional content of grasses.

Today, our customers are discovering beef all over again in the robust, original taste of Tallgrass beef. It has significantly higher levels of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. The British Journal of Nutrition, published by Cambridge University, believes that grass-fed beef will be more important in delivering Omega-3 than fish because we eat more beef than fish. Grass-fed beef is also lower in calories, cholesterol and saturated fat than a comparable cut of corn-fed beef.

From the days of the Chicago stockyards receiving cattle from the great grass pastures of the Great Plains, Tallgrass Beef thanks you for your welcome home!

Contact Premier Proteins via 816-628-0078, info@premiereproteins.com or www.premier proteins.com.

For more information, call 312-846-1361, email bkurtis@tallgrassbeef.com or dstewart@tall grassbeef.com, or visit www.tallgrassbeef.com.

PREMIER PROTEINS

The same buyer notes that compared to the uniform taste of grain-fed cattle, grassfed beef incorporates some of the same “terroir” concept as wine and cheese, in which place of origin and diet – including alfalfa and a rotating diet of local foraged grass – influences the taste.

The wine comparison is also used by Estancia’s Bill Reed, in relation to customer expectations. Grassfed’s lean texture and strong grassy taste (some compare it to venison) can surprise those who pay a premium expecting buttery, grain-fed USDA Prime.

“But you don’t expect pinot to taste like cabernet,” Reed says. “I think we’re beginning to see that you can have a range of options for beef, with Kobe and Wagyu on one end and grassfed on the other.”

Grassfed’s cache and taste have landed it in high-end restaurants and cruises, while its health benefits draw high-end spas like Estancia client Miraval.

The meat’s leanness leads to differences in cooking and grilling time. Cooked like a standard steak, grassfeed beef would be dry and tough, which put off many consumers when it first hit the market years ago.

But that was then. Now, consumers request it specifically, while signage and instore demos educate customers on cooking.

The right demographic at your retailer is key, according to Dan Stewart of Tallgrass Beef.

“We’re starting to see a trend. Grassfed appeals to a younger group than the hardcore beef people. They’re younger, aged 26-45; they read labels for nutritional benefits and environmental impact before they buy. Then there’s a group that’s about 55-60, who buy it for their health. It’s a crossover consumer, and that’s a pool that’s growing.”

Stewart cites Kroger as one retailer doing an outstanding job with affluent areas in the Southwest; Bill Reed also reports similar success in the region.

“People on low fat diets ask for it because it’s leaner. Then there are those avoiding chemicals and processed foods, who want hypoallergenics and have kids with sensitivities,” said the regional chain’s buyer. “We’re here to supply consumers with what they want, and right now they want grassfed beef.” GN

Bay Beyond Inc./Blue Crab Bay Co. 800-221-2722 www.baybeyond.net

Aloha Shoyu 808-456-4519 www.alohashoyu.com

Brands of Britain, LLC 800-646-6974 www.brandsoritain.com

American Vintage is thrilled to present our NEW BEER BISCUITS, handmade with real American beer. 3 FLAVORS: Smoky Chipotle, Lime & Beer – Mild; Smoky Chipotle, Lime & Beer – Hot Hot Hot; and Pizza & Beer. No preservatives, no cholesterol and no trans fat. Free consumer samples are included with each retailer’s order.

American Vintage Wine Biscuits are cracker snacks made with wine and pepper. The striking flavor combinations and eye-catching artwork of framed grapes create customer interest and add rich color to any counter display or gift basket. Contains no preservatives or cholesterol.

Baking a homemade pie is as easy as … pie! Using the best all natural ingredients and the sweetest fruits, we create our newest pie fillings; Blueberry, loaded with sweet wild Maine blueberries and Mixed Berry, filled with strawberries, cherries, blueberries and red raspberries.

American Vintage 718-361-1003 www.americanvintage.com

American Vintage Wine Biscuits 718-361-1003 www.americanvintage.com

Stonewall Kitchen 888.326.5678 www.stonewallkitchen.com

Mix, Bake and Enjoy! e D.I.Y Granola kit includes all the necessities to create a tasty batch of homemade granola. e gi ready presentation with its pre-measured ingredients combined makes 12 servings of zesty dried fruit and natural oat granola. Great for all ages, seasons and occasions—2012 sofi™ Awards Outstanding Food Gi Finalist.

Fresh new look. Same great oil.

Since 1986, Boyajian, Inc., has been infusing oil with fresh herbs and spices. Today the oil is still handcrafted in small batches and always all-natural.

Robert Rothschild Farm launched five incredible spreads—two completely new spreads that will really excite your palate and three top selling current spreads that they have reformulated and perfected. ese all natural, gluten free and kosher spreads offer incredible taste and convenience to enhance any dish.

Arnabal International, Inc. 949.861.8820 www.arnabal.com

Boyajian, Inc. 800-965-0665 www.boyajianinc.com

Robert Rothschild Farm 800-356-8933 www.robertrothschild.com

Our individually wrapped TruffleCreme® chocolates are made with an all-natural truffle ganache, and enrobed in selected blends of cacao.

The TruffleCremes were created by Master Chocolatier, Dana Taylor Davenport, who was inspired by recipes from his great uncle, Julius Franzen, a royally appointed Master Confectioner to the crowned heads of Europe. TruffleCremes are available in six flavors.

Greek For the Very Best! Come try our Award Winning EVOOs & Balsamic Vinegars! Ariston’s Select EVOO just won Attendees’ Most Favourite Olive Oil at the SIAL CANADA’s OLIVE D’OR COMPETITION in Montreal & Silver in the International EVOO Competition in LA! Visit us at Atlanta’s AmericasMart July 11-19 Delectable Samplings Showcase Room, 8th Floor West Wing.

What do you get when you add sprouted ingredients to a tortilla chip? A Way Better Snack! Simply Sunny Multi-Grain, Unbeatable Blues, Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Sweet Chili and No Salt. * Certified Gluten Free * Non GMO * Vegan * Certified Kosher * Whole Grains * Low Sodium * No Trans Fats, Artificial Colors, Flavors, Preservatives

Ariston Specialties LLC 860-224-7184 www.aristonoliveoil.com

Way Better Snacks 631-761-6950 www.gowaybetter.com

800-800-9490

Dilettante www.dilettante.com

A Special Advertising Section

Eat Natural offers all-natural, healthy snack bars full of whole nuts and dried fruit. Using simple recipes and produced in small batches so the true taste of each ingredient stands out.

GOURMET MARKETPLACE

Aloha Shoyu’s soy sauce in 6-24 oz. bottles are great for trial sizes, gift baskets and tabletop or prepared foods use. Three flavors: the sweet, subtle Regular, which built our company and our customers still ask for; Lower Sodium with a softer taste; and Aloha Gold, for bold flavor with low sodium and no MSG.

A Special Advertising Section

Blue Crab Bay Co.’s best-selling Sea Salt Nuts® are now kosher-certified. Stay tuned, retailers: More nuts are in the designation process!

GOURMET MARKETPLACE A Special Advertising Section

Sierra Soups are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free mixes, complete with vegetables and spices in every package. ese treasured recipes are hearty and large enough to serve a whole family as a complete meal and still have leovers. e most difficult step is to sauté an onion, and sometimes not even that.

Vanilla (beans, extracts, sugars and ground vanilla beans), flavors and extracts in classic and exotic flavors, herbs and spices. All natural and kosher, with a customer satisfaction rate close to 100 percent!

Gourmet Sea Salt Collections. Unique sampler sets of 5, 6 or 11 Pyrex test tubes with natural cork stopper, each filled with an exotic sea salf from around the world. Attractively displayed in American-made, hand-craed wooded base constructed from recycled lumber.

Suggested retail: $24.95 to $ 59.95.

Sierra Soups, Inc. 800-397-6887 www.sierrasoups.com

Bakto Flavors, LLC 732-626-5677 www.baktoflavors.com

e Spice Lab sales@thespicelab.com 954-275-4478

Beano’s Deli Condiments is the number one selling brand nationally. Our products come in a wide variety of unique flavors that are specifically created to enhance the flavor of food. Whether used as a sandwich condiment, a dip, or a marinade Beano’s always makes it better!

Sticky Finger Bakeries Scone mixes let customers experience a classic treat that is always guaranteed to come out tasting great! Our fresh, all-natural scone mixes enables you to treat your customers to gourmet flavors through the most convenient method available. And now Sticky Fingers is introducing two new flavors, Strawberry and Raspberry White Chocolate.

Conroy Foods, Inc. 800-317-8316 www.conroyfoods.com

Sticky Fingers Bakeries 800-458-5826 www.stickyfingersbakeries.com

Caribbean Dreams herbal teas are a favorite form of hot beverage for Caribbean people and Caribbean Dreams produces a wide range of unique blends. e company, based in Jamaica, sells almost one half of its products to other Caribbean markets as well as North America.

Velvety So cracker bread for foolproof sandwiches and wraps, its thin texture and flavor complement any filling. Unlike tortillas or other flatbreads the Hye Roller will not split, crack or turn soggy. Natural ingredients, unbleached flours no transfats or preservatives. Will hold 48 to 72 hours before serving. White, Wheat and Pesto for foodservice.

New from Fire Dancer — Seasoning & Rub! You love our International Award Winning Nuts, now try our spices. Flavor in first bite.

Sweet Heat and great taste are the core of our secret recipe. Spice up meats, veggies and even popcorn! All Natural & Gluten Free.

Please come visit us at Booth 5026 in D.C.

Jamaican Teas Limited 876-928-5863 www.jamaicanteas.com

Hye Quality Bakery, Inc. Since 1957 877-445-1778 www.hyequalitybakery.com

Ford’s Gourmet Foods 919-833-7647 www.BoneSuckin.com

#1 BBQ Sauce – 1st Place Winner Battle of Sauces & Best in Sales #1 Newsweek Magazine! A+ Health Magazine. Western North Carolina tomato based sauce sweetened with honey & molasses.

Best seller in specialty stores, health food stores, grocery stores & restaurants. All Natural, Gluten Free & Certified Kosher.

Please come visit us at Booth 5026 in D.C.

Ford’s Gourmet Foods 919-833-7647 www.BoneSuckin.com

A Special Advertising Section

HOME PAGES

A Special Advertising Section

www.herbspicetea.com

www.rubschlagerbaking.com

www.klondikecheese.com

San Francisco Herb & Natural Food Co. offers more than 1,000 culinary herbs and spices, botanicals, essential oils and more, in single herb and custom blends.

Best-known for their cocktail breads, now available in four varieties, Rubschlager also produces a quality line of European-style breads in styles known as “Squares” and “Rye-Olas.”

e Klondike Cheese Factory has a tremendous dedication to the art of cheesemaking.

High quality Feta, pre-cubed in brine in its Odyssey line, is now available..

SMORGASBORD

GOURMET NEWS JULY 2012 www.gourmetnews.com

39

SMORGASBORD ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER Candies** Aloha Shoyu Abdallah Vintage Wine Biscuits American Aloha Shoyu Anne Koplik Designs Amella Sapori Antichi Vintage Wine Biscuits American Arnabal International* Arnabal International Ariston AshmanSpecialties Manufacturing* Bakto Flavors Bakery on Main Bay Beyond Bakto Flavors Bemka Bear Foods* Boyajian Bellindora Vinegars* Brands of Britain Bemka Conroy Foods Boyajian* EU 5 Brands Britain Food forofHealth Saucier*Foods Carolyn Ford’s Gourmet Conroy Foods*Shortcuts Homecooked Hye Quality Bakery CookieZen Jamaican Crunchies Tea Co. Coffee Marley Fair Harvest Gourmet Mediterranean Fine Italian Food* Resources Int’l.

Pacific Ford’s Foods Creek Rabbit Formaggio Robert Rothschild Farms The French Farm* Rubschlager Gourmet du Village* San Francisco Herb Grapevine Trading* Seattle Gourmet Grand-Place U.S. Sierra Soups Hammonds Candies** The Spice Lab Fresh Harvest Sticky Fingers Farm* Bakery Bakery Hye Quality Stonewall Kitchen The Invisible Tallgrass BeefChef Java Viola Frost Imports Wabash Valley Farms Jelly Belly Way Better Snacks Kidsmania**

PAGE WEBSITE

CALENDAR

PHONE 808-682-2820 800-348-7328 718-361-1003 808-682-2820 800-542-3134 800-205-0080 201-438-7100 718-361-1003 949-861-8820 949-861-8820 860-224-7184 800-641-9924 732-626-5677 860-895-6619 757-787-3602 732-626-5677 954-462-0533 206-281-7777 800-965-0685 209-334-5544 800-646-6974 954-462-0533 800-317-8316 800-965-0685 800-646-6974 801-854-9399 510-336-9403 919-833-7647 800-317-8316 866-844-7070 877-445-1778 888-499-3677 876-928-5863 888-997-1866 543-841-5783 888-543-4738 703-880-4236 630-904-0002 805-684-0624 919-833-7647 800-837-3073 845-436-7464 800-356-8933 713-660-0577 773-826-1245 800-668-2314 800-227-2830 800-469-6478 800-800-9706 508-529-6044 800-397-6887 888-226-3999 954-275-4478 870-251-1060 800-458-5826 877-445-1778 888-326-5678 800-456-7115 312-846-1361 800-676-3661 847-690-0798 877-888-7077 800-323-9380 631-761-6950 562-946-8802 800-935-2792 203-701-0983 800-JAVA-123 543-841-5783 860-895-6619 703-880-4236 876-926-6449 509-727-8221 510-336-9403 209-862-3033 888-499-3677 805-684-0624 630-904-0002 800-831-1828 800-668-2314 516-801-6488 800-709-4722 877-664-1500 800-456-7115 800-225-7553 800-284-2278 800-837-3073 800-676-3661 800-356-8933 888-233-1072 800-831-1828 207-828-2000 908-580-9100 800-227-2830 580-536-1300 800-773-7378 516-803-4688 800-800-9706 877-664-1500 570-524-4361 800-873-3073 800-397-6887 650-616-7777 650-616-7777 800-397-6887 954-275-4478 503-736-0198 800-458-5826 877-486-7884 888-326-5678 800-583-1693 503-736-0198 800-485-5217 877-486-7884 855-OILSPRAY 800-583-1693 888-427-3235 888-688-4781 847-690-0798 212-725-0679 631-761-6950 209-295-4664 866-871-7208 732-868-4400 888-427-3235 800-359-7873 800-456-0532

Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 1052-4630) is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520-7211300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2012 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.

July 11-18

August 19-22

Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market

The Gourmet Housewares Show at NYIGF

Atlanta, GA, www.americasmart.com

www.nyigf.com

August 1-4

Sept. 19-22

American Cheese Society Conference

Natural Products Expo East

Raleigh, NC, www.cheesesociety.org

Baltimore, MD, www.expoeast.com

August 12-15

Sept. 19-21

Toronto Gift Show - Fall

Expoalimentaria Peru

Toronto, www.cgta.org

Peru, www.expoalimentariaperu.com

HARD FACTS 230 $19.5 billion

Number of Target stores to be remodelled toEstimated include 10,000 value square feet of fresh for chocolate sold foodatthroughout 2012; retail in the national total will be US market in 2011 Source: Packaged over 1,100.Facts

86% 292,048 150,000 20% Percentage Pounds of leftover of U.S. seafood food donated to the consumption Capital Food Bank that is imported by exhibitors at theSource: Summer Fancy National Oceanic & Atmospheric Food Show Administration Source: NASFT

Percentage Estimated no. of of U.S. seafood U.S. consumers consumption projected to own that is imported tablets by yearend

Source: eMarketer Source: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Source: Target

PEOPLE WATCH Whole Foods names regional Presidents Scott Allshouse, Omar Gaye and Rob Twyman Whole Foods Market©, the world's leading organic and natural foods supermarket, has named Scott Allshouse, Omar Gaye and Rob Twyman as Regional Presidents following the promotion of David Lannon and Kenneth Meyer to Executive Vice Presidents of Operations. Allshouse fills Meyer’s former role as President of the company’s Mid-Atlantic Region. He moves from his position as President of the South Region.

Allshouse began his career with Whole Foods Market as a store Team Leader in Marlton, N.J. He later served as Director of Operations for the Mid-Atlantic Region, then as Vice President of the South Region, and in 2004, he was named the South Region’s President.

Gaye takes the South Region President position vacated by Allshouse, moving from his position as the South Region’s Vice President. He started his career with the company in 1992 as a Dishwasher and Sandwich Maker at a Fresh Fields (now Whole Foods Market) store in Tyson's Corner, Va. Since then, Gaye has progressed from buyer to Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region, then Vice President of the South Region.

Twyman is now President of Whole Foods

Market’s Northern California Region. He fills David Lannon’s former role and moves from his position as Vice President of the Northeast Region. Twyman began his career in the natural foods business in 1983, working at a Bread & Circus (now Whole Foods Market) store in Wellesley, Mass., in a summer job. He joined Whole Foods Market full-time in 1993, after closing his own natural foods restaurant in San Francisco, and rose from the prepared foods team to store leadership, leading nine different stores in four different regions over a 12-year period.

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CLASSIFIEDS

37 2 www.alohashoyu.com www.abdallahcandies.com 37 www.americanvintage.com 22 www.alohashoyu.com 34 www.annekoplikdesigns.com 18 www.amellacaramels.com 6 antichisaporius@gmail.com 22 www.americanvintage.com 37 www.arnabal.com 5 www.arnabal.com 37 www.aristonspecialties.com 6 www.ashmanco.com 38 www.baktoflavors.com 20 www.bakeryonmain.com 37 www.baybeyond.net 22 www.baktoflavors.com 6 www.houseofcaviarandfinefoods.com 11 www.bearfoodsinternational.com 4, 37 www.boyajianinc.com 3 www.bellindora.com 37 www.brandsofbritain.com 8 www.houseofcaviarandfinefoods.com 38 www.conroyfoods.com 12 www.boyajianinc.com 40 www.legendsfromeurope.com 22 www.brandsofbritain.com 35 www.powderpure.com 5 www.carolynsaucier.com 38 www.boneskin.com 5 www.conroyfoods.com 33 www.homecookedshortcuts.com 38 www.hyequalitybakery.com 7 www.cookiesandcorks.com 38 www.jamaicantea.com 21 www.crunchiesfood.com 8 www.marleycoffee.com 20 www.fairharvestfoods.com 4 www.mediterraneangourmet.net 5 www.fineitalianfood.com 8 www.shoppri.com 22 www.fordsfoods.com 9 www.rabbitcreekgourmet.com 6 www.formaggio.com 37 www.robertrothschildfarms.com 10 www.thefrenchfarm.com 38 www.rubschlagerbaking.com 9 www.gourmetduvillage.com 38, 39 www.herbspicetea.com 7 www.grapevinetrading.com 37 www.seattlegourmetfoods.com 16 www.grandplacechocolate.com 38 www.sierrasoups.com 3 www.hammondscandies.com 38 www.thespicelab.com 3 www.harvestfreshfarm.com 38 www.stickyfingersbakeries.com 2 www.hyequalitybakery.com 2, 37 www.stonewallkitchen.com 7 www.theinvisiblechef.com 36 www.tallgrassbeef.com 4 www.javafrost.com 5 www.violaimports.com 7 www.wfarms.com 3 www.jellybelly.com 37 www.gowaybetter.com 4 www.candynovelties.com Low Country Produce* 7 www.lowcountryproduce.com Gift Baskets Mariah’s Chow Chow Relish* 10 www.mariahsrelish.net Aroma 17 www.aromaridge.com Marley Ridge Coffee 7, 22 www.marleycoffee.com Bakery on MainGourmet* 16 www.bakeryonmain.com Mediterranean 12 www.mediterraneangourmet.net Busha Browne 28 www.bushabrowne.com Middleton Organic Foods* 11 www.middletonorganics.com Carolyn Saucier 16 www.carolynsaucier.com Nunes Farms 20 www.nunesfarmswholesale.com CookieZen 18 www.cookiesandcorks.com Pacific Resources Int’l.

8 www.shoppri.com Fine Italian Food 19 www.fineitalianfood.com Peanut Shop of Williamsburg* 12 www.thepeanutshop.com Gourmet du Village 15 www.gourmetduvillage.com Po Valley Foods 2 www.povalleyfoods.com Hood River Cherry Co. 28 www.hoodrivercherryco.com Private SpringChef Waters 10 www.privatespringwater.com The Invisible 24 www.theinvisiblechef.com Queen Bee Gardens 17 www.queenbeegardens.com J&M Foods 23 www.jmfoods.com Rabbit Creek 9 www.rabbitcreekgourmet.com Java Frost 18 www.javafrost.com RobertBen’s Rothschild 24 www.robertrothschildfarms.com Papa KitchenFarms 22 www.papabenskitchen.com Peanut ShopCollection* of Williamsburg 20 www.thepeanutshop.com The Rogers 4 www.therogerscollection.com Peppadew 25 www.peppadewfresh.com San Francisco Herb 23 www.herbspicetea.com Pepper Creek Farms 17 www.peppercreekfarms.com Sarabeth’s Kitchen 5 www.sarabeth.com PO Valley Foods 17 www.povalleyfoods.com Seattle Gourmet 22 www.seattlegourmetfoods.com Private Spring Water 26 www.pswaters.com Sensational Sweets 17 www.sensationalsweets.com Rabbit CreekCo. 27 www.rabbitcreekgourmet.com Sierra Soup 7 www.sierrasoups.com SPI Westport 24 www.alodrink.com SPI Westport 20 www.alodrink.com Sierra Foods 38 www.sierrafoods.com The Spice Lab* 6 www.thespicelab.com Tao of Tea 18 www.taooftea.com Sticky Fingers Bakery 22 www.stickyfingersbakeries.com Tortuga Imports 27 www.tortugarumcakes.com Stonewall Kitchen* 12 www.stonewallkitchen.com Vanns 26 www.vannsspices.com Tao of Tea 10 www.taooftea.com Walker & Sons 21 www.slapyamama.com Tortuga Imports 8 www.tortugarumcakes.com Wild Forest/Mardona 15 www.truffleoilsandmore.com Vanns& Willow 8 www.vannsspices.com Wind 14 www.windandwillow.com Victorious Solutions* 4 www.VeriPeriUSA.com Viola Imports* 8 www.violaimports.com Heat & Serve Amtrade/MTR Foods 31 www.amtradefood.com Way Better Snacks 7, 22 www.gowaybetter.com APEX Imports-Wolfgang’s Pretzels 9 32 www.wolfgangspretzels.com Wild Forest* www.truffleoilsandmore.com Kohinoor 32 www.kohinoorfoods.com.

Wind & Willow 9 www.windandwillow.com Purely American 30 www.purelyamerican.com * Featured in Condiments supplement Start Healthy 31 section www.starthealthyfoods.com ** Featured in Sweets & Treats special