Gourmet News • July 2021 by OserCommunicationsGroup

FEATURED PRODUCT:

PHOTO FEATURE:

EDITOR’S PICK:

Urban Accents

Gourmet in a Flash

Zeno Functional Foods

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SEE PAGES 18 & 19

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T H E

VOLUME 86 • NUMBER 7 JULY 2021 • $7.00 • Gourmet Products Featured at Atlanta & Las Vegas Markets PAGE 8

• Laura’s Gourmet Granola Fall

B U S I N E S S

N E W S P A P E R

BY A.J. FLICK

A little girl’s surprising declaration led to an artistic mother’s creative obsession and along the way, the Phoenix, Arizona, family joined one of the hottest trends:

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• Specialty Food Sales Pass $170 Billion PAGE 10

• Old Salt Merchants Spice Kit Benefits No Kid Hungry PAGE 10

• Featured Products

• Gourmet in a Flash PAGES 18 & 19

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• Award-Winning Granola Maker Rebrands to Jamie’s Farm PAGE 22

• Ad Index PAGE 22

G O U R M E T

I N D U S T R Y

While the United States may seem like the land of plenty for adventurous foodies, there are limits to what some people are willing to eat. Neophobia, or the unwillingness to try foods outside of someone’s comfort zone, can be a serious condition that leads to dangerous afflictions. It’s common in children, often labeled as “picky eaters,” and even considered a phase of development, and

Grocery Shoppers Choose Healthier Home Meals

Adopting a plant-based diet. “My daughter was 5 years old and said, ‘I’m feeling sick every time I eat meat.’ We were meat eaters at the time,” Sandra Marshall recalls. “She said, and it was very heartfelt, ‘Mom, Dad, I cannot eat meat any more, nor will I eat meat.’ “Oh, my gosh, I never thought about it. I never thought you could survive without the meat and vegetables combination. I didn’t know about plant-based meats. I never thought about that lifestyle. I never looked into it, but the more I researched it, I said, ‘This is unbelievable.’ I became fascinated with it,” she says.

Motivated by her daughter’s demand for vegetable-forward meals, Marshall eventually saw another side to plant-based diets, one that fed her artistic soul. She saw art. “Just the colors of nature in fruits and vegetables makes cooking fun and not much of a chore,” Marshall says. “When I started shopping in the produce aisle, I saw things I never dreamed of. The colors that are out in nature, what a gift they are to us.” She began creating what she calls “everyday art pieces” that she paired with a little story and posted them on her social media. They were instantly popular and

older adults. But beyond that, it can also lead many adults to eschew unfamiliar specialty foods. A new study published in the July issue of International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science compared consumer attitudes and willingness to consume seaweed. The study found that newly introduced foods such as seaweeds aren’t easily accepted if they’re not part of someone’s culinary tradition, for instance, Spain, where

seaweed isn’t commonly accepted as a food product. The study examined the effect of neophobia by offering a sensory tasting session followed by a survey among those attending cooking workshops, particularly younger consumers, in Spain. Participants were asked about their willingness to eat seaweed and attitude toward it before the workshop.

With a focus on home cooking and online grocery shopping forced by the pandemic, American grocery shoppers are placing a priority on healthier meals, according to the FMI. “Throughout this past year, American grocery consumers have developed a deeper relationship with their kitchens, increased their healthy eating consciousness and have learned new ways to shop,” said FMI president and CEO Leslie Sarasin in a statement. “We see shoppers engaging in more stock-up trips to support their at-home cooking, exercising new online shopping skills and letting their personal concept of being well impact their food and shopping behaviors. Looking ahead, we expect many of these trends to continue,” Sarasin said. At-home cooking, online grocery shopping and an evolved perspective on wellness are the three major focus areas defined by FMI’s 2021 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. Prepared in partnership with The Hartman Group, the report explores how the future of food retail will be colored by the pandemic and

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Seaweed Study Shows Promise Overcoming Neophobia with Credible Cues BY A.J. FLICK

• Editor’s Picks

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Plant-Based Foods a Hot Trend, Cool Art

Limited-Edition Flavor

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F O R

Organic Sales Reach $61.9 Billion Spurred by Pandemic Trends Apparently, the pandemic gave Americans a hunger for organic meals. For the first time, total sales of organic food and nonfood products passed the $60 billion mark, with U.S. organic sales reaching $61.9 billion in 2020, a 12.4 percent increase, according to the Organic Trade Association. “The pandemic caused abrupt changes in all of our lives,” Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of the trade group said in a statement. “We’ve been eating at home with our families and often cooking three meals a day. “Good, healthy food has never been more important, and con-

sumers have increasingly sought out the Organic label. Organic purchases have skyrocketed as shoppers choose high-quality organic to feed and nourish their families,” Batcha said. “The only thing that constrained growth in the organic food sector was supply,” Angela Jagiello, OTA’s director of education and insights said in a statement. “Across all the organic categories, growth was limited by supply, causing producers, distributors, retailers and brands to

wonder where numbers would have peaked if supply could have been met.” Fresh organic produce sales rose by nearly 11 percent in 2020 to $18.2 million, according to a press release. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables also jumped, with frozen sales alone rising by more than 28 percent. Including frozen, canned and dried products, total sales of organic fruit and vegetables in 2020 were $20.4 billion.

Pantry stocking was the main growth driver in 2020. Sales of organic flours and baked goods grew by 30 percent, the OTA said. Consumers also turned to “meal support” products to help them in the kitchen. Sales of sauces and spices pushed the $2.4 billion condiments category to a growth rate of 31 percent. Organic spice sales jumped by 51 percent, more than triple the growth rate of 15 percent in 2019. Meat, poultry, and fish, the smallest of the organic categories at $1.7 billion, had the second highest growth rate of nearly 25 percent. GN

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

FROM THE EDITOR

GOURMET NEWS

WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM

We are seeing the aftermath of the historic pandemic, with industries taking stock of the disastrous year of 2020. Although business boomed for some, many companies staggered under the weight of collapsing economies. As we all know, doors closed – some for good. Thankfully, things are opening up now, though it’s anybody’s guess how long the recovery will take. As trade shows gear up (in person!) and consumers return to stores, we’d like to know what is going on with your company or group. Do you have plans for the pandemic “after times”? What measures did you take during the pandemic to survive, and will they continue? What’s on your mind? Feel free to drop us an email at editor@oser.com. This is a bittersweet homecoming for me, to be the editor here. I’m glad to be back, but I’m missing Lorrie Baumann. I enjoyed working with her. Perhaps our journalism backgrounds helped us form a bond. We had spirited conversations on geeky, word nerd stuff that would bore most people. She was one of the best editors I’ve known. An editor risked the wrath of Lorrie by letting too many typos slip past, or God forbid, allow double spaces between sentences. One time, we discussed the meaning of Leonard Cohen’s

“Hallelujah” and how most people misunderstand the message. That’s when I learned Lorrie had a wonderful voice, as she belted out the entire song. Her version beat many of the numerous “Hallelujah” covers I’ve heard. Lorrie’s wealth of knowledge about trade shows and the industries that our publications span is sorely missed. But there was a time when trade publishing was new to her, too. I know she was forever grateful to Mr. Oser for taking a chance and hiring her. Nobody can replace Lorrie. When I think “What would Lorrie do?” I swear I can hear her answer, “Doesn’t matter what I’d do. Just do what you think is right.” Back in the old days of journalism, when reporters used typewriters and their words were set in hot type to be printed, reporters would end their stories with the number 30 enclosed by dashes, centered on the page. It signaled the typesetter that there were no more words to follow. It was famously used to eulogize legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle. So, in memoriam: Lorrie Baumann -30— AJ Flick Senior Editor

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GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

GOURMET

products featured at

Atlanta & Las Vegas Markets

As the pandemic in America begins to wane and the number of vaccinated individuals continues to rise, retailers and consumers alike are beginning to resume a semblance of normalcy. A welcome part of this returning normalcy is the return of in-person trade shows, where companies can promote their products and connect with others in the industry. International Market Centers (IMC) is eager to facilitate this connection. “Buyers and sellers are preparing for a strong market as industry recovery continues and business approaches pre-pandemic levels,” said Bob Maricich, IMC chief executive officer. Atlanta Market, held in July, and Las Vegas Market, held in August, will both follow Together Safely, IMC’s COVID-19 operating protocols. Safety procedures include social distancing, the use of PPE as indicated, hand-sanitation stations and enhanced housekeeping measures. More information about IMC’s safety protocols can be found at www.togethersafely.com.

COUNTRY HOME CREATIONS

Both markets will feature gourmet products in showrooms and temporary exhibits. Atlanta Market will offer a Gourmet section featuring specialty food and beverage items, as well as Gourmet LUXE, a special juried collection of gourmet products. Las Vegas Market will offer the new Gourmet Housewares Collection, which includes gourmet food items and a wide selection of kitchen and bar accessories. Bourbon Barrel Foods will attend both Atlanta and Las Vegas Markets, showcasing its small-batch products that incorporate innovative uses of bourbon barrels. Featured products will include Gentleman Jack Whiskey Sour Cocktail Mix, Bourbon Smoked Pepper and Bourbon Smoked Paprika. The Paprika is domestically harvested, handpicked from a family-owned farm in New Mexico. Bourbon Barrel Foods spice rubs, jams, jellies, syrups and sauces will also be available, and more information can be found at www.bourbon barrelfoods.com.

COFFEE OF GRACE

Coffee of Grace will exhibit at the Atlanta Market Gourmet Temporaries, featuring its globally inspired coffee blends. The Karisimbi roast is named after Mount Karisimbi, an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains near the northwest border of Rwanda. It is a blend of coffees from Maraba (North Rwanda) Nkora (West Rwanda) and Buf Cafe (South Rwanda). Offering a classic character in the cup, this coffee is accentuated with a touch of bittersweet chocolate, and is perfect for all-day drinking or as a refined espresso. Coffee of Grace’s Silverback Espresso roast is named after the powerful silverback gorillas that inhabit the forests of the Virunga Mountains. This is a blend of coffee from Nkora and Maraba, roasted to bring out a deeper body and to maximize the sweetness and depth of flavor. This coffee will make a perfect wellbalanced espresso or a bold drip cup. More information is available at www.coffeeofgrace.com. Exhibiting at both Atlanta and Las

Vegas markets, Country Home Creations will offer Cheesy Veggie Dip Mix, Tea’Le’Mo Drink Mix and Spicy Guacamole Dip Mix. Cheesy Veggie Dip Mix is the perfect combination of Cheddar cheese, spices and veggies. It can be served with tortilla chips, pretzels, crackers or bread chunks. Tea’Le’Mo Drink Mix is a refreshing blend of natural tea leaves and lemon for a perfect sweet yearround drink. Spicy Guacamole Dip Mix is an all-natural blend of herbs and spices that takes the guesswork out of making a delicious spicy guacamole. Perfect for any party, the big game or Cinco de Mayo. Find more information at www.chcdips.com. Dillon’s Gourmet Candies will showcase its Peanut Brittle and Pecan Brittle at the Atlanta Market Gourmet Temporaries. The Peanut Brittle comes in a newly designed, beautiful gift box filled with the company’s award-winning peanut brittle. Dillon’s Peanut Brittle is hand stretched using a family recipe. The Pecan Brittle is

STONEWALL KITCHEN

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

a thin, buttery brittle containing the king of nuts. These crisp, truly brittle pieces of gold can only be achieved by carefully timed hand-stretching. Learn more at www.dilloncandy.com. Another featured product at the Atlanta Market is Festivus Infused™ Maple Syrup from Runamok Maple. Made famous by an iconic ‘90s television show, Festivus is the greatest non-holiday holiday ever created. Festivus Infused Maple Syrup is part of a seasonal limited release collection. For this seasonal blend, Runamok Maple infused its maple with organic cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla and cloves, which goes beautifully on waffles. The same formulation is also available with a different label, and a more traditional title of Holiday Spice. More information is available at www.runamokmaple.com. Attending both Atlanta and Las Vegas markets, Stonewall Kitchen will exhibit its jams, jellies, marmalades, spices and rubs, as well as other products. Stonewall Kitchen’s Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly contains spicy jalapeños and a dash of cayenne and is gluten-free and non-GMO. It’s perfect to spread on a turkey burger or serve with crackers and cheese. Stonewall Kitchen’s savory Turkey Seasoning Rub includes rubbed sage and thyme, ground ginger, salt and pepper; the rub is also gluten free and non-GMO. Learn more at www.stonewallkitchen.com. WithCo Cocktails will exhibit its Hey Girl and Bouquet cocktail mixes at Atlanta Market. Hey Girl is a crowd favorite, guaranteed to keep the conversations lively. Cool, fresh cucumber with muddled mint and lime make the perfect drink for everything from garden parties to lazy afternoons. It mixes well with any clear spirit and also makes a killer mocktail. In Bouquet, dreamy notes of lavender weave through fresh-squeezed lemon and rosewater. A light and herbaceous cocktail, Bouquet is a refreshing partner to clear spirits. It’s a gin lover’s essential or the perfect finishing touch to elevate your favorite brunchtime bubbly. Each 16-ounce bottle makes 10 cocktails. Find more information at www.withco cocktails.com. Zia Pia, a boutique importer specializing in authentic regional Italian foods,

RUNAMOK MAPLE

9 will showcase its products at Atlanta Market. Named for Zia (Aunt) Pia Custodi in Orvieto, Italy, an extraordinary person and cook, Zia Pia imports aims to embody the values she held dear: simplicity, care and quality of ingredients. Featured products will include a w a rd - w i n n i n g olive oils: Fantasia Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Frantoio Galantino, in hand-painted ceramic; Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Rose Gold Glass Bottle by Frantoio Muraglia, in a mirror glass bottle; and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in WITHCO COCKTAILS Magnum Ceramic by Frantoio Muraglia, in-hand painted ceramic. Zia Pia will also feature the VeroPop Collection by Italianavera, an assortment of authentic Italian tomatoes in a tin, and the Aperitivo Gift Box, a stunning gift box ready-made for the Italian tradition of aperitivo. More information is available at www.ziapia.com. Atlanta Market Atlanta Market offers an expansive gift product mix and a broad selection of home décor, featuring more than 8,000 brands across all categories. Held semi-annually at AmericasMart Atlanta, Atlanta Market attracts retailers and designers from every U.S. state and more than 60 countries. The Summer 2021 Atlanta Market showrooms will be open July 13-19. Temporaries are open July 14-18. The show includes a Gourmet offering, which includes specialty gourmet food items, beverage products and cookbooks, and Gourmet LUXE, a juried collection of luxury gourmet products

ZIA PIA

made from the finest ingredients. More information on the Summer 2021 Atlanta Market can be found at www .atlantamarket.com. Las Vegas Market Las Vegas Market presents more than 4,300 furniture, home décor and gift resources in an unrivaled market destination. The Summer 2021 Las Vegas Market will be held August 22-26. A new highlight at this summer’s show is the brandnew Gourmet Housewares Collection, which includes kitchen gadgets, cookware, small electrics, grilling tools, kitchen textiles, bar accessories, cookbooks, gourmet food and more. These new resources will complement the existing gift-oriented housewares and specialty food resources presented in permanent showrooms. More information on the Summer 2021 Las Vegas Market can be found at www.lasvegasmarket.com. GN

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

Laura’s Gourmet Granola Fall Limited-Edition Flavor Laura’s Gourmet Granola recently announced that its most popular limited-edition seasonal flavor, Pumpkin Pecan Crunch, will be available from Sept. 4 through Dec. 31. Big on pecan halves and pieces with a comforting spice blend, the popular granola is low on sugar and trans fats. The granola can be baked into muffins, sprinkled on pies and puddings, folded into pancakes or, of course, eaten on its own. “The natural ingredients that make up each bag of Pumpkin

Pecan Crunch are real, simple and clean,” said Chef Laura Briscoe, owner, and namesake of Tempe, Arizona, based Laura’s Gourmet Granola. “This fall exclusive flavor transports you to the warm feelings of friends and family gatherings. It’s the ultimate comfort food, containing only whole rolled oats, pecan halves, spices, ground vanilla beans, golden brown sugar, honey, non-GMO canola oil and a hint of salt.” Laura’s Gourmet Granola products incorporate superfoods such as dried (not dehydrated) fruits including cherries and blueberries, almonds, pecans, peanuts, flax seed, hemp protein and organic coconut flakes. All nine of Laura’s Gourmet Granola

flavors are made from premium ingredients and are baked the artisan way—one batch at a time— from chef-created recipes. Laura’s Gourmet Granola is sold in select stores, foodservice locations and online. For more information, visit www. laurasgourmet.com. Laura’s Gourmet Granola was awarded a woman-owned business certification earlier this year from The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). And, in honor and memory of the passing of Briscoe’s father, Art, the company launched a program to donate a portion of online sales to Alzheimer’s research, education and care. GN

Specialty Food Sales Pass $170 Billion Specialty food sales reached $170.4 billion in 2020, fueled by a year of at-home cooking and eating, according to the Specialty Food Industry’s State of the Industry report. The overall market grew 7 percent between 2019 and 2020, according to the SFA, which includes sales data across 63 categories by SPINS/IRI and estimates for perishable and private-label sales and retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. Pandemic-influenced sales booms in brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce made up for a foodservice sales free fall, said David Browne, the report’s co-principal writer and researcher. The brick-and-mortar retail specialty food market reached $83.4 billion in 2020, up 24 percent since 2018 and 19.4 percent between 2019 and 2020, according to the SFI. Fully 85 percent of specialty food sales move through multi-outlet channels such as supermarkets and mass merchants, which reached nearly $71 billion. The smaller natural and specialty retail channel hit $12.5 billion in 2020, growing 20 percent since 2018.

In keeping with other pandemic trends, online shopping grew 170 percent between 2018 and 2020 and 80 percent from 2019 to 2020. The average ecommerce customer base skyrocketed in 2020, Browne said, as online shopping became a central fixture to conveniently and safely buying groceries. While Walmart and Amazon benefited greatly, specialty food consumers sought out smaller platforms including Thrive Market, Hive and San Francisco’s Good Eggs, where they could find and explore smaller, specialty brands. Growth in the e-commerce channel is expected to continue, the SFA said. “Eighty percent may have been peak growth, but 50 percent is a conservative estimate for this coming year,” said David Lockwood, former consulting director at Mintel and co-principal writer and researcher for the State of the Industry report. Foodservice has gained momentum over the past decade, accounting for up to 22 percent of specialty market sales. Stay-athome orders and restaurant limits and closures saw sales drop 30 percent, resulting

in a market share drop to 14 percent. “Foodservice is being completely redefined as it opens back up,” Lockwood said. “Takeout and delivery may level off, but they are permanent changes in how foodservice operates and may need their own location. Ghost kitchens, shared kitchens and commissaries are key ways foodservice will change and may also be a way for new restaurants to have lower startup costs.” Brick-and-mortar sales are on track for above-normal growth through the end of 2021, but will then slow to 4.4 percent compounded annual growth rate between 2022 and 2025, the report predicted. Last year’s growth at grocery was unprecedented but is not sustainable, Lockwood said, and will return to pre-pandemic levels when the maturing specialty food industry had a CAGR of just less than 5 percent. While multi-outlet channels dominate in sales and benefited from consumers gravitating toward one-stop-shopping options during the pandemic, growing a stronghold in new product discovery is a way natural and specialty can come back post-pan-

demic, Browne said. Frozen foods, meal-focused categories and plant based were among the top sellers and biggest growers in 2020. Frozen food grew 27 percent, faster than both the center-store and refrigerated departments at brick-and-mortar retail, after three years of lagging sales. Frozen fruits and vegetables, meat alternatives and appetizers and snacks were top sellers. Frozen and refrigerated meat, poultry and seafood replaced cheese at the top in terms of retail dollar sales, though both categories were the only two to achieve sales in excess of $5 billion. Refrigerated plantbased meat alternatives emerged as the fastest-growing category, jumping 130 percent between 2018 and 2020. Categories that grew more slowly than anticipated in 2020 included chips and snacks and chocolate, suggesting that consumers prioritized necessities over indulgence last year. Categories linked to grab-and-go products such as snack bars and yogurt also stalled as consumers stayed home. GN

Old Salt Merchants Spice Kit Benefits No Kid Hungry Old Salt Merchants and No Kid Hungry have teamed up to launch an exclusive spice blend gift set, with $10 from each sale being donated to fight childhood hunger. “Our company’s mission is to enhance the food and cooking experience for all families, but we are also a small business that has made giving back to the community a top priority,” says Founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez. “We’re very proud to partner with No Kid Hungry to help fight childhood hunger and to ensure that 1 in 6 kids facing a food shortage are fed – both during the

pandemic and in the recovery to follow.” The box contains 1.2-ounce jars of: • Soleil Red Clay Salt, a high-mineral salt found in red volcanic clay in deep shades of red and bold in flavor. • Espresso Bean Sugar, made with Italian espresso beans and African cane sugar, ideal for baking, in tea or on the rim of a cocktail. • Tokyo Togarashi, also known as Japanese 7 spice, made with brown sugar, Ichimi Togarashi chili, sesame seeds, ginger, black sesame seeds, roasted seaweed, chili,

kosher salt and orange peel. • Confetti Pepper Blend, a mix of white peppercorn, black peppercorn, whole allspice, green peppercorn and pink peppercorn. • Capri Blend, made with garlic, sea salt, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, fennel seed, lemon peel, black pepper, chili and citric acid. This is the perfect seasoning for vegetables, salads, pork, steak, lamb, fish and even tofu.

• Extra Bold Smoked Salt, an all-natural sea salt smoked with pecan, red oak, cherry, alder, maple, mesquite and apricot wood. The cause kit is available online at www.oldsaltmerchants.com for $58. The $10 donation from each sale will provide up to 100 healthy meals to children. GN

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

her followers demanded a book. She wanted to write a children’s book, but her publisher directed her to an older audience. Inspired by her own love story— she met her husband at an art gallery and made playful food art for him—Marshall compiled what became her first book, “One Hot Night at the Veggie Bar,” featuring a veggie nightclub goer reclining on the cover. “My dream has always been to write a children’s book,” Marshall admits. “My daughter, who’s 17 now—we’ve been eating this way since she was 5—I think we were making art playing with our food.” As with any artist, Marshall can’t control when inspiration strikes. Her creative mind saw eggplant, potato and kale that became a plated sculpture of Sen. Bernie Sanders hunkered down in the cold, based on a photo that spawned numerous internet memes. To her surprise, her post went viral, especially after famed author Stephen King shared it on his social media.

sales, the trade group says, followed by health considerations. Most healthminded plant-based shoppers are Baby Boomers, while millennial and Gen Z shoppers say environmental impact and animal welfare motivate them toward the lifestyle. Millennial and Gen Z shoppers comprise a third of plant-based shoppers, the group says. Cost isn’t a driving factor, according to the PBFA, with plant-based shoppers spending 61 percent more than the average shopper on their visits to the store. Plant-based foods in the United States is a $7 billion market, up from $5.5 billion in 2019, according to the Good Food Institute, using SPINS data compiled in late 2020. Plant-based products are a key driver of sales growth at grocery retailers across the country, growing nearly twice as fast as overall food sales. Grocery sales of plantbased foods that directly replace animal products grew 27 percent, the SPINS data show. The plant-based meat market is hot, GFI says, worth more than $1.4 billion and growing rapidly, having increased by more than $430 million from 2019 to 2020.

billion. The combined dollar sales of these products grew 28 percent in the last year and 55 percent in the last two years, GFI says. Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council predicts alternative cheese, grilling products, kid-sized snacks, seafood substitutes and dairy-free dips are poised to be the next big thing in plant-based foods. “Plant-based is the grocery category to watch right now as brands continue to innovate by using new ingredients and processes that make plant-based products exciting for shoppers,” said Parker Brody, senior global category merchant for plantbased at Whole Foods Market, in a statement. “And in the laid-back days of summer, we find that customers are breaking out of their routines and are more open to trying something new, whether they’re longtime vegans or just starting to experiment with plant-based eating. So, expect to see gourmet plant-based cheese alternative spreads at picnics and fish alternatives made from banana blossoms on the grill this season.” Plant-based cheese makers are using nut-

the past two years,” said Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart’s trends expert and senior product manager, in a statement. “Searches for terms like ‘plant-based,’ ‘meatless,’ vegetarian’ and especially ‘vegan’ took off on Instacart as consumers looked for healthy at-home meals during 2020 lockdowns. And this trend is turning into a long-term lifestyle—search popularity has been growing even more in 2021.” Instacart’s Plant Power report highlights trends such as meat and milk alternatives going mainstream, a heavy competition between oat and almond milk and the rise of jackfruit consumption. Instacart found that plant-based consumers tend to be younger and consume traditional meat alongside its plant-based counterparts. Data from Instacart also showed that customers who only buy plant-based ground meat are more likely to buy tofu, kale, kombucha, sardines and avocados. Meantime in Phoenix, Sandra Marshall has another dream. After seeing her family react to the shapes and colors of their plant-based diet, along with their improved health, Marshall wants to take her

Then there was the time when her husband asked her to slice some watermelon for breakfast without creating anything but a side dish. Marshall agreed, until she sliced into the melon. “I cut off the first piece and said, ‘This looks like a pig’s ear,” she said, laughing. “Cut this into chunks, really? I can’t help myself!” The cover of her newest self-published book, published in June, “The Razzle Berry Wackadoodle Garden,” features such a watermelon-eared pig and has become a bestseller. While Marshall’s family is far from the typical Americans looking toward plantbased diets, they are among a growing segment of shoppers worldwide. One-third of Americans are cutting out meat and dairy, according to the Plant Based Foods Association. Of those, a small percentage call themselves vegetarian or vegan, with the rest falling into what the PBFA calls “flexitarians,” those who still buy some meat and dairy, but represent the largest growth opportunity for plant-based foods. Taste is the top factor driving these

Along with alternatives to beef, consumers are looking for plant-based chicken, pork and seafood. GFI compares the current plant-based meat market to the early stages of the plantbased milk market. Plant-based milk now accounts for 15.2 percent of all dollar sales for retail milk. Assuming the plant-based meat market has the same potential to reach market share parity, GFI says, that’s a 14-point growth in plant-based meat’s share of the total meat market, an opportunity worth $14 billion. As for plant-based milk, which is the most developed of the entire category, it’s worth $2.5 billion, according to GFI, accounting for 35 percent of the market and 15 percent of all retail milk. GFI notes that plant-based milk is the most developed of all plant-based food categories and is consistently shelved next to its animal-based counterpart. The success of plant-based milk has created an emerging market for other products such as plant-based ice cream and frozen novelty, creamer, yogurt, butter, cheese, RTD beverages and spreads, dips, sour cream, and sauces, which are worth $1.9

based milks and ingredients such as black garlic truffle, dill Havarti and chive. In addition, they’re replicating methods used to make dairy cheeses to create more authentic textures and flavors. Plant-based food makers are also using ingredients including legumes and banana blossoms to mimic flaky textures of seafood, creating alternatives to fish sticks and no-tuna sandwiches. This summer, many grillers will cook plant-based hot dogs, Italian-style sausages and jackfruit at their barbecues. Creamy non-dairy dips will echo familiar tastes of French onion, ranch and queso, Whole Foods predicts. On-the-go snacking will include kidfriendly, plant-based options such as nuggets, yogurt tubes and ice pops. When asked about grocery and food habits adopted during the pandemic, 30 percent of those polled said they plant to continue eating healthier by making lighter, plant-based meals, according to a recent Instacart survey conducted by The Harris Poll. “Plant-based food has grown from a niche category into a grocery staple over

art into schools. Marshall is working with some school administrators to bring her “Razzle Berry Watermelon Garden” (and others yet to be created) into classrooms. While her book educates its young readers on what all of the colorful objets d’art are (even the skies in her art are made from blueberries, grapefuit and plums), it includes creative space for its readers, too. Readers are encouraged to draw pictures of fruits and vegetables on blank pages inserted into the book, or use stickers. Other fun ways of educating children about the health benefits of plant-based eating can be incorporated into curriculum, says Marshall, who has a degree in early childhood education. As for her artistic side, well, inspiration continues to strike. “My friend took me to an Asian market here and I was blown away,” Marshall says. “There were so many different fruits and vegetables I’ve never seen before.” She can’t help herself. “I like to use what I have to expand the mind, body, spirit, heart and healthy eating,” she says. GN

Plant-Based Foods Continued from PAGE 1

SUPPLEMENT TO

JULY 2021

GOURMET NEWS

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featured products

GOURMET NEWS

Urban Accents Wine & Cider Mulling Spices The specialty food makers at Stonewall Kitchen are incredibly excited to welcome Urban Accents into its outstanding family of brands. Urban Accents is well known for its irresistible signature sauces, mixes and seasonings, including its fragrant Wine & Cider Mulling Spices, which is sure to have your customers asking for more. The practice of mulling wine goes all the way back to the second century and has evolved over time, with mulling spices now being used to make a variety of other delicious drinks, such as sweet ciders, warm cocktails, and classic holiday punch. The right balance of spices is crucial to crafting the perfect beverage, which is why Urban Accents paid close attention to each flavor profile in this aromatic combination. The spicy punch of cinnamon, warm notes of star anise and the smooth sweetness of

vanilla come together to create a flavorful base, with citrusy notes of orange and lemon peel adding a crisp, full-bodied finish. Perfect in all sorts of spirited concoctions, this mix can also be simmered on the stove with water to perfume any space with a cozy fall fragrance. Gluten and sugar free, this blend is made from ingredients your customers can feel good about. They’ll love crafting a wide range of unique recipes like mulled Moscow Mules, boozy pomegranate ciders, warm hot toddies and beyond.

Urban Accents www.urbanaccents.com

Olivia’s Croutons Deliver Wholesome Crunch The satisfaction of adding a good, wholesome crunch to soups or salads has never fallen out of favor. The latest trends may be low fat, low sodium, keto, paleo, non-GMO or organic, but a real crouton can never be imitated. Sometimes you just crave a good salad with a good crouton or a hearty soup with few crunchy morsels on top, and oh, the disappointment when the croutons don’t deliver. Olivia’s is all about the crunch. Made from whole ingredients, never flavorings, powders or enhancers, Olivia’s delivers a good, whole-

some, crunchy crouton that stands apart from others. If your shelf is full of the same old, same old, redundant flavors, tastes and textures, push a few of those SKUs aside and make room for a crouton that delivers a little extra and a lot of difference to your discerning customers. A glutenfree option with wholesome nutritious ingredients yields a special treat. Olivia’s Croutons offers five varieties of croutons and three seasonal stuffings.

Olivia’s Croutons www.oliviascroutons.com

Introducing Tradición Tapas Collection Sauces & Jams Spicin Foods has been in the sauce business for more than two decades and produces more than 900 BBQ sauces and 750 hot sauces. The Tradición Tapas Collection of salsas includes Garden Vegetable, Sweet Jalapeño, Spanish Olive, Taco Salsa Verde and Blackberry Chipotle Jam, to name a few. The newest is Artichoke Spinach, which has become a consumer favorite overnight. Bold, flavorful, made with natural ingredients–it is a celebration of oldworld recipes unsurpassed for the modern table. It packs a zesty punch. Serve with chips, mix into taco dips or create deli-

cious e n t re e s to share. Grab a chip. Dip the chip. Eat the chip. Repeat―over and over and over. Spicin Foods also offers co-packing, private label, wholesale, food service, distributors and international opportunities.

Spicin Foods 800.568.8468 www.spicinfoods.com

Ariston CBD Infused Olive Oil Ariston Specialties’ CBD infused Olive Oil combines all-natural and high-quality hemp-derived CBD produced in Massachusetts with the Ariston family’s own production of extra virgin olive oil from southwest Greece, resulting in a delicious and healthy elixir. It combines the health benefits and flavors of both the nutty, earthy CBD oil and the grassy flavor profile of Ariston’s Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil. This combination is ideal

for salads, savory dressings and even homemade pestos. It can be combined with Ariston’s vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and mustard to make an incredible salad dressing.

Ariston Specialties 860.263.8498 www.aristonspecialties.com

JULY 2021

Colby Cheese from Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Inc. Colby was a first-place blue ribbon winner at the 2020 World Championship Cheese Contest. The cheese is an American Original developed in Wisconsin in 1885. Widmer’s Cheese Cellars crafts its Colby in small batches using original family recipes to achieve a sweet, semi-soft cheese with milky flavors. Similar in flavor to Cheddar, Colby is softer and has a more open texture and higher moisture content. Cheesemakers spray the curds with cold water and stir them while they are still in the vat to prevent the curds from knitting together. This procedure gives Colby a more elastic tex-

ture than Cheddar. Perfect for shredding, melting or slicing, it complements burgers, fajitas, chili, rye bread, apples or pears. Widmer’s Colby is available in four flavors: plain, jalapeño, caraway seed and vegetable and herb. Widmer’s Cheese can be purchased in 5-pound pieces (two per order), 2.5-pound pieces (four per order), 1-pound pieces (10 per order) or 8-ounce pieces (20 per order).

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars 888.878.1107 www.widmerscheese.com

New Fiorucci 6-ounce Sandwich and Charcuterie Variety Packs Create delicious, authentic Italian sandwiches and charcuterie boards instantly with Fiorucci’s new Italian-inspired Sandwich and Charcuterie Variety Packs, featuring six mouthwatering dry-cured meat combinations that are ready to eat any time. Each 6-ounce resealable package contains readyto-serve, sliced hard salami, pepperoni, Genoa salami, sopressata, prosciutto and Italian dry salami with 2 ounces each per meat. This assortment provides a delicious, convenient variety of protein-packed meats to make authentic Italian-inspired sandwiches and charcuterie assortments easily. The smoky hard salami, zesty pepperoni, rich Genoa salami, peppery so-

pressata, silky prosciutto and robust Italian dry salami are all made from select cuts of pork that are cured, aged and seasoned using treasured Italian family recipes passed down for more than 170 years through three generations. The 6-ounce Sandwich Variety Pack features six slices each of hard salami, pepperoni and Genoa salami, while the 6ounce Charcuterie Variety Pack includes 10 slices each of sopressata and Italian dry salami, paired with four slices of prosciutto.

Fiorucci Foods www.fioruccifoods.com

Tortuga Launches Southern Trio Range Tortuga is a world-renowned brand that continues to lead the gourmet and spirit cakes category by heavily focusing on innovation and ensuring that its consumers are presented with fresh, innovative, and new options. Tortuga has been doing business with the cruise channel, major big box retailers in North America, department and grocery stores and the gifting sector for 37 years. Given the company’s recent success with evolving from its world-famous rum cakes and creating a new cake with bourbon, the Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake, continuing to explore the spirits world seemed like the natural next step.

Tortuga just launched the highly anticipated Southern Trio range, which consists of Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake, Moonshine Apple Pie Cake, and the newest addition, Tennessee Whiskey Spice Cake. All three flavors are available in the standard sizes – 4-oz., 16-oz. and 32-oz. Consumers are now able to indulge in Tortuga’s new selection of spirit cakes, inspired by America’s oldest and traditional delectable recipes, and can expect to experience unique flavors characterized by bold notes and magnificent richness.

Tortuga Rum Cake Company www.tortugarumcakes.com

Bone Suckin’ Garlic & Honey Wing Sauce Bone Suckin’ Garlic & Honey Wing Sauce will quickly become a favorite for families who enjoy the aroma of garlic and the sweet taste of honey as they devour their chicken wings. This wing sauce is gluten free, non-GMO and

kosher and contains no high fructose corn syrup.

Ford’s Gourmet Foods 800.446.0947 www.bonesuckin.com

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

Steakhouse-Style Crispy Smash Burger Seasoning Mix

Dave’s Gourmet Creamy Hot Sauces

As one of the newest brands to join the Stonewall Kitchen family, Urban Accents is beloved for its delicious seasoning blends and spice mixes. Your customers are sure to love creating amazing burgers with this Steakhouse-Style Crispy Smash Burger Seasoning Mix. The ideal smash burger is juicy, perfectly grilled and full of flavor, and it all starts with the right combination of seasonings. Robust garlic, tangy dill weed, a hint of chili flakes, black pepper and salt come together in this can’t-be-beat blend that will take any burger from good to best ever. Gluten free and made from wholesome ingredients, it’s an instant crowd-pleaser

Dave’s Gourmet Creamy Hot Sauces are delicious, versatile condiments with a touch of heat and a clear chile flavor. They are whipped at high speed, which gives them a creamy feel, and are gluten free and vegan. The sauces are balanced with chiles, garlic, vinegar and other savory ingredients. They come in three flavors: Creamy Garlic Red Pepper, Creamy Roasted

that everyone will enjoy. Your customers will love having this must-have mix on hand for backyard barbecues as grilling season heats up. In addition to pairing wonderfully with ground beef, it also makes a fantastic all-purpose pick for seasoning roasted vegetables, chicken and fish. It’ll be an instant smash hit that’s sure to keep people coming back for more.

Urban Accents www.urbanaccents.com

Coffee on the Go from 40 Below Joe In a new approach to coffee, 40 Below Joe offers an extraordinary product line that includes coffee lovers’ favorite coffees and dairy-free creamers flash frozen to ensure a delicious, fresh and easy cup of Joe they can eat. The 40 Below Joe process brews the highest quality Arabica beans and cryogenically (quick) freezes the ultra-fresh coffee into little beads using liquid nitrogen at -320 degrees Fahrenheit. Mixing the coffee beads with non-dairy creamer beads makes for a fun, unique, caffeinated

treat that is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. 40 Below offers frozen coffee in grocery and convenience stores, cafeterias, bakeries, coffee shops, candy stores and many other retail locations. Flavors include French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Mocha and House Blend.

40 Below Joe www.40belowjoe.com

Jalapeño and Creamy Ginger Citrus. The sauces can be found in many top retailers or online.

Dave’s Gourmet www.davesgourmet.com

Fall River Wild Rice: New Ways with America’s Native Grain Interest in plants and grains is soaring, as shoppers look for new ways to eat healthy. High in protein and fiber, nutty and with a striking visual appeal, wild rice is one of the healthiest grains available. It was a staple food of several Native American tribes, who called it manoomin or “precious grain.” Fall River Wild Rice brings this culinary gem to your store shelf. This naturally cultivated wild rice is great in salads, soups and stir-fries. However, it also works well in mixes for pancakes and muffins and even in chocolate and desserts. Fall River’s Fully Cooked Wild Rice is high-protein

goodness in seconds. The only cereal grain native to North America, wild rice is not even a rice at all. It is the seed of Zizania palustris, a tall, blooming water grass that prospers in the Great Lakes region, as well as in a fruitful valley in the shadows of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains. Fall River Wild Rice is a small, growerowned cooperative in the Fall River Valley, a rural mountain valley nestled between the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges.

Fall River Wild Rice 800.626.4366 www.fallriverwildrice.com

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

Gourmet flash in a

Cafe Spice Ready-to-Heat Meals

It just got easier to enjoy authentically spiced Indian and Thai meals at home. The award-winning Cafe Spice brand recently expanded into nine grocery chains across the country, including Kroger. Cafe Spice, a family owned and operated business, prides itself in bringing quality and authenticity into its line of heat-and-eat meals featuring flavor-forward ingredients. Chef Hari Nayak, Cafe Spice’s award-winning culinary director, brings a modern outlook to global cuisine while honoring the essence of traditional foods. The Cafe Spice line includes gluten-free, plant-based and vegetarian options; nonGMO ingredients and certified humanely raised, antibioticand hormone-free chicken. Kroger will carry the Indian meals Chicken Tikka Masala and Channa Masala and the Thai meal Red Chicken Curry. For more information, visit www.cafespice.com.

Let Them Eat Candles

Millions of Americans adopted baking as their pandemic hobby. In a year of darkness, many saw the light and found it’s edible, too. Celebrations will be even more delicious, from top to bottom, when Glencoe Studio’s Let Them Eat Candles decorate baked goods. Why let gooey drops of wax spoil the tasty fun when there’s chocolate candles? Due to demand, the edible candles arrived at even more stores across the country. For more information, visit www.letthemeatcandles.com.

Hancock Gourmet Lobster Maine Shore Dinner for 2

You can get to Maine from wherever you are, but why not have Maine come to you? Hancock Gourmet Lobster’s award-winning Maine Shore Dinner for 2 is the ultimate lobster bake. It includes Maine lobster tails, mussels, shrimp, sea scallops and ears of corn, all drenched in an herbed lemon butter sauce. The Maine Shore Dinner is packaged in a large foil bag ready for the grill or oven after thawing. As with its other gourmet Maine lobster and seafood products, everything in the Maine Shore Dinner is all natural, with no preservatives. Find Hancock Gourmet Lobster products in fine food markets, catalogs, online or through the company in retail or foodservice packaging. For more information, visit www.hancockgourmetlobster.com.

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

PS Seasoning On the Rocks Bourbon Pepper Grinder

Cocktails have inspired many things – toasts, proposals and some regrets – but who’d have thought one would inspire a seasoning? It’s all good. In fact, PS Seasoning’s On the Rocks Bourbon Pepper grinder is winning awards. Popular with consumers and judges, the Bourbon Pepper blends three varieties of peppercorn, orange peel, blood orange, sea salt and yes, bourbon. It comes with an adjustable grinder cap. For more information, visit www.psseasoning.com.

PRiMO Mostardes

Fine food fans will appreciate the innovative blends of flavors in PRiMO’s two new mostardes, Apricot + Ufra and Cherry + Aleppo. The Apricot + Ufra mostarda delivers a layered, aromatic, marmalade-like texture with mild spice and subtle sharpness. It pairs well with cave-aged cheeses or mild and fatty craft meats. For serving with aged fruity and nutty cheeses or semi-fatty fancy meats, Cherry + Aleppo features fruity flavors with a mesmerizing spice and lingering tang. The mustards are PRiMO’s playful interpretations of the iconic Italian varietals that inspired them. For more information, visit www.iamprimo.com.

Spread-mmms Spreads

Whether they’re used to top charcuterie boards for guests or savored as a solo gourmet treat on sandwiches, Spread-mmms’ small-batch, artisanal olive tapenade and savory spreads add a sassy, award-winning touch to fine foods. Spread-mmms recently launched Beldi Olive Tapenade with garlic and rosemary and Orange Marmalade with olives, garlic and rosemary (also known as Mischievous Marmalade) in a convenient and space-saving Starter Set. For more information, visit www .spread-mmms.com.

Love, Mary Cocktail Party Classic Collection

The new Love, Mary Cocktail Party Classic Collection frozen food line sold out online and in stores over the holidays. The implicitly easy but ultimately elegant bites from famed red-carpet caterer Mary Guiliani, the Classic Collection includes Mini Beet Clouds, Pastrami Tarts, Lasagna Bites, Chicken Pot Pies and Spicy Mac & Cheese Cupcakes, plus the award-winning Everything Pigs in a Pie, all of which come with their own seasoning salts. Forget the holidays, they can add panache to any day-of-the-week gathering. For more information, visit www.maryguiliani.com.

Thatcher’s Gourmet Popcorn White Cheddar Truffle

It’s hard to imagine how anyone could improve on Thatcher’s beloved White Cheddar Popcorn, but they did. Thatcher’s White Cheddar Truffle had just launched when it started winning awards for taste, ingredient quality and innovation. Each Cheddar-packed kernel has just the right hint of truffle to delight the palate. As with all of San Francisco-based Thatcher’s products, the White Cheddar Truffle popcorn is air-popped with all-natural ingredients and produced in small batches. Thatcher’s products are sold internationally, including co-packing and private label, and online. For more information, visit www.tgsp.com.

EDITOR’S PICKS Alden’s Organic Dairy Free Double Strawberry

What’s not to like about a dairy-free frozen dessert with a swirl of strawberry sorbet and chunks of organic strawberry? Especially when it’s certified organic, certified vegan and non-GMO with award-winning taste. Double Strawberry is made with the Alden’s Organic signature plant-based Oregon Blend frozen dessert base and sold nationwide in grocery stores and online. Alden’s Organic www.aldensicecream.com

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

Nueske’s Jalapeño & Cheese Beef Sticks

Nueske’s stepped outside its comfort zone of producing its core product, quality applewood smoked bacon, to create Jalapeño & Cheese Beef Sticks in its Wisconsin smokehouse. The effort has paid off, with acclaim and a gold sofi Award for the meaty, spicy, cheesy snack. The beef sticks combine an applewood-smoked, traditional, lean all-beef sausage snack stick with dashes of jalapeño, cayenne pepper and real Wisconsin Cheddar cheese. They’re best when served at room temperature. Take them on hikes, to games or serve at home as snacks or party appetizers. Nueske’s www.nueskes.com

Date Lady Barbecue Sauce

They know great barbecue in Missouri and not just in Kansas City. Proof is the award-winning Date Lady Barbecue Sauce from Springfield, which blends top-ofthe-line spices and other ingredients, just no sugar. Instead, the delicious sauce uses five varieties of California dates: halawi, zahidi, honey, khadrawi and barhi. The dates create a sweet complexity in this deliciously mild and smoky sauce. The dates combine with organic apple cider vinegar, red chile and garlic in a sweet, subtly spicy concoction that some say is reminiscent of umami. Find Date Lady Barbecue Sauce in specialty grocers and online. Date Lady www.ilovedatelady.com

Zeno Functional Foods SOBAR

What if someone produced a protein bar that was tasty and helped reduce alcohol absorption? Zeno Functional Foods’ Honey Peanut-flavored SOBAR is raising eyebrows (and winning awards) for its taste and its usefulness. The 130-calorie bar uses a patent-pending mix of ingredients called AlcoHOLD, which is designed to hold alcohol in the stomach longer, where it can be more effectively activated (it can delay intoxication, but doesn’t lower blood alcohol levels). The company advises eating a protein bar before drinking and NOT driving after drinking. SOBAR comes in three flavors and is sold in select retailers and online. Zeno Functional Foods www.getsobars.com

Dorothy’s Diggin’ Truffles

The undulating, floral outline of Diggin’ Truffles from Dorothy’s is your first clue that it’s something special. Launched in 2020, the soft-ripened cheese marries an earthy, black truffle flavor with a smooth, luscious texture for a distinctive culinary experience. Expertly crafted and perfectly balanced with a light orange hue, Diggin’ Truffles carries on the brand’s commitment to innovation and quality in producing fine cheeses. The award-winning cheese was developed in partnership with renowned French cheese maker Rodolphe Le Meunier. Diggin’ Truffles, crafted in Illinois, is available at select supermarkets, specialty shops and online.

Tabletree Cherry Juice

Turns out the state best known for its big skies also has something to brag about on ground level, too. Tabletree Montana’s Cherry Juice uses Flathead Lake cherries, a touch of honey and a dash of cinnamon as its natural preservatives for an award-winning juice gaining attention worldwide. Gary and Susan Snow have developed a proprietary system that produces quality, healthy and nutritious products (expect new products soon). Taken alone, the Cherry Juice has nutritional benefits, but is great for cooking and cocktails. Sold in select specialty food stores and online. Tabletree Montana www.tabletreejuice.com

Dorothy’s www.dorothyscheese.com

Ginger’s Breadboys Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookie Kits

Ginger’s Breadboys took stay-at-home orders as a call to complete product development on a gluten-free mix for its gingerbread cookie kits. In partnership with J and W Farm of Winchester, Virginia, the gluten-free mix produces a supple dough and non-gritty cookie with all the gingerbread flavor you’d expect from Ginger’s Breadboys’ reliable recipe. The recipe comes with options to use shortening, butter or egg substitute. All cookie kits will be offered with regular or glutenfree mix. Shipping is expected as early as September.

Ginger’s Breadboys www.fruitoftheland.com

Vermont Creamery Sea Salt Cultured Butter

With roots in specialty food and a 36-year heritage of making small-batch, handcrafted dairy products, Vermont Creamery’s Sea Salt Cultured Butter is earning plaudits around the country for its buttermilk-based flavor and luxuriously creamy texture. Available nationwide, this higher-fat cultured butter is crafted with fresh cream, sea salt and live bacterial cultures. The butter is cultured overnight and slow churned, which delivers flavor notes of buttermilk and hazelnut. Vermont Creamery’s proprietary process creates a creamy, delicious butter that’s just as good on its own as a spread or in your best baked goods. Vermont Creamery www.vermontcreamery.com

GOURMET NEWS

JULY 2021

SMORGASBORD

Award-Winning Granola Maker Rebrands to Jamie’s Farm Award-winning granola company bumble & butter has initiated a rebrand to Jamie’s Farm across all locations, including a new website and social media presence. The rebranding represents a deeper alignment with the company’s core val-

ues and long-term goals, with no change to its product lines, according to a press release. “I am incredibly excited to be on this journey that started as bumble & butter and now continues with Jamie’s Farm,” said founder Jamie Kim in a statement.

“The new brand builds upon our previous accomplishments and sets the table, so to speak, for new ideas yet to be released.” Kim’s organic granolas elevated the everyday pantry product. Jamie’s Farm reaffirms Kim’s goal to use thoughtful

culinary techniques to develop products that are luxurious and flavorful, while staying accessible. Jamie’s Farm products are sold in select stores nationwide and online. For more information, visit www.jamies-farm.com. GN

mouth endorsements from trusted sources, such as relatives and peers, which increased a consumer’s willingness to eat a new food or unfamiliar cuisine. The findings have implications beyond the willingness of Malaysians, who tend to

rely on trusted sources for cultural cues, to eat unfamiliar foods, the report stated. “Given the wealth of Asian culture, and its significant role in the global marketplace,” the report concluded, “the understanding of ethnic food consumption

intention of the local and foreign consumers using the extended theory of planned behaviour would contribute knowledge not only to consumer behavior, but also to food and service industry and tourism.” GN

Grocery Shoppers

Meantime, shoppers said they enjoyed foraging for their own meals, with 42 percent saying they like or love to shop. Naturally, online shopping was popular, with nearly two-thirds, or 64 percent, saying they shop online for groceries, with the frequency increasing to weekly orders for 29 percent. For the first time, according to the report, many more online grocery shoppers consider a mass retailer as their primary store. GN

Neophobia Continued from PAGE 1 The study found that neophobia did affect a consumer’s attitude toward seaweed and made consuming seaweed unlikely. However, once seaweed was promoted by a chef and especially when its health benefits as a high source of nutrition were explained, neophobia was a non-issue. The study concluded that using credible cues from chefs is an excellent way to increase consumer confidence and bypass the barrier created by neophobia. That conclusion mirrors a 2016 study published in the British Food Journal that examined attitudes toward a relatively obscure Malaysian ethnic cuisine, Dayak, among college and university students in Malaysia. Dayak food is heavy on meats, especially pork, and shrimp paste as well as many fermented dishes. This study stressed the importance of recommendations and favorable word-of-

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40 Below Joe

www.40belowjoe.com

Ariston Specialties

www.aristonspecialties.com

Bronco Billy’s Beef Jerky

www.broncobillybeefjerkys.com

Dave’s Gourmet

www.davesgourmet.com

DeBrand Fine Chocolates

www.debrand.com

Fall River Wild Rice

www.frwr.com

Franklin Baker

www.franklinbaker.com

GLASS - North America

www.ardaghgroup.com

Howard Products

www.howardproducts.com

Jasper Specialty Foods

www.jakesnutroasters.com

MarDona Specialty Foods Ltd.

www.mardonaspecialtyfoods.com

North Coast Organic

www.northcoast.organic

Royal Hollandia

www.royalhollandia.us

Trace Minerals Research

www.traceminerals.com

Urban Accents

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www.stonewallkitchen.com

Walden Farms

www.waldenfarms.com

driven by shifts in the way consumers purchase groceries. Nearly 60 percent of shoppers said they ate at home more with nearly half saying they were cooking and preparing their own meals more than they did before the pandemic, according to the report.