Gourmet News • August 2022

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VOLUME 87 • NUMBER 8 AUGUST 2022 • $7.00 • General Mills Invests $15M in Funds for Minority and Female Entrepreneurs PAGE 6

• Smithfield Foods, Lineage Logistics Unveil Automated, Next-Gen Distribution Center PAGE 8

• Westrock Coffee Holdings Achieves Goal of Responsibly Sourcing Global Tea Supply PAGE 9

• Good Meat Partners to Build World’s First Large-Scale Cultured Meat Facility PAGE 10

• Conscientious Drinking on Rise Among Millennials, Gen Z Seeking to Relieve Stress PAGE 11

• ‘Lightning in a Bottle’: Market Trends Bring Opportunity for Beverage Product Development PAGE 12

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Ukraine Aid: Can Kefir Help Heal the World?

BY A.J. FLICK

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, U.S. food manufacturers and retailers responded quickly with fundraisers for humanitarian aid, efforts to shore up the fractured food supply chain and shipments of critical supplies for the beleaguered country.

For Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, it was more personal.

Smolyansky was 1 when her parents fled Kyiv, then part of the Soviet Union, in 1976. The family eventually settled in Chicago, where her parents founded the company and are credited with

introducing the cultured milk product kefir, an Eastern European staple, to the United States.

“I hope Ukraine will persevere,” Smolyansky said.

“I know Ukraine will.

“The whole world has demonstrated such support for Ukraine. It’s nice to see so much support.”

Lifeway recently launched Charity Relief Kefir, a 32-ounce bottle of the cultured whole milk product in a special blue and gold package, with 100 percent of the profits going toward humanitarian relief for Ukraine.

Noting that many Lifeway em-

ployees are also refugees and immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Smolyansky sent a message to her ancestral homeland when the special kefir bottle was launched: “My heart breaks alongside yours,” she said. “I cry with you, pray with you and I stand with you. I know how painful, scary and traumatic this feels.

“Please take care of yourselves, be gentle with yourselves, practice self-care, take breaks from the news and know that we are together in our fight toward building a healthier, safer world where children do not have to fear bombs pointed towards their

“Kodak moment” with bad lighting, an odd reflection or something distracting in the

background – especially if you’re trying to post a memory on your social media.

Imagine, then, trying to coax a wine bottle into telling a story for a business wanting to make a dent in the $400 million U.S. wine market.

It’s a challenge that commercial photographer Megan Steffen, founder of Oregon-based Untapped Media Inc. photography studio, knows all too well when she shifts from being a photographer on a

Seth Goldman took the gut punch” heard round the food and beverage world in May when Coca-Cola announced the end of the Honest Tea line Goldman and Barry Nalebuff nurtured and sold to the beverage conglomerate.

In a LinkedIn message Goldman posted, which drew numerous condolences from peers, he said Coca-Cola’s announcement “was a gut punch to all the sweat, tears and incredible passion that went into building our beloved brand.”

“A sad day,” Nalebuff commented. “But tis better to have bottled and lost than never bottled at all.”

“But we bounced back quickly!” a much cheerier Goldman said three months later, a day after announcing the name of his new organic tea line, Just Ice Tea. Just Ice Tea is being created under Goldman’s plant-based food (and now beverage) venture with Chef Spike Mendelsohn, Eat the Change, along with Nalebuff.

“It builds on the Fair Trade commitment to working conditions and wages paid,” Goldman said. “And it also looks at the environment. We’re choosing

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Photographer Gets Wine Ready for Its Close-Up

BY A.J. FLICK

Who can’t relate to the frustration of not being able to capture that

Just Ice Tea Succeeds Honest Tea

• Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Launches Online Marketplace for Buyers, Suppliers PAGE 16

• Featured Products PAGE 17

• Advertiser Index PAGE 22

BY A.J. FLICK

Summer Fancy Food Show Energizes Industry

BY A.J. FLICK

Sitting on his porch in Charlottesville, Va., with the sound of neighborhood kids floating in, Ben James might seem like a million miles away from New York City. But the topic of June’s Summer Fancy Food Show is a topic he’s happy to broach.

“This was the second time for us. We were at the February show as well,” said James, CEO of Stone’s Throw Foods and Swap Foods. “This one was great.

Everyone came out for it. We had a lot of great meetings and are working on the next steps to closing those deals. We met a lot of

people. It was fantastic.”

Food industry veteran Jack Acree, executive vice president of Saffron Road Foods, felt the excitement at the Javits Center as he took a break from the floor.

“The energy is incredible,” he said.

Saffron Road Foods didn’t have a booth, but Acree was working the aisles nevertheless and discussed surviving the pandemic and looking forward.

“I can say things are going to get better,” he said, “that there will be some return to normalcy.

“But I’ve given up on prognosticating,” he said with a laugh.

“I’m just looking out for what’s happening in the next three months.”

Acree credits the Saffron Road team for the “phenomenal” way it held together during the uncertain times of the pandemic. The company was able to keep supplying its product to stores, though it had its share of hiccups.

“At one time, we couldn’t get cardboard boxes,” Acree said.

“That was off the radar. There were problems with the simplest things.”

As with so many other food manufacturers, Saffron Road is interested in investing in plant-

based foods that consumers clamor for and that also help reduce methane emissions for environmental good. The company is expanding its line of Crunchy Chickpeas – “the smartest snack Continued on PAGE 14

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It’s understandable that Seth Goldman was devastated when Coca-Cola announced earlier this year that it would discontinue the Honest Tea line. After all, Goldman nurtured the organic ice tea “from five Thermoses and an empty Snapple bottle into more than a billion bottles sold.”

It was a testament to Goldman and Honest Tea co-founder Barry Nalebuff that Goldman’s shock was reflected in the reactions of their peers in the industry.

“I too am crushed,” Ironmonger Brewery co-owner Tom Larsen commented on a post on Goldman’s LinkedIn page.

“Honest Tea has been a godsend for millions of consumers and farmers,” industry executive and author Joe Dobrow said. “But it was also the key that unlocked your unrivaled vault of inspiration, helping launch and grow countless other natural products entrepreneurs and companies. And dare I say, their collective impact on the world probably dwarfs that of Honest Tea.” Goldman worked hard to mentor others and “gave them the vision, game plan and advice they needed to help change the world,” Dobrow said.

“I know Coca-Cola did much to accelerate the growth of Honest Tea,” Dobrow said, “and for that I am grateful.

But when the final chapter is written in the history of the natural foods movement – no idea who that author might be – we must admit that this is where legendary brands go to die. RIP, HT.” “Honest Tea was the trailblazer in this category and has helped change the way consumers think about what they drink,” according to Steven MK Fader, executive leader of operations and purchasing for Whole Foods Market.

It wasn’t too long before Goldman rebounded, though, announcing he, Nalebuff and celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn are producing a new organic tea line, Just Ice Tea, which we should be able

to taste this fall. Gourmet News catches up with a cheerier Goldman in this issue.

We also take a look at this Summer’s Fancy Food Show, the first in-person show since the pandemic. The show included a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Specialty Food Association and the honoring of four lifetime members, including Gourmet News. Our publisher, Kimberly Oser, accepted the honor at an awards ceremony.

Before we know it, the Winter Fancy Food Show will be taking place, Jan 15-17 in Las Vegas.

At the summer show, a man asked me for advice on what his startup company needed to get noticed. I recommended having professional product photos taken. That’s one of the first things people like me ask for when we’re pitched products to feature and having the right photographer who can capture a brand’s messaging in an image is worth gold.

Untapped Media’s Megan Steffen tells us how challenging it is to set up and photograph a bottle of wine or glass of wine to get consumers’ attention. For instance, the bottle often picks up stray reflections and even the design and composition of the label can complicate things, such as having a metallic element.

Over the last few months, it’s been impossible to ignore that many food and beverage companies are doing what they can to help the people of Ukraine. Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky’s mission to help the country stands out because her family fled the country when she was a baby. Her family has been instrumental in bringing Ukrainian foods to the United States, especially the company’s flagship product, Kefir cultured milk.

Take care and stay safe! GN — AJ Flick • Senior Editor aj_f@oser.com

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Affordable Pod-Based, Single-Serve Coffee Demand Creates Opportunities for Private Labels The U.S. market for coffee pods and capsules is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.1 percent during the forecast period 2020 to 2025, according to new research, which is increasing due to the convenience factor associated with coffee pods, according to the report. However, as this market for pods and capsules has become mature in the United States, it is expected to witness stagnation in growth rate during the forecast period.

With the growing discount-oriented retail environment and the rising preference for pod-based, single-serve coffee at affordable prices, the private label brands are trying to capture large space in the U.S. market.

In the case of coffee, convenient forms

such as coffee pods and capsules are becoming popular among the masses – especially in North America and Western Europe – so as to prepare good coffee in the comfort of home, in less time.

Additionally, an increasing number of consumers are willing to purchase coffee machines to recreate the coffee shop experience at home, so players are introducing coffee pods that are compatible with popular machines, such as Keurig and Nespresso, to exploit this trend. According to Intelligent Blends, a player in the single-serve beverage market, there are more than 25 million Keurig and K-Cup brewers installed in homes and offices across the United States, with millions more being sold each year. The penetration rates of single-serve brewers in

households in the largest cities in the United States and Western Europe range from approximately 23 percent to 75 percent.

The installation of coffee machines and an increasing number of coffee bars across the United States is resulting in an increasing demand for coffee capsules and coffee pods, according to the report. Due to the rapidly growing coffee shop culture, freshground coffee pods are set to register substantial growth in both volume and value terms, during the forecast period. Nevertheless, sustainability remains important for buyers and retailers and certification of organic nature is no longer an option, but a requirement. Also, consumers and the industry are demanding traceability in the value chain. Signature blends are a growing

trend in coffee capsules, which are carefully selected coffee from various origins. They cater to specific consumer tastes and communicate balance and quality.

The U.S. coffee pods and capsules market is concentrated among a few players and the major players are focusing on product innovations, the launch of limited-edition coffee pods, high distribution networks, and better supply chain to gain a competitive advantage in the market. In order to sustain in the competitive market, the companies are enhancing their product portfolio constantly and strategically tapping into segments. The prominent players in the market are Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., Starbucks Corporation, The Kraft Heinz Company and Nestle SA. GN

General Mills Invests $15M in Funds for Minority and Female Entrepreneurs General Mills’ venture capital arm, 301 INC, will invest a combined $15 million into two early-stage venture capital funds, Fearless Fund and Supply Change Capital.

These investments are part of General Mills’ commitment to standing for good and promoting racial and gender equity in representation through economic opportunity for minority and female food entrepreneurs.

These two investments focus on supporting founders from underrepresented groups and will be designated for food-related businesses that seek to drive systemic impact and financial returns: • Fearless Fund, a fund built by women of color, invests in women-of-color-led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed-level or series A financing, with a mission to bridge the gap in venture capital funding for founders building scalable, growth aggres-

sive companies.

• Supply Change Capital, a women- and Latina-powered venture firm, invests at the intersection of food, culture and technology. The firm catalyzes early stage food and food tech founders with a focus on sustainability, health and diversity.

“We experience firsthand the expertise and passion of the diverse and female founders within our 301 INC portfolio, and yet there is a systemic gap for minority food entrepreneurs looking for early-stage venture capital funding,” said Doug Martin, chief brand and disruptive growth officer.

“We’re excited to join forces with these amazing partners to uncover and accelerate more founders, at earlier stages. Closing this gap means more great innovation in our food system – from new concepts to emerging food technologies – and more inclusive cycles of opportunity for entrepre-

neurs, companies and communities.”

301 INC and General Mills are committed to using their scale and expertise to improve equity in food access and representation. Since the reorganization of General Mills’ corporate venture capabilities into a Disruptive Growth organization in June 2021, approximately 80 percent of 301 INC investment dollars have gone to minority-led or female-led food businesses, including Grub Market, Pet Plate and Everything Legendary.

“Access to capital is one of the most prominent hurdles to women of color reaching their potential as founders, despite having an excellent track record in building successful businesses built on great ideas,” said Arian Simone, general partner and co-founder of Fearless Fund.

“We are thrilled to grant General Mills investment dollars to women of color who

are looking to cook up the next revolutionary culinary brand.”

“Food and food systems are at the heart of our culture and economy,” said Noramay Cadena, co-founder and managing partner of Supply Change Capital. “As the multicultural consumer population in the U.S. grows, we are focused on unlocking change in the venture ecosystem to infuse women and people of color with the capital they need to shape our future food landscape.

We’re thrilled to have the support of General Mills in our network.”

General Mills has been committed to establishing and growing relationships with certified diverse suppliers in the United States for more than 50 years. In 2021, the company launched a sponsorship program to fund and support diverse small businesses in attaining their Diverse Business Enterprise Certification. GN

Bumble Bee, Dole Collaborate to Aid Underserved Areas The Bumble Bee Seafood Company is collaborating with Dole Packaged Foods to provide nutrition access and education in underserved areas of the country. The 122year-old seafood company will serve as the exclusive seafood partner for the Sunshine for All Cities Program, which brings healthy foods and educational opportunities to those who lack access.

“As a company, we believe that everyone deserves to be able to enjoy healthy, delicious and nutritious foods – no matter what,” said Jan Tharp, president and CEO, Bumble Bee. “With a kid-friendly, highly nutritious product like tuna, we knew the partnership with DPF and the opportunity to feed kids’ minds and bodies would be a

perfect fit.”

Bumble Bee is committing high-quality protein-packed seafood products, chef and nutritionist support, and a monetary grant to fuel the program in Jackson, Miss. The support from Bumble Bee will go toward growing key program initiatives including the Kids Cooking Camp, pop-up farmers markets and recipe development.

Beyond Jackson, Bumble Bee’s team of chefs and nutritionists will create healthy, seafood-centric recipes to be included in DPF’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Recipe Booklet, which is distributed throughout the country.

“We’re thrilled to have Bumble Bee join our ongoing efforts to address the critical challenges of food accessibility and affordability, as well as nutrition education around the world,” said Orzse Hodi, senior vice president and managing director for Dole. “Their generous donation and aid will bring us closer to achieving the Dole Promise of providing good nutrition for 1 billion people by 2025.”

Tuna is a versatile and affordable source of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans of all ages, including young children and pregnant women, eat seafood at least twice weekly – an amount that less than 20 percent of Americans are meeting. GN

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Patriot Pickle Acquires Farm Ridge Foods’ Pickle Assets in Fermented Foods Category Patriot Pickle, a Swander Pace Capital portfolio company that manufactures and distributes fresh, high-quality pickles, has acquired the pickle assets of Farm Ridge Foods. Farm Ridge Foods distributes pickled products into the retail channel under its own name, as well as private label and third-party brands.

“This is an exciting time to be a leader in fresh pickle manufacturing,” said Patriot

Pickle CEO Bill McEntee. “The acquisition of Farm Ridge Foods is a key step towards rounding out and building up our internal retail sales capabilities. Fresh, refrigerated pickles are a key growth area for our retail and foodservice partners, and we are excited to be able to better serve them more directly with this acquisition.”

“The Farm Ridge Foods acquisition is a value-enhancing add-on for the Patriot

Pickle investment platform and strengthens our position in the pickle category,” said Corby Reese, Patriot Pickle board chairman and Swander Pace Capital managing director. “We will continue to look for interesting investment opportunities within the fermented foods and pickled vegetable category to further establish Patriot Pickle as a leading fermented foods platform.”

Patriot Pickle is a leading pickle manufacturer based in Wayne, N.J. For more than 15 years, Patriot Pickle has manufactured and shipped fresh, high-quality pickles across the United States to thousands of restaurants, delis, supermarkets and distributors. With the motto “Always Fresh, Always Crisp,” Patriot offers a variety of refrigerated pickles, sauerkraut and other pickled veggies. GN

Smithfield Foods, Lineage Logistics Unveil Automated, Next-Gen Distribution Center Smithfield Foods, Inc., a vertically integrated global food company and one of the world’s largest pork producers and processors, and Lineage Logistics, the world’s largest and most innovative temperature-controlled REIT and logistics solutions provider, have unveiled an automated, next-generation distribution center in Olathe, Kansas.

Lineage designed and built the new facility to enhance Smithfield’s complex distribution network, which supplies thousands of destinations with frequent shipments of protein in varying quantities.

Spanning nearly 20 million cubic feet with more than 62,000 pallet positions, the distribution center’s innovations provide new levels of operational efficiency and reliability via automation.

At the facility’s core are 18 automated cranes that move inventory into, out of and within the facility, which also features one of the largest temperature-controlled layer-picking systems in the world. Layerpickers disassemble and reassemble pal-

lets of goods, a process previously performed manually. As a result, the robotics and software fully automate over 97 percent of the product movement through the facility.

Lineage sponsored academic research in

mathematics to determine how to schedule and dispatch components in the facility, increasing throughput capability.

Computer vision systems automatically identify the contents of each pallet, decreasing the building footprint. Lineage’s technology teams refined the robotic layout in simulation, stress-testing it against high growth, food holidays and even March 2020 panic-buying.

The facility also features Lineage’s

patented blast cell technology that reduces freeze time and energy use by approximately one-half relative to traditional blast cells, aligning with Smithfield’s industry leading commitment to sustainability.

Smithfield has pledged to become carbon negative, reduce GHG emissions 30 percent and halve food waste in its U.S. companyowned operations by 2030.

“Our new facility in Olathe represents the pinnacle of supply chain technology,” said Sudarsan Thattai, Lineage’s chief information officer and chief transformation officer. “It combines innovations in robotics, numerical simulation, thermodynamics, algorithms, computer vision and software to enable reliable and efficient access to food.”

“As a major food company feeding a growing global population sustainably, we’re continually working to implement enhancements across our value chain, including our distribution network, to support our customers and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Shane Smith, president and CEO of Smithfield.

“We’re pleased to partner with an innovation-driven company like Lineage to further optimize our operations and better serve our customers. “ “Automation is an increasingly important element of our strategy to achieve efficiencies across our business and exceed customer expectations,” said Brady Stewart, Smithfield’s chief operating officer.

“The opening of our new facility in Olathe brings unmatched innovation and new levels of resiliency to our supply chain.”

In addition to state-of-the-art software inside the building, the facility features Lineage Link, a customer experience platform that provides Smithfield unprecedented access, visibility and control to their product. With the ability to see inventory levels and receive timely alerts, Smithfield can place the necessary orders and schedule the shipments to ensure their product reaches consumers when it is needed.

This platform in turn seamlessly interacts with the operating software to ensure the tasks are prioritized for the requisite appointments to maintain the highest level of throughput and productivity. Lineage has created a network in which food suppliers, carriers and distributors maintain a level of access and control to build a stronger, more robust food system. GN

Veeve, Albertsons Partner to Expand AI-Powered Carts Veeve Inc., a leading retail technology startup, and Albertsons Companies will make Veeve Smart Carts available to customers at a few dozen stores across the country. Once launched later this year, consumers will be able to use the smart carts to skip the checkout line with a fast, convenient and contactless way to shop.

Veeve Smart Carts are enabled by a touch screen that provides a running total for incart items and a built-in scale for easy produce purchase. The tech-enhanced carts will also integrate with the Albertsons for

U loyalty program. Once done shopping, customers can complete payment on their cart and walk out, completely skipping the checkout line.

“This deployment is an important and inevitable next step in connecting the consumer’s ecommerce activity with a totally new, digitally driven in-store shopping experience,” said Shariq Siddiqui, Veeve’s cofounder and CEO. “Working with Albertsons Cos., we are building a link between multiple consumer channels and the brands they trust while keeping customer

loyalty central to the experience.”

“Veeve Smart Carts offer a sophisticated, yet simple self-checkout experience for people who value flexibility and time savings,” said Alyse Wuson, senior director of omni experiences at Albertsons Cos. “Our goal is to enhance the grocery experience no matter how our guests choose to

shop, and Veeve’s technology brings the ease and integration of eCommerce right to the grocery cart.” GN

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Dress It Up Dressing Expands Line Nationwide Dress It Up Dressing is now available at stores nationwide, including Sprouts, Fresh Market, Central Market, Raley’s and select Whole Foods Markets, as well as numerous other natural, specialty and independent retailers.

When Dress It Up Dressing founder Sophia Maroon couldn’t find a salad dressing that used healthy ingredients, she designed her own based on her mother’s classic vinaigrette. What started as a collection of dressings in mason jars for fellow

preschool moms turned into a full line of products available at retailers nationwide and online.

“I never bought bottled dressing because the ingredients bore no resemblance to what I used at home,” Maroon said. “Storebought dressing typically contained inflammatory oils, sugar and all sorts of gums and starches. I wanted a dressing that used olive oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic, and had all the flavor and clean ingredients of homemade, without the sugar, preservatives or

artificial ingredients. Salad is healthy and salad dressing should be, too.”

Real ingredients mean Dress It Up Dressing is loaded with antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics and Omega-3s. Without the added water, it’s almost concentrated – requiring half as much to dress a salad as with other dressings. Dress It Up Dressing products are gluten free, sugar free, non-GMO, vegan, paleo, keto and Whole-30 friendly.

Dress It Up Dressings has evolved into a pantry staple for conscious consumers who

are looking for better-for-you options and for whom natural, non-GMO and organic ingredients are a priority.

“We don’t take shortcuts and pay meticulous attention to detail,” Maroon said.

Dress It Up Dressing believes in the power of using business as a force for good and is a certified B Corp, meaning it meets the highest standards for social and environmental responsibility.

“I wanted to create a company as carefully as I create my dressings,” she said. GN

Westrock Coffee Holdings Achieves Goal of Responsibly Sourcing Global Tea Supply Westrock Coffee Holdings has achieved its goal to responsibly source 100 percent of its tea globally.

“Buying our tea responsibly is the foundation of Westrock Coffee’s objective to advance farmer and supplier support in the beverage industry beyond coffee,” said Matt Smith, executive vice president of supply chain and sustainability. “Ensuring that our products are grown, purchased and manufactured in a way that protects human rights and the environment is an important part of our commitment to a

more sustainable industry.”

Westrock Coffee’s vertically integrated systems and history of supporting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers around the world has led the company to create transparent, digitally traceable supply chains from farm to final product for many of the world’s most iconic brands. This affords Westrock Coffee’s customers and farmer partners the assurance of a responsible supply chain, with sustainability as the ultimate goal.

Westrock Coffee’s roots originated in pro-

viding coffee farmer service programs such as the Agribusiness Training Program, Farmer Direct Verified and Raíz Sustainability. In recent years, the company has expanded its beverage offerings to include the growing markets of tea, flavors, extracts and ingredients. These additions have further expanded Westrock Coffee’s commitment to sustainability as it finds ways to support these critical supply chains with programs complementary to those in coffee.

Westrock Coffee recently piloted its first digitally traceable tea supply chain from Ar-

gentina through its Farmer Direct Verified platform, opening the possibility for the company’s farmer partners and customers to be a part of its first transparent tea supply chain.

“Westrock Coffee purchases about 18 percent of all Argentine tea imported into the U.S. annually,” Smith said. “Being a large tea buyer from this region in particular creates an imperative duty to secure ethical trade and the opportunity to work with tea farmers on profitable, environmentally conservative agriculture.” GN

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Blommer, DouxMatok Present Chocolate, Confectionery Coatings to Flavored Chips Blommer Chocolate Company and DouxMatok have added chocolate and confectionery products to their chocolate-flavored chips.

Earlier this year, Blommer launched the innovative Discovery product line, empowered by DouxMatok’s award-winning sugarbased sugar reduction solution, Incredo Sugar. The product line now includes additional coatings to support utilization in a broader range of food applications, including panning, enrobing and molding.

Providing sugar-reduced chocolate that delivers on taste, sweetness and nutrition has been a long-standing industry challenge, particularly while fulfilling increased consumer interest in short and understandable ingredient lists. This new line of milk, dark and white coatings achieves up to 50 percent sugar reduction without using any high intensity sweeteners or sugar alcohols.

Blommer’s chocolate scientists have designed various concepts to demonstrate

that it is possible to achieve more than 40 percent sugar reduction in some of the beloved snack and bakery applications such as nut butter cups, bars and chocolate chip cookies.

“Global research continues to indicate that taste is the first consideration when consumers make food choices, but they have historically shied away from chocolate products with less added sugar due to negative taste perception,” said David Meggs,

Blommer COO. “We have tremendous opportunity at our fingertips to bring consumers back to this category who have avoided sugar-reduced products because they simply didn’t taste good enough.”

“Chocolate-covered snacks are beloved by consumers,” said Kelly Thompson, DouxMatok’s SVP head of North America, “and they shouldn’t have to compromise on taste or nutrition when they reach for their favorite treats.” GN

1812 Brewing Company Forms Subsidiary to Pursue Acquisition Facet of Growth Plan 1812 Brewing Company has formed a subsidiary to pursue the strategic acquisition facet of its growth plan within the craft brewing industry. 1812 Acquisition Company, of which 1812 Brewing owns 100 percent, will be used to finance the company’s first material acquisition or series of acquisitions.

As previously announced, 1812 Brewing’s

growth strategy within the craft beer sector includes organically growing the brands already in the portfolio, which includes War of 1812 Amber Ale, 1000 Islands IPA and Malicious Intent XX IPA. The company also plans to use its excess production capacity to produce beer for clients under contract and seek acquisitions.

Specifically, 1812 Brewing will seek out breweries that further its overall strategy and complement its holdings. This could mean seeking out targets whose distribution footprint broadens the portfolio’s geographic reach. It may also mean seeking targets whose products would broaden 1812 Brewing’s product mix, such as ciders

or hard seltzers.

“This is just the first step in positioning the company to act in the event we find a target that we want to approach,” said Tom Scozzafava, chairman and CEO. “The formation of 1812 Acquisition Company will allow us to arrange financing on a parallel track with our acquisition search.” GN

Global Cod Supply Expected to Fall in 2022; Quota, Slow Start, High Demand Boost Price The global cod supply is expected to fall this year, according to Maine-based seafood company Bristol, which processes linecaught cod.

Cod landings are expected to decline, in aggregate, for a reduction in Atlantic and Pacific cod, according to the company’s first Cod Market Factbook. The largest cod catching regions for Pacific and Atlantic

cod are seeing reductions – 14 percent for Alaska and 20 percent for the Atlantic.

In addition, logistical challenges still persist, including elevated freight rates, capacity and getting cod out of Alaska to the lower 48.

China supply chain issues are adding another wrinkle, according to the report.

China is the top producer of frozen fillets

and portions. Container rates from China to the United States are among those worst impacted by COVID. In addition, production capacity is reduced in China due to energy constraints and the ongoing pandemic.

Cod prices could rise, according to the report. The recent quota reduction, a slow start to the catch in Alaska and continued

strength in demand could drive continued upward pressure on boat prices.

Over the last several years, China has had a deflationary impact on cod prices by offering low-cost processing and low-cost freight. Volumes are down 31 percent from peak levels and prices are increasing, so there are fewer options for cheap fish, the report concludes. GN

Good Meat Partners to Build World’s First Large-Scale Cultivated Meat Facility Good Meat has signed an exclusive multiyear agreement with ABEC, Inc. to design, manufacture, install and commission the largest known bioreactors for avian and mammalian cell culture.

Good Meat, the cultivated meat division of Eat Just, Inc., also has entered into a joint development agreement with ADM, an international leader in nutrition that powers many of the world’s top food, beverage, health and wellness brands. This is ADM’s first strategic partnership of its kind in the cultivated meat sector, which analysts predict could become a $25 billion global industry by 2030.

Ten 250,000-liter bioreactors will form the foundation for Good Meat’s large-scale cultivated meat facility, which will be located in the United States. When fully operational, the complex will have the

capacity to produce up to 30 million pounds of meat without the need to slaughter a single animal.

The facility will initially produce both chicken and beef. With the planned capacity, Good Meat will be able to distribute products to millions of customers across the United States. Good Meat is planning to finalize site selection in the next three months and is working with the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture on a regulatory pathway to market.

ABEC is also designing and manufacturing bioreactors for Good Meat’s Alameda, Calif., headquarters, scheduled to be operational in Q4 2022, and for a Singapore facility slated to open in Q1 2023. The Singapore buildout will help meet growing consumer demand for Good Meat’s products, which have been available for pur-

chase there since December 2020. Good Meat remains the only cultivated meat manufacturer in the world to secure regulatory approval.

With North American manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Mo., and Bethlehem, Pa., ABEC has been a bioreactor technology leader through much of the biotech era. The company developed the first production-scale bioreactors in the 1980s and the first bioreactors larger than 10,000 liters in the 1990s.

Good Meat created the world’s first real, high-quality meat made directly from animal cells that has been approved for commercial sale, and the company is accelerating research and development and increasing production capacity to meet customer demand in Singapore and future markets. ADM’s capabilities across every part of the global food chain, including

human and animal nutrition, establishes an important pathway to large-scale commercialization of Good Meat’s products, according to the company.

As part of the agreement, ADM will build upon Good Meat’s foundational work to optimize the nutrients needed to enable the growth of the cells. In the same way a chicken or a cow absorbs amino acids, vitamins and fat through consuming soy and corn, Good Meat’s cells require an optimal growth medium for quality, cost and volume.

The companies will also collaborate on product development projects for Good Meat’s pioneering cultivated meat products, starting with chicken. ADM’s expertise in food formulation will be leveraged to advance the flavor, texture and other attributes of Good Meat’s pipeline of cultivated meat products. GN

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Conscientious Drinking on Rise Among Millennials, Gen Z Seeking to Relieve Stress Millennials are more likely – or more open about choosing – to drink alcohol to relieve stress, with 74 percent of millennials drinking to relieve stress vs. 66 percent of gen Z. Both generations participate in a variety of non-drinking activities to help manage stress (89 percent of gen Z and 87 percent of millennials).

Those findings were reported by Reach3 Insights and Rival Technologies, who said exercise, reading and writing, mindfulness and listening to music have become new trends to relieve stress among both groups.

Reach3 Insights initiated a survey to ex-

plore drinking attitudes of legal drinking age younger consumers (ages 21 to 39), from conscientious drinking to stress relief and new summer trends among consumers within the alcoholic beverage space.

The study found that millennials and gen Z are more particular and thoughtful when deciding to imbibe during social interactions. Both have dabbled in the dry-dating space with 28 percent of gen Z reporting having tried dry-dating and 21 percent of millennials having done so. Among those who never tried dry-dating, 37 percent of gen Z would give it a go while only 25 per-

cent of millennials would do so.

Despite differing levels of participation/interest, gen Z and millennials align on why they go on dry dates, including safety and creating an authentic experience. Although most who try dry dating are positive, some see it as a pretentious, trendy name for ordinary dating where two people just don’t drink.

“We found that overall, these groups believe moderation is key and do not seek alcohol to become the most ‘fun’ version of themselves, especially when dating,” said Jonathan Dore, senior vice president, found-

ing partner of Reach3 Insights. “Drinking isn’t inherently bad, but younger consumers believe moderation is key – as in they can still drink and have an honest and authentic interaction if both parties are responsible for themselves and their consumption.

“Direct-to-consumer Bev Alc brands are seeing an uptick in sales given their lower alcohol percentage and using our unique in-the-moment mobile messaging-based research techniques, we found that the sentiment among audiences is that they do not want drinking to impact their health and mental awareness.” GN

Zendaya Signs on as Smartwater Global Brand Ambassador As Smartwater’s global ambassador, actress and singer Zendaya will appear in a series of new creative from the brand and will support community water programs that will directly affect thousands of women.

“A global icon and cultural force, Zendaya isn’t afraid to be true to herself, and that’s what makes her the perfect addition to the Smartwater family,” said Matrona Filippou, global category president, hydration, sports, tea & coffee, The Coca-Cola Company.

Created in partnership with VMLY&R and WPP/OpenX, the campaign creative began rolling out in the United States in June across television, audio, social and

streaming channels, with global markets to follow. The campaign celebrates those who keep it smart, whatever the choice, and aren’t afraid to free themselves from the restraints of convention.

“I’m very excited to begin this new relationship with Smartwater,” Zendaya said.

“We all know how important it is to stay hydrated and Smartwater is my go-to source no matter what I am doing throughout the day.”

As the face of the brand’s newest campaign, Zendaya will work with smartwater to support community water quality and access improvements in various cities around the world, starting with Zendaya’s hometown of Oakland, Calif., by partner-

ing with the Global Water Challenge – a coalition of leading organizations collaborating to achieve universal access to clean drinking water. In the United States alone, 2.2 million people have no water at home and 44 million Americans are served by water systems that don’t function optimally.

Smartwater, GWC and Zendaya are launching the “smart solutions: global water challenge,” which will invite local organizations to apply for grant funding to GWC’s “women for water” action platform that uplifts women and their communities through the power of clean water access.

These efforts build on more than a decade of investments in clean water access around the world from The Coca-Cola Company

which have reached more than 18.5 million people since 2010. GWC’s work has proven that with access to clean water, people, especially women and girls, are healthier, safer, educated and employed.

“Our organization doesn’t operate without the support of our purpose-driven partners, and we are grateful to have Smartwater and Zendaya on board to help ensure communities in need have more access to clean water,” said Monica Ellis, CEO of Global Water Challenge. “With the smart solutions: global water challenge, we’ll specifically work to address community water access, improving and protecting water quality, and economic empowerment opportunities through water.” GN

Kefir

throughout the cookbook.

Smolyansky’s parents, Michael and Ludmila, took whatever jobs they could to support the family in Chicago. Ludmila learned English by watching TV shows and worked in a hair salon while Michael, a mechanical engineer in Kyiv, scrounged for equipment he could fix and resell.

Ludmila, who brought what Julie called her “one true possession” – a small soup pan – from their Kyiv home, realized that with the numbers of Soviet Jews settling in Chicago, comfort foods were needed. She opened a deli, Globus (“Globus being my parents’ interpretation of ‘around the world,’” Smolyansky writes in her cookbook.), that became a home away from home for resettled Jews from the Soviet Union.

While waiting in Rome for the paperwork to emigrate to America, the Smolyanskys tasted Nutella for the first time. Smolyansky’s mother would become the first person authorized to import Nutella to the States.

It wasn’t until the family traveled to Germany for a trade show that Michael Smolyansky realized what he’d really been missing when he bought three bottles of kefir.

“America has everything,” he told Ludmila, “but we don’t have kefir.”

“My mother told him, ‘Well, you’re an engineer. You make it and I’ll sell it.’ I was

one of the first guinea pigs,” Julie Smolyansky said, laughing.

Ten years after the Smolyanskys landed in Chicago (and the addition of Julie’s brother, Edward), Lifeway Foods was founded. Lifeway became the first company owned by Soviet-born Americans to go public. When Michael Smolyansky died in 2002, Julie became the youngest female CEO of a major company.

At this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show, Julie Smolyansky signed copies of “The Kefir Cookbook” and promoted the company’s newest product, oat milk, alongside two new kefir flavors, Peaches & Cream and Strawberry, with her daughter, Misha, shadowing her.

“My CEO in training,” Smolyansky said, smiling.

In the last 20 years, Lifeway has gone from being a $2 million company to $6 million with 300 employees. The Smolyanskys introduced a product made with an ancient grain that fit perfectly into the growing movement of plant-based probiotics. Lifeway Kefir has gone from being on the shelves of health food stores to major grocery chains.

“After flying under Americans’ radar for hundreds of years,” Smolyansky writes in “The Kefir Cookbook,” “kefir has finally achieved avant-garde status. It’s mainstream, yet still manages to maintain its cool mystery and edge.”

“I’m lucky that I had parents who were willing to risk leaving their country,” Smolyansky said. “They showed up in Chicago with no money but with an American dream. I’m grateful they made the brave decision to leave Kyiv.”

Smolyansky doesn’t take that gratitude for granted, but sees it as a call to action, in the past by supporting agencies JULIE AND MISHA such as HIAS that help refugees and continuing with her activism in calling attention to the Russian invasion and helping Ukrainians.

“We are privileged to have the freedom to voice our opinions,” she said. “I feel an obligation to speak out. Putin’s war needs to be stopped.

“Kefir was passed from generation to generation and was considered a gift from the gods,” Smolyansky said. “Maybe in some small way, it can help heal the world.” GN

Continued from PAGE 1 home, mothers do not have to deliver newborns in bomb shelters and fathers do not have to say goodbye to loved ones, fearing they will never see each other again.

“Now is the time when the entire world must find the guts to stand up and demand an end to this senseless violence and say, ‘Stop this war.’ May we only know peace.”

Lifeway has committed to donating up to $1 million with the charity bottle. Lifeway also raised $700,000 at a fundraiser, Chicago Chefs Cook for Ukraine, in addition to other drives.

Lifeway supports World Central Kitchen, HIAS Immigration & Citizenship, JCFS Chicago and Razom for donations to Ukraine. Other partners in Lifeway’s efforts to help Ukraine include New Hope Network, KeHE and UNFI. The Smolyansky family’s journey as refugees from Kyiv has inspired two generations to bring Slavic foods and inspired recipes to the United States.

In 2018, Smolyansky authored “The Kefir Cookbook” (HarperOne), rich with lush photography, family recipes and recipes from global cuisine using kefir. She sprinkles in family stories and photos

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Kellogg Company Separates Snack, Cereal, North American Plant-Based Businesses Kellogg Company is separating its North American cereal and plant-based foods businesses, via tax-free spin-offs, resulting in three independent public companies, each better positioned to unlock their full standalone potential.

The three companies, whose names will be determined later, would be the following: • Global Snacking Co., with about $11.4 billion in net sales, will be a leading company in global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen breakfast, with iconic, world-class brands and strong underlying growth momentum and profitability; • North America Cereal Co., with about $2.4 billion in net sales, will be a leading cereal company in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, with a portfolio of iconic, world-class brands and compelling opportunities for investment and profit growth; and • Plant Co., with about $340 million in net sales, will be a leading, profitable, pureplay plant-based foods company, anchored by the MorningStar Farms brand, with a significant opportunity to capitalize on strong long-term category prospects by investing further in North America penetration and future international expansion.

“These businesses all have significant standalone potential, and an enhanced focus will enable them to better direct their resources toward their distinct strategic pri-

orities,” said Steve Cahillane, Kellogg Company’s chairman and CEO. “In turn, each business is expected to create more value for all stakeholders, and each is well positioned to build a new era of innovation and growth.”

In recent years, the company has transformed its portfolio into one that has expanded geographically and shifted toward growing businesses, particularly in snacking categories. To achieve this, it has directed resources and investments toward growth categories and markets around the

world, made several acquisitions and partnerships in emerging markets and strengthened its snacks business through acquisitions, divestitures and the freeing up of resources by exiting from direct-store delivery.

These actions have expanded Kellogg’s portfolio, resulting in a scaled global snacking business and significant emerging markets presence, complemented by strong and profitable breakfast and plant-based foods businesses. The outcome of these strategic actions has been improved growth in recent years, with momentum sustained into 2022.

As independent companies, all three businesses will be better positioned to: • Focus on their distinct strategic priorities, with financial targets that best fit their own markets and opportunities; • Execute with increased agility and operational flexibility, enabling more focused allocation of capital and resources in a manner consistent with those strategic priorities; • Realize improved outlooks for profitable growth; and • Shape distinctive corporate cultures, rooted in Kellogg Company’s values, and rewarding career paths for employees.

The planned separations will result in a Global Snacking Co. that is expected to enhance its leadership position in the global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen breakfast categories, by focusing investments and capital toward building upon its strong growth momentum and profitability. Steve Cahillane will remain chairman and CEO of Global Snacking Co. The proposed management team for North America Cereal Co. will be announced at a later date.

The proposed management team for Plant Co. will be announced at a later date.

North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. will both remain headquartered in Battle Creek, Mich. Global Snacking Co. will maintain dual campuses in Battle Creek and Chicago, with its corporate headquar-

ters in Chicago. Kellogg Company’s three international regions headquarters will remain in their current locations.

The proposed spin-offs are intended to result in tax-free distributions of North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. shares to Kellogg Company shareowners. Shareowners would receive shares in the two spin-off entities on a pro-rata basis relative to their Kellogg holdings at the record date for each spin-off.

Capital structures, dividends, governance and other matters for each business will be announced at a later date. Management is committed to maintaining an investment-grade credit rating for Global Snacking Co. after the separations, according to the company.

In addition, the company expects to maintain a strong aggregate dividend and return-on-capital profile across the three businesses. The independent dividend and capital structure policies for each business are expected to be competitive relative to their relevant peer sets.

The company will begin incurring pretax expenses related to executing the transactions and setting up the companies. To ensure visibility into the ongoing results of the businesses, the company will disclose these up-front costs and exclude them from its adjusted-basis results in its external reporting.

Goldman Sachs is serving as lead financial adviser, along with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal adviser. GN

‘Lightning in a Bottle’: Market Trends Bring Opportunity for Beverage Product Development New product development in the beverage space will continue to be fast-paced and complex, according to global food corporation Cargill in its insights report, “Big ideas in beverage formulation.”

“Beverages have come to epitomize almost everything that people want from a product they consume,” according to the report. “They provide hydration, nutrition, energy and other specific health benefits – all wrapped up in a portable, easy-to-consume-and-store package.

“For brands that break ground with new innovations and formats, the upside is substantial. Getting a successful formula in the right beverage at the right time is nothing short of lightning in a bottle.”

Consumer demand for healthier and more nutritious products that address a range of health concerns has revolutionized the beverage segment across the spectrum, according to the report, from bottled waters and soft drinks to breakfast beverages and cocktails. Beverages as a whole are seeing continued opportunity thanks to many of the industry’s strongest trends.

“It has also been a challenging time, especially for the soft drink category, where

– despite the pandemic’s impact and some ongoing new product development – sector maturity and sustainability concerns have created significant disruption,” according to the report.

Consumers are embracing new options and choosing different types of beverages based on occasion, availability, format or taste preferences, the report states, citing Innova Market Insights data.

“For brands, this means a growing emphasis on beverages that improve sugarreduction techniques while addressing personal health and taste preferences.

Successful beverages will also have a stronger sustainability focus, with more recyclable and reusable packaging,” the report states.

The global beverage market is estimated at nearly $1.5 trillion in 2022, according to recent category data and growth projections cited in the Cargill report. The category is generally divided into two segments: non-alcoholic – soft drinks, caffeinated drinks, fruit juices, syrups, sports drinks, coffee and tea – and alcoholic – spirits, beer and wine.

While statistics vary somewhat depend-

ing on how categories are tracked, the soft drink sector made up the largest share of the 2021 global market at $823.6 billion with a 6.14 percent compound annual growth rate, while the global alcoholic sector reached $546 billion, according to data cited in the report.

The U.S. market produced most of the revenue for both segments in 2021 – $310.9 billion in soft drinks and $283 billion for alcohol, the report states. Carbonated soft drinks remain the most significant segment in soft drinks, with big multinational players focused on new product development, marketing and distribution.

To keep pace with a fragmented and changing market, Cargill suggests: • Providing sensational sensory experiences: Pushing the envelope with respect to flavor and format will engage adventurous young consumers while broadening the appeal of their go-to drinks. Hybrid beverages that run the gamut from traditional waters and teas to low- and no- alcohol options will see continued momentum. Reinventing nostalgic beverage favorites with exotic and modern flavor combinations also will

continue to intrigue.

• Prioritizing personalization: Consumers want to maximize their health and wellness efforts; they see customized and personalized beverages as a path to those goals. Label-friendly ingredients with added function and proven efficacy will become a new norm, especially as consumers embrace technologies such as genetic testing to help them target specific ingredients and health goals like detoxification and disease prevention.

• Taking sustainability to the next level: Most beverage segments – and particularly water – will encounter growing scrutiny and new thinking around sustainability.

Ingredient sourcing and packaging can help to distinguish brands in consumers’ eyes. Natural formulation is a growing baseline in beverages; thus, consumers will want to see enhanced ingredient transparency and simplified nutritional information with clear, streamlined communications. On the packaging end, sustainability efforts will give rise to new options including PET bottles, water filter jugs, and home water carbonators to help reduce plastic waste. GN

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Hyfé Foods Gets $2M Investment, Grant to Turn Wasted Sugar Water Into Flour Chicago-based Hyfé Foods, a sustainable food tech company that produces lowcarb, protein-rich mycelium flour, has received a $2 million investment led by The Engine, the venture firm spun out of MIT that invests in early-stage Tough Tech companies.

Other investors participating in the preseed round include: Blue Horizon, Caffeinated Capital, Supply Change Capital, Lifely, Gaingels, Hack Ventures and angel investors including restaurateurs and founders. In addition, Hyfé was awarded a Department of Energy grant through the Chain Reaction Innovations Accelerator at Argonne National Labs. This funding will accelerate Hyfé’s timeline to scale up toward commercialization.

Hyfé Foods is valorizing wasted sugar water from food and beverage manufacturers as feedstock to produce mycelium flour for a variety of food products. The company has developed a carbon-neutral method to produce affordable, high protein, low-carb, and allergen-free flour prod-

ucts.

The technology is versatile among supply chains and environmental conditions, conserving water and improving food access throughout society. Flour is a food staple that for years has contributed to chronic disease due to its high levels of refined carbohydrates and prominence in diets across the globe, according to the company.

The food system accounts for 70 percent of all freshwater use and 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Hyfé’s use of upcycled water feedstocks not only reduces the water intensity of fermentation but also diverts these feedstocks from wastewater treatment facilities, which generate significant amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas with a 20-year global warming potential 84 to 86 times that of carbon dioxide.

Hyfé believes that the future of food isn’t just sustainable production, it has to be healthy for people as well.

“A bowl of Hyfé pasta has as much

protein as a chicken breast, is high in fiber and has no refined carbs. We’re on a mission to make food better for you as well as better for the planet,” said cofounder and CEO Michelle Ruiz. “Hyfé’s mycelium flour tastes and acts just like wheat flour, enabling people to eat the foods they love without negative health impacts. We are leveraging biotechnology to produce this ingredient that is carbon neutral, at scale, and at a very low cost.”

In addition to the health benefits, enabling localized mycelium production benefits humanitarian efforts to combat food shortages as industrial-scale growth of the protein is decoupled from agriculture, making it possible to produce in remote or poor agricultural quality environments, according to the company.

“In the face of supply chain and climate uncertainty, regionalized production of healthy food is vital to a circular economy and more importantly, ensuring global food security. Hyfé stands out be-

cause it operates at the intersection of climate and health and uniquely delivers a cost-effective solution,” said Katie Rae, CEO and managing partner at The Engine. “We were impressed with Michelle and Andrea’s vision for discovering a way to produce nutritious food at scale without the need for agriculture, fresh water, or much space. The diversity of thinking, passion for the mission, drive and excellence of execution positions them to succeed.”

Hyfé Foods was co-founded in 2021 by Ruiz and CTO Andrea Schoen, former ExxonMobil and LanzaTech engineers.

Ruiz, an immigrant from Ecuador, is a Carnegie Mellon chemical engineer with more than a decade of manufacturing experience, with bioengineering expertise in wastewater treatment. Schoen is a Northwestern and University of Wisconsin bioengineer and registered patent agent who supported the startup of the world’s first commercial-scale gas fermentation plant. GN

Wine

social media needs every kind of photo, video and gif you can throw at it as often as possible.

“For social media, you need to break through the noise and the clutter,” she said.

“Emotion comes into play.”

And every image has to tell a story.

It begins with a marketing strategy, which smaller wineries may never have created.

“Marketing strategy is who you are as a brand,” Steffen said. “It’s based on brand pillars – who you are, what story you are trying to tell, what visuals do we need to tell that story.”

Steffen works with clients to develop strategy, down to details of whether the story requires color or black-and-white photography.

“If bold and trendy is not who you are as a brand, then your visuals need to reflect that,” she said.

“It’s useless to you and a waste of your money and time if we get a gorgeous image that you can’t use,” Steffen said.

For instance, a dark and moody image paired with bright, lively copy sends the wrong message, she said.

“I’m happy to walk people through the process and explain all that,” she said.

“Preproduction is way more important than the actual shoot day,” Steffen said. “By the time of shoot day, the clients know exactly what I’m going to do that day.”

Even with the best preparation, things don’t always go perfectly. The design and texture of the wine bottle and its label can make perfect shots difficult to capture.

“I know a lot of lighting tricks,” Stefen said, “and I do a lot of composite work, which is more expensive because it’s hard to do and takes time.

“It’s a fun problem, reflections,” she said.

“If you’re in a photo studio with no windows, you don’t have to deal with ambient light, but if you were in a studio, you

wouldn’t have this amazing, historic, huge window to black out so you have 100 percent control.”

Some wineries want to project a traditional image, but Steffen also has clients who want to demystify wine to attract new customers.

“There’s an automatic perception that wine is a little unattainable, a little unapproachable,” Steffen said. “Wineries can change that and make wine more approachable, not so alienating.”

“Your imagery has to be powerful,” she said.

“Maybe it’s not all about perfect reflections,” Steffen said. “How do I make this bottle have personality? How do I get this shot with just tabletop lights? How can I make it interesting and use different materials or add a human element, like pouring or swirling, something with movement, something to draw in the consumer?”

For businesses that have never hired an

Showcasing pairings of wine with food can help educate consumers about the diversity of wine.

Steffen also advises clients about when to be more traditional – such as an image going into Wine Spectator that calls for warm, rich lighting – or Napa Valley retailers – where a bright, splashy glass of swirling wine conveys a cool, contemporary attitude.

Imagery matters to potential consumers.

expert like Steffen, she advises doing some research first to find the right one to suit the business’s needs.

“Look for photographers who can execute your brand style,” she said.

For instance, couples looking for wedding photographers sometimes get too caught up in the photographer’s style.

“My style, you can see it in my personal work. The question is, can I execute your style?” Steffen said. GN

Continued from PAGE 1 shoot to “reflection manager.”

“Why is that there? Where is that stupid reflection coming from?” she asks herself at times.

Steffan broke away from 15 years of working with corporate software and wine companies to form her own studio, specializing in creating branded stock asset libraries for businesses.

“The marketing job exposed me to the world of wine on a large-scale production,” Steffen said. “I saw everything on national accounts like Target and Cost Plus.”

Steffen, who fell in love with photography and darkroom photo developing while attending Sonoma State University, asked to go along on photo shoots to learn more about the craft.

“At the same time, the social media world was happening and it was an eye opener for photography,” she said.

In a world when social media demands a constant flow of imagery to stay relevant, few companies have in-house photographers. Steffen set out to fill that need.

While she accepted occasional wedding shots and other assignments, her background in marketing and the wine industry became her calling.

“I’m going to start a business and if I fail, what’s going to happen? Somebody will disown me? My entire business goal is to marry social media and photography and change the way photography is done.”

Steffen knew how important it is for a winery to not only have a catalog of quality photography, but knowing the right photography to use when and where. Retailers need product shots. Publications need high-resolution jpegs and eye-catching ads.

Websites, blogs and e-newsletters need images and banner ads. Social media – well,

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Fancy Food Show Continued from PAGE 1 in a thousand years” – with new flavors including Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper and Buffalo.

“Our whole foundation is to be as authentic as possible,” Acree said, which the company applies to its sustainable sourcing as well.

Responsibly sourcing is one goal that James took seriously when he started Stone’s Throw Foods from a food truck in Baltimore through to his CPG manufacturing.

“It was very important to me, going back to my youth in rural Virginia,” he said.

“One of my first memories as kids was riding on my friend’s tractor.”

Years later, while attending Tufts University, James took a course on sustainable food systems.

“That really hit home,” he said. “I heard only 1 percent of food consumed in the U.S. was regionally sourced, but the majority of

the entire U.S. population could eat a nutritious diet from regionally sourced foods.

The plumbing’s not set up for it.

“As somebody who’s an entrepreneur, I saw it as the best way to do it was to create a demand for it.”

James sources cremini mushrooms from To-Jo Farms in Pennsylvania, sweet potatoes from Burch Farms in North Carolina, pork from Hatfield Farms in Pennsylvania, blue crab from Congressional Seafood in Maryland and onions from Watson Agriculture in Idaho.

On top of that, Stone’s Throw donates 1 percent of its revenue to farming initiatives, including the Farm Alliance of Baltimore.

Stone’s Throw made the transition from food truck (the Hash Mobile) to CPG by joining the Union Kitchen Accelerator Program in Washington, D.C. At the Summer Fancy Food Show, James’s brother, Sam, was busy serving samplings of the new Chickpea Chorizo Fiesta Skillet (red potatoes, Aurapea chickpea chorizo, corn, bell peppers, onions and Mexican seasoning).

Other products include Bay Be Blue Crab (sweet potatoes, crab, carrots, onions, spinach, Chesapeake seasoning), Philly Me Up (red potatoes, sauteed beef steak, green peppers, onions, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings), Wakey Wakey Apple Bacon (red potatoes, cured bacon, apples, onions, seasonings, apple cider vinegar), Veg Out Brah (sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cremini

GOURMET NEWS mushrooms, onion, spinach, Garam Masala Seasoning) and Chor Iz Good hash (sweet potatoes, pork chorizo, black beans, onions, spinach, apple cider vinegar and Moroccan Magic Seasoning).

“I’ve always loved breakfast food,” James said. “Breakfast is my favorite food of the day.”

But many breakfast foods contain wheat, which James learned he was allergic to.

Rather than give up his favorite meal, he began making healthier breakfast alternatives in batches, which he often took to work (Ocean Spray, at the time). Friends and colleagues encouraged him and before long, James and his wife settled into a home they owned in Baltimore to begin Stone’s Throw Foods.

The company recently acquired a Paleofriendly waffle product, Swaffles, which the brothers also served samples of at Fancy Food.

“I’m excited about collaborating on products,” James said.

James is going to be expanding Stone’s Throw Foods production at the Union

five-course dinner featuring custom dishes created by former “Eater Young Gun” Chef Jacob Harth, who is famous for his focus on ethical sourcing of seafood and use of bycatch, at the newly opened Place des Fêtes in Brooklyn.

Harth used Onsuri’s Arbosana cultivar for PEI mussels en tinta, sardine toast with smoked butter and green mandarin, winter flounder with tomato gelée and celtuce, striped bass with horseradish and bamboo and longfin squid with salted gooseberry and romano beans.

He featured Onsuri’s Arbequina cultivar for Otway bread dipping, Don Bocarte anchovies, Tempesta mortadella, Mixed Signal cow and sheep milk from Vermont and salt cod fritters with saffron.

Harth chose Onsuri’s Sensory Blend on little gems lettuce, Green Goddess dressing and fiore sardo cheese; Japanese cucumbers, spruce and Meyer lemon; and grilled artichokes with smoked egg yolk.

Onsuri’s Koroneiki was present in Harth’s cavatelli, morels and English peas; swordfish chop with poblano and green straw-

Kitchen Accelerator Program in Washington, D.C.

berry; and Berkshire pork country rib with green pepper and dried clam.

Bilbeisi met with Harth days before the dinner, to discuss the properties of each olive oil and previewed the menu. She was delighted with Harth’s use of the oils, saying she wouldn’t have thought of some of the pairings, but was pleased (and everyone was full by the end of the night).

“Top Chef” host and judge Padma Lakshmi hosted 75 guests at an evening cocktail hour and dinner for Dah! (pronounced dahee) India Inspired Yogurt at Semma Southern Indian Cuisine restaurant in the West Village. The menu featured Dah!’s signature Lassi probiotic-rich smoothie in dishes created by Chef Vijay Kumar.

The cocktail menu included a candied rim Dah! Tequila-infused Lassi shooter.

Dah! Plain Lassi was featured in the multicourse meal including in Dahi Puri, Koshi Allepey and Thayir Vadai and several traditional Southern Indian side dishes. Chef Kumar created a custom dessert, Thayir Mambazham, with Mango Lassi Probiotic Yogurt Smoothie. There were also vegan options using Dah! almond yogurt.

Lakshmi signed on as board adviser and brand partner with Dah!, which was founded by J.D. Sethi and Ajeet Burns to bring India-inspired products to the U.S. market.

Onsuri launched its line of award-winning extra virgin olive oils at the Fancy Food Show. Onsuri oils are produced in Jordan’s Fertile Crescent under the expert eye of master miller and olive oil sommelier Amelia Bilbeisi.

Bilbeisi hosted an olive oil tasting and

Nancy Wekselbaum, aka The Gracious Gourmet, took a night off to attend the Onsuri dinner, but by day, she staffed her booth displaying the wide variety of products she makes in Connecticut. New to the show were her Roasted Tomato Pesto, Lemon Artichoke Pesto, Strawberry Black Pepper Jam, White Balsamic Hatch Chile Jelly and Caramelized Onion Fig Spread.

Yoélé gave samples of its new chips, made with the ancient West African grain fonio.

The gluten-free chips have the texture of tortilla chips, but aren’t as crumbly. Fonio is a tiny grain and grown using regenerative farming.

The company, founded by Chef Pierre Thiam and business partner Philip Teverow in 2017, sources its fonio from rural West African farmers, creating economic opportunities and supporting a more resilient, biodiverse food system by creating demand for the ancient, naturally sustainable crop.

Yoélé is building a global supply chain for

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AUGUST 2022

fonio, thanks to a nearly $2 million grant from USAID to build a processing facility in Mali.

Yoélé is planning more fonio products and is launching African-inspired spice rubs.

Sweet Logic showed off its Mug Muffins and cake and brownie mixes. They’re keto friendly and just right for those who just need a quick, sweet snack. New to the show were Sweet Logic’s reformulated pancake mix and a waffle mix.

John Arnold and his family create small batch craft nut butter in Vermont as Mixed Up Nut Butter. Among the spreads is Mud Season nut butter, crunchy cacao nib and coffee with late-season maple sugar and vanilla bean and Maple Creemee with Vermont maple, cashew, pecan and vanilla bean. They smartly displayed a large poster pairing their nut butters with wines.

Eileen Gannon, founder and CEO of Sunday Night Foods was there to discuss how

her premium dessert sauces are much more versatile than adorning ice cream. For instance, if you add powdered sugar, they can make frosting and with vodka and cream, chocolate martinis.

David Little promised a chocolate food fight at this booth for Immunity Goodness, which didn’t happen, but that would have been messy. Among the infused chocolates were Belgian Milk Salted Caramel Apple Chocolate bites with Vitamin C, zinc, elderberry extract and tetrahydrocurcumin from turmeric. They tasted too good to be healthy.

Immunity Goodness is one of the first functional food supplement manufacturers to exhibit at the Fancy Food Show. It manufactures branded, private/white label products in many shapes and sizes for food and beverage, corporate promotion and other industries.

Richie Schiff of Acme Smoked Fish gave samples of the new sofi award-winning Togarashi Salmon (so tender with a perfect blend of pepper and citrus that doesn’t overwhelm the smoked salmon) and its other new offerings: Sockeye Salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska; Smoked Atlantic Salmon; and Honey Maple Salmon. Schiff has been with the four-generation family company (his childhood buddy brought him into the fold) based in Brooklyn and is VP of sales.

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Acme fish is found in retail stores, specialty stores and restaurants across the country and ships directly from its smokehouse to homes.

Le Gruyère AOP was the star of the show for the Swiss cheesemaker, trumpeted as “retro meets future in this classic, original European cheese.” Le Gruyère suggests swapping it for the cheese in traditional recipes or upgrading a grilled cheese sandwich.

Le Gruyère sampled traditional, rèserve and Alpage varieties at the Fancy Food Show.

Over at the L&S Packing Company booth, Brooklyn Seltzer Boys were featuring cream sodas and Paesana dished up new sauces.

The reputation that St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis has for its meats is well deserved, but let’s hear it for the shrimp cocktail, which is the restaurant’s sole appetizer, served with a sinus-clearing amount of horseradish in the sauce. St. Elmo offered samples of plump shrimp with the cocktail sauce and the horseradish was the star of the sauce.

Randa Filfili, CEO of Zena Exoticfruits from Senegal, kept busy holding meetings at her booth. Filili is working with Denisse Caracappa of Caracappa Culinary Consulting to bring Zena products with Senegal-grown fruits to the U.S. market. Products from this family-owned business range from pepper sauce to raw honey to peanut butter to natural syrups and jams. Zena is dedicated to not only making top-quality food products, but making the lives of farmers and women in Senegal better.

SNAX showed up with its variety of Cookie Pops. It all started with a Butterfinger/popcorn combo and grew from there. The packaging includes the logo of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation (soon there will be a QR code) with several flavors especially made for the foundation and SNAX to give to kids who learn about broadcasting and new media in the Seacrest Studios set up in pediatric hospitals. SNAX donates to the foundation and encourages individuals to donate, too.

The snacking company also sampled gluten-free Penne Straws, made from lentils and white beans, in various flavors such as Marinara, Cinnamon Churro and Mac ‘n Cheese.

O’Food’s booth featured its first frozen food offerings, Mandu, which are Korean dumplings that are steamed, boiled or pan

fried. O’Food created Kimchi Mandu and Plant-Based Mandu in four flavors.

O’Food also offers products from Jongga, which makes the most popular packaged kimchi in Korea and is breaking into U.S. distribution. They were serving up Kimchi Grilled Cheese Sandwiches at their booth.

Patrick Ford of Ford’s Foods worked hard behind the counter at the Bone Suckin’ Sauce booth, dishing out the company’s newest sauces, Sweet Southern in original and hot. He represented his mother, Sandra Jackson Ford, who was inducted into the SFA Hall of Fame, 2021 class.

Siblings Diana Hecht and Tony Rabinovich, whose family has been making perogies for decades in Canada, are launching Holy Perogy!, frozen, ready-to-heat packages of perogies. Hecht swears they taste just as good as the family recipe served in restaurants.

Made with premium ingredients, Holy Perogy! flavors include Fully Loaded Potato (with Cheddar and bacon), Oh! So Cheesy (with Cheddar), Sizzlin’ Fried Onion and

Kickin’ Jalapeño (with Cheddar).

Hecht is the exuberant face of the product, too.

Chef Mario Carbone of Carbone Fine Food offered to show folks how he made meatballs and the booth quickly filled with eager students (good thing they handed out the recipe). The meatballs practically melt in your mouth.

Jordan’s Skinny Syrups’ booth caught eyes with its pink neon slogan, “Strong Drinks, Strong Women.” They urged passers-by to use generous squirts of its water flavorings, including Mermaid (tropical citrus and bright blue, like blue curacao). With no calories or sugar, it makes water taste like a cocktail. The company also makes no calories/no sugar mixes, too.

The Everything Bagel trend was fully represented at many booths.

Laura Chenel’s Everything Bagel Fresh Goat Cheese won the sofi New Product Award in the cheese (non-cow milk, mixed milk) category.

The Spice Lab brought dozens of new products including premium ceramic

15 grinders for coarse salts, whole peppercorns and seasoning blends as well as 15 pouches of all-natural seasonings for sides, dips and main dishes.

Sfoglini co-founders Scott Ketchum and Steve Gonzalez joined The Sporkful food podcast host Dan Pashman for a behindthe-scenes look at the process of creating the company’s new pasta shape, cascatelli.

Sfoglini (pronounced Sfo-LEE-nee) launched cascatelli last year and was named one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2021.

Shrubbly superdrink revealed its new branding for its apple cider vinegar shrub drinks. Shrubbly is a lightly sparkling, fruity drink in refreshing flavors including Lemon + Ginger + Aronia Berry and Pomegranate + Aronia Berry.

Both flavors are made with six or fewer ingredients and are 100 percent organic, gluten free, low calorie, have no to low sugar, low in carbohydrates, keto friendly and fat free.

It was an eventful show for heirloom and organic rice company Lotus Foods. Cofounders and co-CEOs Caryl Levine and Ken Lee were inducted into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame for the 2022 class and the company debuted its Organic Quick Cook White Rice, which cooks in about 10 minutes.

This fall, Levine and Lee will release their first cooking, “Rice Is Life,” which will include 65 easy-to-cook rice recipes from around the world along with essays on rice culture, the importance of sustainable rice agriculture and how rice plays a part in uplifting people across the globe.

Stephen Caldwell, founder/CEO/president of Crispy Filled, gregariously offered samples of the Rösti Soft Spuds as he pointed out the product’s rebranding. The change in brand name, accompanied with a redesign of the carton graphics, came in response to market research data and consumer feedback received during the brand’s first full year in the market.

“The Rösti brand of Crispy Shredded Potato products filled with meats, cheeses, veggies and spices exceeded our expectations in the market,” he said. “However, we frequently faced the need to explain and educate consumers regarding their question: What is a Rösti?

“We addressed the issue by reinforcing the brand identity and messaging with a stronger brand name, enhanced package design and more appetizing product imagery.

We believe that the product benefits will be easier for consumers to understand and result in increased purchases.”

Chocolate Storybook’s imaginative cotton candy flavors proved to be so popular that by the third day, its booth shelves were almost empty. The Des Moines-based confectionery company brought its Root Beer Float and Spicy Pickle cotton candy to the show. Other flavors in the new all-natural line include Strawberry Lemonade, Blueberry Jam, Caramel Popcorn, Wild Strawberry, Honey Vanilla, Peach Tea and Maple Bacon.

You had to be quick to get a taste of TBJ Gourmet’s Bacon Jam. They went fast! Not to be outdone, samples of TBJ’s Deep South Tomato Jam proved popular as well. The company’s new line also includes Balsamic Onion Marmalade and Apple Onion Marmalade.

TBJ Gourmet is committed to ending food waste on a national level. It has rescued 500,000 pounds of bacon ends and sold more than one million jars of bacon jam. TBJ Gourmet’s Bacon Jam turns excess bacon that would otherwise go to waste into bacon jam that people can put on everything from burgers, sandwiches, charcuterie boards and more.

A-Sha Noodles took a 100-year-old legacy noodle recipe from Tainan, Taiwan, and created a cult-favorite noodle brand that includes collaborations with David Chang’s Momofuku and Hello Kitty/Sanrio.

Made with wheat, salt and water, the noodles are never fried or frozen, but processed in an 18-hour air-drying technique. They cook in about five minutes and are flavored with sauce packets including sesame scallion and Ma-La chili. Healthier and more nutritious than conventional fried instant noodles, they can be topped with fried or poached eggs, fresh scallions, chili crisps or used without the sauce in stir frys, soups and more. GN

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Country Star Brad Paisley Takes Route 2 with American Highway Reserve Country music superstar Brad Paisley made it a double with the launch of American Highway Reserve Route 2, the second release from his premium bourbon that tells the story of America’s open roads through artfully blended whiskey, sourced from locations throughout the country.

Each Route is a new journey across the landscapes of America. American Highway Reserve Route 2 is made up of three mashbills and primarily including 12- and 4year-old Kentucky straight bourbons complemented by 8-year-old bourbon sourced from Georgia, blended to create a distinct flavor profile following a final

aging aboard the rolling rickhouse. Route 2 toured the country along with Brad Paisley during the summer of 2021.

“Bourbon is like a song: the more life it has lived on its journey, the deeper the story, the richer it becomes,” said Paisley.

“This second batch has seen more miles. I think you will be surprised at the unique character a different journey created.”

For Paisley, it’s always more than putting his name on something. He wanted to find a partner with which he could shape the whiskey every step of the way. In partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company, he touches every aspect of the product from

the selection of barrels, the aging and ultimately the final blend, working closely with VP of new product development, Dan Callaway.

“He’s more than a casual consumer,” Callaway said. “He really understands whiskey, so he’s made a great partner in this endeavor. It’s been a fun journey so far and we’re excited to see where the next Route takes us.”

Rich, aged notes of charred oak and leather combine with baked apple and almond on the nose. Toffee and cinnamon take the lead on the palate leading to a delightfully complex finish for this cross-

country blend.

American Highway Route 2 is presented at 98 proof. Roughly 10,000 cases will be available in 20 markets across the United States and online through www.seelbachs.com.

Located in Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World, this modern bourbon distiller creates custom whiskey, bourbon and rye for more than 30 different brand-owners worldwide and has won critical acclaim for its releases. GN

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Launches Online Marketplace for Buyers, Suppliers Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute launched the Alaska Seafood Online Marketplace, a web-based directory designed to connect buyers and suppliers of Alaska seafood around the globe.

The marketplace replaces ASMI’s Suppliers Directory and allows businesses to cre-

ate custom company profiles, list products and share product specifications for a variety of audiences.

Consumers and seafood buyers can search the marketplace by species, sales region and even contact suppliers directly within the platform. Buyers looking for

specific seafood items can also create an account to post specific product needs or purchase requests. The new “For Consumers” section simplifies the search process by providing quick access to companies that direct ship Alaska seafood to individuals.

Just Ice Tea

After reaching sales of $75 million and selling the line to Coca-Cola 2011, Nalebuff co-founded Kombrewcha and Real Made overnight oats, in addition to continuing as a full-time professor at Yale University. Goldman helped build Beyond Meat, where he serves as chair of the board, and co-founded PLNT Burger quick-serve restaurants and Eat the Change snack company, the latter two with Mendelsohn in early 2020.

“This idea of having been with Honest Tea and Beyond Meat is the next step in planet-friendly foods,” said Goldman. “It began during the pandemic, which was a good time to step away because nobody was thinking about doing business at that point.”

Goldman co-founded and serves on the board of Bethesda Green, which aims to make his Maryland community one that can sustain growth, reduce congestion and be more environmentally friendly.

For Goldman, focusing on crops that use less energy, especially water, is just as important as making them organic and reducing food waste.

PLNT Burger launched the phrase, “Eat the change you wish to see in the world.”

“It was a great call to action,” Goldman said. “If you want to change things, change yourself, change what you eat.”

Who would have thought that humble mushrooms would come to the rescue?

“Mushrooms are an incredible ingredient,” Goldman said. “They’re super water efficient. They are their own kingdom.

“The kicker is mushrooms lend themselves to any flavor. They’re a blank palette.

I mean, here’s broccoli – make it taste fun.

It has its own taste. But mushrooms take on any taste you impart to them.

“Spike set loose in the kitchen and found amazing ways to flavor them, make them interesting and delicious and created the first mushroom jerky.”

Eat the Change’s Mushroom Jerky comes in five flavors: Sea Salt + Cracked Pepper, Hickory Smokehouse, Maple Mustard, Teriyaki Ginger and Habanero BBQ. Just as Honest Tea innovated to create

Continued from PAGE 1 organic over chemicals and pesticides to maintain pristine ecosystems.

“And it also speaks to the taste. It’s just sweet enough.”

The sweetened teas will use Fair Trade honey and organic agave, he said.

“That’s one other aspect we bring with Eat the Change,” Goldman said. “There’s no cane sugar.

“Like Honest Tea, it’s minimally sweet.

“We use recognizable and minimal ingredients in every recipe,” Goldman said, “and, of course, nothing artificial. You will taste the essence of the tea, and not much more.

“That’s the goal,” he said. “Tea is a classic drink. With Honest Tea, consumers were rediscovering tea at a time when bottle teas were not authentic. Some teas were nothing more than soft drinks with tea flavoring.

“Now with Just Ice Tea, I believe it will be a chance to evolve Honest Tea with a chef-crafted touch. Like any good chef would, Spike has found a way to tweak and enhance the recipes.”

Goldman said they are ramping up a September production run for an anticipated launch in October.

Goldman and Nalebuff introduced Honest Tea in 1998, made in Goldman’s Bethesda, Md., kitchen in five flavors with orders from Fresh Fields (now Whole Foods Market).

“That was a long time ago in the world of food,” Goldman said with a laugh. “We were far ahead of consumers with a product that was less sweet and organic.”

From home chefs looking to source seafood from local fishermen to buyers in overseas markets, the Alaska Seafood Online Marketplace is meant for anyone looking to buy or sell Alaska Seafood to help connect, communicate, and facilitate sales. GN

soybeans, which require 257 gallons.

“Initially, we thought of a carrot chip, but it did not have the right texture. So we went the other way with a marinade and then thought, ‘What would happen if we dehydrated them?’”

Cosmic Carrot Chews are made with four natural ingredients and come in three flavors: Sour Cherry Berry Blast Off, Orange Mango Moonbeam and Apple Cinnamon Asteroid. They were recently launched at Sprouts Farmers Markets.

“This is a journey to get people to think about what they eat and how they eat,” Goldman said.

When Honest Tea launched, most consumers were unaware of the impact their food choices had on the world.

“We’re still educating them,” Goldman said. “I get really excited about having a kids product, so we’re PHOTO CREDIT EVANGELINE PERGANTIS FOR EAT THE CHANGE educating them, too.”

When Just Ice Tea Honest Kids Organic fruit juices, which launches, its packaging will also be consisCoca-Cola is continuing, Eat the Change tent with Eat the Change’s sustainability sought to offer parents healthier lunchbox goals. alternatives to fruit (sometimes fruitless) “Packaging is a challenge in the beverage chews. business,” he said, since most containers “Everyone understands that carrots are are not recyclable. healthy,” Goldman said. “They’re fun and Goldman dreams of the day when U.S. delicious.” beverage companies create a system as Carrots also are a water-efficient crop, Germany did in recapturing and reusing using 23 gallons to produce a pound versus bottles. GN

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GOURMET NEWS

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featured products

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Stonewall Kitchen Parmesan Garlic & Jalapeño Bacon Aiolis For a touch of fine dining at home, customers can stock their pantries with a favorite multipurpose condiment: aioli. This mayo-like emulsion combines a creamy base of oil, vinegar, garlic and egg yolks with other robust ingredients to create an versatile endlessly spread. Now, the specialty food makers at Stonewall Kitchen are excited to debut two brand-new aiolis for slathering on sandwiches and more.

Who doesn’t love cheesy, garlicky goodness? The new Parmesan Garlic Aioli melds both ingredients perfectly together in a tangy, creamy base for a umami kick.

Customers will love spreading it on a panini, tossing it with pasta salad or serving it alongside roasted potatoes as a dip.

But the possibilities don’t end there: customers can incorporate this aioli into their favorite bread recipe for a wonderfully fluffy loaf that’s full of zesty, baked-in flavor.

If customers are looking for a bit of smoky heat, the new Jalapeño Bacon Aioli

is sure to satisfy. This aioli features pieces of real bacon mixed with chopped jalapeño peppers and Parmesan cheese.

Complete with a “hot” spice level, this spread adds a kick to fresh BLTs, complements juicy burgers and flexes as a decadent dip for fries. It can even be used to add some creamy heat to elote, a classic Mexican street food dish featuring grilled corn. Making it is as easy as spreading charred corn with aioli, rolling it in cotija cheese and topping it with cilantro. ¡Delicioso!

Of course, these are just the latest additions to Stonewall Kitchen’s already extensive array of aiolis. Flavored with premium ingredients that range from ultrahot ghost peppers to bright citrus to earthy truffles, these spectacular spreads promise to tantalize taste buds at every turn.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

Gold’s Cocktail Sauce Gold’s has a reputation to live up to as it’s been grating fresh horseradish on site since the 1930s. Gold’s takes great pride in mixing its famous, fresh-grated horseradish into a rich, sweet tomato base, giving Gold’s Cocktail Sauces their signature bite.

For taste and convenience, there are two varieties to choose from – Gold’s Lively Cocktail Sauce and for those who want that extra kick, Gold’s Extra Spicy Cocktail Sauce. Both are fat free and gluten free.

So, what makes them different besides the level of kick? Size and storage! The 11-ounce Lively Cocktail Sauce is a con-

venient, shelf-stable variety, which is also available Kosher for Passover as certified

by The Orthodox Union. The Extra Spicy Cocktail Sauce is the refrigerated option. Because it is so popular, Gold’s Extra Spicy Cocktail Sauce is available in 9-ounce, 19ounce, 34-ounce (club size) and 1-gallon jugs for foodservice.

To learn more about Gold’s Cocktail Sauce, contact L&S Packing Company. Don’t forget to ask about other condiments, sauces, and soups for your deli, restaurant or market.

L&S Packing Company 631.845.1717 www.paesana.com

Roar Organic Beverages Roar Organic prides itself on being a support system on the journey towards greater wellness.

With nourishing electrolytes, vitamins, and antioxidants in each sip, Roar Organic promises organic, refreshing hydration with three grams of sugar or less and only 20 calories per bottle. Internal market research shows that Roar consumers are actively seeking vitamins and antioxidants at a higher level than electrolytes alone. Now, Roar Organic is excited to offer its deliciously hydrating, multifaceted beverages to consumers nationally as the demand for functional bev-

erages continues to rise.

All Roar Organic beverages are USDA Certified Organic, which means they’re non-GMO and made without preservatives, flavors, colors and pesticides prohibited by National Organic Standards. Additionally, all Roar products are vegan and keto friendly.

Roar Organic comes in four flavors: Mango Clementine, Cucumber Watermelon, Georgia Peach and Blueberry Acai.

Roar Organic www.roarorganic.com

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Buholzer Brothers Muenster Klondike Cheese Company’s Buholzer Brothers Muenster cheese is crafted by Wisconsin cheesemakers, at a family-owned plant that has been making cheese at the same location since 1925. The secret to Klondike’s exceptional quality is the combination of using state-of-the art equipment, proprietary recipes and time-honored traditions of cheesemaking.

Sourcing local cow’s milk and high-quality ingredients, made in Wisconsin, so you know it can only be the best.

Muenster is an orange rind cheese that is semi-firm with a creamy texture that gets even creamier with age.

Perfect for grilled cheese, scrambled eggs or pizza. Buholzer Brothers Muenster comes in a 6-pound loaf, 15-pound long john, 2-pound slices, 8-ounce chunk and

an 8-ounce retail slice pack.

The family of Buholzer cheeses, which includes Muenster, Brick, Havarti, Dill Havarti, Jalapeño Havarti, Horseradish Havarti and Gouda. Now you can have a full line of Buholzer Brothers Brand in your deli and dairy cheese cases.

For more information about Buholzer Brothers, including detailed information about other products it produces for retail and food service bulk products, visit the website.

Buholzer Brothers www.buholzerbrothers.com

STAR Sherry Vinegar STAR’s new Sherry Vinegar is a unique Spanish ingredient, a must-have for a complete vinegar category.

Sherry vinegar has proven to be the fourth preferred variety among all wine vinegars with STAR brand being the third best-selling wine vinegar (Nielsen 52 weeks, week of April 2, 2022).

STAR Sherry Vinegar is known for its complex, harmonious and well-rounded flavor, which is achieved through the traditional solera and criadera aging and blending processes. This unique method is crucial in the maturing process of sherry vinegar by allowing fractional blending of aged sherry vinegar with

younger batches in criaderas (tiers of oak barrels). This blending process allows for consistent flavor and quality in every batch.

To add STAR Sherry Vinegar to your selection, contact our customer service team for product inquiries. You can also find STAR Fine Foods on RangeMe.

Borges USA www.borgesusa.com

Silver Spring Foods Non-GMO Horseradish Silver Spring Foods, a subsidiary of Huntsinger Farms, the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish, has launched a certified Non-GMO Fine Cut Prepared Horseradish. The new horseradish product was created to meet national consumer demand for Non-GMO products.

Silver Spring Foods’ NonGMO Fine Cut Prepared Horseradish is the first Non-GMO Project-Certified product from the company. Found in the refrigerated section, the new offering provides horseradish zing for seven months of product shelf life. Silver Spring worked for more than three years with its crops, farms, ingredients, process and the certification project to bring this product to market.

Every harvest is vigorously tested for flavor and potency, ensuring the best horseradish available on the market that is flavor-packed all seven months of shelf life.

The horseradish is gluten-free, has full Kosher Certification through Orthodox Union, uses all Non-GMO Project Verified premium ingredients rich in nutrients and is free of artificial preservatives, flavorings and colors. The bottle, which is available in 8-ounce jars, was designed with 100 percent recyclable glass bottle packaging and a green label to represent the company’s ongoing green initiatives.

Silver Spring Foods www.silverspringfoods.com

New Hard Seltzer from Sparkling Ice Sparkling Ice SPIKED™ is Sparkling Ice’s entry into the burgeoning alcoholic bubbly beverages category.

The new full-flavored spiked seltzer is offered in four flavors: Cherry Lime Cooler, Lemonade Refresher, Ruby Fizz and Strawberry Citrus

Smash, each with 4 percent alcohol, zero sugar and only 80 calories. It’s offered in slim 12-ounce cans in a 12can variety pack.

Sparkling Ice www.sparklingicespiked.com

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Fall River Wild Rice 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 good-

La Sablesienne Cookies ness 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 the fruitful valley in the shadows of the Sierra Nevadas and the Rockies.

Fall River Wild Rice is a small grower-owned 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

Jasper Ranch Churro Popcorn Starting with the finest California almonds from its own orchards, Jasper Ranch creates exceptional snacks and mouthwatering confections. Churro Popcorn is a new addition and already a top-selling product within the Jasper Ranch brand. It is carefully created in small batches to maintain quality and freshness. The handcrafted rich caramel is generously coated on jumbo mushroom popcorn and tossed with cinnamon and sugar. Sold in an 8ounce kraft zipper pouch, this item is a great addition to any gift basket or store shelf. Not to mention, it makes the perfect sweet treat for snack lovers!

Jasper Ranch is a proud brand of Jasper Specialty Foods, a multi-genera-

tional, familyrun operation headquartered in Newman, Calif., specializing in the production of unique almond related food snacks, confections and other treats for the specialty food market.

Jasper Specialty Foods 800.255.1641 www.jasperspecialtyfoods.com

Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, including its Fresh Mozzarella, is made with hours-old milk on its dairy farm and cheese factory in Waterloo, Wis. Crave Brothers uses renewable energy to produce its award-winning cheeses with energy produced from an on-site anaerobic methane digester.

Crave Brothers is a carbon negative company. It produces enough electricity to power the cheese factory, farm and more than 300 area homes in the community. Crave Brothers includes a “produced with renewable energy” logo on the packaging to share its sustainability story with consumers.

Crave Brothers Fresh Mozzarella Medal-

lions recently won first place at the World Championship Cheese Contest in the Fresh Mozzarella category.

The company is proud to share that it is celebrating its 20th anniversary of cheesemaking this year.

With more than 13 family members in the business, they look forward to the next generation transitioning into the business.

Are you interested in carrying Crave Brothers products in your store? Check out the website or call for more information.

Crave Brothers 920.478.4887 www.cravecheese.com

Herb & Lou’s Infused Cocktail Cubes Get ready to perfect the art of making cocktails at home with Herb & Lou’s infused cocktail cubes!

Herb & Lou’s did away with endless measuring, searching for ingredients and complicated recipes with an in-

novative cocktail cube infused with the finest natural ingredients and delicious flavors ranging from hand-crafted bitters to hints of citrus and spicy notes.

Simply shake or stir one cube with a shot of the spirit of choice to make a perfectly crafted cocktail or mocktail.

Herb & Lou’s www.herbandlous.com

La Sablesienne, a French cookie company, is making its way to the United States! The recipe for Sablé (shortbread), a pure butter biscuit, has been passed down from generation to generation with solid roots in the town whose name it bears, Sablésur-Sarthe, located in the heart of the Pays de la Loire, France.

In July 1670, Vatel, head waiter of the Grand Condé, had a multitude of small, dry, round cakes served on trays. As far back as one goes to locate the origin of the Petit Sablé, one does not fail to mention a letter that Madame de Sévigné addressed to her

daughter. Thanks to the Grand Vatel and the Marquise de Sablé, the notoriety of the Veritable Sablé, whose recipe is perpetuated by La Sablesienne, is still very much alive.

La Sablesienne products will be showcased during the NY NOW Show, this coming August 14-17 in New York at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

La Sablesienne cookies are imported directly from France. The full line is available at The French Farm.

The French Farm 713.660.0577 www.thefrenchfarm.com/la-sablesienne

Urban Accents Smoky Brown Sugar Veggie Roaster Seasoning Have no fear, Urban Accents, your Culinary Wingman®, is here! A proud member of Stonewall Kitchen’s family of brands, it creates spice mixes to empower vegetables and more with bold, exciting flavors.

The newest addition is the Smoky Brown Sugar Veggie Roaster Seasoning Blend, which helps take fresh farmers market produce to the next level.

Featuring brown sugar, smoked paprika and thyme, this gluten-free spice mix brings out the best in root vegetables such as turnips and parsnips. To prep whole carrots, customers can combine this seasoning blend with some olive oil and butter and roast until brown and tender. It also pairs exceptionally well with barbecued meats, helping to enhance the

caramelized sugars and s m o k y sweetness of grilled steaks and more. Customers don’t need to worry about spreading this seasoning too thin – each single tent includes three individual packets that are good for flavoring up to one pound of produce.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

Ariston CBD Infused Olive Oil Ariston Specialties announced in spring this year the launch of its CBD infused Olive Oil. This product combines all-natural, 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

Holy Perogy! Premium Frozen Perogies Holy Perogy! makes a line of premium frozen perogies prepared with top-quality ingredients for U.S. consumers to enjoy their Ukrainian family recipe at home. The sibling team behind Holy Perogy!, President Tony Rabinovitch and CEO and the face of Holy Perogy!, Diana Hecht, took their cue from the

family’s Canadian restaurant to launch the CPG. Each of the Holy Perogy! flavors are sure to be a crowd pleaser, including Fully Loaded Potato with Cheddar & Bacon, Oh! So Cheesy with Potato & Cheddar, Sizzlin’ Fried Onion with Potato, Kickin’ Jalapeño with Potato & Cheddar.

Holy Perogy! www.holyperogy.info

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GOURMET NEWS

Teflon Platinum Plus Nonstick Teflon™ nonstick coating systems last longer than pans with ceramic or silicone coatings and are dishwasher and metal utensil safe. Chemours ensures durability by providing a nonstick coating that is not only abrasion and scratch resistant, but also helps protect against adhesion and corrosion. It’s this balance of properties that keeps these nonstick coatings performing like new, year after year, so there’s little erosion to the wallet. That’s because high-quality Teflon coatings have

been perfected over 50 years. Teflon nonstick coatings are the finest nonstick, with a variety of products to meet the variety of cooking needs. All Teflon products are quality tested to live up to the Teflon brand promise: easier cooking and cleanup, time after time.

Teflon Platinum Plus nonstick is the most scratchabrasion-resistant and Teflon branded nonstick finish to date.

The Chemours Company 866.205.1664 www.chemours.com

Ardagh 5-Ounce Glass Hot Sauce Bottle Ardagh Glass Packaging – North America’s 5-ounce glass hot sauce bottles are the classic, go-to container option for hot sauce and are also great for packaging olive oils, sesame oils or dressings. Proudly made in the United States, the “woozy” bottle is made using high-quality flint (clear) glass with a Snap & Screw or Continuous Thread (CT) closure. This 100 percent and endlessly recyclable glass hot sauce bottle is environmentally friendly and boasts an excellent shelf life.

This 5-ounce hot sauce bottle is offered in 12-pack cases available for purchase on

Ardagh’s BOB™ site with convenient online ordering and payment via credit card or PayPal. Or, you can purchase the jar in six-pack cases by contacting Ardagh directly. Ardagh is dedicated to the craft food market with capabilities and resources to grow with you every stage of the way. By the pallet or truckload, BOB and Ardagh have the ideal shapes and styles for craft food producers like you.

Ardagh Group 856.455.2137 www.ardaghgroup.com www.food.buyourbottles.com

Eclipse Foods Plant-Based Milkshakes Eclipse Foods has created the industry’s first nationally available plant-based milkshakes for Smashburger.

The milkshakes are now available for purchase in all locations nationwide in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Peanut Butter, Tangerine Dream and Oreo.

To create its first dairyfree menu item, Smashburger’s corporate chef, Ty Goerke, worked closely with Eclipse’s co-founder and James Beard nominated chef, Thomas Bowman.

After months of testing, both teams were confident they had created a world-class offering all customers would love, no matter their diet.

Eclipse was co-founded in 2019 by Steinhart and Bowman with the mission to

create a more sustainable, healthy and ethical food system. Since then, Eclipse has scaled faster and more efficiently than competitors in the space in order to make this mission of fighting climate change, animal suffering and the human health crisis a reality.

Eclipse’s plant-based platform is free from all top allergens such as gluten, soy, coconut, nuts; free from gums and stabilizers; and is non-GMO. Eclipse ice cream is available for retail in pint flavors including Cookie Butter, Caramel Butter Pecan, Dark Side of the Spoon (chocolate peanut butter), Mango Passion Fruit, Vintage Vanilla and Mint Chip.

Eclipse Foods www.eclipsefoods.com

BeBOLD Energy Bars Trivia: What’s the hottest new womanowned, plant-based product launched by Stacy of Stacy’s Pita Chips? Refrigerated BeBOLD energy bars! Not only delish and created with the same integrity as the pita chips, but they’re gluten and dairy free, plant-based and a simple combination of nuts, nut butters, oats, chia, wildflower honey and maple. Soooo good! They come

in two flavors: Chocolate Chip Almond Butter and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter.

BeBOLD 855.623.2653 www.beboldbars.com

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AUGUST 2022

Urban Accents Herby Dill Veggie Roaster Seasoning Blend As a member of Stonewall Kitchen’s exceptional family of brands, Urban Accents has created the latest produce booster so roasted veggies burst with bold flavor. Just in time for the barbecue season, the brand-new Herby Dill Veggie Roaster Seasoning Blend features a premium combination of spices that will make even a novice chef look like a big dill in the kitchen!

This gluten-free blend includes an herbaceous mix of dill, parsley and oregano with just a touch of lemon for added brightness. Crafted in small batches, every tent contains three individual packets that are good for flavoring up to one pound of produce so customers can elevate their side dishes time and time again. Ideal for fingerling potatoes, carrots

and cauliflower, it’s delicious when tossed with produce and roasted in the oven grilled or over an open flame. Customers will love also using it to bring out the sweet freshness of fish, which is aided by the blend’s combo of herbs and citrus to perfect any lakeside catch.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

Howard Products Cutting Board Cleaner With Howard’s Cutting Board Cleaner, now the entire cleaning, oiling and conditioning process can be done from products manufactured by the same company, which gives consumers confidence that all three products will work together perfectly. Ideal for cleaning and preparing wood surfaces before using Howard Butcher Block Conditioner or Cutting Board Oil. Cutting Board Cleaner effectively cleans and neutralizes odors on well-used wood cutting surfaces including butcher blocks, cutting boards, wooden bowls and utensils. The natural cleaning properties of lemon oil and coconut soap safely clean any wood surface, leaving it smelling fresh. Specially formulated for safely cleaning any wood surface. Ingredients include coconut soap, coconut oil, glycerin, salt, citral, lauryl glucoside,

lemon terpenes, food grade mineral oil and xanthan gum. Safe to use on any wood surface that may come into contact with food, Howard’s Cutting Board Cleaner does not contain bleach or any other harsh ingredients that can make wooden boards soft and gummy, reducing the life of the board.

Start selling Howard Cutting Board Cleaner today! Minimum wholesale orders are only six cases.

Howard Products 800.266.9545 www.howardproducts.com

Gym Weed Energy Drink Gym Weed, a hemp-infused energy drink, provides balanced energy without the jittery, anxious feeling typically associated with energy drinks. With zero sugar and only 10 calories per can, Gym Weed’s additional ingredients include lion’s mane and L-theanine, for an alert and focused feel, along with B-vitamins and electrolytes.

Gym Weed comes in three flavors: Pear Pineapple, Stone Fruit and Tropical Berry.

THC-free, gluten-free and non-GMO,

Gym Weed is stocked in more than 500 gym locations in select markets nationwide at a suggested retail price of $3.49-$3.99 per can.

Developed by Alternative Biologics, Inc., whose founders and team created protein drink category leader Muscle Milk, Gym Weed is the Pickett family’s newest venture of products to help people feel great, train harder and live each moment to the fullest.

Alternative Biologics Inc. www.gymweed.com

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

22

GOURMET NEWS

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AUGUST 2022

SMORGASBORD

TRADESHOWCALENDAR (dates subject to change)

August 28-30

October 27-29

Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo

PMA Fresh Summit

Orlando, Florida www.pma.com/events/freshsummit October 31-November 3

August 28-30

Supply Side West

Coffee Fest

Las Vegas, Nevada west/supplysideshow.com November 8-9

September 11-14

Kosherfest

Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference & Expo

Secaucus, New Jersey www.kosherfest.com

Miami, Florida www.foodengineeringmang.com

January 15-18

Winter Fancy Food Show

Las Vegas, Nevada www.specialtyfood.com

September 12-14

New Products Conference

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.newproductsconference.com

February 1-3

North American Association of Food Equipment Mfg.

September 12-14

Orlando, Florida www.nafem.org

Americas Food & Beverage Show

Miami, Florida www.americasfoodandbeverage.com

February 26-28 September 17-22

National Grocers Association

International Baking Industry Exposition

Las Vegas, Nevada www.nationalgrocers.org

Las Vegas, Nevada www.bakingexpo.com

March 2-3 September 28-October 2

Tastemaker Conference

World Dairy Expo

Chicago, Illinois www.tastemakerconference.com

Madison, Wisconsin www.worlddairyexpo.com

March 5-7

Natural Products Expo East

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.expoeast.com

New York City, New York www.internationalrestaurantny.com

October 7-8

March 5-7

Coffee Fest PNW

Coffee Fest

Seattle,Washington www.coffeefest.com/pnw

New York City, New York www.coffeefest.com/new-york

October 25-28

March 5-7

The Gathering

Healthy Food Expo

Orlando, Florida www.thegatheringevent.com/east

New York City, New York www.internationalrestaurantny.com

September 29-October 1

ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER

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world of tech as inspiration to transform its innovation processes.

Amy Shipley, managing partner at Sterling-Rice Group, and Chef Daniel Carpenter will moderate a keynote panel on “What Tastes Will Translate to Trends?” Leaders in culinary innovation will share their own proprietary insights, learnings and taste trends that may lead (and inspire) some of the hottest new products for 2022 and beyond.

Laura Shulman, president and founder of Food Future Strategies, Inc., will moderate the closing keynote panel on “The Future of Snacking: Where Appetite Meets Innovation.” Panelists are from Mondelēz International: Brigette Wolf, vice president and global head of snack futures; Katrina Borisjuk, senior director of snack futures innovation; Lori Herman, senior manager of insights and analytics; and Tapan Shah, head of venture capital, snack futures.

The panel will discuss traditional and emerging/innovative ways to identify trends and gather insights and then apply them to new product development and the overall category. GN

F&B Industry Steps Up to Support CORE 2022 Inspiring Hope Campaign A dozen food and beverage industry leaders have answered a call to support Children of Restaurant Employees, a national nonprofit that provides financial help to food and beverage employees with children who face a medical crisis or natural disaster.

As CORE celebrates its 2022 Inspiring Hope campaign, food and beverage suppliers were invited to lend their support. Inspiring Hope is focused on raising much-needed funds to assist restaurant employees and their families when navigating through a qualifying circumstance.

“We are grateful for the generous support of the corporate partners who allow us to Inspire Hope to foodservice employees and their families across the country,” said Sheila Bennett, executive director. “The In-

spiring Hope campaign allows us to provide a financial safety net to those who qualify.”

Industry leaders lending support are Bar Louie; Barefoot Wine; E&J Gallo Winery, Luxury Brands; Edrington; ExpandShare; Island Oasis; J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; Monin Gourmet Flavorings; Questex; Red Bull Energy Drink; Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; and Love, Tito’s.

“Families never know when an emergency will strike, but we are able to answer the call,” Bennett said. “The support we receive from corporate and individual donors allows us to maintain our critical programs.”

Grants are issued for various needs and help with covering rent, utilities, groceries and other necessities. GN

WEBSITE

Ariston Specialties

22

www.aristonspecialties.com

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese

21

www.cravecheese.com

Fall River Wild Rice

21

www.frwr.com

International Baking Industry Exposition

21

www.bakingexpo.com

J&M Foods

23

www.janis-melanie.com

Klondike Cheese

3

www.odysseybrands.com

STAR Fine Foods

5

www.starfinefoods.com

Stonewall Kitchen

2,4,7

www.stonewallkitchen.com

The Chemours Company

24

www.teflon.com/nonstick

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars

9

www.widmerscheese.com

A Special Advertising Section

Los Angeles, California www.coffeefest.com/los-angeles

Prepared Foods’ New Products Conference delivers a focused look at food and beverage innovation from consumer insights, product and packaging trends to the new tastes and latest technologies (e-commerce, artificial intelligence, etc) affecting research and development.

The conference is set for Sept. 12-13 at the Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.

Craig Slavtcheff, executive vice president and chief research and development innovation officer for Campbell Soup, will deliver the opening keynote, “Transformational Innovation Processes Hardwired Into a 150Year Old Company: Case Study About Campbell Soup Company.

He will discuss how consumer macro trends including interests in food exploration, nostalgia, ag-tech and sustainability continue to drive the high pace of innovation. To match that pace, food companies have to innovate on how they innovate.

Campbell Soup has focused on the three drivers of speed to insight, speed to design and speed to execution. Slavtcheff will share how Campbell Soup looked to the

GOURMET MARKETPLACE

Los Angeles, California www.westernfoodexpo.com

New Products Conference Scheduled for Sept. 12-14 in Philadelphia

Ariston’s newest arrival from Greece combines our flagstaff multi-awardwinning Extra Virgin Olive Oil in our newest gi bottle. is extra virgin olive oil just won Gold the 2022 NY IOOC, We are proud to produce this product and we would like to share a piece of our heritage with you.

Ariston Specialties 860.263.8498 • www.aristonspecialties.com