Gourmet News September 2015

GOURMET NEWS

®

T H E

B U S I N E S S

VOLUME 80, NUMBER 9 SEPTEMBER 2015 n $7.00

RETAILER NEWS n

BY MICAH CHEEK

PAGE 12

Retailers appear to be in the eye of the storm as heated discussion over the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Law rages around them.

The bill has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 275 to 150, and will be the center of more frantic debate as it moves to the Senate. The Safe and Accurate Food Labelling Act would establish a voluntary program for labeling whether or not a food contains GMOs, preempting any state laws on the issue as well as creating federal programs for the sale of new bioengineered products. While the bill, known as HR 1599, holds a

Bridor Brings European Pastries for American Tastes PAGE 14

BUYERS GUIDE n

Pasta & Pasta Sauce PAGE 15

F O R

T H E

G O U R M E T

I N D U S T R Y

Genetic Engineering Controversy Continues as GMO Labeling Bill Passes House

All in the Family at Tony’s Market

SUPPLIER BUSINESS n

N E W S P A P E R

great deal of sway for manufacturers and customers, retailers will so far remain largely unaffected if the law is implemented. “Really there is no impact on retailers,” says Katherine Paul, Associate Director for the Organic Consumers Association. “The burden is on manufacturers.”

The House’s passing of HR 1599 was not a surprise to many groups involved in the debate. A bipartisan bill with a low cost of implementation has proven to be an appealing choice for members of the House. “What people don’t realize is that these members have maybe hundreds of pages to go through at any given time. They

rely on aides to tell them in a nutshell what the bill is about. In a nutshell, it’s a false representation,” says Paul. If your congressman is misinformed, it’s easy to see why. The bill has been framed alternately as a state’s rights violation, a campaign against anti-science zealots, a public health crisis and an essential cost-saving measure for the American family.

This contentious debate is framed by recent legislation in Vermont. The passing of Act 120

by Governor Peter Shumlin in May of 2014 made the labeling of products containing GMOs

stands, industry leaders fear that increased costs, loss of product and uneven inspection policies will result through the entire food pipeline.

In July, the Senate approved the 2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, putting a heavy focus on agricultural research and rural development, but allocating less than half of the $109.5 million the administration requested for FSMA. The FDA itself estimates that a total of $276 million – much of it in user fees – in additional funding will be needed to fully imple-

ment FSMA properly. While Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss) is confident that the bill adheres to budget constraints while still funding federal initiatives important for food safety, a number of food industry professionals are wondering how it can succeed.

“Without funding, it will be a problem for the whole food supply chain. We’ll have undertrained and insufficiently trained inspectors and the possibility for

For the first time in 30 years of competition, the American Cheese Society’s Best of Show winner was a Canadian. Celtic Blue Reserve from Glengarry Fine Cheese in Ontario, Canada, took home the purple ribbon in a ceremony held on Friday, July 31 in Providence, Rhode Island.

The winning cheese is the result of 20 years of work on the recipe, said Margaret Peters-Morris, who began making cheese from the milk from her family’s dairy farm in the early 1990s. In the years since, she has been an important mentor for many American cheesemakers, who were delighted to see her skills recognized with the Best of Show award, said Mateo Kehler, Cheesemaker for Cellars at Jasper Hill, who took home the third place Best of Show ribbon for Harbison, a soft-ripened cow milk cheese bound with cambium from spruce trees harvested sea-

Continued on PAGE 8

Continued on PAGE 10

Continued on PAGE 10

Food Industry Concerned Over Underfunded FSMA

BY RICHARD THOMPSON

SMALL ELECTRICS n

Coffee Brewers & Electric Kettles PAGE 26

News & Notes.................................6 Ad Index .......................................27 Smorgasbord................................27

www.gourmetnews.com

As the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) begins to be implemented this fall, one glaring issue has the entire food industry concerned: there isn’t enough funding to make it work effectively. The 2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill was approved by the Senate, providing funding of close to $144 million in combined discretionary and mandatory spending, but still fell below both FY2015 enacted levels as well as the administration’s budget requests. As the law

Canadian Cheese Takes Best of Show at ACS

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

FDA Pledges Cooperation with Cheese Industry

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

The new Director of the federal Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition promised the American Cheese Society that her office will work together with cheesemakers as her agency moves toward a prevention-based approach to food safety.

Dr. Susan Mayne, Director of the Center for Food Safety since the end of January, said that although she’s still learning her new job, she has long had a real interest in food and nutrition. “I have been a scientist my whole life. I always knew I wanted to be

a scientist,” she said.

Mayne grew up on a small cattle ranch in western Colorado, majored in chemistry at the University of Colorado in Boulder and followed that with studies in food and nutrition at Cornell University. She continued her education as a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University and eventually joined the faculty there. She left Yale to join the FDA. “I am a big fan of cheese, including artisanal cheese,” she said. “I’m not an expert on cheese. I’m not an expert on dairy.”

Although food safety is part of her portfolio at the FDA, her

background in nutrition science informs her perspective, she said.

“I don’t think about things solely from food safety. I think from the perspective of a healthy food supply. I want to make sure that the food supply is safe.”

The FDA has just released a final rule on a risk assessment of soft cheeses. “Our main concern with cheesemaking facilities in general is the presence of Listeria, which can be very persistent. It is very virulent and is among the leading causes of death from food-borne illnesses,” she said.

“It’s obviously a serious foodborne issue.”

The FDA has found that listeria can be found in about one out of five cheesemaking facilities of any kind, whether small and artisanal or large and industrial. “There have been sporadic outbreaks, some of them attributable to cheeses, especially soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk,” Mayne said.

The FDA is still studying the factors that increase the risks from listeria contamination, including questions about how much of a difference it makes if the milk is pasteurized and how Continued on PAGE 9

4

FROM THE PUBLISHER

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

GOURMET NEWS

®

FROM THE PUBLISHER

WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER

Since our last issue went to print, Ahold USA, parent company to Stop and Shop, Giant and Peapod has signed onto the Fair Food Agreement with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, an organization of Florida tomato farmworkers. With nearly 780 supermarkets in 14 states and the District of Columbia, Ahold USA’s participation in the program will increase the number of American stores offering Fair Food tomatoes by about 75 percent.

As part of this agreement, Ahold USA, like the other signatories to the agreement, which include Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Whole Foods, agrees that it will buy Florida tomatoes

only from growers that have signed onto the workers’ organization’s Fair Food Code of Conduct. The Code, developed through negotiations between workers, growers and buyers, requires that growers pass on to their workers a per-pound premium paid by the grocery stores, that wages are paid fairly and that everyone understands how they’re figured. The Code also requires that field workers become employees of the growers – they can’t be employees of a contractor. It also requires that the grower comply with worker health and safety standards. Slavery, sexual harassment and the use of child labor are banned.

The Fair Food Agreement is a result of years of organizing by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which pick almost all of the tomatoes consumed in the

country during the winter and early spring, and of negotiations between the Coalition, the growers who own and operate the field in which they work, and grocery retailers and foodservice operators. The success of what has been called “the best workplace monitoring program in the U.S.” by the New York Times, though, is also due to consumers’ willingness to pay a fair price to ensure that the food they eat isn’t tainted by the sins of slavery and workplace violence.

Congratulations to Ahold USA for standing with its customers as well as standing up for the standards by which, increasingly, American consumers want their food to be grown, processed and sold. GN

Lee M. Oser ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS

Kim Forrester Jules Denton jules_d@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Lorrie Baumann lorrie_b@oser.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Richard Thompson ASSISTANT EDITOR

Micah Cheek CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Amber Gallegos GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Yasmine Brown Andre Gressieux

— Lee M. Oser Publisher

ACCOUNT MANAGER

James Gennette CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

Caitlyn Roach caitlyn_r@oser.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal tara_n@oser.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

Jamie Green jamie_g@oser.com PUBLISHING OFFICE

1877 N. Kolb Road P.O. Box 1056 Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300 Fax 520.721.6300 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES

Gourmet News P.O. Box 30520 Tucson, AZ 85751 520.721.1300

MEMBER OF:

OSER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP PRESIDENT

Lee M. Oser

Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 1052-4630) is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520.721.1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper.

Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2015 by Oser Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is expressly prohibited.

Back issues, when available, cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months.

Back orders must be paid in advance either by check or charged to American Express, Visa, or Master Card.

Gourmet News is distributed without charge in North America to qualified professionals in the retail and distribution channels of the specialty foods and hardgoods trade; paid subscriptions cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 annually to cover air delivery. All payments must be made in U.S. funds and drawn on a U.S. bank. For subscriber services, including subscription information, call 520.721.1300.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gourmet News, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715.

6

NEWS & NOTES

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

News & Notes Getting Familiar with Fermenting

BY MICAH CHEEK

Fall is fermenting season, and that means pickled peppers, crunchy cucumbers and sublime sauerkraut. Focuses on healthy eating and probiotics have made fermentation a popular option for preserving produce. The process of vegetable fermentation, commonly done by encouraging natural lactic acid bacteria growth in salt water, is new territory for many home cooks.”Ninety nine percent of the people have a positive attitude and interest, but are clueless about these modern types of fermenting,” says Bill Hettig, Founder and CEO of The Perfect Pickler.

This renewed interest has created a group of customers interested in making their own ferments. “I notice that [the trend] tends to get people to think more about vegetables that are healthy in general.

It helps explain the kimchi phenomenon,” says Dan Rosenberg, Founder of Real Pickles. “Cabbage is known to be a high nutrient vegetable. So I think that kind of helps people flock more to fermented vegetables.”

One of the big things that deter potential first time fermenters is the prospect of growing bacteria on the kitchen table. “A lot of it is emphasizing how simple the process is,” says Rosenberg. The keys to a successful fermentation are adding the right amount of salt, sealing air out and maintaining temperature. These factors will keep homemade pickles from turning into a moldy mess. Bill Hettig, CEO and Founder of The Perfect Pickler, created the Perfect Pickler to simplify this process by creating a jar with an airlock system to keep all air out.

Hettig says, “It’s pressurized so that when it’s sealed so there’s no opportunity for yeast and mold to be activated, which is a common thing that happens with the Old World crock process.” Vegetable fermentation is accomplished by encouraging anaerobic bacteria, and removing air also limits the ability of aerobic bacteria to take over and spoil the food.

An essential part of home fermenting is education. Making food without pasteuriza-

tion or preservatives is an appealing prospect, but comes with some risks. If performed incorrectly, fermented pickles can spoil or rot. In a paper called “The Future of Fermented Foods,” author C.W. Hesseltine says “Without some knowledge of microbiology, disaster is just around the corner.”

To alleviate these fears, consumers need a source of information. Eileen Leverentz, owner of Leener’s, an Ohio company that produces kits for home fermenting food and drink, says that retailers can be an important source of knowledge. “The biggest thing is education and knowing your product,” she says. “If someone comes in and you know your product, you’re going to be able to tell them in the simplest terms what it is, and how long it will take to make it.” Demonstrations have proven to be a great way to get people started. The Perfect Pickler has been demonstrated in conjunction with Wegmans Food Market vegetables. “We’re able to make sauerkraut out of their prewashed, precut cabbage. We were able to pickle hydroponic cucumbers. In the center we put garlic pickling spice and dill; it looks like it was made for the kit,” says Hettig.

Rosenberg has used demonstrations and classes to promote fermented foods in his community. “I think one of the most exciting aspects of the fermenting trend is how it connects to the eating local trend,” he says. Local food enthusiasts can use the process to preserve local produce for the winter, to reduce their purchases of out-ofseason vegetables.

Customized seasonings can add a whole new dimension to fermented foods. The classic spice combination for pickles is mustard seed, dill, coriander and bay leaf, but these flavors can be expanded upon. A

currently popular flavor, ginger, works extremely well with pickling. “I would say ginger is a particularly popular ingredient,” says Rosenberg. The current trend of spicy, bold flavors works very well with kimchi as well. A traditional kimchi spice, gochugaru, can be used in many other pickling recipes for a striking chili flavor and color. “Gochugaru is especially relevant, because you usually have to go to an Asian store to purchase, when all the produce is common to gourmet and supermarkets, which is not always convenient. This chili is milder than jalapeño, and can actually be used in place of many dried varieties,” says Hettig. “It’s not expensive, but will add gravitas to the stores who are marketing vegetable fermenting kits.”

Even products with natural antibiotic properties, such as cinnamon and garlic, can be added to the recipe without harming the bacteria that ferment the vegetables. “Lactic acid fermentation is an amazing process, in how robust it is. It’s amazing how much the fermentation can work through that,” says Rosenberg. Some vegetables, such as garlic and onions, do not host much lactic acid bacteria on their own, but can be fermented well as long as other high bacteria products such as cucumbers are added.

Many companies suggest starting a fermentation project with a quart Mason jar.

This limits initial investment, and lets you take a taste of fermented foods without making a large batch. Eating a gallon of pickles is a daunting prospect if it turns out with a flavor you don’t enjoy. “We do a quart of this, a pint of that, so you don’t have a whole bushel to go through,” says Hettig.

With proper preparation, consumers can enjoy homemade pickles of all kinds, using ingredients they trust. Rosenberg adds, “It’s a new and exciting way to eat local food. It’s traditional, but it’s coming back to people.” GN

Cathy Strange Awarded for Lifetime Achievement

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer for Whole Foods Market, was presented with the American Cheese Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award on July 30. This award was created to honor individuals who have made a lasting impact on the American cheese industry. Past winners have included Ig Vella, Daphne Zepos, Steve Jenkins and Ari Weinzweig. “The person at Whole Foods who has not just supported cheese but made it her passion to bring it to the public is Cathy Strange.

What Cathy has done and continues to do includes not just global cheese-buying duties, but a worldwide effort to provide her customers with the finest specialty foods available, fighting for right to choose raw milk cheeses, supporting regional small producers with a high-profile venue for them. Her reach and influence is impossible to exaggerate. We applaud her visionary advocacy and championship for good, safe and delicious food,” said Peggy Smith, who presented the award on behalf of the society. GN

BRIEFS Steve Millard Named CEO of Best Cheese Best Cheese Corporation, importer and distributor of Dutch cheese brands and owner of Artisanal Coach Farm has named Steve Millard as its next CEO, succeeding Steve Margarites, effective August 12, 2015. Best Cheese Corporation is a full subsidiary of Uniekaas Beheer B.V. based in the Netherlands. Best Cheese Corporation markets and sells cheese and dairy products under brand names as Parrano, Uniekaas, Coach Farm and Melkbus. Best Cheese Corporation is based in Purchase, New York and operates an artisanal goat farm in Hudson Valley, New York.

Millard brings more than 15 years of strategic leadership, brand development and key account management experience in the dairy industry. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales at Alouette, a division of France based Groupe Bongrain.

Newly Published Spices and Salt Prints Now Available A new series of six prints illustrating the spices and salts of five regional cuisines is now available through MondoFood.com. Designed

by Chef and Spice Master Tim Ziegler and Tea King Brian Keating in partnership with American Image Publishing, these colorful 1-foot by 3feet wall prints are an expansion of the duo’s popular SPICES print (published in 2002, 2012), currently used in restaurant kitchens and culinary schools around the world.

Snap Kitchen Prepares for Further Expansion Snap Kitchen, an Austin, Texas-based retailer that provides freshly prepared, healthy takeaway meals, has named David Kirchhoff as Chief Executive Officer. The company has also raised $22 million in new capital from existing investors Catterton and Co-founder Bradley Radoff. The addition of Kirchhoff, coupled with the new capital, will drive accelerated retail growth and enhanced innovation, allowing Snap Kitchen to further its goal of providing compelling and convenient solutions for customers seeking healthier eating options.

Store Brands Offer Savings on Specialty Products Consumers trying to maintain or improve their health are increasingly seeking specialty food and non-food alternatives. Whether they are organic, gluten-free, dye-free or lactose-free, these products can be costly, but a new survey of special needs store brands items shows significant savings for consumers.

The research, conducted by the Private Label Manufacturers Association, assembled a market basket consisting of 27 typical specialty products that consumers might purchase as healthy alternatives or for special dietary needs. When a national brand was available for comparison, private label products saved consumers 15 percent. When comparing gluten-free products, the PLMA market basket study found the private label products cost 17 percent less on average when compared to their national brand counterparts, while some store brand products saved shoppers as much as 41 percent.

8

NEWS & NOTES

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Samuel Adams and The Culinary Institute of America Study Correlation Between Hops and Heat Looking to prove a long-held theory among brewers that the bitterness in hops affects the perceived heat of spicy food, the brewers at Samuel Adams turned to The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to scientifically examine the correlation between hops and heat. The experiment involved a clear scientific method and two key ingredients: a flight of Samuel Adams Rebel IPA beers and Buffalo-style chicken wings. Who knew science could be this fun?

To conduct this test, Samuel Adams Brewer and Director of Brewery Programs, Jennifer Glanville, traveled to the CIA campus in Hyde Park, New York, to join a group of distinguished chefs and culinary experts in a sensory tasting panel of epic proportions. The group sampled three Samuel Adams West Coast-style IPAs – Rebel IPA, Rebel Rider Session IPA, and Rebel Rouser Double IPA – alongside Buffalo wings that foodies might describe as “medium hot.” The panel set out to specifically test how a beer’s International Bittering Units (IBUs) and alcohol by volume (ABV) affect the perceived spiciness of spicy foods like Buffalo wings. The panelists concluded that, together, the greater IBUs and higher ABV do increase how taste buds perceive spiciness. However, how the

mouth perceives “heat” depends on other characteristics in a beer, like the hops, malt and alcohol content.

In addition to Brewer Jennifer Glanville of Samuel Adams, the tasting panel included CIA experts Douglass Miller, Professor of Hospitality and Service Management; Chef Dave McCue, Associate Professor of Culinary Arts and a homebrewer; Chef Thomas Vaccaro, Dean of Baking and Pastry Arts; and Chef Jonathan Zearfoss, Professor of Culinary Science.

The method was simple and the materials – delicious. A plate of spicy Buffalo wings, which served as the constant in the study, was tasted in comparison with each Rebel brew. The beers were tasted in ascending order of ABV and IBUs – starting with Rebel Rider Session IPA, moving to Rebel IPA, and ending with Rebel Rouser Double IPA. The study determined that the three unique IPA styles affected the perceived spiciness of hot wings differently. Rebel Rouser Double IPA (8.4 percent ABV/85 IBUs) produced far and away the highest spiciness rating and dramatically increased the heat intensity of the pairing. The panelists summarized that this complex pairing is perfect for hop heads and spicy food enthusiasts, and may be overwhelming for those that are less adventurous when it comes to beer and food.

Rebel Rider Session IPA (4.5 percent ABV/45 IBUs), with its lighter body and lower alcohol content, allowed the beer and wings to complement each other nicely.

Panelists also noted an increase in heat or a longer lasting heat from this pairing,

compared to the other brews, likely because of the lighter malt profile of the beer, as well as a refreshing interplay between the piney, citrus hop notes in the beer and spiciness of the wings.

Rebel IPA (6.5 percent ABV/45 IBUs), which showcases a balance of malt and hop flavor rather than aggressive bitterness, was the most complementary pairing, which the panelists believed would appeal to almost any craft beer lover and Buffalo wing

eater. Rebel IPA’s big citrus, piney and resinous hop flavors accentuated and showcased the sweet, meaty taste of the chicken and just the right amount of heat from the Buffalo spice.

“If you visit any bar around the country, there’s a good chance you’ll find someone perched on a stool next to a delicious craft beer and a plate of Buffalo wings. Americans love this pairing, and we were thrilled to work with Samuel Adams to see firsthand how the bitterness found in hops affects the spiciness level in food from a

culinary standpoint,” said Chef David Kamen, CIA Project Manager, who oversaw the sensory tasting panel. “Each of the pairings was unique in its own way. One of our panelists described the pairing of the wings and double IPA as a ‘freight train’ of spice and hops.”

“At the brewery, we’ve known for a long time that beer and food interact and affect how we experience flavors. Having the opportunity to put this theory to a true test with experts from the CIA was wildly exciting as both a brewer and self-proclaimed foodie.

This sensory tasting panel proved that beer’s complex flavor profile can truly create an elevated pairing experience,” said Glanville.

“The pairing of wings and Rebel IPA struck me as the one that craft beer drinkers and hot wing lovers alike would enjoy frequently – at home watching the big game or out playing trivia at a bar – and now we know why we enjoy this pairing so much! There’s a nice interplay between the beer and wings. The beer’s malt character ensures that the hops and the wings’ spiciness never overpower one another. Instead, they allow both the bitterness and heat to really be evident on their own.

When it comes to craft beer and food, half the fun is experimenting with different interactions and flavor combinations. The range of flavors in our family of Rebel IPAs showcased that the possibilities for pairing are endless.” GN

FSMA

“If a foodborne illness occurs in a specific market, it affects everybody,” says Gorny, “Even the people that have no responsibility over it.”

Comprising seven major rules that will modify food safety practices from all segments of the industry, from preventionbased requirements for food processors and import regulations to transport of products, the major overhaul – five years in the making – is aimed at providing a safe and uniform standard of quality food throughout the country.

Sandra Eskin, Director of Food Safety with the Pew Charitable Trusts, is a proponent of FSMA and has advocated for increased funding. She says the FDA is moving in the right direction, but it will take a while for the new rules to reduce the number foodborne illnesses in the U.S. “These are prevention based rules that are moving away from reactive based rules, but if the FDA does not get all the money that the President asked for they will have to prioritize implementation. Funding will be made on a rule by rule basis,” she says. The result will be uneven implementation in various segments of the industry.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) offered an

amendment that would have increased funding for food safety activities by nearly $69 million dollars in addition to the $45 million finally allocated for FSMA. The amendment failed along party lines to receive the votes needed to be included in the final bill. According to Durbin, “The food safety allocation bill falls short of what is needed to reduce foodborne illness in the country.”

Gorny was blunter in his assessment: “Congress has to walk the walk. This will lead to chaos for the entire food supply industry.... This is a complete restructuring.

This money is meant for the industry to work more closely with states, and the states need money and training to implement verification exercises.”

According to Gorny, states play a major role to implement compliance, and if state governments don’t get the necessary funds, they won’t be able to provide educational outreach to food producers so that they can comply with the specific regulations. “This will lead to an uneven business playing field with inequities throughout the supply chain,” says Gorny, “There is a possibility for business disruptions and lack of regulatory compliance instructions.” GN

Continued from PAGE 1 business disruptions,” says Dr. Jim Gorny, Vice President of Food Safety and Technology for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA).

According to Gorny, whose trade organization represents companies in every segment of the global fresh produce chain, those in the food industry are concerned that FSMA won’t achieve its expected results. Since the mandate is a whole new restructuring of how the FDA performs inspections, Gorny says we’re facing a situation where there is a law in the books and no money to implement it correctly.

Providing a Better Food Supply Chain Every year, infections from deadly pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria lead to an estimated 48 million illnesses and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. – with an annual price tag of $70 billion. Recently, fears over foodborne illness and bacterial contamination have been highlighted in the news with outbreaks at Jeni’s Ice Cream, Blue Bell Ice Cream and Aspen Foods that resulted in massive recalls.

NEWS & NOTES

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

9

Survey Finds More Men Shopping for Groceries Shifting household dynamics are changing the way Americans shop for groceries. Most notably is the diversification of the primary store shopper with moms no longer always assuming this role exclusively, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts in the recently released report, “Retail Food Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Technology, Mobile, and Social Media.”

“Mom isn’t the only shopper for household groceries anymore. There’s a significant constituent of men who identify as primary shoppers themselves, regardless of whether they share or wholly fulfill grocery shopping responsibilities,” says David Sprinkle, Research Director for Packaged Facts. “There’s evidence that the percentage of men who are now the primary shoppers in their households has more than doubled in the past two decades.”

Research shows that men clearly shop differently than women. Overall, men tend

to shop with greater weekly frequency and spend less time in the store. The good news for retailers is that men tend to spend more, yet purchase fewer items—making their average cost per item higher.

This suggests that women may still do the “big” grocery shopping trips for their household, while men are tasked with the interment grocery store trips to pick up staples or food for immediate use (i.e., meat or vegetables for dinner that night).

However, food marketers must be aware that age/generation also plays a role in shopping behavior, and shifts in gender household responsibility are evident in grocery shopping behavior by both age and generation.

Younger males are the most likely to be involved in frequent shopping trips as those aged 18-34 (i.e., Millennials) are 161 per-

cent more likely than average to shop four or more times per week. In contrast, men aged 55 and older significantly under index

in shopping as often. At best, older men will shop once a week for items.

Millennial dads in particular are proving to be a very unique group, with behaviors that are a significant departure from previ-

ous generations. This set had a different upbringing and don’t subscribe to traditional gender norms. Because of this, Millennial dads are redefining fatherhood by spending more time with their kids, doing a larger portion of the household shopping and spending lots of money.

This shift is evident in grocery shopping trip behavior. While younger men are certainly shopping more than their older counterparts, being a parent is a key driver in their likelihood to grocery shop. Millennial dads are significantly more likely to shop four or more times a week when compared to the average shopper. Notably, these dads aren’t just making the quick shopping trips as they over-index in shopping for more than an hour. The value of this demographic is elevated when considering their higher average spending ($170 compared to $108 of all) and increased cost per item. GN

FDA

creasing the contamination.

The agency is now asking cheesemakers to offer their data about the things they’re already doing to minimize the risk of listeria contamination in their cheese and how well those methods are working. “When you start with a raw milk product, what steps do you take, what opportunities do you have to intervene to make sure the product is safe? What is your experience? What

works?” she said the agency will be asking.

The FDA will use that information to guide its decisions about future guidelines to apply to the entire industry. “We recognize there is a broad diversity of cheese manufacturing methods. We are interested in learning more by a wide variety of producers, including the artisanal community,” Mayne said. “We’re initiating this data call to request your

comments to work together on mitigation measures. We want to understand current practices that are intended to minimize the risk of contamination....

We understand that cheese is a result of a balancing of good and bad bacteria. We have responsibility for cheese safety, but we want to do that in partnership and with a goal of preserving traditional practices.” GN

Continued from PAGE 1 storage conditions may affect the risk.

The FDA has found that the current rule that raw milk cheeses must be aged at least 60 days before they can be sold may not be helpful. The aging period may actually provide an opportunity for listeria to grow, in-

10

NEWS & NOTES

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

American Heart Association and Aramark Partner for Health Empowering Americans to make better food choices is the goal of a breakthrough initiative between the American Heart Association, the nation’s largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, and Aramark, the largest U.S.-based food service provider. Together, they will work to improve Americans’ diets and health by 20 percent by 2020.

Healthy for Life® 20 by 20, a five-year initiative, introduces industry-leading menu commitments by reducing calories, saturated fat and sodium levels 20 percent, and increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains 20 percent. Changes will impact more than 2 billion meals that Aramark serves annually at thousands of schools and universities, businesses, hospitals, sports

and entertainment venues, parks and other destinations, with an expected impact of 10 billion meals by 2020.

Seventy-two percent of American adults have a poor diet, and nearly 70 percent of American adults are overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association. The relationship builds on existing work by both organizations and underscores the American Heart Association’s focus on its healthy living and prevention goals for 2020.

“We are making progress in public health as a nation, but we still have a long way to go,” said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown. “Experts have estimated that if the American public increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables to meet current public health

recommendations, 127,000 lives could be saved each year. It’s essential that we make healthier options more easily available to consumers and empower them to choose these options for themselves and their families. We believe that our work with Aramark will help to build a culture of health at the individual, community and national levels.”

“Our mission at Aramark is to ‘Enrich and Nourish Lives’ and we can use our scale and culinary expertise to help people lead healthier lives,” said Eric J. Foss, Aramark Chairman, President and CEO. “Healthy for Life 20 by 20 is a unique opportunity to pursue a shared vision with the American Heart Association and work in a meaningful way with our clients and through the communities we serve to im-

prove the well-being of Americans.”

In addition to the healthy menu commitment across Aramark’s businesses, the initiative includes community health engagement programs, consumer health awareness and education, as well as thought leadership research and health impact reporting. Community programs will focus on key underserved communities across the U.S., beginning in Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia. Consumer education and awareness programs will include hearthealthy, simple cooking demonstrations and sampling, wellness workshops, and access to digital health and nutrition information.

The initiative is supported by a multimillion dollar grant from the Aramark Charitable Fund. GN

GMO Controversy

come into question, as detractors say that the labeling of food products is a decision for the state rather than the federal government. “It’s stepped all over states’ constitutional rights; it’s stepped on consumers’ rights,” says Paul. “This is a 10th Amendment issue; states have always had the right to pass these laws.

What rights from states will be taken away next?”

Proponents have not seen the constitutional issue as a cause for alarm. “I don’t think it’s a very strong argument,” says Justin Darisse, President of Communications at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. “This is pretty clearly an example of a role under the Constitution, under the Commerce Clause.” The Commerce Clause puts regulation related to international and interstate commerce in the hands of the federal government.

A major question in the debate has been the potential cost of mandatory GMO labeling in individual states. “There have been studies, including one by the state of Washington and one by a Cornell professor that says the cost of building separate supply chains could raise the cost of groceries by as much as 500 dollars per year,” says Parker. The Cornell study, conducted by Professor William Lesser, was made to analyze the increase

in price of food following the possible passing of a GMO labeling law in New York. It is a widely quoted study for supporters of HR 1599, who say that a patchwork of state laws would raise costs all over the country. Opponents of HR 1599 have questioned the study, due to the source of its funding. “It should be pointed out that this study was funded by, and is the intellectual property of, the Council for Biotechnology Information,” says Paul. The Council for Biotechnology Information is a non-profit group that “… communicates science-based information about the benefits and safety of agricultural biotechnology and its contributions to sustainable development,” according to its website.

Advocates for a federal GMO labeling law are predicting a financial advantage for manufacturers if the law is passed.

“There’s a great deal of economic potential here,” says Darisse. The theory is that consumers will be attracted to products labeled as “GMO-free” in the same way that they’re attracted by an “Organic” label. In fact, the USDA Organic program developed in 1990 is the model that’s being followed today by proponents of the GMO labeling law. Darisse adds, “Back then you had lots of people getting interested in organic, but you had a lot of

private labels. Customers and retailers were unsure if there was a market there.

The standard helped create a new market there. From manufacturers to retailers to farmers, there are people who can develop new business lines.”

Others are less optimistic about the impact of the bill. “I don’t see the impact of this bill changing much from what the status quo has been,” says Monty.

Support for HR 1599 in the House was clear, and the vote in the bill’s favor was anticipated by members of both sides of the argument. The Senate vote is less predictable. “At this point it’s a lot harder to say how the Senate will vote,” says Monty.

“There is no companion bill. That indicates there’s less support in the Senate.”

Both sides are waiting for Senators to form opinions on the issue that will guide debate. “It’s early to make those sorts of assessments,” says Darisse.

“There’s good support in the Senate, we’ll be looking to build on that support.” Opponents of the bill are staging grass roots campaigns and trying to raise public awareness of the bill’s progress. With the passing of the bill in the house, Paul and the Organic Consumers Association have promised that “Congress will see the largest ever food movement that they’ve ever seen.” GN

made from pasteurized milk. It peaks at about 70 days of aging, when it’s soft enough to eat with a spoon. “It is possible to eat a whole one by yourself,” Kehler said.

Second place in the Best of Show category was taken by a pair of cheeses in a tie between Standard Market Cave Aged Chandoka from LaClare Farms Specialties, LLC and Cheesemaker Katie Hedrich Fuhrmann and Roth’s Private Reserve from Emmi Roth USA in Wisconsin.

Chandoka is a mixed-milk cheese made with goat’s milk from the cheesemaker’s family farm and locally sourced cow milk.

At three days of age, it’s Cryovaced and shipped in refrigerated containers to Stan-

dard Market for affinage. It’s larded and bandaged there and aged for six months be-

saw 1,779 entries of cheeses and cultured dairy products from 267 producers. Entering companies represented 31 U.S. states, and three Canadian provinces.

Three hundred fifty-five ribbons were awarded: 95 first place ribbons, 127 second place ribbons, and 133 third place ribbons.

The cheeses were judged over a 15 hour period in which 20 teams of judges ranked 50 to 60 cheese per day. Each cheese receives a score for both technical merit and aesthetic qualities, and the two scores are combined for an overall score. Ties are permitted only for second and third places in each category, so that for each category, the winning cheese stands alone.

Along with their ribbons, the cheesemakers receive both technical notes and aesthetic comments from the judges. “The competition is the ribbons; the judging is the evaluation and the feedback,” said Tom Kooiman, who chaired the judging committee. GN

Continued from PAGE 1 mandatory in the state. A lawsuit brought by the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association and others against the law was unsuccessful, and manufacturers have been given until January 1 of 2016 to comply with Vermont’s new packaging requirements.

“There’s a real sense of urgency in Congress to establish a national standard because the Vermont legislation will be starting next year,” says Claire Parker, Spokeswoman for the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food. “Vermont is certainly a factor, in that it is creating some of the urgency and points up the confusion and cost increases that will be shouldered up and down the supply chain, from farmers to store owners to consumers, if we have a state-by-state patchwork.” Vermont is still working to implement the law as HR 1599 moves forward. According to the Northeast Organic Farming Association, retailers have had very little trouble stocking products affected by Act 120.

“We haven’t seen retailers concerned about mandatory GMO labeling in Vermont this year,” says Maddie Monty, Policy Advisor for NOFA. The constitutionality of HR 1599 has

ACS Winner Continued from PAGE 1 sonally from the farm, as well as five other awards – six first-place ribbons and two second-place ribbons. “When we started making cheese, we called Margaret,” he said. “I’m so happy to see her win because she’s been a part of lots of people’s worlds for a long time.”

Harbison was a happy accident that occurred in 2008 when a batch of brie-style Moses Sleeper cheese was found to contain too much moisture, and Kehler rescued it by strapping a spruce band around it. It’s named after Anne Harbison, an honorary granny for all of Greensboro, Vermont, where Jasper Hill Farm is located. She’s 95 years old this year and has been a cheerleader for the Kehler families from the beginning. “We wanted to honor a living legend among us,” Mateo Kehler said. The cheese, formed in a 10-ounce round, is

fore sale. It’s a good gateway cheese for consumers who aren’t familiar with goat milk cheeses and aren’t sure they’ll like them, but who are curious and willing to try something new, Fuhrmann said.

The 2015 ACS Judging & Competition

HOT PRODUCTS

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

11

Hot Products

eSutras Organics for the Best Culinary Oils Choose eSutras Organics for the best culinary oils, which contain only the highest content of omega, linoeic or oleic fatty acids.

These oils are all cold-pressed, non-GMO and do not contain fillers, artificial colors, flavors or pesticides, which your customers will love! eSutras 773.583.4850 www.eswholesale

Roth Ultimates Shredded Cheese Blends With new Roth Ultimates specialty shredded cheese blends, consumers get the extra boost they need to take their at-home dishes from amateur to restaurateur. Three varieties of Roth Ultimates are perfectly suited to today’s trends, from classic favorites like Mac and Cheese to today’s hottest menu items.

Emmi Roth 608.845.5796 www.rothcheese.com

Sticky Buns Cinnamon Honey Cream Spread BumbleBerry Farms Sticky Buns Cinnamon Honey Cream Spread is perfect for a gracious gift, a sumptuous spread, an extra-rich flavor for coffee or a gourmet glaze on fish. A special stocking stuffer or a treat that says, “Honey, I’m thinking of you!” It is available in both five-ounce and eight-ounce individual jars.

Hammond’s Brittles Hammond’s Candies is introducing new flavors into its popular line of brittles, giving the classic treat a fresh new edge. The new flavors include buttery Maple Walnut, crunchy Mixed Nut, decadent Chocolate-Drizzled and for the adventurous, truly spicy Cayenne and Cashew brittle.

Bumbleberry Farms 814.279.8083 www.bumbleberryfarms.com

Hammond’s Candies 800.226.3999 www.hammondscandies.com

Bonne Bouche Cheese Vermont Creamery’s Bonne Bouche cheese, discovered around 2002 by New York’s famous French chefs, is now becoming well known among consumers as well as a favorite among cheese mongers. The cheese has won multiple awards from the American Cheese Society, a gold award from the World Cheese Awards, and a gold sofi for Best Cheese or Dairy Product at the 2012 Fancy Food Show.

Vermont Creamery 802. 479.9371 www.vermontcreamery.com

New Truffle Flavors from Abdallah Candies Abdallah Candies is adding to its line with options like Margarita, Malted Milkshake and Strawberry Cheesecake. Rounding out the new line of flavors are Tiramisu, Hazelnut, Key Lime, Latte, Butter Pecan, Caramel, Anchochile, Sweet Tea and Rum. Abdallah Candies www.abdallacandies.com

12

RETAILER NEWS

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Retailer News All in the Family at Tony’s Market

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Avie Rosacci, Chief Operations Officer of family-owned Tony’s Market, with four stores in Denver, knows exactly how her father started the business: that happened when her little brother pointed out an abandoned 7-11 store to their father one day in 1978. Her father could not have imagined at that time what the little butcher shop he’d always dreamed of would turn into, she says.

“It’s beyond our wildest dreams,” she says. “We opened as a little butcher shop, and we thought that was going to be it.”

Tony Rosacci started working at the age of 9 in a small Italian corner market in Detroit. He earned $3 a week. Except for a stint in the Army, he was in the grocery business all his life. By the late 1960s, he was in California working for Ralph’s and moved the family from California to Littleton, Colorado in 1970 to work for King Soopers, now part of The Kroger Company before moving on to a smaller butcher shop, Ed’s Meats. “As we were growing up, he always talked about how someday he’d have a little butcher shop of his own,” Avie says. The family talked about it so much that the idea was the foundation of some of the family games: Tony would tell the kids stories of his own butcher shop, and Avie would be behind the cash register while little brother Danny and brother Mick would help Dad. Then in 1978, Tony and Danny drove past the abandoned 7-11 on their way home from church one Sunday, and Danny suggested that the building could make that little butcher shop. “They went to the bank for a loan, didn’t get the loan, so they sold the house and took the proceeds to open the store,” Avie remembers.

“He left Ed’s, and we did open, literally, a small butcher shop.”

That store had white powder-coated meat cases, and Tony wasn’t a grocer; he was a butcher. “No produce, no deli. It was a butcher shop,” Avie says. “I don’t think we even had seafood. We might have had some frozen crab legs. I remember painting the special on the front window when I was

much younger.”

Customers came from the neighborhood, and the store was staffed by one employee plus Avie’s mother and father and the three Rosacci kids. Over the years, the store grew out of its space and gradually into the spaces that had been occupied by the other businesses in the small shopping center.

Tony’s Market added a deli department, a bakery and a center store. The meat orders during holiday seasons started to generate so much business that customers lined up around the building, and Tony had to bring in a police officer to keep the crowds of customers within the fire marshal’s regulations. “Our little building couldn’t handle it, so we opened our second store,” Avie says. “Then we added the other two over the next 10 or 12 years.”

“It was kind of Dad’s dream that came to fruition, but Dad never dreamed of what it is today,” she continues. “It grew over time.

It took us close to 20 years to open that second store.”

Tony’s Market now comprises four Denver metro area stores ranging from 2,500 to 8,000 square feet, plus Tony’s Burgers, a casual restaurant inside its downtown Denver store, and Tony Rosacci’s Fine Catering, a full service catering division that entered the picture in 2004 and serves weddings and galas as well as supporting the company’s headquarters, warehousing, floral department and commissary operations.

For 11 years, until the team built a new facility with its own kitchen, the catering division fed the Denver Broncos, and today, Tony Rosacci’s Fine Catering is in its second season of feeding the Colorado Avalanche hockey team and its coaches. “That’s been fun, feeding the team and the staff,” Avie says. “With the Broncos, we started at 4 a.m. and would end most nights around 9 p.m. feeding them up to four meals a day and snacks, and that would go on until the season ended.”

Each of the four stores is unique to its neighborhood, with the product assortment at the downtown location favoring organic and local produce as well as prepared

foods featuring whole grains and low fats for the urban professional clientele there, and stores in the neighborhoods populated by families and seniors offering products that lean more toward comfort foods like twice-baked potatoes, fried chicken and pasta dishes as well as the local and organic favorites.

Each store still does its own meat-cutting in-house, with butchers at each location.

All the beef is premium choice, and it’s all aged. Beef is ground several times a day, and all the meat is sold fresh. Anything that stays in the store too long to be sold fresh is frozen and then donated to charity.

“Tony’s is still really known for the beef and the meats. People still call us by our own name of Tony’s Meats, which is what we opened as,” Avie says.

Today, Tony has retired to the golf course, Daniel Rosacci is now CEO of Tony’s Market and Mick is the company’s head chef.

As chief operations officer, Avie is in charge of employee training and compliance with government regulations and is also attending school to learn nutrition therapy, an area of study that she became interested in while she was feeding the Broncos. “I like to see people take better care of themselves, whether that’s 10 percent better or 60 percent better,” she says.

A wide range of customers shop at the stores, but what they tend to have in common is that they have busy lives and they want high-quality products and they want to get into the store, find what they need, and get out fast, which is why it’s so very important to Avie that the 280 to 300 employees in the stores are well-trained and that customer service is excellent. “Our customer service is above and beyond. We tell our employees to hug them with your words because they have many choices,” Avie says. “We understand the pace of how America lives today. We’re really aware of getting them in and out. When they come in, we want to take care of them as quickly and efficiently as possible and get them out to their soccer practice or wherever they need to be.” GN

Stop & Shop Agrees To Acquire 25 A&P Stores In Greater New York The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC has entered into an agreement with The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company to acquire 25 A&P stores in Greater New York for $146 million.

The agreement is subject to further terms and conditions set forth therein and subject to court approval in A&P’s bankruptcy case filed on July 19, 2015, which include the potential of a subsequent auction under which other higher bid or bids could be re-

ceived and accepted by A&P for these stores. The agreement is also conditioned on regulatory requirements, including expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

“Stop & Shop is always looking for convenient locations to better serve our customers,” said Don Sussman, Stop & Shop’s New York Metro Division President. “We are very happy to have the opportunity to expand

our presence in greater New York and serve new customers. We look forward to providing customers with delivering unmatched selection, quality and value that they have come to expect from Stop & Shop.”

Upon completion of the transaction, Stop & Shop plans to convert these Waldbaum’s, Pathmark and A&P stores into Stop & Shop stores. The sale is currently expected to close within the second half of 2015. GN

BRIEFS Albertsons Signs with KeHE KeHE Distributors has been selected by Albertsons Companies, Inc. as the primary distribution partner for natural and organic, specialty and fresh products to its nationwide network of over 2,200 grocery stores in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The award significantly expands KeHE’s existing business with Albertsons, particularly in the western United States.

Mike Leone, KeHE’s Chief Commercial Officer said, “Our account team has delivered superior operational results and helped Albertsons Companies grow its business. This decision is an affirmation of that.”

Meijer Opens Two More Wisconsin Stores in Wauwatosa and Oak Creek Continuing an estimated $750 million investment in Wisconsin, Meijer opened two more stores in Wauwatosa and Oak Creek on August 5. The new supercenters create nearly 600 jobs.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company now operates 222 stores in six states and plans to open two to three new Wisconsin supercenters per year through 2019. The retailer also partners with local farmers and businesses, when available, to provide locallygrown produce and other grocery products.

Fresh Thyme Opens 4th and 5th Indianapolis Stores Carme and Fishers are the newest communities in greater Indianapolis to welcome a Fresh Thyme Farmers Market. The two stores opened on August 6.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a full-service specialty retailer focusing on value-priced fresh, healthy, natural and organic offerings. It boasts an extensive produce department with organic and local fruits and vegetables, a natural meat department, healthy deli foods to go, bakery goods, 400 bulk food bins, dairy and frozen, and health supplement products. Fresh Thyme is scheduled to open 60 stores by 2019.

Spicely Organics Expands Product Line San Francisco retailer Spicely Organics has expanded its product line to include even more top quality and delicious organic herbs and spices, organic chocolate, organic tea, organic gluten free spices, organic wholesale spices and more.

All of Spicely Organics’ organic spices and seasonings are shipped, steam-sterilized and packaged under very strict guidelines. Spicely Organics sells a wide range of organic spices, including popular choices like vanilla, cinnamon and paprika, along with Himalayan pink salt, gray sea salt and many other varieties.

14

SUPPLIER BUSINESS

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Supplier Business Bridor Brings European Pastries for American Tastes

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Bridor USA has just finished an expansion of its plant in Vineland, New Jersey and is expanding its penetration in the American market. Bridor makes a range of pastries that includes signature croissants, brioches, chocolatines and lattice pastries.

The company started producing its products in the U.S. in 2002 after testing the waters by exporting pastries into the country from France. “We decided to get closer to the market,” says Bridor USA Senior Vice President of Sales Olivier Morel. “It’s very important for us to produce in the U.S.... Our vision is to bring the best European products to the U.S. and Canada.”

The technology inside the American plant was imported from Europe, and products are made according to French traditions, including baking with butter, although the butter, like the other ingredients for the pastries, is sourced in the United States. The result is a product that adheres to traditional French standards for quality while delivering the tastes that are

familiar to Americans. “The butter, even if it’s a very good quality butter, the taste is slightly different. We make sure to source and to use natural ingredients,” Morel says.

“Our people are master bakers.

We try to combine tradition with healthy, natural ingredients with innovation.”

That interest in innovation and appeal to American’s tastes comes through in the product line that Bridor makes in the American plant. “In the U.S. there is a high demand for danishes. Here in the U.S. you have danishes containing different fillings,” Morel says. “We’re about to launch a pumpkin danish. It’s a big flavor during the fall in the U.S. That flavor would not be successful in Europe.”

Europeans are simply not as fond of pumpkin flavor as Americans are, he explains. Nor do Europeans generally share Americans’ fondness for cinnamon. Bridor, however, plans to cater to that American taste with a new Cinnamon Brioche. “It’s an amazing product, but cinnamon is not a favorite flavor in Europe,” Morel says. “We wanted to get closer to American con-

sumers, so we had to adapt our products.”

Bridor even has a plan to cater to Americans’ fetish for freshness: Most of its products are sold pre-proofed, egg-washed and ready to bake off in about 15 minutes, so retail bakery departments can respond quickly as their shelf stock is depleted and have a new batch of fresh pastries out of the oven and into the bakery case in a matter of minutes. “By bringing that technology, we bring a new experience to American consumers. Customers can come in and find fresh pastry on the shelf all day,” Morel says.

“Our vision is to elevate the quality of the products on the shelf. Our vision is that our products would be fresh all day long.”

Bridor products are designed to be sold at prices that are competitive with other premium products. “Our products are affordable – it’s not a luxury product. It’s a product that can be bought on a daily basis,” Morel says.

For more information, visit www.bridor.com. GN

Galimaro Sauce Brings a Taste of Argentina

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Galimaro Spicy Argentine Sauce is a flavorful condiment with a kick of heat recreated from the spicy sauce that Galimaro founder Robert Hefner IV first tasted as he worked alongside Argentine horse trainers as a teenager.

Hefner had spent his early teen years working alongside cowboys of Argentina at the polo fields, Carol Hefner, Robert’s wife and now the President of Galimaro explains. “The Hefner family has played polo for five generations. It has been a fun family tradition.”

At the end of the work day, the gauchos – Argentinian cowboys – typically gathered around open-pit barbecues at which they grilled goat, lamb, beef or pork. While the meat cooked, they’d grab a wine bottle and fill it with the ingredients for a sauce that they shook up and spilled over their smoking meat. Robert watched them do it until he learned to replicate the recipe and then perfected it in his home kitchen.

“We were on a tight budget when we were first married. So, we thought that for holiday gifts, we’d make this sauce – it was a labor of love,” says Carol. The young couple mixed the sauce by eyeballing the in-

gredients as they added them to a wine bottle, shook it up, corked it, added a label and presented it to friends and family. Recipients loved it so much that making and giving the sauce each holiday season turned into a family tradition. Over the next 20 years, people started asking for it all year-round. The Hefners learned that many were adding it to Italian dishes and using it as a simmer sauce in their Crockpots as well as in dips. “We’ve had a couple of people tell us that they’ve replaced their sriracha with Galimaro. It’s much more flavorful as well as being a little bit spicy,” Carol says.

For many years, the Hefners ignored the pleas of their friends for more of the sauce. “We just didn’t have time to make it,” says Carol.

Eventually, though, the friends won their case and the family decided to go into commercial production. They enlisted the services of Oklahoma State University, which was able to provide nutrition information

for the product’s label. They designed new labeling, signed with a co-packer, and then found that the process to make a shelf-stable product had changed the flavor profile for the sauce.

They went back to the test kitchen to adjust the recipe so it would taste the same as the original sauce even after it was heat-treated. “It took about two years to get through the process, and now we have this wonderful sauce that is truly unique,” Carol says. “We have five kids who have collaborated in various ways in bringing Galimaro to the market.... Everybody has a piece of the pie and takes responsibility for different aspects of the business.”

Galimaro Spicy Argentine Sauce is packaged in a 12ounce bottle and is organic, has no preservatives and is gluten free. The suggested retail price is $9.99.

For more information, visit www .galimarosauce.com. GN

BRIEFS Silverado Provisions Celebrates Two Years Silverado Provisions is celebrating its second anniversary this year. “I founded Silverado Provisions almost two years ago to serve independent California food makers, giving them a chance to sell in fine food retailers in northern California and regional markets,” said Kevin Sandford, Founder.

Among the company’s clients are Nuthouse Granola in Berkeley, Marshall’s Farm Honey in American Canyon, L’Amourette Chocolate in San Francisco and Hurley Farms in Napa, which produces jams and preserves.

For further information, email Sandford at kevin@silveradoprovisions.com or call 707.346.1027.

Blue Moose of Boulder Earns a Silver in the 2015 International Cheese Awards Blue Moose of Boulder, an all-natural producer of hand-crafted hummus, salsa and spreads earned a silver medal in the 2015 International Cheese Awards spreadable cheese category.

The International Cheese Awards is a cheese show and competition held each year at Dorfold Park near Nantwich, England. It represents the most important cheese events in the UK and one of the most important events on the global level. This year involved 200 judges and a record of 4,611 entries from the smallest independent dairy producers to the cheese giants of the world. Blue Moose of Boulder’s delicious White Balsamic Fig spread earned a silver in class DP162 for spreadable cheese of any variety.

Hinoman’s Vegetable Whole-Protein Ingredient Granted GRAS Status Hinoman, Ltd., has been granted self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for its Mankai, a vegetable whole-protein ingredient with high nutritional value. The announcement was made during the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) conference in Chicago, July 12-14.

The GRAS designation is for the use of Mankai in functional foods and beverages, and was confirmed based on scientific methods, as well as corroborated by extensive history of use in Asia Pacific. The status was endorsed by a third party-appointed panel composed of some of the top food toxicologists in the U.S.

Foster Farms Enters Premium Lunchmeat Market Foster Farms is introducing a new line of premium All Natural Sliced Turkey lunchmeat available now at retailers throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. The product is available in two flavors, Slow Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey Breast.

Foster Farms All Natural Sliced Turkey is free of nitrates and nitrites and 98 percent fat free.

Simply roasted, sliced and packaged, the new line of premium turkey lunchmeat is made with 100 percent turkey breast and contains no chemicals, preservatives, artificial ingredients or colors. The Slow Oven Roasted Turkey Breast has 35 percent less sodium than the average sliced turkey breast.

Bongiovi

Seattle Gourmet

Uncle Steve’s

SEE PAGE 20

SEE PAGE 22

SEE PAGE 22

GOURMET NEWS

®

T H E

B U S I N E S S

PASTA

N E W S P A P E R

&

PASTA

F O R

SAUCE

T H E

G O U R M E T

BUYERS

I N D U S T R Y

GUIDE

Gluten-free Pasta from Sauces ‘n Love

Les Moulins Mahjoub: Hand Made and Authentic Pastas

Get to Know Award-Winning Importer Italian Harvest

The Italian Sauce Made with Italian Tradition

Sauces ‘n Love has finally turned glutenfree pasta dining into a true gourmet experience with a line of fresh, gluten-free pastas and raviolis sold in the refrigerated section alongside its award winning line of fresh pasta sauces. Sauces ‘n Love Linguine, Rigatoni, Ricotta and Lemon Ravioli and more make for a more delicate, refined and upscale experience comparable to fresh home or restaurant-made pasta.

Gluten-free shoppers are already mixing and matching their favorite Sauces ‘n Love sauces and pasta varieties for unforgettable lunches and dinners.

According to market researchers, the gluten-free retail marketplace has reached an impressive 34 percent compound growth rate. Gluten-free consumers also tend to be more affluent than your average consumer, and that’s why so many popular retailers are excited that a gourmet glutenfree fresh pasta is available from a high-end

Les Moulins Mahjoub is a third-generation familyowned and operated farm located in Tebourba, Tunisia. Its introduction to the U.S. market began in 1998 when long-time importer Rogers Collection brought in the first shipment.

“Their dedication to the land, their employees, and their commitment to producing only the highest quality products were key indicators that they were exactly the type of producer we seek,” remarked Carrie Davenport, Managing Director for Rogers Collection. “When Les Moulins Mahjoub consulted us about the importance of certifying their products organic, we encouraged them to seek certification, and since they had been following such pure agricultural practices, their transition to organic was seamless. Les Moulins Mahjoub has a philosophy that already incorporated no chemicals and using crop rotation to maintain soil quality, etc. Little

Imagine one company that partners directly with producers throughout Italy to deliver the best specialty foods of each region. If you haven’t taken the time to check out Italian Harvest, this five-time sofi Award-winning importer, is well worth getting to know.

Founded in 2000, Italian Harvest maintains its mission of sourcing authentic products from family-run farms and factories that grow, cultivate and produce food that is local and traditional. This is evident in a line of regional and hard to find specialties that reflect the real taste of Italy.

The company also offers a well-curated line of 100 percent Italian-grown and -produced olives and extra virgin olive oils.

The quality, elegance and authenticity of a well rounded line bring the true character of Italy to the retailers that carry their products. “We often hear from clients who share stories of customers exclaiming that a particular product of ours was just like

The federal Food and Drug Administration has announced that it proposes to require that nutrition fact labels on packaged foods include a declaration of added sugars “to provide consumers with information that is necessary to meet the dietary recommendation to reduce caloric intake from solid fats and added sugars,” according to the agency’s announcement published in the Federal Register in March, 2014. If and when that proposal becomes a federal requirement, the labels on Uncle Steve’s Italian sauces will report that the sauces contain the same amount of added sugars they always have – zero.

The recipes for the sauces came from Steve Schirrippa, actor, author and creator of the sauces, who’s better known as his character, Bobby Baccalieri on the hit television show “The Sopranos.” He got the recipe from his mother, who has since

Continued on Page 20

Continued on Page 20

Continued on Page 18

Continued on Page 20

Pasta Sonoma: Makers of Fine Artisanal Pasta

Racconto: Authentic Italian Family Recipes

Sunrise Creative Gourmet: A Family Tradition

Bongiovi Brand Sauce Supports Family Charity

Founded over a quarter century ago by husband and wife team Don and Susan Luber, Pasta Sonoma pioneered specialty pastas nationally, crafting classic Italian and natural, flavored pastas with ingenuity and dedication to Old World artisan production techniques. At the heart of their success lies a philosophy that emphasizes conscientious attention to detail and unwavering commitment to perfection.

Using classic Italian processes and only the highest-grade premium flour milled from the freshest of American-grown wheat, Pasta Sonoma mixes in small batches for superior quality control. Slow, low-temperature drying ensures consistency and quality, resulting in the perfect al dente texture in every plate of pasta.

A top seller for leading retailers, specialty stores and private label customers across America, Pasta Sonoma specializes in developing new flavors and custom shapes, along with traditional Italian pas-

For more than four decades, the Mugnolo family has been hand-selecting natural and organic products throughout the villages of Italy to deliver authentic Italian tastes to the American table. The family of brands includes Racconto, Bella Terra USDA-certified organic pastas and Riserva Sauces and Pestos. The full line of Racconto authentic Italian products includes natural pasta, olive oil, tomatoes, cheese, vinegar, pesto, bruschetta, cookies and wines from across Italy.

“We have a passion for food and family here at Racconto,” says Owner Lee Mugnolo. “We are always striving to deliver the finest Italian foods while also delivering fresh new tastes and innovative products to the American table. We believe dining should be experience, one that brings family and friends together and creates great moments. We want to deliver foods with the finest ingredients and true Italian tastes to contribute to these experiences.”

Guilio Forti, an accomplished baker in Rome for more than 30 years, left his native Italy in 1910 to seek opportunity in America.

His dream led him to the Minnesota Iron Range town of Hibbing, where in 1913 he founded the Sunrise Bakery and grew his business by delivering Italian and Vienna bread by horse-drawn carriage to the various neighboring mining communities.

Eventually, working with his son Vincent, Guilio passed on his half century of Old World baking experience to a second generation. Vincent then broadened the bakery’s product line by developing a wider variety of specialty breads to accommodate the diverse immigrant population of northern Minnesota. These included biscotti, ciambelli, strudel and Sunrise’s signature bakery product, potica, an eastern European rolled walnut bread.

With his own son Thomas working at his side, Vincent and the Forti family

If there was one thing the Bongiovi family heard over and over again in recent years while feeding everyone from friends and neighbors to celebrities and the occasional world leader, it was this: “You need to bottle this sauce!”

Maybe it was the smell of the sautéed garlic and onions that filled the air while the large pot simmered or simply the idea of a dish that could bring everyone to the table together, but it’s as if there’s something magical about it, according to John Bongiovi, Sr., father of the musician who’s made his family name, if not its traditional spelling, famous.

After years of encouragement, Bongiovi agreed to produce his family’s classic pasta sauces with the caveat that a portion of the proceeds be donated to charity.

Bongiovi Brand® was created to help

Continued on Page 18

Continued on Page 20

Continued on Page 20

Continued on Page 18

16

BUYERS GUIDE

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Organic Single Source Pasta from Italy

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

One of Riccardo Felicetti’s favorite meals is his Monograno Felicetti pasta with butter and anchovies. “It’s very easy, very simple, but it’s exactly the pasta meal I eat when I come back from my travels,” he says. “This is exactly my comfort food.”

A single-source organic pasta from the biggest organic pasta producer in Italy, Monograno Felicetti was a sofi Finalist last year in two categories: once for Best Organic Product and once for Best Pasta, Rice or Grain. The buyers from Pastificio Felicetti travel Italy and the world

searching for the best organic grains and then combine that grain with pure spring water from springs in the Italian Alps around their pastificio production facility.

The pasta keeps its great taste and texture regardless of the degree of al dente to which it’s cooked. Even in Italy, there’s no consensus about that proper degree of firmness for the cooked pasta, says Felicetti. “It cooks to your preference,” he says. “The most important thing is that you cook it the way you like it.”

Putting food into the body is an extremely intimate act, and Felicetti hopes

that the consumers who ultimately purchase, prepare and eat his product will choose it because they understand and appreciate that the pasta was made in a modern production facility with 21st century sanitation practices using a safe process that enhances the grain’s natural flavors. “I trust that always more people will be interested in knowing what they are eating,” he says. “We will continue to offer high-quality product to interested American customers because we believe they will understand the difference between a high-quality pasta and another pasta.” GN

Celiac Disease Diagnosis Spurs Innovation

BY RICHARD THOMPSON

Lynsay Barnes of Edison Grainery says that the company’s interest in gluten-free products came out of necessity. Her mother, Amy, was diagnosed with celiac disease three years ago and after her father saw the high prices on specialty gluten-free products, he decided to start creating glutenfree pastas that the whole family could enjoy and afford.

“We were already supported the organic movement, but we needed to find foods that could be eaten by everyone,” says Barnes. In 2013, Edison Grainery won the

Food and Beverage Innovation (FABI) Award for its Organic Quinoa Pasta that provided a product that satisfied dietary need and kept pace with culinary trends while maintaining quality and taste.

Edison Grainery carries lines of Organic Quinoa Pasta Spaghetti, Fusilli, Penne and Elbows that are all certified gluten-free, free of the Big-8 in known allergens and imported from Bolivia. Each product is a great source of protein and contains no corn, so the noodles hold up well in water and even gives consumers a little lee-way when it comes to preparation. Paired nicely with any

pomodoro, red sauce or white sauce, any traditional dish – or non-traditional dish – can be prepared without sacrificing taste.

“What’s really great is that people can’t tell them from traditional pastas,” says Barnes.

John De Puma, whose wife was diagnosed with celiac’s disease 12 years ago, saw a lack of flavorful gluten-free pastas and used his background as a chef to create his own. “There were a limited amount of pastas that were up to par compared to traditional pastas, so I decided to solve that issue,” says De Puma. His company, De

Puma’s, is celebrating its eighth anniversary this year.

De Puma’s Three Cheese Tortellini is classically made with ricotta, Parmesan and Romano cheese and cooks just like traditional ravioli, needing only a scoop of water in a slow boil. De Puma’s raviolis come in choices such as Wild Mushroom, Lobster and De Puma’s personal favorite, Spinach and Ricotta.

“We’re a smaller company, so we can make different options that main lines don’t try, like our Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Raviolis,” says De Puma. GN

18

BUYERS GUIDE

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Italian Food Brands Set to Profit from Mediterranean Diet Trend New Dietary Guidelines coming out from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this year will focus new attention on the Mediterranean Diet as a way for Americans to achieve a healthier balance between fats, sweets and total calories, and a number of specialty food producers are situated to take advantage of the phenomenon.

Silano, for example, is a contemporary supplier of imported Italian foods. All products are sourced directly from Italy and best reflect the traditions and culture of their respective regions. Cured meat, cheeses, pastas, extra-virgin olive oil and hot cherry peppers were selected for their quality and consistency as the inaugural products for the brand.

Cheeses include several varieties of cow, goat and sheep milk cheeses. Most of those offered represent authentic northern Italian culinary excellence, although as the product range expands, more cheeses from other areas of Italy are likely to enter the product line.

The range also includes an exciting new line of seafood items produced in Italy.

Many products are harvested from the Adriatic Sea in the upper region of Abruzzo. Seafood items include marinated anchovies, seafood salads, anchovy fillets, shrimp, cuttlefish, octopus carpaccio,

salmon carpaccio, tuna, swordfish, salmon, mussels, squid, herring, mackerel and blue fish fillets, and salted anchovies in oil.

The Pasta Chip line up from Vintage Italia takes a new spin on an Italian staple by repositioning pasta as a snack food, which offers consumers an opportunity to feel good about their snack

choices as they participate in the conversation about the Mediterranean Diet. The chip line includes classic Italian flavors including Marinara, Alfredo, Spicy Tomato Basil, Garlic Olive Oil and Mediterranean Sea Salt, and its newest addition, Veggie, which is infused with

actual vegetables that include spinach, broccoli and kale.

All of the flavor choices are certified nonGMO, kosher, cholesterol-free, contain 60 percent less fat than a traditional potato chip and 20 percent less fat than pita chips and have 3 grams of protein. Four flavors (excluding Alfredo) are also vegan.

Paesana is offering four robust new pizza sauces in singleserve jars that contain enough sauce to dress a 16-inch pizza crust. The four flavors of new Paesana Pizza Sauces include Buffalo, White, Vodka and Classic. Paesana Buffalo Pizza Sauce brings boldness to the forefront, providing an exceptionally zingy taste. Paesana White Pizza Sauce is ideal for making vegetarian pizza, boasting a deliciously rich and creamy flavor. Paesana Vodka Sauce is made from Italian plum tomatoes as well as herbs and heavy cream, giving a distinctive pink coloration to the sauce. Paesana Classic Sauce puts a new accent on a tasty favorite, delivering a smooth and slightly sweet flavor with a hint of herbs. Paesana Pizza Sauces are kosher certified. GN

Bongiovi Brand Sauce (Cont’d. from p. 15)

nomic despair. The Bongiovi family invites everyone to join them in their fight against hunger and homelessness and to support the foundation to provide safe and affordable housing options in the communities

in which they work and to help the hungry and homeless to rebuild pride in themselves and their communities.

For more information, visit www .bongiovibrand.com. GN

Harvest also offers hard-to-find regional specialties such as Ligurian Rose Petal Preserve, Sicilian Bronte Pistachio Sauce and Salina Capers, Sardinian Honey Torrone and classic holiday Panettone and Pandoro from the ancient Gentilini factory in Lazio.

Italian Harvest is also the first to introduce La Rosa gluten free pasta from Emilia Romagna. Made with rice and corn flours, these pastas come in bold red boxes and are available now.

With a useful, informative website and great customer service, Italian Harvest stands out as a leader in the field of Italian specialty imports. Learn more and stay current by visiting www.italianharvest.com and by following on Facebook and Pinterest.

support the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, whose mission is to combat issues that force families and individuals into ecoItalian Harvest (Cont’d. from p. 15)

something they had in Italy,” says Coowner Victoria Doggett. “To me this really speaks to the heart of Italian Harvest’s mission.”

The company is also the sole importer of Majani chocolates from Bologna, J. Gasco Italian Sodas from Piemonte, and Sardanelli tuna from Calabria along with eight lines of organic, regional specialty pastas. Italian Pasta Sonoma (Cont’d. from p. 15)

tas. Their mission: Perfect Pasta in Every Package. Here is a sampling of top Pasta Sonoma products, enjoyed by 4 million happy customers last year alone.

Sweet Potato Fusilli Its corkscrew shape and natural flavor makes this unique fusilli a perfect pasta for baked dishes and pasta salads. The sweet potato gives it a lively, slightly sweeter taste and rich, all-natural coloring, which holds up during cooking to look beautiful on the plate.

Golden Egg Pappardelle The big sister of linguine and fettuccine, versatile pappardelle derives its name from the Italian verb pappare, “to gobble up,” which is exactly what customers do with this broad, classic egg noodle that pairs

beautifully with rich meat sauces or delicate seafood. This is Pasta Sonoma’s most popular pasta.

Whole Grain Wheat Fettuccine A staple in Italy, whole grain wheat pastas are rapidly growing in popularity in the U.S. Pasta Sonoma’s premium, whole grain flour is milled in its entirety from 100 percent American-grown durum wheat, which gives this fettuccine – “little ribbons” in Italian – extraordinary flavor and texture.

Golden Rigatoni The ridges that give this pasta its name – rigatoni means “ridged” in Italian – hold onto accompanying sauces and grated cheeses, making this shape a favorite in southern Italy and a standard in American kitchens. This rigatoni stays open and true to its shape during cooking, the sure sign of an exceptional noodle.

Visit Italian Harvest at the 2016 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, booth #4411. GN Garlic Basil Linguine While most pasta is traditionally paired with meat and tomato sauces, linguine is often served with seafood and fresh vegetables. The garlic and basil pesto flavor of this particular linguine is an enhancement to many recipes. A top-selling favorite for over 25 years.

Spaghetti alla Chitarra This “square spaghetti” takes its name from how it used to be produced. The chitarra – or “guitar” in Italian – was originally a series of wires inside a wood frame that cut the pasta into strips. Today the squared edges are created by special bronze dies, resulting in a true Italian classic.

For more information on these or any custom variety, under your own label or the Pasta Sonoma brand, visit www .pastasonoma.com. GN

20

BUYERS GUIDE

Racconto (Cont’d. from p. 15)

Racconto Riserva Sauces are no exception in the family’s quest for the finest ingredients and tantalizing taste. This line of sauce is made from family recipes handed down for generations. San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin Italian olive oil and Old World seasoning make these sauces truly authentic and best in class. The Racconto Riserva line of all-natural-ingredient sauces Sauces ‘n Love (Cont’d. from p. 15)

brand consumers trust. Presented in attractive upscale packaging, this fresh glutenfree pasta looks great merchandised alongside the Sauces ‘n Love line of fresh pasta sauce that already has a devoted conSunrise Creative Gourmet (Cont’d. from p. 15)

further expanded the business throughout all of northern Minnesota. Thomas then took over and moved his business to an historic Hibbing movie theater to develop a thriving deli business.

Sunrise Creative Gourmet is now in its fourth generation, and Owners Tom and Mary, along with their son Tom, remain true to the tradition of emphasizing the use Uncle Steve’s (Cont’d. from p. 15)

passed away, Scarpinito says. “Steve wanted to pay a tribute to his mother. Abundant home cooked Sunday family meals were very important to her. Steve honored her by producing products he got from her recipes to keep the Sunday tradition alive.”

None of the three varieties of Uncle Steve’s sauces: Marinara, Tomato with Basil and Arrabiata, contain any added sugar, a common ingredient in other prepared pasta sauces. They also contain no GMOs or gluten, and they’re organic. That’s at the insistence of Schirripa’s wife Laura, who’s a marathon runner conscious of healthy eating and who told her husband that if he Les Moulins Mahjoub (Cont’d. from p. 15)

has changed in the practices they use today and those employed by their forefathers.

Their commitment to quality is exceptional.”

Les Moulins Mahjoub is using ancient Berber means of preserving food to produce products today. All of the Mahjoub products that are “sun dried” are literally dried under the Tunisian sun – the peppers that are ground into harissa and used as an ingredient in two of the pasta sauces, and the M’Hamsa hand rolled couscous.

Bongiovi Brand Pasta Sauces

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

includes Classic Marinara, Vodka, Arrabbiatta and Bolognese. “The Riserva Sauces are so delicious and full of taste, sometimes we will just eat the sauce right out of the jar!” says one Racconto employee.

This year, Racconto introduced a new Sriracha Pesto to the market. “We believe food should be creative, and we are always looking for a new twist on meals,” says Mugnolo. “Our Sriracha Pesto is an exciting new product full of bold, spicy flavors.

It brings a delicious new taste to pastas, salads and opens up a whole new world for easy, delicious appetizers.”

Racconto Sriracha Pesto is full of all-natural goodness and spicy flavors from hot chili peppers, sweet peppers and Italian olive oil. This pesto is a great addition to the Italian pantry, offering endless ways to spice up any dish.

A full line of authentic Italian foods, sourced directly by the Mugnolo family for

three generations, the Racconto line of products offers high-quality, natural ingredients that are big on authentic Italian taste. For today’s discriminating consumer looking to create a delicious, authentic food experience, Racconto delivers old world taste to the modern table.

For more information on Racconto and its full-line of Italian foods including Bella Terra and Riserva, visit Racconto.com or contact Bill Blakely at bblakely@racconto.com. GN

sumer following.

Sauces ‘n Love offers a full range of fantastic sauces to pair with its gluten-free pastas.

Sauces ‘n Love Sundried Tomato Pesto, Sugo Rosa, Arrabbiata, Pomodoro Basilico and more make for an exciting and upscale line of pasta sauces that are sold fresh and always

delicious. Sauces ‘n Love won a sofi Award for the best pasta sauce of 2015 with its innovative Pumpkin & Kale Alfredo Sauce.

By hewing to Italian tradition, selecting the best ingredients, and making customers rave, the Sauces ‘n Love line has grown into a national line of gourmet Italian sauces.

Winning 17 coveted sofi Awards, the brand has set new standards for quality and flavor by embodying a living Italian tradition of invention, simplicity and flavor. Freshness is still the Sauces ‘n Love way, and one can find them in the refrigerated section of fine grocers everywhere. GN

of only quality ingredients and proudly crafting and packaging artisan products with skill and care. With the foundation in place, the Forti family has continued to expand the product line from Italian bread and hard rolls to an extensive line of brassextruded, traditional dry and frozen pasta and a wide variety of eastern European ethnic specialties, including quiche, stromboli, entrees, sarma, and porketta.

Most recently, the Forti family ex-

panded their business by opening a dedicated gluten free production facility in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of a new, shelfstable gluten-free pasta and factory outlet store.

Sunrise Creative Gourmet dry and frozen pastas are sold in HyVee, select Target locations, Lund’s and Byerly’s, Kowalski’s, all Minneapolis and St. Paul co-ops and many fine independent grocers throughout the upper Midwest.

A lot has changed since Guilio fired up his first oven, but Sunrise continues to adhere to the philosophy that has sustained it for nearly 100 years: Quality food made with care and skill, true to its Italian origins.

For more information, contact Tom Forti with Sunrise Creative Gourmet at 612.750.8623, email sales@sunrisecreative gourmet.com, or go online to www.sunrise creativegourmet.com.

wanted to make and sell tomato sauce, he needed to be sure that it would be good for people as well as enjoyable, says Uncle Steve’s Italian Specialties Chief Operating Officer Joseph Scarpinito, Jr.:”If you were to line up all of the popular tomato sauces and then remove the ones with pesticides, tomato paste, puree, and added sweetener, you’d be left with only one: Uncle Steve’s.”

“Uncle Steve’s is simmered on our stove for six hours. The only sugar in our sauce comes from organic tomatoes imported from Italy and organic onions. Quality is of the utmost important to us,” he added.

The sauces were launched just last year on the company’s website and quickly picked up by Whole Foods Northeast.

Other markets along the East Coast followed.

This year, Scarpinito is concentrating on expanding distribution of the sauces to the Southeast, Southwest and West Coast.

“That expansion has already started – the sauce has been picked up by the Albertson’s Boise division and by Gelson’s in Los Angeles,” he said. “The sauce is also available from several distributors servicing large independent retailers.”

New products are also under development, including olive oil, pasta and other flavored pasta sauces. Scarpinito is naturally a little coy about pinning them down with any more detail than that, but he did offer a hint: we can expect to see an Uncle

Steve’s vodka sauce early next year.

Once the FDA’s proposal is finalized, the FDA wants to give the food industry two years to switch to the new labels. In addition to requiring a declaration for added sugars, the FDA is also proposing a new format for the label that would make calories, serving sizes, and percent daily value figures more prominent. Serving sizes would be changed to reflect the amounts reasonably consumed in one eating occasion. “People are generally eating more today than 20 years ago, so some of the current serving sizes, and the amount of calories and nutrients that go with them, are out of date,” according to the FDA. GN

The Les Moulins Mahjoub Sauces feature regional Tunisian ingredients like harissa, preserved lemons, capers, black olives and artichokes. All of these ingredients are grown on the Mahjoub farm. “We have seen an explosion in sales of harissa and preserved lemons, and the sauces contain these sought-after ingredients,” Davenport said. “They offer customers something different from basil, mushrooms, cheese, or more ordinary sauce ingredients.” The sauces are now packaged in a new larger jar (680g) that is similar in size to other pasta sauces in their category.

The M’Hamsa hand-rolled couscous is made using only four all-natural ingredients (semolina, water, salt, and extra virgin olive oil) and no added preservatives in a process that takes 12 days. The slow drying in the sun, similar to the Italian slow pasta drying methods celebrated in Gragnano, allows the couscous to be cooked al dente and retain texture. Rogers Collection has seen an increase in the sale of the whole wheat couscous for the health-related properties associated with whole grains.

“Customers who purchase the Les

Moulins Mahjoub Hand rolled Couscous and sauces are looking for high-quality, full-flavor foods and are conscious consumers. Les Moulins Mahjoub employs many residents of the town of Tebourba, Tunisia. They offer their employees one hour of English classes per day. Many of their employees are women, and the company is very proud of their composition,” said Davenport, who has visited the farm. “They are truly passionate about their employees, preserving the land, and making the highest quality products possible.” GN

Pici Pasta Imported by Italian Harvest

Bongiovi brand Marinara Sauce is a tantalizing combination of premium tomatoes, basil, onion and garlic with just the right amount of oregano and parsley sautèed with a splash of burgundy wine. This is an American interpretation of an Italian favorite, for those who appreciate the classics.

Bongiovi Brand Garden Style Pasta Sauce is a robust combination of garden fresh vegetables. The fresh basil, garlic, onion, mushrooms and bell peppers add an exciting bouquet of flavor to your favorite pasta with just a little kick. Wow, now that’s Italian!

Bongiovi Brand Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce is for those who like a little spice in their lives. The cool tomato and basil flavors are kicked up with just the perfect amount of a special pepper combination for just the right bite.

If you’ve been to Tuscany, Italy, chances are you’ve enjoyed Pici. Pici, a hard to find pasta, is a true regional specialty of Siena in Tuscany that dates back to the Etruscans. Typically hand made, local producer Pastificio Morelli has created a dried version that is considered one of the best. The bronze die-extruded texture of these durable bundles holds sauce well and presents beautifully on the shelf.

Pici expands significantly when cooked, making for a thick, tender pasta with an impressive presentation. A versatile pasta made with semolina flour and water, it may be served with a ragu or something traditional, such as pici alle briciole (pici with breadcrumbs) or pici all’aglione (pici with tomatoes and garlic). Aside from Pici, Pastificio Morelli creates pastas made with a blend of semolina flour and wheat germ, giving a unique taste with extra nutritional value. The pastificio also specializes in pastas flavored with peperoncini, truffle, porcini mushroom, garlic, basil, and black nero di seppia. Italy’s regions reflect their unique character through cuisine. Pici is an important one that defines Tuscany.

Bongiovi sales@bongiovibrand.com www.bongiovibrand.com

Italian Harvest www.italianharvest.com

22

BUYERS GUIDE

Pasta Made with the Pure Water of the Dolomites Water: Surging, flowing, rippling, cascading. Clear as the reflected sky, transparent as a crystal of ice, fresh as a waterfall. Spring water, to maintain its purity, is best the moment it gushes from its source. That’s why Pastificio Felicetti uses only a single water source and has created a unique path for that exceptional water to flow directly from the peaks of the nearby Dolomite Mountains into its pasta factory. This water is very special in this part of Italy, water infused with all the energy of those majestic peaks. Thanks to this water, flour becomes dough, a miraculous combination that is the first step in achieving the exceptional Pastificio Felicetti pasta. Then fittingly, the pasta returns to water, immersed in a boiling pot and re-emerging al dente, ready to be savored.

Felicetti pasta is bronze die-cut, certified USDA organic and nonGMO, a superior nutritional value with three times the fiber and 30 percent higher protein content of conventional pasta and is certified kosher. For more information, contact Sales Manager Massimo Cannas at the company’s American office in California by phone at 949.481.9273 or on his cell 949.230.6866.

Pastificio Felicetti massimo@maxcointernational.com www.felicetti.it/en

100% Whole Grain Pasta from Pasta Sonoma

Long a staple in Italy, whole grain wheat pastas are rapidly growing in popularity in the U.S. Pasta Sonoma perfected the art of making superior-quality traditional and specialty pasta for leading retailers, specialty stores and private label customers more than 25 years ago.

Pasta Sonoma’s master pasta makers are specialists in making whole grain pasta from heritage and identity preserved wheat. They use only the highest-grade premium flour ground from the freshest American-grown durum wheat, using OldWorld milling processes. The 100 percent whole grain pastas are crafted by hand, in a factory that is certified OU kosher and organic, then shipped within hours of completion, guaranteeing freshness and quality.

Whether your preference is 100 percent Whole Grain Fusilli, 100 percent Whole Grain Wheat Fettuccini or another 100 percent whole grain pasta of your choosing, Pasta Sonoma assures your customers perfectly delicious pasta, every time.

Pasta Sonoma www.pastasonoma.com

New Products from Racconto

Racconto, 40-year-old importer of authentic Italian foods, will be introducing two new innovative products to market this fall. True to the company’s passion for discovering new, delicious, products made from natural ingredients, Bella Terra Potato Gnocchi and Bella Terra Rapido will hit grocery shelves across the country this fall.

The latest additions to the Racconto pantry of authentic Italian tastes offer delicious organic potato gnocchi and rapid-cook pasta options never available before. Bella Terra Potato Gnocchi delivers a rich, savory organic pasta experience. Bella Terra Rapido products offer no-boil, no-drain convenience while maintaining the highest standards of organic goodness Racconto is known for. Bella Terra products are certified USDA organic and GMO free.

For three generations family members have hand-selected the finest quality foods made from authentic Italian ingredients to deliver uncompromising quality and taste to the family table and sell-through success at retail.

Racconto bblakely@racconto.com www.racconto.com

M’Hamsa Cous Cous from Les Moulin Mahjoub Les Moulin Mahjoub produces M’Hamsa Hand Rolled Couscous, uniquely combining semolina with salt, water and extra virgin olive oil, hand rolled and pushed through screens. Grains are literally dried in the hot Tunisian sun for a wonderfully natural product with a rich toasty flavor. Great with fish, meats, vegetables and Mahjoub sauces.

The 500g package retails for $7.99 to $9.99.

The Rogers Collection contact@therogerscollection.com 207.828.2000

sofi Award Winning Sauce from Sauces ‘n Love Sauces ‘n Love’s brand new Pumpkin & Kale Alfredo won a sofi Award as the best pasta sauce of 2015. Made with a blend of pumpkin, kale, cream and cheese, this new sauce is the perfect seasonal item to create excitement for the fall and winter seasons.

Sauces ‘n Love Pumpkin & Kale Alfredo joins a growing family of innovative and award-winning sauces including a Porcini & Shitake Alfredo, Vegan Pesto, and more. Sold in the refrigerated section of stores, Sauces ‘n Love offers superior flavor with a short, clean label of whole ingredients. Sauces ‘n Love satisfies both the gourmands and health conscious shoppers.

Sauces ‘n Love also offers two other innovative lines: Dips ‘n Love offers fresh delectable dips such as Chipotle Cheddar and Truffled Ricotta & Sage, and the Scarpetta brand offers a line of delicious and innovative shelf-stable Italian sauces.

Sauces ‘n Love www.facebook.com/saucesnlove

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Cucina Fresca Shelf-Stable Pasta Sauces Cucina Fresca, a Seattle Gourmet Foods brand, offers all natural pasta sauces in various flavors including Smoked Tomato (rich and smoky flavor), Tomato Vodka (creamy tomato sauce with fresh basil), and Marinara (simple and classic). All varieties come in 24-ounce glass jars with six jars in a case. Cucina Fresca pasta sauces have a 12 month shelf life.

Seattle Gourmet Foods is a premier food manufacturer in Kent, Washington. Growing both organically and through acquisition, today it is comprised of 11 different brands found in retailers around the country. SGF’s brands offer a diverse mix of products that include chocolate, breath mints, bakery items, jams, sauces, soups, and dry mixes. Kauai.

Seattle Gourmet Foods 800.800.9490 sales@seattlegourmetfoods.com www.seattlegourmetfoods.com

A Pasta Gift from Stonewall Kitchen Autumn may not officially be here but Stonewall Kitchen is getting ready for the season with a tasty Fall Pasta Grab & Go Gift. The star of this collection is a jar of creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce that delivers the savory taste of butternut squash with a hint of apples and brown sugar.

The pasta is an imported, premium organic penne lisce pasta made by master pasta makers in Italy using a special variety of durum wheat called Matt. It’s delicious, with an amazing texture and truly authentic taste. Also included is a handy, hardwood handled, forest green medium spatula with a silicone head. It won’t scratch pans or bowls. This gift comes ready to give, wrapped in clear cellophane, and is tied with an exclusive Stonewall Kitchen ribbon.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

Sunrise Creative Gourmet Sunrise Creative Gourmet brass-extruded traditional pasta is made with locally-sourced, high protein flour and cage free eggs. The pasta flour is then infused with all-natural spices and vegetables, including butternut squash, garlic, basil, roasted red pepper with cayenne, to give each noodle a distinct flavor. Simply add olive oil, Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, steamed vegetables and your favorite protein to any Sunrise Creative Gourmet pasta for a delicious and healthy meal solution.

For folks who need a gluten-free alternative, Sunrise Creative Gourmet recently launched a new shelf-stable, gluten-free pasta line. This brass-extruded pasta is made with locally milled (GMO free) brown rice flour and has the durability, strength, and texture of traditional pasta. Sunrise Creative Gourmet gluten-free pasta cooks in only five minutes and leaves the pasta water clear, unlike anything in the category.

Sunrise Creative Gourmet 612.750.8623 sales@sunrisecreativegourmet.com www.sunrisecreativegourmet.com

Make Every Day Sunday with Uncle Steve’s For actor Steve Schirripa, Sunday mornings in Brooklyn meant waking to the aroma of pasta sauce simmering on the stove. Now he’s sharing his recipe with the world. Uncle Steve’s sauces are organic, gluten free, non GMO, kosher, and slow-cooked using imported Italian tomatoes. Make every day Sunday!

Uncle Steve’s felice@unclestevesny.com www.unclestevesny.com

Wixon Private Label Dry Mixes and Seasonings Wixon’s culinary innovation teams offer creative ideas for private label gourmet dry mixes and seasonings. Three core levels of service – product innovation, formulation development and processing and packaging – ensure products meet expectations at every step.

A one-stop production system and a variety of packaging services complement the customizable packaging experience.

Wixon 800.841.5304 www.wixon.com

26

SMALL ELECTRICS

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

Small Electrics COFFEE New coffee brewers pick up on the latest coffee trends among consumers and incorporate ways for home coffee drinkers to partake in those trends. Specialty coffee is popular among Millennials, the 2015 National Coffee Drinking Trends Report finds, and KitchenAid’s Siphon Coffee Brewer, De’Longhi’s Pump Espresso, and BUNN’s trifecta MB all offer means of ensuring that specialty coffee stays special even at home. This year the rising popularity of tea among Americans has possibly spurred the incredible amount of new electrics kettles that debuted this year. Capresso, SMEG and Kenwood all came out with new kettles, while OXO’s new Barista Brain 12-Cup Coffee Brewing System includes a borosilicate glass removable kettle for those who want to drink their coffee … and tea too. GN

KRUPS Electronic Tea Maker

BREWERS

&

ELECTRIC

Sponsored by

KE TTLES

Barista Brain 12-Cup Coffee Brewing System

BUNN trifecta MB With trifecta MB, exclusive Air Infusion ® Technology unlocks flavor notes and produces a rich, velvety cup of coffee or tea. Taste and body are enhanced with five Infusion Times, along with five Turbulence Cycles for the ultimate control of the brewing process. Brightness and sweet and savory flavors can be adjusted to personal taste. Coffee or tea is pressed through fine-gauge metal filters, preserving oils and aromatics lost in traditional brewing methods. The commercial-inspired design stands out in all gourmet kitchens. The 25 settings give you the control and taste beyond what you thought possible.

Suggested Retail Price: $599.99 BUNN 800.637.8606 www.bunn.com

Brew a cup of hot or iced tea with this two-in-one product. The KRUPS FL700 Electronic Tea Maker can be used as a convenient tea maker to brew hot and ice teas as well as a powerful water kettle.

The removable and height adjustable tea brewing filter basket allows for greater control of tea steep time. With four different water levels, it also features a separate lid for traditional water boiling.

Suggested Retail Price: $99.99

KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer The new KitchenAid® Siphon Coffee Brewer features vacuum technology that fully immerses the grounds in water to create a more complex flavor profile. The brewer uses vapor pressure to create a vacuum and draw hot water from the carafe, up through a stainless steel siphon tube, and into the upper brew unit. Here, the grounds are fully immersed and evenly saturated with hot water, extracting the coffee’s full range of flavors. When the brewing temperature is reached, the heat turns off and vacuum is lost, causing the freshly brewed coffee to stream down through a reusable stainless steel mesh filter and empty back into the carafe.

Suggested Retail Price: $249.99 KitchenAid 800.541.6390 www.kitchenaid.com

The Barista Brain 12-Cup Coffee Brewing System is a two-in-one appliance that has the ability to brew coffee and heat water at the same time.

The intelligent microprocessor monitors time, temperature and volume from start to finish ensuring the precision of hand-crafted coffee.

Water is heated to the optimal temperature for coffee brewing as defined by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (197.6 - 204.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the borosilicate glass removable kettle, and precisely maintains the temperature throughout the entire brewing process. Water is measured by an integrated scale and pumped to the brew basket in perfectly timed cycles, starting with a short cycle that allows coffee to bloom for full flavor extraction. When coffee is finished dripping into the double-walled, stainless steel carafe, a freshness indicator on the LED screen counts up to 60 minutes (the maximum amount of time a pot of coffee is supposed to sit). In addition, the removable kettle has the ability to act independently to heat water.

Suggested Retail Price: $299.99 OXO 800.236.1478 www.oxo.com

KRUPS 973.736.0300 www.krupsusa.com

Brewista Smart Brew Automatic Tea Kettle

Italian-based SMEG is known for its ‘50s retro-look appliances designed in collaboration with some of the world’s top architects. This electric kettle combines iconic mid-century style with modern features. Choose from a selection of luscious colors that match other SMEG appliances for a coordinated collection. The kettle features a 360 degree swivel base and has an auto-shutoff when water reaches a boil or when the kettle is lifted from base.

A soft-opening lid prevents the sudden release of steam, while a removable, washable stainless-steel limescale filter makes for easy cleaning.

Suggested Retail Price: $129.95

The Brewista Smart Brew Automatic Tea Kettle makes preparing perfect tea simple and easy.

Preset temperatures for the most popular teas are already programmed, or the user may choose an exact temperature at which to brew.

There is no need to worry about over extracting the botanicals because the Automatic Steeping feature allows you to program the amount of time that the botanicals are in contact with the water. The Auto-start feature can be programmed to prepare your tea ahead of time and have it ready to drink when you are ready to enjoy it. The Keep Warm feature automatically adjusts the temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain a desirable drinking temperature without burning the botanicals. With a generous 1.2 liter capacity, easy grip handle and lift off base, serving perfect tea couldn’t be simpler.

Suggested Retail Price: $139.00

SMEG 212.265.5378 www.smegusa.com

Brewista 253.298.2048 www.mybrewista.com

SMEG Electric Kettle

Chefman Cordless Precision Electric Kettl

Capresso H2O Steel PLUS

The Chefman Cordless Precision Electric Kettle allows tea lovers to call all the shots. Precision temperature control ensures each variety of tea can steep at the proper temperature, or remove the stainless tea infuser and use as a traditional electric kettle to boil water quicker than microwave or stovetop methods. Other features include automatic shut off, boil dry protection, and a 360 degree swivel base that allows the kettle to be removed from the base for easy pouring right or left handed.

The Capresso H2O Steel PLUS is a premium electric water kettle that enhances the tea experience with variable temperature control. It features four temperature settings to accurately brew any type of tea, plus an innovative automatic warming function.

The beautiful stainless steel housing makes this 57ounce capacity kettle a focal point in the kitchen or at retail. The smart design will initiate heating if cold water is added, keeping water at your desired temperature. A pause-and-pour function allows you to interrupt the heating process for up to a minute to pour a cup without waiting. Heating resumes when kettle is placed back on the base.

Suggested Retail Price: $69.99

Chefman 888.315.8407 www.mychefman.com

Jura Inc. 201.767.3999 www.capresso.com

SMORGASBORD

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com

27

SMORGASBORD CALENDAR

ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER

PAGE WEBSITE

PHONE

Aflac

7

www.aflac.com

800.992.3522

Bongiovi Brand Pasta Sauces

21

www.bongiovibrand.com

eSutras Organics

8

www.esutras.com

773.583.4850

Fall River Wild Rice

18

www.frwr.com

800.626.4366

Hammond’s Candies

27

www.hammondscandies.com

888.226.3999

Hongar Farms

18

www.hongarfarms.com

201.947.1000

Il Mulino New York

24

www.ilmulino.com

Italian Harvest

16

www.italianharvest.com

866.408.4457

Kusha Inc.

3

www.authenticroyal.com

800.550.RICE

Pacific Resources International

27

www.shoppri.com

805.684.0624

Pasta Sonoma

19

www.pastasonoma.com

Pastificio Felicetti

23

www.felicetti.it/en

39.0462.501225

PLMA

5

www.plma.com

212.972.3131

Racconto

25

www.racconto.com

708.865.8454

Robert Rothschild

27

www.robertrothschild.com

800.356.8933

SaltWorks

11

www.seasalt.com

800.353.7258

Sarabeth’s Kitchen

28

www.sarabeth.com

800.773.7378

Sauces N’ Love

16

www.saucesnlove.com

781.595.7771

State Farm

13

www.statefarm.com

877.734.2265

Stonewall Kitchen

2

www.stonewallkitchen.com

888.326.5678

Sunrise Creative Gourmet

17

www.sunrisecreativegourmet.com

612.750.8623

The French Farm

9

www.thefrenchfarm.com

713.660.0577 207.828.2000

The Rogers Collection

24

www.therogerscollection.com

Uncle Steve’s

1

www.unclestevesny.com

US International Media

23

www.mytrehermanas.com

800.323.4358

Wind & Willow

24

www.windandwillow.com

888.427.3235

Wixon

27

www.wixon.com

800.841.5304

September 16-19

October 23-25

Natural Products Expo East

Fresh Summit

Baltimore, Maryland www.expoeast.com

Atlanta, Georgia www.pma.com/events/freshsummit

September 19

November 15-17

SF Cheese Fest

PLMA’s 2015 Private Label Trade Show

San Francisco, California www.cacheeseguild.org

Chicago, Illinois www.plma.com

Mark Your Calendar for SF Cheese Fest In the heart of America’s favorite food city, in a neighborhood busting with craft and creativity, the California Artisan Cheese Guild will launch SF Cheese Fest, a first-time event bringing together acclaimed cheesemakers, the city’s hippest mongers, Bay Area brews, and local makers of artisan foods. Tickets are on sale now for the SF Cheese Fest’s main event, the Cheesemaker Celebration, along with other festival events to be held at various locations around the city. The mission of SF Cheese Fest is to bring the farm to the City – to celebrate the hard work, craftsmanship, and unique character of California cheese and cheesemakers.

“By supporting local artisan and farmstead cheeses, you are helping to preserve working farms, open space and the unique flavors they produce,” says Cheese

Pacific Resources International 805.684.0624 www.shoppri.com

Robert Rothschild Farm 800.356.8933 www.robertrothschild.com

Hammond’s award winning chocolate bars are now available in a new gi box! Each beautiful gi box is filled with five of Hammond’s delicious, unique bars. ese gi boxes will come six to a case. e suggested retail price is $16.99-$18.99.

Wixon Makes Healthy Dry Mixes, Seasonings Wixon’s formulation expertise makes it your source for great-tasting nonGMO, organic, gluten-free, nutritional and functional dry mixes and seasonings.

Hammond’s Candies 888.226.3999 www.hammondscandies.com

Wixon 800.841.5304 www.wixon.com

A Special Advertising Section

Robert Rothschild Farm’s made from scratch Hot Cherry Merlot Organic Dip has amazing flavor. Subtle merlot wine blends with sweet cherries and the underlying heat from habanero peppers. One spoonful is never enough.

GOURMET MARKETPLACE

Clean, New Zealand Pacific Sea Salt Mesquite smoked for salmon, avocados, salads, eggs, barbeque or your favorite healthy dish. A seasoning delight every day. Treat yourself!

Guild President Louella Hill. At the SF Cheese Fest Cheesemaker Celebration on Saturday, September 19, 2015, at Dogpatch WineWorks, guests will rub elbows with over 20 cheesemakers, cheesemongers and more. On offer are curated pairings with Bay Area cutting edge producers We Love Jam, Mimi’s Confiture, Rustic Bakery, Josey Baker Bread, Fra’ Mani, Bay Area Bee Company, Friend in Cheeses preserves, along with beer from San Francisco breweries. The evening will overflow with flavor while music from The Easy Leaves and DJ Lisa Pezzino keeps the party moving. Tickets are available at Eventbrite, including VIP tickets ($125) with early entrance at 6pm, live music, special bites provided by Piccino and prizes, and General Admission ($75) from 7 to10 p.m. SF Cheese Fest is the primary fundraiser for the California Artisan Cheese Guild.

For more information, visit www.sfcheesefest.com. GN

PLMA 2015 Private Label Trade Show For more than 30 years, PLMA’s annual private label trade show has been the place where retailers and suppliers meet to build their private label business.

Among visitors who attend are buyers and executives from virtually every major US supermarket, drug chain, mass merchandiser, club, convenience chain, and specialty retailers.

PLMA’s 2015 Private Label Trade Show will be the event of the year for the private label industry, presenting more than 2,700 exhibit booths from leading manufacturers of store brands in virtually every food and beverage category – including gourmet and specialty prepared foods, refrigerated, frozen and ingredients.

Exhibitors range from large, well-known corporations to small and medium-size companies. International participation continues to expand. Exhibitors from more than 35 countries can be found throughout the show floor with national pavilions representing China, Spain, South Africa, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Turkey and Egypt, joining pavilions from Italy, France, Canada, Mexico, and others. GN