Later ’Gator
I’ve written this column before while leading another specialty gourmet publication a few years ago ... a fond farewell to our retail readership and vendor buddies. And then David Spencer nudged me back to take the helm of Gourmet Business, an innovative new media format designed to educate and inform specialty retailers in the world of kitchenware and gourmet foods.
For more than a year, I have been thrilled by the challenge and inspired as always by the innovation this industry continues to bring to market; and by the extraordinary entrepreneurship that independents bring to the world of retail.
Both of these groups – the innovative vendors and the exuberant retailers – have taught me more in the past dozen years than I could ever have imagined.
They have inspired me to take the leap into the next challenging role of my career, as entrepreneur opening our own retail space: a sustainable living/cooking school, called The Cook’s Farm, here in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. We open full-time in May, so this will be my last issue as the full-time editor of the GB brands.
Still, I will continue to keep both feet in the waters of gourmet, focusing more on my own retail side of the garden. You’re all welcome to come and visit – relax in the mountains before or after the Atlanta International Gift Show or come teach a class!
Of course, there will be freelance and consulting projects, plus the occasional trade show to keep abreast of what’s new – so you’ll still be seeing my happy face!
There will be a new team here at Gourmet Business paving the editorial path. Two industry insiders – Joanne Friedrick (jfriedrick@gourmetbusiness.com) and Jennifer White Karp (jennifer@gourmet-business.com) – will join my longtime editorial partner James Mellgren, who will continue to cover specialty foods with his amazing knowledge. Designer-extraordinaire Penelope Korff will continue as Creative Director, keeping the GB brand’s look in focus. And my dear friend Alka Ahuja will oversee production continuing with her artful craft of making the magazine look well-edited and in focus. So, you see, you are in fantastic hands.
A little more about the new crew: Jennifer was at HFN for five years editing the housewares section with a focus on small electrics. She brings some heavy-hitting knowledge to the table in that category. And you know me, I love the story behind everything, whether its housewares or food – it is the people behind the brand who make the product interesting. So, on that note, Jennifer and her husband live in Park Slope, Brooklyn, N.Y., with their two young daughters. Which makes her more than ready to talk about great big food moments with all Brooklyn’s new restaurants and organic markets.
Locally grown and responsibly sourced food is a very big deal in Brooklyn, and these ideas filter down to the very young. Jennifer told me her daughter’s playdate recently asked her if the snack she was serving was organic. So, there you go, she’s ready for the specialty market and decisively informed consumers.
Joanne Friedrick has been covering the specialty food and housewares industries for more than a decade. She served as editor of Gourmet News for six years before heading out to cover this business, and others, as a freelance writer and editor. She most recently spent two years as editor of Kitchenware News.
Originally from Wisconsin, Joanne began her journalism career at a daily newspaper in Waukesha, Wis., then moved to Chicago as a business-to-business trade journalist covering pension funds, corporate real estate and supermarkets. After 10 years in Chicago, she moved to Portland, Maine, where she still resides. So, there you have it. Gourmet Business is ready for its next growth spurt with its greatly broadened team of journalists who are tuned in and ready to bring specialty food news and gourmet kitchenware news and innovation direct to you twice each month.
This month, gourmet is in bloom with a feature on the garden – from seeds and herbs to flowering dinnerware, there’s a colorful explosion of a category to cross-merchandise in your store.
During the recently concluded International Home + Housewares Show (IH+HS), Gourmet Business exhibited its strength in marketing and media innovation with cooking demonstrations, olive oil tastings, industry reception and cookbook signings – just to note a few of the things we had going on. Our editorial team scoured the show floor looking for the latest innovations and colorful trends. You can find a few of our stories on baking, colors and the latest in single-serve in this issue.
Next month, the team will delve further into the trends discovered at IH+HS with more news, retail perspectives and new product trends.
So, stay tuned. And cheers!