I would like to thank all of the visitors to our Gourmet Business Pavilion at the 2013 IH+HS. We enjoyed bringing our publication to life for you through interactive exhibits designed to provide you with education, discovery and merchandising ideas. I want to thank our dedicated group for all the hard work in making it possible. I credit our editors with helping bring together an incredible variety of products and arranging them in an attractive display. Mind you, that was in addition to delivering an informative show issue that was also available in glossy print form that we know many of you will keep as a collector’s item! I thank our sales team, led by Brad Simon, for handling the complex logistics necessary to pull together products from a variety of suppliers and get them to the show on time. I also want to commend our video and technology team for creating some great product videos and delivering them, along with some supplied by our marketing partners, on a group of iPads to create a unique display we called “Uncovering Design.”
All the hard work was well worth it for the satisfaction that we derive from being the conduit for beneficial trade between professional retail merchants and talented suppliers in the industry that continually bring creative products to our market. May you all go on to profit from your newly formed relationships this year.
And what a great year it’s shaping up to be. I certainly have felt a collective sigh of relief and observed many smiling and enthusiastic faces at the shows so far this year. This all hints toward continuing improvement in the economy, and better business for all. Just this week we have received news that the earnings of specialty retailers tied to this industry continue to surge forward. That’s right, repeat after me 10 times, we are moving forward! Let’s not look back.
If this all sounds like reason for celebration, then we must have put you in the right frame of mind for one of the topics we cover this month: Barware and Serveware, with a twist of ... hops. I am also fascinated by the explosive growth in craft beer over the last few years. Who thought that Americans would be spending as much on a special bottle of beer as a good bottle of wine from France? And if they are spending good money on their beer, then we think they also need all of the accessories
– like good beer glasses – to make the experience even more special. Read up on the craft beer movement (page 20) and see what other good selling opportunities can ride this wave.
To balance out our reporting on products for, as many would term it, “pickling our minds,” we thought it an opportune time to discuss pickling and preserving fresh produce, page 14. Even though it does seem like summer is still far off as we continue to shovel snow in the Northeast, now is the time to think about the grouping of products that consumers demand every year to preserve their favorite fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed in other seasons. It’s healthy, good for you and easy to do with the right products to aid you.
David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business
President, HousewaresDirect, Inc.
dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com