Gourmet Business August 2013

An Eye Toward the Holidays

August is a busy month in the gour-met industry as most retailers prepare for the winter holiday season, yes, even as most of the country is experiencing a record heat wave.

The old adage that the early bird gets the worm also goes for those specialty retailers who get out in front of anticipated holiday trends, and engage in early browsing and merchandise buying. To help in this endeavor, the editors of Gourmet Business have com- piled a Holiday Gift Guide, covering everything from gourmet food, coffee and tea to kitchen essentials, serveware and barware.

And, of course, the NY NOW show (formerly NYIGF) in New York this month will spark more ideas for unique gift and holiday décor items. NY NOW will debut its new format, which has taken the former Gourmet Housewares Show and integrated it into the Tabletop & Gourmet Housewares section. Turn to page 20 to learn more about the over 300 suppliers of gourmet housewares and specialty tabletop items that will showcase their products during the show.

As fall approaches, football season also kicks off, as do various levels of tailgating parties, from the simple cold buffets to the elaborate gourmet event replete with marinated and grilled meats of various kinds, side dishes, cocktails, wine and beer, and all the serving and décor accessories. Turn to page 16 to read about what’s new and trending in tailgating so you can tap into the wallets of these partying folk who spend between $450 and $1,000 a year on tailgating necessities.

To round out the issue, we’ve included a look at new environmentally friendly housewares, on page 10, that use biodegradable and recyclable plastics as municipalities and certain consumers focus on reducing landfill waste. And as summer harvest comes to a close, what better time than now to review all the wonderful fruit and vegetable preserves (page 26), and new flavors that are trending on both the sweet and the savory side.

Maureen Azzato 

Managing Editor, Gourmet Business 

mazzato@gourmetbusiness.com