Gourmet Business Fine Foods Quarterly June 2014

Today, we can Skype with someone half a world away and think nothing of it. And we do business online with the same ease. So it’s no wonder that when we think about food from a global perspective, it doesn’t seem quite as exotic as it once did.

Yet, there are still new discoveries to be made and products to import that aren’t readily available within the United States. I was surprised when I spoke with Barry Levenson from the National Mustard Museum about the number of interesting mustards that aren’t yet sold here.

Importers may still be cautious about bringing some products in if there isn’t a guaranteed market for them. And with some foreign producers expecting American buyers to invest in container-loads of product instead of cases, that can be a barrier to entry as well.

So what that means for retailers is that despite our ease with doing business globally, there are still avenues to be explored, products that are still poised to make their American debut. Despite that feeling you may sometimes have, you haven’t seen it all.

I know I’ve taken trips over the years to international trade shows and seen some unique items only to find out that they have no distribution within the United States.

Of course, American producers can easily keep the shelves of most specialty stores filled with their own creations. We don’t lack for creativity here, and with the increased travel and Internet access, it’s easy enough to delve into international trends and re-create them with an American twist.

So as I walk the aisles of the latest edition of the Summer Fancy Food Show, I
know I’ll be looking for those yet-to-be discovered international gems as well as the potential next big thing that comes from U.S. producers.

And I encourage all of you to take a few steps off your usual path at the show and explore the international aisles, the new brands and companies you thought you knew, but haven’t checked out lately. I know I’m always surprised by what I find, and I’m sure you will be too.

Joanne Friedrick
Managing Editor,
Gourmet Business Fine Foods Quarterly 

jfriedrick@gourmetbusiness.com