Gourmet Business September 2013

A Badge of Honor

Shoppers value “Made in the USA” labels for the integrity and craftsmanship of the products, and the support their purchases lend to American companies, resources and labor.

This is true of gourmet foods and housewares.

On the gourmet food front, we see more “Made in America” products inspired by ones long thought of as high quality only if internationally sourced. Categories that come to mind include cheese and charcuterie, but also new ethnic flavors and fusions emerging in savory snacks, sauces, condiments and confections. For this reason, Gourmet Business decided to take a look at “Made in America” gourmet foods with this slant – those that are made here but inter- nationally inspired.

On page 14, James Mellgren shares wonderful American-made cheeses and charcuterie built primarily on European traditions and techniques. While there are certainly some foods unique to their place of origin, Mellgren, who is also the editor of our sister publication Fine Cheese & Charcuterie, contends “there are equally as many products that when produced under similar conditions by master craftsmen with strict adherence to time-honored methods can approximate or even sur- pass the original.”

Joanne Friedrick, meanwhile, takes us on a journey telling the stories of three gourmet food producers whose products and flavors are inspired by their own gastronomic and ethnic backgrounds. In “American Made, Internationally Inspired,” on page 18, you will read the stories of R.W. Garcia, Chinese Southern Belle and Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Food, whose products are varied but their focus on quality and authenticity is singular.

We also take a look at “What Made in America Means to Housewares Manufacturers,” by Jennifer White Karp on page 10. While the label offers manufacturers tighter quality controls and shorter lead times to retail, higher labor costs and intense competition from lower-cost importers continue to present challenges that many, however, have learnt to overcome.  “Made in the USA” is a badge gourmet food and housewares makers clearly wear with honor!

Maureen Azzato 

Managing Editor, Gourmet Business 

mazzato@gourmetbusiness.com