| GO TO FINE CHEESE & CHARCUTERIE | ABOUT | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | NEWS HEADLINES | CUSTOM PUBLICATIONS | RETAIL FOODSERVICE |
News
Forrester Research: Retailers Should Focus on Lucrative Older Shoppers, Not Millennials
Retailers should target older shoppers who have more money to spend in lieu of millennials who have less disposable income, according to Forrester Research’s “The Future of Shopping” report, which studied income and demographic shifts over the past 40 years. Using labor statistics and census data, analyst Sucharita Mulpuru said Forrester proves that retailers “have wasted time and money concerning themselves with the changing behaviors of young consumers – which distracts them from possibilities for improved sales.” The history of technology innovation suggests that changes affect all age cohorts, and older shoppers have more money to spend, while the younger ... |
|
Ted Allen of “Chopped” to Host sofi Awards at Summer Fancy Food Show
Ted Allen, Emmy Award-winner and host of three shows on Food Network, including the long-running hit series “Chopped,” will host the 43rd sofi Awards at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. Allen is a contributing writer for Esquire magazine and author of two cookbooks, including “In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks.” He was also a series regular on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” a judge on the first four seasons of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” He was the food and wine specialist on Bravo’s “Queer ... |
|
“SustainabiliTea” Drives Earth Day Commitment at Bigelow
As Earth Day turns 45 tomorrow, Bigelow Tea said it continues to grow its efforts to be a “green” company and environmentally responsible maker of specialty teas. A supporting member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, which works with tea growers to establish best-practice methods for the responsible conservation of the world’s tea fields, Bigelow Tea is also a zero-waste-to-landfill company, diverting 94 percent of its solid waste companywide, exceeding the official guideline of 90 percent. “Eighty-five percent of our packaging is compostable, biodegradable or recyclable,” said Cindi Bigelow, the third-generation president and CEO of the family-owned company her grandmother started ... |
|
The Cook’s Warehouse Hosts Cooking Classes for Kids
Author Deanna F. Cook will teach children how to make recipes from her newest book at classes hosted this weekend at The Cook’s Warehouse stores in the Atlanta area. Kids love to cook, but many children don’t have basic cooking skills, according to Cook, who will teach select recipes from her newest book, “Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!).” The book makes learning to cook fun and exciting through easy-to-follow recipes and creative projects that kids will have a blast making, according to the author. Cook will be at the Midtown and East Cobb ... |
|
Specialty Food Sales Top $100 Billion in 2014
The specialty food industry is a bright spot in the U.S. economy. In 2014, sales of specialty food topped $100 billion for the first time, with retail and foodservice sales reaching a record $109 billion. Retail sales of specialty food grew 19 percent from 2012 to 2014 versus a tepid 2 percent increase for all food. The industry, fueled by small businesses, now boasts 15 segments that exceed $1 billion in sales, including cheese; coffee; meat, poultry and seafood; chips, pretzels and snacks; candy; and yogurt. These findings are from a new report from the Specialty Food Association (SFA) produced ... |
|
SIAL Canada Reveals Innovation Award Finalists
SIAL Canada, which takes place April 28-30 at the Direct Energy Center in Toronto, named the 10 finalists for its Innovation Award. The award will be announced at the show. All the finalists will benefit from the unique opportunity of traveling the world by visiting all the SIAL Group’s shows, which take place in Canada, China, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, Paris and Abu Dhabi. The finalists are: Doi Chaang Coffee Co. Social Medium organic and fair trade coffee pods from Thailand and British Columbia; Exotico Sumatra Robusta Instant Green Coffee from Indonesia; Fantino & Mondello Dry Salami bites in a ... |
|
Original Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce Acquired by Southeastern Mills
Southeastern Mills Inc. has acquired The Original Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce and related assets from New Iberia, La.-based Bruce Foods Corp. This acquisition includes all of the brands and intellectual property related to the hot sauce business, as well as the manufacturing and warehouse facilities in New Iberia. With an 80-year history, The Original Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce continues to use the time-honored techniques of Cajun cooking and is produced from three all-natural ingredients, including carefully selected and handpicked, authentic sun-ripened, long cayenne chili peppers. The original hot sauce of Louisiana, featuring the famous red dot on the label, can ... |
|
Virginia-Based Organic Herb Business Plans Expansion
Shenandoah Growers Inc. is spending $6.7 million to expand its existing organic herb nursery greenhouse and production facility in Rockingham County, Va. The company will invest in its existing facility, significantly increasing production and growing sales by an estimated $15 million over the next three years, and create 15 new jobs. In addition, Shenandoah Growers will invest $2 million to relocate its headquarters and create a finishing system at the new site. The Commonwealth is partnering with Rockingham County and Shenandoah Growers on this project through the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund. Founded in Virginia in ... |
|
Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to Add Locations
Amid rising sales and the debut of a new bakery design, Gigi’s Cupcakes, America’s largest cupcake and specialty baked goods franchise, plans to open 25 locations this year. Through the first quarter, Gigi’s Cupcakes saw same-store sales – a key indicator of a retail company’s health – increase more than 4 percent. In the same period, total sales grew 22 percent at the more than 90 Gigi’s Cupcakes locations. Company executives attribute the sales growth partly to the brand’s strategic efforts to diversify its product offerings. In recent years, Gigi’s Cupcakes has added cheesecakes, pies, bread loaves, specialty coffee and ... |
|
Williams-Sonoma’s 2014 Revenue Tallied Mostly Online for the First Time
For the first year ever, Williams-Sonoma’s online sales accounted for more than 50 percent of the retailer’s total sales in 2014, according to a report by Internet Retailer.In 2014, the company reported online sales of $2.371 billion in fiscal 2014, up 12.1 percent from $2.115 billion in fiscal 2013, representing 50.5 percent of its total net revenue of $4.699 billion. Internet sales accounted for approximately 75 percent of Williams-Sonoma’s growth, according to the report.Mobile commerce was a significant contributor to the retailer’s 2014 e-commerce growth, increasing by 100 percent from prior year, Patrick Connolly, executive vice president, told analysts on ... |
