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New Rating System Reveals the Mysteries of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
A new on-label rating system reveals the quality and style of a balsamic vinegar from Modena and helps consumers, merchants and chefs choose which one to use in dishes from appetizers to desserts. Balsamic vinegars line supermarket and specialty shop shelves, priced from $2.99 to $150 or more, and confusion abounds about exactly what’s inside each bottle. “Something had to be done,” according to Cesare Mazzetti, president of the Consorzio Aceto Balsamico di Modena. Three years ago, balsamic vinegar of Modena was awarded the PGI certification (Protected Geographic Indication, IGP in Italian), which guarantees that every vinegar bearing that mark is ... |
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QWIQQ Named Most Promising IT and Web Company at 10th Annual Rice Alliance Forum
QWIQQ was recently named one of Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship’s Most Promising IT and Web companies at the 10th annual IT and Web Venture Forum in Houston. QWIQQ is a mobile commerce app that allows local merchants to quickly post and sell their products and services, using pictures, prices, and places, while easily sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, short message service (SMS), email, and Constant Contact email marketing campaigns.Information technology (IT) and Web companies showcased their new ventures at the largest venture capital conference in the Southwest last month, which attracts more than 400 attendees, including investors, venture ... |
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NASFT Announces Inaugural Leadership Awards Winners
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. (NASFT) has announced the winners of its first annual Leadership Awards honoring outstanding contributions to the specialty food industry and beyond.The awards recognize NASFT members who have not only advanced food standards in society, but are also making a significant impact through visionary social, economic and environmental efforts. The winners are: Citizenship: Nasser Abufara, founder of Canaan Fair Trade, based in Camas, Wash. Abufara has worked to empower small farmers in the Palestinian olive oil industry and create economic opportunities in his native West Bank since 2004. The organization now works ... |
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Panos Brands Acquires Ry-Con Specialty Foods
High Road Capital Partners’ portfolio company Panos Brands LLC has completed the acquisition of Ry-Con Specialty Foods Inc., a leading producer and distributor of hormone-free cheeses and other products that do not contain any antibiotics, preservatives or animal byproducts under the Andrew & Everett brand. The transaction represents the first add-on acquisition Panos has completed under High Road’s ownership. Panos, which was acquired by High Road in 2010, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of natural and specialty food and beverage products sold in the U.S. and Canada, with a portfolio of brands including KA-ME, a comprehensive line of Asian ... |
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Southern Season Plans Store in South Carolina
Southern Season announced plans to open a store in Charleston, S.C., in early summer 2013. The 44,000-square-foot store will be located in Mt. Pleasant at the Brookgreen Town Center, which is owned by the Beach Company. Clay Hamner, chairman of Southern Season and CEO of Southern Season Acquisition Corp., owners of Southern Season, said, “We are excited to bring the Southern Season experience to Charleston. We plan to carry on the tradition of offering the full- service experience our customers have grown to love. The new store will include one of the world’s largest gourmet food markets with a vast ... |
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Caribou Coffee Marks 20-Year Anniversary
Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. has marked two decades of roasting coffee and offering meeting places for guests with the introduction of an Anniversary Blend and additional store openings. Brooklyn Center, Minn.-based Caribou Coffee was founded by Kim and John Puckett in 1992. While the first Caribou coffeehouse in Minneapolis is still welcoming customers, the company has since grown to more than 600 locations in 22 states, the District of Columbia and 10 international markets. Caribou’s 20th anniversary, which took place on Dec. 14, capped an exciting year for the company. Caribou increased its domestic and international footprint in 2012, opening ... |
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Winter Fancy Food Show Spotlights Food Personalities
The Winter Fancy Food Show, put on by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), has teamed up with Cooking Channel for a special session on how to connect with an audience on camera and beyond. “Chop, Chat and Charm: Connecting with Your Audience” will feature Melissa D’Arabian, host of “Ten Dollar Dinners” on Food Network and “Drop 5lbs.” on the Cooking Channel, and Sara Moulton, host of public TV’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals,” food editor of “Good Morning America” and author of the weekly AP column “Healthy Plate.” Joanne Weir, host of “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Confidence,” will participate ... |
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Vermont-Based Cheese, Cracker Companies Join Forces
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. (VFCC) of South Woodstock, Vt., announced its acquisition of Castleton Crackers and unveiled a business partnership for the two made-in-Vermont specialty food products. According to a press release from Vermont Farmstead, the cracker and cheese companies see endless potential in aligning their like-minded brands to expand their reach and further promote the high quality and character of Vermont’s ever-expanding specialty foods marketplace. “Vermont is currently home to hundreds of producers of specialty artisanal foods that illustrate the diversity and character of the state and region,” stated Valerie Traynor, VFCC senior vice president-specialty foods. “Our exciting venture ... |
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Vic Firth Sells Gourmet Division to Maine Wood Concepts
Vic Firth Inc. announced the sale of its Vic Firth Gourmet division based in Newport, Maine, to Maine Wood Concepts, a family-owned business based in New Vineyard, Maine. Maine Wood Concepts acquired Vic Firth Gourmet, which makes a variety of salt and pepper mills, rolling pins, and other kitchen items. “The acquisition of the gourmet line is a perfect fit and will create up to 20 additional jobs at the New Vineyard location,” Doug Fletcher, president of Maine Wood Concepts, said in a prepared release, according to the Bangor Daily News. “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to bring this ... |
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Tesco to Shutter, Sell U.S. Small-Format Grocery Stores
Tesco entered the U.S. market five years ago with confidence it had devised the right formula of fresh prepared foods, convenience and specialty offerings in a small-format store.Now, 200 stores later, the world’s third-largest retailer based in the U.K. is shuttering or plans to sell all stores in the U.S. market, all of which are in California, Nevada and Arizona.Tesco invested as much as $1.6 billion in its Fresh & Easy operations with only a few stores having reached break-even or profit, the company reported.While Fresh & Easy was never able to cut muster financially enough to satisfy shareholders and ... |
