June 2012 - Oser Communications Group

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10 EDITORIAL GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2012 www.gourmetnews.com FROM THE EDITOR GOURMET NEWS ® WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER We write this in between three shows, having come from the National Restaurant Association and on our way to IDDBA* and the Fancy Food Show. The restaurant industry is still struggling to lure customers out of their kitchens, but retail is definitely reaping the benefits of Americans cooking and entertaining at home. We see this not only in specialty food retail, but in home and giftware. This year’s International Home & Houseware Show was buoyant; in May’s issue we heard about the expansion of the gourmet houseware side of Dallas’ Total Home and Gift Market, and this month we chat with Americasmart ahead of July’s Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Cooking at home saves money and provides creative satisfaction to consumers—and it seems, to retailers as well. At the Fancy Food Show, we look forward not only to seeing the latest surprises from specialty food makers, but also to viewing the exhibit tracing the specialty food industry’s growth into the idea generator and cultural lens that it is today. Industry pros can reminisce, while young retailers and producers will appreciate the vision, business sense and crazy determination it took to introduce exotic items like goat cheese, espresso and extra virgin olive oil to the American public. Put that together with the sofi and retailer awards (see page 17), and it is the most exciting three days of the year. As the specialty industry descends on D.C., just blocks away Congress will be debating the 2012 Farm Bill—a piece of legislation which affects retailers by way of farm subsidies as well as provisions on food stamp use, children’s nutrition and farmers’ markets, all in an election year. What better reminder that our food system is intimately, inextricably connected? July also sees possible effectivity of two long-buried regulations: the ban on foie gras in California (already stimulating a sales boom and a rash of all-fois tribute dinners), and certain provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the implementation of which is likely to be delayed, but at the moment remains on the books. Looking ahead, this issue also contains a look at the food carriers and lunch kits that are growing in popularity, not just for kids heading back to school in fall, but their healthy-eating parents as well. Next month we go into holiday mode, with our supplement on Gift Baskets and an article on food gifts. If you’re a producer, tell us about your new goodies; if you’re a retailer, tell us what you’re looking for. You can drop us a line here, or look us up in D.C. See you at the Show! GN – Rocelle Aragon, Editor 520-721-1300 rocelle_a@oser.com * International Dairy, Deli & Bakery Association See Brazos Valley Cheese in our Cheese Update, page 30. Lee M. Oser SENIOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kate Seymour BRIEFS 520-721-1300 kate_s@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann 520-721-1300 lorrie_b@oser.com EDITOR Rocelle Aragon 520-721-1300 rocelle_a@oser.com CONTRIBUTORS AJ Flick Nancy Powaga GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown 520-721-1300 art@oser.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal 520-721-1300 tara_n@oser.com TRAFFIC MANAGERS Ruth Haltiwanger Selene Pinuelas PUBLISHING OFFICE 1877 N. Kolb Road P.O. Box 1056 Tucson, AZ 85715 520-721-1300 Fax 520-721-6300 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Gourmet News P.O. Box 30520 Tucson, AZ 85751 520-721-1300 MEMBER OF: PRESIDENT Lee M. Oser
GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2012 www.gourmetnews.com SPECIALTY RETAILERS 11 Specialty Retailers BRIEFS NASFT names Outstanding Specialty Retailers of 2012 Caribou Coffee launches summer lines Specialty coffee shop Caribou Coffee Company Inc. has launched six new premium teas and juices and a 64-oz. “Growler” option just in time for summer. The line includes three permanent flavors: Green Tea Lemonade, Peach Black Tea and Lemon Ginger Pomegranate Juice. An additional three flavors are limited edition for the summer: Berry Black, Mint Lime White Tea and Very Berry Juice. All are available sparkling or still, and can be ordered in the Caribou Growler, a branded container that can be filled with a variety of drinks, including iced tea, still tea and juices. "We're thrilled to launch our exciting new sparkling beverages," said Alfredo Martel, Caribou’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. “We're also happy to introduce the Caribou Growler because it offers another easy way for our fans to stay cool and share their love of refreshing drinks with others." Named for the half-gallon beer jugs currently enjoying a revival due to craft brewing, the Growlers are set to roll out to all Caribou coffeehouses by May 21. Lindt opens flagship store in landmark NYC building Swiss chocolatier Lindt announces the opening of a flagship Lindt Chocolate boutique in the landmark Rolex building on Fifth Avenue in New York. "The opportunity to open a Lindt Chocolate boutique in the Rolex building brings two premium worlds together,” said Christine Bullen, Vice President of Direct to Consumer at Lindt USA. “The rich histories and shared Swiss heritage of Rolex and Lindt meet on Fifth Avenue in the most fantastic shopping destination in the world." The location also reinforces Lindt's premium image, an important marketing point as the brand pushes into ever wider mass market availability. The 1,245-square foot store features Lindt’s vast array of offerings, as well as Lindt Chocolate Advisors to educate and guide customers through the full Lindt chocolate experience. The new store represents Lindt’s second Fifth Avenue location, and joins nearly 50 retail locations. Thomas Linemayr, Lindt USA CEO and President, with Stewart Wicht, Rolex CEO and President Five specialty retailers have been named Outstanding Retailers of 2012 by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. (NASFT). The awards recognize excellence in customer service, product sourcing, merchandizing, quality assurance and a passion for presenting top-quality food. The five outstanding retailers are: Caviar & Bananas, Charleston, S.C.; City Feed and Supply, Jamaica Plain, Mass., Eli’s Manhattan, New York City; Mollie Stone’s Markets, Mill Valley, Calif., and Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, Chicago. Honorable mentions went to seven retailers: Court Street Grocers, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Gateway Market, Des Moines, Iowa; Farm Basket, Lynchburg, Va.; Formaggio Kitchen, Cambridge, Mass.; Parker and Otis, Durham, N.C.; Toucan Market, Las Cruces, N.M.; and Wagshal’s, Washington, D.C. “This year’s winners share a true commitment to providing premium service, welledited choices of the latest new products, and a deep connection to their communities that are hallmarks of the specialty food industry,” said NASFT President Ann Daw. The awards will be presented during the Summer Fancy Food Show. Nominations were made by NASFT members. Retailers with the most nominations were asked to present detailed information, including menus, newsletters, training manuals, customer comments, promotional materials, press coverage and photos. Winners were selected by a national panel of specialty food experts including previous honorees, manufacturers, distributors and editors. Here are the five winners: Caviar & Bananas: Opened in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Kris and Margaret Furniss, this gourmet market and café features a sushi bar, prepared foods all made on site and a wide-ranging product mix from, indeed, caviar to bananas. Located in downtown Charleston, S.C., the store takes its aesthetic cues from New York City’s top specialty food markets. City Feed and Supply: This natural foods grocery, café and deli, with two locations, is far more than a purveyor of quality natural foods. Owners Kristine Cortese and David Warner are deeply involved in their Massachusetts community, sourcing local and regional products from small farms and artisan producers. The couple had no retailing experience when they decided to open a specialty food store in 2000. Bed Bath & Beyond to buy Cost Plus Inc. Increased specialty food presence expected at home retailer* An expanded specialty food presence is a key goal for Bed Bath & Beyond’s acquisition of retailer Cost Plus Inc., parent company of the internationally-oriented Cost Plus World Market stores. Announced in mid-May, the all-cash transaction at $22 per share was estimated at $495 million. “One initiative [over the past two years] was a test of our specialty food departments in a limited number of Bed Bath & Beyond stores. We and Bed Bath & Beyond were very encouraged by the results of these… The tests Eli’s Manhattan: Opened in 1998 by noted merchant Eli Zabar with inspiration from the food halls of Europe, Eli’s Manhattan has become a neighborhood institution on the exclusive Upper East Side. With 20,000 square feet of space, the store is packed with baked goods made on site, prepared foods, fresh fish, aged meat and cheeses and a changing array of the latest specialty foods. Mollie Stone’s Markets: College pals Dave Bennet and Mike Stone opened their first store in 1986 to bring natural foods to a larger market in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Since then, they’ve expanded to nine locations with more than 30,000 products in the largest units. The retailer is known for its in-store demonstrations and lively social media program to connect with customers. Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine: With three locations in Chicago, this retailer is known for its carefully edited selection of artisanal foods, including more than 150 cheeses, as well as its Artisan Producer Festival at Chicago’s French Market. Owners Greg O’Neill and Ken Miller opened the first location in 2004, taking inspiration from years of traveling and living abroad and finding a scarcity of marketdriven shopping at home. GN The Meat House announces franchise expansion plans showed that our best-in-class product development and sourcing capabilities, which as you know includes our food and beverage businesses, could help generate in-store traffic and sharpen the edge against online retailers,” said Barry J. Feld, Cost Plus CEO, in a letter to employees on the retailer’s website. “Our successful merchandizing and product collaborations over the last two years have demonstrated that our organizations work well together. … Bed Bath & Beyond expects to grow its food and beverage departments within its stores.” Cost Plus-branded specialty food minishops-within-a-shop have proven successful in three BBB locations. As some industry observers have pointed out, specialty food will also encourage more frequent visits from Bed Bath & Beyond’s kitchenware-oriented clientele. (It is easier to sell more fancy cocktail snacks than cocktail glasses, for example.) With the acquisition, Bed Bath & Beyond joins the many retailers making big moves into food, from department stores to discounters and drugstores. The acquisition is expected to close by late August, with Cost Plus’ senior leadership and management expected to stay on. New Jerseybased Bed Bath & Beyond also gains a West coast corporate presence through Cost Plus, which is based in Oakland with stores heavily concentrated in California and Texas. GN National butcher shop franchise The Meat House has announced plans to add 15 stores by end-2012, adding to its existing 29 locations in 10 states and broadening its stock to ride the growth in sophisticated home cooking. According to its website, the company seeks experienced multi-unit operators with the capacity to open about 10-15 locations per market. Average total investment is between $498,800 and $705,300 per location, excluding franchise fees and royalties. Capitalizing on the $70 billion retail meat market, The Meat House plans a total of 70 to 80 stores by end-2013, and a total of 200 locations in the next five years. Its core offering is expertly butchered premium, all natural and organic meats, chicken and seafood. “The Meat House has become the modern revival of the neighborhood butcher, offering customers a superior level of personalized service and satisfaction of bygone days,” said Jason Parent, Co-Founder. “We wanted to recreate the strong sense of community that the neighborhood butcher shops used to provide by working closely with local vendors and organizations.” At least 30 percent of the products sold are sourced from local vendors. “Many people are on tight budgets these days. Staying home and cooking a gourmet meal has become the new 'going out'," said Justin Rosberg, the company’s other cofounder. “Our goal is to make The Meat House a one-stop shop for all of our customers' gourmet and everyday food needs.” Contrary to its name but consistent with that goal, The Meat House stocks items ranging from appetizers to bread to dessert, including pastries and cheeses. A selection of craft beer and more than 200 wines further appeals to the meatbuying demographic. The Meat House is the brainchild of Parent and Rosberg, lifelong friends who were managers for Weathervane Seafood Restaurants during that company's franchise launch. The first Meat House opened in Portsmouth, N.H., in 2003, with the franchise launching in 2008. GN
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June 2012 - Oser Communications Group

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