2011 Summer Fancy Food Show - Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 www.gourmetnews.com general NEWS 7
FDA FEES
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supply sufficient proof that the imported
product is not adulterated or misbranded,
the FDA may opt to not collect the fees.
Specific to imports, the FDA will assess the
hourly re-inspection fees in at least the following
four specific situations: reconditioning
of imported food found to be adulterated or
misbranded; seeking admission into the U.S.
of a product that has been administratively
detained; a request to remove an FDA order
for “import alert for detention without physical
examination”; and lastly, destruction of
food that has been refused entry.
When the fees were released, the FDA
also invited comment on the fees’ effect on
small businesses,. The agency noted on its
site that “The FDA recognizes that for some
small businesses the full cost recovery of FDA
reinspection or recall oversight could impose
severe economic hardship, and there may be
unique circumstances in which some relief
would be appropriate. Thus, during FY2012,
FDA will consider waiving in limited cases
some or all of an invoiced fee based on a
severe economic hardship, the nature and
extent of the underlying violation, and other
relevant factors.”
According to Benjamin L. England, a
17-year veteran of the FDA and founder and
CEO of FDAImports.com, LLC, the FDA has
so broadly defined what constitutes “first
examination” that virtually every imported
food shipment on which FDA spends any
resource will be subject to the re-examination
fee. The “FDA also includes in its “first
examination” definition other tasks that
do not involve an FDA examination of the
food at all, such as reviewing sample results
from a third party, reviewing any relevant
epidemiological evidence, reviewing a third
party facility inspection report, and almost
any activity related to an FDA import alert,”
said an FDAImports news release.
The National Association for the Specialty
Food Trade (NASFT) has submitted comments,
which are due to the FDA by Oct. 31.
Consultants on FDA compliance have also
raised issues with the fee notice, including
the financial risk they impose on importers,
who may be unable to reimburse them from
foreign manufacturers.
To read the fee notice in the Federal Register,
go to www.regulations.gov and search for “Food
Safety Modernization Act: Domestic and Foreign
Facility Reinspections, Recall, and Importer
Reinspection User Fee Rates for Fiscal Year
2012.” The FDA’s site and FAQs on the matter
can be found at http://www.fda.gov/Food/
FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm257982.htm. gn
FANCY FOOD SHOW
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Retailers’ Summit that preceded the show, as
well as the full slate of educational programs.
The new brands showcases for NASFT
Member Candidates were also popular.
Most exhibitors were enthusiastic about
their show experience, like Stacey Kurtz
of preserves company
Fruit of the
Land. “The show
began for us before
it opened, during
the One on One
Interviews, which
were extremely
valuable; this is
where we met
with buyers like
Whole Foods
and A Southern
Season. The first
m o r n i n g , o u r
very first contact
was with a major
buyer that we had
been wanting to
meet with. On the very last day at the very
last minute, an important buyer who we had
worked with once before visited us. The show
was exciting and full of possibilities right to
the end! We will definitely be back.”
“It was a good one for us—we got more
leads than we’ve ever gotten at a show,” said
Amy Farges of Transatlantic Foods, which
makes charcuterie and grilling butters.
Another vendor noted less foot traffic than
the winter show, “but we got a big order that
makes up for it.”
Not everyone was so positive, particularly
vendors in the downstairs hall. “In
terms of contacts it was good, but I ended
up with less than a handful of good leads.
On Day 1, it was two hours before we even
saw a buyer,” one exhibitor noted. He
acknowledged the efforts of organizers to
even out traffic on the second day, but did
not consider them sufficient.
Close to 500 journalists covered the show,
representing all media, including unexpected
outlets such China’s Xinhua News Agency
and Al Jazeera English. At the end of the
show, exhibitors donated 153,000 pounds
of specialty food to DC Central Kitchen, the
largest donation the anti-hunger group has
ever received. For a summary of food trends
spotted at the Show, see the Show Wrap-up
section on page 14. gn