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GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2018 www.gourmetnews.com Retailer News RETAILER NEWS 1 3 BRIEFS Cheese Importers – La Fromagerie French Cafe BY AMANDA HELT For many families around the world real, fresh cheese is a staple food. With its rich, creamy textures and the assortment of complex flavors and aromas of whole, real cheese, it's hard to resist. Lyman White and his wife, Linda White, noticed people's love for real cheese nearly 40 years ago, and they de- cided to take advantage of it by establishing Cheese Im- porters, a fam- i l y - o w n e d business, based in Longmont, Colorado. Today, Lyman White's children, Samm White and Clara White, have taken over the family business as co-Owners. "Cheese Importers is like part of our family," Samm White said. "Our name is all over it. It just screams what we are about. Now we're kind of at the forefront of those quality food products that are kicking off in the market right now." It has grown from a small home-based business to include over 400 of Colorado's quality-oriented natural grocers, co-ops and restaurants to its wholesale distribu- tion list, and it has become a landmark for gourmet food in Longmont, as well as a tribute to this family's years of hard work. The company now operates out of a mas- sive, vintage brick-building that was origi- nally the diesel-fuel power station for the city. It attracts visitors from all over the coun- try and has a loyal following by many local customers offering organic specialty oils, cured meats, spices, chocolate and a huge selection of imported cheese from all over the world. Their store features the largest walk-in refrigerated cheese and cured meat market in Colorado. Denise Terao, who has worked for Cheese Importers for the past five years, says the best thing about working at the family-owned business is helping cus- tomers find a product they love. "Sometimes a customer will come up to you and say, 'I had this cheese a long time ago, but I can't re- member the name,' and then they'll describe what it tastes like, and most of the time, we'll actually have that cheese. I'll give them a sample, and they are like, 'Oh my God. That's it!' It's the best thing to see a cus- tomer's face light up when they find some- thing they need, and I love helping them." Cheese Importers also carries a unique as- sortment of European textiles, beauty and kitchenware products. From a Stonewall Kitchen line to im- ported French glass- ware, the list goes on. Samm says one of his favorite products the store carries right now is a baguette maker by Emile Henry. The baguette maker is designed to be easy to use, with the holes in the base and a lid to help the dough rise and create a dry, crispy crust. He's also favored a Laguiole knife set. "This knife set really lasts," Samm said. "I've had mine for 20 years, and it still holds a sharp edge." Samm's mother, Linda White, who prods and oversees the business every now and then, also acts as a Buyer for Cheese Importers. "My mother can really shop," Samm said. "She has a motto that if it's wonderful, and people should have it in their home, buy it, and we'll figure out a way to sell it and market it. We are over- flowing with treasures and at times, it's hard finding homes for all our products." Karren Doll Tolliver, an Editor from Florida, stopped by Cheese Importers last year when visiting Longmont. "There are some very friendly and knowledgeable folks," she said. "It seems even larger on the inside, and there are im- ports in every nook and cranny. They have everything! I mean everything! I chuckled a lot, seeing all the same souvenirs (I'd seen on my visit to France)." Visitors can also dine-in and experience the culture of Europe on-site at their au- thentic French cafe, La Fromagerie. As a popular dining spot in Longmont, Samm says, "...you can be transported to a different feel. You can get away from every- thing and get lost in the French music and have some really amazing food." But the family-owned business has not always been so popular. Originally, the business started in 1973 with just one em- ployee, Lyman White. Samm said his father always believed in living a macrobiotic lifestyle, eating more natural, whole foods. "He was on the hunt for nutritious, whole food when the de- mand for tv dinners and processed and packaged food was on the rise," Samm said. Lyman had started multiple different businesses, including a wholesale organic grain co-op, but the business had little suc- cess and soon went under. Lyman then started looking for new op- portunities in the food industry that would benefit his customers and reflect his mac- robiotic lifestyle. "My father always be- lieved that you should sell things that were good for people – things that wouldn't harm them," Samm said. Lyman traveled to the East Coast to visit his uncle-in-law, Ben Moskowitz, who owned a large dairy called Walker Butter and Egg. During his visit with Continued on PAGE 14 Albertsons Rolls Out Open Nature Redesign Albertsons Companies has fully completed its redesign of Open Nature ® , the company's exclusive natural brand for customers pursuing real food and natural products that are free from artificial ingredients. "We expect Open Nature to be our next billion dollar brand," said Geoff White, President of Albertsons Companies' Own Brands. "This new look reflects what customers have always loved about Open Nature – high quality and minimally-processed products that support a clean lifestyle for the whole family. We are thrilled to have the new design fully rolled out across all of our trusted Open Nature products." Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) And KeHE Distributors Agree To Partnership Through 2025 KeHE Distributors LLC has renewed its agreement with Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) as its primary distribution partner for natural, organic and fresh products through the year 2025. Sprouts, a pioneer for a small-box grocery retail formats, provides natural, organic and fresh options to consumers at affordable prices. The healthy grocer operates more than 300 stores from coast to coast, with plans to reach 19 states by the end of the year. Terms of the new agreement include shared targets for improving operational efficiencies, lowering food waste and enhancing Sprouts' customer experience. Meijer to Transition All Stores to LED Lighting by 2021 As part of its ongoing effort to increase its sustainability initiatives, Meijer plans to transition the interior lighting of its retail locations to all LED by 2021. The transition will affect all Meijer stores across the retailer's six-state footprint. Meijer expects the change will reduce its lighting electrical use by as much as 50 percent annually. The four-year project launched in June with the company's 100+ Michigan stores. The retailer will phase in other Meijer locations state-by-state within its six-state footprint so the stores can remain open during the installation process. BJ's Wholesale Club Appoints Carrie Heddings General Manager of New Roanoke Club BJ's Wholesale Club, a leading warehouse club operator on the East Coast, has announced that Carrie Heddings has been appointed General Manager of its new club in Roanoke, Virginia. BJ's new Roanoke club is scheduled to open in fall 2018. The club will provide tremendous value and outstanding fresh food options to the community, saving families up to 25 percent off grocery store prices and local shoppers up to $60 million a year on their grocery bills.

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