Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2019 n GOURMET NEWS N H 6 4 Jana Foods: Traditional, Fresh, Natural Founded in 1995, Jana Foods is a New Jer- sey-based importer of fine cheese from around the world. Over the years, the com- pany has established a strong portfolio of brands from many different countries, in- cluding Holland, England, Australia, Den- mark, Argentina, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Hungary and others. It carefully selects its suppliers and holds them to rigorous stan- dards of quality, consistency and value. All of its products are produced in the traditional way, and are made with only fresh and natu- ral ingredients. Its vast assortment of prod- ucts are offered in multiple sizes and packaging options to try and meet each cus- tomer's needs. It has maintained its small company values and attention to detail, with a staff that has over a century of industry ex- perience. Featured Product: Ivy's Vintage Reserve Cheddar by Wyke Farms Ivy's family founded Wyke Farms in the 1860s in Somerset, U.K., and now, three generations later, her family is still using that same recipe for turning their fresh milk into cheese with perfect texture and exquisite taste. Ivy's Vintage Reserve Cheddar is ma- tured for no fewer than 15 months, and brings the flavor of lush pastures to the rich, mellow and silky cheese. It has won more awards than any other Cheddar. Wyke Farms is proud to be the U.K.'s first na- tional Cheddar brand to use power and gas de- rived from 100 percent renewable sources. It sources all of its electricity and gas from both solar and biogas, generated from the farm and dairy waste. The biogas energy is generated from its own anaerobic digester (AD) plant, which saves Wyke Farms over 20 million kilos of carbon dioxide per annum. It doesn't end there, though; it also recovers heat from the generators and never wastes electricity that it uses. All of its equip- ment has low energy inverters installed, it drives solar powered vehi- cles and it even has LED lights that automatically switch off. The Clothier family has been following farming traditions in the heart of Somerset for over 150 years and making award-winning cheddar from Grandmother Ivy's secret recipe for generations. Wyke re- mains a truly traditional family business. Ivy's four grandchildren share her passion for cheese making where flavor, texture and taste are paramount. For more information, go to www.janafoods.com, email info@janafoods .com or call 201.866.5001. Salami Snacks Gaining Popularity Traditionally, the meat snack category has been dominated by jerky and pepperoni, but as consumer tastes evolve, it seems as if they are demanding more from their snacks. Con- sumers are more health conscious than ever, and are living busy on-the-go lifestyles. At the same time, they are not willing to sacri- fice taste when they snack. These factors have left brands racing to keep up and pro- vide new, innovative options. Delivering an elevated snacking experi- ence, Black Kassel Salami Whips™ are the newest option for shelf-stable meat snacks, available in formats that suit on-the-go lifestyles. The brand's premium dry aged salamis, known for their unique shapes like the heart-shaped D'Amour salami, have long been featured in service delis – and now con- sumers can enjoy the same legendary taste in convenient pre-packaged, portable formats. Crafted according to authentic European recipes, which include naturally cold smok- ing and dry-aging techniques, Salami Whips offer a unique flavor profile and a soft, tender bite, all while deliv- ering 8 grams of protein per serving. They also stand out on shelf, as the whip format is eye-catching and unique, and the medieval-inspired branding conveys a premium experience. Since launching in late 2017, the consumer acceptance has been impres- sive. "Retailers are seeing lots of suc- cess with these products. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive," says Dave Brandow, Director of Interna- tional Sales for the brand. "Since they do not require refrigeration, they are able to be merchandised anywhere," Brandow continues. "Retailers love that flexibility, and once the con- sumers taste the product, they can't get enough." The products are available in two varieties: Old Forest and Picante. Old Forest harkens back to the brand's Germanic roots, delivering a well-bal- anced flavor, while Picante delivers the heat and spice that many meat snack consumers crave. Principe Delivers True Italian Tradition Founded in 1945, Principe is a third generation, family-owned Italian company, with over 70 years of tradition, experience and unique know-how. The company, famous for its innate ability to always move forward and constantly innovate while maintaining sacred respect for tradition, has quite an interesting history. After losing everything in WWII, the Dukcevich family was forced to flee its na- tive home of Croatia and take refuge in Tri- este, a multi-cultural port city in northeastern Italy. This area, in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, is located on the Austro- Hungarian border and is enveloped by the Alps. Noticing the unique culture and eating habits of their new home city, the Dukcevich family began producing and selling tradi- tional recipe frankfurters and cooked and roasted hams to the locals, and the rest, as they say, is history! But they didn't stop there ... today, Principe is the leading top quality producer of one of Italy's most prestigious food prod- ucts, Prosciutto di San Daniele. Principe's ever-growing portfolio of prod- ucts includes various agings of Prosciutto di San Daniele, Prosciutto di Parma and Pro- sciutto Italiano; an ample selection of cooked and roasted hams, Mortadella from Bologna, Roasted Porchetta and Pancetta, Speck IGP Alto-Adige, Bresaola, Cotechino and many other authentic re- gional Italian deli meats. Principe not only imposes higher restrictive standards on its products than most regulatory boards do, but also demands di- rect control over every step in the production process, from the development of free range natural farms to in-house de-boning and cur- ing. This meticulous quest for perfection and constant innovation allows for dependable, consistent, top quality products and an exclu- sive, completely closed food safety system. With proprietary animal farms, six production plants, two slicing facilities and export to over 40 countries around the world, Principe has certainly become Italy's industry leader for premium deli meats. In 2018, Principe Foods proudly launched new portfolios of domestically sliced salumi for both re- tailers and foodservice op- erators in the United States. The new domestic slicing lines mark a signif- icant investment from the Dukcevich family in the future of the company in the U.S.! While the Dukcevich family was adamant to secure a solid future for generations to come in their new Italian homeland, they could not have predicted just how successful they would be, both in Italy and around the world. Today, the Principe brand is synony- mous with best-in-class quality, passion, in- novation, food safety and taste. "Life's Best Served with Jarlsberg" Campaign Extends in 2019 An interview with Valerie Liu, Marketing Manager, Norseland, Inc. GN: For the first time in many years, Jarls- berg ® launched a 2018 consumer marketing test. Tell our readers about that. VL: Jarlsberg made a big splash in the north- east in 2018; we tested a campaign called 'Life's Best Served with Jarlsberg.' Targeted towards older Millennials and Baby Boomers, we brought Jarlsberg to life by highlighting the powerful memories people build around food. From the memorable to the mundane, Jarlsberg transforms meals into memories. The campaign was very suc- cessful – we even debuted digital billboards in Times Square! We were nominated as a fi- nalist for the 2018 Online Marketing Media and Advertising awards, alongside Johnson & Johnson and Toyota. The campaign will extend in 2019 – we're thrilled to be able to share our story, delicious recipes and fun mo- ments with new and existing consumers alike. GN: How has Norseland's overall approach to brand building evolved? VL: We're finding that even in the digital age, nothing replaces the experience of tast- ing and learning about the cheese in person. We couple our digital presence – focused on sharing recipes, working with influencers and seasonal giveaways – with experiential projects. Old Amsterdam completed a sam- pling tour around the northeast, activating at wine, food and art festivals. Jarlsberg also launched a 16-day pop-up in New York City. Visitors enjoyed samples and learned how to pair delicious cheeseboards for the holidays. We were also conscious of creating fun photo opportunities that people would naturally want to share – like our giant Jarlsberg wheel swing with a farm backdrop, com- plete with adorable cows. When the digital strategy can be inter- woven with in-person experiences, that creates a stronger 'brand mo- ment' that carries over to shopping trips. GN: Looking forward to the next year, what do you view as the biggest opportunities, and why? VL: There will continue to be opportuni- ties around snacking for both kids and adults. Gen Z is adventurous – when snacking at school, they want more than the traditional mozzarella stick. For adults, cheese checks all the health marks that matter today – it's high in protein, low in carbs, high in calcium. Many cheeses even contain natural probiotics that are fantastic for gut health. Cheese is also ketogenic diet friendly, which has been a massive eating trend. Norseland offers snacking prod- ucts that cover the whole spec- trum. For kids, Parmissimo launched 1,2,3Cheese!, with cheese, breadsticks and juice. Cheese Fusions has craveable, bold flavors like Fiery Habanero and Smokey Chipotle. Jarlsberg has an individual snack format, and Old Amsterdam has bite-sized gouda; Garcia Baquero has a tapas plate with three of their cheeses, pre-sliced – perfect for picnics or parties! Clarifying health benefits on existing products is also a huge opportunity. For ex- ample, we've seen from social and search that many shoppers don't understand why Jarlsberg is lactose-free, even if that is a claim that matters to them. We are constantly developing new communication, so con- sumers feel informed and confident when they shop the specialty cheese case. For more information, go to www.norse land.com or call 203.324.5620.

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