Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1169427
Convenience Retailer Show Daily 4 1 Friday, October 4, 2019 Mia Dolci Crispy Shortbread Cookies PARTNERS ® , A Tasteful Choice Company, has introduced Mia Dolci Crispy Shortbread Cookies — a lighter and crispier indul- gence than traditional shortbread. They're available in Chocolate Swirl, Lightly Lemon, Cinnamon Spice and seasonal Pumpkin Spice. They have no artificial sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, and no artificial flavors or preserv- atives. They're made with real, honest ingredients like fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and real butter. They're also low in sugar, with just 7 grams per four-to-five cookie serving. For more information, call 800.632.7477 or go to www.partnerscrackers.com. Lorissa's Kitchen Herb Roasted Turkey Cuts Lorissa's Kitchen, best known for gluten- free Grass-fed Beef Sticks and Steak Strips, is now offering Herb Roasted Turkey Cuts in a 2.5-ounce bag that makes for an easy on-the-go snack option. The Lorissa's Kitchen Herb Roasted Turkey Cuts are a good source of protein wtih only 80 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving. They're gluten free and contain no added MSG, nitrites, nitrates or artifi- cial preserva- tives. The 2.5-ounce bag will retail for $5.99 and will be available nationwide. For more information, call 715.466.2234 or go to www.lorissaskitchen.com. Parmacotto Partnership Promises Prosciutto Proliferation By Lorrie Baumann In 1971, Sophia Loren got laughs import- ing mortadella into the United States in "Lady Liberty" because she brought her sausage into the country "without benefit of inspection," as American authorities express the matter now when they notify the public about similar debacles that occur now and then in real life. A venture has now formed to bring similar products into the U.S. through legitimate channels that promise a steadier supply than Sophia Loren's character, Maddalena Ciarrapico, was able to manage to satisfy the same American hunger for authentic Italian meats – albeit without the laughs provided by Loren's comedic abilities. Cibo Italia and Parmacotto SpA have joined forces to form a new American company to import a wide range of high- quality cured meats, deli meats and cooked ham from Italy into the United States and to distribute it nationally into the American market. The new company, Parmacotto, LLC is a partnership between Larry Saia and Alessandro Sita, who have been doing business in the American mar- ket as Cibo Italia for 10 years now, and Parmacotto SpA, an Italian producer of cooked ham. As Parmacotto, LLC, they're planning to add the cooked ham products for which Parmacotto is known in Italy to the Cibo Italia line of imported sausages and deli meats and distribute all of them nationally in the U.S. under the Parmacotto brand name, said Andrea Schivazappa, the Chief Executive Officer of Parmacotto SpA, which will own 70 percent of the LLC. "In Italy, we are an extremely well known brand, held in the highest regard. Parmacotto is a staple in salumerias, retail stores and households alike," he said. "Our goal for the United States launch is to obtain the same status in the American market." Saia and Sita will own 30 percent of the American subsidiary LLC and will serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer, respectively. "It's a partnership," Schivazappa said. "Cibo Italia has been on the market for 10 years and is very well known. They have a very strong presence on the market from a commercial point of view." With the addition of the products made by Parmacotto SpA to the range formerly offered by Cibo Italia, the new company will now be able to offer a range of meat products that are clean- label and produced with no antibiotics ever, Sita said. "We can really cover the whole category of premium meats from Italy," he said. "They're better for the environment, better for the animal and better for the people." Parmacotto LLC, based in New Jersey, has already begun distributing its first products in the U.S. and will be ramping up its distribution over the next few months, in time to ensure that stores across the U.S. have the Parmacotto products in stock well ahead of the holi- day season. "We have a vision for North America," Sita said. Once those first products are in the stores, retailers can be assured that Parmacotto already has the supply chain in place to provide a ready supply of consis- tently high-quality product, according to Schivazappa. In Italy, Parmacotto SpA works with a network of farmers who are held to the company's standards for how the animals are raised, and by 2020, all of the Parmacotto products sold in the U.S. will be Animal Welfare-certified, he added. Packaging for the new brand will call out its clean-label quality and the promise that the meat was raised with no antibiotics ever, so that Americans will have the confidence that they're buying a quality product, Schivazappa said. "Everybody can taste the quality," he said. "They are true to our land of tradi- tion.... They make you happy when you eat them." Parmacotto LLC will be supporting the launch into specialty grocery stores and gourmet foodservice establishments with in-store marketing programs and a social media campaign, according to Sita. "At the end of the day, we want to interact one-on-one with consumers," he said. "We're very hopeful that consumers will accept it." The product line, already available in several states, includes Parmacotto Italian Roasted Ham, Prosciutto Cotto Italiano, Cooked Ham All Natural, Italian Roasted Pork Loin, Mortadella, Porchetta, Speck Alto Adige IGP, Sopressata, Toscano Salame, Genoa Salame, Milano Salame, Salame Felino PGI, Spianata Romana, Spianata Calabrese, Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele and Prosciutto Italiano – all offered in packaging for foodservice use as well as pre-sliced in retail packaging. The brand's new zero line of meats that are produced with no antibiotics ever from humanely raised animals includes ABF Mortadella, ABF Cooked Ham, ABF Prosciutto Italiano, ABF Porchetta, ABF The Italian Roasted Ham, ABF The Italian Roasted Pork Loin and ABF Salami Italiano – all offered pre-sliced for retail sale. For more information, visit www .parmacottousa.com. Teekanne Wellness Teas for a Healthy Lifestyle Herbal and botanical teas are booming within the tea category across the nation, and with good reason. Many teas provide natural health benefits once consumed. For example, Ginger-Lemon caffeine- free tea from Teekanne is comprised of ginger root, lemongrass, lemon peels, lemon myrtle and licorice. Ginger- Lemon tea helps suppport a healthy immune and digestive system. Ginger is known to soothe headache pain and to reduce motion sickness and nausea. Lemongrass has a calming effect and offers anxiety-reducing properties as well as a positive impact on oral health, aid in relieving bloat and help to lower cholesterol. Many of the ingredients in this tea also provide anti-inflammatory proprerties and may also assist in weight loss. The natural essential oil in ginger combined with fresh lemon make this infusion perfect to warm you from within. Teekanne, family owned since 1882, is the number-one fruit and herbal tea in Europe. Teekanne uses only the finest inre- dients selected by experts, maintains quali- ty control of all ingredients in its German laboratory, and its own tea tasters create the blend composition. Also available: Rosehip & Hibiscus, Peppermint and Camomile. For more information, call 800.875.5557, email info@gourmetint.com or go to www.gourmetint.com. New Convenience Store Concept Opens in Florida Rogers Market has officially opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida. This flagship store is the first milestone in an aggressive growth strategy for longtime petroleum jobber ATCO Inc. ATCO has owned and operated traditional gas sta- tions and convenience stores on the west coast of Florida since the 1970s. Current Owner and Interior Designer Gigi Rogers decided to take a different approach in the rebranding of her new stores. "I've been in the convenience store business my whole life. My father started ATCO. Every member of my family worked for him in one way or another. My job was always the same. I would go into a failing station, do a complete over- haul from both a design and operational standpoint, and poof… the station would start doing well. Needless to say, I had a knack for this type of thing," says Rogers. "Regardless, I moved away to pursue my own career as an interior designer in Los Angeles, but after my father's passing, I decided to come back and run the family business. The first thing I noticed was that nothing had changed. It was time for a transformation." Rogers Market sets itself apart by focusing on two major elements: design and food service. Rogers Market features a sleek and modern aesthetic with large contrasting signage featuring a large X- Ray rubber duck, the brand's mascot. Inside, the design scheme is comprised of an array of geometric shapes, textures and colors that artfully come together, the work of a design expert. From the grand marble entryway of the store, to the tiled interior walls, neon yellow signage, floating ceilings, pendant lights, and inset LED rubber duck lights in the walls; this is not your average gas station, instead a nod to a passionate interior designer turned petroleum executive with a vision for an elevated convenience store experience. Roger's Market's deli and food serv- ice is also a highlight of the brand's rede- velopment. A chalkboard menu highlights fast food alternatives like fried chicken sandwiches, homemade meatloaf, banana pudding, and other homemade comfort foods. By creating simple menu items with quality ingredients, Rogers Market is yet again breaking the stereotypes of a traditional convenience store, providing an easy, affordable and satisfying restau- rant alternative for nearby residents. The brand is slated to open at least three more Rogers Markets in the year 2020.