Oser Communications Group

12 EDITORIAL GOURMET NEWS NOVEMBER 2013 www.gourmetnews.com GOURMET NEWS ® FROM THE EDITOR WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER Tucson, Ariz., where I live and where Gourmet News is published, may not immediately sound like a bastion of foodie culture. In fact, you won't find a Dean & DeLuca or a Murray's Cheese Shop here. However, like virtually every city in the country, Tucson positively abounds with places to buy specialty foods—even if they aren't the famous retail food hubs one might find in New York or San Francisco. Throughout the United States, foodies have greater access to gourmet products today than they ever have before, and this is because one no longer needs to head to a dedicated specialty food market n order to find his or her favorite gourmet brands. In Tucson, one can purchase exquisite barbecue rubs and seasonings from Arizona Rub at the St. Philips Farmers Market, stop by Macy's in the Park Place Mall to stock up on jams and baking mixes from Stonewall Kitchen, then fill up his or her basket with any number of gourmet delicacies at Fry's or Safeway or Albertson's. Of course Tucson is cer- tainly not a special case. The same easy access to specialty foods is available to those who live in Boise or Tampa Bay or Columbus or New Haven. The influx of gourmet products into supermarkets and department stores is not news to most of those in the specialty food industry. However, the proliferation of these products into convenience and drug stores probably is. In this issue, Jazmine Woodberry delves into the growing market for gourmet goods at stores that have long been more famous for soda and Slim Jims than seaweed snacks and artisan tea biscuits. With companies like Walgreens and 7-Eleven getting into the gourmet game, consumers have more opportunities than ever to pick up their favorite specialty food products. For anyone who was paying attention, the move specialty food companies are making into the convenience and drug store sector is something less than a surprise. The industry continues to grow year after year, and with more companies than ever competing for a piece of the pie, it is likely that there will soon be no area of retail left untouched by these types of companies. As long as consumers continue to clamor for gourmet goods, more and more retailers will begin offering them. Of course, as a diverse new body of retailers tentatively begins reaching out into the gourmet marketplace, looking for specialty food products to offer their customers, it can be a challenge to determine precisely which offerings they should introduce to their stores' product line-ups. Thus, it has never been more important for gourmet companies to get the attention of new retailers and develop productive relationships with them. Gourmet News is a great resource for specialty food companies looking to keep abreast of industry news and trends as well as for retailers looking for information about potential products for their stores' shelves. With each issue of the publication, we hope to bring suppliers and retailers together, helping them navigate an ever-evolving gourmet market landscape. GN Lee M. Oser ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jeff Rosano 520.721.1300 jeff_r@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann 520.721.1300 lorrie_b@oser.com EDITOR Lucas Witman 520.721.1300 editor@oser.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jazmine Woodberry GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Jaysun Freightman CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal – Lucas Witman, Editor 520.721.1300 lucas_w@oser.com 520.721.1300 tara_n@oser.com 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 Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 1052-4630) is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520.721.1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2013 by Oser Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is expressly prohibited. Back issues, when available, cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months. Back orders must be paid in advance either by check or charged to American Express, Visa, or Master Card. Gourmet News is distributed without charge in North America to qualified professionals in the retail and distribution channels of the specialty foods and hardgoods trade; paid subscriptions cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 annually to cover air delivery. All payments must be made in U.S. funds and drawn on a U.S. bank. For subscriber services, including subscription information, call 520.721.1300. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gourmet News, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715.

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