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4 GENERAL NEWS GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2014 www.gourmetnews.com General News Technomic Predicts Top Food Trends for 2014; Pork, Ethnic Cuisine to Be in Demand Food industry research and consulting firm Technomic has brought together the best judgments of its consultants and editors to peer ahead into 2014, identifying trends that may significantly impact the industry in the coming year. Some of these developments reflect larger social trends, while others point to specific, emerging food preferences that may or may not take hold amongst U.S. consumers and food industry leaders. The top trend Technomic's experts predict will dominate the American food scene in 2014 is the consumer desire to know what is in their food and from where it is coming. Consumers want assurances that what they are eating is real, in every sense of the word. Today's restaurant menus describe items far more thoroughly, listing not only the ingredients but also where they came from and how they were prepared. Local sourcing is more important than ever, but beyond that is the idea of being true to place. If the restaurant positions itself as authentically Italian, for instance, it must use in- gredients sourced from Italy and/or prepared using authentic Italian methods. Because of rising commodity costs for beef, Technomic predicts pork to shine as the 2014 protein star. Expected to be popular this year are regional pork barbecue items, pork in Hispanic and other ethnic fare, cured pork as charcuterie and pulledpork sandwiches. Pork will not be the only popular alternative to beef this year, however. Also getting time in the spotlight are lamb and game meats, from duck to bison. Beyond meat, consumers are looking for creative center-of-the-plate egg dishes as well as vegetarian alternatives, from mushrooms to beans to soy-based products. Starches are also staging a comeback, including everything from ramen to buckwheat noodles to pasta made with unusual ingredients. Rice bowls will be big, in part because of continued fascination with Asian fare and in part because of an association with healthfulness. Look for more in the way of flatbreads, wraps and all kinds of artisan breads, including healthy whole- grain varieties. In addition, waffles as a base or side make traditional savory items like chicken seem edgy. Building on a trend that has been growing for the past several years, forays into less-familiar ethnic cuisines, from Korean to Scandinavian, are expected to continue in 2014. The ethnic foods trend is partly responsible for another trend: growing interest in pickled, fermented and sour foods. Korean kimchi as well as pickled onion, jalapeño, ginger, radish and more are showing up everywhere from ethnic eateries to burger joints. Finally, when it comes to what to drink, tap technology is revolutionizing the beverage world. Barrel-stored coldbrewed coffee is being sent through repurposed beer taps, facilitating a new kind of coffee bar. Soda-water taps allow chefs to create their own fruity soft drinks. Wine-on-tap tasting stations are showing up in high-end supermarkets And RFID-card-controlled self-serve beer-tap walls are delighting bar patrons at high-tech pubs. GN 21 New England Cheesemakers Launch Massachusetts Cheese Guild Cheesemaking in America began in Boston in the early 1600s, when the earliest settlers developed a revolutionary new way to preserve the milk produced by their dairy cows. Four hundred years later, 21 artisan and farmstead cheesemakers who collectively make more than 100 types of cheese, have launched the Massachusetts Cheese Guild. The goals of the Massachusetts Cheese Guild are to educate each other, as well as consumers, retailers and distributors, about the exceptional cheeses being made in Massachusetts, to encourage and support the production of farmstead and artisanal cheeses made from Massachusetts milk, including cultured products like yogurt, to help cheese artisans promote their products and their achievements and to draw the attention of the cheese-loving public to the wealth of varieties available throughout the state. "The time has come for cheesemakers in Massachusetts, who have toiled independently for years, to coalesce for their greater good, and to wave a proud flag for all the awards and accolades they've accrued for their products," said Peter Lovis of The Cheese Shop of Concord. Lovis is a charter sponsor of the Massachusetts Cheese Guild, and he is on the Guild's Board of Advisors. The Massachusetts Cheese Guild is comprised of three distinct branches. Artisan members include commercial cheesemakers who certify their use of Massachusetts milk. Trade members include retailers, wholesalers, distributors Continued on PAGE 8 BRIEFS Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market to Debut Campus-Wide Wi-Fi Access AmericasMart Atlanta, site of the upcoming Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market®, to be held Jan. 7-14, has become the world's largest digitally accessible wholesale marketplace with the recent completion of its distributed antenna system and Wi-Fi network. The fully implemented system delivers enhanced wireless coverage, capacity and data speeds for Verizon Wireless customers. The WiFi network will offer free on-the-go access to unlimited wireless internet on all floors. The new technology infrastructure assures optimized Wi-Fi access for web and email users in a digital platform unmatched in size, scale, scope and capacity in the wholesale market arena. Additionally, an enhanced and enriched AmericasMart website promises a particularly richer digital experience with expanded exhibitor profiles, searchable content, new floor plans and a Market Plan tool. The increased accessibility will be fully active and functional just in time for The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. PACK EXPO Intl. Ranked Third in Nation by Trade Show Executive magazine PACK EXPO International was recently ranked third on Trade Show Executive magazine's Gold 100 list of 2012 events. PACK EXPO shows have consistently ranked at the top of the TSE Gold 100 since the inception of the list in 2008. "It's an honor to be on the list," said Charles D. Yuska, President and CEO of The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, which organizes PACK EXPO. "The events on the TSE Gold 100 list are the premier events in their sectors, and the ones industry leaders choose for their most important and innovative product launches." The show's next edition is just a year away. PACK EXPO International 2014 will be held at Chicago's McCormick Place Nov. 2-5, 2014. Conference Series Launches with "Evolving Culture of Food & Beverage" Global consumer research company The Hartman Group is launching a series of one-day learning experiences for food and beverage industry insiders who want to know more about how culture affects consumers' choices. The first one-day course, called "Evolving Culture of Food & Beverage," will be held at the Catalyst Ranch in Chicago on Feb. 5. Equipped with cultural wisdom, people quickly start drawing connections between the culture of food and beverage and their businesses. The conference will include studies of various themes, such as snacking and eating alone, as well as speed-dating-style meetings with consumers to quickly assess new ideas. The day of culture will end with case studies of brands and companies that have made food and beverage culture connections and missteps and a look at best practices for culturally competent food and beverage companies. For more information or to register to attend, visit www.hartman-group.com/actchicago.