Oser Communications Group

If there is one thing that was made patently obvi- ous at the recent Winter Fancy Food Show, it is that today's consumer is no longer satisfied with food that merely treats his or her taste buds and fills the stomach. A successful specialty food company must now work to create a product that serves the body as a whole. Unless a product has probiotics, Omega-3s, antioxidants, isoflavonoids, dietary fiber, immunity boosting vita- mins and other essential nutrients, it is yesterday's news. Surprisingly, some of the most popular booths at this year's show were not necessarily the always bustling cheese, chocolate and pastry staples, but rather booths serving up products that would have at one time been derogatorily la- beled "health foods." Attendees flocked to pick up samples of the new pantry sta- ple coconut water, for example, but they also tried out hemp water, almond water, rice milk and quinoa milk. Kale and dark greens continue to dominate the spe- cialty snack scene, where they now serve as sought after snack chip alternatives. And chia was perhaps one of the biggest ingredients of the show, bringing its Omega-3 fatty acids to everything from tea to granola. There are several reasons that specialty food has gotten so health-conscious over the past several years. With consumers growing increasingly panicked over their own health and the healthfulness of the things they are putting into their bodies, it was inevitable that gourmet companies would respond by emphasizing the salu- briousness of their offerings. However, the one thing that ultimately made healthful specialty food skyrocket to the top of consumers' minds is the fact that companies are finally making health food that doesn't necessarily taste all that healthy. In short: today's health food is good food. Without a doubt, ice cream is one of America's favorite desserts, but not one of its healthiest. Today, companies are substituting low glycemic agave nectar for sugar and coconut milk for high fat cream. The result is something truly decadent that doesn't have the deleteri- ous health impacts of its full fat, full sugar progenitor. Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food staple, but it can also be a gut-busting bonanza of carbs and fat. Enter specialty food companies who replace white flour macaroni with whole wheat penne or even low carb rice noodles. And by adding everything from butternut squash to carrots to cauliflower to the recipe, the finished dish is full of vitamins and minerals it may not have otherwise had. For any company seeking out success in the world of specialty food, it is be- coming increasingly vital to communi- cate with the customer what they are truly getting out of the finished product. And words like "all-natural" and "or- ganic" aren't necessarily cutting it any- more. Today's informed consumer wants to know precisely what ingredients are in his or her food, where they come from and how they benefit the body. The more detail the better. And there needs to be perceived validity behind any health- boosting claims. So if you can prove that your kale and Greek yogurt smoothie with açai and chia is just what a shopper needs to boost her immunity and promote good digestion, your product may be as good as sold out. GN – Lucas Witman, Editor 520.721.1300 lucas_w@oser.com GOURMET NEWS MARCH 2014 www.gourmetnews.com EDITORIAL 1 0 WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER Lee M. Oser ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jeff Rosano jeff_r@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann lorrie_b@oser.com EDITOR Lucas Witman editor@oser.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Zach Calvello GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Jaysun Freightman ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jules Denton Ryan Harter Lynn Hilton CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal 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 G OURMET N EWS ® PRESIDENT Lee M. Oser MEMBER OF: Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and ad- ditional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 1052-4630) is published monthly by Oser Com- munications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520.721.1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited mate- rial or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2014 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 avail- able, cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months. Back or- ders 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 profession- als in the retail and distribution channels of the specialty foods and hardgoods trade; paid sub- scriptions cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 an- nually 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. 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