Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/322704
O C G S h o w D a i l y 2 3 S u n d a y, J u n e 1 , 2 0 1 4 is your brainstorming process? AM: My inspiration is what I call 'fill- ing-the-voids.' I look at the supermarkets and try to figure out how I can make them better. In my line, I manufacturer Italian cheeses. I look every single day to come up with better, tastier, more con- venient concepts in order to have con- sumers enjoy that product more. Formaggio is a trendsetter that way. OSD: What are the most important qual- ities that go into making a Formaggio product before it goes onto store shelves? AM: I have exactly three rules that I run my company by. The first one is one we take very seriously – it's food safety. The responsibility that was bestowed upon me and my company to make food safe products is something I take very seriously. The second is qual- ity – to buy the highest quality ingredi- ents. like the freshest produce. We use premium materials in our packaging and we use the finest milk in New York State to make our fresh mozzarella. The third, which is very important, is sala- bility. Consumers buy with their eyes. We have to present a package that looks good enough for a consumer not to walk by it. Formaggio Italian Specialties (Cont'd. from p. 1) OSD: In reference to quality, what does quality mean to you? AM: Our philosophy here is 'if it's not per- fect, it's not packed.' We are making mil- lions of pounds of cheese a year. If one con- sumer goes to the store and picks up our product and if she doesn't like it, she won't come back. So it is very important to me that every piece is perfect or it's not packed. OSD: What motivates you to continue making products that top the previous ones? AM: It gives me a reason to get up every day. I am an artist in my own right and my cheese is my canvas. I am a lucky guy because I don't work every day, I go to a place where I get to express myself and do things that I like to do. Doing this is what I live for – seeing people put a piece of cheese in their mouth and then this incredible expression on their face because what they just tried was some- thing they never tasted before and yet enjoyed it so much. The fact that people love Formaggio products more and more every year is what motivates me. For more information, visit booth #5154. Meet The Big Cheese™ personally and find out more about the amazingly deli- cious new products. state-of-the-art bakery. It specializes in making the fudgiest brownies with only the finest ingredients to provide the high- est freshness, quality and taste – nation- wide. To make snacking on-the-go even easier, Barry's has introduced a microwaveable brownie bite cup that can be warmed up and enjoyed or topped with your favorite ice cream. Currently you can find the brown- ies in many convenience stores, gro- cery stores, restaurants and entertain- ment venues across the country. This year, Barry's is gearing up for many new and exciting adventures like being featured in Joffrey's kiosks around the Orlando Disney area, and attending several trade shows and other events like Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami, Barry's G ourmet Brownies ( Cont'd. from p. 1) Sugar Ray Leonard's Charity Event at the Santa Monica Pier and most recent- ly Einstein on Food & Wine at the Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa, Fla. Barry's is also busy creating new mouthwatering brownies that include layered brownies with flavors like cream cheese, german chocolate, truffle, nutella and even bacon. Recently Barry's has been approached by a national ice cream company who wants to combine its ice cream and Barry's brownies into the ulti- mate guilty pleasure. Barry's Gourmet Brownies is confi- dent in its product and takes pride in developing personal relationships with all of its customers. For more information, call 800- 989-9098, visit www.barrysgourmet brownies.com. UPPER CRUST'S CROISSANT ROLL: THE 'ULTIMATE SANDWICH CARRIER UPGRADE' Upper Crust is a private company which has grown from a two-man operation in 1987 into an over $240 million bakery company over the last 30 years, prima- rily due to continuing successes in inno- vation and the exporting of successful new products to the United States, Asia and Europe. It is one of the largest man- ufacturers of croissants, bagels, puff pastry and breads and rolls in North America. With an output of over two million croissants per day, the company may be the largest croissant maker in the world. The company's markets extend from North America to western and eastern Europe, Asia and Australia. Upper Crust services well-known key national and regional foodservice cus- tomers as well as distributors through- out North America, in addition to the traditional in-store bakery marketplace. In 2013, the company grew approx- imately +16 percent behind new prod- uct innovation such as pretzel breads and rolls and the development of new export customers in the U.S., Asia and Europe. This result makes Upper Crust one of the fastest-growing bakery com- panies of its size in North America. Upper Crust has currently com- menced the expansion of its manufac- turing facility in response to market demand, particu- larly from the U.S. The company's five-year goal is to double sales from almost $240 mil- lion to $600 mil- lion and to achieve 90 percent of that growth outside Canada: both in the U.S. and in Asia. The company has an impressive record in innovation, introducing over 100 new products in 2012, and leading the way in process technology to address customer needs. One of these new innovative prod- ucts is from the Upper Crust Bon Appé gourmet brand (pronounced bon-a- PAY). This croissant roll is the "Ultimate Sandwich Carrier Upgrade." In today's rapidly evolving economic climate, businesses are required to stand out from their competi- tion in order to succeed. Upper Crust is offering you a product that will upscale your sand- wich or burger offering, assist you in driving up your average check, increase your margins and distinguish the quality of your meal offering from your competition. The Bon Appé Baked Butter Croissant Roll is perfect for breakfast sandwiches, incredible with deli lunch sandwiches and outstanding as a burger bun! With much more fla- vor than a regular bread roll, your cus- tomers will enjoy the quality of your offering, and you will benefit from the additional sales and profit.