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GOURMET NEWS NOVEMBER 2014 www.gourmetnews.com Retailer News RETAILER NEWS 1 0 BRIEFS Lemonis Fischer Acquisition Company Completes Acquisition of Crumbs Bake Shop Lemonis Fischer Acquisition Company LLC recently announced it completed the acquisition of the assets of New York- based cupcake company Crumbs Bake Shop. "We are very excited to have com- pleted the Crumbs acquisition and start the exciting next chapter of the company. We have always believed in the strength of the Crumbs brand and its loyal cus- tomer base," said investor and entrepre- neur Marcus Lemonis. "Together with the Fischers and their high level of business expertise, we look forward to creating the nation's sweet and snack destination by continuing to offer the high-quality Crumbs cupcakes and adding additional high-quality products owned by myself and the Fischers." "We are excited to leverage Marcus' busi- ness turnaround expertise to revitalize the Crumbs brand and transform the company into a viable, ongoing business concern," said Scott Fischer, COO of Fischer Enter- prises. "We plan to broaden Crumbs' ap- peal with an enhanced assortment of premier sweets and snack foods from the Fischer Enterprises and Marcus Lemonis portfolio of companies while maintaining an emphasis on the decadent cupcakes for which Crumbs is famous." Lemonis Fischer plans to re-open select Crumbs stores with the long-term goal of putting Crumbs employees back to work. Loyal and long-term Crumbs customers as well as potential new customers can expect to see retail stores reopen over the next sev- eral weeks in select cities, including New York and Washington D.C. Lemonis Fis- cher aims to reinvigorate the brand and make Crumbs the stop-off point of choice for the dessert market. Lemonis Fischer was the successful bid- der for Crumbs' assets through a voluntary Chapter 11 filing by Crumbs and received approval of the acquisition by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey in August. Fischer Enterprises, the owner of frozen treat maker Dippin' Dots L.L.C. and Doc Popcorn LLC, is a privately held investment company based in Oklahoma City. Adding Crumbs to its portfolio of companies rounds out its product base and enhances the attractiveness of its portfolio assets. Dippin' Dots and Doc Popcorn both serve national and interna- tional markets. GN WineStyles Tasting Station Opens in Coralville, Iowa WineStyles Tasting Station ® , a newly re-branded boutique concept dedicated to simplifying the wine and craft beer shopping experience, is celebrating the grand opening of its first boutique in Coralville, Iowa located in Iowa River Landing at 920 E. 2nd Avenue. The store held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 22. The retailer also recently celebrating the grand reopening of its boutique in Greensboro, North Carolina, located in The Shops at Friendly at 3326 West Friendly Avenue. The revamped store features a full wine bar with dozens of wines by the glass and a full selection of food, craft beers, fine chocolates, organic teas and gourmet coffee. WineStyles Tasting Station demystifies wine and craft beers by categorizing bottles by style and taste, rather than by varietal or region. For more information, visit www.winestyles.com. Stop & Shop Marks 100th Anniversary On Saturday, Sept. 6, The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC celebrated its 100th birthday commemoration at stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In honor of the anniversary, all stores welcomed customers, served cake and gave out 100th anniversary balloons. "We were thrilled to see our customers turn out for the 100th anniversary celebrations," said Joe Kelley, President of Stop & Shop New England. "For the past 100 years and today, our company is dedicated to serving the community, and we will continue this commitment for years to come." Stop & Shop employs approximately 59,000 associates and operates 394 stores throughout the northeastern United States. The company helps local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children's educational and support programs. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com. FoodCourier.com Opens Its Online Doors FoodCourier.com recently launched its online marketplace. The retailer provides consumers, restaurants, home healthcare providers and businesses with access to an extensive array of value-added items that are not available in retail. It offers award-winning Space Saver™ beverages, popular Wicked Bloody Mary™ mix, smoothies, and a wide variety of juices from individual portion sizes to larger multiple serving options. Additionally, FoodCourier.com offers a variety of healthcare-focused items, including fruit purees, thickened beverages and sugar-free syrups and desserts. Designed for convenience, FoodCourier.com is a simple, easy-to-use site that allows customers to choose between buying individual items, case packs or building their own cases. All of the products offered do not require refrigeration until after opening, allowing consumers to purchase in bulk without the hassle of taking up freezer or refrigerator space. In addition, the retailer offers free shipping on all standard shipped items. Newport Avenue Continued from PAGE 1 In stocking the market's shelves, the team at Newport Avenue Market focuses on highlighting the regional bounty that Cen- tral Oregon has to offer. From meat to seafood to cheese, every section at the store features an array of local and regional prod- ucts. When the local Copper River King Salmon return to Oregon's waters each spring, Newport Avenue Market is proud to be among the first retailers in the state to carry it. The market also sells local non- commodity red meat from Country Natural Beef. The butter, milk and cultured dairy products from Eberhard's Dairy are a Bend favorite. And area residents anxiously wait for local produce to come into season, heading to Newport Avenue Market to pick up everything from asparagus in spring to Opal apples in fall. In addition, customers will also find products on the store's shelves from a number of specialty food companies that are based in the region, including Willamette Valley Fruit Company, Red Plate Foods and O'Hana Salsa. One of the real highlights at Newport Av- enue Market is the store's immense selec- tion of wine and beer. The store offers over 500 distinct beers and over 3,000 wines. In a state that is equally well known as a pro- ducer of fine wine and craft beer, the mar- ket does not have to look far when sourcing products for these sections. "In Deschutes County, we have over 25 craft brewers and we're also home to Deschutes Brewery, which is number six in the country. And we carry national brand beer as well. We con- tinue to grow both in the craft beer and cider," said Johnson. "With wine, we do a tremendous job as well. We have so many resources both regionally and internation- ally." Newport Av- enue Market is al- ways looking to expand its prod- uct offerings and searches far and wide to find the hottest new prod- ucts to bring to Central Oregon. The store sends teams of buyers to upwards of a dozen different trade shows each year, scouting out goods for the store. However, it is ultimately the customers themselves that have the most influence over the store's product selection. "We really take great pride in carrying what our customers want to buy as opposed to telling them what they should buy. If our customers request a product, we guide them to that," said Johnson. Newport Avenue Market's devotion to Central Oregon spreads beyond simply fea- turing regionally produced products on its shelves. The market prides itself on being a valuable member of its community. As an employer, the store has become home to over 100 dedicated employees, ten of which have been with Newport Avenue Market for over 15 years. In addition, the store engages in a great deal of philan- thropic activity within Central Ore- gon. This year, a char- ity golf tournament organized by New- port Avenue Market raised $50,000 for The Hunger Preven- tion Coalition. And Johnson expects a planned charity drive in December will raise another $50,000 for Bend food bank Family Kitchen. "I'm a fifth genera- tion Oregonian," said Johnson. "I live in this area as do my parents. With Oregon being one of the top hungriest states in the nation, this is some- thing we can do to make a difference." For Johnson, Newport Avenue Market is not just a retailer. It is a friend to the com- munity and to the region which it calls home. Johnson prides herself on being a good neighbor to those who she meets and does business with every day. "The relationship that we have with our customers is a friendship, and it's ab- solutely experience-based. They come there to see their neighbors," said Johnson. "It's important for us to recognize that we are a food hub … We look forward to see- ing our customers on a daily basis, and re- ally getting to know their lives. [We love] seeing all of our neighbors – literally our neighbors (I live a few blocks away) – and catching up on their lives." GN

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