Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/691404
GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JUNE 2016 n GOURMET NEWS 1 7 8 the art of quantifying taste through objective evaluation, ChefsBest honors the best-tasting products in every category. As a result, the highest quality products are rewarded and con- sumers get the support they need to make the best, most informed decisions in the aisle. With 64,000 products in each supermarket in the United States, differentiating your prod- uct from the competition can be difficult. It can be even trickier when you account for tradi- tional practices used by grocers to elicit higher sales on premium-priced items like shelf place- ment and store organization. To establish a stronger presence in respective product categories, manufacturers often pursue costly and time-consuming research with the goal of eliciting advertising claims to use on package and in promotional materials. That strategy is often a high-stakes gamble with no guarantees it will lead to claims man- ufacturers can utilize. "Bottom line, we've established a more time- and cost-efficient path to powerful adver- tising claims that brands can use to differentiate themselves in their categories," said ChefsBest President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Liguori. "The work that we do has allowed best-selling brands like Dole Frozen Fruit to unlock coveted claims like 'America's Best' and 'Best Tasting' without the gamble of con- sumer research." By utilizing a proprietary judging process called the Sensory Attribute Quality Analysis, a panel of ChefsBest Certified Master Tasters identifies high quality and best-tasting foods resulting qualifying brands earning the Chefs- Best Best Taste Award. Due to the panel's abil- ity to quantify the sensory experience while upholding Sensory Testing Methods created by ASTM International, resulting ad claims are substantiated and usable in market. "Probably the most important factor for brands to understand is that the ChefsBest medallion cannot be bought," Liguori said. "Selection by our independent judging panel is the only way to secure an endorsement by ChefsBest." Brands like Weight Watchers, Dannon, Post and Goya have incorporated the medallion into a wide range of point-of-sale materials and consumer communications, from FSIs to coupons, packages, freezer clings and print ads. In addition to helping substantiate valuable claims, ChefsBest's unbiased judging process has also been used to offer valuable feedback to research and development teams with regard to improving taste profiles. During the tasting process, Certified Master Tasters compile data that offers expert insight into attributes like fla- vor, texture, aroma and appearance that can be helpful when improving that product, expand- ing product lines with new formulas, or filter- ing the number of SKUs you bring to market. See how your product measures up. Get a complimentary taste evaluation today by visit- ing www.chefsbest.com or calling 415.568.2659. For more information, go to www.chefsbest.com or call 415.568.2659. ChefsBest (Cont'd. from p. 1) JF: The company was founded in 1949 by my father-in-law Henry Kaye and his brother-in-law Jack Gold. We are a manu- facturer of foiled seasonal and everyday chocolates. We use the highest quality chocolate, innovative molding technology and the finest foils from Italy. The product line consists of bulk packs, gift packaging, semi-solid and solid three-dimensional fig- ures, as well as a full line of panned prod- ucts. Over the last 65 plus years our business has certainly evolved but our product and quality remain consistently the same. GN: What was the most significant event or series of events affecting your company in the past year? JF: This July marks two years that we are back in business since the devastating ef- fects of Hurricane Sandy. More importantly, the last year we have doubled our efforts in not only bringing back the items that our customers were still missing, but we are in- troducing a whole bunch of new and excit- ing items as well. GN: What new products are you introduc- ing? JF: We are introducing a brand new Holi- day Gift Bag line as well as a Christmas Holiday Hunt, which is an extension of our Chocolate Hunt™ game line. GN: What distinguishes your products from the competition? JF: We take a lot of pride in the quality of our chocolate and our foils and we take extra steps conveying the quality to the con- sumer. We are also extremely hands on with our customers and try to give them personal attention at every stage. We are continu- ously upgrading our manufacturing capabil- ities and expanding our capacities. Like- wise, we are investing in innovative processes (such as Frozen Cone technol- ogy). GN: What is the nature of your distribution? JF: We currently sell our products to wholesale distributors and direct to retailers through our network of in-house sales rep- resentatives and our brokers throughout the country. We have some distribution interna- tionally as well. We have quite a diverse customer base and we try to target their needs correctly. GN: Who are your target end users? JF: Essentially we have something for everyone. We have products for every holi- day, but we also have products for every oc- casion and cause for celebration such as baby births, birthdays, graduations, etc. GN: To what do you attribute your com- pany's success? JF: Our commitment to quality both with our products and our customer service, our wonderful and loyal customers, our hard- working staff and employees, and the caring industry that we are so proud to be a part of. GN: How can our readers find out more about your company? JF: The best place they can go to is our web- site at www.madelainechocolate.com. They can sign up for our newsletter and they will receive emails with updates, promotional of- fers and new product information. For more information, visit booth #1261, go online to www.madelainechocolate.com or call 718.945.1500. Madelaine Chocolate (Cont'd. from p. 1) flavors that were enhanced by the rum, rather than overpowered by it. She found rum made from a legendary Hawaiian recipe that was the perfect balance to cre- ate her exquisite Made in America rum cakes. They named their rum cake brand Island Treasures Gourmet™ and designed the packaging to evoke the deep vibrant colors of a tropical sunset. Island Treasures Gour- met Rum Cakes capture the sweet taste of a tropical getaway. These smooth, moist cakes are baked in Manassas, Virginia and are hand glazed with rum, creating an ex- quisite Made in America rum cake. They started selling 32-ounce Vanilla Rum Cakes in 2007 and additional flavors followed. Today, the selection includes seven flavors in both 32-ounce and 4- ounce sizes and a Sampler Pack of four 4- ounce cakes (Vanilla, Coconut, Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Pecan Streusel). Flavors include Vanilla – just the right balance of smooth vanilla rum gives this top selling flavor its mellow, delicious fla- vor; Cinnamon Pecan Streusel – the big swirl of sweet streusel makes this a fa- vorite with coffee and an anytime treat; Coconut – sweet coconut flakes through- out and coconut rum make every bite a tropical taste sensation; Chocolate – a smooth, rich and creamy dark chocolate rum cake, enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; Raspberry – this moist, sweet rum cake has a fresh-picked berry flavor – del- icate and delightful; Chocolate Chip (4- ounce only) – a rich chocolate cake loaded with chocolate chips for a doubly-deli- cious texture and taste; and New Banana Pecan – bursting with the sweet taste of bananas and just the right crunch of pecans – tastes like a trip to the tropics. The 4-ounce rum cakes have a suggested retail price of $5.95 and are vacuum-sealed with a shelf life of six months or more. The 32-ounce rum cakes are packed in a re- closable storage container, sell for $24.95 SRP and keep for four months. Store them at room temperature or freeze for a longer shelf life. Because of the baking process, the alcohol content is less than 0.5 percent, appropriate for all ages. Since starting in the family kitchen, Cas- sandra's Gourmet Classics twice has ex- panded its commercial bakery facilities and will soon outgrow its current location in Manassas, Virginia. Both private label and branded product are produced there. The Island Treasures Gourmet Rum Cakes are sold in specialty food and grocery stores in major markets throughout the United States as well as online at www.is- landtreasures gourmet.com. Various pri- vate label brands are sold internationally, including for The Honey Baked Ham Company. It is a sweet American success story of an entrepreneurial couple finding a way to pursue its dreams and bring a smile to all who enjoy the delicious Island Treasures Gourmet Rum Cakes. For more information, visit www.island treasuresgourmet.com, call 703.590.7900 Island Treasures Gourmet (Cont'd. from p. 1) Columbus' son) began the exportation of olive oil produced at Hacienda Guzman in Seville. Today, this factory is owned by La Española Oils. La Española products are currently sold in more than 100 countries around the world, a brand leader in many of those markets. A main focus for La Española brand is the United States and the American consumer. Its aim, as a brand that has been offering quality for more than 175 years, is to get closer to the American consumer, to under- stand their concerns in the kitchen and to provide a variety of cooking solutions. The main goal of La Española is to be 'the' olive oil brand for American households that love cooking with authentic quality products. La Española is your ally in the kitchen. The complete olive oil range of La Española helps you when choosing the best olive oil for each recipe. La Española Extra Virgin olive oil has a rich and fruity flavor so is ideal for salads, as a basis for dressings or dips and as a seasoning. Without losing the natural properties of olive oil, La Española Classic olive oil is great for cooking in the healthiest way. It can be heated and works well with meat, poultry and vegetables. La Española Mild & Light olive oil is also recommended for cooking. It can be used at higher temperatures so it is especially rec- ommended for stir frying, wok cooking and grilling. This mild and light oil is also perfect for baking. It gives cakes and cookies a light texture and is a healthy substitute for butter and other oils. As one of La Española's main aims is in- novation, La Española launches an average of three innovations every year. Its latest in- novations are three new La Española Essences, olive oil with curry, cinnamon and saffron. To learn more, or to sample La Espanola, visit booth #5235 in the North Hall. La Española (Cont'd. from p. 1)