Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 2 2 Five Cheese Trends to Look Out For in 2017 By Heather Engwall, Director of Marketing, Emmi Roth USA Over the past decade, the cheese industry has had a significant amount of growth and in- novation in the United States, particularly driven by consumer interest and demand for specialty cheese. It's an exciting community to be part of, and I'm positive you'll see that from the cheese companies. You'll also get a feel for what continues to be on trend in the cheese industry. Here's what we're seeing: Bold Flavors The demand for heat has dominated the food scene for a number of years, and is still going strong. New and innovative cheeses with bold flavors continue to emerge and grow in popularity. Our new Sriracha Gouda merges the mellow and mild flavor of Gouda with the spicy, tangy-sweet, savory kick that is Sriracha – appealing to consumers' appetite for heat. American Originals Traditional concepts and old world cheese- making techniques that originated elsewhere are taking on a new life and character when reinvented with American ingredients and ingenuity. If you're looking inside the spe- cialty cheese case, you can't miss our new Roth Prairie Sunset ® . It has a bright orange hue and is sweet with undertones of butter- scotch. Authenticity Transparency remains a key purchasing factor, es- pecially for Millennials, who are willing to pay more for specialty foods that are sustainable and or- ganic. Our new Organics line features many of our award-winning Roth cheese varieties – Grand Cru ® Original, Havarti, Van Gough ® Gouda and Sharp Cheddar – made using fresh or- ganic milk. Easy Entertaining From individually-wrapped snacking cheeses to pre-cut entertaining packs, con- sumers continue to buy cheese on conven- ience. The latest? Ready-made cheese for entertaining, like fondue and raclette. With our pre-made and easy to use Emmi Fondü, consumers can choose an origi- nal, Swiss cheese variety or fam- ily-friendly alcohol-free version. Indulgence Once snubbed, whole milk real butter and other dairy products are making their way back into our diets. Consumers armed with evidence that real dairy products are good for you are seeking new indulgences of their favorite foods. New Emmi Kaltbach Le Crémeux fits the bill. It's is a semi-hard cheese that's matured for four to five months in the Kaltbach caves near Lucerne, Switzerland, to give it creamy but- tery taste with a strong, complex aromatic flavor. For more information, go to us.emmi.com, call 608.285.9919 or email heather .engwall@emmirothusa.com. New Eye-Catching Packaging Stands Out On Shelves Bissinger's Chocolate-Covered Wine Grapes, a 2011 sofi™ Award Winner, offers the ultimate in the chocolate and wine tasting experience. This innovative confection has received many accolades and was described by the New York Times as "… a delicious sip of red wine in every bite." However, the time was right for new packaging that was more reflective of the tasting experience and conveyed the excitement of this ground- breaking confection. "Because our Chocolate-Covered Wine Grapes are most often purchased with a bot- tle of wine for elegant entertaining and ele- vated gift giving, we wanted our customers to have something they were proud to pres- ent on every level," said Vice President of Marketing Marci Ranger. "The use of vibrant reds and swirling wine imagery along with rich gold framing and matte packaging will allow customers to feel as if they are pur- chasing a work of art – which they absolutely are." Bissinger's reputation for superior ingre- dient sourcing and high-quality craftsman- ship is tasted in every delicious bite. "While most grapes make their way into a bottle of wine, a limited supply is reserved exclu- sively for us," said Chief Chocolatier Dave Owens. Bissinger's source is the California wine region, where they are sun dried on the stem. They are then infused with Shiraz wine that re- sults in a plump, mouth watering flavor and texture. Chocolatiers enrobe them in a smooth, 60 per- cent dark chocolate so each grape bursts with a rich chocolate taste, accented by the subtly sweet fin- ish of smooth red wine. They may be paired with or without wine. Bissinger's proprietary cocoa blend is crafted with Rainforest Alliance Certified™ beans from the Cote D'Ivoire for chocolate that's rich, velvety and never bitter. When it comes to handcrafting chocolates and con- fections, Bissinger's has a 350-year history on its side. The family was awarded the title of "Confiseur Imperial" (Confectioner to the King) from France's King Louis XIV in the 1600s. Its innovative confections and award-winning chocolate has been featured on Oprah, the Food Network and is a celebrity fan favorite. They can be found at grocery and specialty retailers across the country, including Whole Foods Market and Cen- tral Market, select Starbucks as well as department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor. "It comes down to making sure we are tak- ing care of our customer in every way," said Ranger. "All components are very important – the taste profile, the right packaging and the carefully-sourced ingredients. We want to ensure every last detail is perfect and our customer has a spectacular experience from start to finish." Passage Foods Thailand Range Available in More Countries than Any Other Thai Range Passage to Thailand™ Simmer Sauces, Aus- tralia's No. 2 Thai cooking sauce, has been available in the U.S. since 2010. Consisting of three different all-natural sauces, each is a recipe of traditional ethnic cuisine created to deliver authentic restaurant quality flavor and made only from fresh, natural ingredi- ents. The range consists of Pad Thai, Thai Basil and Sweet Chili and Red Thai Curry sauces. With spices sourced directly from various regions of Thailand and Southeast Asia, each product is free of gluten, MSG, preservatives and is non-GMO. "The growing ethnic diversity in our U.S. population and a resurgence in cooking driven by chef-hosted programs has grown the market for ethnic foods to a record high," noted Passage Foods' Mark MacKenzie. "The ethnic Asian food market is a $2.2 bil- lion retail industry in the U.S. and is ex- pected to expand an additional 20 percent over the next four years, with Indian and Thai foods showing the largest increase in consumer demand." In addition, the Asian/Indian restaurant segment has seen double-digit growth for the last four years, and although retreating some recently, the number of ethnic grocery offer- ings expanded as more people try cooking Thai, Indian and other ethnic foods at home. As more consumers iden- tify themselves as 'cooking enthusiasts' and look to ex- periment with new flavors, they are fueling the demand for what were once exotic foods. Today's ethnic con- sumer is more mainstream, more affluent and younger according to Mintel Interna- tional. While young adults are the most ad- venturous in trying global cuisines, they are also very demanding of products that offer all-natural and healthy ingredients – a cor- nerstone of the entire Passage Foods prod- uct line. Passage to Thailand sauces are a part of a simple three-step meal solution that satisfies the needs of the time-starved con- sumer. Add the sauce to meat, seafood or vegetables, simmer and serve over rice for a gourmet meal in less than 20 minutes. About Passage Foods Passage Foods is an affiliate of Flavour Makers Pty. Ltd., the second largest seasoning manufacturer in Australia. All Passage Foods Simmer Sauces are manufactured in the com- pany's ISO certified facilities and conform to some of the most stringent and clean product manufacturing requirements in the world. For additional product and consumer market information, call 800.860.1045, ext. 204 or visit Passage Foods online at www .passagefoods.com. Delicious Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons from Poppies International Poppies International is passionate about making cookies and pastries to be enjoyed by everyone. Poppies' products are all about sharing, generosity and tradition, and have been ever since 1935. They originate from the spirit of Master Baker Popelier, who laid the foundations of the bakery in the heart of Flanders Fields, the granary of Belgium. He established a unique tradition of selecting the best quality ingredients and guaranteeing freshness – always, no matter what. He also taught what it takes to make good bakery products without pretension. That's why Poppies International makes cookies and pastries that taste great, offer moments of in- dulgence and respond to your expectations. It may have outgrown the original, small Popelier bakery, but it hasn't outgrown the Master Baker's ideas about artisan quality and customer service. Poppies International's popular Belgian Coconut Macaroons have a high coconut content, which results in a very rich coconut taste. It is proud to offer these non-GMO, kosher and gluten-free certified. It does not only offer a plain coconut mac- aroon, but also has a chocolate flavored co- conut macaroon which lets you enjoy both coconut and chocolate flavors blended to- gether. Whether you'd like a quick snack on the go or you'd like to share with friends, Poppies International offers both indi- vidually wrapped or packed per six in a box. For more information, email info@poppies.us or call 252.442.4016.

• Cover