Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JUNE 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 2 2 CocoaPlanet's Tasting Room Connects with Consumers Northern California is home to some of the world's finest food and beverage makers across a wide range of products – cheese, produce, beer and wine, just to name a few. Many of these craft producers enhance their brands through retail venues that deepen the consumers' connection to their products. Be- yond just selling products, consumers can experience them in full context – where they are made, how they are made and how to enjoy them. Think of a winery tasting room; these ven- ues aren't just about selling bottles. You ap- proach through sloping, sun-drenched vineyards and tranquil garden-like grounds. Winery tours instruct you about the wine- making process. In the tasting room, you can sample a range of wines, learning to compare and contrast varietals, vintages and vine- yards. In many, you are invited to pair wines with cheese, charcuterie or winemaker din- ners featuring a multi-course paired menu. These retail venues are not about transac- tions. They touch on all the senses to create experience and memory. They are about building a lasting connection between con- sumer and brand. CocoaPlanet takes a similar approach to building deep consumer associations with its premium dark chocolate. In the heart of the historic Sonoma sits the new CocoaPlanet Chocolate Factory and Tasting Room. Visi- tors are invited to see the gleaming craft manufacturing line, sample a flight of choco- lates and even enjoy dessert or a full meal in the completely gluten-free French café. The building exterior combines the mod- ern, sleek lines that echo CocoaPlanet's product packaging with ma- terials that evoke the re- gion's agricultural style, including natural stone and wood with corrugated metal siding. Inside, you'll find a modern French café featur- ing blue background light- ing, glass table tops and white marble counters. Through glass walls, diners can observe the gleaming stainless chocolate molding and packaging machinery. In the tasting room, you can sample Co- coaPlanet chocolates, indulge in authentic French fare and gluten-free desserts such as Paris tiramisu, mandarin orange chocolate cake, or enjoy a flight of wine and chocolate pairings. The menu features appetizers such as charcuterie and cheese, house-made soups, croque monsieur, cassoulet and crèpes. Knowledgeable staff guide you through the tastings, highlighting product features and suggesting pairings. Similar to local winer- ies, every aspect of the Co- coaPlanet Tasting Room invites consumers to learn about and enjoy their chocolates in a context that strengthens brand associa- tion and builds consumer loyalty. About CocoaPlanet Based in Sonoma, California, CocoaPlanet, Inc. uses ethically sourced chocolate pro- duced using sustainable practices, enabling cocoa farmers a better quality of life. Cocoa- Planet is a registered trademark and "Co- coaMint," "Pearls of Flavor" and "More Taste, Less Sugar" are trademarks of Cocoa- Planet, Inc. Visit CocoaPlanet at booth #5015. For more information, go to www.cocoaplanet.com, call 707.721.1275 or email info@cocoa planet.com. A Tuscan Tradition Stays Modern for Today's Consumer Mooney Farms, a name synonymous with sun dried tomatoes, has pioneered the indus- try since 1987, and is still leading the way with a new interactive website and exciting marketing activities. Mooney Farms recognizes that great brands don't just happen; they are built on many years of hard work and consumer ed- ucation. The company's newly designed website educates consumers about the excit- ing health benefits associated with eating sun dried tomatoes, explains the Mediterranean diet and offers many new recipe ideas and food videos. Keeping its brand fresh and engaging for millennial home cooks, the company's Art Director has added micro recipe videos to the site which teach viewers how to recreate all of the simple and delicious ideas its Corpo- rate Chef prepares in its Tuscan kitchen. These new videos on both Facebook and YouTube have attracted new customers of all ages. The Facebook page alone has grown to 35,000 followers and continues to climb every day. The company attributes this suc- cess to posting an exciting new idea, recipe or video each day, so viewers can get inspi- ration throughout the year. Every jar of product also includes a full color recipe booklet that changes seasonally, featuring healthy ideas for consumers to pre- pare at home. These recipe booklets also an- nounce the company's Annual National Recipe Contest, where fans can send in their personal creations featur- ing one or more of the company's products, with the opportunity to win one of its fabulous prizes. The contest runs year around and con- cludes July 1 when the company's Corporate Chef helps narrow down the finalists and starts preparing the dishes. Next, staff and family are involved in tasting and choosing the winners. It's a fun and exciting way to engage with loyal customers. Another outlet has been the outreach by thousands of bloggers across the U.S. who have used the company's products in their home kitchens and posted reviews and videos from their own websites. In our cul- ture today, these are some of the most influ- ential individuals who play an important role in creating brand awareness and help form the choices of their fol- lowers. Food bloggers are emerging as key influ- encers in determining con- sumer choices on brands, home cooking and restau- rants, away from "tradi- tional" direct advertising. At Mooney Farms, its customers are No. 1. Each and every cus- tomer from the smallest to the largest are all treated as equally important. The company knows that without them, it would not have built its reputation in the industry as a trusted brand. It also works with each customer to meet their specific sun dried tomato needs. The company stands behind every product that leaves its facility. Its name is on every bottle and it knows how important it is to maintain those standards. For more information, visit booth #2561. The Real Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland: A Centuries-Old Family Recipe In 1115 A.D., a cheese was discovered in western Switzerland – a region with rolling fields, scenic mountains and a majestic cas- tle. This place, Gruyères, is the origin of the inimitable Le Gruyère AOP. Gruyère soon became famous for its unique flavor, and like most exceptional things, fame begat imitation. Cheese makers from other countries tried to make their own Gruyère, even calling it by the same name, but they always produced a cheese with a different flavor. This became confusing, and so the most consumed cheese in Switzerland was protected with an "AOP" designation, which in English means Protected Designa- tion of Origin (PDO), in 2001. This guaran- tees a clear origin, a level of quality and a complete traceability back to the region of production. Only the real Gruyère AOP Switzerland is hand-made in 170 small batches, from a recipe that has been passed down for centuries. Its inimitable, savory flavor starts with the raw milk of cows that are sustained in local fields, and the maturation is completed in local cel- lars and caves under strict supervision. The know-how of the produc- ers, combined with the terroir of the region, makes Gruyère AOP Switzerland truly in- comparable. The AOP denomination, as well as the as- sociation of milk producers, cheese makers and refiners, are tasked with protecting this flavor and ensuring that it maintains con- sistency with its origins, now and forever. Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland is 100 percent natural and 100 per- cent additive free, with 100 per- cent great taste, and of course, naturally free of lactose and gluten, as it has been since it was first produced in 1115 AD. For more information, visit booth #359 or go to www.gruyere.com. Royal is America's No. 1 Best-Selling Basmati Rice A trusted household brand for 25 years, Royal ® is the No. 1 best-selling Basmati Rice in America. To understand why, it's im- portant to realize that all Basmati is not cre- ated equal. Similar to what champagne is to France, truly authentic Basmati Rice can only come from the foothills of the Hi- malayas. Under the attentive care of India's finest farmers, Royal Basmati Rice grows within the perfect harmony of climate, fertile soil and pure mountain spring water. After har- vesting, the company then ages the rice in temperature-controlled silos for a minimum of 12 months. The result is a non-sticky, fluffy long-grain rice that is distinctively rich in aroma and delicately flavored. To guarantee that its rice meets the highest standards, Royal has rigorous QC measures in place that test each batch for purity, length, consistency and density. It also uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that every Royal bag is packed with only the finest rice grains. Royal's Basmati Rice is uniquely versatile: it's at home in curry recipes, is delectable as a pilaf or gratin main dish, is delicious when tossed as a salad and even fits in dessert recipes as a pudding or garnish. The culinary possibilities are endless! Royal offers a wide assortment of non-GMO white and brown Bas- mati Rice in a full range of pack sizes, from 2- pound trial-size pouches to foodservice-friendly 20-pound and 40-pound bags. For more information, visit www.authentic royal.com or stop by booth #750.

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