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GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JUNE 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 8 New Look for House of Webster House of Webster has a new look and a fresh take on all recipes. It now produces products using only natural ingredients and has dis- continued the use of high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener for all categories. The com- pany feels it is very important that its cus- tomers and their customers offer the most wholesome and natural foods. These prod- ucts are available with House of Webster's new, revamped label or as a private label for eligible customers. House of Webster has been producing high quality specialty food products for more than 80 years. With classic recipes made in small batches, House of Webster offers a variety of products such as jams, jellies, fruit spreads, preserves, fruit but- ters, mustards, relishes, salsas, salad dress- ings, barbecue sauces and rubs, marinades and other condiments. House of Webster products are sold on a wholesale basis all over the country under the House of Webster or Lost Acres label. The company also offers private labels services as customers provide custom art to create labels and build their brand aware- ness. Small grocery chains, specialty grocery stores, farm stores, gift shops, amusement parks, hardware stores, mu- seums and resorts offer HOW products be- cause of the company's reputation for quality and value. Gifts are a huge part of the House of Web- ster offering. Corporate, online and direct mail gifting have been a huge part of the business for many years. Giving holiday gifts from House of Webster will include de- licious smoked meats and bacon as well as fine cheeses and baking mixes to add to its already famous jams and jel- lies. House of Webster has been a reliable and innova- tive co-manufacturer to serve national and regional food brands. With a full purchasing and research and development team, it can bring new item ideas to market in its SQF Level 2 Certified facility. Known for its standards of quality and excellence in food manufacturing since 1934, House of Webster has expanded its ca- pabilities in the fall of 2015 to become USDA Organic certified. Visit House of Webster at booth #5528. Not Your Average Chocolate Chocolate isn't just chocolate anymore. The standard chocolate bar is slowly becoming a thing of the past. At only 5 percent annual growth, it may eventually become a relic, only to be seen in Willy Wonka films and trick-or-treat bags. Modern consumers crave something more: a tanginess, a spice, a crunch. That's why the chocolate category is exploding, but not in the aisles you might ex- pect. Shoppers are searching for more than just cocoa in their daily sweet indulgence. From peanut butter to pretzels, brands have reimagined what a chocolate experience can be. Element, the nation's top coated rice cake brand, has also entered the fray, introducing a crispy crunch to the chocolate lovers' palate. The New York-based company has al- ready revolutionized the rice cake section by launching bold, exciting flavors such as Sweet Mint, Vanilla Orange and Straw- berry'n'Cream. Its chocolate dipped rice cakes not only lead the coated rice cake category, but also stand among the top 10 natural chocolate products at one of the nation's largest retail- ers. Element and two other brands own 22.6 percent of the total rev- enue from these top 10 brands at this chain. That is an incredible sta- tistic, and suggests that nearly a quarter of last year's natural choco- late dollars were spent on new, ex- citing chocolate creations. It makes sense. American con- sumers are flocking to healthier al- ternatives, which includes sensible snacking, but where do you turn to satisfy that naughty sweet tooth? Lower calorie, lower sugar, all-natural options bring the best of all worlds, and shoppers agree. In addition to less guilt, these snacks represent the future of chocolate flavors. Sweet- ness is made all the sweeter when paired with salts, nuts or a crunchy texture that leaves you begging for an- other bite. Brands like Ele- ment offer diverse ingredients and unique fla- vors unseen in the world of natural chocolate. Some call this trend "sweets for grown- ups." Others call it "adult candy bars." One thing is for certain – you can't call it "your average chocolate." For more information, visit booth #5750. New Soft-Baked Cookies from J&M Foods J&M Foods proudly continues its family tra- dition and passion for good food by provid- ing its customers with the best tasting cheese straws and cookies in the market. As a fam- ily-owned business operating for roughly three decades, it is happy to bring a little joy to its customers' eating experience. J&M Foods currently offers 19 varieties of cheese straws and cookies as well as ad- ditional seasonal offerings. Working with various combinations of cheeses, chocolates, nuts, grains, fruits and spices, there's never a dull moment at J&M Foods. Its products are great for everyday pleasure and make the perfect gift. In addition, the company is al- ways in the kitchen exploring new possibil- ities to tickle the taste buds and provide something new for its customers' enjoyment. In keeping with the 100-year-old family recipe that inspired the great tasting Original Cheese Straws, J&M Foods is committed to maintaining its heritage of providing great products made from the finest ingredients available. All of its products are trans- fat free and baked with care. The company's latest creation and something it is very proud to add to the Janis & Melanie line of products comes in the form of a large, soft- baked cookie (3 inches in diameter). They're made with butter, whole egg and a whole lot of love. Varieties include Chocolate Chunk, Brownie and Oatmeal Cranberry. Each car- ton contains eight 1-ounce cookies, which are individually wrapped. Enjoy them with milk, coffee, tea, ice cream or by themselves anytime as a snack. J&M Foods enjoys being flexible enough to handle all of its customers' needs. Located in a 32,000 square foot facility resid- ing on 21 acres, it has room to grow along with its customers. Cen- trally located and nationally recognized, J&M Foods is an award-winning market leader within the specialty foods industry. Visit J&M Foods at booth #5421. For more information, call 800.264.2278. Bissinger's Introduces Mini Chocolates, Impulse Items of Exquisite Taste Bissinger's signature chocolate is now per- fectly sized for an on-the go indulgence cus- tomers won't be able to resist. Bissinger's mini chocolates, flow-wrapped in individual single serving size pieces, are available in two top-selling flavors: 75% Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt and Dulce De Leche – crafted with 38 percent milk chocolate, creamy caramel, cinnamon and a touch of fleur de sel. These new must-have chocolates have only 60 calories in each piece, are gluten free and contain no artificial colors or flavors. They are crafted with the finest, responsibly- sourced ingredients including Bissinger's proprietary blend of Rainforest Alliance Cer- tified™ cocoa. Each of the new mini Bissinger's chocolate flavors are packaged in a sleek, 50-piece count gravity feed display that is specifically designed for impulse placement and shopping. Bissinger's 75% Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt minis debuted this spring at 8,000 Starbucks locations. "Our new Bissinger's mini choco- lates are perfectly positioned to cap- ture the rapid growing trend of bite-size snacking," said Tim Fogerty, President and Chief Executive Officer. Now both dark chocolate and caramel lovers can have a great chocolate indulgence, perfectly sized for a grab and go treat. With only 60 calo- ries in each piece, they are going to be hard to resist. "Initial reaction to this new item has been extremely pos- itive," said Fogerty. Visit Bissinger's at booth #5411. Funky Chunky Launches New Café Line Funky Chunky ® , LLC is pleased to an- nounce the launch of its new product line, Funky Chunky Café. The three new specialty coffee flavors are inspired by a local coffee shop and indulgently crafted for craving. The Caramel Latte starts out with Funky Chunky's decadent buttery popcorn. Then it adds layers of caramel latte white chocolate drizzle, milk chocolate drizzle, chewy caramel and highlights it with dark chocolate covered espresso beans. The Vanilla Sweet Crème is similar, but with vanilla sweet crème white chocolate, chewy caramel and white chocolate covered espresso beans. Lastly, the Dark Chocolate Mocha loads up with dark chocolate mocha drizzle, milk chocolate drizzle, chewy caramel and dark chocolate covered espresso beans. "In developing these flavors, we spent many hours sampling a variety of specialty coffee drinks from all over the world for inspiration. Everyone loves coffee so we wanted to get it right. The aroma alone whisks you to a comfy chair in a local coffee shop, and then the taste will certainly ex- ceed your expectations," says Laura Kruse, National Sales Manager. About Funky Chunky, LLC Funky Chunky specializes in gourmet pop- corn and pretzel drizzled gourmet snacks. Its head- quarters and showroom are at 6750 Shady Oak Road, Eden Prairie, MN 55344. Funky Chunky is available at fine retailers and hundreds of specialty retail shops nationally. Visit Funky Chunky at booth #4917. For more information, call 888.473.8659 or go to www.funkychunky.com.