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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n SEPTEMBER 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 2 0 enhanced by the rum rather than overpow- ered by it. When these rum cakes were given as gifts or served at parties, they got rave reviews. Friends and family relayed how they enjoyed it with morning coffee, after dinner and needed to have another piece every time they walked past it. With family and friends seeming never to get enough of this fabulous treat, it was clear she had succeeded in her goal. Cassandra and her husband, Ken, felt there was a great opportunity for this deli- cious rum cake at retail. Both Ken and Cas- sandra have extensive sales and marketing backgrounds, so they began to work on building the foundation to seeing Cassan- dra's Gourmet Classics Rum Cake sold on shelves of retailers, the internet and in cat- alogs. In 2006, they became an LLC and named the rum cake brand Island Treasures Gour- met™. Working with a designer, they created a box evoking the deep vibrant colors of a tropical sunset. They packaged the cake in a container that protects the rum cake when shipping, is attractive for serving and pro- vides storage once cut. There have been many compliments on the re-closeable con- tainer and the attractive gift box – just one more thing to set Cassandra's Gourmet Rum Cake apart. In 2007, they started selling 32-ounce Vanilla Rum Cakes – baking, packaging and shipping were all done in their home. In 2008, they moved to their first commercial facility and converted to a corporation that same year. Since starting in the family kitchen, Cassandra's Gourmet Classics twice has expanded the commercial bakery facili- ties and will soon outgrow the current loca- tion in Manassas, Virginia. Island Treasures Gourmet Rum Cakes are sold in specialty stores in major markets throughout the United States, multiple divi- sions of Amazon.com and on the company website at www.islandtreasuresgourmet .com. There is also a growing private label rum cake business, sold in more than 30 states and internationally. In 2017, the com- pany expanded into foodservice. Due to the nature of the ingredients and the packaging procedures, the rum cakes are shelf stable at room temperature – 32-ounce cakes, 4-plus months, and 4-ounce cakes, 9- plus months – both longer if frozen. Today the selection includes Vanilla, Co- conut, Cinnamon Pecan Streusel, Choco- late, Banana and Raspberry Rum Cakes in both 32-ounce and 4-ounce sizes, as well as Chocolate Chocolate Chip in a 4-ounce size. Cassandra's Gourmet Rum Cakes are made fresh in the company's own FDA in- spected and compliant facility. "We will not compromise quality to save a dollar, as we believe quality and consistency bring the customer back," says Cassandra Craig, Owner and Creator. The result is a great tasting rum cake that is perceived as a premium product from first glance to last bite. For sales information, contact Ken Craig at ken@cassandrasgourmet.com and 703.801.4671. Contact President Cassandra Craig at cassandra@cassandrasgourmet.com and 703.615.2253. Cassandra's Gourmet (Cont'd. from p. 1) they often collaborated on the processing and sale of almonds in new and creative ways. Almonds were becoming a more desirable crop, and the demand for almonds around the world was rapidly increasing. Both men en- joyed the fruits of their labor with their fam- ilies, while their legacies continued to grow. A year ago when the Nunes Family de- cided to sell the company, it was an easy de- cision to collaborate with the Jaspers. The company values aligned and the Nunes' were confident that Jasper Specialty Foods would maintain the same integrity and qual- ity that they had worked so fervently to es- tablish over the last 30 years. Producing a unique product with the highest level of quality, freshness and creative packaging while serving faithful customers with friendly, honest, reliable and consistent service are the pillars upon which both busi- nesses were founded and continue to foster today. In June of 2016, Nunes Farms officially handed over the reins to Jason Jasper, a third generation Jasper who is running the very successful operation. "From farm to market" is a slogan often used by Jason to epitomize the company's philosophy, which reads, "We are farmers seeking to grow and produce the finest almonds in the world by controlling every aspect of the process including planting, farming, har- vesting, processing, packaging, sales and distribution." Jason understands the impor- tance of innovation and therefore is com- mitted to developing new flavors, custom mixes and smart packaging with an em- phasis on small batch processing and ex- ceptional quality. The family-run operation is headquartered in Newman, California, specializing in the production of unique almond-related food snacks, confections and other treats for the gourmet food market. Some of its popular brands include Nunes Farms, Jake's Nut Roasters and Jasper Ranch, to name a few. For more information, call 800.255.1641, email info@jasperspecialtyfoods.com or go to www.nunesfarms.com. Jasper Specialty Foods (Cont'd. from p. 1) Star Kay White: Pure Extracts Since 1890 Star Kay White was founded by David Katzenstein on February 14, 1890. The maker of top-quality ice cream flavorings has been owned and operated by the Katzen- stein family for five generations. The busi- ness, originally known as Star Extract Works, was located in New York City, ex- actly where the World Trade Center's North Tower once stood. Today, that may seem like an odd location to start a manufacturing busi- ness, but in 1890, transportation in New York City was horse-powered and their trade was with small hand-crank ice cream shops and the dairy industry, all located on the tip of Manhattan Island. David's sons, Carl and Miles, developed flavored extracts – vanilla, peppermint, cinnamon, rose, strawberry and rum – and sold them to bakers, brewers, dis- tillers and ice-cream makers. The business thrived in Manhattan for 38 years and then moved to the Bronx in 1928, just before the Great Depression and Second World War. In 1984, under the guidance of Miles' son Walter, the company settled into its current home in Congers, New York, where it occupies four buildings on 10 acres. The company is now owned by Ben Katzen- stein, the great grandson of David – 62 years served, grandson of Miles – 66 years served, and son of Walter – 65 years served. Ben oversees the company's operations with his two sons, Alex and Gabe, fifth generation Katzensteins. Star Kay White continues to flavor Amer- ica's ice creams today with new and innova- tive ingredients and technical capabilities. One hundred and twenty-five employees make about 40 million pounds of product an- nually in the 100,000 square-foot facility. "They're flavorings, like whiskey caramel, sea salt caramel, graham cracker, rum raisin, marshmallow, all sorts of chocolates – with and without sugar, dark and milk, mixed with other flavorings – as well as peppermint candies, butter crunch, English toffee, chocolate almonds and chocolate-covered espresso pillows," says Ben Katzenstein, Chief Executive Officer of Star Kay White. Yet, even after all of these many years, the heritage of Star Kay White lives on through the extracts that were at the heart of the com- pany's beginnings. The Pure Extracts line offers a selection of exquisite fla- vors, ranging from Pure Almond, Chocolate, Lemon, Lavender, Rose and Peppermint. Re- cently, the modern culi- nary flavors of Pure Rosemary, Cardamom and Lime have been added to the collection. This extensive line of high quality extracts is available for the home chef in 2-ounce bot- tles, as well as for the professional chef and brew master in half-liter, liter and gallon con- tainers. All of the extracts are Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, kosher, all nat- ural and manufactured at Star Kay White's facilities in New York State from the finest ingredients available. For more information, call 845.268.2600. Colorado Confectioner Answers Snack Demands with Sweet, Savory Treats "There's a reason that almost 80 percent of the U.S. population exceeds the recommen- dations for added sugars: our nation has a sweet tooth!" shared Andrew Schuman, Hammond's Brands President and Chief Ex- ecutive Officer, when asked what led Col- orado's favorite confectioner to launch its new Mellow Fluff snacking marshmallows. "A serving of Mellow Fluffs offers a health- ier way to get a sugar fix without sacrificing the marshmallowy flavor that snackers love." Hammond's Brands, the parent company of Hammond's Candies, Old Dominion Peanut Company, McCraw's Candies and Mellow Snacks, is approaching 2017 with renewed focus not just on what satiates the appetites of a generation that snacks more than any other, but what trends predict they'll buy more of: snacks perceived as fresher and healthier than junky counterparts. As snack sales account for a full 40 percent of the $370 billion U.S. packaged food mar- ket and this percentage is expected to grow each year, Hammond's has big and flavorful plans for this new line of handmade, 100- calories-per-serving marshmallow snacks that pair innovative flavors with the sweet, gooey goodness that consumers know and love. To start, Hammond's launched a range of delightful flavors, including Toasted Co- conut, Birthday Cake, Vanilla Bean, Key Lime, Snickerdoodle and Mocha Latte. These snackable marshmallows are packaged in six-per-case, 4-ounce re-sealable pouches that retail at $3.99 with strong profit margins and promo- tional programs, making them an ideal addition to grocery, club, drug, mass and specialty store stock. Renowned for its inventive can- dies that pay tribute to traditional treats, this latest release demon- strates Hammond's ability to branch out of confections and into the ever-popular snack- ing category. With the Mellow Snacks line, the innovative and forward-thinking Ham- mond's forges a new frontier, filling a niche that combines sweetness with a savory twist and addresses the rise of snacking as a must for increasingly busy con- sumers. The next wave of the line's snacks will hit the shelves in the form of Mellow Pop and Mellow Crunch in early 2018. Mellow Fluffs began ship- ping in early March with great intro promotions, so speak to your sales rep today about how you can add this innovative new product to your shelves. For more information, go to www.hammonds candies.com or call 800.CANDY.99 (800.226.3999). Follow Hammond's Candies on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ hammondscandies and on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/hammondscandies.

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