Oser Communications Group

SNACKING NEWS 4 SNACKING NEWS December 2017 WWW.SNACKINGNEWS.COM PUBLISHER Kimberly Oser SENIOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jules Denton jules_d@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann EDITOR Robin Mather ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jeanie Catron Micah Cheek Greg Gonzales JoEllen Lowry Karrie Welborn ART DIRECTOR Yasmine Brown GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jonathan Schieffer CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGERS Sarah Glenn Caitlyn McGrath DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Tara Neal tara_n@oser.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Jamie Green subscriptions@oser.com PUBLISHING OFFICE 1877 N. Kolb Road Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300 Fax 520.721.6300 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Snacking News P.O. Box 30520 Tucson, AZ 85751 520.721.1300 OSER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP FOUNDER Lee M. Oser Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Snacking News is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520.721.1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2017 by Oser Communications Group. All rights re- served. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is expressly pro- hibited. Back issues, when available, cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months. Back orders must be paid in advance either by check or charged to American Express, Visa, or Master Card. Snacking News is distributed without charge in North America to qualified professionals in the retail and distribution channels of the chain drug, convenience, grocery, and specialty foods trade; paid subscriptions cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 annually to cover air delivery. All payments must be made in U.S. funds and drawn on a U.S. bank. For subscriber services, including subscription information, call 520.721.1300. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Snacking News, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715. As we near the end of a tumultuous 2017, my thoughts have centered on two words: gratitude and nourishment. As I traveled the coun- try this year, attending the same trade shows that lots of you did, and as I spoke to hurricane survivors and peo- ple who endured the devastating Califor- nia wildfires, I found that many other people's thoughts have centered on those two words, too. I'm grateful for opportunities to meet and talk with makers, vendors and retail- ers at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago, Illinois; the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, New York; the American Cheese Society conference in Denver, Colorado; and the NACS show, again in Chicago. Walking the aisles of those trade shows and conferences has given me an appreciation for the ingenuity of these makers, as their innovations have often surprised and astounded me. Chew- able coffee, anyone? (See page 12.) I've had a chance to sit in on educa- tional seminars and sessions that have shown me that you retailers take your business very seriously, and I'm moved by that, too, because I feel proud to know people like you. You've pricked up your ears to listen carefully and focused your eyes forward, so that you can discern what your customers want before they may even know it themselves. Your en- ergy, commitment and passion for suc- cess are an inspiration to me. At many of these shows, and outside of them, I have been lucky enough to inter- view people whose knowledge can help you and improve your business's success. Best-selling author and nutritionist Joy Bauer, whose story starts on Page 1 of this issue, talks about nourishment of both body and spirit, and how snacks can be a big part of a healthy lifestyle. She also offers solid information to help you draw your health-minded customers' at- tention to the best choices in your stores. In late summer, I interviewed some of your colleagues and customers about what Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria had meant in their lives. Without excep- tion, no matter how difficult their own losses – both personal and professional – had been, each mentioned their concern for others who had been hit harder. Just before this issue went to print, I spoke with California food producers whose livelihoods were threatened or nearly destroyed by the wildfires there. Again, in every case, everyone I inter- viewed said they knew of others whose lives had been affected far more profoundly than their own. Their compassion and con- cern for their neighbors, coupled with their own confidence in their recovery, have given me hope and shown me the very best of what Americans can be in difficult times. In this holiday season, I am grateful for the gifts that this splendid opportunity as your editor has given me, gifts which have nourished my own body and spirit. I'm grateful to have found you, a power- ful community of passionate makers and well-meaning retailers. I am grateful for every reminder that we are, together, a group and a nation of people whose com- mitment is to each other, whatever our differences may be. Please accept this humblest of gifts from me: Here is a mirror which shows you just how splendid you are. n The Gifts We've Been Given, and That We Give to Each Other

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