Oser Communications Group

SWEETS & TREATS SHOW EXTRA www.gourmetnews.com n MAY 2018 n GOURMET NEWS S T 3 8 made in Sydney back in 1957. Our world famous licorice is made in Sydney, Aus- tralia before being exported globally. As well as the original Darrell Lea licorice, our brand portfolio also includes RJ's and Lucky Country. RJ's is batch made out of a small town in New Zealand and is market leading in terms of both quality and ingre- dients. Lucky Country is made out of the same factory as Darrell Lea but captures that full flavor experience that candy purists love. We are basically 'the home of soft licorice.' GN: Who can customers buy through in the U.S.? JC: Earlier this year, we step changed our U.S. business by setting up our very own sales team under our own U.S. entity – DL Distribution. We now work directly with our retailer partners, distributors and broker net- work throughout the U.S. This allows us to get one step closer to the consumer, ensuring that our offer remains relevant and our NPD market leading. GN: Why should retailers stock Darrell Lea Liquorice? JC: Darrell Lea is currently the No.1 soft liquorice in the U.S. and our brand portfolio accounts for over 50 percent of the premium segment value (IRI data). What has become apparent in the last few years is that con- sumers are moving away from traditional brands and seeking out products that both taste better but are also made using quality ingredients. You won't find preservatives or high fructose corn syrup in any of our brands – instead we source only the best in- gredients, with recipes perfected over 60 years, and proudly call out claims such as 'no artificial colors or flavors, Non-GMO Project, nut free and vegetarian friendly.' Consumers are increasingly switching out of major brands into products with cleaner in- gredient decks. We are naturally positioned in this space. GN: What news do you have in 2018? JC: We have very exciting news for 2018 that includes a complete revamp of our cur- rent range. This will see our current peg bags move into a new look 7 ounce reseal- able pouch bag that helps us meet consumer needs around portion control and freshness. As well as our new look 'traditional' range, we are introducing Darrell Lea in a 10 ounce laydown bag to cater for our growing consumer base. The laydown format still accounts for over 50 percent of all licorice sales in the U.S. What our product will bring to the market is the same great format that Americans know and love – but with a very clean ingredient deck and an amaz- ingly soft bite. We are excited about bring- ing a better licorice to the U.S. market. Our consumers will also be pleased to know that Darrell Lea is now Non-GMO Project cer- tified and the logo will start appearing on our products from August. GN: Where is the company headed in the fu- ture? JC: With a dedicated U.S. sales team and a new and exciting look for the U.S., this is very much the beginning for us. We have the original, softest, best tasting licorice in the U.S. and are excited about sharing our story with more Americans than ever be- fore. For more information, visit booth #1521. Darrell Lea (Cont'd. from p. 1) to build the strong foundation of a business that is today one of the country's leading pie companies. The secret of their success was their unwavering commitment to producing the highest quality pie possible. It is this commitment, coupled with an emphasis on customer service, which has allowed the company to prosper for over 90 years. The second and third generation management, still operating the plant today, carries on this tradition. It is an emphasis on quality that continues to fuel the company's growth. Table Talk Pies are available in a wide va- riety of flavors that any customer would want, and they are all made with that famous Table Talk "Old Fashioned" recipe that is sure to de- light. Table Talk manufactures the highest quality pies. It uses the finest of ingredients: wild blueberries from Maine, New York ap- ples, Georgia peaches, pumpkins from the Amish farmlands of Pennsylvania, sweet po- tatoes grown in the rich soils of North and South Carolina and pecans from Texas. Table Talk is one of the leading full line producers of pies, providing its customers with a wide range of sizes and formats. It specializes in 4-inch snack pies, selling over two million snack pies per week. It also has significant business in the larger dessert pies, particularly 8 inch. The company is currently selling over 400,000 larger pies per week, and this number continues to grow. The 4-inch pies are sold in both fresh and thaw-and-sell formats. The company partic- ipates in all major retail segments, including supermarkets, convenience stores and mass merchandisers. Its pies are available nation- wide through Dot Foods or many other wholesalers and distributors across the U.S. Sales for fresh pies are focused on the north- east, while the thaw-and-sell pies are sold na- tionwide. Table Talk offers exclusive branding in its 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch and 10-inch pies. It sells pies in both baked and unbaked formats, and in a variety of packaging styles. The company's goal is to provide its cus- tomers with pies in whatever way they want them. Table Talk produces pies in its two facili- ties located in Worcester, Massachusetts and Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Its Worcester plant is 150,000 square feet and has four main pie lines, with three tunnel ovens and three spiral freezers. Its Shrewsbury plant is 40,000 square feet and has two main pie lines with two tunnel ovens and two spiral freezers. In September 2017, the company opened a third facility (50,000 square feet) on Southgate Street in Worcester, Massachu- setts. The company's production capacity is over three million 4-inch pies per week and close to 500,000 8-inch pies per week. Whatever pie you purchase, the company knows that you will be delighted and look forward to your next Table Talk Pie. Visit Table Talk Pies at booth #4019. For more information, go to www.tabletalkpie.com. Table Talk Pies (Cont'd. from p. 1) Association's 2017 Summer Fancy Food Show, where it was selected from 3,000 en- tries across 39 categories by a national panel of 62 specialty food experts to win the com- petition's highest honor and the first ever Product of the Year Award. Most Innovative New Product Award in the Gourmet/Premium Category at the NCA's 2017 Sweets & Snacks Expo, where product submissions are rated on taste, pack- aging, innovation and go-to-market feasibil- ity, by a panel of judges including leading candy and snack buyers and other food in- dustry experts. Gold sofi Award in the Sweet Snacks Category in the Specialty Food Associa- tion's 2017 sofi Awards competition, where products were judged in a blind tasting based on flavor, appearance, tex- ture and aroma, as well as ingredient qual- ity. "We are honored that Coconut Cashew Crunch has won the NCA's Most Innova- tive New Product Award, the Gold sofi Award for best Sweet Snack, and the first ever sofi Product of the Year Award," said Phil DeWester, Vice President of Market- ing for Las Olas Confections & Snacks. "We created a truly addictive confection for today's coconut-obsessed consumers. This tropical twist on a classic brittle is handmade in copper kettles with fresh shredded coconut, cashews, butter and brown sugar with a dark chocolate drizzle. The result is a deliciously crunchy, super satisfying snack and confection all in one." Coconut Cashew Crunch comes in three delicious flavors: Original Recipe, triple award-winning Dark Chocolate Drizzle and a New Key Lime Drizzle, which, ac- cording to Krisztina Toth, Anastasia Brand Manager, "tastes just like a slice of coconut key lime pie, but with a crunchy twist." All three flavors will be available starting March 2018 in 5-ounce re-sealable stand up pouches at $4.49 MSRP, while Original Recipe and Dark Chocolate Drizzle will also be available in 2.5-ounce stand up pouches at $2.99 MSRP. About Anastasia Confections ® Anastasia Confections, makers of world-fa- mous Coconut Patties, has been committed to creating innovative tropical confections since 1984. Its products, made in an SQF Level 2 facility in Orlando, Florida, include Coconut Patties, Salt Water Taffy, Choc-O- Gators and more. Anastasia is a Las Olas Confections & Snacks brand. Visit Anastasia at the Las Olas booth #769. For more information, contact Phil DeWester, Vice President of Marketing, at 407.816.9944 x204 or pdewester@lasolas brands.com. Anastasia Confections (Cont'd. from p. 1) Real Jerky Co. "When we launched our first chicken jerkies back in the early days, we set a new industry standard in terms of quality and taste. We're looking to raise the bar yet again with everything about this product – yet another way to get a high-protein, low-sugar, low-cholesterol snack on-the-go." About Chef's Cut Real Jerky Co. Chef 's Cut Real Jerky Co. was created by Chef Blair Swiler and Dennis Riedel. Swiler was caddying alongside Riedel, and shared his homemade jerky with him – real cuts of premium beef – right there on the golf course. They teamed up and began smoking and selling Chef's Cut Real Jerky Co. to golf and country clubs across the United States. Today, their vision is to change the way people, on and beyond the golf course, think about jerky by creating the best-tasting, highest quality jerky on the market. Chef's Cut Real Jerky Co. only uses hand-cut, premium pieces of meats that are marinated with real ingredients and cured using a proprietary smoking process. The company aims to make a real, chef-crafted snack that can be taken where chefs can't. So go ahead, take the Chef with you. Visit Chef 's Cut Real Jerky Co. at booth #2457. For more information, go to www.chefscutrealjerky.com. Chef's Cut Real Jerky (Cont'd. from p. 8) Butter Sandwich Cookies in five amazing flavor profiles: Oat & Honey with Peanut Butter; Oat & Cranberry with Almond But- ter; Oat & Coconut with Cashew Butter, Shortbread with Cookie Butter and Short- bread with Hazelnut Butter. SUZIE'S Soft & Creamy cookie line drives sales and profits as the consumer will need to savor each fla- vor over and over. Nothing says snacking like flatbreads, so the company is launching SUZIE'S newest Flatbreads: Sprouted Multiseed and Sprouted Pretzel Top. Made with whole grains, non-GMO, kosher and delicious. Whatever your favorite nosh, it sits best on a SUZIE'S Ancient Grain Flatbread; also available in five other kamut or spelt based flavors. The company didn't stop there, though. You haven't snacked till you've tried popped Lotus Seeds available in five flavor profiles, Sprouted Rice Puddings made with Coconut Milk, Organic Popcorn Cakes and Peanut Butter topped Chocolate Rice Cakes. SUZIE'S – Innovation you can taste, in- novation for your health! Innovation that drives sales! For more information, visit booth #1261, go to www.goodgroceries.com, email info@ good-groceries.com, call 718.768.0821 or follow the company on Pinterest, Instagram, www.twitter.com/SuziesBrand or www .facebook.com/Suzies.Natural.Products. SUZIE'S (Cont'd. from p. 8)

• Cover