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    Denise Purcell
    The humanitarian disaster in Ukraine is the latest example of food industry support. Since Russia launched its invasion, chefs, food organizations, foodservice operators, and grocers have hosted events, mobilized resources, and pledged funds on both widescale levels for large chains and local efforts by restaurants and independents. Below you’ll find a summary of some efforts to support the impact of the devastation. 
    Chef José Andrés’ nonprofit food relief organization World Central Kitchen has volunteers in Poland, Romania, Moldova, Slovakia, and Hungary, serving over one million meals to Ukrainians as they flee the country. The organization has more than 330 distribution points in 55 cities. WCK is also working with dozens of chefs and restaurant partners in 12 cities within Ukraine to serve those who remain in the country.  Within Ukraine, Ievgen Klopotenko, winner of MasterChef Ukraine in 2015, has turned his restaurant into a bomb shelter for feeding civilians and Ukrainian fighters.  The Fresh Market is running a fundraising campaign through April 12 in which proceeds from register donations and through the sale of special bouquets made with sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower, will be given to World Central Kitchen.  Bake for Ukraine is a worldwide bake sale launched on Feb. 26 that allows independent bakers to raise money for organizations like World Central Kitchen, International Rescue Committee, and Sunflower of Peace.  Aldi company Aldi Sud, headquartered in Essen, Germany, about 1,100 miles from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, has donated 5 million Euros for immediate and long-term humanitarian aid. Aldi UK, part of Aldi Sud, is offering jobs to Ukrainian refugees. Kroger is sending emergency food assistance to refugees through a monetary grant from The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation to the United Nations World Food Program’s Ukraine Emergency Fund. Kroger will match all gifts made by its associates and customers, up to $250,000.  Restaurants across the U.S. hosted fundraisers to donate proceeds. In Chicago, Wherewithall, operated by Johnny Clark, a Ukrainian-American chef, and Beverly Kim, launched a Ukrainian menu and donated a portion of proceeds to Razom for Ukraine, a pro-democracy nonprofit. Brooklyn’s pierogi restaurant Pierozek ran a similar event to support Ukrainian Armed Forces. In Portland, Kachka restaurant donated all proceeds from its Chervona Wine Cocktail to the Red Cross’ humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.  Southeastern Grocers, parent company of WinnDixie grocery stores, Harveys Supermarket, and Fresco y Más, donated 100 percent of proceeds from its private-label Ukrainian vodka in the month of March to the International Committee of the Red Cross.   Shoppers at Publix can add donations to register totals and all funds will go toward the Red Cross’ work to distribute food, medicine, and medical supplies to Ukrainians impacted by the war.  Grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash enlisted its military division to send supplies like baby formula, energy drinks, and over-the-counter medications to Poland. The company has pledged $1 million to support the humanitarian disaster.  This is just a small sample of activities going on throughout the food world. If you know of more that should be highlighted, want to share what you are doing in your own businesses and communities, or have an idea about how to help, please join our conversation here on the specialtyfood.com Community Hub.
    Julie Gallagher
    How long have you been with SFA and tell us about what you do? 
    I've been with the SFA since April 2019. Initially, I was hired on as a temporary Project Manager on the sofi™ Awards. As of March 2020, I took on the role of Social Media Manager and officially became an SFA employee in September 2020. 
    What is your favorite memory or experience from your time with the SFA? 
    My first time working at the 2019 Summer Fancy Food Show would have to be one of my favorite memories. I was in awe of the convention, the food, the people and the energy! SFA is a community full of interested, passionate, and innovative specialty food lovers! Meeting the sofi Awards winners, specifically, was a highlight for me as I had been working closely with them leading up to the Meet & Greet. 
    Where were you born? 
    Trenton, NJ 
    Do you prefer to eat in or go out? 
    If my mom or nonnina is cooking, I prefer in. Otherwise, I love me a good meal out. 
    What is your fondest food memory?  
    I feel fortunate to have had a variety of fond food memories. One that sticks out to me the most was on Christmas Eve in a small mountain town in Calabria, Italy. I stayed with family-friends to celebrate the holiday. We started the seven fishes at 8 pm and continued on past midnight. Food was on rotation for 4+ hours, and, of course, it was incredible. 
    What is your favorite food city? 
    Every city has its magic, however, Italy as a whole rarely disappoints. 
    What is the strangest thing you’ve eaten? 
    I was given a sugar cane stalk to gnaw on in Haiti. I didn't really care for the texture. It was a unique and interesting experience. 
    Best piece of advice you have been given and has served you well? 
    You become what you surround yourself with. 
    Denise Purcell
    The Specialty Food Association recently launched a podcast as part of Heritage Radio Network’s programming. Hosted by SFA’s content and education team, Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast tells the stories of SFA members, the entrepreneurs, makers, and buyers behind the foods and beverages in the specialty food market. Listeners can discover the inspiration, recipe, craft, culture, ingredients, and production methods that make specialty food special and get a deeper understanding of the people and motivation behind the products.
    Here is a sample of some conversations taking place in Spill & Dish episodes:
    “What we wouldn’t do again is think that we can belong anywhere. You want to be sure you grow sustainably and organically. Buyers are enticing. A big buyer comes in and says, we love your product, we want you to be in 3,000 stores. And you think, great opportunity!  But maybe you don’t belong in those 3,000 stores. Test first in maybe 300 stores.” 
    —Michael Antonorsi, Chuao Chocolatier, on what he would do differently when building his brand
    “All women. It’s never lost on me that it was a group of women who were saying, yes, join our community, we will mentor you and teach you and you’ll learn from our wins and mistakes, and we’ll welcome you into the fray.”
    —Jill Giacomini Basch, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., on cheesemakers welcoming newcomers to the early specialty cheese movement in California’s North Bay
    “There are a significant—not huge—but significant number of buyers who don’t care about the romance of a family business and heritage and that these are our personal recipes. You’d occasionally be interrupted by someone barking, ‘Can you or can you not give us six free jars per item per store?’ and didn’t want to hear about my grandmother.”
    —Doug Renfro, Renfro Foods, on the biggest surprise he encountered in the specialty food business
    “We came here not knowing a word of English and had to start from scratch and didn’t have anything at all, but I loved the opportunity we got from support of the government and the people in this country, and I wanted to try my best. I had a dream to give back to the community.”
    —Channy Laux, Angkor Cambodian Food, on fleeing the Cambodian genocide as a child and eventually starting a specialty food career
    “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No one expects you to know all the answers. No one thinks less of you for not knowing. It’s worse if you pretend you do know and barge into something and make a huge mistake with it.
    —Laura Sorkin, Runamok, on advice she’d give new specialty food companies
    Listen to episodes here or follow wherever you get your podcasts.
     
    Denise Purcell
    At the recent Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas, the SFA offered a roster of in-person education sessions to help specialty food companies navigate industry topics like supply chain challenges, ecommerce, and effective branding.
    In addition to a slate of sessions offered under its Maker Pass, SFA also hosted The Basics: The Business of Specialty Food, its longstanding day-long workshop to help prepare new companies for doing business. 
    Here is a sampling of information shared during the Winter Show education program with information on how to purchase the sessions.
    “Sales and marketing are out in front. This is the stuff that’s under the hood. But now, it is front and center.”—Bob Burke, Natural Product Consulting, Solving the Supply Chain Crisis
    Do three things everyday: listen and translate, build content, build community. Doing these over and over builds commerce.—Jomaree Pinkard, Hella Cocktail Co., Building a Brand, The Basics: The Business of Specialty Food 
    In-store tasting events are a great way to include chocolate even if it’s not the focus. Offer it as a sweet note at the end and you’ll find most carts will include it after the event.—Matt Caputo, Captuto’s Fine Market, Fine Chocolate Trends and Marketing Strategies for Specialty Food Retailers
    “If your team understands the destination and is equipped with trust to have creativity and act in the moment, you break down barriers and all members are doing their part in the moment to help the team succeed.—Jeff Grogg, JPG Resources, Innovation in the Face of Uncertainty
    “At the end of the day, Amazon customers are not your customers, they are Jeff Bezos’ customers. So should you drive a portion of your business toward Amazon and is Amazon ever profitable for your own business?”—Lou Nicolaides, Ludwig Marketing & Sales, Launch and Increase Your Online Sales
    To learn more, or if you couldn’t make it to the Show in person, you can go here to purchase the packages of sessions for The Basics and for Maker Space. SFA members receive discounted pricing.
     
    Julie Gallagher
    I’ve been with SFA for almost two months now. I’m working to build a program which will grow buyer membership and encourage buyers to become more involved and active with SFA. 
    What is your favorite memory, experience, or story from your time with the SFA?
    Going to my first food show is still one of my most favorite memories.  I was in awe seeing the vast array of specialty foods and confections from all around the world in one location.  Having the opportunity to meet and talk with people who were just as appreciative and passionate about food was inspiring.
     Where were you born?
     I was born in Louisville, KY
     What is your fondest food memory?
    Attending the White Truffle Festival in Alba, Italy.  We spent 10 days partaking in some of the most luxurious dining experiences I’ve had to this day.  Each dish was truly a work of culinary art.
    Do you prefer to eat in or go out?
     Ooh…that is a tough one.  I love to cook, but I do love a fantastic restaurant experience.  I draw inspiration from both.
     What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve been given that serves you well?
     Nothing good happens after midnight!
     What is one of the strangest things you’ve ever eaten?
     Horse meat is the strangest thing I’ve eaten.  I was not a fan.
     What is your favorite food city?
     This is another challenging question for me.  I’ve been fortunate to have dined in a lot of fantastic cities.  I can’t narrow it down to just one, so I picked my four favorite cities/towns for dining. New York City, Prague, Sorrento, and Grand Case in St. Martin.  I selected these places not just for the fantastic restaurants available to choose from, but also for the memories these places evoke for my family and me.
     
     
    Russell Kolody
    Welcome to the 2022 sofi Awards, the 50th Anniversary honoring creativity and great taste in the specialty food industry!
    Some important dates to remember:
    ·       Online entries ($105 per entry) for the 2022 Awards will remain open until March 31.
    ·       Product entries will be accepted at Rutgers Food Innovation Center from until April 8.
    ·       Judging for the 2022 sofi Awards will begin on April 12 and run through April 29.
    What’s new in 2022:
    ·       We’ve simplified our award levels to Gold and New Product.
    ·       You spoke, we listened!  We’ve broken out additional categories for this year’s Awards.  The following are stand-alone categories…Barbecue Sauce*Hot Sauce*Meat and Poultry*Seafood*Olive Oils*Nut and Other Oils*Vinegars.
    ·       The 2022 Product of the Year and New Product of the Year Awards will be announced live at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City.
    Key member and product eligibility rules to keep in mind:
    You must be a member in good standing of the Specialty Food Association.
     
    ·       2022 membership dues must be paid in full.
    ·       Entries in the New Product category must have been introduced to the U.S. market after February 28, 2021 and before February 28, 2022.
    ·       Products competing in all categories must be selling in the U.S. market no later than February 28, 2022.
    ·       All product entries must be ready for sale. Mock-ups and products still in R&D phase will not be accepted.
     
    If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, please reach out to us at sofiawards@specialtyfood.com
     
     
     
    Julie Gallagher
    Specialty Food’s first issue of 2022 features up-and-coming trends from the SFA’s Trendspotter Panel, explores the supply chain hurdles being scaled by food retailers, and profiles the food scene in Las Vegas, site of the Winter Fancy Food Show.
    More highlights from the winter issue:
    Specialty Food Maker: This section, that includes topics and business news to help producers and suppliers build their operations to stay prepared for challenges, features “5 Best Practices for Product Packaging,” “Maker Q&A: Challenges Ahead,” and “Is Food Purchased Online Safe?” Category Spotlight: “Coffee and Tea’s Wake-Up Call” Pandemic-driven changes in at-home coffee and tea consumption have been a boon to non ready-to-drink varieties. Cheese Focus: “American Cheddar Comes of Age” As consumers continue to seek comfort foods, it behooves retailers to keep their selection of domestically produce Cheddar cheese up to date. Retail Therapy: “Minimizing Food Waste” Specialty Food asked a trio of retailers about their strategies for minimizing food waste
    Claudine Berti
    The SFA Member Product Marketplace was recently upgraded to a new look and added functionality to make your brand and products more discoverable to qualified buyers and to enable direct online ecommerce. Many members are already on the Product Marketplace. But if you aren’t, or even if you are and could use some help improving your showroom, adding products or becoming transactional for ecommerce, we’ve got you! 
    At next week’s Winter Fancy Food Show, the SFA Member Product Marketplace will have a booth ( #2717) where members can bring their products to get free product images from a professional photographer. Then we’ll upload those product images to your Product Marketplace showroom to get you started. We’ll also have our partners from the Infinite Aisle, the transactional component of the Product Marketplace, in the booth to walk you through the onboarding process for the Infinite Aisle so that you can walk away from the booth ready to sell! 
    What’s more, the SFA is hosting a promotion exclusively for Winter 2022 Fancy Food Show member exhibitors on the SFA Member Product Marketplace. From Feb 21 through 25, we’ll spotlight member exhibitors to our digital audience of thousands of qualified specialty food buyers. There’s no fee to participate and all exhibiting members will be included in the promotion. To increase your visibility during this exclusive promotional week, update your profile with show discounts or special offers.  
    SFA Member Product Marketplace 
    Winter 2022 Fancy Food Show Exhibitor Spotlight 
    Quick Set Up Guide: 
    Log in to your account at www.shopspecialtyfood.balluun.com/en-us     Go to your Profile details, indicate whether you are extending any sales or discounts  Select YES for “Offering Winter ’22 Show Promotion” (call out: this will help buyers find your discounts)  Enter discount details in “Winter ’22 Show Promotion Details”  Go to your Showroom to add/edit products, images, lookbooks, videos and more!  Visit the Product Marketplace booth  #2717 for help updating your Product Marketplace profile for this exciting buyer-focused promotion. We’re excited to be getting back to business and can’t wait to see you at the Product Marketplace booth next week! 
    Julie Gallagher
    Through February 15, the Specialty Food Association will accept nominations for SFA Leadership Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the SFA Hall of Fame. Anyone may nominate either a current or former SFA member. Award winners will be celebrated at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show this June.
    The SFA’s three separate award categories celebrate leaders, legends, and remarkable innovators whose work helps shape the future of food. Maybe you were trained by them, work side-by-side with them today, or even see them in the mirror! 
    SFA Leadership Awards honor exceptional individuals who champion the positivity of our industry. Winners are recognized in one of three categories: 
    • Business Leadership: For creating economic opportunity and improved quality of life for food industry personnel.  
    • Citizenship: For improving communities through positive environmental choices, sustainable practices, hunger relief, and/or literacy.  
    • Vision: For pioneering new approaches, innovative products, and positive business models. 
    The SFA Hall of Fame honors those whose career contributions, innovations, and successes within the industry continue to inspire and motivate others. 
    Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to past and current Association members whose careers are widely recognized as advancing the specialty food industry. 
    Nominate someone today!

    Megan Rooney
    Can you believe that the Winter Fancy Food Show is less than eight weeks away? Me either! After almost two years, it is going to feel incredible to finally reconnect in person in Las Vegas. It’s already a hectic time of year, so preparing for your first Show in a long time may seem overwhelming. That’s why we’re excited to offer our How to Succeed at the Winter Fancy Food Show webinar taking place Wednesday, January 5 at 1pm ET.
    During the webinar, SFA Director of Trade Show Operations, Jennifer Carney, and her team will talk through deadlines, programs, and other valuable info for Fancy Food Show exhibitors. You’ll learn about onsite logistics, move in, shipping, freight, the comp booth package, sampling, refrigeration, and much more. You'll also hear from Alexis Tejeda, Regional Sales Manager at Runamok Maple, who will provide a member's perspective on how to prepare to exhibit, how to work the booth, and how to follow up with leads. We will wrap with a live Q&A period, so bring all your questions!
    If you are exhibiting at the Show, you may register in advance for this webinar here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you are unable to attend live, a recording will be available later that day. If you have any questions, please contact education@specialtyfood.com. Again, we hope you will join us for this valuable webinar and look forward to seeing you this February in Las Vegas!
    Julie Gallagher
    Specialty Food Association President Bill Lynch hosted the first annual SFA Way Awards, Wednesday, which recognized eight Specialty Food Association staff members that represent the SFA’s values in how staff engage with members and each other. The winners were voted for by their peers in each of the eight areas represented in SFA’s core values.
    An additional honor, the Stephen Leeman Award, was given to the staff member that received the most votes across all award categories. This award is named after the first president of the SFA (formerly NASFT, the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade), dating back to 1952 who was also the first signature on the Association’s certificate of incorporation.
    The 2021 SFA Way Award winners are:
    Exceptional Service
    Jessica Caceres, events & member development production manager
    “She works so hard to serve our members each and every day,” said one colleague. “She pulls so many disparate pieces of information for them so that they have a smooth path forward.”
    Integrity
    Tressa Kennedy, director, membership 
    “She is one of the kindest and most respectful people I know and whenever I work with her it’s a pleasure," said an SFA staffer of Kennedy.
    Accountability
    Jennifer Carney, director, tradeshow operations 
    “She is so passionate and dedicated to her work,” said Carney’s colleague. “She’s always willing to teach and help others with patience.”
    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    Katina Williams, director, brand marketing 
    “Nobody is working as hard as Kat at making a DEI impact,” said one of Williams' colleagues. “She is the only staff member leading a committee that is not a leadership team member.”
    Respect/Support
    Anthony Bavaro, director, financial planning & analysis
    “The epitome of respect and support..always ready to help research and answer questions and work through problems despite an intense workload and does it with a respectful, pleasant attitude,” said an SFA staffer of Bavaro.
    Collaboration
    Jon Cross, digital specialist
    “He provides exceptional service,” said an SFA staffer. “He’s so responsive and has a collaborative mindset. He is inquisitive and wants to understand how to best serve fellow staff.”
    Transparency
    Lysa Teal, SVP, finance & planning 
    “She is a strong leader that brings an internal service mindset," said an SFA staffer. "She has addressed so many issues from the past and calls it like she sees it ... willing to be transparent and tackle challenges.”
    Ongoing Learning
    Megan Rooney, education specialist
    ... always up for new projects and developing new skills... well-rounded in multiple areas of support ... poise, professionalism, and inclusivity ... respect and teamwork ... willingness to support in multiple capacities ...
    Stephen Leeman Award
    Jessica Caceres, Events & Member Development Production Manager
    “The SFA Way Awards were established to provide a platform of recognition for those staff members that live out our core values every day in how they engage one another and our members,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. ”What is so special about this recognition, is that it comes from their fellow peers on staff that personally experience the greatness they bring to their jobs each and every day. The SFA Way is how we do things here and is what makes this such a special organization for staff and our members.”
    Julie Gallagher
    The Specialty Food Association’s Leo Squatrito, vice president of events and member development, gave a digital tour of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The venue will be home to the 2022 Winter Fancy Food Show, taking place February 6-8, 2022.
    “If you haven’t been to Vegas in awhile it’s changed quite a bit over the last two years during the pandemic and I’m going to give you a sneak peek into some key areas on our show floor, talk about our registration and verification processes, and give you the information you need to come join us in Vegas,” said Squatrito.  “Whether as an exhibitor or attendee, we’d love to have you.”
     
    Denise Purcell
    The Specialty Food Association's recently released 2021-2022 edition of Today’s Specialty Food Consumer, a companion report to the annual State of the Specialty Food Industry research, dives into generational preferences, shopping habits, and purchasing motivators. Here are six takeaways from the new research.
    Diversity and sustainability support. Younger consumers care deeply about products from diverse suppliers, including women-, BIPOC-, LGBTQ- , veteran, and disabled-owned business, as well as those that are better for the environment (sustainable, upcycled, etc.), and they show it with their food dollars. Supermarket’s generation gap. Traditional supermarkets, long the top channel for specialty food sales, are experiencing a generation gap that could shift the market in time. While Boomers far and away prefer supermarkets to buy specialty food and beverages, the channel sees a significant drop with Gen-Xs, and gradually diminish in popularity with younger generations. Convenience, discounters, and clubs are on the rise, a situation that will grow as more Gen-Zs reach adulthood. Supermarkets who flourish are likely those focused on convenience, local, and small formats. New online audiences. The online grocery consumer landscape shifted in 2021 to bring in many more mature adults. Specialty brands must modify their marketing focus online beyond Gen-Zs and Millennials. Gen-Xs are a generation to focus on. They upped their online orders significantly during Covid, and likely have the greatest need for online ordering over the next year. Generational messaging. Specialty brands should tailor and emphasize messaging to different generations. Older generations want to hear more about products’ quality ingredients, while younger generations resonate with new and interesting innovations. Choosing products with health in mind is universally important to all generations, even more so as a result of the pandemic. OK Boomers! Boomers’ buy-in has been strong during the last two years. While it’s true that they’re less likely than others to be SFCs, when the do engage, they’re among the most likely to buy given categories at least occasionally. Targeting Boomers is an under-tapped opportunity for specialty companies, with so much emphasis often placed on young generations. Impulsiveness lives. Specialty food makers and retailers shouldn’t underestimate the “X” factor—impulse purchasing. Even in a year that severely impacted food discovery, with consumers reducing shopping trips, limiting browsing, and curtailing time to be curious, some 30% of SFCs made impulsive specialty purchases. Numbers have consistently risen over the last four years. You can read research highlights in the fall issue of Specialty Food Magazine. And the full report is available for purchase here or bundled with the State of the Specialty Food Industry research and category forecasts. SFA members receive a discount on pricing.
    Denise Purcell
    The Specialty Food Association has released its 2021-2022 edition of Today’s Specialty Food Consumer, a companion report to the annual State of the Specialty Food Industry research. Separating this research into its own report this year has allowed us to dig deeper into the behavior patterns, preferences, and habits of specialty food and non-specialty food consumers.
    The good news is that specialty food purchasing remains strong with nearly threequarters of adults (73 percent) reporting that they buy specialty foods and beverages. But, a year and a half of a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, social unrest, and political divide isn’t without its consequences, and they are surfacing in consumer enthusiasm. This year’s survey results show more lethargic response rates to questions pertaining to specialty food usage, behaviors, and attitudes.
    The research indicated this ennui is more a sign of the times than a red flag, as sales and consumer interest are still strong. But the annual report does offer insights into areas where consumers are engaging, which can help with marketing products and attracting shoppers in-store. Here are three that stand out:
    Carry diversity-owned brands.  Some 19 percent of all adults—not just specialty food consumers—said that they prefer to shop in stores that feature products from women-, Black-, BIPOC-, LGBTQ+-, veteran-, and other diverse-owned companies. This sentiment skews higher with specialty food consumers and even higher with Gen-Zs. In addition to helping support the owners, carrying these specialty brands can be a gateway to attract young specialty food and non-specialty food consumers. Reach more mature consumers.  Marketing attention often focuses on young consumers, but don’t dismiss older generations. Boomers’ buy-in has been strong during the past two years, for example, and they present an under-tapped opportunity for specialty companies. Emphasizing local and regional products, offering promotions  and  coupons tied to shopping habits or dietary needs, communicating COVID safety measures, and having employees in the store who are knowledgeable about specialty products are just some of the ways to impress and engage this group. Focus on online opportunities. The online grocery consumer landscape shifted in 2021 to bring in many more consumers. More than half (57 percent) of all adults said they’ve bought groceries online in 2021. That’s a 76 percent increase over 2020, or 62 million new online grocery shoppers. And again, the emphasis is on a more mature audience. Gen-Xs upped their online orders significantly during the pandemic, and report that in the past month they still ordered more than they did pre-COVID. Online shopping will remain an important channel, and a massive opportunity for brands. You can read more research highlights in the recently released fall issue of Specialty Food Magazine. And the full report is available for purchase here or bundled with the State of the Specialty Food Industry research and category forecasts. SFA members receive a discount on pricing.
    Julie Gallagher
    I specialize in building thoughtful, strategic, and results-driven marketing campaigns to tell compelling brand stories that make audiences pay attention. My second passion is my work on the SFA’s DEI Committee.
    Where do you live? I am truly a Jersey Girl, born and raised. I live in New Jersey and North Carolina part-time.
    What’s your favorite memory or experience from your time with the SFA? The first time attending the Fancy Food Show during my first week at the SFA! There were so many people and so much food. It was amazing and a bit intimidating.
    What’s your fondest food memory? That would be my first time hosting a large family Thanksgiving where I cooked. Now it has become tradition since they all realized that I can actually cook!
    Do you prefer to eat in or go out? I prefer to eat in and try new recipes.
    What’s your favorite food city? It depends on what I’m eating… Italian, soul food, and seafood are my favorites. Treviso, Italy had awesome food. For soul food, try anywhere in the Carolinas. But for seafood, there’s no place better than the Jersey Shore!
    What’s one of the strangest things you’ve ever eaten? Bee Pollen Granules
    What is your favorite memory, experience, or story from your time with the SFA? The first time attending the Fancy Food Show during my first week at the SFA! There were so many people and so much food. It was amazing and a bit intimidating!
    What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve been given that serves you well? There have been a couple of things. A former VP once said, “Is that the hill you want to die on today?” He actually said “sword,” but…LOL. Seems morbid but it made sense. From that point on, I picked my battles because the goal is to win the war.  

    Denise Purcell
    Optimism is high among the specialty food supply chain, who weighed in in the recently released State of the Specialty Food Industry report, on what the future holds for specialty post-pandemic. Here is some of what they had to say about growth, values-based shopping, diversity and inclusion, and retail innovations.
    “That crystal ball after last year got even murkier. We’re excited because we’re leaning into the mission to grow, we’re adding another fulfillment center and actively expanding the network to serve our members. We see it as a huge year of growth. We view it as getting back on track to the incremental steady growth that we were had prior to the tailwind that we had in 2020. What a great year to be in food and what a great year to introduce people to new products and tell your stories and do great work with food.”
    -chief merchandising officer of a specialty ecommerce retailer
    “There was an underlying sort of tension in our society that led to this moment where people wanted to have an opportunity to express themselves and basically vote with their dollars. 
         We’ve heard from customers ‘supporting brands that are doing good makes me feel good.’ There’s a massive opportunity here to transform the shopping experience itself—it’s not just buying the stuff that you need, but inducing an emotional experience that makes you feel good about what you’re doing—supporting great brands that are making a positive difference in this world.”
    -CEO, cofounder of a specialty ecommerce retailer
    “We should all be optimistic because specialty products and health and wellness products are what people need. Consumers are going to come out of the fog in the last year and realize that what they eat is important to their long-term health and the health of their families.”
    -CEO of a specialty chocolate brand
    “Pre-pandemic, we launched a financial assistance and visibility program for suppliers that are women-, minority-, LGBTQ-, veteran-, and disabled-owned. We’ve had so many more requests from retailers to show them more examples of suppliers like this. With the increase in interest, there will be more callouts on shelves and in campaigns around those companies.”
    -SVP, category management and growth solutions for a specialty distributor
    “I’m hearing from the manufacturer and vendor side that they are not fully ready with the pack sizes to support the foodservice business, which is very concerning. It’s not going to be an option for very long for foodservice to take retail packaging. On the flip side, are restaurants going to continue to have these slimmed down menus that drive down margins? That could very much change the shape of the industry for a long time.
         We expect retail food to remain strong in terms of being better than pre-COVID numbers. Within that, we expect specialty to continue growing at a much stronger rate than conventional food. I think the foodie culture has been exasperated, but its grown [differently] with everybody cooking at home and watching TV food shows.”
    -national sales director at a specialty importer and distributor
    “We predict innovation stations will pop up within retail to try to bring excitement back into stores, creating an area for new products to drive trial and awareness.”
    -SVP, category management and growth solutions for a specialty distributor
    “It will be interesting to see the evolution of how brick-and-mortar operations shift, whether curbside and deliveries become an even bigger focus. With ghost kitchens, it’s pretty phenomenal to think about what you can accomplish if you don’t have massive numbers of customers in your building every day.”
    -chief merchandising officer of a specialty ecommerce retailer
    You can learn more about market growth, fluctuations, and drivers, as well 10-year category tracking and forecasts by purchasing the State of the Specialty Food Industry, 2021-2022 Edition. 
    And weigh in on what you think the new post-pandemic industry norms will be in our discussion in the Community Hub. 
    Gretchen VanEsselstyn
    There are so many fun parts to my job as Director of Education at SFA, but my favorite is working with some of the greatest brains in our industry. It’s a thrill to call upon people whose work I’ve admired and ask them to teach our members what they know. And the best part – they say YES. 
    With that in mind, I’m delighted to announce the next cycle in our Maker Prep series which focuses on branding. You’ll hear from the leaders of three powerhouse agencies: Moxie Sozo, Bright, and Buttermilk Creative. All three focus on specialty food and beverage brands and – if you’re an SFA member – you’ll get three hours of their combined expertise for zero dollars. It’s part of your benefits package as a member! (If you’re not a member yet, join us! And in the meantime, the whole series is $50 for you.) 
    On October 14, you’ll learn the Fundamentals of Branding. Why are some companies beloved by consumers while others fight to be remembered? Creative agency Moxie Sozo will talk you through the process of creating a compelling and authentic brand and share four amazing case studies along the way.  
    On November 11, we’ll delve into Building a Brand Expression with creative branding house, Bright. You’ll learn how to make sure your brand stands out in a crowded competitive set and ensure continuity and growth in the future.
    And on December 9, we’ll cover Package Design and Branding with Buttermilk Creative. You’ll learn how to make the most of the short time you have for shoppers to notice your product on the shelf by developing a cohesive design strategy and prioritizing messaging.
    I’m so pleased to make these webinars available to you.
    If you’re just learning about Maker Prep, please check out the recordings of our two completed series: Working with Distributors and Financing Your Business. 
    And let us know what you need to learn more about – Maker Prep is designed for you! Reach out any time: education@specialtyfood.com
    Denise Purcell
    COVID has impacted the specialty food industry for a full year. In the SFA’s newly released State of the Specialty Food Industry report, 2021-2022 edition, members of the supply chain were candid on the ways the pandemic has positively and negatively affected their businesses.
    Here is some of what they had to say about in person versus virtual meetings, the challenges of staying connected, and keeping on top of what’s moving as well as new product discovery:
    “In some ways things have gotten busier because, rather than getting to talk to everyone at a one-day show, I have to talk to all of those people individually. I don’t have to travel to see them anymore, but I still have to connect with them.”
    -regional sales manager at a specialty dairy brand
    “We’ve kept on a pretty good track [with promotions and retailer meetings], but we have a lot of retailer buyers that are still not seeing people face to face. We have some that I don’t believe are ever going to go back to face to face. I think they’re going to remain either in a virtual environment or they’re going to do some sort of controlled category management presentations with dedicated periods of time. Because it’s easier in the virtual environment to stay on schedule and on time.  
         There’s been a lot of outsourcing, roles that used to be done at retailer X are now done by the main distributor for that retailer such as the actual physical entering of promotions, printing of tags, and making sure that the pricing is right.”
    -SVP, business development at a specialty food and beverage broker
    “Something that retail buyers have missed during COVID relates to the trends, and they’re asking, ‘What’s the next CBD, or the next plant-based category that’s going to explode?’ They’ve been able to survive with talking to their trusted brokers, advisors, distributors, and brands, but they still miss that experience of talking to new brands, especially those that need education. It’s hard to do that via Zoom.”
    -head of sales at a specialty dessert brand
    “Supply chain sourcing stabilized pretty quickly. We did not have the same experiences that a lot of box stores did, because of the diversity of who we buy from. We began leveraging our foodservice supply chain, which plummeted as restaurants and hotels closed. We had no problem taking 50-pound bags of flour and putting them in to 5–10-pound bags and selling them.
         Our guests appreciated the fact that they could get most of what they wanted. They might not have been the same brands or same sizes that they normally were used to, but they still had access to what they needed. We’ve got a long history of being restaurant-type operators and so we were able to be a little bit more nimble than the typical supermarket that’s super reliant on a particular SKU that fits in a particular slot that’s already entered in a system.”
    -founder, owner of a multi-store specialty food retailer and foodservice operator
    “For these younger brands, virtual meetings level the playing field, since you don’t have to fly somewhere, pay for hotel and dining expenses, etc. All of that makes it so much more affordable to pitch to retail accounts for these emerging brands, and I think that that is a welcome change. I don’t think the virtual pitch is going to go away, simply because it’s easier for the buyers and it’s more equitable for the brands.”
    -owner, founder of a specialty brand consultancy
    “For us it’s a matter of staying on top of what’s moving. We’re constantly rotating and moving things and that’s why our customers like coming in. We’re never going to have a store that’s more than 1,000 square feet, because it’s too big. [At big stores], it’s almost information overload. How do you discover new things if you’re overloaded by different products and brands? It’s a nice conversation that you have with your customers in this small format because you’re listening to them, but you’re also educating them more than ever.”
    -founder of a specialty c-store concept
    “It’s hard to get the same level of dialog with our retailers when we’re doing things on Zoom. It’s less personal and hard to make a connection. The food business is so much about the passion and enthusiasm of tasting it, and you either couldn’t send product to people or the companies had different rules on what they could receive. It would have been much harder if we were still a young company that needed to make new personal connections.”
    -CEO of a specialty chocolate brand
    “We launched a new and emerging brand program just before the pandemic hit, which turned out to be lucky because the demand bounced back so fast that we ended up onboarding more new suppliers in 2020 than ever before. 
          We’ll do fewer in-person meetings going forward, which is causing us to think about how our offices are laid out, and our retailers are doing the same thing. We previously traveled to do category reviews with our retail partners, those are now done virtually. We’ll still go back to in-person meetings, just not as frequently.”
    -SVP, category management and growth solutions for a specialty distributor
    “I don’t plan to go back to my office much at all, and a lot of my staff is the same way. Retailers want the samples of food and to see the product, but they have also gotten accustomed to the succinctness of an online meeting. They have found they can be a lot more productive when there is less time taken up by the in-person discussions that go in many directions. We send a lot more samples, which tends to give us smaller opportunities with each client but ones that are more likely to succeed.”
    -national sales director at a specialty importer and distributor
    “All relationships are being maintained with buyers via Zoom, and the same with our vendor meetings. I’ll bet that is going to stick – not 100 percent because you still need that human interaction. But for a supplier especially, it’s a lot easier to do it virtually rather than get on a plane to visit our offices. For our partners, there aren’t any relationships that we’re walking away from. Our relationships strengthened because of the need to do these repeated meetings and discuss service levels. As far as large CPG vendors go, we had to work with them more than usual and it helped us work through those relationships that have been a challenge in the past.”
    -VP vendor relations at a specialty distributor
    You can learn more about market growth, fluctuations, and drivers, as well 10-year category tracking and forecasts by purchasing the State of the Specialty Food Industry, 2021-2022 Edition. 
    And weigh in on what you think the new post-pandemic industry norms will be in our discussion in the Community Hub. 
    Denise Purcell
    The SFA’s newly released State of the Specialty Food Industry report, 2021-2022 edition, digs into a business environment still adjusting from COVID’s impact over the past year. A burgeoning ecommerce channel has been one of the shifts the industry has experienced and here, members of the supply chain share their opinions on its growth, challenges in discoverability for small or emerging brands, and the future.
    “For specialty brands, a lot of the ecommerce platforms for retailers are very not friendly to browsing, not nearly as much as old-school shopping trips where you’re walking through a store, and you say ‘I’ll try that.’
    Retailers need to level the playing field a little bit for specialty because you need that browsing ability for specialty for somebody to stumble onto your [brand]. That’s my biggest concern right now for long-term growth for specialty.”
    -SVP, business development at a specialty food and beverage broker
    “When we added the online ordering platform that came along with DoorDash, it was like having an additional outlet to give people food. We just had the discussion this week where a store manager asked when we’re getting rid of curbside and our response was ‘probably never.’ It’s probably going to be an element of our service model going forward. This will allow us to curate those relationships with frequent customers and do special rewards for them.”
    -CEO of a specialty retail and foodservice group
    “Brands are discovered in a variety of ways and you have to be relevant in every way that your consumer would discover and buy your brand. And maybe online is a very saturated platform, it’s hard to compete as a small brand. I know for us online was pretty small [pre-COVID], and now it’s a huge chunk of our business. And [by] online I mean our own DTC, but also online retailers like Imperfect Foods, Fresh Direct, Good Eggs, and Amazon Fresh.”
    -head of sales at a specialty dessert brand
    “We saw a lot of emerging brands do more paid advertising themselves to location-specific audiences, driving traffic back to particular retail stores rather than driving traffic to their own websites. Especially brands in cold distribution since they simply don’t ship direct to consumer. They do paid ad spending, which you have to dial in, but once you get it, it’s relatively affordable, and there should be a positive return on investment. It’s win-win. The brand wins and the stores love it.”
    -owner, founder of a specialty brand consultancy
    “One of our biggest challenges has always been that people love sweets and they believe that something with low sugar can’t taste good. Demos and getting people to try the product for their first time has gone away, so we’ve been focusing more on how to engage with people digitally. The challenge is how to get taste cues across, so we’ve been using recipes a lot to help them understand what it will taste like. And we’re also starting to use coupons more than before.”
    -CEO of a specialty chocolate brand
    “Jet, Walmart, Amazon—basically all of the major retail platforms out there … bias the large incumbent players, which makes sense. That’s where the mass demand is, that’s where the dollars are. So, what does that mean for small and emerging brands out there?
     It’s really interesting to see great things that small brands are doing, truly innovating, and offering a lot more value to stand out versus the big incumbent players in the space.”
    -CEO, co-founder of a specialty e-commerce retailer
    “We launched in October 2020 and think the timing was ideal in many ways. Of course, with COVID forcing people to change their patterns, it unlocked some behaviors that were previously closed off. We’re pretty big believers that [ecommerce] is only going in one direction. This is not a trend. This is a permanent shift in consumer behavior that’s here to stay.”
    -CEO, co-founder of a specialty ecommerce retailer
    You can learn more about market growth, fluctuations, and drivers, as well 10-year category tracking and forecasts by purchasing the State of the Specialty Food Industry, 2021-2022 Edition. 
    And weigh in on what you think the new post-pandemic industry norms will be in our discussion in the Community Hub.
    Arielle Feger
    The food industry has a specific lingo with which startups should become familiar. Here is a glossary of shipping and freight terms from The Basics: The Business of Specialty Food, SFA’s intensive workshop where a team of veteran makers help new companies learn the fundamentals of the market and best practices to get their business off the ground.
    COD: Cash on delivery; a payment agreement where payment for a product is given at time of delivery.
    Fill Rate: The comparison between the amount of goods ordered versus the amount actually delivered. Usually stated in percentage. Used to evaluate performance of sellers as seen from the buyers’ perspective.
    FOB: Literal translation – freight on board. When quoting a price, a supplier will identify if the price includes delivery (freight) to the buyer’s warehouse or store – i.e. Delivered Price. If freight is paid by buyer, that is called FOB, but is usually specific to location (e.g.: FOB Public Warehouse-Newark, NJ).
    Lead Time: The amount of time, usually in days, that it takes for a manufacturer to receive, process, and ship an order. This time should also include the actual shipping time.
    Less Than Truckload (LTL): Designates a shipment that does not meet the weight or cube requirement of a full truckload.
    Lumper Fees: Billback for cost of unloading product.
    Minimum Order: A vendor’s terms of sale frequently require a purchase of a specific amount for commercial buyers.
    O.O.S.: Out of stock; Not available for sale either from the retailer or from a distributor, wholesaler, chain warehouse, importer, or producer.
    Pallet Fees: Billback for shipping on pallets that do not meet specifications.
    Pallet Pattern: Describes the number of cases on a single layer, and the number of layers on a pallet.
    Short Shipped: An order shipped or delivered without some of the items ordered.
    The SFA’s upcoming Basics online course is taking place October 6-7. Find more information about the event here.
    Gretchen VanEsselstyn
    Why do people go to business school? It’s the lectures and the homework, the research and the capstone projects. It’s the opportunity to focus on developing new skills. And for many students, it’s the connections they make with their professors and classmates that propel them toward success and serve as supports during the entrepreneurial journey.
    It’s the same with SFA's The Basics online workshop, taking place on October 6 & 7. 
    In about ten hours over two days, you’ll hear talks on pricing, selling, the latest consumer research, freight and logistics, best practices in trade promotions, ecommerce, and more. You’ll get slides you can hang on to and use as reference and recorded lectures that are yours to review any time.
    You’ll spend time with eight incredible teachers and learn from their experience. Our instructors include founders and principals from some of the most iconic brands in specialty food, including Marich Confectionery. Renfro Foods and Dave’s Gourmet, plus exciting new brands including Hella Cocktail Co., Rumi Spice and TBJ (The Bacon Jam) Gourmet, plus our resident Amazon expert Betsy McGinn of McGinn Ecommerce Consulting.
    You’ll also make connections to your classmates. You’ll meet at the evening chat on Day 1 – then you’ll have your own dedicated space to chat and share stories, and stay in touch after the class is over in our SFA Community Hub.
    Come see what it’s like in our specialty food “business school” – and reap the rewards as your brand grows. It's just $99 for SFA members and $199 for non-members.
    Wonder if The Basics is right for you? Email us education@specialtyfood.com and we’re happy to talk with you.
    Gretchen VanEsselstyn
    Why do people go to business school? It’s the lectures and the homework, the research and the capstone projects. It’s the opportunity to focus on developing new skills. And for many students, it’s the connections they make with their professors and classmates that propel them toward success and serve as supports during the entrepreneurial journey.
    It’s the same with The Basics!
    In about ten hours over two days, you’ll hear talks on pricing, selling, the latest consumer research, freight and logistics, best practices in trade promotions, ecommerce, and more. You’ll get slides you can hang on to and use as reference and recorded lectures that are yours to review any time.
    You’ll spend time with eight incredible teachers and learn from their experience. Our instructors include founders and principals from some of the most iconic brands in specialty food, including Marich Confectionery. Renfro Foods and Dave’s Gourmet, plus exciting new brands including Hella Cocktail Co., Rumi Spice and TBJ (The Bacon Jam) Gourmet, plus our resident Amazon expert Betsy McGinn of McGinn Ecommerce Consulting.
    You’ll also make connections to your classmates. You’ll meet at the evening chat on Day 1 – then you’ll have your own dedicated space to chat and share stories, and stay in touch after the class is over in our SFA Community Hub.
    Come see what it’s like in our specialty food “business school” – and reap the rewards as your brand grows. It's just $99 for SFA members and $199 for non-members. Wonder if The Basics is right for you? Email us education@specialtyfood.com and we’re happy to talk with you.
    Denise Purcell
    The specialty food supply chain shared opinions and observations on pandemic-influenced pricing strategies, consumer behavior around trading up and down, and private label. More insights can be found in the recently released State of the Specialty Food Industry report. 
    “I was looking at [a big retailer account] today, and the condiment set. Based on the trends you’d think with condiments, cooking sauces, etc., that the retailers would go into specialty because of the cooking at home thing. And instead, they went really commodity, really warehouse, away from the distributor business, and put in a lot of restaurant brand name stuff. But then the same buyer, for pasta and pasta sauce, went more specialty. I can’t really understand why.
          Consumer behavior in general varied wildly by category. With pasta, it almost didn’t matter what brand. If it was on the shelf, people bought it. Pasta sauce in the $7.99 to $10.99 range did better than it ever does. People also traded up on coffee.”
    -SVP, business development at a specialty food and beverage broker
    “As far as private label, we’ve made the decision to stay committed to our makers and not compete directly against them. To support them and help amplify the greatness of their products, and their stories, and their voices, so in contrast to a lot of other players out there we don’t have a need or interest to get into private label.” 
    -CEO, co-founder of a specialty ecommerce retailer
    “We have seen competition from private labels, especially in baking chocolate. But a good thing about a good private-label brand is that it can help by getting more exposure to a category.
    We had the opportunity to expand into a club store, but in the rest of retail we didn’t need to upsize any of our packaging. We got feedback from customers at the onset of COVID that they would like to stock up, but we knew it would take a while to develop that packaging, so we took a wait and see attitude and didn’t jump into it.”
    -CEO of a specialty chocolate brand
    “In the beginning of the pandemic, retailers didn’t put promotional tags on the shelf because they had to simply keep up with the increased volume. Then we saw a huge bounce back in promotions. While a lot of consumers lost their jobs, I haven’t seen an overall change in pricing strategy. It was more around the promotional piece of it – EDLP (everyday low price) versus a hi-lo strategy, a shift in when they promote, or the depth of the deal.”
    -SVP, category management and growth solutions for a specialty distributor
    You can learn more about market growth, fluctuations, and drivers, as well 10-year category tracking and forecasts by purchasing the State of the Specialty Food Industry, 2021-2022 Edition.  
    And weigh in on what you think the new post-pandemic industry norms will be in our discussion in the Community Hub.
    Arielle Feger
    The food industry has a specific lingo with which startups should become familiar. Here is a glossary of terms related to promotional activities.
    Promotions are activities that encourage the trade and consumers to purchase products. Trade promotions, specifically, are offers made by suppliers to encourage their customers to help increase sales velocity. Trade promotions are designed to influence consumers, obtain initial distribution, stimulate the market on a regular basis, or support specific activity.
    The following glossary is excerpted from The Basics: The Business of Specialty Foods, SFA’s intensive workshop where a team of veteran makers help new companies learn the fundamentals of the market and best practices to get their business off the ground.
    Advertising Allowance: A trade promotion offering agreed-upon payment (a fixed amount or percentage of sales) in return for a fixed or specific amount of retailer advertising activity.
    BOGO: The retailer is going to offer the consumer the chance to Buy One and Get One Free; this offer is almost always funded by the supplier, usually by a payment method that takes the agreed upon discount off invoice.
    Buy-Out: A trade promotion that pays for the removal of goods to clear shelf space for your products. Typically offered in addition to other introductory allowances.
    Coupon: A printed offer from the producer to the consumer for a reduced price when presented at the time of purchase. Delivered to the consumer though publications, direct mail, on packages, retailer ads, internet, etc. Retailer receives reimbursement (plus handling) by submitting to producer through clearinghouse.
    Demonstrations (Demos): Sampling conducted by suppliers to encourage consumer trial. Often conducted in high-traffic areas. When conducted within a retail store, referred to as In Store Demonstration. In-store sampling usually conducted with supplier support. Personnel offer samples to encourage consumer purchases. Some retailers have in-house or preferred demonstrators for this purpose.
    Free Goods: A trade promotion offering a specific number of cases supplied to the purchaser at no cost to secure initial authorization and/or shelf stocking. This practice has been generally replaced by a Free-Fill allowance.
    Free-Fill: Trade promotion usually offered by a supplier during new product introduction or if a retailer is not stocking a particular item. Supplier agrees to provide a specific amount of product free (usually offered at a rate of one free case per store). Mostly used when a product will be serviced through a distributor. When the item will be sold through the chain’s own warehouse the term “slotting allowance” is used, paying for the creation of a slot in the chain’s warehouse and the amounts involved are larger/paid for in cash, not free goods.
    Loyalty Card: Promotional program aimed at encouraging repeat sales by rewarding customers who buy frequently or on a regular basis. The device is used by retailers to identify customers, record their purchases, create target consumer offers, and produce data to assist in operating decisions.
    Manufacturer Coupon: A printed offer by the brand owner allowing the consumer a specified discount at the retail point of sale. All expenses, including fee from coupon handling house, will be charged to the brand owner.
    Performance Allowance: A trade promotion offer requiring the retailer and/or distributor to undertake one or more specific activities, such as Temporary Price Reduction, ad support, display, in-ad coupon, retailer coupon, scan down, etc. The amount earned is based on product purchased during the offer period and requires the purchaser to submit proof of performance.
    Retailer Coupon: A retailer agrees to insert a coupon for a supplier’s product in the retailer’s normal print advertising media. To be self-redeemed by the retailer but supported by an offer from the supplier.
    Sampling Allowance: A trade promotion offering an allowance (specific amount of free product) to retailers for sampling the product.
    Sampling: Activities allowing consumers to experience product without purchasing. Can be delivered via mail, publication inserts, and inside packages of other consumable products. Also occurs via store sampling stations (with or without supplier participation), and during demonstrations arranged and supported by supplier payments.
    Scan Down: A trade promotion offering retailers a specific amount per consumer unit sold during a specified time period based on movement, as recorded from the checkout scanner reports. Retailer is required to reduce the regular shelf price by an agreed upon amount. Retailer and distributor may also receive a handling allowance. Also viewed as a consumer promotion, as it influences the purchasing decision at point of sale.
    Shipper Display Allowances: A trade promotion allowance offered on shipper displays. Besides the promotional allowance, an additional amount is offered as a handling allowance to cover costs to the retailer or distributor as it relates to the special shipping unit.
    Shipper Display: A combined shipping and in-store display piece usually containing a higher unit count than the standard case pack, sometimes containing a mix of different items. Comes with a sales message and compelling graphics. Intended to be placed on the floor or counter away from the usual shelf location.
    Show Participation Allowance: Amount a brand owner would pay to a distributor to be displayed in the distributor’s booth at a trade show.
    Temporary Price Reduction (TPR): A temporary shelf price reduction offered to consumers. Usually funded by the manufacturer.
    The SFA’s upcoming Basics online course is taking place October 6-7. Find more information about the event here.
    Julie Gallagher
    The Specialty Food Association’s Fancy Food 24/7, taking place Sept. 27 through Oct. 8, will feature educational sessions and a wide range of product showcases from domestic and international brands.  
    Since many exhibiting food makers are active on the Infinite Aisle platform, which is free to members, buyer attendees who create an account can use the service to order product directly from these exhibitors. What’s more is that in advance of the show, on September 13, buyers will be able to preview showrooms, order samples, and schedule meetings with companies that are set up on Infinite Aisle.  
    Following is a sample of Fancy Food 24/7 exhibitors who are transactional on Infinite Aisle: 
    2 Sisters' Salsa Company – A family business rooted in family tradition, its salsa is handcrafted in Louisiana and made from authentic Cajun recipes. 
    Amarumayu LLC - Maker of superfruit juices from the Amazon by indigenous communities using sustainable harvesting practices that help mitigate climate change.
    Firehook Bakery – Firehook Bakery began baking its authentic, whole grain, artisan breads locally 20 years ago. Everything is made from scratch, by hand, using all-natural ingredients.  
    Partners, A Tasteful Choice Co - A second-generation, family-owned bakery that makes high quality crackers, cookies, and other baked goods using real, honest ingredients.
    Pretzel Pete - A family-owned company that makes clean label, value-added pretzel products with locally sourced ingredients and allergen-safe production.
    PS Seasoning - PS Seasoning carries on the old-world flavors and traditions of the past, while creating new products and blends to meet modern day demands. It has more than 3,000 seasoning blends with 30 million units of products made annually.
    Square One Organic Spirits - Founded by spirits and cocktail lover Allison Evanow, Square One Organic Spirits is a female-owned, boutique, organic spirits company founded with the mission of creating innovative, organic spirits and cocktails with an eco-conscious mindset.
    Unisoy Vegan Jerky – Maker of vegan jerky packed with 100 percent plant protein with 21 grams per bag, Unisoy Vegan Jerky is free of saturated fat, cholesterol, and has significantly less sodium. 
     
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