Julie Gallagher

Learn more about the people and products in these Q&As with Specialty Food Association member companies. What does your company produce? We manufacture Mediterranean condiments with a focus on savory, zesty, and ethnic flavors. We offer savory olive relish, spicy olive medley, lemon & herbs dried black olives, savory berry compote, plant-based Italianaise (a mayonnaise), Taste of Tuscany (dried herbs), puttanesca, and more under development. Did you have a food background before launching your company? No preparation other than learning from my mother and taking various hobby classes. I spent 30 years in public and private K-12 and university education, was a governor's appointee to the State Board of Education, and have a doctorate in leadership. That knowledge will now be used to help me in my business. How did the idea for your product/company come about? It evolved after my retirement from education. Why did you get involved in specialty foods? I’m passionate about food, preparation, entertaining, and the creativity of developing recipes. What is your favorite thing about the specialty food industry? Like-minded people striving hard to create their dreams, sharing similar problems, and having people who walked the walk at my fingertips through the Specialty Food Association. What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a new specialty food business? Never give up! Have perseverance, determination, go beyond expectations, and surround yourself with positive people. Be kind to yourself in your words and actions. Celebrate even the smaller accomplishment. If you weren’t running a food business, what would you be doing? Creating artistic textile quilts ... that I still do in the wee hours of the night. What does specialty mean to you? I see specialty food as dreams of entrepreneurs who created unique foods and beverages that will bring unusual flavors, textures, combinations, immersions, and these products make life deliciously entertaining, just like Calizo.

Sandra Archer joined the Specialty Food Association in 1997 as a temp working in the membership department where she showcased new applicants’ products to the admission committee and processed membership applications. Shortly after, she became full time staff working in the finance department as an accounts receivable specialist and now serves as manager of accounts receivable. What is your favorite memory, experience, or story from your time with SFA? I can say that my favorite experience from my time with the SFA has been fulfilling my obligation volunteering during “Embrace Hunger Relief Months”. I recall volunteering in October 2019 at a Mobile Market in Washington Heights, where we distributed fresh produce to market-goers. The line was so long and as we started to distribute the food, the rain came pouring down on us. We did not allow the rain to stop us from doing what we do best as an association—-helping. Where were you born? I was born in Jamaica, West Indies. What is your fondest food memory? My fondest food memory happened to be here at SFA. It was my first time trying stuffed grape leaves at a Lebanese restaurant with my co-workers. Do you prefer to eat in or go out? Although I am seen as an extrovert by family and friends, the introverted half gets the better of me at times and I prefer eating in. Best piece of advice that you’ve been given that serves you well? Laughter is the best medicine. What is one of the strangest things you’ve ever eaten? I’m not known to be a picky eater, however I did find eating cow brain to be interesting. What is your favorite food city? My favorite city to enjoy food in is the Big Apple! With so much to choose from and the inclusion of so many dishes from different countries, I could never be bored.

Learn more about the people and products in these Q&As with Specialty Food Association member companies. What does your company produce? Handcrafted chutneys designed for hot and cold meats and cheeses. Did you have a food background before launching your company? I grew up in the 70s in an international home learning to cook dishes from all over the world. It was there that I was inspired to learn and share our deeper connection to culinary culture. After raising four children, I jumped into the food industry, learning from local chefs and entrepreneurs. In 2017, Locally Seasoned was launched, teaching cooking classes and providing personal chef services. How did the idea for your product/company come about? In March 2020, every business hit a brick wall and faced some of the biggest challenges of our time. We were catering at the time and all of our bookings were cancelled indefinitely. Locally Seasoned would have to pivot to succeed. It became clear that we needed to offer products for sale in local stores, markets and online to sustain our future. We focused in on those unique pantry items we always created for our clients, like chutneys, pickles, spice mixes, vinaigrettes, and marinades. Why did you get involved in specialty foods? It can be difficult in a rural area to find like-minded foodies. In searching online for gourmet pantry products and specialty foods, I found the SFA. What is your favorite thing about the specialty food industry? The textures. The flavors. The ingredients. The stories and cultures behind each dish. The energy of the food community. What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a new specialty food business? Breathe. Give yourself some grace. The entrepreneurial journey to success looks more like a preschooler’s angry scribble than an architectural drawing. If you weren’t running a food business, what would you be doing? Puttering in the garden, foraging, hiking, and cooking for friends and neighbors. I would be listening to loud music, personal development podcasts, and audiobooks. What does specialty mean to you? Specialty foods provide the recipe to help us discover our history, stir joy into the present, and finish with hope for the future. They remind us of just how strong and resilient we can be because life is worth tasting!

Learn more about the people and products in these Q&As with Specialty Food Association member companies. What does your company produce? Pistachio butter. Did you have a food background before launching your company? No, this is my first time launching my brand and product. I am, however, a health enthusiast and am passionate about food and the food industry. How did the idea for your product/company come about? I founded Seed & Shell with the belief that we can all harness the seeds of potential within us and break free from our shell of self-limiting beliefs to achieve our dreams. In 2019, my mom brought me a gift of pistachios following a family health scare. Pistachios became my snack that got me through those difficult times while I was in the midst of struggling to meet the demands of both my personal and professional life. I knew I could rely on them for their nutritional benefits and also to keep me satisfied. Inspired by my love for pistachios, which are (technically speaking) seeds, and not nuts, I founded Seed & Shell so others could enjoy pistachios in a fresh, new way (like with our pistachio butter). While my initial purpose was to spread awareness to the amazing health benefits of pistachios, I realized along the way that Seed & Shell represented a challenge to myself for personal growth. Why did you get involved in specialty foods? As a foodie and health food enthusiast, I personally am a big fan of specialty foods. They have always been an important part of my lifestyle and my dietary preferences, and I love the fact that so many specialty food brands exist to make a difference in people's lives by bringing new and exciting foods to the market. What is your favorite thing about the specialty food industry? The selection of high-quality and new products that specialty food brands bring to the table. What is one piece of advice you’d give a new specialty food business? Enjoy the journey. If you weren’t running a food business, what would you be doing? I couldn't even be thinking of anything as meaningful that I would be doing with my time other than running my business. I am truly passionate about my company. What does specialty mean to you? Specialty food means being the risk taker of the food world.

How long have you been with SFA and tell us about what you do? I’ve been with the SFA for 3 months. I am Bill & Lysa’s Executive Assistant. What is your favorite memory or experience from your time with the SFA? The Summer Fancy Food Show. It was amazing to see it for the first time, and I loved being able to engage with the members. Where were you born? Matawan, NJ If you could only pick 3 foods to eat for a month, what would they be? Pasta, Chicken & Broccoli What is your fondest food memory? Every year around the holidays all the ladies in my family get together and bake cookies, and it is one of my favorite traditions. Do you prefer to eat in or dine out? It depends on who is doing the dishes! (Which is usually me) So I’ll go with dine out! Best piece of advice you have been given and has served you well? Don’t make decisions when you’re angry What is the strangest thing you’ve eaten? Alligator Tail What is your favorite food city? Charleston, South Carolina has delicious food and some of my favorite restaurants. If you didn’t have to work for a living, what would you do? Travel around the world, I love to explore new places. Where is your favorite place that you have traveled to? Costa Rica

This summer issue of Specialty Food features highlights from the State of the Specialty Food Industry report, 2022-2023 Edition; profiles of winners of SFA’s Leadership and Lifetime Achievement Awards, and Hall of Fame inductees; and the sofi Awards 50th Anniversary article. More highlights from the summer 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 “Maker Mix” including the article “Authentic Engagement Key to Multicultural Marketing,” “Maker Q&A: A Seat at the Table,” and the Regulatory Update “The Evolving Definition of ‘Healthy’ and its Depiction in a Symbol.” Content Spotlight: “The Revitalization of Pasta and Noodles” Pandemic-driven at-home cooking reinvigorated traditional pasta and now new shapes, functional alternatives, and global noodle varieties are on the rise. Cheese Focus: “What’s New in Fresh Cheeses” These unique cheeses are poised to disrupt standard selections. Read it today!

Rick Field, founder, CEO, and chief pickler at Rick’s Picks’ passion for pickles began as a child, when he made them alongside his folks during summers in Vermont. In this episode of Spill & Dish, Julie Gallagher, director of content at the SFA, chats with Field about his transition from a TV producer career at VH1; how he built an award-winning brand and forged relationships with foodservice heavy hitters like Shake Shack; and the one thing he recently did, that would only be done “over my dead body,” just a few years ago. Listen here, and follow Spill & Dish, an SFA podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Specialty Food’s spring issue explores the restaurant industry’s attempt at coming back from COVID with the feature Restaurant Industry Rebound Relies on Technology, Takeout. Specialty Food also presents the perspective of food retailers who weigh on food price inflation and how it’s impacted consumers’ shopping habits. Food makers likewise provide insights on the cost pressures they’ve faced and how they’ve passed along increases to consumers. Trends From the Winter Fancy Food Show, as spotted by members of the SFA’s Trendspotter Panel, are also outlined in this edition. Read it today!

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.

In the latest episode of Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association podcast, host Megan Rooney, education manager at SFA, chats with Purely Elizabeth CEO and Founder, Elizabeth Stein, about her background in nutrition, how Purely Elizabeth got its start, and the happy accident that landed her a deal with Target. Listen here and follow Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

In the latest episode of Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association podcast, host Gretchen VanEsselstyn, SFA’s director of education, speaks with Jill Giacomini Basch of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. about the benefits of being a certified women-owned business, the Victory American cheese movement, and how sustainable farming on the California coast makes for breathtaking cheeses like Bay Blue. Listen here and follow Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association podcast wherever you get your podcasts.