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Coming soon to a food aisle near you . . .
They
call it the Power of Five – five industry tradeshows under one roof
dedicated to the power of consumers and keeping the hungry masses fed.
From family-owned businesses to large corporations, the show provides a
glimpse into what it takes to put food on our tables.
Held
once a year in May at Chicago’s McCormick place, the Power of Five
incorporates the Spring Fancy Food Show with the Food Marketing Institute
(the supermarket industry’s most comprehensive event), the All Things
Organic tradeshow (North America’s only business-to-business event of the
Organic Trade Association), the United Produce Expo (featuring the newest
produce innovations) and the U.S. Food Export Showcase (American-made
products ready for export.)
With
more than 100,000 food products to see and sample by the more than 30,000
people in attendance, the Power of Five not only brings together
producers, distributors and retailers from North America, but from all
over the world.
A Smaller
World
Which brings
us to one of the major trends in the world of food – a world that is
getting smaller. European foods continue to be the largest source of
imported foods as we readily enjoy olive oils from the Mediterranean,
cheese from Great Britain and chocolates from France, but two of the
larger sources of imported foods – and segments that are experiencing
increased growth - are Asia and South America. As these
populations continue to grow in the U.S., we’re learning to enjoy the
flavors of these far-off lands.
World Flavor Highlight:
Africa –
While we may have enjoyed the rich brew of African coffee or experienced
the sweet, crisp flavors of a South African Riesling, Africa offers a
world of flavors from their more than 50 countries that, despite their
differences, all share a rich cultural heritage. With modern packaging
facilities and artisan operations, Africa is exporting products ranging
from fine wines, coffees, teas, cocoa, fruit preserves, a wide variety of
honey from thousands of years of beekeeping, savory spices and hot pepper
sauces.
Want to help African farmers
and heat up your meal: Then, visit www.elephantpepper.com
to learn more about the Elephant Pepper brand that offers such hot and
savory pepper items as Zambezi Red, Chilli Relish, Chilli Jam and Baobab
Gold. The first seeds of this unique brand were sown in the Mid Zambezi
Valley where rural farmers and elephants came into conflict over food
crops. Elephants raid farmers’ fields and are a very real threat to
livelihoods. The company’s goal is to add value to chilies, thereby
increasing returns for rural farmers. A full 100 percent of the chilies
used in the products are grown by farmers living with elephants.
Eswatini Swazi Kitchen,- www.eswatinikitchen.co.sz
- Eswatini, meaning Swaziland, was founded 15 years ago as a producer of
high-quality jams, chutneys, marmalades, atchars and sauces. Their
products, made from fresh, all-natural ingredients, provide employment in
Swaziland and generate income for Manzini Youth Care, a non-governmental
organization that helps with the education and housing of orphans and
street children. From a small cottage industry to an international
company, Eswatini Swazi Kitchen provides employment for local women. In
addition, there are more than 200 women based in rural areas of Swaziland
who have been trained to weave baskets that are used for their gift packs.
Offering a variety of refreshing flavors, Eswatini offers 12 jam flavors
ranging from guava, pineapple and marula to peach and ginger, mango and
melon; their marmalades include kumquat, orange, grapefruit, and our
favorite, lime.
Sensible Snacking
Sensible snacking solutions are another major trend
we’ll continue to see more and more as products are offered in smaller
portions, with less sugar and more organic options. These snacks offer
omega-3 oils, anti-oxidants and feature key ingredients such as flax,
blueberries, pomegranates and a multitude of other dried fruits, grains
and nuts.
What to look
for:
Love
blueberries? Then check out: www.theblueberrystore.com
- The Michigan Blueberry Growers Association has teamed up to offer some
of the best blueberry products available. Not only can you purchase
fresh or frozen blueberries direct from the growers, you can also try a
variety of items including snacks, mixes, nectars, and our favorite,
blueberry chutney.
Forget popcorn and corn nuts,
try www.gladcorn.com - You have to
love a company that advertises, “We’ve decided to go public with our
little accident.” And what a tasty accident it is! A new favorite in our
house, the original Glad Corn - the A-Maizing Corn Snack, is field corn
popped in non-hydrogenated soy oil and flavored with sea salt. Try their
other flavors that include jalapeno, barbecue and cheddar. They’re
great as a snack or added to trail mixes or salads.
Need
more veggies in your diet? Who says they can only be raw or steamed? Look
for Crispy Delites,
www.healthydelite.com
in a snack aisle near you. These crispy snacks are made with canola
oil and sea salt in a dehydration process that leaves a veggie snack that
is not only good for you but can take the place of a potato chip in
anyone’s diet. High in vitamins A, C, E, calcium, iron and potassium try
their red onion, carrot, celery, Asian cucumber and mixed vegetables.
Fresh egg whites and no shells? It’s possible with Eggology who is
now producing a new 4-pack item called On-the-Go. Similar to a fruit
cup, each On-the-Go cup is filled with 100 percent egg whites and is
microwavable so you can create a healthy scramble anywhere. Never
frozen and with no preservatives, Eggology specializes in a complete line
of fresh, pasteurized egg whites that can be used in protein drinks,
whipped for a meringue or used in omelets and casseroles. For more
details, visit Eggology online at www.eggology.com.
Adding
Flavor
Toss
aside your old-fashioned table salt – or keep it for tossing over your
shoulder for good luck, because gourmet sea salts are becoming more
economical and easier to find. They’re even putting their saltiness
to work in a variety of gourmet confections such as Béquet’s Gourmet
Celtic Sea Salt Caramels and Vosges Chocolates, Barcelona Bar where grey
sea salt offsets rich, French chocolate and smoked almonds.
McCormick, like many other
natural and organic spice companies, is offering an easy-to-use spice jar
with a grinder built-in. Offering fresh ground flavor, McCormick’s
Grinders are just a twist away from the flavors of fresh cracked spices
and herbs - look for smoked sea salt, Telicherry black peppercorn mélange,
roasted garlic and sea salt, and Italian herb (rosemary, parsley and black
peppercorn, garlic, onion and tomato.)
For
mushroom lovers, nothing beats the fresh flavor of a wild, handpicked
mushroom. For those of us with a secret stash of dried, wild mushrooms or
for those of us who stock up at the store, we know a dried mushroom has
even more mushroom flavor. The folks at the Washington-state based, www.fungusamongus.com,
have taken dried, organic mushrooms to the next level with their Organic
Mélange Seasoning & Rub Marinades. They have three,
ready-to-use, multi-purpose seasonings including Pacific Blend featuring
smoked oyster mushrooms blended with cayenne and thyme, Mediterranean
Blend featuring porcini mushrooms blended with classic Mediterranean herbs
and Fiesta Blend with shiitake granules blended with garlic and
pepper. With recipes on their website, and our own cooking
imaginations, the possibilities are endless – and heavenly,
mushroom-scented.
Check out the new Travel
Spice Kit - what every food ‘adventurist’ needs for the road. Do you have
family or friends whose cooking is a bit bland? Well, then you’ll
want to make sure you have this little covert, ditty from the Grapevine
Trading Co., www.grapevinetrading.com.
This unique kit, in a convenient pocket size of 7.5" x 4.5" x 1", is full
of an assortment of 15 different herbs and spices including: cinnamon,
garlic, chili flakes, cracked peppercorns, salt, mustard powder, curry
powder, ground ginger and herb blends including French, Italian, Mexican,
BBQ Chinese, Cajun and lemon garlic. The Travel Spice Kit also makes
a wonderful gift for a college student, newlyweds or the camper in your
life.
Nielsen-Massey, www.nielsenmassey.com,
the world’s leading purveyor of fine vanilla extracts is now making their
Vanilla Bean Paste, popular with pastry chefs, available for consumers.
Each amber-colored bottle is full of the seeds of the vanilla bean
allowing your homemade custards and baked goods will delight their
recipients with a heady aroma and flecks of pure vanilla.
Nielsen-Massey is also introducing five new extracts in 2006 including the
world’s first ever, Pure Coffee Extract which delivers the essence of rich
brewed coffee in a concentrated form that allows the cook to deliver the
fine nuances of coffee. It's a great addition to brownies, chocolate
cakes, chocolate chip cookies and bread pudding. Additional serving
suggestions include: beverages such as milkshakes or hot chocolate, fudge
sauces, vanilla yogurt, or blended whipped cream. The other four new
pure extracts for baking and cooking include: almond, chocolate, lemon,
and orange. Convenient and easy-to-use, the extracts contain natural
botanic oils in an alcohol base. Obviously perfect for icings, baked goods
and desserts, these extracts can also be used in savory dishes such as
soups, sauces and salad dressings.
Produce
Options Go Smaller
Not only are baby vegetables
one of the hottest items you’ll find in the produce section this year,
you’ll also find the producers of some of our favorite bagged salads
giving fast food chains like Wendy’s and McDonald’s a run for consumers’
salad dollars.
Snack-size and single portion
gourmet salads are offering a new, healthy option in ready-to-eat packaged
goods. Tapping into what the Food Marketing Institute feels are the
top trends for the coming years, these salads offer a convenient,
nutritious, and highly portable option for lunches and dinners
on-the-go.
Here’s what to look
for: Ready Pac bowl salads, Bistro-To-Go, offer single-serving,
ready-to-eat salads featuring an Asian Style Chicken with iceberg and
romaine lettuces, chicken, sesame-ginger dressing, celery and wonton
strips; and a Santa Fe Style Caesar Salad – romaine lettuce, salsa-ranch
dressing, chicken, corn, cheese and tortilla chips. Ready Pac's divided
packaging allows flavors to stay fresh. Each bowl salad contains a portion
of premium salad dressing and a fork so you can take them to work, to
school or just about anywhere. Other flavors include: Chicken Caesar,
Chef, Spinach Bacon, Cobb and Greek. For more information, visit www.readypac.com.
Eat
Smart, from Apio, Inc. – is introducing into the marketplace the first
line of salad kits that are non-lettuce based. The five varieties,
called Fresh salads, include Veggie Waldorf, Carrot Crunch, Santa Maria
Style Broccoli, Asian Affair and Broccoli Delight. With a suggested
retail price of $2.49, the salads are a complete, single-serving kit
offering 2.5 to 4 oz of vegetables, 1 oz of dressing and .5 to 1 oz of
nuts, raisins, etc. For more information, visit www.apioinc.com and look for
them at a grocer near you.
Fresh Produce
Meals
Green Giant
continues to make a name for their products in the produce department.
They have created Freshtables, a line with fresh stir-fry kits that
include pre-cut vegetables and sauces. Consumers just add beef, chicken or
shrimp. Freshtables stir-fries include Garlic Szechuan, Thai Curry, Sweet
and Sour, and Teriyaki.
Biggins’ Complete is new
gourmet potato meal being test-marketed in the Chicago area, but will soon
be available in more stores nation-wide. The brand, owned by the
Russet Potato Exchange, represents 12 families that grow, on average, 384
million potatoes each year and has been in operation for more than 55
years. The Biggins’ Complete meal includes a triple-washed and packaged
potato with cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, butter, salt, pepper,
a fork and napkin so consumers can microwave a stuffed-potato meal in
seven to eight minutes.
And they're so cute:
Baby
Vegetables
As any home gardener knows,
young or baby vegetables pack a lot of flavor in a small bite and can
create unique dishes. Some new items to look for are Del Monte’s gourmet,
mini-cucumbers, Southern Selects’ asparagus tips, Babe Foods’ 3-Pack of
baby cauliflowers, Del Cabo’s Honey Bunch yellow grape tomatoes, Melissa’s
baby summer squash mix and Melissa’s gourmet potatoes such as Pee Wee’s
and Fingerling’s, both available in yellow and red
varieties.
In Other Produce
News
For those of us
seeking the nutritional value of red beets without the tedious prep, and
for a quick option to add lentils to soups and salads, Melissa’s (famous
for hard-to-find, organic produce items, www.melissas.com), is
introducing new convenience produce selections including steamed, peeled,
ready-to-eat red beets and carrots and steamed, ready-to-eat,
lentils.
Currently offering
hydroponically grown watercress that is sold with its root intact for
increased freshness, Live Gourmet (www.livegourmet.com) is
introducing a butter lettuce and three-lettuce blend into the
marketplace.
And,
Colorful Harvest (www.colorfulharvest.com)
is offering heirloom variety carrots with their Super Sweet Yellow
Heirloom Carrots and Rainbow Crunch Carrots. For kids, and adults alike,
their Little Crunchers are real, whole, baby carrots that are packed
unpeeled in an 8 oz. snack bag. Plus, don’t miss trying their Scarlet
Sweet Red Corn that offers eye-catching kernels adding great color and
flavor to salsa, chutney, corn salad, and other dishes.
Entertaining at
Home Becomes Easier
While we
continue to seek out new places to shop for specialty foods, especially
when it comes to entertaining, look for upscale convenience foods that
will save you prep time at your next event. While gourmet cheeses and
spreads are obvious choices, also look for frozen pastry shells like those
produced by Athens and Pidy Gourmet, chocolate dessert cups from Mona Lisa
and a large selection of crostinis, baguettes, lavosh and flat bread
crackers.
One
brand to look for in the freezer case – or to purchase directly in bulk
for a large party - is Good Wives, www.goodwives.com. This
Massachusetts-based company produces upscale, prepared, frozen appetizers
in a variety of categories, shapes, and flavors. These include fillo
pastries, puff pastries, profiteroles, mini quiches, tartlets, flatbreads,
tortilla wraps and spring rolls that feature flavors highlighting brie,
gorgonzola, goat cheese, artichokes, mushrooms, olives and much
more.
For
the guests on your nice list, treat them to gourmet delicacies by visiting
D’Artagnan online at www.dartagnan.com. Founded in
1985 by Ariane Daguin and George Faison, D’Artagnan is the leading
purveyor of foie gras, pates, sausages, smoked delicacies, organic game
and poultry in the nation. Currently providing a range of over 300 items
from free range and organic meats to preservative free charcuterie, try
D’Artagnan’s French Kisses, Armagnac soaked prunes stuffed with duck foie
gras, a ready-to-eat treat that your guests will ooh and ahh
over.
Those of us who shop the
organic section at the grocery store will already be familiar with Alexia
Foods – producers of frozen, flavorful fries, appetizers and other potato
products. The company is now introducing a line of artisan breads
that are heat and eat. With all natural ingredients, no trans fats, and in
some cases, fat free, these crusty rolls could make your next dinner party
a bit easier. Try Ciabatta, Italian-style rolls baked with rosemary and
olive oil; Classic French rolls baked light and crispy by balancing
humidity and temperature; Three Cheese Focaccia baked with Asiago,
Parmesan and Romano; Hearty Whole Wheat Rolls with flaxseeds, soy and
sunflower seeds; and their Garlic Baguette baked with real butter,
garlic and spices. For more information, visit www.alexiafoods.com.
Garnish your next culinary
creation with edible flowers. Now available where fresh herbs are sold in
the produce section, most edible flower combinations include organically
grown cornflowers, marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies and snapdragons. They
provide a touch of color on entrees, salads or desserts. The Herbal Garden
(www.theherbalgarden.com),
based out of Chicago since 1986, is one of the largest suppliers of fresh,
pesticide-free and organic culinary herbs, specialty salads, and, of
course, edible flowers. Grown on more than 70 acres with 15 state-of-the
art greenhouses, The Herbal Garden offers over 23 varieties of fresh herbs
including hard-to-find herbs like chervil and lemon grass.
As
for something sweet, try Calypso Rum Cakes. A product of Barbados, and
with the claim of being the best rum cakes in the Caribbean (which we
fully agree), Calypso offers four flavors including vanilla, chocolate,
coffee, and our favorite, the refreshing Lemon-Ginger – made with fresh,
grated ginger. Sold in one-pound, two-pound and four-ounce sizes,
visit www.calypsorumcake.com
for ordering details.
Sauce on the Side
Condiments continue
to be one of the largest categories in the specialty food industry
featuring a variety of liqueurs, whiskies and spice combinations. A
unique offering from South Africa, Braai Spray Brushless Baste, is a range
of bastes available in spray formats allowing meat to be basted easily
during cooking. Four flavors are being introduced including Peri-Peri Hot,
Sweet & Sticky, Hickory Smoke and Lemon & Garlic. For fans
of Iron Chef, look for a line of Asian rice crisps, soup mixes and, of
course, sauces for adding a little zest to your next
meal.
Wishbone is introducing a new
way dress your salad with their Salad Spritzers. In a small spray bottle,
the health conscious can add a tiny spritz of dressing to cut on calories
– as each spritz only has 1 calorie. Flavors available include Balsamic
Breeze Vinaigrette, Italian Vinaigrette and Red Wine Mist Vinaigrette.
Visit www.wish-bone.comfor more
details.
Something to Sip
On
The
beverage sector continues to introduce the largest number of new products
annually. Not only does this include a multitude of new sodas touting
nutritional benefits, but it also includes drink mixes, juices and teas.
Pom,
maker of fresh pomegranate juice, will begin offering a line of Pom Teas
that feature the health benefits of pomegranate juice. America’s
increasing love of dark, gourmet chocolate can now be met in two new
products that can be savored both warm and cold - Schokinag’s Extreme Dark
European Drinking Chocolate and Dufflet’s Chocolate Chaud de Luxe Extra
Brut.
Jarrito’s, a popular Mexican
soda with flavors like tamarind and pineapple, is introducing two new soda
flavors in 2006 - mango and watermelon.
Magnolia Teas, a family-owned
company based in Chicago, offers bottled tea brewed from natural gourmet
tea leaves, seasoned with natural spices, fruit concentrates and fruit
flavors. Their full line includes: Autumn Nectar, Nilla-Nade,
Southern Style, Splendid Green Tea and Unsweetened. Order a case online at
www.magnoliaspice.com or
look for them at a local grocery store.
Bada
Beans, gourmet coffee flavorings that come in a tin like breath mints
offer gourmet flavoring for coffee that is economically priced and easily
to carry with you. A flavoring confection specifically designed to flavor
a cup of coffee; Bada Beans offers flavors such as vanilla, caramel and
hazelnut. Visit Bada online at www.badabeans.com.
Sipahh is a new flavored
straw for drinking milk. The unique product comes in a variety of flavors
and contributes less than half-teaspoon of sugar making it a better choice
for children. Sipahh’s flavors include caramel, strawberry, banana,
chocolate and chocolate-mint. Using natural colors and no
preservatives, the small flavoring bead inside the straws infuses the
liquid that is sipped through the straw. Sipahh straws were developed by
an Australian company that claims the product boosted milk sales in stores
and schools the year the product was introduced in Australia. The
straw could be filled with other substances, such as vitamins and
pharmaceuticals, for use in the health and fitness industries.
Visit, www.sipahh.com
for more
information.
Got
Dairy?
Following condiments and
beverages, cheese takes the third spot as one of the top sales items in
the specialty food industry. Even in the cavernous space of McCormick
Place, wafts of stinky cheese filled cheese lovers with delight in almost
every aisle. From fine imported British cheeses to artisan cheeses
made closer to home, look for these items at a cheese counter near you:
Vermont Butter and Cheese Co.
(www.vtbutterandcheeseco.com) offers an American-made Crème Fraiche that
is rich and creamy with a nutty flavor.
Rogue Creamery (www.roguecreamery.com)
has been creating artisan cheeses since 1935 in Oregon State – one to try,
their Smokey Blue that is smoked with Oregon hazelnut shells.
One
of the best things we’ve ever eaten can be found at Jasper Hill Farms in
Vermont (www.jasperhillfarm.com)
– and that is their cheeses including Constant Bliss, Winnimere and Baley
Hazen Blue. (Available at Sam’s Wines and Spirits in Chicago).
Constant Bliss is a slow ripened lactic curd made only with fresh, right
out of the cow, evening milk and it is aged 60 days before it leaves the
farm. Winnimere is another soft cheese that is aged in a salty rind of
brown ale that is produced on the farm, leaving a cheese that is creamy on
the inside with a savory, soft brown crust. And lastly is the Bayley Hazen
Blue, a natural rind blue cheese made with whole raw milk and lower in
fat. Drier than most blues, this cheese offers an array of flavors such as
nuts and grasses with a texture similar to chocolate and butter. It is
aged between 4 and 6 months.
In
other dairy news, Skinny Cow, creators of some of the best low-fat ice
cream sandwiches on the market, is now offering a line of fat free milk;
Stonyfield Farms, the name in organic yogurt, is now moving from the dairy
case to the ice cream case with a line of organic ice creams and low-fat
frozen yogurts; and, more kefirs are being offered in the marketplace,
look for Lifeway Organic who is marketing Probugs, a whole-milk kefir for
kids with flavors like Sublime Lime Slime and Orange Creamy
Crawler.
I’ll Take My Steak
Organic Please
If
books and movies like Fast Food
Nation and
Supersize Me have you seeking out meat,
pork and poultry not chocked-full of saline solutions and growth hormones,
then you’ll enjoy the plethora of organic meat products being introduced
into the marketplace this year. One to look for, Coleman Natural
Meats (www.colemanmeats.com) who
is offering a new line of organic, all-natural cooked sausages such as
chicken-spinach-feta, apple-chicken, spicy and mild Italian,
cilantro-chicken and much, more.
Move Over Olive
Oil
We’ve all
probably purchased a product or two imported by Roland (www.rolandfood.com) at some
point in our culinary adventures, most likely in the form of canned
anchovies, smoked oysters, etc. Roland’s product line is quite
extensive and something new to look for are their variety of cold-pressed
oils including rice oil, very light colored, used for frying, sautéing and
baking; avocado and pistachio oils, green colored, great as a dressing for
steamed vegetables, dressings and sautéing fish; and pumpkin seed oil,
dark colored and good for salads, baking and
marinades.
In Other Food
Related News:
If You
Care, that’s really the product’s name, is 100-percent recycled aluminum
foil produced by Atlantique, Inc and a finalist in the non-food category
at the Spring Fancy Food Show.
Food
Spring, www.foodspring.com, is a new
food ‘adventurist’ magazine that targets the active, engaged, and
adventuresome specialty food consumer. Premiering Fall 2006, the
magazine is published by the National Association of Specialty Food Trade
and will, on a quarterly basis, explore food trends, investigate regional
and international food categories and provide practical information about
selecting, purchasing and serving specialty foods.
What they’re saying
about us
Ever wonder
what consumer trends the food and grocery industry are following? Well,
here are the top trends the Food Marketing Institute is predicting that
we’ll be looking for in the next few years:
-
Consumers will continue to
look for reduced sugar foods
-
Protein will grow in
importance as the means to proper nutrition
-
Meal times are fragmenting in
the average household
-
Consumers are increasingly shopping for food at a variety of
retailers
-
Consumers want products that
will help us look and feel beautiful inside and
out
-
Portability and one-handed eating is going to be
important
-
Flavors and food choices in
the grocery store will focus on bringing restaurant experiences
home
Copyright 2006 |
