MARKETING MERCHANDISING ANAGEMENT ROCUREMENT The … · ney’s Boardwalk Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL, March 1 — 4, 2009. This year’s Conference theme is Connecting to a Global

DELI BUSINESSMARKETING MERCHANDISING MANAGEMENT PROCUREMENT

ALSO INSIDEGRAB-AND-GO

ASIAN FOODPASTA

FOOD BARSPACKAGING

PRE-SLICED MEATSBARBEQUE

CHEDDAR CHEESEDUTCH CHEESE

FEBMAR 2009 $1495

The DeliExperience

IBUSIN

The DeliExperience

FEBMAR 2009 DELI BUSINESS 3

PROCUREMENTBelly Up To The Bar 30More consumers are turning to deli department food bars rather than restaurants to satisfy their cravings for high-quality foods

Package Deal 33The future of packaging relies on equal measures of sustainability and affordability

Home Cooking ndash Without The Cooking 42Rotisserie and barbecue bring in foot traffic mdash and profits

CONTENTSFEBMAR rsquo09 bull VOL 14NO 1

COVER STORY

FEATURESA Boon For Tired-And-Pinched 18Grab-and-go offers convenience quality and affordable pricing when time is short and money is tight

The Art Of War Asian Food Style 24In the battle for share of stomach Asian food offers supermarket delis a strategic advantage

MERCHANDISING REVIEWSPasta Perfect 27Pasta producers create restaurant tastethat translates to at-home meals

24DELI BUSINESS (ISSN 1088-7059) is published by Phoenix Media Network Inc PO Box 810425 Boca Raton FL 33481-0425

POSTMASTER Send address changes to DELI BUSINESS PO Box 810217 Boca Raton FL 33481-0217

DELI BUSINESS (ISSN 1088-7059) is published by Phoenix Media Network Inc PO Box 810425 Boca Raton FL 33481-0425

4 DELI BUSINESS FEBMAR 2009

DELI MEATSA Slice Above 39The pre-sliced deli meat segment continues to thrive as consumers seek value and convenience in the deli department

SPECIALTY CHEESESGood Cheeses Make Good Neighbors 46From traditional classics to unusual innovations Cheddars can please every palate and every pocketbook

Going Dutch Is Still In Style 50Holland revives vintage cheese styles and creates new trends

COMMENTARIESEDITORrsquoS NOTEHow Consumers Perceive Brands 10

PUBLISHERrsquoS INSIGHTSBeing A Consumer Advocate 12

IN EVERY ISSUEDELI WATCH 8

TECHNEWS 53

BLAST FROM THE PAST 54

INFORMATION SHOWCASE 5450

PRESIDENT amp EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJAMES E PREVOR

jprevorphoenixmedianetcom

PUBLISHING DIRECTORKENNETH L WHITACRE

kwhitacrephoenixmedianetcom

PUBLISHEREDITORIAL DIRECTORLEE SMITH

lsmithphoenixmedianetcom

MANAGING EDITORJAN FIALKOW

jfialkowphoenixmedianetcom

CIRCULATION MANAGERKELLY ROSKIN

kroskinphoenixmedianetcom

PRODUCTION DIRECTORDIANA LEVINE

dlevinephoenixmedianetcom

ART DIRECTORJACKIE TUCKER

jtuckerphoenixmedianetcom

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTFREDDY PULIDO JOANNA ARMSTRONG

NATIONAL SALES MANAGERRICK PURCARO

rpurcarophoenixmedianetcom

ADVERTISINGJORDAN BAUM

jbaumphoenixmedianetcom

ERIC NIEMANeniemanphoenixmedianetcom

RESEARCH DIRECTORSHARON OLSON

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSELIZABETH BLAND CHRISTINA DAVID ROBERTS

BOB JOHNSON CAROL M BAREUTHERJACQUELINE ROSS LIEBERMAN LISA WHITE

KAREN SILVERSTON JENNIFER CHASE ESPOSITO

SEND INSERTION ORDERS PAYMENTS PRESS RELEASESPHOTOS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ETC TO

DELI BUSINESSPO BOX 810217 BOCA RATON FL 33481-0217

PHONE 561-994-1118 FAX 561-994-1610E-MAIL delibusinessphoenixmedianetcom

PHOENIX MEDIA NETWORK INCCHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

JAMES E PREVOR

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTKENNETH L WHITACRE

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTLEE SMITH

GENERAL COUNSELDEBRA PREVOR

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTFRAN GRUSKIN

TRADE SHOW COORDINATORJACKIE LOMONTE

DELI BUSINESS IS PUBLISHED BYPHOENIX MEDIA NETWORK INC

PO BOX 810425BOCA RATON FL 33481-0425

PHOENIX MEDIA NETWORK INCALL RIGHTS RESERVEDPRINTED IN THE USA

PUBLICATION AGREEMENT NO 40047928

SUBSCRIPTION amp READER SERVICE INFOIf you would like to subscribe to DELI BUSINESS for the print andor electronic ver-sion please go to wwwdelibusinesscom and click on the ldquoSubscriberdquo buttonFrom there you can subscribe to the print version of DELI BUSINESS or free ofcharge to the electronic version In addition you can read the electronic versionand go directly to a companyrsquos Web site through our special hot link feature Bestof all you may download and print any article or advertisement yoursquod like

FEATURE STORIESHispanicFoodservice Concepts

MERCHANDISING REVIEWSGreek FoodsSandwich ProgramsChickenIndian Foods

PROCUREMENT STRATEGIESOilsPotatoes

PRE-IDDBA GUIDE

PREPARED FOODSBreakfast

DELI MEATSValue-PricedSalami

CHEESESPre-sliced CheesesItalian Cheeses

COMING IN JUNEJULY 2009The 5th Annual Peoplersquos Awards saluting industry leaders who have made

a positive impact on their company the community and the people aroundthem Go to wwwdelibusinesscom to nominate your industry leader

ECONOMIC UPDATEA look at how the current economy relates to the supermarket industry

and specifically to the deliprepared food department

COMING NEXT ISSUE IN APRMAY 2009

RFA CONFERENCE amp EXHIBITIONThe 29th Annual Refrigerated Foods Associa-

tion Conference amp Exhibition will be held at Dis-neyrsquos Boardwalk Resort in Lake Buena Vista FLMarch 1 mdash 4 2009

This yearrsquos Conference theme is Connecting toa Global Marketplace Itrsquos a Small World and thepresentations will provide relevant and timelyinformation that will help companies succeed intodayrsquos global marketplace for prepared refriger-ated foods Expert speaker presentations willcover a variety of vitally important topics totodayrsquos refrigerated foods manufacturers mdashincluding commodity markets food safetyimport safety supply chain logistics fresh foodtrends and more

For more information visit the RFA Web-site mdash wwwrefrigeratedfoodsorgconfer-enceindexhtml

D E L I W A T C H

Transitions

MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

Phoenix Media Network BocaRaton FL publisher of DELI BUSI-NESS has launched CHEESE CON-NOISSEUr a unique lifestyle publi-cation providing sophisticatedwell-educated foodies and industryprofessionals with informationabout specialty cheeses celebritycheese makers and chefs winestravel opportunities and comple-mentary foods and beverages Atradeconsumer hybrid the newmagazine will be available for salein retail cheese departments andby subscription wwwcheeseconnoisseurcom

New Products

SUSTAINABLESQUARE PACKAGING

Wilkinson Industries Inc Ft Cal-houn NE adds more sustainablefood packaging to its Natures-PLAstic Collection with EcoServedeli square containers The lineincludes six consecutive sizes for awide variety of food applicationsThe new squares are available in8- 12- 16- 24- 32- and 40-ouncesizes and the same lid fits all sizesquares The line is made fromNaturesPLAstic with Ingeobiopolymer providing a reducedenvironmental footprintwwwwilkinsonindustriescom

BRIE LOG

Lactalis USA New York NYintroduced its new Preacutesident BrieLog and promoted it for enjoymenton Inauguration Day The newBrie fits on a cracker and is easy toserve up at parties The unique logshape combined with a thin softedible rind eliminates the clean upand difficult cutting found in tradi-tional Brie making it easy to enjoythe creamy tastewwwpresidentcheesecom

FOCACCIA STICKS

New York Style Westchester ILpart of Tulsa OK-based NonnirsquosFood Company has turned focac-cia bread into a convenient snackIt bakes real focaccia bread cutsthe bread into sticks and thenbakes them again until theyrsquorecrunchy Lightly seasoned withnatural herbs and spices thesnacks are available in RoastedGarlic amp Herb Rosemary amp SeaSalt and Quattro Formaggio fea-turing Parmesan Romano Ched-dar and Blue cheeses wwwnewyorkstylecom

Jan Fialkow has been namedmanaging editor of DELI BUSINESSand CHEESE CONNOISSEUR maga-zines published by Phoenix MediaNetwork Boca Raton FL Shehas been with the company forfive years as managing editor ofPRODUCE BUSINESS and AMERI-CAN FOOD amp AG EXPORTER mag-azines Her previous experienceincludes many years in consumerpublications and retail advertisingwwwdelibusinesscom

Steven M Margarites is thenew president of Mount KiscoNY-based Best Cheese Corp thesole importer of Dutch Parranocheese and the Legendairy andUniekaas brands of Dutch GoudaA 20-year veteran of the importcheese business his previous posi-tions include vice president ofcheese department at AtalantaCorp and executive vice presidentof Best Cheesewwwbestcheesecom

ACQUISITION MADE

Emmi Lucerne Switzerland hasacquired Roth Kaumlse USA LtdMonroe WI thus expanding itsposition in the US cheese indus-try Since 2006 Emmi has been astrategic partner with a minoritystake in Roth Kaumlse which hasshown strong growth in the UScheese market especially in thefoodservice sector Emmi has beensuccessfully marketing Swisscheese in the United States formany yearswwwrothkasecom

FRESH FOODROUNDTABLE FORMED

Several leading fresh-food associa-tions and industry groups includ-ing International Dairy-Deli-Bak-ery Association and GS1 US haveformed the Fresh Food TradeAssociation Roundtable to facili-tate the exchange of informationand to guide and support the useof GS1 standards in US fresh-food industries The grouprsquos goalsinclude expanded communicationsto address various supply-chainchallenges

DELI WATCH is a regular feature of DELI BUSINESS Please send information on new products personnel changes industry corporateand personal milestones and available literature along with a color photo slide or transparency to Editor DELI BUSINESS PO Box810217 bull Boca Raton FL 33481-0217 bull Phone 561-994-1118 bull Fax 561-994-1610 bull E-mail DeliBusinessphoenixmedianetcom

Announcements

This issuersquos cover story presents some terrific con-sumer research done by Olson Communications ofChicago It focuses on branding and consumer per-ceptions related to product attributes The researchis revealing intriguing and easily misinterpreted

Over the years wersquove conducted and studied con-sumer research on various perishable products and per-ishable shopping venues Virtually every research reporthas shown that the most important attributes con-sumers look for when selecting shopping venues arecleanliness assortment or variety and price or value

Depending on the economy the topics in the newsand the methodology of the study these three valuesmay change places but they consistently lead the pack

Cleanliness actually has turned up as the No 1 criteri-on in selecting a shopping venue in most of the researchstudies A casual student of consumer research mightthink these results indicate that a wise supermarket oper-ator should simply double down on the mopping crewPerhaps Each situation is unique and sometimes moreattention to cleanliness is just what the doctor ordered

More likely the enormous importance of cleanlinesson such a broad base of consumers has made all themajor competitors acceptably clean Even though clean-liness is crucial being cleaner may not offer a competi-tive advantage Cleanliness becomes the ante the priceone pays to enter the game not a competitive tool

We thought of this as we read the research reportby Sharon Olson ldquoTasterdquo and ldquopricerdquo show up as thekey drivers motivating consumers to purchase productThe question is lsquoWhat does that meanrdquo

If I am buying hot dogs I buy only kosher all-beefhot dogs This is not for religious reasons it is becausethey typically have a different flavor profile than hotdogs made with pork and cereal

Taste is crucial to me I will never buy anything but akosher hot dog but I canrsquot really say I have strong prefer-ences of one kosher brand over another So when con-sumers report taste is important it is not 100 percentclear that they mean they can tell the nuances of LandlsquoO Lakes yellow American cheese versus Boars Headyellow American cheese This may explain why theresearch shows consumers will quite easily replace afavored brand in the deli with an alternative The unspo-ken part of that willingness to switch is the assumptionthat an alternative has a similar flavor profile

This is a weak kind of brand affiliation Marketerswould like consumers to leave if the store doesnrsquot have afavored brand In my family for example nobody wouldconsider any mayonnaise but Hellmannrsquos If our storewere out we would have to go elsewhere If our storestopped carrying it we would switch stores

Mayonnaise of course is a jarred product and wecanrsquot open up a jar to see how another brand tastes Inthis sense the merchandising practices of the servicedeli often work against brand loyalty At our local Pub-lix the deli clerk takes the order slices a single pieceasks if this thickness is good and offers the piece as asample Often you can hear consumers ask about theham that is on special and ask to try a slice This abilityto sample reduces the necessity of reliance on brands

It is also true that on many items such as preparedsalads many stores try to give the impression the prod-uct was made on site so it is difficult for consumers toknow what the brand is Growing up on the northshore of Long Island I had no idea what brand the sal-ads were but I remember little signs sticking up fromthe mayonnaise-based salads mdash ldquoMade with Hell-mannrsquosrdquomdash and that was a mark of quality for my family

Consumer responses grow out of their experiencesand we suspect branding could mean much moreToday many stores sign up with one brand as the domi-nant supplier to the deli with signage making it lookalmost like a concession or franchise Although otherbrands may be sold they are typically store brands or fillgaps in the offer mdash such as kosher product The mainbrand typically sells excellent product but it is unlikelythat one company will really make the very best Genoasalami and the best Cheddar cheese

So a great retailer that wants to have buyers workitem by item and find the best in each line could have acompetitive edge and if some marketing were done toexplain to consumers why each brand was selected wewould likely see brand loyalty being engendered

Building brands takes time and effort We ask con-sumers why they do things but most people are crea-tures of habit One suspects the most likely reason forbuying a particular brand is not rational the answersresearchers elicit are rationalizations to explain buyingwhat Mom bought

Is it trust that the quality and flavor will be right Is itcertainty that you will enjoy the product Perhaps theanswer is that food has anemotional component andif giving your kids a tunasandwich made with Hell-mannrsquos mayonnaise makesyou remember your ownmom handing you a tunasandwich made with Hell-mannrsquos mayonnaise thewarm memory comesfrom paying a tiny premi-um for the tuna DB

F R O M T H E E D I T O R rsquo S D E S K

by Jim Prevor Editor-in-Chief How Consumers Perceive Brands

P U B L I S H E R rsquo I N S I G H T SP U B L I S H E R rsquo I N S I G H T S

Troubled times make it imperative for companies toaddress their customersrsquo concerns Your customershave to like you mdash or at the very least feel youaddress their needs better than someone else mdashbecause competition is fierce and unpredictable

Consumers are looking for reassurance that they aremaking sound choices and many donrsquot know how tocut their spending especially when it comes to food

Placing the customer first is an oft spoken mantrabut saying your company is a consumer advocate doesnot make it a fact Customers will see though yourinsincerity faster than you will

Why does a company aggravate its customersOften because it assumes low price is the only valuedifferential worth considering and because operationalefficiencies determine what it can and cannot do Effi-cient operation is crucial to keeping costs down andcompetitive but when those efficiencies define cus-tomer policies the end often doesnrsquot justify the means

I just returned from the Fancy Food Show so airtravel is on my mind Airlines now charge to check bagsIrsquod prefer the charge be added to the ticket price for fourreasons First since my company pays for the ticket Iwouldnrsquot have to put it on my expense account and waitto get reimbursed and second check-in at the airportwould be much faster

Then therersquos the third reason mdash airport security Idonrsquot mind the security check in fact I find comfort inairport screening that keeps the nuts and terrorists offmy plane But many people are taking as much carry-onas they can get away with mdash an over-stuffed bag burst-ing its seams a personal carry-on mdash read second suit-case mdash that obviously will never fit into the overheadcompartment all of which make the long security linelonger and more confusing

The last step is getting on the plane and finding yourless-than-comfy seat Extra bags that should be storedin the overhead compartments donrsquot fit which seldomsurprises the offending passenger He or she has figuredout that if you get past check-in you can check thatextra bag at the gate and not pay the bag charge

The irony is that as soon as I sit down and stuff mybriefcase pocketbook and winter coat under the seat infront of me because therersquos no room in the overheadcompartment the obligatory announcement startschirping over the loud speaker ldquoWersquore your friends inthe sky and we care about your safety and comfortrdquo

My first thought is ldquoYou are not my friendrdquoAll of us need to determine whether we are friends of

our customers Do we first take into consideration theirneeds when new products and services are developed

Do we communicate often enough clearly enough gen-erously enough Are their needs paramount

Consumers have many ways to significantly reducetheir spending on food One of the most obvious is eatingout less and cooking more How many retailers are help-ing consumers ignorant in the ways of the culinaryworld Very simple recipes using products cross-mer-chandised at the point of sale would help A scrumptiousMediterranean chicken dish can be made if the consumerbuys a small jar of roasted glazed figs as a condiment forrotisserie chicken Add a cucumber salad olives cous-cous or rice and fresh steamed carrots and the averagecustomer has a restaurant-worthy dinner at a fraction ofthe price a fine-dining establishment would charge

Another way to reduce food bills is to eat more pro-duce and less meat Serving three or more fruits vegeta-bles and grains means someone doesnrsquot need to eat halfa roasted chicken or three pork chops to be satisfied butpresenting that option often raises the question ldquoDo youwant the meat director to kill merdquoFor too many execu-tives protecting their kingdom is more important thanserving their constituents Of course the system ofrewards and benefits must change for senior executivesto work together Departments are competitive andrewards based on individual department performanceWithout strong leadership individuals struggle for domi-nance in a marketplace where retailers are struggling tostay relevant to their customers ndash customers whocouldnrsquot care less about departmental divisions

The deli department will never be the bargain-base-ment department since most of its products are fullyprepared but that doesnrsquot mean looking for ways tohelp consumers save money should be bypassedTodayrsquos deli department is the restaurant alternative aswell as a place to help consumers transition from aworld where the oven was never turned on to a worldwhere home cooking is a financial necessity

While it may seem counterintuitive profitable salesare a result not a goal A true mission statement clearlyexpresses what your company intends to provide yourtargeted customer base Ifyour mission is strategicallyrelevant your focus clearand defined and your exe-cution excellent the endresult will be profitable sales

Do you really think air-lines focus on satisfying cus-tomers Should they be sur-prised ticket sales are downeven with lower prices DB

by Lee Smith Publisher Being A Consumer Advocate

C O V E R S T O R Y

The DeliExperienceTaste and price are the prime motivators for deli purchases branded or otherwise

BY SHARON OLSONFive years ago Olson Communica-tions Inc Chicago IL surveyedconsumers about the role brandsplayed in their deli department pur-chasing decisions This year Olson

did another survey to see how much or howlittle the power of brands has changed inmaking the deli a destination for loyal cus-tomers This year the company took a closelook at the role branding plays in individualdeli product categories Across all categoriestaste and value are the key characteristicsconsumers associate with favored brands

Olson surveyed 302 consumers betweenthe ages of 25 and 54 to explore theirimpressions of brands in the deli and theimpact of branding on their perceptions andtheir purchases After surveying consumersthe company interviewed some innovativeretailers across the country to hear theirreactions to the findings and learn moreabout successful brand building strategies

Consumers were asked to rate 12 char-acteristics mdash past experience storersquos reputa-tion local brand national brand importednew product taste organic nutritional con-tent ingredients price and packaging mdash ontheir importance in purchasing major cate-gories of deli products including meatscheeses prepared salads entreacutees soups andside dishes Overwhelmingly taste and pricewere cited as the primary characteristics inall categories A majority of consumers alsonoted ingredients and nutritional content asimportant Factors considered least impor-tant by consumers across all categories wereimported local brand name organic and newproduct offering

Although consumers had brand prefer-ences across all categories more than half ofconsumers surveyed admitted they wouldpurchase an alternate brand if their preferredchoice were unavailable or if another brandwere on sale

A storersquos reputation past experience andingredients were the most often noted fac-tors that drove brand preference for both

C O V E R S T O R Y

national and local brands In open-endedquestions it became clear consumers consid-er some store brands on par with nationalmanufacturer brands

The study showed national brands had astrong following in meat and cheese cate-gories Consumers report national brandsfrom manufacturers and national storebrands among their favorites Brand prefer-ences were less developed in entreacutees sidedishes soups and side categories with a shifttoward store brands Tasting and past experi-ence with the retailer drove preferences inthese categories

Deli Perspectives On BrandingRetailers report branding remains a strong

if sometimes elusive element in their respec-tive delis ldquoGiant Eagle customers are extreme-ly loyal to their preferred brandsrdquo notes VoniWoods senior director of deli operations forPittsburgh PA-based Giant Eagle Inc ldquoThatsaid the Giant Eagle store brand is the domi-nant one in the deli case through which mostprepackaged products are sold in poly-bag for-mats with the store labelrdquo

David Casey owner of Caseyrsquos Market inWestern Springs IL says that at his locallyowned meat and grocery store the BoarrsquosHead brand has garnered a strong followingeven as other national brands in the sliced-to-order category have fallen off LandOrsquoLakes remains his most popular andrequested brand for sliced-to-order cheeses

Other retailers have found certain brandsengender different strengths of loyaltyAccording to Scott Zoeller director of deli-catessen sales and merchandising for KingsSuper Markets based in Parsippany NJKings recently switched from one nationalbrand to the Boarrsquos Head line and saw salesskyrocket ldquoWersquove found a 100 percent lift inpurchases in Boarrsquos Head shoppers versus[the previous brandrsquos] shoppersrdquohe remarks

However Zoeller was quick to note theKings Delight store brand of roast beef andturkey is merchandised as on par with theupscale national brand and has enjoyed acore buying base ldquoOur Kings Delight brandwhich wersquove positioned higher has stayedconsistent year on yearrdquohe remarks

The Store Brand ExperienceConsumers noted past experience with a

brand as a key driver and store brands areemerging as sophisticated choices for dis-cerning shoppers in terms of quality valueand convenience

For example Kings offers multiple tiers ofproducts under its store brand including delimeats positioned as similar to the mostupscale national brand yet priced more com-petitively explains Zoeller

Giant Eagle also uses the deli to show-case its store brand of lunch meats cheesesand prepared foods offering a double-your-money-back guarantee on any product with-in the Giant Eagle family of brands ldquoWhencustomers know and trust your brand anaffordable price becomes just the additionalbenefitrdquo notes Woods ldquoGiven todayrsquos eco-nomic climate customers continue to lookfor ways to match high quality withincreased value providing opportunities fornew trial of and often repeat purchases ofour own brand productsrdquo

Specialty and independent retailers toocreate a point of differentiation from theirown brand Caseyrsquos store roasts its own beeffor sliced-to-order portions and reports it ismore popular than the leading national brand

For the future according to Zoellerstores would be well served to keep an eyeon both store brands and national brands ofprepared foods and deli items that can easilybe made into meals and snacks ldquoWe find theyounger generation does not cook ndash theircooking is reheatingrdquo he comments ldquoWhenyou have a fully cooked product that is asgood as or better than making it on yourown and you add to that value and foodsafety itrsquos something to look atrdquo

Consumers were aware of many brandsin each product category studied Althoughthere was widespread awareness loyaltywas elusive with an easy willingness toswitch brands if favored brands wereunavailable With past experience playingsuch an important role in brand decisions itis up to the retailer to gain its customersrsquotrust and reinforce it with great tasting deliofferings that are perceived to be a good

value at any price point

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

Deli Meat ndash Sliced To OrderRespondents were asked to rate the 12

characteristics on their importance in pur-chasing sliced-to-order meat in the deliOverwhelmingly taste and price were identi-fied as most important to respondentsThree-fourths of respondents said taste ofthe product was very important and 58 per-cent said price was very important Thestorersquos reputation the respondentrsquos pastexperience with the brand and ingredientswere each rated by 55 percent of respon-dents as important in purchasing sliced-to-order meat Four characteristics were eachrated as unimportant by approximately halfof the respondents imported local brandname organic and new product offering

When asked how often they purchasethe same brand of sliced-to-order meat only9 percent of respondents replied alwaysHowever 53 percent said most of the timeand 34 percent said sometimes in regards tohow often they purchase the same brandOnly 3 percent of respondents said theyrarely purchase the same brand and onerespondent said he never purchases the samebrand of sliced-to-order meat in the deli

Respondents wrote in 54 brands ofsliced-to-order meat they typically purchase

Once respondents identified their favoritebrand they were asked how likely they wouldbe to purchase another brand if their favoritewere unavailable Almost three-fourths saidthey would be likely to do so and 14 percentsaid they would be very likely to do soRespondents specifically named 41 differentbrands as their second choice Seventy-eightpercent of respondents said they would belikely or very likely to purchase whateverbrand was on sale if their favorite brand ofsliced-to-order meat were unavailable

Deli Meat ndash PrepackagedCharacteristics that motivate respon-

dents to purchase prepackaged meat weresimilar to those that motivated them to pur-chase sliced-to-order meat Again taste andprice were most important to respondentsSixty-three percent said taste was veryimportant and 52 percent said price wasvery important Past experience with thebrand and ingredients were rated as impor-tant by 58 percent and 51 percent of respon-dents respectively Other characteristicsrated as important included national brandname (47 percent) storersquos reputation (47percent) and packaging (45 percent) Thosecharacteristics rated as unimportant by sev-eral respondents were local brand name (46

percent) organic (44 percent) and imported(42 percent)

When asked how often they purchasethe same brand of prepackaged meat in thedeli only 6 percent of respondents saidalways However most of the time andsometimes were each the response of 45percent of respondents Only 4 percent ofrespondents said they rarely purchase thesame brand and none of the respondents saidthey never purchase the same brand

If their favorite brand were unavailable70 percent of respondents said they wouldbe likely and 10 percent of respondents saidthey would be very likely to purchase anoth-er brand Twenty-nine brands were specifi-cally named as respondentsrsquo alternatives totheir favorite brand

Cheese ndash Sliced To OrderAs in the discussion of sliced-to-order

and prepackaged meat the most respon-dents rated taste (67 percent) and price (51percent) as very important when purchasingsliced-to-order cheese Past experience withthe brand and the storersquos reputation wereeach seen as important by 58 percent ofrespondents and the productrsquos ingredientswere rated important by 54 percent Thefactors of organic new product offering

local brand name and imported were eachrated by approximately 45 percent of respon-dents as being unimportant

Respondents who always purchase thesame brand of sliced-to-order cheese in thedeli comprised 7 percent of the sample Thir-ty-six percent of respondents said they pur-chase the same brand most of the time and42 percent said they purchase the samebrand sometimes Only 12 percent said theyrarely and 3 percent said they never pur-chase the same brand of sliced-to-ordercheese Respondents named 27 brands astop choices and 17 brands as second choices

If their favorite brand were unavailable alarge percentage of respondents said theywould be likely (63 percent) or very likely (19percent) to buy another brand

Cheese ndash PrepackagedFor the purposes of this survey pre-pack-

aged cheese relates to cheese in the delidepartment not in the dairy departmentAlthough every retail store is distinctprepackaged cheese typically offered in thedeli department is likely to be specialtycheese such as sliced Fontina crumbled Bluein cups wedges of Brie etc

Respondentsrsquo views of what is importantto them did not change when they rated the

importance of prepackaged cheese charac-teristics Taste and price were again rated bythe most respondents as being very impor-tant (63 percent and 50 percent respective-ly) Approximately half of the respondentsrated each of the following as being impor-tant when purchasing prepackaged cheesepast experience with the brand storersquos repu-tation and ingredients Local brand nameimported organic and new product offeringwere rated as being unimportant to approxi-mately half of the respondents

Most respondents said they purchase thesame brand of prepackaged cheese most ofthe time (41 percent) or sometimes (39 per-cent) Fewer respondents said always (8 per-cent) rarely (11 percent) or never (1 percent)in regards to how often they purchase thesame brand Respondents specifically identi-fied 25 brands of prepackaged cheese

If their favorite brand were unavailablealmost three-fourths of respondents (72 per-cent) said they would be likely or very likelyto purchase another brand Respondentsnamed 12 brands as alternate choices

Prepared SaladsTaste and price were again rated by the

most respondents as being very important61 percent and 47 percent respectivelyFifty-eight percent of respondents said theirpast experience with the brand was impor-tant Half of the respondents said the ingre-dients in the salad were important and 45percent said the storersquos reputation wasimportant Forty-two percent said nationalbrand was unimportant when choosing aprepared salad which raises these questionsAre consumers unaware of the nationalbrands in this category or do they not careIf the reason is the former are there opportu-nities to increase brand awareness and thusincrease branded sales

Other characteristics rated as unimpor-tant by respondents were local brand name(47 percent) new product offering (43 per-cent) organic (42 percent) and imported (42percent)

Very few respondents said they always (6percent) or never (3 percent) purchase thesame brand of prepared salad in the deliTwenty-seven percent said they purchasethe same brand most of the time and 46 per-cent said they purchase the same brandsometimes Consumers named 15 brands ofprepared salads If their favorite brand of pre-pared salad were unavailable 69 percent saidthey would be likely or very likely to pur-chase another brand Six brands werenamed as alternate choices

Prepared EntreacuteesTaste was rated by 66 percent of respon-

C O V E R S T O R Y

dents as being very important and price wasrated very important by 47 percent With adifference of 19 points between these twocharacteristics it is evident that taste plays amore significant role than price when itcomes to prepared entreacutees Characteristicsrespondents rated as important were pastexperience with the brand (53 percent)storersquos reputation (43 percent) and productingredients (42 percent) Factors rated unim-portant were familiarity with the chef (63percent) organic (49 percent) imported (48percent) local brand name (47 percent) andnew product offering (46 percent)

Only 24 percent of respondents said theyrarely or never purchase the same brand ofprepared entreacutees More respondents saidthey purchase the same brand sometimes(44 percent) or most of the time (28 per-cent) Few respondents said they alwayspurchase the same brand (4 percent) Tenbrands were named for preference

If their favorite brand were unavailable59 percent of respondents would be likely orvery likely to purchase another brand Fivebrands were noted as second choices

Soups And Side DishesMost respondents rated two factors as

very important when purchasing soups orsides in the deli taste (53 percent) and price(41 percent) In addition 43 percent ratednutritional content as important indicatingthis category could benefit from positioningand promotions that highlight its health bene-fits and play up the nutrition aspects

Other factors rated as important by themost respondents were ingredients (46 per-cent) storersquos reputation (43 percent) andpast experience with the brand (42 percent)Characteristics identified as unimportant byrespondents were imported (48 percent)organic (47 percent) national brand name(47 percent) packaging (45 percent) andlocal brand name (45 percent)

When purchasing soups or sides in thedeli few respondents said they always (5percent) or never (4 percent) purchase thesame brand Most of the time and rarelywere each reported by approximately 20 per-cent of respondents Half of the respondentssaid they sometimes purchase the samebrand Eleven brands were named

If their favorite brand were unavailablethree alternate brands were named Seven-ty-one percent of respondents said theywould be likely or very likely to purchaseanother brand DB

ABOUT THE SURVEY

The survey was conducted by OlsonCommunications Inc Chicago IL viathe Internet to gather information onconsumer purchases of sliced-to-orderand prepackaged lunch meat sliced-to-order and prepackaged cheese pre-pared salads prepared entreacutees andsoups Fifty-two percent of the respon-dents were male and 48 percent werefemale Almost all the respondents werebetween the ages of 25 and 54 years ofage 25-34 years of age (38 percent)35-44 years of age (36 percent) 45-54 years of age (25 percent) Only oneperson was 65 years or older Five per-cent of respondents described theirhousehold income level as less than$24999 Income levels of $25000-49999 and $50000-74999 wereeach chosen by approximately 30 per-cent of respondents Thirty-five percentof respondents said their income levelwas $75000 or more DB

A Boon For Tired-And-PinchedGrab-and-go offers convenience quality and affordable pricing when time is short and money is tight

BY JACQUELINE ROSS LIEBERMAN

R eady-to-eat foods and bundled meal deals can give delis anadvantage at this time when consumers are seeking tostretch their dollars ldquoDelis offering prepared meals allowconsumers the affordable indulgence they would normallyseek at a restaurant with a value thatrsquos more palatable for

this economic climaterdquo explains ShelbyWeeda president Torrance CA-basedKingrsquos Hawaiian Bakery makers ofbreads and rolls

While restaurants are reeling as aresult of the recent economic melt-down delis have an opportunity to sellmore grab-and-go items than everbefore ldquoWe have several supermarketdeli buyers who are touting grab-and-goitems and meal programs as lsquoeconomy

success storiesrsquo and some are seeking to expand their offeringsrdquo saysWeeda ldquoCo-branded promotions attract new consumers to the deliand generate sales from products that would otherwise be outside thedelirsquos revenue streamrdquo

Cutting back on spending does not necessarily equate to cuttingback on convenience or quality it does mean many Americans arepaying more attention to overall value according to many in theindustry ldquoSales are strong as consumers continue to seek conve-nience and valuerdquo notes Alan Hamer vice president sales and mar-keting Charlotte NC-based Stefano Foods makers of such handhelditems as calzones panini stromboli quesadillas and pizza ldquoThis yearthe equation includes one new component as we have noted a strongshift toward items with the greatest protein content Perhaps this is amove toward getting the best meal value from every food dollarrdquo

Value may be increasingly important but shoppers are still willingto pay a price for convenience ldquoThere has been more demand for

F E A T U R E

Stefanorsquos Strombolis arestuffed from end to end with delicious filling scored and browned for dramatic appearance They arefully baked packaged and labeled for easy merchandis-ing and big sales

Whether itrsquos dinner for 2 or a party of 10 Stefanorsquos offersyour customers a selection that is simply delicious

For more information contact Stefano Foods Inc4825 Hovis Road Charlotte NC 28208 ~ 18003404019or visit our website at wwwstefanofoodscom

F E A T U R E

quick grab-and-go itemsrdquo reports DominickFrocione vice president of sales CedarrsquosMediterranean Foods Inc Bradford MAwhich makes Mediterranean-style foodssuch as single-serving packs of hummus withpita chips single-serving packs of tzatzikiwith chips and prepared taboulleh

ldquoSome of our Mediterranean salads suchas taboulleh and chick pea salad are nowbeing offered in grab-and-go sections since wehave switched to a flat rectangular packageThese are great items for a quick lunch or on-the-go mealrdquo says Frocione ldquoPeople areworking more and have less time to planandor prepare a meal especially if they arecooking for just themselves so I expect to seeour single-serve items really take off this yearrdquo

Convenience Is KeySingle-serve sizes are especially important

for lunches ldquoWith more of us brown-bag-ging lunch to the office these days the con-venience size has become more popular thanever beforerdquo according to Howie Klagsbrunvice president of sales Brooklyn NY-basedSonny amp Joersquos makers of hummus in a num-ber of flavors as well as pickles

Handheld items that can be eaten on thego are seeing continued success ldquoWersquore see-

ing an increase in salesrdquo reports GeorgeKashou vice president Kangaroo BrandsInc Milwaukee WI which makes pocketbreads pita chips and Omelet Sandwichesmdash omelets with various fillings tucked intopita pockets that delis can heat and serve forfoodservice But convenience is not the onlyfactor ldquoConsumers are looking for conve-nient handheld foods but theyrsquore demandingtaste quality and nutrition Quality and priceare always importantrdquohe adds

Omelet Sandwiches are priced to com-pete with fast-food breakfast sandwichesldquoDelis can sell these at $150 and still maketheir marginsrdquo says Kashou Despite theprice Kashou maintains these on-the-gobreakfasts offer the high quality consumershave become accustomed to ldquoTheyrsquove beenserved on Continental Airlines for the pastthree years and wersquove been told theyrsquore themost complimented breakfast sandwichestheyrsquove ever servedrdquo he boasts ldquoWe gethundreds of letters and e-mails from passen-gers saying how great they arerdquo

Other manufacturers also attest to theconcept that quality is a top priority when itcomes to grab-and-go foods ldquoWhat wethink is working in this economy is qualityPeople want to make sure theyrsquore getting

good value from any item whether itrsquos grab-and-go or notrdquo says Warren Wilson presi-dent The Snack Factory Skillman NJ-based makers of Pretzel Crisps whichrecently became available in 100-caloriepacks and 2-ounce snack-size bags

ldquoThe consumer is unwilling to compro-mise quality when deciding upon foodsources Nowhere is this more clearlyexpressed than the dramatic upgrade offoodservice offerings by convenience storesrdquonotes Stefanorsquos Hamer ldquoThe key is easypreparation and great tasterdquo

Over the past several years technologyand innovation have allowed manufacturersto introduce grab-and-go foods with increas-ingly higher quality For example Hamernotes ldquoStefanorsquos panini come in a uniquepackage that enables heating in-package byconventional or microwave oven Not onlydoes this speed preparation and cleanup butthe package also retains heat extending thewindow of consumptionrdquo

For consumers already in the store grab-and-go meals save a stop at a quick-serverestaurant and the gasoline it takes to getthere Handheld meals such as KangarooBrandsrsquo Omelet Sandwiches have anotheradvantage supermarket employees like themfor quick meals ldquoIf the employees know theyhave a great fresh healthful breakfast sand-wich available thatrsquos a great choice forthemrdquosays Kashou

Health SellsDelis can also stay ahead of the competi-

tion by offering grab-and-go products with a

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

HANDHELD FOODSBUT THEYrsquoRE

DEMANDING TASTEQUALITY AND

NUTRITION QUALITY

AND PRICE ARE ALWAYS

IMPORTANTrdquo

mdash George Kashou Kangaroo Brands Inc

The Publishers Of DELI BUSINESS

Are Proud To Announce TheLaunch Of A New Magazine

For information regarding advertisingand distribution opportunities call 5619941118

or e-mail Lee Smith at lsmithphoenixmedianetcom

CheeseCONNOISSEUR magazine is a lifestylepublication providing sophisticated well-educated

foodies and industry professionals with informationabout specialty cheeses celebrity cheesemakers

and chefs wines travel opportunities and com-plementary foods and beverages

By distributing to consumers through foodretailers the unique strategic distribution

and circulation model offers access toupscale and affluent homeowners con-

sumers and professional decisionmakers

Go to wwwcheeseconnoisseurcomfor more information

F E A T U R E

healthful image ldquoThe economy certainly hasforced more people to eat at home and Ithink that some of our grab-and-go items arebest suited to those consumers who may notgo out to lunch at a restaurant as often butstill want a great-tasting and healthful treatrdquosays Cedarrsquos Frocione ldquoI stress lsquohealthfulrsquobecause these are the educated consumerswho really know what they want to eat andwill shop for qualityrdquo

ldquoGrab-and-go sizes are a new product forus but theyrsquore selling nicely because peopleare looking for healthful filling snacks for eat-ing on the runrdquo says Wilson of The SnackFactory whose sales have increased 35 per-cent in the last year ldquoProducts need to behigh-quality healthful filling and preferablyoffer some all-natural varieties to competesuch as our all-natural 100-calorie packsPeople are changing their lifestyles and look-ing for more healthful alternatives for on-the-go eatingrdquo

According to Sonny amp Joersquos KlagsbrunldquoWe are still a nation on the run workinglonger hours to make ends meet and weneed to eat to stay alive We are not throw-ing in the towel and slowing down Thismight be where a more healthful lsquoto-gorsquo itemsuch Sonny amp Joersquos Hummus will scorerdquo

Variety will help a deli department standout from the competition says Frocione ldquoIfa retailer can set itself apart from say a localrestaurant or sub shop it might see a bigjump in customer count and salesrdquo

Klagsbrun also believes variety can leadto additional sales noting ldquoThe original willalmost always dominate the entire categoryHowever newness equals stimulating trialequals salesrdquo

According to Wilson The Snack Factoryis always rolling out new items to keep inter-ests piqued ldquoThis year we introduced sever-al new flavors including Chipotle Cheddarand a new product Peanut Butter CoveredPretzel Crispsrdquo

ldquoNew items and flavors are key since abig factor in grab-and-go should be varietyrdquoadds Frocione ldquoPeople like to go out to eatso they can try different things they may notwant to cook at home If the goal of grab-and-go is to take business from restaurantsthen retailers need to lsquochange the menursquo on aregular basis mdash just like a restaurantrdquo

Bundling Makes Meals EasyCross-merchandising is an important fac-

tor in grab-and-go sales Creating meal dealsby bundling together meal componentsmakes meal planning simpler for todayrsquos busycash-strapped consumers many of whom areinexperienced with home cooking butnonetheless eating more at home ldquoThe moreyou can assist these less experienced home-

makers the betterrdquo says Tom McGladeCEO Rubschlager Baking Corp ChicagoIL-based makers of European style breadsincluding cocktail breads in four flavors

ldquoIn-store delis are serving an evolvingconsumer mdash one who is focused on priceand dining out less but still seeking conve-nience and quality in his or her meal optionsrdquoadds Kingrsquos Weeda ldquoFor several decadeswersquove seen success in store chains that adoptmeal-deal programs Our supermarket cus-tomers nationwide have noted that theyrsquoveseen continued growth and opportunities mdashdespite economic challenges mdash workingwith branded vendors to develop meal solu-tions that are practical for busy deli buyersrdquo

Kingrsquos Hawaiian breads and rolls are oftenfound as part of meal packages in supermar-ket delis For example they may be bundledwith rotisserie or fried chicken and side sal-ads Other companies recommend offeringitems as giveaways For example KangarooBrands offers retailers a deeply discountedprice on its 100-calorie packs of Pita Chipswhen stores agree to give them away withsandwich purchases

Another option is to use basic cross-mer-chandising techniques ldquoMany retailers builddisplays to help the consumer understand[how to build a meal]rdquo notes McGlade Aretailer can simply place items together thatcan be used to create a meal or recipe andalso conduct a demonstration or give awayprinted instructions ldquoCheeses tuna saladchicken salad can be put out with cocktailbreadsrdquo he explains A display set in a refrig-erated section may include a recipe cardcream cheese and other spread ingredientsplus breads to serve with them

When creating these displays industryexperts say to keep in mind that the mostpopular recipes in times to come may be forcomfort foods that are not only nostalgic butalso quick easy and inexpensive McGladebelieves that as more people serve moremeals at home they are reverting to thestyle of cooking they remember from theiryouth ldquoPeople are going back to eating theway they did 25 years ago or even 50 yearsago More home-stylerdquohe says

McGlade reports that Rubschlagerrsquosrecipe for ldquoHankie Pankiesrdquo or mini pattymelts (available at its Website) is more pop-ular than ever The preparation calls for plac-ing patties made from ground beef andbreakfast sausage on slices of cocktail ryebread and topping each with a Velveeta-based sauce

ldquoMost of our comfort foods are the oneswe grew up with as kids or perhaps are justeasier to makerdquo says Sonny amp Joersquos Klags-brun ldquoAs the economy gets tighter peopleresort to emotional eating We are preparingfor this by creating recipes such as HummusMashed Potatoes and Roasted Red PepperHummus Soup to give customers a newspin on their comfort foods

ldquoWe all know people who have been letgo from lsquosecurersquo jobsrdquo he adds ldquoIt leaves uswanting something sure at the end of a dayTheyrsquore called lsquocomfort foodsrsquo for a reasonrdquo

Regardless of which recipes are offeredmaking home food preparation easier is sureto add to sales according to many in theindustry ldquoPeople are eating out less andentertaining more at home Itrsquos been a greatyear for us despite the economyrdquo accordingto McGlade DB

Comforting convenient high-quality grab-and-go foods can be sold for all meal segments

F E A T U R E

I ndustry insiders predict the Asianfood category will continue to growboth because many sub-categories ofAsian food have become mainstreammdash Chinese food is virtually a staple

mdash and because the US population isbecoming more diverse mdash once exotic cul-tures are entering the Great Melting Pot

Deli department sales of Asian foods alsofigure to grow in hard times consumers lookfor more affordable alternatives to restaurantdining and the deli is well positioned to cap-ture this market segment

ldquoKnow that you are likely competingwith a Chinese restaurant in your strip cen-ter or very nearbyrdquo advises Aaron Petrovskyvice president of Charlotte NC-basedHissho Sushi a fast-growing supplier ofsushi and sushi-related products ldquoRetailersshould pick their battles mdash this is a tough sit-uation given the alternatives I went to ourlocal strip center today and right next to atop supermarket chain I dined at a Chinese

buffet for $789 totalrdquoAs retailers map their strategy to meet

this formidable competition and expandAsian food sales in the deli they should makesure their tactics reflect these three factors

Asian Food Is A Growth CategoryAsian food sales have enjoyed healthy

growth for well over a decade Although thecategory becomes more familiar every day itstill resonates with consumers looking forsomething different or somewhat exoticAnd it can be nutritious and economical

ldquoThe Asian category continues to growat double-digit ratesrdquo notes Denise Wolebenmarketing manager for Sun Valley CA-based Okami Inc which has been a pioneerin popularizing California roll sushi for morethan a decade and also supplies a range offish and shrimp products ldquoEthnic foods arenow mainstream and in many retail grocerycategories Rices pastas frozen entreacuteessauces mdash they all feature many ethnic-

inspired productsldquoThe population is more diversified than

ever which means people are exposed to awider variety of foods at earlier ages mdash andexposed to foods of many culturesrdquo she con-tinues ldquoSushi and many Asian food ingredi-ents are now very mainstream mdash not justwith Asiansrdquo

The information revolution has helpedAsian food go mainstream The Internet andtelevision cooking shows have exposed con-sumers to many types of Asian food andmade recipes readily available

ldquoThe biggest growth we are seeing indelis in merchandising Chinese food is in thecold behind-the-glass case traditionallywhere bulk salads are soldrdquo reports MarkPhelps president of Kent WA-based Innov-Asian Cuisine which produces a wide rangeof Asian meals and specializes in convenienthigh-quality fully prepared and frozen dishesldquoWe see strong sales in our entreacutee kits ricesnoodles and Asian appetizers in the cold

THE ART OF WARAsian Food Style

In the battle for share of stomach Asian food offers supermarket delis a strategic advantage

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

case Retails on rice or noodles and egg rollsare lower than entreacutees so we are anticipatingthe side sales will be stronger than entreacuteesrdquo

According to Debra Warren senior graph-ic designer at Seattle WA-based Tai Foongproducer of a wide range of seafood productsat many different processing levels to suit theclientrsquos needs ldquoWe sell prepared entreacutees aninexpensive way to have a taste of Asia athome We are promoting prepared foods suchas dim sum with our Asian saucesrdquo

ldquoSushi offers protein carbohydrates andfat with fish rice and often mayonnaise in arelatively unprocessed formrdquo Woleben ofOkami explains ldquoThere are no preservativesno fillers and no stabilizers It is a pretty com-plete meal in a compact formrdquo

The increasing availability of supermarketand club-store sushi has resulted in the con-sumer perception that sushi is a mainstreamitem she continues ldquoSushi is well-likedacross all ages genders and ethnicities Mostcultures like rice fish and vegetables mdash sushiis a convenient and tasty way to combinethese popular foodsrdquo

Sushi Can Be An Affordable LuxuryMost of todayrsquos consumers have not gone

through an economic downturn as serious asthe one we are now experiencing Since theyhave never endured extended periods ofexternally imposed self-deprivation conven-tional wisdom says they will be looking forsmall justifiable luxuries they can still affordIndulging in favorite foods may provide justthe immediate gratification they seek

At restaurants sushi tends to be relative-ly expensive mdash most people order severalsmall items that might be inexpensive individ-ually but that add up In the deli howeversushi can still be affordable And the deli hasan edge over the restaurant competitionwhen it comes to convenience ldquoSushi offersa quick meal whether at a sushi bar or as atakeout item It requires no further prepara-tion and can be eaten as a finger foodrdquoWoleben says

But the major advantage for the deli dur-ing hard times is offering a lower price alter-native ldquoSushi as a prepared meal option is anaffordable luxury item and it has high healthbenefitsrdquo adds Hisshorsquos Petrovsky ldquoTo someextent fresh sushi is a luxury item but grab-and-go sushi in the supermarket mdash the aver-age meal is in the $6 range mdash is still a morecost-effective option than dining in a stand-alone sushi restaurant where average ticketsoften exceed $20 per person Supermarketsushi provides customers with their lsquosushi fixrsquoat an affordable price mdash and the productquality is often the same or betterrdquo

Markets with a potentially large sushiclientele should offer a range of ways to see

and buy the product According to Petro-vsky a supermarket deli should offer ldquoa full-service sushi bar staffed with a trained sushichef and grab-and-go On-site sushi chefswith extensive sushi menus and customerinteraction are key for locations that have thesushi clientele Regular specials promotionsproduct sampling colorful menus and intro-ducing new products are all important forthe operation to flourishrdquo

Not every store can afford the space andlabor required for a full-service sushi programbut fortunately successful programs comein a range of sizes ldquoSushi is a highly frag-mented industry with relatively low barriersto entryrdquo Petrovsky continues ldquoSupermar-kets should feel comfortable and confidenttheir sushi partner will perform and beresponsive to their needsrdquo

Regardless of the size of the programsushi can be marketed for a range of culinaryoccasions ldquoSushi satisfies a variety of mealoccasionsrdquo Woleben says ldquoIt can be servedas the main dish or as a side dish for lunchdinner or as a snack There so many varietiesof sushi mdash therersquos something for every tasterdquo

Variety Is A Key Strategic Position Offering an exciting variety of flavors suit-

ed for a variety of eating events is key tomaintaining or increasing deli Asian food sales

ldquoOffer a variety of flavors products andprice points Make sure prices are clearlymarkedrdquo Woleben advises ldquoRealize thatconsumers are looking for a variety of mealoccasions often shopping on their way towork or during the day for breakfast lunchat the office lunch in the car and for snacksthroughout the day Of course there is alsoshopping for the dinner meal or PM snackrdquo

Alternatives for shoppers who are notready for seaweed or raw fish are available todraw consumers into the category ldquoVeg-etable and soy wraps provide an alternativeto seaweed for people who donrsquot like sea-weedrdquo Woleben says ldquoOkami uses a roastedred pepper wrap for our new spicy tuna rollfeatured in a select number of club storesThese wraps are becoming more popular butare still new to many consumersrdquo

The theme of variety should extendthroughout the Asian food category ldquoDiffer-entiate your offering Include a few mass-market staples but make the menu differentmdash more Pan-Asian and more healthful suchas multi-grain rice and noodle options If thevolume is there add an in-store service com-ponentrdquoPetrovsky suggests

ldquoIn general sauces are a great way tooffer varietyrdquo Woleben says ldquoFor exampleOkamirsquos lettuce wraps feature chickenbreast shiitake mushrooms and water chest-nuts that are enveloped in a rich sauce and

also feature a delicious dipping sauce or driz-zling sauce on the side This element of chef-inspired sauces in retail products deliversrestaurant-style quality at much lower pric-ing than at restaurantsrdquo

Many customers will want help tying thevaried items together into entire meal optionsldquoHelp customers with lsquothe total solutionrsquoShow them how to build a complete mealfrom the products you merchandiserdquo

Woleben suggests ldquoMerchandise the entreacuteesside dishes and even beverages within thesection so the customer doesnrsquot have to go allover the store to assemble a takeout mealThe more variety in the components youoffer the more creative the consumer can bein composing a meal Stimulate his or herdesire to come back to try other itemsrdquo

Along with an exciting variety of foods itis also important to present that variety inexciting ways ldquoLighting props signage mdash allcontribute toward drawing the customer inrdquoshe continues ldquoDeliver to all the senses Bor-row ideas from the successful retailers andrestaurateurs Deli sections have all theingredients for a rich sensory experience mdashuse themrdquo

Retailers should never forget that advanceplanning can avoid shrink ldquoMost items shouldhave an extended shelf life as it is tremendous-ly difficult to efficiently manage the shrinkrdquoPetrovsky recommends ldquoSome frozen prod-ucts are just as good take only a few minutesto prepare but are located at the back of thestore Market freshness at the front of thestore Chinese restaurants are very tough tocompete with mdash they put out decent prod-ucts at low prices The key will be to differen-tiate with better products or focus attentionelsewhere within the storerdquo DB

M E R C H A N D I S I N G R E V I E W

If the deli positions itself as a dining-outalternative where consumers can findhigh-quality mdash and even cutting edge ndashmeal components that can be assembledwith a minimum of fuss it stands to

weather the economic turmoil But theproducts offered must provide an equivalentlevel of taste and satisfaction

According to the 2009 Fast Casual StateOf The Industry Report from Fast CasualMagazine a publication from Louisville KY-based NetWorld Alliance 61 percent of theconsumers interviewed said theyrsquod be down-grading their dining habits in 2009 and 25percent said theyrsquod be dining at home more

Consumers are savvier than in the pastTheir dining experiences have exposed themto options previous generations couldnrsquotimagine and television-cooking shows haveraised the bar on what can be whipped up mdashquickly mdash at home

ldquoConsumers want to create meals andhave largely been educated about whattheyrsquore eating mdash new cuisines new breadnew whatever mdash at restaurantsrdquo says CarlZuanelli president of Stratford CT-basedNuovo Pasta a provider of fresh pasta

With nearly 600000 restaurants in theUnited States therersquos a lot of cultural diversi-ty to choose from yet pasta continues to bea consumer favorite ldquoI canrsquot imagine goingout for pastardquo admits Mary Ann Valentepresident of Pasta Valente CharlottesvilleVA Her mother Fran founded the company26 years ago basing her recipes on the hand-crafted pasta she made in South Jersey ldquoOurpasta cooks in three to five minutes It takeslonger than that to get to the restaurantrdquo

Fans of homemade pasta will search highand low for quality and if the local delidepartment makes the search easy it willattract a loyal clientele

ldquoThe deli case is becoming a specialtycase with imported cheeses prosciutto andpastardquo explains Zuanelli ldquoAnd having it all inone section allows consumers to recreaterestaurant mealsrdquo

Pasta PerfectPasta producers create restaurant tastethat translates to at-home meals

BY JENNIFER CHASE ESPOSITO

Dine-At-Home DevelopmentOn a chilly January night Pasta Nostra

in Norwalk CT is packed The draw is thepasta The restaurantrsquos butternut squashravioli is served on diaphanous slices of pro-sciutto sauced lightly with silky squashpureacutee and topped with toasted choppedhazelnuts and grinds of black pepper the fet-tuccine is tossed with butter and Parmi-giano-Reggiano sal e pepe and pan-searedartichokes These are the kinds of dishes thatinspired Pasta Nuovorsquos Zuanelli 20 years agoto found his own pasta company based onwhat he learned at Pasta Nostra making sig-nature dishes by hand

A year after honing his skills at thenationally recognized restaurant Zuanellifounded Pasta Nuovo and started manufac-turing pasta for local restaurants Today thecompanyrsquos products are available in restau-rants and refrigerated specialty cases insupermarkets across the country ldquoUntil twoyears ago our business was 80 percent food-servicerdquo says Zuanelli

Now consumers want restaurant tasteson at-home budgets ldquoThe most importantthing to understand is that stores are market-ing products to consumers who are now nolonger eating out as much mdash the product hasto be the same quality or exciting enough tothe consumer And exciting isnrsquot necessarilysomething thatrsquos brand newrdquohe adds

Nuovo Pasta employs five chefs whowork on everything from recipe develop-ment to sales ldquoWe look at what the culinarytrends are and thatrsquos not always the case for

consumer productsrdquo explains Zuanelli whonotes that currently au courant vodka saucewould not have been found in his Venetiangrandfatherrsquos kitchen ldquoTypically trends comefrom the restaurant worldrdquo

ldquoItrsquos a great time to be in businessrdquo addsValente of Pasta Valente ldquoWhen we startedmost of the mainstream stores did not carryfresh pesto or Alfredo The best saucesretailed for $399 and they werenrsquot thatgreat Now the selection is great and thequality is outstanding The price ceiling is sig-nificantly higher and price sensitivity doesnrsquotseem to exist to the extent that it did beforerdquo

Dealing With A Tough EconomyDino Romanucci president of Pasta Fac-

tory in Northlake IL says economic swingshave not required the companyrsquos merchan-dising practices to change much through theyears He has three outlets mdash his restauranthis manufacturing company and supermar-ket private labels mdash for merchandising hisauthentic product

ldquoWhen we had our first restaurant mywife started making homemade pastardquo saysRomanucci who grew up 130 miles north-east of Rome in Ascoli Piceno ldquoThat wasclose to 30 years ago People would come inand say lsquoHey Dino mdash You think I could buya pound of pasta Fettuccinersquordquo In 1981 afterit reached the point where Romanucci andhis wife Anna were handcrafting pasta untilearly in the morning every morning theyformed Pasta Factory

The Romanuccis now focus on their

Specialty stores and small-footprint supermarkets can take advantage of high-quality products produced by small companies that often cannot afford theslotting fees required by large-chain frozen food or dairy departments These

products do well in small freezer cases positioned within or adjacent to the deli andcross-merchandised with specialty cheeses and refrigerated sauces

The Natural Pasta Company (dba Putney Pasta) in Brattleboro VT makes all-natural frozen skillet meals and pastas explains Rick McKelvey president ldquoI think inthis economy our consumers are eating out less and eating in more mdash and rewardingthemselves with higher-end gourmet products Therersquos room being carved out at thestore level for fresh products fresh pasta sauces and other foodsrdquo

Putney Pastarsquos niche is providing authentic natural frozen gourmet productssuch as whole-wheat pasta spinach pasta and ravioli with butternut squash and Ver-mont maple syrup

Having spent five years at LifeFoods a company heavily involved with vegetarianfare within deli departments McKelvey would love to see Putney Pasta morph itsproducts to another part of the store simply because of the limitations of merchan-dising behind frosty-cold glass

ldquoCertainly frozen and end-cap displays are very limited in the natural side of thebusinessrdquo he says ldquoIrsquom a bit jealous mdash Irsquod love to be in the game as to compete in theprepared-food arenardquo DB

Additional Merchandising Opportunity

ldquoWE LOOK AT WHAT

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ARE AND THATrsquoS NOT

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

CONSUMER PRODUCTSTYPICALLY TRENDS

COME FROM THE

RESTAURANT WORLDrdquo

mdash Carl ZuanelliNuovo Pasta

manufacturing company which sells toselect Whole Foods and their restaurantPasta Shoppe Cafeacute which sells Pasta Facto-ry sauces prepared pastas Italian saladssides and baked dishes Anna develops allthe recipes

ldquoRegrettably [todayrsquos economy] is worsethan after 911rdquo says Romanucci Prior tothat day Pasta Factory was shipping truck-loads of its products to Wal-Marts across thecountry and to various airlines ldquoConsumershave definitely dropped going to restaurantsWe do see a little slight increase in [deli] salesespecially in sauces Little by little wersquore get-ting back into packaged frozen pasta

ldquoWhen customers come in theyrsquore buyingone pound of cheese ravioli for $379rdquo hecontinues ldquoIf there are three people in thehouse theyrsquore eating for less than $10rdquo

Nuovo Pasta sells to both retail and food-service ldquoOur restaurant sales are definitely alittle off wersquove shifted our weight a littlemore toward retailrdquo says Zuanelli ldquoWe do alittle bit better at times like this with retailand consumer packagingrdquo

ldquoThere is huge potential in my opinion for[merchandising] pastardquo says Valente whoisnrsquot directly involved with marketing her ofPasta Valente product but oversees the folkswho created the companyrsquos 18-month strate-gic marketing plan

The economic downturn that has nega-tively impacted restaurant sales can be aboon for deli departments All the manufac-turers reached for this article are seeing theirretail sales increasing What can stores domore to capitalize on this opportunity

ldquoIt make sense to do more with specialtyitems in the deli areas to create restaurantmeals at homerdquo notes Zuanelli ldquoEven winecould be marketed that way ndash cross-merchan-dising within all sections assembling all of theingredients people want in one place rdquo DB

P R O C U R E M E N T S T R A T E G I E S

The economic downturn has put adamper on eating out According to theWashington DC-based NationalRestaurant Association (NRA) whileoverall restaurant industry sales will

increase in current dollars by 25 percentover 2008 figures the numbers translate toan inflation-adjusted decline of 10 percentNo one wants to see any aspect of the foodindustry slumping but consumersrsquo belt-tight-ening behavior offers deli retailers an unprec-edented opportunity to grab a bigger share offood dollars

Consumers may be eating and entertain-ing at home more but they are not necessar-ily cooking at home more which may explainwhy deli patronage is increasing ndash 705 per-cent in 2008 compared to 689 percent in2006 according to Whatrsquos In Store 2009from the International Deli-Dairy-BakeryAssociation (IDDBA) Madison WI

Many shoppers who are denying them-selves big-ticket purchases are as yet unwill-ing to forego purchases of small indulgencessuch as favorite foods purchased at retail Infact demand for high quality is at an all-timehigh as consumers search out good value fortheir hard-earned dollars This opens thedoor for deli operators to draw customers byoffering restaurant-quality foods and byenticing and encouraging them to purchasewhat theyrsquod like as often as theyrsquod like andas much as theyrsquod like Hot and cold foodbars are at the center of this propositionSavvy retailers are turning these condiment-turned-meal centers into dynamic profit cen-ters with astute product selection and out-of-the-box merchandising

George E DeLallo Co Inc JeannettePA began offering olive bars in deli depart-ments about 20-plus years ago because thecompany saw a need to present olives toconsumers in a more appealing mannerexplains Anthony DiPietro vice presidentBesides presenting consumers many optionsof marinated olives the bars also allowedthem to shop on their own making theirown choices about quantity and variety

Belly Up To The BarMore consumers are turning to deli department food bars rather than restaurants to satisfy their cravings for high-quality foods

BY CAROL M BAREUTHER RD

without the help of counter personnel Some 12 years ago the olive bar morphed

into the Mediterranean food bar and con-sumer choices broadened to include pre-pared vegetables and salads ldquoWhether calledantipasti tapas or meze these options roundout the offering and make the bar a destina-tion pointrdquoadds DiPietro

Once retailers recognized the barrsquos poten-tial the parameters changed hot and coldfoods from all ethnicities and appropriate forall courses began to show up on food bars

According to Jim Christman food equip-ment sales manager for Arneg USA IncNazareth PA a food bar ldquoshould be attrac-tive distinctive and stand out from otherareas of the deli department Decorationscan change seasonally to maintain a freshappearance Use catchy signage to call atten-tion to whatrsquos availablerdquo

Signage is a critical component of the sellMike Snell vice president of sales for BlancIndustries Dover NJ believes signage isldquoimportant especially in self-service loca-tions such as food bars Customers todaywant to know more about the foods theyeat and this information can persuade themto buy For example some retailers will affixa topper or clip-on to an itemrsquos sign label Itrsquosa different color and calls out that the food is

low or high in a specific nutrientAkin to a restaurant showing a picture of a

finished plate on its menu deli operators canincrease sales by teaching consumers how tomarry items to put together a tapas platter fora family meal or at-home entertaining DeanSpilka president of Norpaco Gourmet FoodsNew Britain CT recommends ldquoUse signagewith photos or brochures at point of sale[POS] to give a visual presentation of differentvariations of tapas platters Pictures tell athousand words Make sure the examplesincorporate both best-selling items and neweror less often purchased items to encouragecustomers to samplerdquo

When introducing a new ingredient tothe food bar ldquoHighlight the item with POSon a stand-up easel that suggests recipes andhow it can be paired with other itemsrdquo rec-ommends DiPietro

Creative use of food-bar equipment canincrease sales ldquoCombination applicationssuch as full serviceself service and combina-tion hotcold can achieve thisrdquo explains CarlFeldman president of Atlantic Food BarsOwings Mills MD ldquoFor example by addinga refrigerated case for cold packaged soup toa hot eat-it-now soup fixture stores candevelop loyal soup buyers Once customerstry and like a hot soup they bought for lunch

they may be inclined to purchase a refrigerat-ed package of the same soup to take homeand eat laterrdquo

Location of the food bar is also criticallyimportant Christman advises placement ldquoin ahigh traffic area near the meats and cheesesfor example in order to drive impulse salesrdquo

ldquoSpot merchandisers that move easilyaround the store and end-cap fixtures locat-ed near the registers at the front of the storewill also build impulse salesrdquo adds FeldmanldquoThis is how to snare a shopper who didnrsquotcome into the store with the expectation ofvisiting the delirdquo

Limitless PossibilitiesThe first food bars in deli departments

contained solely olives Today the number ofitems on hot and cold food bars is limited onlyto the retailersrsquo imagination

The food bar itself has become a crucialpart of destination merchandising within thestore Christman believes it can be the centerof a complete meal segment solution Thekey he says ldquois to have all the items you needin one place For example an olive cartshould also have olive oil pita crackers and allthe other accompanimentsrdquo for puttingtogether a snack side dish or entreacutee

Mediterranean bars play to an increasing

consumer interest in a cuisine touted as deli-cious healthful and familiar ndash with exotic yetapproachable undertones The cornerstone tosuccess is balancing the familiar with the exot-ic Dominick Frocione vice president of salesfor Cedarrsquos Mediterranean Foods Inc Brad-ford MA notes ldquoWe would normally hopeto see two to three offerings in a standardcold bar and more items in a completeMediterranean bar This would include hum-mus chick pea salads bruschetta stuffedgrape leaves and tabboulehrdquo

Itrsquos important to remember he addsldquoOlives have a longer shelf life compared tomost other Mediterranean items which canquickly dry out so deli personnel may needto replenish the bar more often and orderthese products more frequentlyrdquo

FoodMatch a New York NY-based pro-ducer and importer of Mediterranean spe-cialty foods offers deli operators a new andnovel way to attract customers to shop theMediterranean bar for a family dinner TaraBrennan-Shaub vice president of salesexplains ldquoHistorically customers shoppedthe bar for appetizers for a party Our Pastain Minutes and Market Plates by Divina pro-motions show customers how to shop thebar for a quick dinner at homerdquo Nationwide200 to 300 stores test-marketed these pro-motions last year ldquowith successrdquo

The Pasta in Minutes promotion entailscross-merchandising 1-pound packages ofpasta adjacent to the Mediterranean bar POSmaterials such as shelf talkers and 11x17-inchsignage with photos show customers howmuch of which items to pick up to make thedish featured Customers go home put theingredients in a sauteacute pan toss in cooked

pasta mdash and dinner is ready The conceptallows for easy variations Shoppers can mixand match ingredients and buy more or less ofan item to suit their individual preferences

Market Plates is a similar concept POSmaterials such as brochures and displayswith takeaway cards provide upscale easy-to-prepare recipes created from ingredientsmerchandised on the Mediterranean bar Forexample the fallwinter 2008 promotionincluded nine recipes Among these wereProvenccedilal Cauliflower with Dry-CuredBlack Olives Roasted Tomatoes withMediterranean Bulgur Salad and BraisedFennel with Citrus Stuffed Olives Cus-tomers could grab a rotisserie chicken forexample to combine with these novel sidesand enjoy a trendy restaurant-style meal

Deli departments should not limit them-selves to only a Mediterranean food barAccording to Phil Masiello vice president ofsales and marketing for Farm Rich FoodsLLC Commack NY ldquoThere are salad barsand hot bars Salad bars started with just let-tuce and a few other vegetables and todayhave expanded to offer a variety of wet sal-ads such as coleslaw macaroni and potatosalad Hot bars are a different animal Mostare focused around chicken generally friedchicken and the fixings to go with it such asfried potatoes and macaroni and cheese

ldquoItrsquos key for the bar to have a focusrdquo hecontinues ldquoThe two most successful exam-ples our company has worked with are anall-chicken bar with fried chicken rotisseriechicken baked chicken chicken pot pie andall the side dishes and a wings bar where theretailer offered several varieties of flavoredwings so customers could mix and match or

try something newrdquoJust how far should the food bar expand

There is no single answer to this questionsays Atlanticrsquos Feldman ldquoRetailers know theircustomersrsquo shopping habits better than any-one else However there clearly is a point ofdiminishing returns when too many items areoffered and shrink increases as well as whentoo few items are offered as customers likevariety For example offering less than fourflavors of hot wings does not offer shoppersan irresistible urge to buy while more than sixflavors is probably overkillrdquo

Fresh And Interesting Variety Quality value and price will always be

key says Cedarrsquos Frocione ldquobut variety willkeep customers coming back for new itemsand ideas A big part of going out to a restau-rant is trying new things which is why themenu always changes and daily specials areoffered To be successful capitalizing on theshift away from dining out a retailer shouldkeep changing its menurdquo

DeLallorsquos DiPietro contends ldquoRetailersneed to understand that the best-sellingitems are the bulk of the business For exam-ple kalamata olives are our No 1 selling oliveDonrsquot stray from these core items At thesame time you have to regularly offer cus-tomers something newrdquo

According to Brennan-Shaub ldquoWersquoveseen success where a retailer has a cart with16 pans Five or six are filled with items suchas roasted tomatoes kalamata olives andbeans and they stay the same They haveanother 10 to 12 pans that rotate with differ-ent products The idea is to tempt consumerswith something they havenrsquot seen before andtempt them to buy no matter how small thequantity Wersquove found that once they tastesomething theyrsquore more likely to come backand buy againrdquo

Peppadew USA Basking Ridge NJoffers its Peppadew brand sweet picante pep-pers and pepper sauce for food bar displayPierre Crawley vice president of sales notesldquoPeppadew has added a beautiful red touchto the olive bar mdash beyond the traditionalgreens blacks and browns of the olive setrdquo

On the horizon says Norpacorsquos SpilkaldquoThe Latin influence is a growing trend Thatmeans wersquoll see demand for chorizo andMexican on the food barrdquo

Finally the best way to keep the food barfresh and profitable is to keep it cleanAccording to Cedarrsquos Frocione ldquoYou canrsquot fillthe bar in the morning and let it sit untouchedall day Product has to be refreshed spillswiped up and pans filled regularly Thatrsquosadded labor but the investment pays off invisual appeal and impulse purchases thattranslate into incremental salesrdquo DB

Package DealThe future of packaging relies on equal measures of sustainability and affordability

BY CHRISTINA DAVIS ROBERTS

This is an extremely dynamic and chal-lenging time for the food packagingindustry Consumers may be demandinggrab-and-go and single-serve containersbut communities are increasingly sensi-

tive to environmental concerns and sustain-ability All the while retailers and manufac-turers are focused on packaging costs mdashmoving targets buffeted by supply anddemand for such commodities as petroleumand corn

Domestic and international bans of foampackaging and charges for plastic grocerybags have increased demand for more eco-logically friendly products based on renew-able energy sources This past summerrsquosspike in petroleum prices helped equalize theprice of environmentally friendly productsand traditional petroleum-based packaging

Different industries competing for thesame commodities will continue to affectprices and availability The history of petrole-um prices should have been a harbinger ofwhat would happen to any commodity thatattempted to step in and fill that role Cornmdash the current darling of alternative packag-ing producers mdash is critical for the productionof food additives animal feed fuel alterna-tives and compostable packaging Demandfor corn to be turned into ethanol is blamedfor everything from Third World hunger torising food prices

Seeking price stability research and devel-opment (RampD) departments at packagingcompanies have been delving into alternativematerials and manufacturing methods toreduce costs Since new manufacturingprocesses use both different materials andfewer materials while yielding products asstrong or stronger than their petroleum-based counterparts satisfying consumerdemands for more environmentally friendlyproducts is an added benefit

Alternative energy sources are likely to befound in the most unlikely places For cen-turies the bulrush has served a useful naturalpurpose drying out swamps and limiting

mosquito breeding grounds but recently ithas garnered attention for its use as a pack-aging material Bulrush gathered in Chinawill ultimately end up at the factory of SantaBarbara CA-based Be Green PackagingLLC The company is buying bulrush andturning it into fiber pots that will hold organicraspberries sold at Whole Foods markets

Economic InfluencesldquoThe price of oil is very influential for

surerdquo says Karen Roman senior marketingmanager of Lincolnshire IL-based ReynoldsFood Packaging a division of Alcoa ldquobut aswith any product ingredient our basis is thelaw of supply and demand In the case ofplastic packaging the supply and demandnow is almost totally based on the growthand demand of take-out and grab-and-gopackaging With more consumers consis-tently looking to meal convenience plasticspackaging will continue to grow The variablehere lies also with todayrsquos consumers andoperators looking to green packaging andsustainability Deli business managers mustcontinue to look for those packaging prod-ucts that fit both cost and SKU compatibilitydemand from their own consumer base

ldquoItrsquos no secret that todayrsquos economic cli-mate will create both procurement and mar-

keting challenges to present a marketable bal-ance with cost and value Knowing their menuofferings and consumer-base meal-planningdemands and balancing both will be tomor-rowrsquos deli market challengerdquoshe predicts

Environmental InfluencesAlthough the demand for packaging is pre-

dicted to remain strong manufacturers are

working to reduce the amount of plastic in theactual package both to control costs and toappeal to consumersrsquo increasing sensitivity toenvironmental issues Saving money or stabi-lizing prices while at the same time meetinggreen initiatives is a win-win situation

ldquoPeople will always care about the envi-ronment We are firm believers in sustain-ability however in a cost-conscious environ-

Packaging options are available for a wide variety of deli department needs

ment the challenges on environmentallyfriendly packaging to meet the needs of theoperatorrsquos business model will be great Acombination of both is where the market isheading and where business models fit intoan economically challenged environmentWe believe the word of the next 12 monthswill be lsquobalancersquordquo says ReynoldsrsquoRoman

Individual cities including Santa BarbaraSeattle Oakland and Toronto have bannedor taxed certain packaging products Thelegislation is ahead of the product develop-ment particularly since retailers need to con-trol costs and customers will pay only somuch before rebelling And although packag-ing companies are working quickly to reduceplastic in their products and find alternativeproducts they have not yet found reliablyaffordable solutions

Tony Minish sales manager FantapakInternational Corp Troy MI believes therehas not been enough due diligence into theidea of reusable shopping bags ldquoWersquore animporter We sell poly bags ndash not grocerybags There hasnrsquot been enough thoughtgiven to the front bags The reusable bagsare not cloth Theyrsquore still poly ndash but theyrsquorewoven poly How much water will be usedto wash grocery bags Consumers shouldwash these bags if theyrsquore buying meat espe-

cially if they leave the bags in the car for thenext trip If one drop of blood gets in the bagit can contaminate the producerdquo

Where saving the environment was oncepretty much confined to not littering climaticissues and landfill shortages are now at theforefront Municipal legislatures hope charginga nickel for each plastic grocery bag willreduce demand for them Communities trying

to hold companies and consumers account-able for the local environmental impact ofpackaging are a warning to others across thenation signaling that waiting for affordability isprobably not the path to follow

Packaging manufacturers are trying tomaximize loads on shipping to save fuelldquoEvery one is looking at the full channel nowto get everything in one steprdquo notes GlennWiechman manager national accountsPactiv Corporation Lake Forest IL ldquoOneof the things we try to do with packagingsolutions is to reduce truckloads and savemoney on shippingrdquo

Sealed Airrsquos Cryovac Division DuncanSC is focusing on three primary environ-mental initiatives mdash making changes in theway packaging is made used and disposedof measuring the impact packaging can haveon sustainability across the total life cycleand value chain and engaging in partnershipsacross the supply chain to lessen environ-mental impact Product development thataddresses not only resource and energy effi-ciency but also the total impact on the envi-ronment is underway

ldquoWe are moving toward adding a thirdassessment area for new product develop-ment ndash carbon efficiency ndash and are workingat utilizing and perfecting modeling tools thatwill accurately measure the complete envi-ronmental footprint of our packaging prod-ucts and the products they protectrdquo saysRachel Hadley account supervisor forAtlanta GA-based Weber ShandwickWorldwide the public relations firm that rep-resents Cryovac

For decades packaging companies suchas Cryovac have focused their environmentalefforts primarily on reducing the amount ofmaterials and weight of products while meet-ing the market demands for price and perfor-

Consumers seek convenience while communities demand environmentally friendly packaging

mance ldquoThis has produced measurableresults in saving raw materials and energyconservation by reducing the amount of fuelour customers use to store and ship productsOver the past several years we have broad-ened our efforts to include investing in thedevelopment of renewable materials andincreasing the amount of recycled contentused to manufacture products and strength-ening our recover effortsrdquoHadley says

ldquoWe felt a lot of pressure about a year orso ago to address green issues but wersquore

apprehensive because additives are whatmake a poly bag more biodegradablerdquoexplainsMinish ldquoOne of the biggest supermarketchains in Australia did its own 3-year study onbiodegradable bags and found they containedmore lead than conventional poly bagsrdquo

Pricing InfluencesWhat the consumer is ultimately willing

to pay for a product particularly in a downeconomy is a crucial piece of the puzzleldquoSustainability doesnrsquot have to cost more theway some companies and consumers think itdoesrdquo says Jennifer Mitchell marketingcommunications manager for Placon Corpo-ration Madison WI ldquoIn most cases we cansave everyone money Placon always consid-ers packaging costs when designing newproducts For example our stock foodservicelines are designed to maximize stack heighton pallets and cube trucks to allow the mostproduct to ship in each trailerrdquo

ldquoThere is no single solution to meetingthe sustainable packaging needs of our cus-tomers Our environmental objectives mustbe achieved without compromising the per-formance or value the package brings to the

consumerrdquo says Hadley Cryovac is nowfocused on carbon efficiency which mea-sures the reduction of greenhouse gas emis-sions associated with the overall package andits contents ldquolsquoMaterial efficiencyrsquo makes effi-cient use of raw materials and minimizeswaste lsquoEnergy efficiencyrsquo reduces theamount of energy needed to manufactureand ship products as well as the amount offuel customers need to ship and store theirproductsrdquo she continues

The shape and size of the packaging

products affect how much can fit on a truckor in a storage facility affecting total costldquoSmart design includes the right size andright materialrdquo says Mitchell ldquoExamples oflsquoright sizedrsquo products include our Fresh lsquonClear lsquoscroundrsquo bowl and lid line and CrystalSeal Both have a square design to use thecase space most efficiently Round contain-ers often have wasted space in display casesOur lsquoright materialrsquo can depend on the appli-cation of the productrdquo

ldquoPrice is an uphill battle Green packaging

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

mdash Rachel HadleyWeber Shandwick Worldwide

can increase prices by up to 20 percentrdquoadds Fantapakrsquos Minish ldquoWe can sourcegreen packaging but price is definitely anissue right nowrdquo

In the deli arena retailers need to recon-sider whether the cost of packaging is anexpense or an asset that provides an oppor-tunity to satisfy consumer desire for single-serve grab-and-go hot-case service cold-case prepared foods pre-sliced deli proteinsand wrapped specialty cheeses

ldquoRampD will consistently focus on multi-application packaging for storage and inven-tory for containment case and space man-agement at consumer view points and labormanagement so to virtually relieve trainingtime Deli managers can look to single-serveand what we are terming lsquopackage footprint-ingrsquo based on minimal SKUs required to max-imize product to package applicationsrdquorelates Reynoldsrsquo Roman ldquoPackaging shouldbe utilized as the lsquosilent salespersonrsquo Somepackaging will be used as containers whileothers will still be used as case space man-agers The balance will need to be the cost ofconvenience and value Packaging will playboth rolesrdquo

Recycling InfluencesPetroleum cost fluctuations and increased

to include our food packaging as well OurEcoStar food-grade recycled PET materialmdash recycled symbol 1 mdash contains a mini-mum of 35 percent recycled content Our

new Fresh rsquon Clear lsquoscroundrsquo bowl and lidline is the first to be available in this materialWe are working to convert our other PETlines into the EcoStar materialrdquo

Manufacturers are investing in newequipment and infrastructure to be readyonce the economy regains its footing ldquoTheeconomy has slowed down some initiativesbut we are convinced the environmentalmovement is here to stayrdquo says Hanna Sjol-und marketing manager for Alpharetta GA-based Innoware Plastic Inc ldquoWe are makinga strategic shift towards greener solutionsand packaging alternatives We recently initi-ated the use of PET resin in our containersas a response to consumer demand for recy-clable take-out packaging alternatives Thiscomes less than two years following thelaunch of our ECO line of containers madewith [Minnetonka MN-based] Nature-Works Ingeo resin which is a completelybio-based biodegradable material We areseeing increased demand for our ECO line ofcontainers We are also seeing an increaseddemand for packaging that can be reused orrecycled such as PET and PP [polypropy-lene]rdquo she continues

ldquoKnow your consumer better than youever have mdash their purchase patterns andbuying habits as to their meal planning needsand budget constraints This economic cli-mate will be driven more by a common senseapproach to marketing and procurementrdquosays Roman DB

environmental concerns have spurred manu-facturers to look to starch-based plastics asan alternative Polylactic acid resin (PLA)made from cornstarch is not recyclable but itis biodegradable in special facilities that supplya controlled composting environment Manyconsumers see it as kinder than petroleum-based products to the environment becauseitrsquos made from renewable energy sourcesHowever science is seeking other plant-based starches that wonrsquot pull food plants outof the supply chain

ldquoRecyclability of a product is very practi-cal but the consumer must be constantlyeducated to maintain consistencyrdquo notesRoman For example if PLA is recycled withpolyethylene terephthalate (PET) packagingit will contaminate the PET stream andreduce its viability as post-consumer materi-al ldquoThe reuse of product the better use ofspace time and energy will also be beneficialif kept practicalrdquo she says

ldquoOnce the consumer purchases and isfinished with the [PET] package it can goback into the recycling stream to be used forother packaging or most often non-packag-ing applicationsrdquo says Mitchell ldquoFor almost20 years Placon has incorporated recycledcontent into its retail packaging so it onlymade sense that it would eventually expand

ldquoTHE ECONOMY HAS

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

mdash Hanna SjolundInnoware Plastic Inc

D E L I M E A T S

An increasing number of consumers arediscovering the benefits of pre-sliceddeli meats for reasons that includelower price points broader selectionimproved quality or convenience

The 2005-2008 Counter Intelligence DeliConsumer Study from Jennie-O TurkeyStore inc Willmar MN found 61 percent ofdeli consumers surveyed in 2008 said theyhad purchased pre-packaged deli meats inthe self-service case in the past six monthsup from 55 percent in 2005

Consumers in the survey believed sliced-to-order deli meat was of the highest qualitybut several drivers prompted them to foregothe deli counter and purchase pre-sliced pre-packed meats The study found 31 percent ofshoppers bought pre-sliced products becauseof added convenience 29 percent because ofbetter quality than found in the meat depart-ment 21 percent because of better value and21 percent because of added freshness

ldquoThe sliced category is growing strongerthan any other deli meat categoryrdquo relatesLorenza Pasetti president of Volpi Foods StLouis MO ldquoWith the challenging economythe convenience factor and abundant thinslices in each package make this product agood value for consumersrdquo

Product Selection amp QualityAs the do in the full-service segment

retailers are gravitating toward providingmultiple tiers of pre-sliced meat quality Thefirst tier includes a relatively expensive superpremium brand the second tier mid-level pri-vate label meats and the last tier value pri-vate-label meats that appeal to price-con-scious consumers

Springdale AR-based Tyson Foods con-tinues offering private-label pre-sliced meatsdue to an increasing demand from bothretailers and consumersaccording to DavidGerle senior director of lunchmeats

Increased interest in upscale and higher-quality pre-sliced meats is due to addedexposure of these products through televi-

A Slice AboveThe pre-sliced deli meat segment continues to thrive as consumers seek value and convenience in the deli department

BY LISA WHITE

sion consumer travel and over the last 10years additional emphasis on the pre-slicedcategory due to increased value

ldquoThe percentage of peoplersquos income beingspent on food at home is now the lowest ithas ever beenrdquo says Jim Carfrae vice presi-dent of marketing at Santa Maria FoodsCorp Toronto ON Canada Yet con-sumers are spending more on indulgencessuch as high-end pre-sliced meats eventhough they are purchasing and using themin smaller amounts ldquoIt makes more sense forretailers to dedicate six inches of space forevery item sold to higher cost items thatbring in more revenuerdquohe adds

Santa Mariarsquos consumer research revealsconsumers want to try new products andlearn about different food items Conse-quently it makes sense that those less familiarwith gourmet or exotic pre-sliced meat willbe more comfortable trying it in a prepack-aged pre-sliced version before purchasing itat the full-serve deli case

Consumer perception of quality also isimportant For example many shopperswould consider pre-sliced meat positionednext to the full-serve deli to be of higherquality than prepackaged deli meat sold bythe cheese section

According to Gerle many retailers wantto offer the same quality of meats in bothfull-service and pre-sliced sections Retailersare looking closely at their pre-sliced offeringsand adding more options resulting in lesslabor and shorter waiting times at the full-service counter

Today retailers are apt to offer pre-slicedand prepackaged versions of meats offered inthe full-service case ldquoRetailers may supple-ment their pre-sliced meat sections withbroader flavor options that donrsquot commandthe volume required for display in the full-ser-vice caserdquoGerle adds

However the challenge in expanding anin-store pre-sliced meat section is the addedlabor and costs involved in slicing and pack-

D E L I M E A T S

aging these products at store level In thiscase expanding a pre-sliced meat sectioncan decrease margins As consumers look toget the most value for their food dollarsmany pre-sliced meat manufacturers havekept prices affordable

Cost notwithstanding shoppers whopurchase pre-sliced meat tend to be loyal tothe category ldquoConsumers who buy pre-sliced meats typically will continue purchas-ing these products regardless of price Retail-ers focusing solely on price will sacrifice qual-

ityrdquoSanta Mariarsquos Carfrae saysShelf life is another consideration Pre-

sliced prepackaged meats in vacuum packstypically have a shelf life of a few weeks ver-sus only a few days for meats sliced andpackaged at the full-service counter

Packaging IssuesThe major innovations in the pre-sliced

meat segment are on the packaging sideFrom press and sliding zippers to tubs andmodified atmosphere packaging (MAP) a

wide range of options is availableHigh-value MAP packaging has seen

many improvements although critics saymeat will discolor when exposed to exces-sive ultraviolet light if there are not enoughfilm barriers MAP packaged product mayalso shift and purge Vacuum packs popularin the pre-sliced segment offer a shortershelf life than MAP

Carfrae is not a big fan of resealable pack-aging for pre-sliced meats ldquoOnce the pack-age is open air is let in The resealable prop-erties of the zipper donrsquot keep the air outThis gives a false sense of freshnessrdquo hesays The company uses gas-flushed packag-ing along with a firm tray to keep its salamisintact and in place

Larger packaging formats which appealto consumers looking for value and theadded product to carry them through theweek have become more prevalent Jennie-Orsquos Deli Favorites 1-pound value pack tar-gets value-oriented consumers and familiesAccording to Jeff Peter sales and marketinganalyst the line is sized for the target demo-graphic with children in the household

Principe Foods Los Angeles CA haschanged its packaging format to a larger lay-out but with the same amount of productSherrie Zebrasky retail advisor at Principenotes the average full-service deli meat pur-chase is 1frasl2 pound so pre-sliced packages typi-cally run between six and eight ounces

Combination packs that offer a variety ofsliced deli meat types have become morepopular as well Volpi Foods recently intro-duced a trio package that includes mortadel-la Genoa salami and coppa

Consumption of higher-end deli meat istypically less per serving so packaging sizesare often in the 3- to 6-ounce range

Sandwich SituationsExpanded sandwich programs can

increase pre-sliced meat revenues Manufac-turers say delis all over the country are posi-tioning their sandwich programs to competewith chains such as Subway and Quiznos

ldquoRetailers are emphasizing their sandwichprograms and gaining trial with their shop-pers This is the case in both the pre-madeand made-to-order sandwich categoriesrdquoaccording to Peter

Jennie-Orsquos 2005-2008 Counter IntelligenceDeli Consumer Study reports purchases ofpre-made sandwiches increased 6 percentbetween 2005 and 2008 with 30 percent ofconsumers purchasing these items in 2005versus 36 percent in 2008 By comparisonmade-to-order sandwich purchases increased4 percent in the same period with 13 percentof consumers buying these products in 2005versus 17 percent in 2008 DB

Principe Foods USA Inc

3605 Long Beach Blvd Suite200 bull Long Beach CA 90807

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Home Cooking ndash Without The CookingRotisserie and barbecue bring in foot traffic mdash and profits

Value is once again paramount to con-sumers seeking to economize duringthe recession Deli departments canlure in business by promoting comfortfoods such as rotisserie chicken and

barbecued meats By showcasing thesepractical healthful prepared entreacutees deliscan position themselves as the place to go forfamilies that want to avoid or minimize thecooking and cleanup involved in a home-cooked meal

The economic downturn is causing amajor shift in buying habits that smart retail-ers can use to their advantage Consumersaccustomed to instant gratification may notbe able to buy that new TV or camera butthey can still satisfy many of their food crav-ings ldquoShoppers have adjusted their sightsdownward and pulled in the reins on indul-gences but we are seeing that they willspend a couple dollars more for the higherbrands or particular products if they reallyprefer them For them itrsquos worth it if a prod-uct is a little better or they can justify it as analternative to something more expensivesuch as going out to eatrdquo says Pat Ford vicepresident of international marketing forRaleigh NC-based Fordrsquos Gourmet Foodsmakers of Bone Suckinrsquo barbecue sauceldquoCustomers may not be able to buy thatnew car but they can still buy that $8 hamor other specialty food item and be a winnerat that level Itrsquos their small victoryrdquo

ldquoSupermarkets are in a better positionthan ever to capture their current customersrsquodollars given that time is still in short supplybut people are watching their restaurantexpendituresrdquo relates Laurie Friedrich-Barge-buhr president of Friedrich Metal Products aBrown Summit NC-based manufacturer ofroaster and smoker ovens ldquoSmart retailerswill recognize that everyone is now in therestaurant business including clubs and con-venience stores However peoplersquos expecta-tions of what certain foods should taste likehave been raisedrdquo she says noting that retail-ers will not be able to get away with half-hearted efforts in foodservice

Delis seeking to differentiate themselves

from competitors should offer a selection ofstore-branded products that give consumersreasons other than price to shop their storeUpscale markets are using rotisserie equip-ment for spiral hams and smoker ovens forturkey breasts to widen their offering By fullyutilizing the equipment to cook ribs pork buttand brisket stores can address the meat pref-erences and tastes of their customers

The goal is to fulfill the needs and wantsof a storersquos demographics ldquoSince every sec-tion of the country has its own idea of whatbarbecue is retailers need to be aware ofwhat their customers expect with respect tohow heavily smoked the food should bewhat type of sauce is used what side dishesshould accompany itrdquo according to Fried-rich-Bargebuhr ldquoOnce a flavor profile isestablished the retailer needs to be able toassure consistency Equipment can make thedifference hererdquo

Merchandising IdeasThe aroma of rotisserie chicken andor

barbecued meats tantalizes taste buds evenbefore shoppers step foot in the departmentAlways have something cooking and have afan that moves the aroma into the store rec-ommends Ford ldquoIt doesnrsquot have to be a largevolume just enough to get the smell out intothe store to help pre-sell whatrsquos already pre-pared in the caserdquo

Pulled pork still warm from the deli hotcase may signify freshness but says JackGriggs marketing director of Southern Pridea Marion IL-based manufacturer of gas-firedwood-burning smoker ovens meats preparedin-store to be re-heated at home can also besold in the deli cold case alongside bakedbeans coleslaw and other sides He adds thatsince consumers often purchase cold-case

foods for use at a different time than hot-casefoods retailers would do well to diversify notonly the product offered but also their loca-tions within the department

A sample table at the front of the storeallows consumers to taste different flavors ora flavor of the day ldquoOnce people eat some-thing they are in the mood to buyrdquo relates

Ford who adds that the employees chosento staff the table should have an outgoingpersonality and be trained to convey a prod-uctrsquos unique aspects not just its price ldquoYoursquorelooking for that person to not only deliver asample but to also romance the product andgive a little story about it pointing out one ortwo messages about the product so whencustomers go home they have something totell their family about why they bought itrdquo

Ford believes showing customers how toget every bit of value out of their purchase ndashfor example providing ways to create mealsand use leftovers mdash can increase sales ldquoWeare getting an increasing number of hits onour Website and the most popular pages byfar are the recipe pages Stores are alsodownloading recipe cards from the Websiteand handing them out to customersrdquohe says

ldquoA lot of grocery stores are in a perfectposition to sell pick-up catering of meat andsides for business lunches and parties to gainanother marketrdquo recommends Griggs Hesuggests sending a catering menu flier to allbusinesses within a specified radius of thestore and promoting the catering service in-store by putting fliers at the checkout coun-ters and in customersrsquo bags A yearlongschedule of seasonal catering specials couldinclude Easter hams Memorial Day smoked

ribs Fourth of July pork chops Labor Daypulled pork Thanksgiving and Christmassmoked or roasted turkeys and New YearsrsquoEve prime rib ldquoA special item for the holidaysis a good excuse to remind customers thatyou have a great catering service year-roundoffering everything consumers and business-es need for partiesrdquohe adds

Whole rotisserie chickens are a naturalfor bundling programs ldquoA customer can buya chicken and some additions and itrsquos one ofthe least expensive prepared meals a familycan eatrdquo notes Ed Sussman president ofMelville NY-based Merit Paper a manufac-turer of bags for prepared foods in the hotcase ldquoWith a side of mashed potatoes veg-etable or even just a salad itrsquos real food at a

real value We are also now seeing otherfood items being offered for meal deals suchas a bag of wings a rotisserie ham halfchicken hot potato wedges mdash whatever thestore wantsrdquo

According to Sussman the bags lendthemselves to branding offering a place for asupermarketrsquos own ingredient labels andhighlighting the freshly cooked in-storenature of rotisserie The convenient bagshave a clear plastic coating designed to main-tain visibility by reducing condensation Thebuilt-in handle highlights the grab-and-go

nature of the product Retailers can cus-tomize the graphics SKU and ingredientpanel on the bag Because the chickens arepackaged by the retailer the bags help createa private-label image that enhances per-ceived value especially now that customersare increasingly moving to house brands tosave money

Deli departments are trying to createmore ways to efficiently increase profitsSome are purchasing new equipment othersare expanding the use of existing equipmentto offer additional products and still othersare streamlining operations and expandingproduct offerings ldquoFrankly itrsquos tough forsome delis to deal with raw meat and take itthrough the whole processrdquo notes Ken Fein-berg senior vice president of Edina MN-based Curlyrsquos Foods Inc a manufacturer ofpre-cooked retail barbecue products soldbranded in retail tubs and also available fordeli hot cases Delis can display sauced orunsauced smoked ribs a nearby display ofbarbecue sauces allows consumers to per-sonalize their choice Although ribs sold bythe pound reap a higher ring than rotisseriethey can be bundled into meal deals as well

Getting The Most From StaffDepartment staff has a profound effect

on sales so associates should know aboutindividual products and why the store sellsthem Sharing product information is impor-tant but getting associates used to answer-

ing ldquopersonalrdquoquestions such as what flavorsare their favorites and have they tried a prod-uct can increase sales A manufacturer dis-tributor or sales rep may be willing to presenta class that can both educate and excite delipersonnel about its products

Training can also include helping con-sumers get every bit of value out of theirchicken or barbecue purchase by offeringideas for leftovers Associates could mentionthat the meat can be shredded for burritos oradded to a salad or stir-fry for example ldquoTellthem where to find the burrito wraps so theyknow how they will use every last piece of thechicken or barbecue beef Employees need toknow where other items are in the store sothey can tell consumers how to extend theuse of their meat Have the complementaryproducts close at hand or tell the consumerspecifically that burrito wraps are in aisle sixrdquoFord of Fordrsquos Gourmet recommends

Consumers do not want to wait in lineparticularly for lunch and they wonrsquot comeback if they have a bad experience Gettingthem in and out quickly requires both appro-priate staffing and filled displays during peakperiods Prepackaged hot rotisserie productsappeal to the grab-and-go lunch crowdComplete meal options such as a quarter orhalf chicken with a side of coleslaw or a pre-packaged salad topped with rotisserie chick-en also get consumers back to work quicklyBottled beverages should be nearby for aone-stop shop DB

H igher-end stores are differentiating themselves from low-cost leaders by offer-ing an increasingly wider variety of unique prepared-in-store products toappeal to a wider segment of shoppers ldquoMany cuts of meat fish and poultry

become value-added when smokedrdquo explains Laurie Friedrich-Bargebuhr president ofFriedrich Metal Products Brown Summit NC Smoking adds an entirely new dimen-sion of flavor without adding calories

Smoked fish is a premium product with an extended shelf life Intense flavormeans consumers can purchase small portions mdash often mdash and get a big bang for thebuck Smoked salmon is popular for breakfast scrambles as an accompaniment tocream cheese and bagels and as an ingredient in pasta dishes while other types ofsmoked fish can be used as hors drsquooeuvres with crackers or as an ingredient for dipsand other dishes

Some delis are going beyond the basics mdash smoked chicken ribs pork and fish mdashand experimenting with smoked cheeses and nuts sold under their own label in thecold case Commercial smokers can also be used to add mesquite flavor to steakbrisket and meatballs

In the current economy ldquoSupermarkets fight harder to give consumers a reason tocome in They need ways to differentiate themselvesrdquo says Maurice Lee III presidentof Smokaroma Inc a Boley OK-based manufacturer of smoker ovens ldquoConsumersrespond to these products prepared in-store as being fresh since they can verify withdate labels Supermarkets need to offer a wide variety to be competitive and get cus-tomers in the doorrdquo DB

Up In Smoke

ldquoSUPERMARKETS ARE

IN A BETTER POSITION

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

CURRENT CUSTOMERSrsquoDOLLARS GIVEN THAT

TIME IS STILL IN SHORT

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

mdash Laurie Friedrich-BargebuhrFriedrich Metal Products

S P E C I A L T Y C H E E S E

Cheddars are the ldquogood neighborsrdquo of thecheese department Theyrsquore kind tokids popular with adults well behavedlove to party and will introduce you toall their friends Even with an English

accent theyrsquore not snooty Finely clothedCheddar can mingle or go solo Some Ched-dars have even been known to sneak out fora smoke

ldquoCheddar is the most popular cheese inAmerica but itrsquos not an American original mdashwersquove adopted it It has proliferated so widelyand is so appealing therersquos no way to put thegenie back in the bottlerdquo says Doug Jaypresident of Atlanta Foods InternationalAtlanta GA ldquoFrom a retailerrsquos point of viewit makes sense to have a large varied displayof Cheddar Offering different price pointsallows you to match the Cheddar to theevent At the midrange the flavor profilesare unique and complexity increases alongwith price Obviously the flavor profile differsas you move up to a cheese such as theCabot Clothbound [from Cabot CreameryCooperative Montpelier VT]rdquo

Dave Leonhardi cheese education direc-tor for Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board(WMMB) Madison WI also notes thewide appeal of Cheddar ldquoYoursquore going to tapthe entire audience that walks through thedoors if you have a nice Cheddar varietyStores might offer different formats especial-ly for consumers who donrsquot go to the servicecounter My daughter will tell you she wantsit sliced this thick and how many slices shewants My mother lsquodoesnrsquot want to botherthe helprsquo Some younger people might noteven own a shredding boardrdquo

ldquoPeople can be very particular about theirCheddar and in this category they have a lotto choose fromrdquo relates Erin Shirkey brandmanager for Adams Reserve New YorkExtra Sharp Cheddar produced in AdamsNY by Hiram OH-based Great LakesCheese ldquoThey want it colored or whitesharp or mild or they want it from a specificplace such as New York Vermont or Wis-

Good Cheeses Make Good NeighborsFrom traditional classics to unusual innovations Cheddars can please every palate and every pocketbook

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

consin mdash each place having a flavor profile allits own Our Adams Reserve is a naturallyaged World Gold Medal-winning Cheddarfrom New York It has a price point you canafford everyday yet its quality is special-occasion worthyrdquo

According to Jim Straughn president ofMassillon OH-based MDS Foods suppliersof Cheddars from New York WisconsinCalifornia and Canada including the AmishClassics Yanceyrsquos Fancy and CanadianReserve brands ldquoThe regional category hasbecome more predominant and is becoming astrong marketing tool for us Our customersrsquoconsumers are becoming more attuned tovarious regional profiles and have differentpreferences and expectations Some are alsolooking for an aged profilerdquo

Cheddar is always on display at EarthFare Inc a Fletcher NC-based chain with15 stores in four southeastern states ldquoTypi-cally we merchandise an everyday Cheddarin the produce department Itrsquos important tohave a pantry cheeserdquosays Courtney Tylerspecialty director ldquoWe believe itrsquos also impor-tant to get our customers tasting the originalItrsquos a different use Many people have neverseen Cheddar in a big 50- or 60-poundwheel We have Sid Cookrsquos paprika-rubbedApple Smoked Cheddar [from Carr Valley

Cheese Co Inc La Valle WI] and a won-derful local Cheddar toordquo

Classic And Outside-The-Box American Cheddars

Whether producing Cheddars from time-tasted family recipes or creating new varia-tions unique to their areas American Ched-dar makers are producing some of the finestCheddars in the world

Tillamook County Creamery Associa-tion Tillamook OR has a 100-year-oldCheddar recipe and has also developed twonew Cheddars 2-year Vintage White ExtraSharp and 3-year Vintage White ExtraSharp both of which followed 2005rsquos Vin-tage White Medium Cheddar All three wonawards at the 2008 American Cheese Soci-ety (ACS) competition in Chicago IL

Tillamook heat shocks rather than pas-teurizes milk for its Cheddar ldquoA large per-centage of our volume comes from ourMedium Cheddar aged 60 days or moreBecause we naturally age all our Cheddarswe have roughly 10 percent of the nationrsquosCheddar inventory aging in our facility at anygiven timerdquo notes Jay Allison vice presidentof sales and marketing

Cheddar has been Wisconsinrsquos leadingvariety since 1880 and the statersquos Cheddars

now fill every niche mdash artisan farmsteadlarge production block cylinder mammothorganic humane sustainable grass fed rawmilk single herd seasonal and cave agedThe bandage-wrapped Snow White GoatCheddar from Carr Valley captures the spiritof traditional Cheddar and won Best ofShow at the 2008 ACS

ldquoCheddar is a comfort cheese and so ver-satile with the different ages for snacking andcookingrdquo says Steve Ehlers co-owner ofMilwaukee WI-based Larryrsquos Marketwhich sources exceptional handmade localCheddars for its international and domesticartisan cheese case He carries a 1- 2- 4- 6-and 8-year Cheddar from Widmerrsquos CheeseCellars Theresa WI a 10- and 12-year fromHookrsquos Mineral Point WI Avondale Truck-le an English-style truckle from BrunkowFayette WI Bleu Mont Dairy cave-agedCheddar from Willi Lehner Blue MoundsWI Carr Valleyrsquos Snow White and a small-batch Cheddar from Jeff Wideman MapleLeaf Cheese Monroe WI Wideman ldquowonfirst place in the World Championship[Cheese Contest Madison WI] and theACS Itrsquos aged about 12 months and has afull creamy texture and nice mouthfeelrdquo

ldquoCheddar is a dynamic category for usWe pay quite a bit of attention to it because

of the range and varietyrdquo explains JohnStueland deli category manager Lunds andByerlyrsquos a 29-store chain based in EdinaMN Stueland selects according to demo-graphics price points styles and regions Heseparates the Cheddars into AmericanCanadian British Australian and localwhich he defines as coming from MinnesotaWisconsin and Iowa ldquoWe merchandise onstyle geographical location and theme anddo independent promotions Any one pro-ducer or product can be merchandised inmultiple sets From a merchandising perspec-tive other categories of cheese may not bethat versatile as to how we tell the story tothe customerrdquohe explains

A new addition at Lunds and Byerlyrsquos isFini a Cheddar made and aged in Wiscon-sin then sent to finish in open air for six to 10weeks in the sandstone caves of FaribaultDairy Company Faribault MN ldquoThe cavestransform Fini to a new and unique flavorprofile We like it because itrsquos American itrsquosCheddar and itrsquos made with Wisconsin milkand finished in Minnesota caves Faribaultrsquoslocal and therersquos hometown pride in Min-nesota and Wisconsin working togetherrdquoadds Stueland

ldquoIn the next five years I think wersquoll seetwo completely different styles of Cheddar

as opposed to what was strictly the Ameri-can version ripened in Cryovac bagsrdquo saysTim Smith category manager for specialtycheese and gourmet foods for The KrogerCompany based in Cincinnati OH ldquoIt usedto be Cheddar was Wisconsin 40-poundersin varying degrees of sharp Now BeecherrsquosHandmade Cheese [Seattle WA] a compa-ny relatively young in the cheese world doesa cloth banded Cheddar and Grafton VillageCheese [Grafton VT] and Cabot Creamerydo their own cloth banded Cheddar Ameri-can producers are coming into their ownTheyrsquore moving away from their traditionalroots and rediscovering Cheddarrsquos past Alsothe experimentation we saw solely for Eng-lish cheeses is starting to come out hereFaribault and Grafton are doing their ownexperimentation and theyrsquove combined tocreate Grafton Duet which is based on theEnglish Huntsmanrdquo

Grafton Duet layers Graftonrsquos PremiumCheddar aged one year with FaribaultDairyrsquos St Petersquos Select Blue cheese aged100 days ldquoIt has been a tremendous successWersquove been selling this locally on our Websiteand in our own retail shopsrdquo relates WendyBrewer Grafton sales and marketing accountexecutive ldquoOur new cave-aged 2-poundcylinder and cave-aged clothbound 20-pound

wheel are both made from raw milkrdquoGraftonrsquos signature cheese Classic Reservewon a silver medal at the 2008 WorldCheese Awards (WCA) in Dublin Ireland

Fiscalini Cheese Modesto CA andMariano Gonzalez cheesemaker at Fiscalinihave set a standard for American CheddarldquoMariano has been involved in starting theclothbound movement from his beginningdays at Shelburne Farms in [Shelburne] Ver-montrdquo says Heather Fiscalini director ofsales and marketing ldquoHe had made it hispassion to emulate the English style of Ched-dar in this country mdash clothbound Cheddarmade using raw milk cheddaring and millingthe curds and aging the Cheddar He hasproduced Cheddar that equaled and sur-passed traditional English Cheddar at theWorld Cheese Awards in London EnglandInside you see fissures and lines signs of thecheddaring process and the crystallized pro-tein mdash the tyrosine crystals Mold on ban-daged Cheddar isnrsquot wrong It forms on theoutside of all bandaged cheese and gives itunique flavorrdquo

Classic British ImportsAccording to Maria Walley director

Cheese From Britain USA Cincinnati OHldquoThe bandage protects the cheese and pro-

vides a breathable sensitive barrier Aging aclothbound differs from Cryovac It acquiresearthy flavors and aromas from the woodshelves it ages on and the natural molds in thematuration room airrdquo Cheese From Britainsupplies many Cheddars including DenhayFarm (Dorset) Greenrsquos of Glastonbury(Somerset) Isle of Man Creamery (Isle ofMan) Keenrsquos Cheddar (Somerset) QuickesTraditional Mature Cheddar (Devon) andSingletonrsquos Cheddar (Lancashire)

ldquoEnglish farmhouse Cheddar is made inblock and traditional where traditional is aclothbound cylinder Traditional is more pres-tigious because it is handmade and limited inquantity Traditional English Cheddar couldtide a family over the winterrdquo says WalleyMost English producers are looking for com-plexity and a longer finish rather than sharp-ness in the flavor profile They tend not toage Cheddar beyond two years The betterCheddars are usually eaten at about 12months to two years The milk may be pas-teurized or raw and may come from thecheesemakerrsquos own herd and local farms

Farmhouse Cheddarrsquos heritage dates backto the 15th century in southwest England mdashDevon Dorset Somerset and CornwallldquoWhen I first started making cheese therewere about 36 farmhouse Cheddar makersin Somersetrdquo relates Rich Clothier managingdirector of Wyke Farms Somerset EnglandldquoNow there are only eight of us In the wholeof Britainrsquos southwest there are fewer than20rdquo Founded in the 1900s Wyke Farmsmakes Just Delicious Extra Mature and IvyrsquosVintage Reserve Farmhouse Cheddar Oncea small family farm Wyke today is the onlyindependent company in the Top 10 UKcheese brands and produces over 26 millionpounds of Cheddar per year

ldquoCheddar has been abused The fact thatwe can make it anywhere in the world andclassify it by fat moisture and salt removesthe soul Itrsquos really about flavor and texturenot constituent percentages It would be likecomparing cars by their metal and plasticpercentage but thatrsquos not the differencebetween a BMW and a Fiatrdquohe explains

When Clothierrsquos grandmother startedmaking cheese there was no mild CheddarldquoIt would be like saying lsquoIrsquoll have a mildParmigiano-Reggiano pleasersquo Somersetfarmhouse tends to be strong Cheddar mdashreally mature masses of flavor quite a firmbody and texture For me it is a rounded bal-ance of sweetness butteriness nuttiness andmilky notes with a hint of acidity comingthrough When you eat the cheese the fla-vors should build up in your mouth but nonote dominatesrdquohe adds

ldquoA good vintage Cheddar should be reallyshort textured firm bodied starting to get

creamy and crumbly andwith some crystalsmaybe starting to precipi-tate out of the cheese soit has some of the crunchto it but at the same timesofter smooth and pleas-ing in the mouth ratherthan dry or rubbery Itlooks thin bodied butmelts in the mouth andmakes the mouth waterIt should be broken offonto a crusty roll but notsliceablerdquoClothier continues

Wyke Farms used to make clothboundbut now ages in blocks in a vacuum packldquoWe try to replicate the maturing conditionswe had in a cold stone barn on the farmOne of the big differences between our sortof Cheddar and the US [sort] is we matureour Vintage for up to 15 to 16 months Westill use my grandmotherrsquos recipe from 1902The only thing we do better today versus100 years ago is control the variables Wehave a more consistent milk supply and bet-ter access to refrigeration so we get moreprize-winning vatsrdquo explains Clothier WykeFarms Cheddars have earned numerousmedals in competitions including WCA in

London and DublinMontgomeryrsquos Cheddar the gold stan-

dard for clothbound Cheddar is made atManor Farm in North Cadbury from thefarmrsquos unpasteurized milk and traditional pintstarters using animal rennet to set the curdMontgomeryrsquos deep and savory 54-poundCheddars aged a year or more are usuallybest from 14 to 20 months or so

ldquoThe larger format clothbound Cheddarsare slightly more difficult for cut and wrapbut we think a serious retailer needs bothclothbound and blockrdquo says Greg OrsquoNeillco-owner of Pastoral Artisan Cheese Breadand Wine Chicago IL a 2-store operationoffering more than 150 artisan cheeses DB

In the fashion world Holland conjures upimages of clunky wooden shoes wingedhats and long aprons Although such attireis not everyday wear in modern Hollandnostalgia and tourism demand the occa-

sional traditional costume just as cheeselovers demand aged cheeses made withauthentic centuries-old Dutch techniquesOn the flip side Holland is known as a pro-gressive and exploratory country in its socialmodels and this tendency also shows up inits newer versions of flavored cheeses

In the midst of these extremes are thecheeses most closely associated with Hol-land throughout the world mdash the creamymilky young cowrsquos milk wheels and ballscoated in colorful wax They show up onparty trays and in dishes across the UnitedStates and Latin America While the mildcheeses remain top sellers some industryleaders postulate that their popularity may bethreatened by the demand for more complexflavors especially in the United States whereconsumers continue to gravitate towardnovel mdash yet ancient mdash styles of cheeses

ldquoRecently lsquored waxrsquo and lsquoyellow waxrsquocommodity cheeses are going out of style tomake way for the specialty cheeses fromHollandrdquo says Michael Blum director ofBeemster Cheese USA Jersey City NJldquoConsumers are coming of age with theirtastes and demand cheeses such as Beem-ster which have not only an amazing qualitybut also a rich history and are not factorymaderdquo Beemster offers a broad range ofDutch cheeses from the Beemster polder mdasha polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosedby dikes mdash in northern Holland an area ofland 20 feet below sea level The cheesesinclude 18-month Classic 26-month X-O-and several flavored and seasonal varietiesBeemster recently released its aged Minis mdashindividually wrapped 5-month-old miniaturecheese bars for upscale snacking

David Voremberg president of JanaFoods Secaucus NJ believes quality plays akey role in Dutch cheese sales but hebelieves age is also important ldquoThere is adefinite trend toward aged cheese and to a

Going Dutch Is Still In StyleHolland revives vintage cheese styles and creates new trends

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

carve out the top ofthe cheese and slice it

off like a pumpkinrdquo Thechefs remove the cheese

from the center of the ball heatit up with chicken and sometimes vegeta-

bles and then return the contents to theempty Edam ball ldquoThey eat it right out of thebowl Theyrsquove been doing this for yearsrdquo

noticeable albeit lesser degree flavoredcheeserdquo he explains A staple of JanarsquosDutch line is the Masterpiece collection byKH de Jong the most famous being theaged Rembrandt ldquoSince de Jong is a mem-ber of a vertically integrated cooperative allsteps from milk production to aging andpacking are subject to the highest verifiableand consistent quality controlsrdquo

According to Todd Druhot cheese buyerand director of the cheese importing programat Atlanta Foods International Atlanta GAldquoWersquore still selling pallets of mild creamyGouda but Irsquove seen larger growth in theaged Goudas The Rembrandt in that line faroutsells all the othersrdquo

Voremberg notes that in spite of Rem-brandtrsquos popularity its fellow artist-themedcheeses mdash Da Vinci Vincent and Mondrianmdash are ldquorapidly catching uprdquo

Atlanta now imports Reypenaer an agedGouda from the van den Wijingaards a fam-

ily with over 100 years of cheeesemakingexperience and a century-old warehousethat still uses no refrigeration for maturationldquoThe Reypenaer is natural aged instead ofheat agedrdquo explains Druhot noting that thefluctuations in temperature and humidity addcomplexity and texture to the cheeseldquoThese guys have been doing it for so longand itrsquos pretty unique Itrsquos really high end soat first we had some sticker shock but itrsquosreally taken off wellrdquo The Reypenaercheeses currently available are the 1-yearReypenaer and the 2-year Reypenaer VSOPThe producers also have an aged goatGouda that will be available for export nextyear Druhot reports

Regarding cheese fashion old or newJanarsquos Voremberg adds ldquoWe never experi-enced Dutch cheeses as being out of styleWe have seen steady growth and believeDutch cheese speaks to all demographicsranging from those for whom lsquorealrsquo Gouda isan eye-opener to sophisticates who seek outwell-aged specialtiesrdquo

Mix And MatchWhat happens when you

cross a Dutch Edam ballwith Latin culinary flairThom Phiebig has theanswer As presidentof Galaxy DairyProducts Inc Ram-sey NJ mdash and sup-plier to Arthur Schu-man Inc FairfieldNJ mdash Phiebig hasextensive experiencewith specialty cheeses aswell as cheeses sold in larg-er quantities in the UnitedStates and beyond

ldquoPuerto Rico sells the 4- to 6-monthEdam cheese Itrsquos a huge marketrdquo he notesPhiebig describes Queso de Bola Rellenowhich translates as stuffed cheese ball ldquoThey

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JA

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

DEMOGRAPHICSRANGING FROM THOSE

FOR WHOM lsquoREALrsquoGOUDA IS AN

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

mdash David VorembergJana Foods

The once seafaring mdash and now fly-ing mdash Dutch have brought theircheese recipes and traditions to the

United States over many centuries Theircontributions to the US cheese palettehave resulted in a boom of award-win-ning and creative domestic Dutch-stylecheeses as well Among the most promi-nent producers of Dutch-style cheeses arethe Winchester Cheese Co of WinchesterCA Tumalo Farms of Bend OR and Hol-landrsquos Family Farm of Thorp WI

Jeff Smoot Winchester general salesmanager cites import prices as part ofthe reason for the increased demand fordomestic Goudas ldquoLately Irsquove gotten alot of interest in Gouda because theEuropean cheeses are going up and upand uprdquo he explains ldquoOur cheeses havebecome more affordablerdquo

While the cheesemakers name theyoung- to medium-aged cheeses as thebest sellers they enjoy toying with newrecipes and ages Smoot tells of a super-aged Gouda aptly named King Tut ldquoItrsquosabout as hard a piece of cheese as youwould have found in King Tutrsquos tombrdquo

Marieke and Rolf Penterman original-ly from Holland conducted an extremelysuccessful experiment in 2008 at Hol-landrsquos Family Farm ldquoThe Marieke

Smoked Cumin Gouda was an experi-ment We had only one wheel We didnrsquoteven know ourselves how it tastedrdquoaccording to Marieke Penterman ldquoWesent only one wheel to the smoker and itwent to [the American Cheese Societycompetition]rdquo It won 2nd place in theSmoked category mdash a cheese not eventasted by the cheesemakers themselves

Oregon has its own version of Dutch-style cheese from Tumalo Farms Accord-ing to Flavio de Castilhos companyfounder and creator of cheeses flavoredwith local beer rainbow peppercorns anddesert rosemary ldquoWe do not promoteGouda We do not promote Dutch cheesesWe promote Tumalo Farms I woulddefine it as a Dutch-style cheeserdquo

Behind the scenes are the smaller lesscommercially known cheesemakers whosupply Dutch-style cheeses primarily tolocal farmerrsquos markets and area retailersEichtenrsquos Hidden Acres of Center CityMN is prominent on the Midwesternscene The cheesemakers Ed Eichten andEileen Eichten Carlson specialize inhandmade Gouda free of recombinantbovine growth hormone (rBGH) Theyexpanded the line to include 13 varietiesamong which are Peppercorn GarlicTomato Basil and Olive Tapenade DB

Dutch American Style

Dutch cheese is not new to Latin Ameri-ca Dutch explorers traveling the world cen-turies ago settled in warm climates bringingwith them cheese customs that worked theirway into the local cuisine Dutch cheese isnow popular in many Latin countries includ-ing Venezuela Uruguay Argentina andCuba where Gouda is a staple While thesecountries purchase imported Dutch cheesemdash some through North American suppliersmdash many also make their own versions andironically now sell them to US importers

With the growing Hispanic population inthe United States and the versatility ofyounger Dutch cheeses for consumers of allethnic groups importers continue to rely onthis style for their base Dutch domestic andeven export sales ldquoWersquove always sold a lotof Dutch and itrsquos always seemed to be most-ly the mild and creamy typesrdquo says Druhotwho also notes that Atlantarsquos specialtycheeses are steadily moving to the front lines

Goats On The RunwayldquoThe goat keeps going uprdquo says Vorem-

berg of Jana which imports Cablanca a

white-waxed goat cheese with an equallysnowy paste ldquoPeople are looking for some-thing differentrdquo According to the producerKH de Jong Cablanca makes a perfectentry level firm goat cheese for consumerswho normally shy away from more assertivegoats It has the characteristic tang of goatrsquosmilk but is milder than unpasteurized goatcheese and certain soft goat cheeses It is aperfect complement to salads and other lightdishes and can be used for melting

New on the radar is Beemsterrsquos PremiumGoat The companyrsquos master cheesemakerrealized the goatrsquos milk from the polder wasas distinct as its cowrsquos milk and after muchexperimentation mdash and the approval of 550farmers in the Beemster polder co-op mdashPremium Goat was born Handmade fromthe select milk of only 11 farms it matures forfour months yielding a silky texture andlightly aromatic flavor In spite of its relativelyyoung age it has the flavor profile of acheese far beyond its months yet is smoothcompared to some aged Dutch goat cheesesaccording to Blum ldquoPremium Goat is a veryhigh-quality cheese and it is competitive

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

CHEESE BOARDSETTING THE TONE

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

price-wise Wersquove never had a goatrsquos milkcheese This is something very newrdquo

Accessorizing mdash The Final TouchAs the pursuit of the exotic increases

previously unconventional cheeses becomestandard Now common on US shelves isVan Dijkrsquos quirky Dorothea ldquopotato chiprdquocheese flavored with potato skins basil oilcoriander oil and garlic Dutch celebrity chefCas Spijkars created the recipe in 1993 forHollandrsquos annual ldquoMost Unusual Foodrdquo con-test He based the blend on two of Hollandrsquosfavorite foods cheese and potatoes Thecheese won first prize and has been in highdemand ever since

Also in the Van Dijk line are DorotheaCornelia a goat cheese flavored with corian-der and Dorothea Marigold with sprinkles oforange and yellow petals throughout TheVan Dijks have been making goat cheesesince 1976 on a family farm in southern Hol-land near Eindhoven In this area a singleherd of 500 goats grazes freely on the pas-tures of natural grasses and wild herbs

From the de Jong line comes a true fire-ball of a cheese mdash Red Hot Dutch which isa cowrsquos milk Edam ball flavored with red-hotchili peppers Other uniquely flavoredcheeses on the market include Nagelkaaswhich translates as ldquonail cheeserdquo named forthe nail-shaped cloves that decorate its pasteOne of the most visually striking cheeses isVeldhujzen Kaasrsquo bright green Basiron pestocheese popular for its flavor as well as its fes-tive color

A quality cheese always calls for celebra-tion and a chic Dutch cheese dresses up anycheese board setting the tone for an eleganttasting With so many fancy cheeses tochoose from mdash and so many more on thehorizon mdash Holland has proven itself a fash-ion icon in the world of modern cheese DB

New X-Ray Technology Improves Produce Safety29Dec08Michigan State UniversityMark Fellows Bradley Markshttpnewsmsuedustory5777

Michigan State University researchersBradley Marks and Sanghyup Jeong are help-ing a technology startup company improvethe safety of leafy greens and other foods

Marks and Jeong are proving X-rays cankill bacterial pathogens such as E coli0157H7 and salmonella on delicate vegeta-bles and extend shelf life Irradiation fromother sources has been used for years to pro-tect ground meat and other products essen-tially pasteurizing food without cooking itldquoOur work to date has shown that X-raytechnology is very effective in killing the bac-terial pathogens without causing undesirablechanges in product qualityrdquo Marks said

They apply a dose higher than medical X-ray imaging yet less than competing irradia-tion methods Less protective shielding isnecessary so the equipment is more compactand food companies can install it at process-ing plants Currently food must be transport-ed to specialty facilities eliminating irradia-tion as an option for much fresh produce

Marks and Jeong work in the MSU Depart-ment of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineer-ing and collaborate with Elliot Ryser a micro-biologist in the Department of Food Scienceand Human Nutrition They are using MSUrsquosunique biosafety level-2 pilot processing facili-ty to validate technology being commercial-ized by Rayfresh Foods Inc of Ann Arbor

ldquoThe problem the leafy green industryfaces is there is absolutely no kill step in theprocess of cleaning rinsing and bagging theproduct There is nothing they can dordquoexplained Peter Schoch Rayfresh CEO Thepotential for widespread contamination iscompounded by the mingling of greens fromdifferent sources in processing plants he said

Food irradiation ndash which does not renderfood radioactive ndash today uses gamma raysfrom radioactive material or machine-generat-ed electron beams Schoch said both of whichtend to cause cellular damage and visuallydegrade food X-rays promise a gentler morescalable solution Rayfresh recently landed itsfirst contract to build an X-ray machine totreat ground beef for Omaha Steaks whichinspected the prototype at MSU The universi-tyrsquos validation work was pivotal in winningthat first order Schoch said

More information is available atwwwfdagovconsumerupdatesirradia-tion082208html

FDA To Reconsider Plastic Bottle Risk24dec08New York TimesJulie Scelfohttpwwwnytimescom20081224dining24chemhtml_r=2

Weeks after its own advisory boardaccused the Food and Drug Administration offailing to adequately consider research aboutthe dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA) found inmany plastic baby bottles plastic food con-tainers and metal can linings the agency hasagreed to reconsider the issue

FDArsquos draft risk assessment in Augustfinding the chemical safe as it is now usedstood out against a tide of recent scientificopinion The National Toxicology Programpart of the Department of Health and HumanServices has said there was reason to beconcerned BPA could harm the brain behav-ior and the prostate gland in fetuses infantsand children Canada added the chemical toits list of toxic substances this year and plansto ban BPA from polycarbonate baby bottles

In September a study published in theJournal of the American Medical Associationfound that adults with high levels of BPA intheir urine were more prone to heart andliver disease and diabetes

More than 200 animal studies have linkedingesting minute amounts of BPA to a rangeof reproductive problems brain damageimmune deficiencies metabolic abnormalitiesand behavioral oddities such as hyperactivitylearning deficits and reduced maternal will-ingness to nurse offspring

FDArsquos position that current human expo-sure to BPA in food-packaging materials pro-vides an adequate margin of safety appearedto be based on two large multigenerationalstudies by research groups that receivedfunding from the American Plastics Councilaccording to a letter sent to FDA by RepJohn D Dingell and Bart Stupak Democratsof Michigan

Although FDA had reviewed other studiesonly the two multigenerational ones met itsguidelines for determining safety for humanconsumption said Dr Mitchell Cheesemandeputy director of the agencyrsquos Office of FoodAdditive Safety

FDA Requires More Disclosure Of Bug-Based Colorings06jan09MediaPost PublicationsKarlene Lukovitzhttpwwwmediapostcompublicationsfa=Arti-clesshowArticleHomePageampart_aid=97750

FDA has released a final rule requiring

foods and cosmetics containing insect-basedcolorings called carmine or cochineal extractto list these by name on labels

Currently FDA allows these coloringsextracted from the dried bodies of cochinealbeetles to be included under ldquoartificial col-orsrdquo or ldquocolor addedrdquo on labels The new rulepublished in the Federal Register of Jan 52009 takes effect 24 months from that date

The extracts used by some food and cos-metics manufacturers as an inexpensive wayto produce colorfast reddish and orange hueshave been found to produce allergic reactionssuch as sneezing difficulty in breathinghives headaches and anaphylactic shock insome individuals according to medical docu-mentation cited by the Center for Science inthe Public Interest (CSPI)

CSPI petitioned FDA in August 1998 torequire clear labeling disclosure conduct sci-entific studies and if appropriate ban thecolorings The new rule was proposed in Jan-uary 2006 and the commentary period endedin May 2006

While there is ldquono complete listrdquo of foodsand beverages using the colorings they areknown to be ingredients in some fruit drinksyogurts ice creams and candies according toCSPI executive director Michael F JacobsonData on the coloringsrsquo use in cosmetics iseven less available although FDA has citedthe awareness of at least one instance inwhich such ingredients in a cosmetic led toan allergic reaction according to Jacobson

While describing the new rule as ldquousefulprogressrdquo CSPI maintains it falls short CSPIcontends the colorings should have beenbanned because ldquothe only way people candetermine that they are sensitive to them isto suffer repeated reactions including poten-tially life-threatening anaphylactic reac-tionsrdquo At minimum CSPI contends FDAshould have required labeling specificallyindicate these colorings are ldquoinsect-basedrdquo

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

director of theRefrigeratedFoods Association(RFA) and manag-ing director of Certified Laboratoriescompiles TechNews

The information has been compliedfrom press releases news articles andgovernment announcements and policyclarifications Additional information maybe obtained by contacting RFA byphone at 770-452-0660 or online at wwwrefrigeratedfoodsorg

hen Vincent Giordano Corporation of Philadelphia PA began itmade domestic prosciutto and was called Vincent GiordanoProsciutto After the then-existing ban on imported prosciutto was lift-ed Vincent and his son Guy branched out and began making roast

beef corned beef and pastrami Vincent was in charge of sales and Guy handled operations and growth It took Guy

months to convince his father to buy their first industrial oven which at that time costmore than his fatherrsquos house

A classic company tale involves the addition of a second office in the mid-1970s WhenGuy told Vincent that he was going to have the phone company come in and rewire thealways frugal Vincent knocked a hole in the wall adjoining the two offices and passed aphone through the hole Today that new office is one of the oldest parts of the plant andthe hole is framed a constant reminder of the philosophy of the company founder

Our thanks to third-generation Justine Giordano for gathering the information for thisBlast From The Past

Blast From The Past is a regular feature of DELI BUSINESS We welcome submissions of your old photos labels or advertisements along with a brief description of the photo Please send material to Editor DELI BUSINESSPO Box 810217 Boca Raton FL 33481-0217 or e-mail DeliBusinessphoenixmedianetcom For more information contact us at (561)994-1118

WBlast From The Past Vincent Giordano

I N F O R M AT I O N S H O W C A S EReceive supplier information fast using the Deli Business Information Showcase

By Phone bull By Fax Herersquos How Contact the advertiser directly via the Web site e-mail phone or fax listed in the ad

COMPANY PAGE CATEGORY PHONE FAX

InnoWare Inc 35 Packaging 800-237-8270 404-659-5116

Jana Foods LLC 51 Cheese 201-866-5001 201-866-3004

Karoun Dairies Inc 13 Cheese 818-767-7000 323-666-1501

Kings Hawaiian Bread 23 Bread 800-800-5464 310-533-8352

Meyenberg Goat Milk Products 49 Goat Cheese 800-891-GOAT 209-668-4753

Miatech Inc 17 Deli Service Cases 800-339-5234 503-659-2204

Nuovo Pasta Productions Ltd29 Pasta800-803-0033 203-380-4091

Piller Sausages amp

Delicatessens Ltd40 Deli Meats 800-265-2628 519-743-7111

Principe Food USA Inc 41 Prosciutto 310-680-5500 559-272-6183

Redondo Iglesias USA 2 Serrano Ham516-248-3332 718-937-3250

Rubschlager Baking Corporation 20 Bakery 773-826-1245 773-826-6619

Southern Pride 43 Equipment800-851-8180 618-993-5960

Stefano Foods Inc 19 Stromboli 800-340-4019 704-399-3930

Unilever Foodsolutions 7 Condiments 800-272-1217

Widmerrsquos Cheese Cellar48 Cheese 888-878-1107 920-488-2130

Wilkinson Manufacturing 38 Packaging 800-456-4519 402-468-5124

Alexian Pates 16 Pates800-927-9473 732-775-3223

Arneg USA Inc 31 Food Bars 800-276-3487 610-746-9580

Atlanta Foods International9 Cheese 404-688-1315 404-223-6637

BE Green Packaging LLC34 Green Packaging 805-456-6088

Beemster 5 Dutch Cheese908-372-6024

BelGioioso Cheese Inc 11 Cheese 877-863-2123 920-863-8791

Boarrsquos Head Provisions Co 17 Deli Meat 800-710-5534

Cheese Connoisseur 21 Publication 561-994-1118 561-994-1610

George E DeLallo Co56 Olives amp Antipasto 800-433-9100 724-523-0981

Don Miguel 55 Mexican Food 877-364-4835

Fiscalini Cheese Co48 Cheese 800-610-FARM209-545-5008

Flair Packaging

International Corp 36 Packaging 920-574-3121 920-574-3122

Great Lakes Cheeses47 Cheese 800-677-7181 940-834-1002

IDDBA 45 Trade Association 608-310-5000 608-238-6330

Inline Plastics Corp 37 Packaging 800-826-5567 203-924-0370

Innovasian 25 Asian Food 425-251-3706 425-251-1565

GENERAL POLICIESAdvertisers and advertising agencies agree and accept responsibility for all statements and product claims made in their advertisements for themselves or their organizations The publisher

is not responsible nor does he necessarily agree with any of the opinions or statements expressed in such advertisements Advertisers and advertising agencies agree to accept responsibility forall content of such advertisements and agree to assume liability involving any claims arising from such advertising that are made against the publisher Advertiser and advertising agencies agreeto indemnify the publisher and to hold him harmless and to defend him from any such claim or claims and to be responsible for the payment of any expenses or legal fees incurred by the pub-lisher associated with such legal action or claims The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising that he believes does not meet the publicationrsquos standards Advertising appear-ing in editorial format may or may not be accepted by the publisher and if published will be properly labeled ldquoadvertisementrdquo Publisher is not liable for non-delivery or delays caused by anyfederal or state agency or association or by fire flood riot explosion strike embargo either legal or illegal material or labor shortage transportation or work interruption or slowdown orany condition or act of God affecting delivery and beyond the control of the publisher

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

PROCUREMENTBelly Up To The Bar 30More consumers are turning to deli department food bars rather than restaurants to satisfy their cravings for high-quality foods

Package Deal 33The future of packaging relies on equal measures of sustainability and affordability

Home Cooking ndash Without The Cooking 42Rotisserie and barbecue bring in foot traffic mdash and profits

COVER STORY

FEATURESA Boon For Tired-And-Pinched 18Grab-and-go offers convenience quality and affordable pricing when time is short and money is tight

The Art Of War Asian Food Style 24In the battle for share of stomach Asian food offers supermarket delis a strategic advantage

MERCHANDISING REVIEWSPasta Perfect 27Pasta producers create restaurant tastethat translates to at-home meals

24DELI BUSINESS (ISSN 1088-7059) is published by Phoenix Media Network Inc PO Box 810425 Boca Raton FL 33481-0425

TECHNEWS 53

JAMES E PREVOR

PRE-IDDBA GUIDE

D E L I W A T C H

Transitions

MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

New Products

BRIE LOG

FOCACCIA STICKS

ACQUISITION MADE

Announcements

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

TECHNEWS 53

JAMES E PREVOR

PRE-IDDBA GUIDE

D E L I W A T C H

Transitions

MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

New Products

BRIE LOG

FOCACCIA STICKS

ACQUISITION MADE

Announcements

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

JAMES E PREVOR

PRE-IDDBA GUIDE

D E L I W A T C H

Transitions

MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

New Products

BRIE LOG

FOCACCIA STICKS

ACQUISITION MADE

Announcements

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

D E L I W A T C H

Transitions

MAGAZINE LAUNCHED

New Products

BRIE LOG

FOCACCIA STICKS

ACQUISITION MADE

Announcements

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

RESULTS BY CATEGORY

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

C O V E R S T O R Y

ABOUT THE SURVEY

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

ldquoCONSUMERS ARE

LOOKING FOR

CONVENIENT

NUTRITION QUALITY

IMPORTANTrdquo

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

BY BOB JOHNSON

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

F E A T U R E

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

THE CULINARY TRENDS

ALWAYS THE CASE FOR

COME FROM THE

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoOUR

ENVIRONMENTAL

OBJECTIVES MUST BE

ACHIEVED WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE

PERFORMANCE OR

VALUE THE PACKAGE

BRINGS TO THE

CONSUMERrdquo

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

SLOWED DOWN SOME

INITIATIVES BUT WE

ARE CONVINCED THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT IS HERE

TO STAYrdquo

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

D E L I M E A T S

BY LISA WHITE

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

D E L I M E A T S

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

PH 310 680-5500 bull Fax 559-272-6183

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

Up In Smoke

THAN EVER TO

CAPTURE THEIR

SUPPLY BUT PEOPLE

ARE WATCHING THEIR

RESTAURANT

EXPENDITURESrdquo

BY KAREN SILVERSTON

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

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FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

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Mitchelltechnical

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BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

BY ELIZABETH BLAND

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

ldquoDUTCH CHEESE

SPEAKS TO ALL

EYE-OPENER TO

SOPHISTICATES WHO

SEEK OUT WELL-AGED

SPECIALTIESrdquo

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

A QUALITY CHEESE

ALWAYS CALLS FOR

CELEBRATION AND A

CHIC DUTCH CHEESE

DRESSES UP ANY

FOR AN ELEGANT

TASTING

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

TechNewsMartin

Mitchelltechnical

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

Piller Sausages amp

Flair Packaging

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

DELIFEBMARFCpdf

db09febpdf

Documents

MARKETING MERCHANDISING ANAGEMENT ROCUREMENT The … · ney’s Boardwalk Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL, March 1 — 4, 2009. This year’s Conference theme is Connecting to a Global