Fancy Food in the Big Apple

I'm just back from the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City. Following what was the wettest June in NY history, we enjoyed beautifully cool weather, and it was only when I was ready to leave for home that things were appearing to heat up to the usual New York summer temperatures. Having lived in the Big Apple for 13 years - from 1981 to 1994 - I'm well aware of how hot it can be there in the summer months so I was pleasantly surprised. I was also surprised at how busy the show was. The aisles were packed both upstairs and down, and even allowing for what I call the "feeders" that crowd the aisles on Sundays (anyone who has the remotest connection to someone in retail or other profession that allows them access to the show), all the exhibitors looked active with customers. Another surprise was in the munber of new products that were being introduced at the show. If there was ever a time for caution and for scaling back on product lines, the current recession would be it but it simply was not the case. There seemed to be an optimism in the air regarding the prospects for the upcoming fourth quarter and into next year. I am heartened that vendors are not sticking their heads in the sand, no matter how much they might want to.

I've been predicting for years the growing together of the specialty food world and that of natural products. In fact, except for extremes (colon cleanser and supplements, for example), I've never been quite able to figure out the difference between the two, particlularly when talking about foods that are made according to ancient traditions and from top-notch raw ingredients. At the Natural Products Expo West in March I was regaled with all kinds of specialty foods ranging from pasture-raised beef to extra-virgin olive oil. Similarly, at this summer's Fancy Food Show, I saw signs everywhere for foods touted as gluten-free, high in antioxidants, vegan, all-natural and organic. Some examples are Mary's Gone Crackers (www.marysgonecrackers.com) and Pamela's Products (www.pamelasproducts.com). Never have I seen so many remedial claims at the Fancy Food Show, and lest you might think that good taste suffered, I hasten to add that most of these "healthy" foods were also delicious. Most die-hard foodies will embrace good health as long as flavor is not compromised. Fortunately, we are all learning that one no longer has to sacrifice one for the other. 

This, after all, was the Fancy Food Show so flavor, convenience and innovation reigned, as well as great looking packaging. Even the small Mom & Pop vendors are realizing that it's not enough to have a great product. If that product doesn't pop off the shelf, if it doesn't stand out among other similar products, it will have a hard time being successfully in today's highly competitive industry. Great packaging doesn't always mean modern, however, and this was well illlustrated by the likes of Koeze Company (www.creamnut.com) and their signature Cream-Nut peanut butter and their new Sweet Ella's organic peanut butter, or Furst-McNess (www.mcness.com) and their charming retro packaging for their extracts, pie fillings and spices (actually, the packaging is the same the company has used since 1908). Then there was the eye-popping, attention-grabbing display at Eleni's New York (www.elenis.com), a company that produces beautiful "conversation cookies" and everyday cookies.

If you were unable to make it to this year's Summer Fancy Food Show, don't dispair, we will be presenting a wrap-up of the show and some of the new products we found in our newletter as well in the pages of The Gourmet Retailer over the coming weeks. However, I would urge you to make plans now for the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco from January 17th to the 19th, 2010. We hope to see you there.

Comments

[Ted Hurlbut]

It's good to hear that there was a lot of innovative products on display. Product innovation across all sectors is an absolutely essential piece of the effort to get the consumer spending again at retail.