Flyers, Pamphlets, and Beers! Oh My!!

Yesterday we food show goers all got together at the local Pizza Place.  We shared pizza, beer, and loads of product literature along with a few laughs.

  We went to the Fancy Food Show to find new companies who create or sell artisan products and catch up with the companies we already work with to see what may be new in their neck of the woods.  This is definitely my favorite type of buying as I am an intense flavors girl!!  I also love love love fresh tasting products.  

With that in mind, I would like to talk up a brand new company called  Nuttyness.  First of all, I think the name is fun,  The packaging is beautiful and I am thrilled to death that this is from the Bay Area.  This means that we have a better shot of them coming to do a demo in our store.  I dig demos.  That's how we buy.  It's the most effective form of advertising if you ask me.  Especially if it's a new or not particularly low priced item. If I can prove to you that it's worth it, I've hooked you. Until the next great thing.  And I will get you. :P

Marzipan with a Twist.

Nuttyness makes premium, chocolate covered marzipan. They use only the finest California almonds, and all products are made right here in the Bay Area. These marzipan bars are a unique blend of European tradition with California flavors - Marzipan with a Twist!  They were soft and super fresh tasting. ( My mouth waters just thinking about them!)

It really helps that the owners were extremely easy to befriend.  They want to partner in getting their product to the consumer.  I always say, If you're not interested in your product.. then why should I be.  

These are a no brainer for us.  I am going to call them right now to place an order.

  How many do you want?

NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show Aftermath!

I have always felt that Fancy Food Show in particular for a store like ours, is a perfect place to educate our employees aka potential sales people. So ... somehow I have managed to talk the owners of Sunshine into sending as many people as possible.  Sunshine Foods sends no less than 10 people per year, some years, even more. That's a lot for a single market.

If you have never been to this show, it is an overwhelming amount of product information.

Each year the 17,000+ Winter Fancy Food Show attendees may discover more than 80,000 products featuring the world's finest foods and beverages from more than 1,300 exhibitors representing 35+ countries.

Yes I said 1,300 exhibitors, not to mention that most of these exhibitors most likely have multiple products to taste. Soo, now that the show is over, Sunshine's buying team will begin searching thru all of the aftermath. E-mails sent from hopeful partners, information on companies via snail mail as well as the information brought back directly from the show. I know that I have 3 bags myself. Multiply all of this by 11 people this year and we have our work cut out for us.

Our store is an independent market, with only 8,000 sq feet of selling space. This is not a lot folks, especially when we hopefully carry what everyone in town expects. You know, soap, full deli, meat, all of the old standby conventional products, natural & organic as well as specialty foods. We are in a constant state of flux and change to meet the demands of our customer.

So... for a while I will be blogging about the products we review from the show with pros and cons of why they will or why they won't be a fit for our market.

I can't wait to read some of your comments!