Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1017167
association news Growth and Change: SFA's 2019 Specialty Food Business Summit The annual Specialty Food Business Summit will return to its birthplace, Chicago, from April 7-9 2019, with a new focus: unlocking opportunities for growth and managing the changes that come with new markets and product lines. "This year's theme is sparking growth, which really gets to the heart of what's going on in our industry right now," says Lee Zalben, founder and CEO of Peanut Butter & Co., SFA Board Director, and Producer-Supplier Council Chair. "We're all striving for growth, with new products, new customers, and new sales channels, and attendees will get briefs and best practices on expand- ing their businesses. But with growth comes change— and that's something entrepreneurs and small business owners typically struggle with." Whether it's breaking into a new channel or bringing out a new line, the drive toward expansion is a key part of a successful plan for specialty food success. Survey data from past Summit attendees and other SFA mem- bers has shown that makers crave education on sales and marketing topics, and also have a desire for hard- skills education on the day-to-day aspects of running a business. With this in mind, SFA is crafting a program that will allow attendees to choose sessions that meet their particular needs and network with dynamic, high-level speakers and fellow makers who share their concerns. This year's Summit will provide the chance to explore potential markets, discover the latest selling strategies, create brand positioning that works with new strategies, and more. The Summit will also feature an optional half-day course on Finance 101 as well as opportunities to spend time in Chicagoland checking out local markets and din- ing out with peers and mentors.—Gretchen VanEsselstyn Fancy Food Show Exhibitors Donate 90,000 Pounds of Specialty Food City Harvest received its largest donation of the year on the closing day of the Summer Fancy Food Show, when exhibitors from across the U.S. and 54 countries donated specialties like cheese, grains, meat, vegeta- bles, healthy snacks, beverages, cooking sauces, and other high-quality items. "It's inspiring that people come together on such a large scale as the Fancy Food Show," said Racine Droz, associate director of food sourcing for City Harvest. "From the companies eagerly donating their high- quality food, to our wonderful volunteers collecting and organizing the donations, everyone works together to help our neighbors in need." City Harvest is New York City's largest food rescue organization, helping to feed more than 1.2 million New Yorkers who struggle to put food on their table. More than 300 people including corporate teams and indi- vidual volunteers collected donations at the close of the show. The food was distributed by the July 4 holiday to 17 community food programs in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. "Our members are dedicated to combating hunger and food waste," said Ron Tanner, vice president of philanthropy, government, and industry relations for the Specialty Food Association. "They look forward to this show tradition, knowing they play a role in alleviat- ing food insecurity in New York City. City Harvest has collected nearly 2 million pounds of food from the show over the past 18 years."—Julie Gallagher PHOTOS: LOOP SEVEN 22 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com