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/1061591
Each product will be tasted and scored for innova- tion, quality, and the chef-appeal for foodservice. The winner of the Front Burner competition will receive a promotional package from the Specialty Food Association, including an ad in Specialty Food Magazine, editorial coverage in Specialty Food News, and more.—A.F. 2019 Specialty Food Business Summit to Focus on Growth The annual Specialty Food Business Summit will take place in Chicago, April 7-9, 2019, with a new focus: Unlocking opportunities for growth and managing change. Serial entrepreneur Clayton Christopher will kick off and keynote the event with a talk based on his years as a founder of companies including Sweet Leaf Tea, Deep Eddy Vodka, and Rhythm Superfoods, and as a funder of food and beverage startups in his role at CAVU Venture Partners. Whether it's breaking into a new channel or bring- ing out a new line, the drive toward expansion is a key part of a successful plan for specialty food success. This year's Summit will provide the chance to explore poten- tial markets, discover the latest selling strategies, create brand positioning that works for your new strategy, and more. Additional speakers will include transformative lead- ers and authors Robby Riggs of Sana Sano Consulting and Robert Glazer of BrandCycle; branding professional Cindy Hsaio of March Brand; HR and recruiting expert Josh Wand of ForceBrands; growth-hacking author- ity Dhaval Patel; and media and PR strategists Susan Brophy and Lisa Lubin. 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 dining with peers and mentors. Visit sfbs.specialtyfood.com to learn more and to register. Email education@specialtyfood.com with any questions. —Gretchen VanEsselstyn FROM THE SOLUTION CENTER: OVERHEARD ON THE Q&A FORUM The Solution Center's Q&A Forum affords Association members the opportunity to discuss challenges, share knowledge, and network with peers. Here are some snippets of recent discussions. U.S Tariffs on Food from China "The tariffs are not affecting my ingredient cost, but they are affecting my packaging cost. I am forced to order more packaging than I need, and to do it before January. The current 10 percent tariff is going to 25 percent in January." Freight Consolidation "I have found freight consolidation to be both helpful and pricey. So, a mix of good and not so good. But, if you are not shipping full truckloads, it is a good option." Growing a Business to a Company "First thing I suggest you do is write down exactly what you want your company to become. Then, look at what you expect to do, and list your limitations, so that you can develop a strategic growth plan that you can afford to achieve." Prop 65 Warnings in California "Pay for guidance and follow it—and you may want to check the list of chemicals covered by Prop 65, as you may have more things to worry about than BPA." Specialty Food Retail's Future "To stay relevant, the stores need to understand that they have to be proactive in their survival and growth. What that means depends upon where they are, but they can become a fixture in the community by hosting special events, invitation only events… The owner has to be nimble with new products, consider, and try new items—even if he/she does not like them—because the customer might; then they will thrive." The Solution Center Q&A Forum is open exclusively to members of the Specialty Food Association. SFA members are welcome to join the discussion related to these and other topics by logging into the Solution Center with their username and password.—A.F. WINTER 2019 23