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/1194330
18 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM TRENDS & HAPPENINGS Restaurant Revolution For those who like to stand and eat, head to Spoken English in the Line Hotel in Washington, D.C., where 18 diners at a time are invited to hang out in the kitchen as the chefs create elevated, Asian-inspired food. Chef/restaurateur Erik Bruner-Yang, of acclaimed Maketto, and ramen-shop Toki Underground, modeled the concept after Japanese tachinomiya eateries, where there are no chairs. How it differs is in the quality of food, from small portions like chicken skin dumplings, and duck tongue with yuzu koshoand to larger format items like Xinjiang lamb with scallion pancakes, saffron yogurt, and cherry sauce. For a spin on sitting and eating, visit London's Pick & Cheese, where the centerpiece is a 131-foot conveyor belt. Diners choose from among 25 varieties of cheese, which can be paired with a specially curated wine list from natural wine retailers Les Caves de Pyrene. Brick-and Mortar Resurgence Teenagers are on a mission to save the earth— and they may revitalize brick-and-mortar stores while they're at it. According to a new survey by A.T. Kearney, 81 percent of consumers ages 14 to 24 prefer to do their shopping in stores, largely for mental health reasons. More than half of Gen Zs said shopping in stores allows them to disconnect from social media and the digital world. Because of stress, Gen Z also tends to purchase health and wellness products more than other generations and more than half said they are looking for products that are environmentally sustainable. That said, only 38 percent are willing to pay a premium for them. Once in the store, a whopping 86 percent of respondents are looking for "exclusives and promotions including free samples, giveaways, and contests," and 74 percent said a "well curated store experience focused on a limited number of products" was extremely or moderately important. Drink & Do Good Here's a good reason to drink: Profits from musician Dave Matthews' Dreaming Tree Wines go toward environmental organizations like the Wilderness Society, to which he's donated more than $1.5 million to date. Profits from his new rosé will go to the International Rhino Foundation, and sales of Proud Pour's Mendocino sauvignon blanc help by restoring 100 wild oysters to local waters, per bottle sold. The new Dreaming Tree Wines Cork Speaker, which doubles as a Bluetooth speaker that uses the empty space in the bottle to amplify sound, is available in its Crush Red Blend, and proceeds support the winery's environmental conservation partners. PHOTO: DREAMING TREE WINES PHOTO: NIC CRILLY-HARGRAVE