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
BY JULIE GALLAGHER The Specialty Food Association's new membership policy debuts this January. Is the SFA's new policy more inclusive? Yes. We want to engage food producers earlier in their development process, get involved with early-stage entrepreneurs and better support those 'emerging makers' along their journey. That's new for us but we believe it will be embraced by the whole membership. The industry is very willing to share experiences and knowledge across channels— that can be a godsend for someone just starting out. We foresee members utilizing the SFA and its resources to start new ventures as well as build on existing success. We'll also be actively seeking members who are retail and foodservice buyers and who come from the broker/distributor segment. After all, they're critical for industry success. What will the membership transformation mean for existing members? Expanding membership for us will go hand- in-hand with expanding member benefits and services. We know through our research that the Association has been viewed as the Fancy Food Shows and not much beyond that. And the two shows, Winter and Summer, that we have been producing for decades are vitally important to us and to the industry. But we're more than just the host of industry events. This extension of our membership confirms our commitment to bring the diverse communities of food makers, buyers, distributors, brokers, and others together to build the specialty food segment and increase consumption of our products. We'll do this through programs and services that help companies launch and grow. The SFA also recently underwent a rebranding. What does the new brand represent? Food has been evolving in the hearts and minds of consumers and we want to represent that. Through our rebrand and plans to expand our member offerings, we're committing to better reflect the diversity of our consumer-focused industry. The newly redesigned SFA logo, an imperfect circle, captures the constantly shifting and evolving industry and the limitless effects that food and drink have on our culture and everyday lives. The logo also represents our 360-degree approach to nurturing and introducing new specialty food products and companies into the marketplace. Our top priority is to continue offering new ways to support our always-evolving community and to help our member companies grow and succeed. Why is now an opportune time to transition to the new brand? The food industry is in the midst of disruption and evolution as big brands stumble and smaller specialty brands gain in popularity. We believe that the current American appetite for clean, authentic, flavorful, and healthier foods drives the specialty food segment, in particular, and is why we exist as an association. As part of our efforts to represent the burgeoning specialty food segment, our new look and feel is now more representative of the 3,800 cutting-edge companies that make up our membership. This rebranding process puts us in tune with our members' goals and confirms our commitment to serve them well throughout the 21st century. What's next for the SFA? Our vision statement—Shape the Future of Food—is a platform designed to define the specialty food industry for years to come. It is also an invitation to join with us in shaping the industry of tomorrow. The SFA wants everyone involved in producing and distributing specialty food products to see themselves in this phrase, to feel that they are, or can be, part of the mission, and that they have a seat at our table. Anytime the SFA uses this tagline, we remember that it is never about just the Association. It is about our community and our commitment to them. As 2020 launches, members can expect the Specialty Food Association to continue to grow, adding new membership options and adding new benefits and services for our members. We're excited to continue to connect the specialty food industry to the world. PRESIDENT PHIL KAFARAKIS ON THE FUTURE OF THE SFA Learn about the Specialty Food Association's new membership policy and recent rebranding. old logo new logo 26 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM Q&A