I hope by now
you've heard about
and downloaded our
new app, SFA Feed.
FALL
editor's letter
Denise Purcell
Editor, SFA Specialty Food
dpurcell@specialtyfood.com
T
he annual 12 Under 35: Breakout Talent to
Watch individuals are just what I needed
right now.
We're all navigating a reality of business
uncertainty, likely COVID-19 resurgence, brutal
political division and social unrest, and discovering
people who are making a positive contribution
despite—and sometimes in response to—the tumult is
even more inspiring in the calamity that's been 2020.
Among these enterprising young
entrepreneurs you'll read about beginning on
p. 27, are a 16-year-old chef who challenged
racial inequality in culinary reporting, a cultural
preservationist whose CSA distributes products
from Black-owned farms in North Carolina, a chef
who turned his restaurant into a food bank in the
early days of COVID-19, and a fifth-generation
coffee farmer who is providing a more reliable
income for Colombian growers. They and the rest
of the members of this year's list are a lesson in
turning hurdles into opportunities.
So, too, are the makers we highlight
throughout this issue. In a Q&A on p. 62,
Managing Editor Julie Gallagher talks with three
companies who are shifting strategy in the age of
COVID-19. Whether launching new items to gel
with changing consumer buying habits or pushing
through with initial product plans, these companies
displayed agility during disruption.
If you need more inspiration, peruse the
list of 2020 sofi winners beginning on p. 22. As
Ron Tanner, SFA's vice president of education,
government and industry relations, points out,
"The pandemic has challenged the supply chain,
but specialty food entrepreneurs continue to show
creativity in their kitchens."
These examples show an industry moving
ahead, seizing opportunity, and innovating in ways
large and small to keep competitive amid ambiguity.
We have our own examples of the same here
at SFA. I hope by now you've heard about and
downloaded our new app, SFA Feed. It compiles
all the useful content you are used to from us in
one convenient platform. You'll find the day's
news stories, features, Q&As, trends, the latest
new product introductions from our online Product
Marketplace, videos with industry leaders, SFA
updates on programs and events, and the digital
edition of Specialty Food magazine—all in one
place to keep you up-to-date on what's happening
in our industry. And we continue to distribute our
industry newsletter—renamed SFA News Daily—to
showcase each day's top news from the app.
Our team is excited about growing this
resource with even more original content,
including an upcoming new podcast, to serve our
audience. If you haven't yet checked out SFA Feed,
download it in the iOS App Store or in GooglePlay.
It's evolving into our main content platform for
delivering the news, trends, products, and updates
you need to know about, and the Association is
proud to be innovating to bring you new and useful
tools to help keep you informed.
TURNING HURDLES INTO OPPORTUNITIES
