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/523050
F or most of Jay Lombard's adult life, his sulfite allergy was nothing but a drag. Consuming even a glass of wine or beer could send him into anaphylactic shock, complete with swelling, hives, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and poten- tially worse symptoms. Even drink mixers contained sulfites. And so, while his buddies heartily imbibed during nights out in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived for ten years, Lombard found himself sipping less- than-satisfying sulfite-free substitutes. He purchased a seltzer machine to create fun carbon- ated drinks he could at least enjoy at home. But the various f lavor packets that came with the machine were unhealthy and loaded with sugar, offering little appeal. "I began looking in the pantry of my apartment for ingredients I could use to f lavor the soda or make interesting cocktails," he recalls. "One day, I found some hibiscus tea and whipped up a super-strong batch that I mixed with seltzer." An allergy to sulfites led this producer to start making his own tea-infused cocktails. Their popularity with friends inspired him to launch a business. BY JOHN SEARLES Jay Lombard, Finest Kind Mixers & Modifiers Stirring Up Cocktail Innovation PHOTOS: FINEST KIND MIXERS & MODIFIERS producer profle 130 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com