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.
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Douwe Egberts' f nest instant cof ee NOW AVAILABLE on the USA market! E-mail: sales@enjoybettercof ee.com Phone number: 800-582-6617 Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 4711 Nicole Potenza Denis is a contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine. and often more interesting than their European counterparts, like Compartes, Charm School, and Woodblock Chocolate, who are more in step with people's interests, tastes, and core values." Dick Taylor, Ritual, Solstice, and Amano are among Bitterman's picks. Nontraditional global sourcing has also emerged. Bitterman notes strong offerings that hail from Denmark, Australia, Hungary, and Vietnam. Caputo recommends keeping an eye out for Marou (Vietnam) and Rozsavolgyi (Hungary). "There's a lot to watch out for from abroad," he says. Looking Forward Industry experts agree there is plenty of room to grow for chocolate in the higher-percentage realm. "We can expect to see a lot of great- quality, 100 percent bars with inclusions meant to sweeten like finely chopped dates or freeze-dried fruit," Caputo predicts. Packaging and attention to detail are also not to be overlooked, with companies like Dandelion Chocolate, Dick Taylor, Milkboy Swiss Chocolates, Theo, and Mast Brothers leading the way with high-end design and boast-worthy ingredient labels. "Many chocolate trends are focusing on unique ingredients and intriguing f lavor combinations, and using that as the focus of the design," notes Jenn David Connelly, a creative strategist specializing in food package design. "Theo Chocolate is doing an exceptional job of innovating in their design with attention-grabbing visuals." Many chocolate brands are moving away from browns and subdued colors in favor of bright, bold colors and edgy, modern, and unusual designs that still showcase certification seals like organic and fair trade, David Connelly observes. Bitterman echoes that renewed focus on looks. "There's a defi- nite emphasis as chocolate to be seen as an object of beauty," he says. Producers are innovating with design-forward packaging and attention-grabbing visuals. FALL 2015 81