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/68592
The Summer Show will feature a keynote by Chef José Andrés, voted one of Time magazine's 100 Most Infl uencial People in the World encouragingly, saying, "You can't always create a 'caviar taste' overnight but a customer base can be built gradually." Some merchandising tips are timeless. The association has initiated a number of campaigns to boost consumer interest in specialty foods. The 1955 Public Relations Committee hired food writer Clementine Paddleford of the New York Herald Tribune to author an informational three- fold color brochure about eating more adventurously with specialty foods. The brochure was distributed through leading retailers. In 1960, the association made available to member stores Lucite frames with changeable reader FDUGV SURPRWLQJ KROLGD\ VSHFLÀ F or seasonal uses for specialty foods. The NASFT also created direct mail pieces for distribution to consumers. Forty-eight stores ordered 42,000 copies of "Specialty of the House." The ongoing informational campaign involved sending publicity materials to 300 newspapers and magazines, targeting communities where member stores were located. These releases promoted the use of gourmet foods and ingredients by offering recipes, mealtime and party ideas. The push paid off: McCall's May 1960 issue included a gourmet food section, and Cosmopolitan magazine's September 1960 issue included a feature on gourmet foods, complete with color illustrations. In addition to increasing consumer interest, this targeted publicity increased NASFT retail membership, IURP LQ WR 140 by 1960. NASFT continues to promote specialty foods through its retail membership. Now called the Retailer Network, these key buyers receive a special newsletter called Specialty Food Retailer Ideabox, have in-person forums to discuss opportunities and challenges for retailers and host education programs such as the Super Retailer Summit. PrNASFT has always recognized the importance of food writers and culinary tastemakers. Before the web, blogs and Facebook, consumers relied on radio, newspapers and magazines for product information and ideas. Accordingly, NASFT developed strong relationships with food editors from the outset. Paddleford, credited with introducing her readers to many fancy and "exotic" foods, was an especially trusted voice among consumers. +HU LQÁ XHQFH ZDV honored through the presentation of the À UVW 5RQDOG & 6FKPLW] 6LOYHU Spoon Award, named after an association founder. This award was presented annually to an individual whose work helped raise the standards of taste among consumers, and EHQHÀ WHG WKH VSHFLDOW\ IRRG WUDGH Subsequent Silver Spoon Awards were bestowed upon such writers as Craig Claiborne of The New York Times and Dorothy March of Good Housekeeping, as well as culinary leaders including Julia Child, Graham Kerr, James Beard and the epicurean emporium Zabar's, among other recipients. Today, the Fancy Food Show, WKH VRÀ $ZDUGV DQG 1$6)7 receive extensive press coverage, including segments on "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America" and print articles in The New York Times, Washington Today, sofi Awards are presented by culinary stars including Ming Tsai, Cat Cora and José Andrés. Award was presented to culinary luminaries such as Julia Child. In the 1970s, the Silver Spoon