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/838473
Whole Foods is also dealing with challenges: In January, the natural food chain reported its sixth straight quarter of falling sales. In response, Whole Foods shuttered nine stores nationally and, in an effort to combat its "Whole Paycheck " reputation, continued its rollout of 365 by Whole Foods Market stores, which will include a location in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Wegmans fans across the City continue to wait impatiently for the beloved chain's first store, slated to open in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2018. Food halls like Gotham Market and Eataly capitalized on their popularity by open- ing outposts in new neighborhoods. And as more real estate developers across the city are recognizing the value of the food hall as an amenity for residential and commercial tenants, new food halls are in the works in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the South Bronx. Even older food halls are being reinvented: In Flushing, Queens, an extensive renovation of the tradi- tional food court at the Queens Crossing mall made room for nine new on-trend vendors, including Young Street Poke Co., a poke stand, Curry Bo curry shop, and Happy Lemon, a Taiwanese bubble tea spot known for serving tea with whipped rock-salted cheese. Independent food entrepreneurs are not lost among larger chain and food hall expan- sion either. The City continues to foster innovative retail/foodservice hybrids, notably new outposts making stars of single products like yogurt or cookie dough. Here are eight openings adding to New York 's eclectic food retail offerings: CHOBANI TRIBECA Yogurt Giant Teams Up with Target to Expand Fast-Casual Concept Chobani is on a mission to get Americans to eat more yogurt. "Yogurt consumption in the United States is still about one-third per capita than what you see in European countries," says Michael Gonda, Chobani's vice president of corporate com- munications. "Increasing that [number] starts with helping people see how yogurt can be used beyond one meal, and beyond one flavor profile." Last fall, the company launched its second cafe in New York City, nestled in a promi- nent corner of Target's new Tribeca store. The fast-casual concept features grab-and-go Chobani yogurt products, in addition to an array of freshly-crafted sweet and savory dishes inspired by Mediterranean cuisines, including yogurt mixed with red pepper harissa, feta, mint, and extra virgin olive oil, or mango, avocado, jalapeños, and cilantro with yogurt. COOKIE DŌ NYC A Village Spin on a Secret Snack Walk down LaGuardia Place just below Washington Square, and you'll bump into a long but orderly line of people, patiently waiting to enter Cookie DŌ NYC. The cafe, which opened in January, is the brainchild of St. Louis native Kristen Tomlan, whose childhood passion for baking—and for sneaking bites of raw cookie dough—evolved into New York City's latest dessert destination. The cafe features classic f lavors like Signature Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal M&M, as well as a regularly rotating roster of seasonal favorites. Shoppers can eat their dough straight-up, mixed with toppings or ice cream, or even opt to whip up a batch of cookies at home. EATALY NYC DOWNTOWN A Celebration of Italian Cuisine Moves South Nearly 16 years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center complex is once again teeming with commercial activity. Several foodservice options have moved in to feed the throngs of Wall Street workers and tourists pouring into the area, but none more enticing than the new downtown outpost of Eataly, which opened this past August. Like its Flatiron District counterpart, Eataly NYC Downtown's market offers New Yorkers a comprehensive array of Italian specialty foods, including counters where mozzarella and pasta are produced fresh each day. Eataly's food hall includes sit-down and to-go options, perfect for visitors looking for a respite from the bustling neighbor- hood. Foodies looking to deepen their Italian store tour PHOTO: CHOBANI PHOTO: DINA COLOMA PHOTO: STUDIOS ARCHITECTURE, ERIC LAINEL PHOTOGRAPHER 112 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com