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
association news Message from President Phil Kafarakis The Specialty Food Association shapes the future of food. That bold declaration is our new organizational Vision Statement. We believe it clearly articulates our purpose. The Specialty Food Association just celebrated our 65th anniversary. Our industry has grown from hopeful to thriving since our founding in the early 1950s. Since our launch, SFA has played a vital role in the revolutionary "mainstreaming" of specialty foods across America. We were already in our ninth year when Julia Child published "The Art of French Cooking." Many regard that as a sea-change moment for home cooking in the U.S. It led to the rise of popular cookbooks focused on global cuisines—and to the corollary expansion of the variety of dishes being created at home, an increased understanding of cooking techniques, and an expanded stock of ingredients in home pantries. Those years also changed the landscape for professional chefs as consumers became acquainted with different foods and prep methods. Foodservice, over the last half century, developed an educated audience. American cuisine now includes the terrific flavors of Child's beloved herbes d'Provence as well as Chinese five-spice, garam marsala, and adobo. And SFA members have always been quick to respond to emerging trends. We've seen—and still see—remarkable innovations in specialty food. Be it organic/natural, sustainably derived, gluten-free, probiotic, and/or vegan to name just a few recent developments, our industry remains ready to provide. Through it all, SFA has focused on lending a hand to new food businesses, leveraging our Shows to deliver remarkable new flavors and spark curiosity about food possibilities, conducting actionable research, and connecting our members to one another. We're doing our best to truly shape the future of food. It's who we are, it's our passion and privilege. Please join us as we continue to revolutionize the food industry over the next 65 years! Phil Kafarakis President, Specialty Food Association Follow me @PresidentSFA Message from the President SUMMER 2017 29