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
Tracking the Evolution of Specialty Food Categories Basic Condiments Rule Then: In post-World War II 1950s, Mom owned the kitchen, "I Love Lucy" ruled the TV, and the condiments in the U.S. consisted of salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Now: It only takes a quick look at recent sofi Award winners to see why the specialty condiment category had $1.9 billion in yearly sales at retail in 2016: Recent winning products draw from many cultures and include Tomato and White Sultana Chutney with Ginger and Garam Masala; Balsamic Fig Mostarda Savory Spread; and Dr. Foo's Kitchen Bali BBQ Sauce. Next: Vegan-friendly condiments will become com- monplace, spearheaded by eggless mayonnaise- type spreads made with plant proteins or aquafaba, the water left behind after cooking chickpeas. Coffee Drinking Declines Then: The 60s were a time of change for the country and for the kitchen with a good old cup of Joe becoming less appealing due to the big marketing push behind cold soft drinks. Now: Whether it's a purist home- grinding single-origin beans or a trend-chaser popping a can of nitro cold brew or trying butter coffee, the category continues to innovate and evolve. Starbucks is even rolling out large-scale stores which have been called "caffeinated Disneylands" to serve their most passionate con- sumers. Next: Enter mushroom coffee. Dried antioxidant- rich mushroom varieties are being boiled and liquefied into an extract and added to coffee. Then, Now, Next 1950s 1960s The Consumer: Then and Now I n the 1950s, only three percent to five percent of consumers bought specialty foods, which they equated with upscale, exotic foods like caviar, pate, and truffles. Today's specialty food consumers are as likely to buy local, organic peanut butter as they are imported truffle-infused olive oil. According to the 2016 "Today's Specialty Food Consumer Report," published by the Specialty Food Association and Mintel, nearly 60 percent of consumers reported buying a specialty food or beverage in the past six months. Millennials are the core specialty food consumer and are using their purchases for both everyday meals and snacks. PHOTOS: WEGMANS 36 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com