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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Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 360 Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 954 ing directly to consumers to being carried by small, independent stores. Business-to- business sales was another avenue they pur- sued. Oraschewsky once had a food truck and knew the challenges it entailed, saying, "Bacon jams come in as a hero ingredient, saving your time and your storage space, and giving people the thing they're looking for—really awesome, unique, over-the-top deliciousness. It makes everyone's life easier whether you're a chef at a restaurant or grill- ing a burger at home. Just open up your bacon jam and go to town." Today, Oraschewsky has stepped away from the line at his own restaurant, devot- ing all his time to TBJ Gourmet, where he enjoys the title of "executive boar." Or, more traditionally, the managing partner. Kramer is the chief operating officer. "We both work sales," Oraschewsky says. "I find customers and he keeps them happy. I find things to spend money on and he figures out if we can." They did $300,000 in business in 2014, a 200 percent growth from the previous year. The numbers have continued to climb at a rate of roughly 100 percent growth each year. In 2017, the partners, who have four full-time and two part-time employees, expect to make their first million dollars. "We're very fortunate to be able to con- tinue revenue growth while increasing market share through distribution," Oraschewsky says. "You're giving up margin as you do that —the truck, the salespeople, the distributors need to get paid; it stings a little. Keeping up quality and increasing revenue has been probably our biggest challenge," he adds. Eight-ounce bacon spreads retail for $15. At that price point, the partners rec- ognized its potential as a foodservice product, an ingredient for caterers and other professionals. Their bacon jams are stocked in approximately 2,000 stores across the country and used in about 500 restaurant locations. "The easiest way for a consumer to learn about the product is at a restaurant or gastropub, seeing a bacon jam burger on the menu and thinking, 'That sounds interest- ing, I'll try it,'" Oraschewsky says. "In areas that have it in restaurants, we sell more of it in retail stores since consumers are more willing to commit to a whole jar. They real- ize they can turn a regular sandwich into a high-end sandwich by just slapping it on a bun and not having to cook and clean up after bacon. It's a win." Julie Besonen writes for The New York Times and is a restaurant columnist for nycgo.com. FALL 2017 55