After touring the Winter Fancy Food Show, held mid-January in San Francisco, I was struck by how little product innovation was on display. Perhaps this is a reflection of the effect of the lingering recession, when companies tend to retool back to value-based products using familiar themes. Or maybe it’s timing: confectioners are mid-point through their busy season, running from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, and don’t have much spare R&D bandwidth. Normally, new organic and natural confectionery products are launched in March at Natural Products West and for premium confections in July at the Summer Fancy Food Show. That said, (more…)
Read moreAs anyone who has recently visited the liquor store can tell you, the flavored vodka section has grown by the yard. But how about adding confectionery flavors to vodka to extend the drinking opportunity into the dessert course? Godiva and Diageo, two icons in their respective industries, have combined their talents to create a line of Godiva Chocolate Infused Vodka. At a special launch party hosted by Godiva during the West Coast Fancy Food Show, I had the opportunity to sample the vodkas and talk with a member of the R&D team responsible for recipe development and innovation. Godiva Chef (more…)
Read moreOn January 15, the Fine Chocolate Industry Association hosted its 2011 Winter Event in San Francisco prior to the opening of the Winter Fancy Food Show. Nine industry leaders were recognized for their dedication: John Scharffenberger and Larry Burdick (Lifetime Achievement), Chantal Coady, Elaine Gonzalez and Pam Williams (Outstanding Service to the Industry), Michael Recchiuti (Outstanding Fine Chocolatier) and Art Pollard, Michel Cluizel and Steve DeVries (Outstanding Fine Chocolate Maker). Highlights from a panel discussion on innovation and trends in the fine chocolate segment. Panelists included Pierre Cantrel, Sales Director at Valrhona; Paul Edward, owner of Chef Rubber; Luc Imberechts, (more…)
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The Good Food Awards is the first national awards platform designed to recognize American craft food producers. In an awards ceremony hosted this evening, 71 regional food crafters, including seven chocolate makers, received an official “Good Food Awards Seal 2011” recognizing their efforts in achieving the highest standards of taste and sustainability. “It is vital that we celebrate the reimagining of American food,” noted the ceremony’s host and American food icon Alice Waters, “and focus back on food that is tasty, authentic and responsible.” Over 780 entries from 41 states were received in seven food categories: chocolate, coffee, cheese, beer, (more…)
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