The 2011 NASFT Fancy Food Trade show is over. Even if you weren’t there, you can still learn about the newest products and trends in the gourmet industry. During the 3 day show, a group of industry experts toured the show and compiled a list of “top trends”.
“Among the trends identified were:
- Chocolate for Breakfast, including tea, Belgian waffles, granola and hot chocolate on a stick.
- Foods for Healing, such as ancient teas, aloe and cucumber drinks, plus micro-batches of healthful beverages.
- New Noodles, made of ingredients such as yam, kelp, farro and spelt.
- Heat with Flavor, including ingredients such as ghost peppers and wasabi paired with yuzu.
- Creative Chips, made with ingredients such as pinto bean, naan, peas, mung beans, kale and wild rice.
With this list in mind, ask your current suppliers whether they carry any of these categories of products. Or, go to the NASFT web site and check out “What’s New, What’s Hot” for an extensive list of products shown at the 2011 Fancy Food Show. Included is a complete directory so that you can contact vendors directly for more information.
Note: In the January issue of Specialty Food magazine, you’ll also find an article “2011 Trends: What to Expect in Confections”.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:01pm
Lorie Obernauer
You may attend a certain number of industry trade shows to find new products for your gift basket designs. I recently posted a blog about one of the biggest trade shows for gift basket businesses: The NASFT Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. But there are also many trade show opportunities where you can display and sell your gift baskets.
Go to SmartTradeShows.com to learn how to find a trade show that’s right for you. The first step is to write some goals: what do you want to accomplish by being a vendor at a trade show? For example, do you want to “engage current customers, initiate new contacts, or reach future key decision makers?”
Next, you can easily find information about trade shows all over the country. “Public libraries and the internet both provide directories and descriptions of upcoming trade shows. Another good idea is to check for regional and national conventions, since many associations hold trade shows simultaneously with conventions.”
Once you identify the trade show opportunities where you might set up a display, contact the show organizers to collect some more information. Find out how many people attended prior shows and collect demographics to determine if attendees might be potential buyers of the products you sell. You can also get a list of other vendors who displayed at the show in the past and call them directly to find out about their experience.
Read the full article for more trade show tips. Also, check out Amazing Mail, one of many companies that can help you promote your business at a trade show.
January 19th, 2011 at 11:08pm
Lorie Obernauer
In the world of electronics and social media, I often feel like a dinosaur. I’m told to connect to everyone that I know (and knew in high school). Mechanized devices have taken over my life. I’ve finally given in to using my phone to help me find my next meal, entertainment, and look up definitions for obscure words that I read on my Kindle.
This year, I’m going to try a “new” way to connect with my customers (and my friends and loved ones). My plan is to buy some new stationary and write some personal notes!
I think that first month of the New Year is a good time to write a note to my best customers. I might suggest that we meet for coffee. I might ask about their kids or mention my new dog. I hope this type of connection will be meaningful to my customers, but that’s not even important. It will give me an opportunity to consider the people that I do business with in a new way, and share a bit of myself without a device in my hand (other than a pen!)
P.S. You can “google” and find 100’s of web sites that will teach you how to write a personal note. Does everything have to be on the web????
P.P.S. I may just buy a fountain pen!
January 9th, 2011 at 07:04pm
Lorie Obernauer
The Blogging Success Summit 2011 is for you if you’re thinking about starting a blog for your gift basket business. It’s for you if you’re an experienced blogger and want better results. This on-line business conference will take place over three weeks in February, 2011. Instructors will be presenting their sessions live… in real time…on your computer screen….in your office or your home.
You will hear from 23 of the most well respected blogging experts will be featured. “They’ll reveal all the latest techniques and proven business-building tactics that you need to know to immediately benefit from blogging.” You will learn how to:
- market your blog
- build an engaging blog presence
- increase traffic to your blog and your sales
- integrate social media platforms with your blog
- build loyal readers
You will also have opportunities to network with other bloggers, ask questions and get immediate answers.
Sign up now and save 50%. Go to Blogging Success Summit 2011 for more information.
December 29th, 2010 at 09:56pm
Lorie Obernauer
You may have read my recent post about the NASFT Fancy Food Show being held in San Francisco, January 16 -1 8, 2011. If you’re planning to attend the show, you may want to go to the NASFT web site and take advantage of the resources that are available to help you prepare for the show.
On the NASFT homepage, you will see a green bar across the top. Click on” My Specialty Food” and register for a free account. At the left corner of that page, you’ll see a link called “My Show Planner”. Once you register for an account, you can review the Food Show Exhibitor List and create your own list of booths to visit while at the show.
In your “My Specialty Food” account, you can also bookmark your favorite articles from “New & Trends”. The Knowledge Center provides a wide array of offerings for ongoing education for both new and established businesses. You can also participate in an online community by creating your own profile and share ideas with others through blogging.
Even if you’re not planning to attend the Fancy Food Show, The NASFT web site is a tremendous resource for all year round.
December 19th, 2010 at 07:00pm
Lorie Obernauer
Register now for the 36th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, January 16 – 18, 2011. This annual show, sponsored by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), is the largest specialty food event in the U.S. Over “17,000+ Winter Fancy Food Show attendees will see more than 80,000 products featuring the world’s finest foods and beverages from more than 1,300 exhibitors representing 35+ countries.”
This year, over 120 exhibitors will be featuring natural and organic products. Hundreds of the hottest products, emphasizing the newest trends in the food industry will be presented in the “What’s New, What’s Hot Showcase”. An educational program will include information from experts including several sessions on topics related to e-commerce and social media marketing.
For gift basket business owners and designers, this is an experience that you don’t want to miss! I have attended this show for many years. Not only did I see new products, find new suppliers, and gather a lot of new resources, I always came away from the show with renewed energy and fresh ideas for my business.
Go to the NASFT web site for registration information and more details about the biggest gourmet food show in the country.
Bonus! If you’re an NASFT member, you can join a webinar on December 8th at 2pm EST and learn how to “work the show”. Make the most of your Fancy Food Show experience this Winter and be sure to take advantage of the services and discounts available to you as well as the mountain of quick tips”.
December 12th, 2010 at 08:46pm
Lorie Obernauer
Over the past several years, many business owners felt that they were forced to reduce employee benefits or ask employees to pick up more of the costs. But I just read a story about a company that has expanded those benefits….and the owners believe that it makes good business sense!
As described in the current issue of Specialty Foods Magazine, business owners of Clif Bar & Company have chosen to give its workforce an impressive number of healthy perks and benefits. “Creating benefits that support the well being of our employees is as important as other more traditional business goals,” says Jennifer Freitas, Clif Bar’s human resources manager. “Our goal is to foster a work environment that supports a healthful work-life balance where employees feel supported in all aspects of their lives.” She goes on to say that not only do these benefits create a better work environment, but also add to the company’s overall success. Good benefits attract well-qualified employees and this positively affects the bottom line.
Even if you’re not able to offer premium health care packages, child care, and yoga classes, you can still provide other types of benefits to your employees. Encourage employees to exercise during their lunch hour by giving them a little extra time to take a walk or head over to the gym. If you have space, set up a small kitchen area with a microwave and refrigerator and so that employees can bring in “healthy meals” from home instead of eating fast foods on the run. A few comfortable chairs might also encourage employees to take a 15 minute power nap during their break or you can provide some reading materials that emphasize personal health and fitness. And if space is available, you might even set up an area where employees can do some light exercises or mediation.
Read the full article for more ideas about how you can provide benefits to employees with minimal costs and and maximum gains.
November 28th, 2010 at 03:44pm
Lorie Obernauer
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November 23rd, 2010 at 08:56pm
Lorie Obernauer
In the September issue of Gourmet Retailer Magazine, check out “Gift Items” for a review of products that consumers are likely to purchase this holiday season. Author Anna Wolfe, cites statistics from Unity Marketing’s Gifting Report 2010 ranking the top gift selections for 2009 holidays. “Ranking #11 was gift baskets with 16% of gift givers saying they gave a Gift Basket, including cookies, snacks, fruit, candy, wine and other consumables.” Based on these survey results from 1,680 gift buyers, we can be optimistic about the holiday season sales for gift basket businesses.
Other interesting notes and ideas from Pam Danzinger, president of Unity Marketing…
“consumers want more bang for their gift buck and want to give, and receive, gifts that are perceived to be high quality and more expensive than they really are”…With this perspective in mind, Gift Basket professionals should carefully consider the “extras” (keepsake containers, bows, wrappings, ornaments, etc) that can be used to enhance the perceived value of their gift basket designs.
“as much as 44% percent of consumers’ gift -giving budgets are spent on personal gifts such as birthdays, friendship, anniversaries, baby showers, etc. that occur throughout the year”….This should remind us that gift baskets are a perfect solution for other special occasion gift giving. Consider giving a gift certificate for a future purchase to the buyer AND the recipient of your baskets that they can use on a future purchase.
November 15th, 2010 at 10:27pm
Lorie Obernauer
Read “Winning On The Web” for a plethora of exceptional suggestions for revving up holiday sales. Author Marshal Marcovitz includes recommendations for planning your promotions, analyzing your promotional mix, marketing on a shoestring and managing your customers.
He also points out it that “costs seven times more to acquire a new customer than to retain a current customer”. Keeping that in mind, he proposes that we consider a customer “life cycle” in which there are different tactics for securing new customers, growing their business, and retaining their loyalty.
Read the full article article for some of the best marketing ideas I’ve seen!
November 7th, 2010 at 02:44pm
Lorie Obernauer
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