Specialty Food Association: Top Trends at Fancy Food Show

July 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Specialty Food Association announced its take on the top trends from this summer’s Fancy Food Show, the association’s major semiannual industry trade show.  The top five new trends were:

  1. Innovative frozen treats, from smoothie pops to tea- and coffee-based popsicles.
  2. New uses of grains and seeds, including a quinoa sesame milk chocolate bar from Seattle Chocolate Co. and sweet potato, quinoa, and kale ravioli from La Pasta, Inc.
  3. Global meal starters and sauces incorporating flavors from Thailand to Greece to Africa.
  4. Retro redone, with new twists on retro favorites from banana pudding pancakes to classic southern cheese crisps.
  5. Cocktail ingredients for the at-home mixologist, ranging from tea-based mixers to artisanal bitters.

Continuing trends included single-serve snacks, Vietnamese flavors, chickpea and seaweed snacks, maple products, sweet and savory cookies, coconut, salted caramel, and gluten-free products.

For the full story, click here.

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Fast-Casual Build-Your-Own Pizza Segment Heating Up

July 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Fast-casual pizza concepts are growing, both in terms of sales and number of enterprises, according to the latest report from Restaurant Hospitality.  Fast-casual pizza has grown to a $31 billion segment in the last 20 years.  Adding in casual dining Italian enterprises, the pizza market balloons to a $50 billion industry.

Inspired by the rise of fast-casual giant Chipotle, build-your-own pizza enterprises in the fast-casual segment are positioning themselves as artisanal, high-quality brands where guests are in control of their own experience.  Even major chains are recognizing the trend and offering more high-quality specialty toppings.

Many of the big players in the pizza market, such as Sbarro, are also entering the build-your-own space alongside independents, making the pizza landscape highly competitive for the foreseeable future.

For a full roundup of the space’s key players and an in-depth assessment of the trend, click here.

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Changes to NYC Letter Grade System Announced

July 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Some changes are in store for the New York City letter grade health inspection system, the city announced this week.  The proposed changes include:

  • Reducing fines issued to enterprises by 15%.
  • Eliminating fines for those enterprises who appeal their letter grade rating and receive an A grade.
  • Establishing an oversight office within the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to hear complaints about the system or inspections.

The letter grade system has been criticized by many since its inception three years ago.  Enterprise owners in the city have alleged that the city’s system is arbitrary and unnecessarily harsh.  City Councilmembers have expressed concern that the system is harming small businesses in the city and is no longer focused on food safety. “’Food safety is no longer the focus,” said City Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-44th.) “The focus, really, is about making a quick buck.’”  Fines collected from restaurants have jumped from $30 million annually to $50 million annually since the letter grade system began.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said she hoped the reforms would strike a balance “’between protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers and easing the unfair burden on all of the restaurants out there.’”

While the Bloomberg administration stands by the effectiveness of the program, citing a decrease in salmonella cases across the city, it indicated that it was open to reforms amidst complaints from enterprise owners.

For the full story, click here.

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