Artisan Foods and who is really authentic, join NBC Bites for the conversation

NBC Bites dives into what is Artisan. Not only are consumers skeptical about the integrity behind something labeled gourmet or artisan; small producers are wary of larger companies claiming artisan status. The very word “artisan” evokes bread baking in wood-fired ovens and the slow rotation of a hand-turned sausage-making machine. Merriam-Webster defines “artisan” as “one that produces something in limited quantities often using traditional methods.”

Many believe the term has been misappropriated so much that it has lost its meaning.
Even comedian Lewis Black got his two cents in on Tuesday night’s “Daily Show,” ripping into Dunkin’ Donuts’ artisanal bagels: “Really? Authentic bagels? Because unless you changed your name to Dunkin Donutsowitz at Ellis Island, then I doubt it.”

Join the discussion on NBC Bites and read about local artisan purveyors in Brooklyn, NY

NYC Taste of the Nation Event raises $200K for Share our Strength

About 1,000 people attended the fundraiser at 82 Mercer in Manhattan to sample the food and drink of more than 50 restaurants and cocktail bars. Dishes included steamed chawan-mushi egg custard from Brushstroke; house-made ricotta with sugar snap peas, fava beans, English peas and pine nut granola from Il Buco; and lobster Thermidor on zucchini tuiles from The Water Club.

NYC Event Taste of the Nation raises $200K to support share our strength

Stone Barns Center offering a Mother’s Day Treat

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Stone Barns with loved ones of all ages! Pitch in on the farm with special hands-on activities, and take a tour of the mothers and new babies. We’ll have a plant-potting activity in the Dooryard Garden all day and our Farm Market and Spring Plant Sale will be held from 1:00PM – 4:00PM.

Join Stone Barns and your family for a fun filled day in the garden

NYC RFP For Staten Island Specialty Concession

Specialty food from a Mobile Food Unit at Cedar Grove Beach, Staten Island, NY.

All proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be submitted no later than Friday, May 18, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

Hard copies of the RFP can be obtained, at no cost, commencing on May 2, 2012 through May 18, 2012, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays, at the Revenue Division of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which is located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 407, New York, NY 10065.

The RFP is also available for download, commencing on May 2, 2012 through May 18, 2012, on Parks’ website. To download the RFP, visit http://www.nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities, click on the link for “Concessions Opportunities at Parks” and, after logging in, click on the “download” link that appears adjacent to the RFP’s description.

New York City Food Trucks go Inside your Companies place of work.

Food Trucks head inside to your place of work. NYC food trucks have been traveling up the freight elevator of the 19-story Starrett-Lehigh Building at 601 West 26th Street in West Chelsea, to offer dining options five days a week to some 6,000 office workers and visitors.

“This is the first indoor vertical food-truck court in the city, and as far as I know, the country,”
said David Weber, president of the New York City Food Truck Association, which was asked by
the building’s owner, RXR Realty, to curate the daily “truck collection” because of a paucity of
lunchtime choices in the neighborhood, west of the High Line between 11th and 12th Avenues.

NYC Food Trucks Go Vertical, Reported by the New York Times

Organic Trade Association Says Organic Industry Grew nearly by 10 Percent in 2011

The U.S. organic industry grew by 9.5 percent overall in 2011 to reach $31.5 billion in sales. The organic food and beverage sector was valued at $29.22 billion, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2012 Organic Industry Survey. “The U.S. organic sector continues to show steady and healthy growth, growing overall by 9.5 percent during 2011, and, for the first time, surpassing the $30 billion mark,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s executive director and CEO.

Organic Industry Grew Nearly 10 Percent in 2011, read the full article in Fast Casual

DAVIDsTEA: LOOSE-LEAF TEA ENTERPRISE

17 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003 (Flatiron) • 212.253.7676

DAVIDsTEA

DAVIDsTEA

Their Success… A new direction to branding tea time. If you are looking for an “Organic Gold Rush” with your “Birthday Cake” topped off by a “Jolly Jellybean”, then you might consider this place to be “Paradise found”. These are the names of flavors you’ll find created by pairing loose-leaf teas with ingredients from around the world at this tea shop. David Segal, founder of DavidsTea, saw the need for a non-serious approach to drinking tea that’s now filling a void overlooked by traditional tea shops. The first location, which opened in Montreal, Canada, was the starting point for the tea empire’s success. The brand’s consistent messaging about making tea fun is careful crafted at every touch point– from the staffing and overall guest experience to brand concept and packaging. Tea time is usually relaxing to most but DavidsTea has pushed tea into a new gamut with a trendy, clean yet clever appeal. Tea time is now fun time.

What We Learned… Sometimes the key to a successful brand is what inspires us in a non-traditional way. David Segal based his brand off an idea that “tea should be more fun”.

Take Aways… What’s your inspiration? How can you use what inspires you in your
branded product?

Quick Tips for Maximizing your Revenue Streams

When opening a retail store or fast casual restaurant, we always hear from clients that right away they are going to wholesale, deliver and offer catering services out of their store. We love ambitious enterprises and want to see it happen, yet opening a retail store on its own is a very large undertaking and one that needs a lot of care and attention. Starting with a retail store, catering, wholesale and delivery are 4 different revenue streams with 4 with different associated costs. We recommend the following for getting your revenue streams in order and maximizing your future potential.

1) Open your retail store first. Understand your clients needs, get comfortable with the ordering, receiving, production and presentation of your products. Streamline your menu, stay true to who you are, you cannot be everything to everyone.

2) Dig deeper into the analysis of your current pricing model and your food costs. If you are in line and comfortable, you can then prepare for the additional revenue streams.

3) Start with catering or delivery next depending on your enterprise. Catering is a great way to produce a lot of the same product and charge in bulk. In addition, you can time your orders and prepare for the catered event in advance. Delivery is a way to add incremental revenue from individual guests that happens in real time.

4) Add Wholesale only if you feel that each account justifies the gross profit for the products sold. Remember, typically you are selling the same products for 50% off of retail prices.

5) For all of the above, prepare a simple budget accounting for the extra staff needed, packaging required and increase in food costs.

Lastly, if you plan to add these revenue streams to your business, please plan with your architect to allot for the extra space needed to produce, store (refrigeration, freezer, dry storage) and package. Starting with a retail store is a great way to get known and give a face to your business. Once you have received great press and reviews, you will get busy and approached by many for wholesale, delivery or catering. It is your business, your home and best to take some time to really prepare for the operations and processes before you say yes. Once your business has a good rhythm, let the floodgates open.

Happy Revenue… TaraPaige Group

Coffee companies continue to expand into Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Roasting Company is expanding, tripling in size, according to an announcement on their blog. For coffee lovers in Dumbo, this is great news. They’ve taken over the space next door at 25 Jay Street and working on adding more production equipment as well as more craftsman furniture:

Considered by many to be the best espresso in Dumbo and Brooklyn, BRC is putting their bets in their Dumbo roasting plant. Congrats to the Brooklyn Roasting Co team and looking forward to the expansion!
Brooklyn Roasting Company expanding to 25 Jay Street

NYC Parks Issues 2 New Requests for Food Concessions

New RFP’s have been issued from the New York City Park Department, calling all food purveyors. Click the links below to obtain the PDF’s and get going on your businesses.

NYC Parks RFB for Food Concessions in Central Park

Rockaway Beach Food Concessions, up to 5 Mobile Units