The Phenomenal Growth of Specialty Foods
By Thomas Camm/Artisan Made-Northeast

Current food purchasing trends in the U.S. show a dramatic shift to the specialty food category over the traditional, main line grocery products.

Several years ago, AMNE had the opportunity to look at in store purchasing statistics from a major retail chain in the Midwest .

The data confirmed that sales for the specialty food category was growing in these stores by a robust margin of 20% a year, while main line food products were growing by only 2% during the same time period. In fact, sales of some specialty foods like gourmet sauces and ethnic foods were growing at a rate of over 100% per year.

If you add the natural and organic segment to the gourmet sauces, ethnic foods, artisan made breads, meats and cheeses and other specialty foods, you are talking about a 12-15 billion dollar a year food category. Although this represents only about 2% of the total retail food segment, the upside for growth is tremendous and retailers are taking heed.

Clearly the American consumer is looking for more food choices (uniformity is out-variety in flavor and texture is in). Complex flavors, more naturally produced healthy foods (no additives, fillers or preservatives) are driving the way. More travel abroad, diet and health concerns and even making a statement with the foods and beverages we consume are all perhaps factors in this food revolution.

One group of retailers is taking a strong next step in relation to this trend. They are the family owned grocery stores, the so-called independents, and small restaurant groups. Not content to merely incorporate specialty foods into an existing merchandising model, they are rather carving out a special place in their store/restaurant for these one-of-a-kind foods. They appreciate the high quality, uniqueness, the local and regional production of these products and are taking the time to become educated on their finer points.

They also see how the farmstead cheeses, artisan made breads, jams, sauces and handcrafted chocolates are distinguishing their stores in the marketplace-bringing in new shoppers seeking these naturally produced, regionally distinct, full of flavor foods.

Artisan Made-Northeast distributes specialty foods to a number of exceptional retailers in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.

These retailers do a wonderful job presenting our line of farmstead cheeses, artisan made breads, jams, sauces and chocolates and educate their customers on the unique characteristics of each food item.

Here is a partial list of the retailers that carry our specialty foods. Visit these stores and restaurants for a great shopping or eating experience. We may even see you there for one of our in-store tastings!

• Rhinebeck Health Foods - Rhinebeck, NY
• Walter Stewart's Market - New Canaan, CT
• Highland Park Markets - Glastonbury, Manchester, & South Windsor, CT
• Adams Fair Acres Farm - Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Kingston, NY
• Gary's Wine & Marketplace - Bernardsville, Madison & Wayne, NJ
• Sickles Family Market - Little Silver, NJ
• Seal Cove Farm Retail Store - Lamoine, ME
• Grants & Restaurant Bricco - West Hartford, CT
• Thyme & Season - Hamden, CT
• Chappaqua Village Market - Chappaqua, NY
• Palmer's Market - Darien, CT
• Willimantic Food Coop - Willimantic, CT
• Wild Raspberry - Cromwell, CT
• Middlebury Food Coop - Middlebury, VT
• Hanover Food Coop - NH
• Concord Food Coop - NH
• Lebanon Food Coop - Lebanon, NH
• Napa & Company - Stamford, CT
• Winvian - Morris, CT
• Bishop's Orchard - Guilford, CT
• On Twenty - Hartford, CT
• Porricelli's Food Mart- Old Greenwich, CT
• Sgaglio's Marketplace- Katonah, NY
• Mayflower Inn - Washington, CT
• Nature's Grocer - Vernon, CT
• Plum Plums - Pound Ridge, NY
• Bar Milano - NYC
• 116 Crown - New Haven, CT
• The Health Shoppe - Morristown & Chester, NJ
• The Woodward House - Bethlehem, CT
• Village Market - Wilton, CT