Celebrating Deli
I always get excited at the IDDBA show. I mean, really, the place is full of food – what’s not to get excited about?
Seriously, though, based on my visit to the three-day Dairy-Deli-Bake in Orlando this month, I’d have to say most of the exhibitors were focused on three key things: solutions, celebrations and satisfaction.
Among the solutions, Perdue Foods’ new chicken burgers fit the bill nicely. With less fat and calories than traditional beef burgers, these all-natural burgers are part of a turnkey merchandising solution that includes the foil-lined bags for the sandwiches that are displayed alongside rotisserie birds – part of the company’s aim to “innovate on products to generate more money and more ways to use equipment,” senior marketing manager John Moore told me.
Perdue was also sampling a rotisserie breast roast, a preseasoned, pretrussed product that yields more of consumers’ favorite meat and less shrink; better-for-you Simply Smart chicken appetizers; and dry-seasoned wings that I could have eaten all day.
The folks at Cryovac also are offering solutions that are finally starting to show up on consumer products. Their skin-film technology makes it possible to shrink-wrap an entire plated entrée that steam-cooks in the microwave in minutes. I was happy to see this packaging, upon seeing it displayed in Orlando, appear among samples received for PG’s Editors’ Picks contest when I returned home.
Celebrating was also evident across the show, starting in the Show & Sell Center that featured, among other things, sports-themed displays including a model of a sports arena made entirely out of snack food products. Nearby, “Cake Boss” Buddy Valasco was rolling out new additions to his line of celebratory fondant-iced cakes from Dawn Foods.
Meanwhile, the folks at Cacique – makers of Hispanic cheeses, drinkable yogurts and chorizo – are celebrating continued growth in their segment as more and more consumers seek out authentic ethnic food products. Taking to social media to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Cacique is enjoying roaring traffic on its mobile site and a surge in Facebook followers seeking out recipes and other product information.
Other highlights from my show floor wanderings:
- The Happy Egg Co.’s free-range eggs, a market leader in the UK that’s gaining traction here
- Greek yogurt from Klondike Cheese, along with a host of fine new specialty cheeses from makers across Wisconsin
- Fruit tarts and galattes from Legendary Baking
- Bite-size decadence in the form of filled cake truffles from CSM Bakery Products
- Authentic Asian marinades, sauces and proteins from Innovasian
- An expanding product line from sweet-bread favorite King’s Hawaiian
- New flavors from GS Gelato
- Stonemill Kitchens artisan salads from Reser’s, which also displayed a bacon ranch pasta salad co-branded with Hidden Valley, plus its Baja Salsa line
- Kobe-style roast beef, corned beef and pastrami from Charlie’s Pride
- Monkey Bread and Monkey Bites from Bridgford
- Artisan Seasoned Turkey Breast in Jerk and Bourbon Peppercorn flavors from Butterball
- Restaurant-quality soups from Heinz Deli
- New snack-pack cheeses and dips from Saputo
And the list goes on. I’m certain retailers looking for a great new pull came away from this year’s show satisfied. I know I did – very, very full as well, of course – but very satisfied.