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Gourmet Food

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Season Gives Expo West First Look at New Tuna Line, Rebranding

With a legacy spanning more than 100 years in delivering the highest quality tinned fish, Season reveals a pioneering leap into the future at this year’s Expo West. In a milestone move, the brand is set to introduce an innovative tuna product that promises to redefine industry standards, unveiling a vibrant new brand identity that honors its rich heritage while embracing the future.

As Season embarks on a new chapter, it continues to marry tradition with innovation. The launch of a new tuna product line, combined with a dynamic rebrand, marks a pivotal moment in the brand’s history.

“This dual launch is not just about expanding our product portfolio or refreshing our look—it’s a reaffirmation of our commitment to excellence, sustainability, and the evolution of our brand in meeting the contemporary needs of our consumers,” said Meriem Wadghiri, CEO of Season.

The new Season tuna line is poised to set a benchmark for quality, taste, and sustainability within the seafood industry. Crafted to meet the discerning tastes of modern consumers, this addition exemplifies Season’s dedication to innovation and its promise to deliver only the best. The new tuna product is a testament to the brand’s relentless pursuit of perfection, offering a taste experience that is both authentic and forward-thinking.

For the first time, the brand specializing in sardines and other small but mighty fish will unveil its all-new jarred yellowfin tuna fillets. Officially rolling out this spring and summer, Season brings its same unrivaled standards in sustainability, vetting only the best quality cuts, filleting and packaging incredible flavor to this exciting, breakthrough product. Available in both olive oil and spring water, customers can look for the same iconic Season Sea Maiden – just jarred.

Accompanying the launch of the exciting tuna range, Season proudly introduces a refreshed brand identity, including a new logo and packaging design. This rebranding effort celebrates the company’s storied past while steering it into a future filled with possibilities. The new visual identity captures the essence of Season’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and the deep-rooted values that have guided it for over a century.

At this year’s Expo West, Season invites attendees, food connoisseurs, and industry experts to booth #416 for an exclusive first look at the groundbreaking tuna jars and the unveiling of the brand’s vibrant new identity, demonstrating how the brand is stepping boldly into the future, carrying forward the legacy of quality and innovation that has been the hallmark of Season for generations.

The Sea Maiden, named Mira, remains the face of the company, undergoing a revitalized look that tells the story of women pioneers in the seafood business. Mira stands as the Season ambassador, ensuring consumers of a superior product through trust and guidance. The new logo and packaging is more than a visual change. It’s a celebration of Season’s rich heritage, a modern tribute to the enduring trust and unwavering dedication that has been the backbone of the brand, and an ongoing pledge to not just meet, but exceed consumer expectations. It – along with the booth itself – will reflect the bright future with an unmissable, eye-catching yellow background.

For additional information about Season, explore their website online and follow the brand’s journey @seasonbrandofficial on Instagram.

For more news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Vander Farmers, IGF Expand Distribution of Wagyu Beef Products

Vander Farmers, a family-owned company and farm in Sturgis, Mich., and the leading source of F1 American Wagyu in the Midwest, is substantially expanding distribution of premium Wagyu beef products into new markets across the United States through a partnership with International Gourmet Foods.

IGF is a wholesale distribution company founded in 1987 known for its extensive portfolio of high-quality food with warehouses in Northern Virginia; Charleston, S.C.; Atlanta and Chicago. Through IGF, Vander Farmers’ Wagyu products can now be found in Chicago, Wisconsin and the North/Central Midwest through Viola Imports (IGF’s  Midwest branch) as well as the mid-Atlantic.

Prior to this new partnership, Vander Farmers’ Wagyu beef selections have been sought out by some of Chicago’s most prestigious restaurants and acclaimed chefs including Obélix, El Che Steakhouse, Swift & Sons, Frontier by James Beard-nominated Chef Brian Jupiter, Pella Signature, Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, Bhoomi Modern Indian Grill, Flour Power and Bon Yeon due to the superior quality beef. Vander Farmers prides itself on using best-in-class technology mixed with ethical and sustainable farming practices to make the best Wagyu steaks, burgers, sausages and more on the market—which also means, no hormones, no antibiotics, pasture grazing, and humane living conditions for all their animals. They also supply Wagyu Beef Franks at multiple Chicagoland area Home Depots through a partnership with Fixin’ Franks, which created a highly publicized response at the home improvement store’s traditional hot dog stand.

This year, Vander Farmers, founded by husband-and-wife team Mario and Marjolein vanderHulst, joins IGF to create a full nose-to-tail American Wagyu program comprised of 15 offerings from every major primal such as beef ribeye, strip loin, flat iron, short rib and more (size and amount vary depending on size of the animal). IGF also will sell gourmet ground beef and offer a variety of pack sizes of these products to its customer base of gourmet food retailers, independently owned restaurants, and artisanal butcher shops.

“IGF is excited and proud to partner with Vander Farmers. Not only is their American Wagyu beef line a great addition to our product portfolio, it also fits comfortably within our model of sourcing quality-focused ingredients and prioritizing sustainable farming and production practices. As a family-owned and operated farm in pursuit of becoming the leading source of premium American Wagyu through their ethically raised cattle, Vander also has a great story that resonates with our customers,” said Mike McDowell, director of sales at IGF. “We very much look forward to growing this partnership with Marjolein and Mario as we expand their distribution to artisan butcher shops, restaurants, and gourmet markets through our network east of the Mississippi.”

Vander Farmers is a love story through and through. Partners Marjolein and Mario vanderHulst grew up in neighboring small towns less than 20 minutes outside of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Both fond of country life and the freeing life on a farm, the newlyweds came to the Midwest to realize their American Dream in 2001. In the next few years, they started their very own dairy farm and welcomed their first child, all while building a tight-knit community for themselves in Sturgis, Mich.

Almost two decades later and now a thriving family of four, the love between Marjolein and Mario is still on full display. In 2016, Marjolein set out on a mission to find the best Wagyu beef for Mario as a Christmas gift. After weeks of searching, Marjolein couldn’t locate a source of high-quality local Wagyu beef. She told Mario about her unfulfilled mission and the challenges she faced in the process, to which he replied, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to raise it ourselves,” and the rest is history.

Now, the family-owned and -operated farm provides insanely good F1 Wagyu beef (a crossbreed of full-blooded Japanese Black Cattle and Holstein Dairy Cow) that is raised humanely and with full transparency, perfect for an unforgettable meal shared with your family and friends. With a variety of products ranging from premium steak cuts, ribs, F1 Wagyu ground beef and their gourmet Wagyu Beef Franks, Vander Farmers is positioned to be the leading source of Wagyu in the Midwest.

Vander meats are available for nationwide shipping to all 48 states through their website at https://www.vanderfarmers.com and coming to local retailers soon.

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Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Tops Blue Veined Cheeses

The week brought back the biennial World Championship Cheese Contest, held in Madison, Wis. Bay Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company won its category, blue veined cheeses with exterior molding, with a top score of 99.55.

A total of 25 countries and 32 U.S. states were represented in the 2024 contest. With an impressive 84 Best of Class finishes, American cheesemakers earned the highest number of gold medals.

This year, 3,302 entries from around the world competed across 142 categories. From March 5-7, a team of 53 internationally renowned dairy experts from 19 nations evaluated cheese, butter and yogurt through visual inspection and sensory evaluation.

“We are thrilled with Bay Blue’s first place award at the World Competition,” said Kuba Hemmerling, VP of operations at Point Reyes Farmstead. “Bay Blue
has long been a favorite of cheese lovers –to still be receiving accolades from this esteemed group of critical judges is just awesome.”

Connie Concon, national sales director said, “Our customers have known for years what a special cheese Bay Blue is, enjoying its beautiful natural rind and fudgy texture along with its delicately balanced flavor of savory and sweet. This cheese deserves every award it receives!”

The World Championship Cheese Contest, initiated in 1957, is the largest technical cheese, butter and yogurt competition in the world. For more information, including complete results for all entry classes, visit WorldChampionCheese.org.

In 1959, Bob and Dean Giacomini established their dairy farm just north of Point Reyes Station in Marin County, Calif. In 2000, together with their daughters, the family began making hand-crafted cheese on the farm with milk from their own herd of Holsteins.

In 2010, now WBENC certified Women-Owned by sisters Diana, Lynn and Jill, they opened The Fork, a culinary and educational center offering farm-to-table educational experiences for both consumers and the trade. In 2018, the company expanded to Petaluma, with the opening of a second creamery, warehouse and distribution center.

The Point Reyes product line consisting of Toma, TomaTruffle, TomaProvence, TomaRashi, Bay Blue, Gouda, Quinta and Original Blue, is available nationally at independent cheese shops and specialty grocers, at the Fork, Bay Area farmers’ markets and online at www.pointreyescheese.com.

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