Passage to Vietnam Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry Sauce
Passage Foods offers lines of ready-to-use simmer sauces made from all natural ingredients to help home cooks create authentic restaurant-quality Asian dishes in 20 minutes or less. Newest to the brand is the Passage to Vietnam™ Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry Sauce, which draws together ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal and lime into a stir-fry with the traditional flavors of Vietnam. Just reading the list of ingredients is like stepping into a white tablecloth Vietnamese restaurant.
Vietnamese cuisine is one of the fastest growing segments in the food category, according to Mintel, and the growth of the Vietnamese population in the U.S. augurs for increasing acceptance and familiarity with Vietnamese flavors among the mainstream population, particularly as American palates become more adventurous and more Americans travel outside the country, where they have the opportunity to taste authentic examples of other culinary traditions.
“It is important to recognize the growth of cuisines from countries like Vietnam,” said Passage Foods’ Mark Mackenzie. “Currently, 80 percent of the Asian category sales originate from mainstream products designed for the U.S. palate, however, the category growth is being driven by authentic products and recipes. With our Lemongrass Chicken sauce, we tried to capture the most authentic and fresh recipe to satisfy the consumer looking for a true Vietnamese meal.”
Introducing Organic Sauces from Robert Rothschild Farm
Robert Rothschild Farm announces its first complete line of organic sauces after recently achieving organic certification of its manufacturing facility in Urbana, Ohio. Robert Rothschild Farm produces sauces, dips, preserves, mustards, spreads and other gourmet products that are all natural, gluten free and kosher.
Robert Rothschild Farm grows and manufactures all their food on the Ohio farm, but is the first certified organic line. This new line of organic products will launch the beginning of a movement to convert the majority of the Robert Rothschild Farm’s current product offering to be organic certified.
“We are conscientious of current healthy lifestyles and want to provide the consumer what they desire,” said Jim Gordon, President and CEO of Robert Rothschild Farm. “We felt compelled to provide organic products that tasted great. Taste should not be compromised when seeking organic products using Non-GMO ingredients.”
The new organic line of sauces was announced at the Summer Fancy Food Show on July 1, 2014 and includes Blueberry Balsamic, Citrus Chardonnay, Pineapple Habanero BBQ, Sriracha Teriyaki, Whiskey Pepper Cream and White Wine Creole sauces.
This year also celebrates Robert Rothschild Farm’s 30th Anniversary of producing specialty foods. Robert Rothschild Farm is continually recognized as one of the top gourmet food manufacturers in the United States and has been honored with numerous awards for its branded product line, but the company also produces gourmet products under many private labels. Robert Rothschild products are carried in over 5,000 grocery and specialty stores throughout the US.
“Creating organic products shows our commitment, not only to high-quality, flavorful products but taking our company to the next level,” said Gordon. “Organic foods are a growing market in which Robert Rothschild Farm is well positioned to produce and provide these essential products. We look forward to leading the specialty food industry and bringing our consumers the finest in organic, open and serve products that they have come to expect from us.”
Victoria Fine Foods Puts Ingredients on Front of Label
Victoria Fine Foods has just launched new packaging for its Victoria premium brand of artisanal pasta sauces listing ingredients on the front of the label.
Extensive consumer research was conducted among primary shoppers and meal preparers of pasta sauce that led to the revolutionary decision to place the ingredients on the front of the label. Consumers indicated that placing ingredients on the front was very positive and helped show that Victoria had all natural fresh ingredients without preservatives that were similar to ingredients they would use in their own pasta sauce. They also indicated it would make shopping easier.
This new label approach supports Victoria’s philosophy of Ingredients Come First™, making Victoria the only major pasta sauce brand to highlight the ingredients on the front of their package.
“We are proud to be first major brand in the pasta sauce category to declare our ingredients on the front of our package; It’s not just a location, it’s a philosophy” says Don Davide, Chief Strategy Officer, VFF. “We are committed to using only fresh ingredients and the most authentic slow kettle-cooking process for a true homemade taste, and by announcing this on the front of our new label, we believe our new package allows the consumer to make an informed decision about what they are feeding their families.”
Victoria maintains small-batch, home-style cooking methods on a larger scale by slow kettle cooking all of their sauces starting with freshly chopped ingredients. Unlike leading national brands, Victoria never adds water, paste (tomato byproducts), or dried ingredients and never compromises taste for processing alternatives like quick heating transfer tubes. Victoria maintains that life and food, like a gondola ride, is better when taken slowly.
Sabra Dipping Company Campaign Features Singing Farmers
If you don’t already sing to tomatoes, you may soon find yourself rethinking your salsa. Known for its freshly flavorful dips and spreads, Sabra® Dipping Company has relaunched its eight refrigerated salsas to the sweet sound of farmer serenades. To underscore the loving process with which Sabra prepares its line of salsas, the brand is featuring in-field farmers singing to vine-ripening tomatoes in its first salsa advertising campaign. Salsa fans are invited to join the fun by sending sweet nothings by way of social media with the hashtag #SalsaLove
“The commercials are a fun take on nurturing growing tomatoes for a delicious product that is filled with love,” said Eric Greifenberger, Director of Marketing at Sabra. “From our ripe red tomatoes to our crisp onions and peppers, our farmers and chefs are meticulous in their care and selection of vegetables for a fresher-tasting salsa. Believe it or not, research has shown singing to plants makes them grow better. We certainly don’t see any harm in that.”
Sabra’s line of refrigerated salsas includes Homestyle Medium, Homestyle Mild, Mango Peach, Restaurant Style, Roasted Garlic, Pico de Gallo, Southwestern and Garden Style. The newly relaunched recipes feature more crisp vegetables for a fresher, chunkier salsa bursting with flavor. The company uses only vine-ripened tomatoes, handpicked by Sabra’s farmers. The nature of the process inspired Sabra’s campaign theme of “Made with Love” developed with creative agency strawberryfrog.
“Sabra goes over and above to create a better tasting salsa. We were inspired by the passion Sabra has for their salsa,” said Ant White, strawberryfrog’s creative director on Sabra. “Known as the brand behind America’s favorite hummus, we wanted to help Sabra share its salsa story in an engaging way. Getting farmers to sing REO Speedwagon’s I’m Gonna Keep on Loving You is just the beginning.”
Sabra Salsa’s integrated campaign kicked off on June 23. It will run in the Northeast and include ads on Hulu and other video-hosting sites as well as radio ads, banner ads, social media and in-store activities. Sabra will also have four trucks crisscrossing the Northeast to share the Salsa Love with free samples.
The entire campaign directs consumer to the microsite SabraSalsaLove.com. Consumers can share their own love by posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Vine pages with the hashtag #SalsaLove. The best fan submissions will be shared on the site and may even make it into the next Sabra Salsa ad.
SabraSalsaLove.com is also the host to a summer sweepstakes. One winner will receive a four-day beachside culinary getaway in Southern California, and ten winners each week will receive other great prizes. On Pinterest, fans pinning their favorite recipes featuring salsa will be entered to win additional prizes.
Victoria Amory Condiment Line Expands Reach
Since its launch in January 2014, the Victoria Amory Collection is rapidly expanding its reach and is now carried in 15 states and over 150 stores across the United States. The condiment collection features three creative ketchups, including the Smokey BBQ Ketchup, chosen from over 180,000 products as one of the Smokin’ Innovations at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show. Inspired by the flavors and aromas of Spain’s ancient and rugged La Mancha region the Smokey BBQ Ketchup includes ingredients such as smoked paprika, brown sugar, red and white wine vinegar and olive oil.
The collection which also includes three delicate mayonnaises, two peppery piri piris, and one classic romesco sauce, is designed, like all of the items in Amory’s line of sophisticated comfort foods, to make elegant entertaining a no-brainer. The collection includes nine specialty condiments: Green Chili Piri Piri, Red Chili Piri Piri, Almond and Garlic Romesco Sauce, Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise, Fine Herb Mayonnaise, Classic Lemon Mayonnaise, Sherry Ketchup, Champagne Ketchup, and Smokey BBQ Ketchup, transforming the everyday meal into an effortless feast.
Taste the Maple-Bacon Flavors at Stonewall Kitchen #SFFSF14
By Lorrie Baumann
Stonewall Kitchen is showcasing the flavors of maple and bacon in two new products that will put a stamp of excellence on holiday entertaining events. See them in booth #3914 at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Maple Bacon Onion Jam has the sweetness of maple and onions combined with the savory umami of bacon for a flavorful and versatile product. Put it on the cheese tray during the cocktail hour or use it to glaze the dinnertime ham. There’s even a pizza recipe — just use the jam as the base sauce on the crust and then top with cheese. For a super-easy appetizer, pick up some flatbread at the grocery, spread it with this jam and toast it in the oven. That would be fabulous, and there’s no requirement at all that you tell anyone at all how easy that was to pull off.
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The other new maple-bacon product is a Maple Bacon Aioli that’s made with canola oil, real bacon bits and pure maple syrup. Try it as a sandwich spread, especially on a BLT, just use a dollop on grilled meats to add some extra flavor, or you could even use it as a dip for fries or vegetable sticks. After tasting it, I can hardly wait to slather it over some chicken pieces, bake that in the oven and serve it to somebody I love.
Stonewall Kitchen is also introducing a second aioli — this one a Cilantro Lime Aioli. Use this one to top fish tacos of other summertime Mexican dishes. Remember that commercial in which the hamster in the plastic ball points out that the dinnertime tacos aren’t going to eat themselves and then the young woman bounces in anticipation? “Oooh, tacos!” Well, that’s the reaction this Cilantro Lime Aioli would get.
The Maple Bacon Onion Jam retails for $7.95, and the aiolis retail for $7.50 for a 10.25-ounce bottle.
Beaverton Foods Trying Out New Sriracha Sauce Flavors at #SFFS14
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By Lorrie Baumann
Beaverton Foods CEO Domonic Biggi is in his booth #2263 taste-testing some bold new sauce flavors that incorporate sriracha as well as offering samples of its latest award-winner from the World Mustard Competition.
Beaverton Foods just took home a gold medal for its Inglehoffer Sriracha Mustard, which is available for sampling during the Summer Fancy Food Show alongside the new Inglehoffer Bread and Butter Pickle Mustard. Both of those are available at retail for a suggested price that’s around $3.89 to $4.49.
On the same table, Biggi is offering show attendees the chance to sample and comment on some of the flavors he’s experimenting with in his test kitchen. “It’s easy to be brilliant in your office,” he said, adding that he finds it even easier to be brilliant when his own intelligence is augmented by the advice of Fancy Food Show attendees, who bring exceptional palates and experience in food retailing with them.
Among the flavors he’s offering are Sweet & Sour Sriracha, Sriracha Sauce, Wasabi Tamari Sauce, Teriyaki Sriracha and a Creamy Sriracha Sauce. Depending on which of those flavors are greeted favorably at the show, they should be ready for release soon under either the Beaver or Ingelhoffer brand or both, Biggi said.
Shrimp Tacos at Robert Rothschild Farm Booth #SFFS14
By Lorrie Baumann
Chef Steve Constantine is making and serving shrimp tacos at the Robert Rothschild Farms booth #236 at the Summer Fancy Food Show. He’s just sauteing the shrimps and then laying them down on a warm corn tortilla and topping them with a citrus slaw made with the new Citrus Chardonnay Sauce that’s part of the brand-new line-up of organic sauces that are debuting at this show.
The other sauces in the line include Whiskey Pepper Cream, which has a little bit of a vinegary tang with mustard and onion and would be great in a potato salad. The Sriracha Teriyaki Sauce in the line is much more teriyaki than sriracha, but it has a long peppery finish that’s just spicy enough to be fun. There’s also a Blueberry Balsamic, a Pineapple Habanero and a White Wine Creole Sauce. They’re all packaged in bottles that resemble old-timey milk bottles for a retro look that underscores the tradition behind them.
Also in the booth, Chef Sean Robertson is sampling appetizers made with Robert Rothschild Farms Buffalo Bleu Cheese Dip. He just incorporated the dip with some chopped rotisserie chicken, celery and onion and spooned the mixture out into phyllo tart shells from the grocer’s freezer case. He says the mixture is also nice as the filling for a little tea sandwich, and I suppose that if you can’t find the phyllo tart shells at your grocer, nobody’s going to quibble if you put it on a nice cracker.
And if you’re at the Fancy Food Show, make sure you stop by booth #236 and take a look at the cake with which Robert Rothschild Farms is celebrating its 30th anniversary. And do say hello to the chefs when you sample the goodies.
The Gracious Gourmet to Reveal 3 New Flavors at Summer Fancy Food Show #SFFS14
The Gracious Gourmet’s award-winning line of spreads, chutneys and pestos now includes a new fruit spread, Date Apricot Spread, and a new line of products called The Gracious Gourmet Essentials.
The Essentials line — which boasts quality and consistency for ingredients cooks often need in recipes — launches with two must-have products: Sautéed Mixed Mushrooms and Sweet Caramelized Onions. These essentials, which taste just prepared, save home cooks and chefs the time of shopping for ingredients, prepping them and cooking them to get rich flavors before adding to a final dish. Taste them at the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC at booth #438.
Date Apricot Spread is pack
ed with dates combined with apricots, spices and orange juice. It is great paired with cheeses like ricotta, fresh goat, brie and cheddar and is delicious served with chicken, duck or turkey and mixed into basmati rice. Also perfect for yogurt parfaits or as a topper for vanilla or caramel ice creams.
• Sautéed Mixed Mushrooms contains white, crimini and shiitake mushrooms cooked with onions in olive oil and finished with a dash of lemon juice. It provides “essential” rich mushroom flavor to a variety of dishes, including risottos, pasta dishes, soups, omelets and savory pancakes.
Sweet Caramelized Onions includes the equivalent of 1 pound of raw sweet onions in every 7-ounce container! Th
e fresh onions are cooked in olive oil with a hint of brown sugar to boost the onions’ natural sweetness — the taste is so good you can eat them straight from the jar. Use them to top all kinds of meat and fish as well as in salad dressings, soups, pasta and rice dishes.
Nello’s Adds Fresh Life to Pasta Sauce at #SFFS14
Nello’s is showcasing its Piedmont Pomodoro Sauce, which is flavored with lavender and thyme for an elegant and unique product. Visit at the Summer Fancy Food Show in booth #4851.
