AmericasMart Blog » gourmet

Gourmet and Housewares Start 2011 With An All-Star Lineup

ksantry — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:48:56 +0000

We’re celebrating the second anniversary of Building 2 WestWing and the debut of the expanded Gourmet/ Housewares permanent product center on floor 8 of the building this January at the first Market of the year. The new building has reinforced AmericasMart as a major player and new home for houseware manufactures and retailers, supported by the gourmet products that have always been strong for the product center.

The January Market will feature more than 150 of the industry’s leading gourmet and houseware companies spotlighting more than 300 lines. Plus, the product center will showcase new product launches, line debuts and company introductions.

New to AmericasMart this January are BIA Cordon Bleu, Messermeister, Chantal Cookware, Epicurean Cutting Boards, Guzzini, and Jura Capresso . Several manufactures and retailers such as The Connection, The Ryan Group, Delectable Samplings, Joel Kasperzak, Ben Tally, Coastline Imports, Diligence and Lynn’s Concepts have decided to expand their space at AmericasMart in order to showcase more product in Atlanta. In addition to the companies that make up the permanent product center, there are more than 250 lines that are part of the Gourmet Market Temporaries, which are located on floor 2 of the building.

Attendees will also have endless access to the industry’s biggest names and most sought-after chefs and education at Market. AmericasMart Building 2 houses a gourmet state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, which is located at the heart of the product center. This January, it will host celebrity chefs and renowned gourmet and housewares leaders. Making an appearance at the January Market:

Ace of Cakes’ Food Network star Duff Goldman
Marcel Vigneron, season one finalist of Bravo’s hit TV show “Top Chef” and “Top Chef All-Stars”
Virginia Willis
Celebrated local chefs Gerry Klaskala
Patricia “Sister” Schubert
Helen Chen
Linton Hopkins
Several exhibitor-sponsored events and educational presentations.

Don’t miss out on the first market of the New Year and the best collection of Gourmet/Housewares product, resources and entertainment! For more information about the January Market, click here. To read the entire release, click here.

Day in the Life of a Gourmet Judge

ksantry — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:29:40 +0000

I thought it was one of those “you won the lottery” pranks but the request was real, AmericasMart Atlanta wanted a judge for The Atlanta Gourmet Market, and they wanted me for the job. They asked if my calendar was free that day. What a strange question, of course it would be free that day.

I was a bit nervous about the assignment, five hours on two gourmet floors, tasting dressings, rubs, candy, snacks, soups and condiments. Was I up to the task?

Upon arrival I met Todd Mussman from Muss and Turner’s http://www.mussandturners.com/ We were given 20 pages of entries, and we stared walking the floors with Bri, our guide from AmericasMart. In an oddly stoic gesture, I did not eat breakfast to save room for all the delectables. What a misguided decision that was. I immediately ate too much toffee at our first stop. Pecans, sugar, nuts and butter, sounds like breakfast food to me. Toffee to Go’s Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee melted in my mouth and made me smile. http://www.toffeetogo.com/ This day was starting off just as I had hoped.

At Strawberry Patch, we snacked on Vidalia® Onion Cheese Grits Bits. Diane Justice makes these cheese bits with real Vidalia® onions, and you can taste their gentle sweetness. After tasting the other entries, we quickly decided that these grits bits were worthy of a prize. http://www.gritsbits.com/

With a bit of trepidation, we approached Mother Shucker and we had a pleasant surprise at her booth. Old Mother Shucker is not at all old ,and she has a comedic presence that just makes you want to stay and listen. Lucky for us, her sense of humor was matched by her delicious original cocktail sauce and I have been dreaming about making a Bloody Mary with her mix ever since. This cocktail sauce is worth the trip to Columbia, S.C., and back. http://www.oysterbarcolumbia.com/

After enjoying Miss Jenny’s Habanero Bread and Butter Pickles http://www.missjennyspickles.com/, Raven’s Nest Specialties’ Original Raspberry Jalapeno Jam http://www.ravensoriginal.com/ and Sugar Marsh Cottage’s http://www.sugarmarshcottage.com/ Bittersweet Chocolate Fleur de Sel Toffee Bits, and all of the other specialty foods, I think I ended the day having completed the food pyramid! Delicious and exciting food, what more could a food judge ask for?

(Elisa Gambino is the owner of Via Elisa Pasta Sauces. http://www.viaelisa.com/ Her sauces can be found in Whole Foods Markets throughout the southeast and Florida.)

Best of Gourmet Honored at Atlanta Market

ksantry — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:07:29 +0000

One of the most significant highlights of fall Markets was the recognition of the gourmet industry’s crème de la crème in the Best of Atlanta awards. This honor is exclusive to the annual September Market, spotlighting superior gourmet products and celebrating achievement in taste, originality and packaging.

AmericasMart invited Atlanta’s top culinary experts to judge more than 60 gourmet products for the Best of Atlanta awards. Sampling product from the permanent and temporary product centers, the team of independent judges visited the booths and showrooms to experience the product in its unique environment and interact with the creators and representatives. The judges selected winning product that excelled in distinctive tastes, innovative packaging and display in 10 individual award categories.

The winners were unveiled during the Best of Atlanta reveal on Saturday, September 11, and continued to be on display for the remainder of Market on Floor 7 in Building 1. The 2010 Best of Atlanta winners are:

Best Candy: Indianola Pecan House – Southern Praline Pecans
Best Chocolate: Sugar Marsh Cottage Confectionary – Bittersweet Chocolate Coastal Collection with Fleur de sel Toffee
Best Beverage: Raven’s Nest Specialties – Original Mulling Spice
Best Condiment: Mother Shucker’s – Original Cocktail Sauce
Best Dessert: Toffee To Go – Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee
Best All Natural Product: Miss Jenny’s Pickles – Miss Jenny’s Habanero Bread & Butter Pickles
Best Jam/Preserve: Raven’s Nest Specialties – Raven’s Original Raspberry Jalapeño Jam
Best Snack: Strawberry Patch – Vidalia Onion Grits Bits
Best Extra: Oak Leaf at Belmont – Thousand Island Dressing
Best Soup: Plentiful Pantry – Roasted Tomato Parmesan Bisque

We congratulate our winners on a spectacular showing this Market!

Pictures of all the winners can be found on the AmericasMart website and on our Facebook page.

Great Start to September Market!

ksantry — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:15:35 +0000

Saturday was a great kick-off to the Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta Gourmet Market. Temps were busy. Showroom folks were helping buyers fill in last-minute, pre-holiday orders. Presenters were teaching the basics of using social media as a marketing tool and creating fabulous gift baskets. Plus, there was an ice cream social and the highlight of the day – the Best of Atlanta Reveal Reception. Stay tuned to learn results!

Tomorrow morning, grab a cup of complimentary coffee at 9 a.m. on Floor 7 of Building 1, check out the Temps, then head over to the Demonstration Kitchen to see popular chef Virginia Willis at 11 a.m. Still lots of time to walk showrooms!

Fall for It All This September at AmericasMart’s Two-In-One Market

ksantry — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:21:50 +0000

In just two weeks, exclusively at AmericasMart, retailers will experience the magnitude of two Markets together in the premier destination for everything new in fall home furnishings, gift and gourmet. Four buildings, three days of buying and two Markets—all in one location, all taking place at The Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market together with The Atlanta Gourmet Market, September 11-13, 2010.

While each Market individually offers a unique showcase, together they create an unrivaled collaboration of debuts, top lines and dynamic product. Only here, will retailers discover new product launched within the last month and be able to take advantage of the last order-writing Markets of the year. The Markets present gourmet, home furnishings and gift in four buildings of permanent product centers, supported by temporary categories staged in Building 1, floor 7.

Plus, discover the creme de la creme of gourmet with the Best of Atlanta awards, learn how to build baskets and merchandise in today’s economy and find out more about social media and best business practices.

It’s all here this September!

For more information, click here.

Guest Blogger Janis Johnson Dives Into Gourmet

ksantry — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:00:14 +0000

When I opened my retail store in the 70s, gourmet was a new trend – not yet established as a full-blown category. Because of that trendiness I marketed the shop as a gourmet gift store. This brought in customers who were not necessarily thinking about cooking and would not be intimidated if cooking was not their forte.

Entertaining at home has mushroomed into a giant concept for consumers, with the Food Network and other cooking channels encouraging the home chef – whether advanced or novice – to enjoy cooking and to experiment with tastes and flavors. If you recognize cooking as an important pastime for many of your customers, adding kitchen wares can become an additional profit center for your store. Even if you personally are not a cook, you very likely appreciate good food and everything required to bring food to the table. You can cash in on consumer interest by bringing in shelf stable foods that are ideal for tastings, or try special pans that fit a current cooking style.

Gourmet Catalog can help you with decisions about what to carry, how to merchandise your assortment, and also create an expansion plan to put in place down the road. By working within your own comfort level, you can grow and expand at the pace that works best for you.

Gourmet Catalog membership includes more than 200 store locations nationwide. Well-established in the industry, we work with top vendors; and because of our 30-year history, we also appeal to companies with hot new products – which gives our members the chance to be first at bringing them to the marketplace.

Catch up with Janis and learn more about how to successfully incorporate kitchen wares into your gift store on Friday, 16 at 8:30 a.m. when she and Mary Moore present “Catching Up with the Kitchen Trend.” The presentation takes place in the Gourmet Kitchen on Floor 8 in Building 2 WestWing.

Family Meal – Bringing People Together Never Tasted Better

ksantry — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:00:26 +0000

If you love food or love to cook you won’t want to miss this! Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence is back this July and better than ever! Florence is joined by his father, Winston, as they prepare some of the family inspired recipes from their upcoming book Family Meals. Florence also is an AmericasMart retailer since he opened a small chain of luxury kitchen supply stores, in addition to his many restaurants throughout California. Stop by and indulge! The father and son duo can be seen cooking on Saturday, July 17 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. in Building 2 WestWing Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen. Books will be available for sale during the event and starting at 1 p.m. attendees will have the chance to have their books signed by Florence.

More details on this mouth-watering event can be found here.

Alton Brown Draws HUGE Crowd for Presentation and Book Signing

ksantry — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:57:41 +0000

Alton Brown, star of Good Eats and other renowned shows on Food Network, had back-to-back appearances at AmericasMart this weekend. On Saturday, he performed in the Gourmet Kitchen on Floor 8 in Building 2WW for a record crowd. On Sunday, he came back for a book signing. Buyers started lining up at 9 a.m. for his 10:30 a.m. start. And, the line wrapped around the 8^th floor! The first 100 buyers received a free book! Alton signed his books and took pictures with fans for more than an hour! We hope to see Alton back in the future!

If you were one of the hundreds that got to see Alton, post your pictures on our Facebook page!

North Carolina Pavilion to debut at January Market, in Temps

ksantry — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:04:48 +0000

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture is proud to sponsor a North Carolina Pavilion at the January 2010 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. The creation of the pavilion is attributed to the success and growth of the Gourmet category in Atlanta. The pavilion will be located within the temporaries: Building 2WW, Floor 2, Booth 305. It will feature more than 400 square feet of gourmet goodies created in North Carolina.

NC Pavilion Participants include:
D’Vine Foods- Making the finest homemade gourmet jams, jellies, ciders, juices, pickles, relishes and other products. Located in Elizabethtown, NC.

Chef Ricardo – Sauce winner for best new product and best packaging in the 2009 North Carolina Specialty Food Products Show. Located in Clyde, NC.

Fancy’s Candy – Sin in a Tin Toffees. Best Chocolate Winner at the 2008 Atlanta Gourmet Market.Located in Rougemont NC.

Fryar’s Sauce – “It’s from the country and we like it that way.” For over 30 years they have been making Fryar’s sauce. Located in McLeansville, NC.

Polka Dot Bake Shop – A gourmet bakery specializing in unique sweets and savory treats. Located in Charlotte NC.

Race City Sauce Works – “Flavor First & Flavor Last… with a Tingle in Between.” Located in Charlotte, NC.

AmericasMart is expecting continued success with the debut of the North Carolina pavilion, a first of its kind! Make sure to check it out during January market, as the pavilion is sure to be a destination point.

The Best of the Best Recognized at Market

ksantry — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:10:56 +0000

AmericasMart celebrated the best of the gift and gourmet industry during the September Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market^SM and the Atlanta Gourmet Market^® this past weekend with two distinguished awards: Best of Show-recognizing outstanding visual display in the Gift and Gourmet temporaries-and Best of Atlanta-an annual AmericasMart-exclusive honor-spotlighting superior gourmet products and celebrating achievement in taste, originality and packaging.

The 2009 Best of Show award was presented to:
Junior Service League of LaGrange, Georgia.

The 2009 Best of Atlanta winners are:
Best Candy: Toffee To Go – Vanilla Macadamia Nut Toffee
Best Chocolate: Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates – Rare Facet
Best Beverage: Sterling Tea – Strawberry Hibiscus
Best Condiment: Stonewall Kitchen – Maple Chipotle Grill Sauce
Best Dessert: Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates – Original Buttery Terrapin
Best All Natural Product: Lowcountry Produce – Sweet Potato Butter
Best Jam/Preserve: Stonewall Kitchen – Wild Maine Blueberry Jam
Best Snack: Oh, Sugar – Nams Bits
Best Extra: Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning Co. – Green Tomato Pickles
Best Soup: Lowcountry Produce – Tomato Basil Soup

For more details, check out the press release on our website.