Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/102355
be challenging to work with a collaborator. You are dealing with expert artisans who know what they want and everyone will have an opinion. But that is what makes great stuff."—Shawn Askinosie, Askinosie Chocolate "It can ing together, especially if makes sense from a flavor standpoint," Askinosie says. Both Askinosie and Britton Bauer say there is no question that they've gained new customers from the collaboration. "Since we also use Askinosie chocolates to make ice cream, this is a nice one-two punch on a grocer's shelf," Britton Bauer says. Prioritizing Long-Term Partners Askinosie advises choosing a collaborator you already have a strong relationship with and who is passionate about the same things your business is. Patience is also key; don't rush the end product. "It can be challenging to work with a collaborator," he says. "You are dealing with expert artisans who know what they want and everyone will have an opinion. But that is what makes great stuff." J&D;'S BACON SALT AND DEMITRI'S BLOODY MARY MIXES: CREATING A COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCT F Visit us at Booth #4621 at the Winter Fancy Food Show January 20-22, 2013 Castle Importing is an Italian family business which started over 20 years ago by processing hard Italian cheeses. With their 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, Castle Importing has expanded to include other cheeses that can be processed into an infnite variety of packaging options, including sizes and private labeling for retail as well as wholesale use. Castle Importing also imports a wide assortment of olive oils and other fne Italian products. Please call or stop by today to discuss your needs with a sales representative. Castle Importing, Inc. ♦ 866.720.9886 ♦ castleimporting.com Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 4621 34 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com ive years ago Dave Lefkow of J&D;'s Bacon Salt saw potential in a partnership with Demitri's Bloody Mary Mixes. But when Lefkow first approached Demitri Pallis about using the bacon salt as an ingredient in the mixes, Pallis wasn't quite ready. "The timing was just not right then," Pallis says. But about a year and a half later, when Pallis had the idea for creating rimming salts, he knew Dave's Bacon Salt would be a natural fit. "Dave had a respected brand, good brand recognition and an allnatural product, all of which was important to us," he says. "I knew I did not just want to use his Bacon Salt as an ingredient but wanted to leverage the brand as well." It turns out, both companies stood to gain. "It was interesting," notes Lefkow. "We are essentially a seasoning company and could have created rimming salts if we wanted to. But we knew Demitri could do it better. Also, we definitely saw value in being able to plug into his existing distribution channels, like foodservice, an area we never had."