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
The Very Best Part of the Brownie Now in two new flavors Orange Cinnamon Cappuccino New! New! Introducing a New Spicy Brownie Snack! SETH GREENBERG'S AUTHENTIC SOUTHWEST BROWNIE CRUNCH In three flavors Jalapeño Chile Pepper Chipotle WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW Booth 674 ALL NATURAL MADE IN USA SETH GREENBERG'S AUTHENTIC NEW YORK BROWNIE CRUNCH 275 Madison Ave, Suite 627, NY NY 10016 212.878.6677 sales@browniecrunch.com www.browniecrunch.com PROFILE mom used in black coffee. The shop carries at least 80 varieties of sea salts alone, including Himalayan pink and Utah coarse salts. About 50 to 60 special house blends, which range from Chipotle Honey, a best seller, to Roasted Chicken, are a big draw, says store manager Charlotte Watter. About one-third of the inventory is organic. The customer base is an equal mix of tourists and locals. "Regulars come in to buy set amounts of spices they like, sometimes on a daily basis," Watter says. "Part of the appeal of Oxbow is that they can get everything they need." Customers even include chefs from area restaurants. The market's appeal extends to winecountry tourists, many of whom are seeking a special product to take back home. "We get a lot of visitors too, who like that they can find a lot of local products here," says Watter. Anette's is Oxbow's primary chocolate shop. There, it offers the company's most popular lines, including beer brittles, truffles and chocolate wine sauces, says Kelsey Griffin, retail staff member. The sauces, available in cabernet, port and brandy varieties, each have about 5 percent alcohol content, and are especially a hit with tourists looking for gifts, Griffin says. Anette's offers gift packs of the sauces and samples the line at a tasting station. Chocolate squares in Venezuelan, Peruvian and Ecuadorian varieties are also popular, as is the European drinking chocolate. The display case at the front of the stall showcases about two dozen truffles in flavors such as mimosa, chardonnay and chile cacao nib, as well as mints, peanut butter drops and other confections. Anette's Chocolate Factory Longtime Napa chocolate maker and retailer Anette's Chocolate Factory saw Oxbow Market's addition to the area food scene as an opportunity to expand. The chocolate shop and production facility, whose flagship location has been a few blocks down on First Street for 21 years, joined the Oxbow vendor roster five years ago. "It was a great chance to be part of an ensemble of specialty food purveyors," says Anette Madsen, who owns the operation with her brother Brent. "The market started to pick up over the past two years, along with the rest of downtown Napa," she notes. "On the west end, where our original store is located, more restaurants and shops opened over the past few years. Hotels such as Hyatt and Westin have also brought tourists to Napa. Now Oxbow is anchoring the east end. There is more traffic and it's more of a retail centerpiece." The product mix at Oxbow is the same as the west-side store, with the exceptions of ice cream and coffee. "We can offer that in our larger original space, but at Oxbow there are already [primary] ice cream and coffee vendors," says Madsen. Carlin and vendors agree that Oxbow has come into its own over the past couple of years as the economy has improved. "People are so interested in high-quality meats, spices, coffees and other products," says Whole Spice's Watter. "I like to think Oxbow Market is the right place at the right time." Today the market has become a destination for locals and tourists who are increasingly drawn by the revitalization of Napa's downtown area that was paved by Copia's presence. Visitors enjoy restaurants, shops, a refurbished Opera House and new hotels—and even a stop along Napa Valley's Wine Train, all a short walk from Oxbow Market. Copia's vacancy next to Oxbow brings to mind questions of expansion, which Carlin concedes could be something to discuss as the museum's owners decide their next step. In the meantime, Carlin has plans to develop other markets in Santa Rosa and Venice Beach, Calif., and in Buffalo, N.Y. "We're always looking for new locations," he says. "But you can't cookie-cutter these things." |SFM| Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 674 64 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com Denise Purcell is the editor of Specialty Food Magazine.