Specialty Food Magazine

MAY-JUN 2013

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.

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CHEESE FOCUS The tight focus on small, local producers "enables us to have something that's unique," says Will Frischkorn. "We're the only ones in Colorado with some of these cheeses." A cheesemaker's limited or sporadic output doesn't deter the Frischkorns. In fact, they see some benefit in scarcity. "Even if we only get one box, it's exciting for customers," Frischkorn notes. And when patrons return for the same cheese, only to find it sold out? "You get to educate them," he says. "'It's a seasonal cheese, limited production. But if you liked that, here's something else to try.' We've created a high-touch customer experience, and that's the fun part." Top sellers at Cured include Avalanche Cheese's Goat Cheddar (from Colorado), Roelli Dunbarton Blue and LaClare Farms Evalon with Fenugreek (both from Wisconsin) and anything from River's Edge Chevre (Oregon). The store's sandwich menu features Roelli's Red Rock, a blue-veined cheddar, in a grilled cheese sandwich with Bacon Spread from Seattle's Skillet Street Food. The Frischkorns aren't total purists. The shop stocks Parmigiano Reggiano, L'Amuse Gouda from Holland and a few other imports on occasion. But the customer looking for an everyday brie won't find it. "If someone comes in and wants brie, we turn them "We can focus on small producers who can't work with a large market, so we end up with a selection that's a little bit cooler." on to something new," Frischkorn says. "I don't feel like our focus shortchanges the customer in any way." Breads from a local artisan baker and an all-Colorado selection of craft beers and spirits reinforce the store's identity as a discriminating and community-oriented purveyor. A hand-picked inventory may be one way to lure customers from the larger chain stores, but the strategy has its challenges. "Honestly, it's a lot of work," Frischkorn admits. "It would be so easy to work with a couple of big distributors and have a stock, standard order form. But what people are looking for is a different shopping experience. What differentiates us is that hand sell. We can focus on small producers who can't work with a large market, so we end up with a selection that's a little bit cooler." Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 1936 24 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com

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