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/123797
PHOTO: ALEX KOTLIK PHOTOGRAPHY; WWW.ALEXKOTLIKPHOTOGRAPHY.COM PHOTO: 55 FULTON MARKET PHOTO: FAIRWAY Fairway Kips Bay 55 Fulton Market Salvatore ricotta complement the small-batch theme, carefully curated by owners Chris Gray and Beth Lewand. Gray reports that both neighborhood old-timers and newbies have embraced the store, snapping up locally produced pickles, jerky, chocolate, jam and bacon, though beer and cheese remain their best sellers. Altogether the shop carries 250 to 300 items, Gray estimates, in addition to making sandwiches from high-end ingredients. As for plans to expand? "We have dreams," he says. 1053 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn; 718.349.1432; easterndistrictny.com EMPIRE MAYONNAISE COMPANY Prospect Heights, Brooklyn Hotshot New York pastry chef Sam Mason branched out in April 2012 with a tiny Brooklyn storefront that produces 11 signature mayonnaise flavors. His condiments first gained a following at the Brooklyn Flea's Smorgasburg food market (see profile, p. 49); now he supplies more than 70 retail outlets and restaurants. It's almost unbelievable that everything—blending, jarring, labeling, selling—takes place in the 250-square-foot shop, and Mason and his partner, Elizabeth Valleau, are understandably looking for a bigger space. Local, free-range eggs and certified non-GMO canola oil serve as the base for Empire's 4-ounce jars, in such varieties as blue cheese, red chile, rosemary and smoked paprika. Prices range from $6 for Classic, brightened with organic lemon oil, to $9 for top-selling bacon and white truffle. 564 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn; 718.636.2069; empiremayo.com FAIRWAY KIPS BAY Kips Bay, Manhattan The newest member of the Fairway Market family can be found at 31st Street and Second Avenue and is the first Manhattan location south of Central Park. Opened in December 2012, Fairway Kips Bay has 24 cashier stands and encompasses a below-ground footprint of 42,000 square feet, reached by escalator and spacious elevators. It serves an area dominated by a professional workforce occupying the surrounding high-rises. All six New York locations are renowned for their abundant produce sections; this branch amply follows through with that reputation. General manager Dehliah Martinez 58 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com Le Palais des Thés reports that the store's best-selling items include bulk olives, raw salmon, baguettes and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The company is rapidly expanding: a location in Chelsea in the works, which will compete with a nearby Whole Foods. 550 Second Ave., Manhattan; 646.720.9420; fairwaymarket.com/store-kips-bay 55 FULTON MARKET South Street Seaport, Manhattan Key Food, a standard, low-price grocery chain founded in 1937, significantly upgraded its brand with the opening of 55 Fulton Market in August 2012. Servicing the underserved South Street Seaport and Financial District neighborhoods, the 23,000-squarefoot, 24-hour store is global in its approach. Departments include a sushi bar, deli, bakery, coffee bar, hot and cold buffets and global selections of cheese (more than 300 types) and beers (more than 300 brands). Specialty foods and organic produce dominate the main level; conventional groceries, dairy and meat are found on the lower level. On the second floor is cafe seating, and there's also an outdoor seating area. Aisles are wide-spaced and uncluttered. 55 Fulton St., Manhattan; 646.581.9260; keyfood.com LE PALAIS DES THÉS Soho, Manhattan This esteemed French tea importer opened its second New York location in Soho in January 2013. (The first is on the Upper West Side.) In the elegant, cleanly designed, 700-square-foot space are 120 types of tea sourced from ethically run estates in remote regions of the world, including Africa, Asia and South America. Some are Grand Cru, harvested in small batches and available for limited periods of time. Teaware accessories are also on display, such as cups, bowls, pots, tins and tea-scented candles. Sniffing loose-leaf teas and sipping samples makes shopping here an interactive experience. Service is courtly, offering brewing tips to a sophisticated, tea-loving clientele. Best sellers include Thé du Hammam (green tea with rose, berries and green dates), Thé des Moines (secret blend of green and black teas) and Thé des Lords (a variation on Earl Grey with bergamot). Purchasing requires a 3-ounce minimum, and prices range from $6 to upwards of $130—the highest end being a rare, Grand