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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retailer profile may have 25 different varieties of apples in the store, including unusual heirloom varieties." Clear labeling gives shoppers sourcing information, which can include organic status, farm name and if Bi-Rite has a farm-direct relationship. Selections include fresh, organic pomegranates from Balkian Farms in Reedly, Calif., organic baby artichokes from Blue House Farm in Pescadero and even sustainably grown safflowers from Oak Hill Farm in Sonoma. Scoop Shop… Just inside the entrance to the right is an ice cream counter serving P H 1.800.875.5557 WWW.GOURMETINT.COM SALES GOURMETINT.COM B OOTH 3009 M ENTION P ROMO C ODE 114 FOR 10 OFF YOUR SHOW ORDER ! Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/GourmetInt Follow us on Pinterest Pinterest.com/GourmetInt products from Bi-Rite Creamery. "Salted caramel is far and away the most popular," Mills says. Customers also crave seasonal flavors. "Holiday favorites include our eggnog and candy cane. We start getting requests for candy cane in July." Winter seasonal flavors include cardamom orange, creme fraiche, Earl Grey and Armagnac prune. Also on offer are sundaes, special toppings and sauces, plus a selection of pints in the store's freezer section. Meat, Poultry and Fish… Farther up the aisle is a sign that declares meat and poultry are always hormone- and antibioticfree. Customers may find a New York strip from BH Ranch, a porterhouse from Five Dot Ranch, and fresh rabbit, slab bacon and boneless chicken breasts. "If you go into the butcher walk-in, there are probably a couple of whole lambs hanging," Mills says. "If a guest comes in and wants a whole leg of lamb we can often say, 'Sure, no problem.'" He adds that fish is always fresh, delivered six days a week. "And it's color-coded to tell you how sustainable it is. There's nothing that's unsustainable," he notes. Fresh whole fish offerings include sand dabs, opah, whole rock cod, whole trout and more. Bi-Rite balances the desire for variety with a focus on minimizing food waste so, Mills explains, the business makes datadriven purchasing decisions. For example, buyers factor in how many hams they sold at this time last year, the weather forecast (which can affect traffic), as well as what the community seems to be craving. Wine… Mills is particularly proud of the wines the store carries, noting that the 150 selections are more like something found at a restaurant than at a grocery store. "You can't get them everywhere," he says. "There is a winemaker who lives two or three blocks away, Bob Wait of Wait Cellars. He came in one day, loved our wine section and said, 'You should carry my wine.' We tried it, liked it—and now we do." Wait Cellars' grapes are Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 3009 50 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com