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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they work with veggies or a protein." At any given tasting, in addi- tion to the director of product development, testers may include the head of production, marketing or sales, and the company president. Out of more than a dozen ideas, six or seven favorites make the cut to become new products. The Company Expands and Is Sold Though the company's offices and manufacturing are still located on the original farm, much has changed in the past decade. In 2005, Bob and Sara Rothschild retired to work full-time in philanthropy and sold the company to a private equity firm, Strength Capital Partners, LLC. In the past decade, growth has been explosive. Robert Rothschild Farm added jobs, boosted sales by millions of dollars, and retooled parts of the business to transition from a regional com- pany to a nationally recognized brand. The products are also sold in Canada, Mexico, and parts of Asia. Last year, the company earned $10 million more in revenues than expected, which it attributes to expansion into such areas as warehouse club business, including Sam's Club and Costco, and the gift channel. The booming specialty foods industry overall earns credit as well. Its gift business is a good case study for the ways in which Robert Rothschild Farm has pursued growth. When the company took a closer look at its gift sets, which combine products such as pancake mix and syrup, it saw an opportunity for increased sales. Rothschild Farm spent a year redesigning and modernizing the packaging, and the work paid off: these gift packages are now sold at stores such as Macy's, Von Maur, and Barnes & Noble. While the gift business had previously accounted for only 3 percent of the company's business, it has more than tripled to 10 percent of sales, which has helped the brand gain a national presence. Social Media, Store Merchandising, and More Robert Rothschild Farm builds brand awareness and nurtures rela- tionships with its customers through its extensive website that was redesigned in 2010. Along with an e-commerce section, the site has recipes, a blog, and usage ideas for the line. "We suggest how to use a product when customers purchase it," Maalouf says. On the recipe page, users can search by meal type, such as appetizer, for suggestions and inspiration. The company is also active on several social media platforms, starting with Facebook in 2011. Last year the company added a blog and Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. "Facebook and Pinterest resonate with our consumers. It's a great recipe- sharing environment and a good place to pick up party ideas as well," Maalouf explains. "Pinterest and Instagram have worked because food is photo-friendly." E-marketing is also a big part of consumer outreach. "We'll send emails giving recipe or entertaining ideas, or showing new products," she says. "For soft pretzel month, we may send out a reminder that we have soft pretzel mix." Keeping True to Its Roots While Moving Ahead The company is still at heart a specialty business that has stuck to its roots. "We still make product here," Maalouf says of the Urbana- based company. "We still create unique, bold flavors that are user- friendly and can be used in many applications." In 2013, the company received a 40 percent, five-year tax credit from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. As part of that agreement, Robert Rothschild Farm will create as many as 25 new, fulltime jobs, and the company will remain in Champaign County for at least eight years. Though the business has grown well beyond its original borders, the farm purchased more than 40 years ago will be around for many years to come. 5 TOP-SELLING PRODUCTS Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip (pictured) Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce Onion Blossom Horseradish Dip Roasted Pineapple & Habanero Dip Hot Pepper Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Deborah Moss is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and Shape. SUMMER 2014 117 brandSpotlight_Summer14.indd 117 6/4/14 2:33 PM