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/328566
factory tour Japanese locals, the line is a diverse cross-section of the city itself. And what a line it is. Early morning wait times typically can be as short as 15 minutes, while peak times can bring the line out the door and down the block. "People wait in line 30, 40 minutes—an hour," Viteri says in amazement. "They bring a book and read in line and wait." Fish Fridays have been a beloved local attraction for over a decade. Many see it as a hidden gem, Viteri says, which adds to its appeal—a secret only a select few have discovered. For the company, the benefit is a supportive and loyal community, and an opportunity to give back. "That's one of the things that we try to keep alive, that engagement with community," he says. "That we're not just here producing product." Foodservice and Retail Acme works just as feverishly to win the hearts of food industry leaders, which make up about half of the company's customer base. The company supplies restaurants, caterers, delis, and appetizing stores around the city, as well as the occasional celebrity chef (Food Network host Aaron Sanchez has been known to drop in). Costco and Whole Foods Market are among those selling Acme smoked fish products; Barney Greengrass and David Burke restaurants, among others, serve them up. In a particularly unique relationship, specialty retailer Zabar's doesn't just buy Acme products; until recently, the eldest Zabar, Saul, an octogenarian, still hand-picked his selections. (An assistant has taken over those duties.) "He [would come] every Wednesday and spend a couple of hours looking at every fish that his store is going to buy," Viteri says. The company doesn't stop at products for industry buyers. Educational offerings are available for business customers. "They get special access to get additional resources," Viteri notes. These include seminars, instructional videos, and guides covering topics as broad as production and as particular as slicing and deboning. Continued Evolution With smoked fish a flourishing category, Acme is on track to con- tinue its growth. A new production facility is in the works in North Carolina, with plans to make it a state-of-the-art smokehouse. With an opening scheduled for the end of 2014, it's been a company-wide effort years in the making. "Every year we've had times where we actually have sat with engineers and architects [planning] this dream factory," Viteri says. Aside from increasing overall production, the new factory will allow the Gem Street space to hand off some processes. With the extra space, the company is considering turning the Fish Friday concept into a full retail storefront, though concrete plans are still a few years out. One thing is certain: Acme's future is looking bright. "A good majority of our growth is coming from just pure demand," Viteri says. "People are just buying more." Eva Meszaros is managing editor of Specialty Food Magazine. THE ACME FAMILY L ook no further for all your smoked seafood needs, as loyal customers across New York City's retail and foodservice landscape will attest. More than 300 SKUs span five categories: smoked salmon, specialty smoked fish, herring, salads, and other specialties (such as the salmon- crepe collaborations with fellow Brooklyn producer Crepini). Some 85 to 90 percent of product is Atlantic salmon, sourced from Chile and Norway, says Gabriel Viteri, vice president of strategy and business development; all wild species, such as coho and sockeye, come from Alaska. Smoked salmon breaks down further into cold-smoked and hot-smoked. "Cold-smoked salmon happens to be growing at a faster rate than most other categories of fish that we smoke," Viteri notes. Four brands make up the Acme line: the namesake Acme, which Viteri calls "the most diverse"; all-natural and preservative-free Blue Hill Bay; innovation– and millennial-focused Ruby Bay; and Great American, a foodservice line exclusive to Florida, where the company has a separate production facility in Pompano Beach. Traditional packaged smoked salmon is the clear top seller, across all sizes, from 3 to 16 ounces. In its first major rebranding effort, completed two years ago, Acme reinforced its Brooklyn roots and its authority as a leader of smoked fish. The initiative resulted in new packaging for every product and a redesigned website with a distinct emphasis on education and accessibility, featuring recipes, videos, and a seemingly endless resource for all things smoked fish. "We're starting to see the effects and results of those changes," Viteri says. PHOTO: ACME SMOKED FISH COMPANY 132 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com factoryTour_Summer14.indd 132 6/4/14 2:46 PM