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/480793
Understanding the Local and Craft Connection When it comes to beverages, local doesn't get much closer than a food retailer's parking lot. "Last summer, we set up a tent, had a barbecue, and brewed our own beer in the parking lot," relates Peter Boutsikakis, co-owner of Riverside Foods in Chicago. The beer was a barrel-aged porter, using cacao nibs from a chocolatier in town and aged in a whiskey barrel from a local craft distiller. "People loved the event, seeing the brewing process first-hand," says the third-generation grocer. The supermarket made its brew available for sampling at a Christmas event in the neighborhood. An independent store located off of a main street, it had to differentiate to attract shoppers, Boutsikakis says. "Craft beer and spirits have become a niche for us, made us a destination." For many consumers, craft is synonymous with local. "Local means people can visit the distillery, taste the products, and buy a bottle," says Pennfield Jensen, executive director for the American Craft Spirits Association in Bloomington, Ind. In fact, three-quarters of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery, according to the Brewers Association, which represents and supports craft beer businesses throughout the U.S. "There is a sense of connectedness by location to the brewery and its story. They often live in the same town, know the brewers," says Thomas H. Shellhammer, Ph.D., pro- fessor of fermentation science at Oregon State University, Corvallis, and president of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. While the artisanal spirits movement is about 20 years behind craft beer, both are driving sales with complex flavors, compelling stories, an d a strong appeal for millennials. BY THOMAS HENRY STRENK On the L ocal, craft, artisanal, and grain to glass. These are buzzwords that resonate with today's consumers. But how we define these qualities and identify growth drivers is up for debate, as is fore- casting their future success. A little background and a few strategies can mean a steady profit at retail and behind the bar. TRACK CRAFT PHOTOS (OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): COLIN BECKETT; BROOKLYN BREWERY; SOUTH WATER KITCHEN; RIVERSIDE FOODS. SPRING 2015 21