Specialty Food Magazine

SPRING 2015

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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A Classic Favorite sof™ 2014 Gold Winner Booth 4315 800.372.6808 | Seattle, WA franschocolates.com Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 4315 "We feel good, obviously, that we're able to leave a lighter carbon footprint behind," Gellert says. "It has been a savings for us, and it's the right thing to do." Atalanta has weathered adversity, just like any other company. One of its most dra- matic tests was Hurricane Sandy in 2012. New Jersey was hit hard, including the Elizabeth complex, which was f looded. The company lost millions of dollars of product. Still, Gellert ref lects on the positive experi- ence that came of it. "The day after the storm the parking lot was filled with debris, and our employees were picking up the garbage," he recalls. "I realized [we were] surrounded by people who work really hard and love what they do. It brought the company together. We all struggled to get products out the door with no power, and everyone was going home to houses without heat. But we rallied, and it built our morale." Gellert and his team continue to evolve the company in myriad ways. They attend trade shows and go far afield to source new, compelling products. Food imports from Italy and Spain continue to dominate Atalanta's inventory, he notes, and there is no stopping the wide popularity of cheese. The company seeks out rising stars gaining trac- tion in the marketplace, such as Peru, a cur- rent frontrunner. Ancient grains, like quinoa, are huge sellers, as are Peru's unique chile peppers. The colorful Sweety Drop pepper, originally discovered growing in the Amazon rainforest, was a 2014 winner at the Food and Beverage Innovations Awards, presented by the National Restaurant Association. Atalanta's Pivetti Skura Nera Black Pizza Flour from Southern Italy's Puglia region was another FABI award winner last year, as well as a Specialty Food Association sofi Awards finalist. The slow-roasted f lour blend, which has an 18th century heritage, gives a distinctive, smoky f lavor and darker color to pizza, pasta, and bread. It All Comes Down to the Food Coping with shifts in consumer behavior and new technology, combined with energy and passion, illustrates what sets Atalanta apart. Thomas Gellert is on board not just because of his bloodline, but because he wants to be. "I was raised with a generation of people who are so passionate about food," Gellert says. He describes the company's philosophy for selecting products as "the who-what-when-where-why of food: Who made it? What's the impact it has on the environment and my body? What are the stories behind it?" he explains. "Being able to answer these questions is more important than ever to consumers." Julie Besonen is food editor for Paper magazine and a restaurant columnist for nycgo.com. Snowdonia Cheese Co.'s Red Storm, one of Atalanta's Welsh imports SPRING 2015 53

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