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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Visit us at Booth #2835 at the Jan uar y 15-17, Winter F anc 2012 y F ood Sho w old sugar subsidy and import quotas. Ellek points out that the subsidies keep domestic sugar prices artificially higher than world prices. Candy manufacturers are lobbying on Capitol Hill, "but we don't have deep pockets like sugar growers," notes Ellek. The coalition has found a friend in Senator Dick Lugar (R-Indiana), who is proposing— as part of the Free Sugar Act of 2011—to eliminate the federally mandated program, claiming it would free small businesses and consumers from paying government- inflated prices. Candy retailer and supplier concerns. Ingredient costs and shortages top the list of concerns in the supply chain. "Prices of ingredients are going up every five minutes," says Liz Gutman of Liddabit Sweets. "The crazy weather we've been having has meant that every crop imaginable has been com- promised, including peanuts, so the price of peanut butter is going up 20 to 40 percent." Gutman adds that climate change has become a problem in another way. Preservative-free, artisan candy doesn't always travel well. "It's more of a nightmare to ship in the summer with the extreme heat," she explains. "Ice packs cost money. Even in October it was 97 degrees in Los Angeles, and you want your chocolate to arrive at the store looking the same way you made it." LOOKING AHEAD Even in the face of these challenges, sweet treats have a strong future. "If there was a stock to invest in called confectionery, I'd sign up for it," Ellek says. "Despite every- thing happening in the economy, we've seen an increase of two to five percent every year since the turn of the last century. It's still an affordable luxury and I would call it a stable growth industry," she continues. "I don't think there's ever going to be a time in the next decade that people will phase out treat- ing themselves to a taste of happiness." Castle Importing is an Italian family business which started over 20 years ago by processing hard Italian cheeses. With their 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, Castle Importing has expanded to include other cheeses that can be processed into an infinite variety of packaging options, including sizes and private labeling for retail as well as wholesale use. Castle Importing also imports a wide assortment of olive oils and other fine Italian products. Please call or stop by today to discuss your needs with a sales representative. Castle Importing, Inc. x 866.720.9886 x castleimporting.com Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 2835 "Confections are still an affordable luxury and I would call it a stable growth industry. I don't think there's ever going to be a time in the next ten years that people will phase out treating themselves to a taste of happiness."