Specialty Food Magazine

Summer 2016

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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YUMMYSQUISHYFRESH All natural marshmallows and s'mores kits marshmallows www.threetarts.com For more information please contact erika@threetarts.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 4751 Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 4163 producer profile The couple, who married and had two children, faced struggles with every step, such as increased demand "with no way of getting it to customers," Jeremy says. "We were too small for distributors and yet shipping was too expensive." Jeremy's taste buds became so attuned to freshness that she dis- covered the salsa she originally wanted to market from the Mission District taqueria wasn't so great after all. "I went back there and had my favorite green salsa and ours was so superior," she says. "I used to think it was amazing when I had it at 3 a.m., but ours didn't have Lawry's seasoning in it." At night she did the books and invoicing and became an expert at pricing and margins. "You have to know your business inside out," she says. "If you don't, you're vulnerable." As Native Kjalii Foods grew and the couple improved their production practices and distribution options, they were able to solve some of the earlier challenges. Their marriage ultimately foundered, however. Her ex- husband died in 2008. Building the Business Jeremy's culinary expertise and grasp of how to successfully run a business enabled her to soldier on in spite of personal and profes- sional challenges. She continues to buy the freshest produce possible and play in her home kitchen with different fruit and vegetable combinations. "At the beginning, I don't look at cost," she says of her development process. "I'll do a test batch and give samples out to buyers and retailers and see if they can see it on the shelf. Then I think, 'How can I make it simpler?' I've had a lot of ideas that have been scrapped because they won't work in retail." What has worked very well in the marketplace is Native Kjalii Foods Fire-Roasted Green Salsa made with tomatillos and avocado. Flavors like Roasted Mango Peach, Cucumber Salsa Fresca, and Citrus Papaya Chipotle Salsa have also taken off. The salsas are sold in more than 600 outlets nationwide. "People want to know what to do with it. How many recipes can I make with this?" To that end, the company's website ofers ideas, such as grilled fsh brochettes with roasted green salsa, crab quesadillas with papaya mango salsa, and chicken enchiladas with roasted red mole sauce. 104 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com

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