Specialty Food Magazine

WINTER 2018

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/912382

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 74 of 139

Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 3124 That may be the company they believe is making the finest jarred olives, or the indi- vidual producing top-notch artisanal soap. And it's working: The original store opened in Bernal Heights in early 2015 and the pair launched the second store in the Cow Hollow/ Marina area last March. Both are doing well. Pond and McDell take a holistic approach to the products they sell, but first and foremost any product must be of very high quality. Consumers use Epicurean Trader in two ways: Either for a regular shop or to pick up some ingredients for a special evening. "What we've found interesting is some people come in and appreciate quality," says Pond. "Other people might not have much money but there are certain things they care about—maybe tea, or grains, or chocolate. The customer is a farmers market-type person who wants to discover something new." Big sellers are cheese; wine and spirits; and bread from the famed Tartine Bakery, and ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery. At 1,200 square feet apiece, the Epicurean Trader stores are "big enough to fit the categories we focus on, but not so big that everything gets lost. It forces us to be curated," Pond says. And the store is not linear like a traditional supermarket, but merchandised more like a market, with samplings happening regularly throughout the space. "We wanted them to be something special. The music, the lighting, the f low of the stores is all different," Pond explains. "And we try to be as helpful as we can. There's a posi- tive energy and a bit of a buzz and a lot of engagement between customers and staff."—A.B. "We try to be as helpful as we can. There's a positive energy and a bit of a buzz and a lot of engagement between customers and staff." PHOTO: EPICUREAN TRADER 72 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Specialty Food Magazine - WINTER 2018