The holidays are fast approaching, and creative gifts are always in need. What better gift to give other than a charcuterie board? The makers of Columbus® Craft Meats, one of the fastest-growing deli brands in the United States, announced the launch of three new items designed as premium charcuterie gift options: Charcuterie 101 Collection, Charcuterie Entertaining Collection, and Felino Gold.
“Columbus’ charcuterie boxes make the ideal holiday gift because they’re a fresh take on the classic food basket,” said Evan Inada, Charcuterie/Partnerships Director at Columbus Craft Meats. “There is a consistent desire for gift baskets every year, and this one has a distinct ‘wow’ factor upon arrival and unboxing. Especially now, due to COVID-19 and social distancing, gatherings during the holiday season may look different. This is a perfect answer.”
Each is convenient to give and tempting to purchase for oneself. Charcuterie boxes make excellent corporate holiday gifts for employees and clients and will be shipped directly to recipients. According to the release, research shows many gift box purchasers opt to keep them for themselves or share them with friends. Approximately 52 million people bought a gift basket in the United States last year and 16 percent of the population bought a gift basket online as a holiday gift. Christmas is the dominant holiday for online gift basket purchases, in terms of penetration and spend.
All gift components were selected after careful review and product testing, and Columbus chose California local accompaniments for its charcuterie when possible.
“Everyone loves charcuterie—even people who haven't had it yet,” said Inada. “That ‘wow’ factor you get after you make a board is special. We can make anybody a charcuterie pro. They just need to know which items to put next to each other and once they have the directions, they can go from there. One of the benefits of giving this as a gift is saving that person the time and effort it takes to select everything on their own.”
Included in the box is a “how-to” guide, which offers practical tips for future use to help recipients assemble the perfect board. The guide takes the recipient through step-by-step instructions to create their board, breaking down the perfect bites, particularly the meat and cheese pairings.
In order to experience the world of charcuterie, Charcuterie 101 Collection has flavor combinations highlighting sweet and bold pairings that complement its slow aged, artisan salami flavor. A wooden charcuterie board in cherry and a cheese knife complete the starter kit. The Entertaining Collection satisfies a grazing table get-together or multiple family charcuterie nights. The collection of bold, spicy, rustic, and sweet pairings of artisan salami, cheese, crackers, and more make it possible to explore or entertain with charcuterie.
Felino Gold is a premium option in a class of its own. Lauded as the “King of Salami,” the Columbus® Felino follows the famous recipe originating from its namesake in western Parma, Italy. The 2.5-pound Felino Gold arrives beautifully presented in a wooden box, perfect for gift giving.
“This is the most exclusive of the salami world right here,” Inada said. “We put it in a box of its own because it is special enough to be presented like you would a single, high-end bottle of wine. This is what makes salumi exciting—very rarely do you see a food trend where quality is driving it.”
Charcuterie 101 Collection retails for $109.99, Entertaining Collection retails for $159.99, and Felino Gold is $89.99.
Perishable items are kept cold during delivery and each accompaniment is wrapped distinctly in order to maintain its freshness and optimum temperature. The boxes have limited availability due to the select nature of craft salumi and are not available in stores.
For the latest in the charcuterie realm as well as the specialty, dairy, and deli sectors in the industry, keep checking back to Deli Market News.