I’m not lying when I say that selecting this month’s picks was one of the hardest rounds yet. A month chock-full of product launches in several categories, September was a dream come true for this trade news writer. With summer days behind us and colder weather on the horizon, these are just a few of the items that will be making it into my shopping cart.
Finlandia Imported Spreadable Cheese with Chanterelle Mushrooms
Cheese + mushrooms is an equation that always makes sense to me. Put a specialty spin on that combo and you will have my ticket every time. Hence, why I was enamored with Valio USA’s recent Finlandia launch. The Imported Spreadable Cheese with Chanterelle Mushrooms in particular caught my eye. I can imagine slathering my favorite cracker with the cheese and voilà—girl dinner! Hopefully I will see this product on your shelves very soon.
Conservas Portomar Smoked Mussels in Olive Oil
Atalanta brand DeMedici has added a few new offerings to its portfolio that I am dying to get onto my charcuterie board. I feel partial toward the Conservas Portomar Smoked Mussels in Olive Oil, which would pair perfectly with an aged Gouda or Parmigiano Reggiano. I am a big fan of serving up unexpected accouterments, and I can guarantee this specialty delight would have guests asking where they can get more.
Shaft’s Cheese & Co. Limited Release Velvet Blue
When I saw Marketing Director Andrea Whitfield last month, she teased that we would soon be hearing about a new launch from Shaft’s Cheese & Co. Well, I can now say that it was worth the wait! The Limited Release Velvet Blue is aged three years, described as velvety smooth and bold with a hint of sweetness. Sorry, Andrea, but I will need to come back to your facility so I can get a taste.
This Little Goat Ranch Chili Crunch
This collaboration with Hidden Valley Ranch® has me so excited! I met the folks at This Little Goat during the Summer Fancy Food Show, and their Chili Crunch was everything I never knew I needed. So, you can imagine my delight when I heard the company was doing a brand collaboration to launch the new Ranch Chili Crunch. The possibilities are endless with this incredible flavor mashup.
Animal welfare is extremely important to me, and I applaud Volpi Foods for upholding its Raised Responsibly™ standards. Like all of the supplier’s products, its new Salami Stix meet that requirement, giving shoppers one more reason to take it home with them. The spicy version is particularly intriguing, since that is an opportunistic flavor trend on the rise in the meat category. Keep an eye on Volpi, folks!
Now that I am sufficiently starving and ready to get my hands on these drool-worthy products, let me leave you with this: Add any one of these SKUs to your shelves and watch as the foot traffic follows.
