One of the largest specialty food shows returns this June. I speak of course of the show put on by the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA), which runs from June 5—7 in Atlanta, Georgia. Companies from far and wide are gearing up to attend, including Pine River. Known for its cheese spreads, Pine River has a host of new flavors and products to showcase.
I spoke with Brittany Requejo, Marketing Manager, to learn more.
“We have three new flavors, Cranberry Cheddar, Mango Habanero, and Pimento, all as part of our Cold Pack Cheese Spread line,” Brittany explained to me. “We began offering Cranberry Cheddar last year, and turned what is typically a seasonal item into a year-round offering. The Wisconsin combination of Cheddar and cranberries is making this spread a popular option for many retailers, both during the holiday season and outside of it.”
As Brittany noted, Pine River offers 19 Cold Pack flavors, and these three new flavors build upon years of expertise. With Mango Habanero joining the line in 2021 and receiving non-stop praise since, it is little wonder. The company’s Pimento has also seen a similar reaction from both buyers and shoppers.
“The Mango Habanero spread has a softer texture and brings together the sweetness of mango with the heat of habanero peppers for an addictive sweet and spicy snack combination,” she remarked. “We’ve seen demand for Mango Habanero steadily rise as consumers search for spicy cheese flavors.”
The Pimento Cheese Spread features real Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar shreds and, as Brittany told me, is a great spread for bagels or sandwiches.
In addition to the new flavors, Pine River will also be highlighting its Gourmet Snack Spread Shipper—an extension of the individual line.
“We reformulated the Gourmet Snack Spread in late 2019, so it would have a flavor and texture closer to our traditional refrigerated cold pack cheese food. This high-end, shelf-stable spread has a creamy, smooth, dippable texture and comes in nine robust flavors,” Brittany said. “We introduced the Shipper in fall of 2021. This pre-filled, 72-cup shipper features three of our shelf-stable flavors and is a great option for any retail location with limited refrigeration, in the produce section, chips and snacks, or the dairy aisle.”
The shipper is convenient for retailers due to the fact that it only needs to be set up, and then it’s ready for sales. An ideal option for cross-merchandising as well, it’s ready to be highlighted in the part of the store that will drive the most sales.
“Our customers appreciate our high-quality products made with the finest dairy ingredients,” Brittany emphasized. “They know our cheese spreads are going to have the same delicious taste in every single cup, every single time. They know they can talk to us if they have a problem. We’re a small company in that sense. We listen, and that’s how we find out how we can help them more. We are proud of our reputation of excellent customer service, fast shipping, and quality and consistency of our products, and we work hard every day to continue that for our customers.”
Be sure to stop by booth #2332 to find out more for yourself!
