Day in and day out, our editorial team witnesses a host of amazing innovations rising through the ranks of specialty, regional, national, and international brands everywhere. With a discerning eye and an ever-growing awareness of consumers' changing buying behaviors, we bring you the flavors and products that pique the interest of the buy-side and shopping basket each month.
As we wrap up July, here are some of the amazing items that have crossed our desks and become a highlight of our writing. Enjoy, my friends!
Carr Valley Cheese Snow White Goat Cheddar
If the product name alone does not spark some intrigue and inquisitiveness, then I hope this description does! Bandage-wrapped and naturally cave-aged, Carr Valley Cheese’s Snow White Goat Cheddar gives consumers a touch of tanginess, complimented by smooth earthy notes. Winning a host of awards and offering a complexity that its simple appearance may counter, this product went to the top of my list of cheese innovations to swoon for.
Presenting a Spanish-inspired Mediterranean blend, Spiceology’s Tomatador debut has me eyeing the produce, meat, and deli departments. Inspired and delighted by experimental ideas, this global flavor powerhouse crosses demographics and mealtimes. Featuring ingredients like real tomato powder, smoky paprika, a zing of vinegar, and balanced herbs, consumers can cast a wide net over a variety of possibilities and basket-building options this summer and into the fall.
A nod to the relationship the SPAM® brand has with Korean food culture and the ongoing celebration of global tastes, this new concoction has fans everywhere excited about the possibilities of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Flavored with gochujang paste, a Korean fermented red chili paste known for its spicy and slightly sweet quality, a blend of soy sauce, sesame, garlic, ginger, and paprika—I find myself nostalgic for SPAM musubi while relishing in the Korean BBQ flavors I have come to love.
Saputo USA's Montchevre Hot Honey Goat Cheese
Hot, creamy, and slightly sweet? Perfection. Combined with cheese? Monumental. A recent collaboration between Mike’s Hot Honey® and Saputo’s Montchevre brand has created this exciting introduction that has heads spinning on trade show floors and in kitchens everywhere. The cool, tanginess of goat cheese is, in its own right, an amazing companion to have on any cheese board, salad, or burger. Combined with hot honey, it's a complex flavor phenomenon that the product name itself can surely sell.
Margherita® New All-Natural Charcuterie Cuts line
It is hard to pass by a perfectly curated specialty charcuterie section without doing a double-take and potentially making a purchase. With the new Margherita® expanded dry sausage selection, an All-Natural Charcuterie Cuts line is proving to be a showstopper. Made with high-quality ingredients and authentic Italian spices, these dry sausage slices offer the perfect premium snacking spread. Three varieties will be sure to whet one’s palate, offering Uncured Italian Dry Salami, Uncured Pepperoni, and Uncured Genoa Salami, with a savory duo pack of Uncured Pepperoni and Uncured Genoa Salami. Crafted with 100 percent all-natural ingredients, this display has just turned into a destination.
Thank you to all the companies and teams out there innovating on the plate, in the deli department, and for the future of delicious food. We tip our caps to you all!
