ATLANTA — COVID forced Americans to bring the restaurant experience home. Many found their inner cooks, discovering that they could do gourmet in their own kitchens — for a fraction of the real restaurant price.
Why did IDDBA decide to do charcuterie certification at this year’s show?
Providing industry education to our member companies is part of IDDBA’s daily work. Our What’s In Store annual trends reporting and our Webinar series define future consumer trends that stimulate business growth and a competitive edge for our member companies.
With the move towards more prepackaged items has come an increase in the use of merchandisers tailored for them, said Marjorie Proctor, senior design and marketing specialist for Conyers, Ga.-based Dover Food Retail/Hillphoenix.
The instore deli was one of the grocery departments hit hardest by COVID. Hot bars, salad bars and other deli staples were either scaled back sharply or shut down entirely due to food safety concerns — whether, hindsight being 20/20, it was warranted or not.
The older we get, the faster time goes. When I’m trying to guess how long it’s been since this or that happened, I make my estimate, then double it. Even then, I often miss the mark on the short end.