"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

Welcome to the first issue of Food Entrepreneur eZine. This and future issues will be the work of Specialty Food Resource.com LLC, and will showcase topics that address YOUR needs, wants, and experiences in specialty food processing and marketing.

Our Vision: Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE) is THE place for you to go for answers about food entrepreneurship. We will have guest advisors, key links, and experts in specialty food marketing with whom you can communicate your interests and concerns about your favorite topic.

In this issue:

1. "To Blog, or Not to Blog?." An article by Rita Wilhelm,
President, SnapMonkey, Inc.

2. "New arrival." Our industry is once again to be graced with the product of someone famous. In this case, we understand that Aerosmith founding member Joe Perry will be introducing his "Rock Your World Boneyard Brew" and "Rock Your World Mango- Peach Tango" hot sauces. We wish him well and Great Profits, yet his success will go against the trend. Very few products associated with famous persons have truly made in mainstream. Notable among these are those produced by Paul Newman (and, lately, Emeril Lagasse).
3. "Yes, it looks good, but what is it?" - Clarifying your packaging and labeling impression, by specialty food consultant Ron Cardoos.
4. "The Wonder of it all, or why one more extra virgin olive oil?"- You will need more than an Outstanding Product Award to succeed in specialty food marketing - by specialty food marketing consultant Stephen Hall.

FE is here to help you learn to effectively differentiate your product line and to clarify your products' benefits to your customers. You can help us achieve this goal.

We invite and welcome your comments. The industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Let's work together to learn ways of succeeding in specialty food marketing. Stay tuned.

Wishing you great profits!

Steve

Stephen F. Hall
Author, "From Kitchen to Market"
Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine

"Yes, it looks good. What is it?"

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

We need your help!

Specialty Food Resource at your fingertips

The Wonder of It All or Why One More Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

By Ronald Cardoos

About thirty years ago, when I first started in the specialty food business, I had a discussion about the aesthetic qualities of an outdoor store sign that was being installed. I was thinking color, the styling, thickness of border, etc. The sign guy looked at me and said, "All that really counts is- Can you read it from the street?" Of course, I did not agree with him until I drove home that evening looking at store signs and realized that about a quarter of signs I looked at could not be read from the street. That early lesson has made an important impact on my buying choices over the years.

As a buyer or an advisor to buyers of specialty foods, I am constantly looking for products that will sell well. Often a potential item may be delicious, but I would not purchase it for one important reason: it was not clear what was in the package. When we, as buyers, look at a potential new product, it is often on a table sitting in front of us or in our hands. In an actual shopping experience, the customer is most often moving, so what is inside the package has to be made clear in a matter of seconds. I routinely reject products if customers need a minute or more trying to read the label. You may not desire the look of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup label, but you can certainly read it from five feet away and know exactly what is in the can.

The biggest culprit is the ego of the manufacturer who is in love with his or her logo and makes it more than 50% of the label. I've seen logos that were almost 80% of the label. I am sure you have also. Sometimes the label is designed on a computer screen with disregard for the curvature of the jar or bottle and important information is located off to the side instead of front and center. Often, the flavor profile is bold but the product identity is unclear. Is it a sauce, a marinade, a what? If you want retailers and consumers to buy your product, make sure everyone knows what you are selling.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Tell the customer clearly what's inside.
2. If it is important, tell us. Is it All Natural? Smoked over Hickory Wood? Hand-Picked in Tuscany? Aged for Six Months?.
3. Use easy-to-read type styles. Once you decide on a design, put the label on the object, put the object on a shelf and look at it from three or four feet away. Can you read it now? You cannot make important decisions about labeling looking at a PDF file on a computer screen.
4. Good luck! While you are workiing on your "special" project, someone else is doing the same thing in another part of the country.

Ronald Cardoos is president of Green Harbor Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm to the specialty food trade located in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He can be reached at greenharbor@adelphia.net