In this issue

Discussion Forum Topic - "How to Apply Strategic Thinking to Business Planning"

Notes and Comment - Alaska Workshop; FE Contributors; Future Issues

All About Food Labels - Allergen Warning and Trans Fat Still Puzzles

Specialty Food Resources - Go to Resources and Select "State Resources"

Internet Sales: An Example of a Specialty Food Online Shopping Site

Specialty Food Entrepreneur Mini-Case Study - The Salsa King

Our latest mini-survey - Do you have product liability insurance?

Discussion Forum Topic - "How to Apply Strategic Thinking to Business Planning"

Here's what is happening on our Discussion Forum:

The March issue of FE included a link to a business planning template. More than 35% of all readers of that issue clicked through to the template. This suggests a possible interest in more discussion about business planning. Since strategic thinking is a critical aspect of business planning, I have included a very helpful strategic planning tool from Haines Center for Strategic Management. I invite you to have a look at it on our Discussion Forum.

Feel free to add your comments.

.

Make your discussion forum your first point of contact for any question you may have about specialty food marketing.

Dear _________,

Welcome to Food Entrepreneur eZine (FE).

FE maintains that if you are still in business after seven years, and if you have a pulse, then you are probably successful.

Would you like to be an FE contributor? Topics are welcomed that impact almost any aspect of specialty food marketing. We will be happy to help.

We invite and welcome your comments. 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

·  Notes and Comment - Alaska Workshop; FE Contributors; Future Issues

1. Our next workshop: Alaska Specialty Food Marketing Workshop. Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska, Fairbanks,4-5 May 2007

POC: Ms. Coral C. Howe, Small Business Development Coordinator, Cooperative Extension Service

(907)474-1512 phone, (907)474-6885 fax, Coral.howe@uaf.edu

2. Please take our mini-surveys and submit questions for future surveys and articles for publication in of FE

3. Complete Listing of FE Contributors.

4. Future Issues of Food Entrepreneur eZine:

- More on product pricing.

- The "State of State Specialty Food Associations."

- "Minority Certified." Many so-designated firms can get an edge. What does this mean to you? More later...(if I can ever get callbacks)

- Office Management -Products, software and service requirements.

- And ideas that you suggest.

Email steve@specialtyfoodresource.com to let us know what other areas you would like to have addressed.

·  All About Food Labels - Allergen Warning and Trans Fat Still Puzzles

Wise Counsel From "Food Label News"

Food Consulting Company's Karen Duester includes the following topics in the latest edition of Food Label News:

· Reader Q&A: Allergen Warning: "Is it acceptable to have the Allergen Warning on one side of the main label panel and the ingredient/nutritional information on the other side?"

· FDA 2007 Plans for Food Labels

· Nutrition Labels Expert Speaks to Restaurant Group

· Trans Fat on Nutrition Labels Still Puzzles

· Service Tip: Full Label Compliance

Readers of Food Label News can submit their food label questions free of charge for possible publication in the Q&A Section of Food Label News.

Here is the latest issue of Food Label News.

·  Specialty Food Resources - Go to Resources and Select "State Resources"

Good news: Your specialtyfoodresource.com site now has a SEARCH feature. You may now go right to the "find" section and look for information on our entire site. Feel free to let me know if you see anything that needs changing.

Visit your free resource center

·  Internet Sales: An Example of a Specialty Food Online Shopping Site

Here is the new site for The Pen and The Pear.

Can you learn anything from it?

·  Specialty Food Entrepreneur Mini-Case Study - The Salsa King

Salsa King and Queen Roy and Lorena Marshall share their experiences and thoughts on various aspects of specialty food marketing.

1. What is (was) your vision for the Salsa King (your "history of the future," that place in, say, 2017 where you would want it to be)?

2. How do you define success?

3. Since you seem to be successful, how long did it take?

4. How much did it cost?

5. Can you offer any advice or counsel to the new-to- market specialty food firms?

Here are their replies.

·  Our latest mini-survey - Do you have product liability insurance?

Please Take Our Mini Surveys - And go to the survey site to see the results.

·  The 4th Edition of "From Kitchen to Market" is Classic!

·  Build and Manage Your Own Website!