Specialty Vinegars Come of Age in the U.S.

American chefs and consumers are discovering that vinegar, a relatively inexpensive product, can lend enormous flavor to foods and transform simple dishes into more complex ones, according to Gourmet Retailer. Vinegars also offer a flavorful alternative to fat for health-conscious consumers.

The vinegar renaissance is partially due to a resurgence of artisan manufacturers of a broad spectrum of vinegar styles, from balsamic and sherry to champagne and cider, both here and abroad says the trade publication, a property of VNU.

The article recommends that tasting should be the first step toward building a vinegar category, followed by recipes and suggested usage to hint at how customers might use more than one type of vinegar. Simply showing them how different they are isn’t enough.

Other aspects of vinegar use can be highlighted in signage and other promotions
in the store. For example, the convenience vinegars provide is a key selling
point. For those who enjoy cooking with wine flavors, vinegars are much easier
to store. Several types of vinegars can be open at once for convenience in cooking,
whereas that much wine would spoil. And, last but not least, vinegars offer
a flavorful alternative to fat for health-conscious consumers.

Moderator Comment: What lessons can grocery stores
learn from gourmet food stores?

Walk into Zabar’s, Dean and DeLuca, etc. and you know
that the people who run these stores love food.

Walk into a supermarket and you know that the people
who run these stores know how to stack boxes, bags and cans. [George
Anderson – Moderator
]

BrainTrust

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