Gourmet News

US Foods Opening 3 CHEF’STORE Locations This Fall

Published May 17, 2023

US Foods Holding Corp. will open US Foods CHEF’STORE locations in Roanoke, Va., Greenville, N.C., and Fayetteville, N.C. All three locations are expected to open in late fall 2023. Known for outstanding service, convenience and a large selection of competitively priced restaurant-quality products and supplies, CHEF’STORE offers a one-stop-shop for restaurant operators, food industry professionals, community groups and at-home chefs to quickly stock up or replenish ingredients and supplies by the case and in individual quantities.

The upcoming warehouse format stores will range between 20,000 and 23,500 square feet and will offer a wide assortment of products, from fresh produce, meat, dairy, and beverages to restaurant equipment, catering essentials, janitorial supplies and other restaurant essentials. CHEF’STORE is open to the public seven days a week and no membership is required.

“As part of the US Foods omni-channel strategy to provide enhanced delivery and retail options to foodservice operators, we are excited to continue to grow the CHEF’STORE footprint,” said Irfan Badibanga, president of CHEF’STORE. “Our CHEF’STORE locations provide an unmatched solution for restauranters, smaller foodservice operators and price-conscious community members to get the products they need when they need it, and we look forward to serving new and existing customers.”

The Greenville and Fayetteville stores will join two existing CHEF’STORE locations in North Carolina. The Greenville store will be located at 901 Mall Drive, and the Fayetteville store is located at 505 Cross Creek Mall. The Roanoke store will be the second CHEF’STORE location in the state of Virginia, joining the existing location in Lynchburg. The Roanoke store will be located at 1372 Towne Square Blvd.

Since acquiring Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores in April 2020, US Foods has continued to strategically expand its cash and carry market footprint. With the addition of the three new locations, US Foods will have a robust network of more than 90 CHEF’STORE location across 13 states.

To learn more about CHEF’STORE, visit CHEFSTORE.com.

CHEF’STORE offers a customer-centric, warehouse-format shopping experience for wholesale food and restaurant supplies at competitive prices. Designed as a one-stop-shop for restaurant operators and foodservice professionals, CHEF’STORE is also an option for non-profit organizations and the public, and no membership is required. CHEF’STORE locations feature an assortment of thousands of food products including fresh meat, produce, dairy, and deli items. Customers will also be able to shop for grocery products, beverages, catering essentials, janitorial supplies, and other restaurant essentials. CHEF’STORE is owned by US Foods and offers more than 85 locations nationwide across 13 states. Visit CHEFSTORE.com to learn more.

With a promise to help its customers Make It, US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With 70 broadline locations and more than 85 cash and carry stores, US Foods and its 29,000 associates provides its customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. US Foods is headquartered in Rosemont, Ill. Visit www.usfoods.com to learn more.

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Kelley’s Gourmet Mustard Named Grand Champion

Published May 16, 2023

Kevin Kelley’s late father, Howard, must be proud. Howard had started a successful catering business in the 1960s and Kevin learned that his customers loved his mustard. Kevin heard about the Mustard Competition in 2012 and entered his Kelley’s Gourmet stone ground blend in 2012 and every year since. He has won several medals over the years in the Deli Category and this year was crowned Grand Champion. It is pure magic on a corned beef or pastrami sandwich.

More than 250 mustards from around the world entered this year’s competition, held under thell direction of Barry Levenson, curator and founder of the nonprofit National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis. Judges tasted mustards from as far away as Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, France, Japan, and Sweden.

The National Mustard Museum, home of the world’s largest collection of mustards and mustard memorabilia, has coordinated this annual blind tasting since 1995. This year, more than 40 judges from around the country sampled mustards in 19 categories: sweet-hot, mild, honey, classic Dijon, whole grain, whole seed, classic hot, pepper medium, pepper hot, horseradish-wasabi, herb-veggie, garlic, fruit, mostardas, spirit, American yellow, deli, exotic, and mustard-based BBQ sauces.

For the second year in a row, Plochman’s, the venerable mustard company in Manteno, Ill., captured four Gold Medals, while Beaverton Foods, from Beaverton, Ore., won eight medals, including three Golds.

Perhaps this year’s biggest surprise was the Australian company MasterFoods, winning the Gold in the Classic American Yellow category.

The National Mustard Museum will display the winning mustards in a Salute to the Winners on Memorial Day weekend (May 27-29). The museum will host its 33rd annual International Mustard Day on Saturday, Aug. 5.

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Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil Wins sofi Gold Product Award

Published May 16, 2023

Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil has been named the 2023 sofi Gold Product Award Winner in the Seafood category. The Specialty Food Association’s sofi Awards, which have been bestowed annually since 1972, are a top honor in the $175 billion specialty food industry.

The 2023 sofi Awards recognized a Gold Winner and a New Product Winner in each of 53 specialty food and beverage product categories. Nearly 2,000 products from domestic and international makers entered the 2023 competition.

“We are honored that our Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil has won a sofi Gold Product Award,” says Gisele Oriot, founder of The French Farm. “Our supplier, Groix & Nature, creates the best possible product for our customers, and this Award is one of the ultimate stamps of approval.”

Groix & Nature Sardines in Lobster Oil can be found at www.wholesale.thefrenchfarm.com.

Groix & N ature Sardines inL obster Oil will now compete against other category winners for the 2023 sofi Gold Product of the Year Award, which will be selected and announced at the Summer Fancy Food Show, June 25-27 in New York City. The Summer Fancy Food Show is the largest B2B-only specialty food industry event in North America.

“The sofi™ Awards recognize the best, most innovative products in the Specialty Food Industry and the creative, passionate people who make them,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Winning a sofi Award can open doors to new markets and expanded business opportunities for the winners, which is central to the SFA’s work on behalf of its member makers and manufacturers.”

The sofi Awards competition is open to product-qualified SFA members in good standing. Gold and New Award Winners in each category are featured in the sofi Spotlight Pavilion at the Summer and Winter Fancy Food Shows. Winning a sofi Award creates added exposure for products with food buyers from top names in supermarkets, specialty retailers, food service, distributors, and the media.

SFA partners with Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton, NJ for sofi Awards judging and logistics management. Entries were judged strictly on a blind basis—without packaging, pricing, or any brand identification. Products were judged on taste—including flavor, appearance, texture, and aroma—ingredient quality, and innovation.

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