Gourmet News

James Beard Foundation Holds Chef Action Summit

Published December 20, 2022

Over three days from Jan. 29-31, some of the nation’s best chefs, advocates, and leaders—many of whom are alumni of the James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change—will come together in Houston for the Foundation’s preeminent Chef Action Summit. In support of the people behind America’s food culture, as well as a thriving, more equitable and sustainable food system—this is only the second time the James Beard Foundation has held a summit of this magnitude.

The James Beard Foundation, in partnership with Houston First Corporation, will host the pivotal event—resulting in a set of chef-driven policy recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of food and agriculture policy that Congress passes about every five years. The bill has considerable ramifications for national food security and access, the environment, and support for farmers and rural America. Following the event, the recommendations will be shared with policymakers responsible for drafting the 2023 Farm Bill.

Summit participants will also influence the development of blueprints for local and state-based action, as it relates to America’s food and agriculture system. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to hear and engage with influential leaders from the policy, culinary, nonprofit, and corporate industries to address key issues such as:
● Nutrition Security and Hunger
● Conservation and Sustainability
● Improving Equity in the Industry

Featured speakers—with more to be announced soon—include:
● Anne Biklé, Biologist, science writer, and co-author, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations; The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health; and Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life
● Joel Berg, CEO, Hunger Free America
● Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
● Lisa Helfman, CEO, senior director, public affairs, H-E-B, and Founder and board chair, Brighter Bites
● Adrian Lipscombe, founder, 40 Acres Project
● Michel Nischan, co-founder and chairman, Wholesome Wave and founder and president, Wholesome Crave
● Karen Washington, farmer, activist, and co-owner, Rise&Root Farm

“Across our food system—from nutrition to hunger, conservation and agriculture, worker or supply chain issues—the stakes have never been higher. The James Beard Foundation is honored to bring together chef advocates, policy and industry leaders, and key stakeholders for critical dialogue and commitment pertaining to some of this country’s most pressing food issues,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of The James Beard Foundation.

“Chefs—with their unique ability to influence the way we think about and consume food, and as pragmatic problem solvers—have proven time and again that they are the critical champions we need for our communities and broader food system. The Foundation, through initiatives like the Chef Action Summit, is committed to ensuring they have the tools and training needed to drive change. We thank Houston First for being an incredible host and partner and look forward to presenting our policy recommendations in support of a more sustainable, equitable and thriving food system in early spring.”

The second JBF Chef Action Summit will take place at three distinct Houston institutions: The University of Houston Hilton Hotel and Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality, POST Houston, as well as The Power Center Houston.

The Summit, taking place just off the heels of the 10 year anniversary of the Foundation’s groundbreaking Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change, features refreshers on the program, as well as new training, including: updated tools for working with local representatives, as well as municipal and state lawmakers; advocacy training for social media strategies to move the needle in obstinate cities and states; tactics on
fostering peer-to-peer support and networking; and deep-dive discussions around key sustainability issues.

“What is taking place in Houston this January will impact everyone,” said Houston First Corporation President and CEO Michael Heckman. “Not only will the 2023 Chef Action Summit drive important policy discussions that will influence 2023 legislation, the contents of those conversations will directly affect how our food supply remains safe, abundant and accessible to all. We applaud the James Beard Foundation for their continued commitment to addressing these difficult issues and look forward to hosting this influential group in Houston.

The Chef Action Summit is by pre-registration only. Programming will begin on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. at the University of Houston Hilton hotel. Later that evening, a special welcome reception for participants and speakers, hosted by Houston First Corporation, will happen on the rooftop of POST Houston, kicking-off the three-day series of events. Keynote panels, programming, and policy discussion will follow from Jan. 30-31, with Chef Christopher Williams—a 2022 James Beard nominee for “Outstanding Restaurateur”—closing out the Summit with a special tour and lunch at The Power Center.

The second Chef Action Summit—part of the James Beard Foundation’s advocacy programs—is hosted by the Houston First Corporation. Program sponsors include the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Best Made, Deloitte, Distinguished Vineyards, Tabasco Brand, Tequila Patrón, and YETI. The James Beard Foundation’s programs are also supported by American Airlines, the official airline of the James Beard
Foundation; Capital One, the official credit card and banking partner of the James Beard Foundation; and Windstar Cruises, the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation.

To learn more about the discussions happening at the 2023 JBF Chef Action Summit in Houston or to obtain more details about the participants and speakers at the event, visit https://www.jamesbeard.org/2023-chef-summit.

For news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

USDA Invests $9.5M in Bioproduct Manufacturing

Published December 20, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced an investment of $9.5 million to support the scale-up of sustainable bioproduct manufacturing in the United States. Three successful projects are funded through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Bioproduct Pilot Program, which funds research and development of value-added products from agricultural commodities.

Authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Bioproduct Pilot Program presents a unique opportunity to spur economic activity in the nation’s rural areas while lowering commercialization risks associated with bringing biobased products to market. The program’s exploration into bioproducts accelerates USDA’s efforts to develop circular bioeconomies, where agricultural resources are harvested, consumed, and regenerated in a sustainable manner. This pilot program also supports the objectives outlined in President Biden’s recent Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy.

“Adopting a more circular economy ensures that wealth and other economic benefits in the form of jobs and other opportunities are created, and stay, in rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We must support and incentivize practices like these, because it’s what consumers want — and what farmers, and our planet, need.”

The three awardees are:

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, for a project that proposes to convert food waste into biodegradable, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based bioplastics that can be used for a variety of consumer plastics, including flexible and rigid packaging and containers for food and beverages.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, for a project that proposes to convert swine manure and other organic feedstocks into biobinders for asphalt that increase the quality of recycled asphalt pavements. If commercialized, benefits include reduced landfill waste, reduced disposal costs for asphalt and food waste, and low-cost products.
Soylei Innovations, of Ames, Iowa, for a project that proposes to transform high oleic soybean oil into thermoplastic rubber for pavements, which has the potential to extend repair longevity for existing surfaces. Low-cost paving solutions are particularly important in rural and underserved communities where road paving and maintenance budgets are underfunded due to a reliance on local tax revenues.

“Each of the recommended projects includes collaborations with universities and companies that can bridge the gap between invention and the marketplace as well as produce stronger and more effective outcomes,” said Dr. Dionne Toombs, acting director of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the agency administering the awards. “All three of them also have compelling benefits that advance environmental justice and spur economic opportunity for underserved communities.”

Passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in November 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a transformative, historic investment for America to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our country, grow the economy for decades to come, create good-paying union jobs, and better position the United States to compete in a global economy.

For news of interest to the food and beverage industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Global Specialty Foods Market Expected to Reach $224.88B by 2026

Published December 19, 2022

Whitney from Cellars at Jasper Hill took Best in Show at the 2022 American Cheese Society Show.

The global specialty foods market is expected to grow from $158.87 billion in 2021 to $170.21 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 percent. The market is expected to grow to $224.88 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent, according to Research and Markets.

The market consists of sales of specialty foods and their related services. Specialty foods are made from high quality ingredients and have limited distribution with unique or beautiful packaging. They consist of cheese & plant-based cheese, non-RTD cocoa and coffee, refrigerated and frozen poultry/seafood/meat, yogurt, candy, pretzels/snacks/chips, bread & baked goods, and others.

The main product type are cheese and plant-based cheese, frozen or refrigerated meat, poultry, and seafood, chips, pretzels and snacks, bread and baked goods, chocolate and other confectionery and others. Cheese is nutritious food made mostly from the milk of cows and also from other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels and yaks. Plant-based cheeses are made from a variety of nuts, most commonly cashews, almonds and macadamias. The various type of distribution channels are food service, retail and online.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the market in 2021. Western Europe was the second-largest region in the market. The regions covered in the specialty food market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The growth in the number of millennials preferring at-home and healthy meals coupled with growing interest in having nutritious food for a healthy lifestyle is increasing the demand for specialty foods. According to Specialty Foods Association, millennials are twice likely to plan at-home meals and giving high preferences for specialty products to create interesting and healthy eating experiences.

Moreover, according to the research from the NDP Group in 2019, millennials, gen X, and baby boomers are expected to eat more meals at home. Thus, growth in at-home cooking activities of millennials and preferences for healthy foods is anticipated to boost the revenue for specialty foods market over the forthcoming years.

The high cost of specialty food is likely to hinder the growth of the specialty foods market during the period. Specialty foods are made from high-quality ingredients such as gluten-free, non-GMO, and ingredients rich in vitamins and minerals, thus include a higher cost of raw materials. According to specialty foods association, the high cost of ingredients, certifications, and production is increasing the prices of specialty foods making it unaffordable for the large group of the populace. Therefore, the high cost of specialty foods is predicted to hinder the growth of the specialty foods market during the forecast period.

The launch of high quality and innovative products such as plant-based, convenience, better-for-you, non-GMO products with authenticity, and products with unique attributes such as low fat, low calorie, low sodium, high protein, no dairy and organic is a major trend shaping the growth of the specialty foods industry.

In April 2021, Brazilian based JBS SA, a meat processing company, announced that it will acquire Vivera, a European plant-based food company, for €341 million ($410 million). The deal includes three manufacturing facilities and a research and development center located in the Netherlands.

This acquisition is an important step to strengthen JBS SA global plant-based protein platform, for the same Vivera will give JBS a stronghold in the plant-based sector, with technological knowledge and capacity for innovation. Vivera produces a range of plant-based meat replacement products and these products are distributed to retailers in more than 25 countries across Europe.

For news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.