The Chex Finer Foods team is getting ready to head to the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York next week. I had a chance to speak with President Jeremy Isenberg and Director of Supplier Relationships & Category Management Jacqueline Kalina about Chex’s approach to specialty foods, sharing their knowledge of the specialty foods industry with others, and how they will approach the Fancy Food Show.
How does Chex approach specialty foods differently than some of the larger specialty food distributors?
Jeremy: The approach we take is the same approach my grandfather took almost 60 years ago- it’s about building long-term partnerships with our suppliers and customers. The industry is still about relationships and the “company you keep”. We seek to nurture and build brands that keep Chex and our customers at the leading edge of the market. We have a team of 12 that will be at the show, and our approach is to take the time to visit all booths, multiple times with our team – we are the first ones there and the last to leave – this gives us the coverage and commitment that is unmatched. We ensure that we visit with our existing suppliers to discuss our partnerships and opportunities, as well as meet potential new suppliers and network within the industry.
Jackie: Take a look at the larger distributors web sites and specifically pay attention to the number of sku’s they are supplying. When you have 60K, 80K or 100K sku’s to manage…from a Category Manager’s perspective, it’s hard to devote a lot of time with your brands, never mind try to create something customized for a retailer. At Chex, we carry about 5,000 sku’s. That allows us more time to engage with brands, more time for incrementality, more time to customize a program that is right for our retailers.
How does Chex share it’s wealth of knowledge – both with customers, and employees?
Jeremy: I remember when I started years ago my Dad teaching me how important it was to educate our team on the products. It all starts with trust and the commitment we make to adding value and working together to help bring the Specialty products we sell to life! We still have monthly sales meetings and invite our suppliers to educate our team. The opportunities to communicate that knowledge have expanded as we equip our “Chexperts”, with insights, marketing programs and our technology embedded in our Power BI platform and Chex app. We are continually looking at better avenues to share knowledge with our community. At the end of the day nothing replaces honest conversation to help solve problems or create opportunities-whether in the aisle with our Sales and Merchandising teams, in a Business Review, or one of the thousands of conversations we have with our retailers.
How important are local, regional and differentiated brands and products to retailers Chex works with, and how does that affect your product mix?
Jackie: Local and regional brands are vital to our business – and our retailers seek to support local and regional brands. We understand that a smaller brand can require additional attention and guidance, and we truly enjoy seeing them develop and grow. We prioritize local brands and other food artisans wherever possible in our portfolio.
Jeremy: About ½ of what we sell would fall into local, regional and differentiated brands. Building on what Jackie shared, I believe deeply that our focus on local, regional and differentiated brands is core to the Chex DNA and we have created an approach and prioritization that we will continue to support as we continue to grow. It is gratifying to see some of these brands and items in our top performers alongside some high profile core specialty products in our portfolio.
How do you approach the Fancy Food Show as a Distributor?
Jackie: We walk every aisle and see what’s out there. We tend to “divide and conquer” and split up as we always end up seeing more things this way. We text each other pictures along the way and always compare notes at the end of each day. We also spend time walking the show with our key retailers and coordinate with them on items they see and are interested in. A group of us are going in a day early to look at the market and see our customers in the area as well as other competitive landscapes. It is always a lot of fun to be at the shows and help discover the next new products and trends. This year there will be 8 Chex team members on the show floor.
What do you anticipate are some of the trends we can expect to see at Fancy Food Show?
Jeremy: I love the discovery that you find at the Fancy Food show, both with new vendors, and current vendors alike. I walk every aisle and all the country pavilions to see what’s new and exciting. What brings a product to life is the people and makers behind the product – and getting a chance to engage with them to learn about their product and how they are thinking about the market is what I enjoy most. I go with an open mind, but expect we will see products showcasing simplified ingredient decks, plays on nostalgic favorites or challengers to established brands, and authentic or novel flavor profiles that cross categories - infusing fun flavors across the store. I also love the hustle and passion of small brands and am sure will be surprised at what the team finds on the show floor!
Jackie: Based on what we saw out west, I think we’ll continue to see an increase in Sustainable Packaging, and Regenerative Farming. Adaptogens are also just starting to hit their stride. In a world where stress seems to be an ever-present companion, adaptogens are emerging as natural allies for managing stress and promoting overall well-being. I expect to see these herbal wonders incorporated into everything from beverages to snacks.
If you find yourself in NYC next week, make sure to say hello to our team – we welcome the opportunity to connect with our current suppliers, brokers and retailers, create some great new relationships, and of course, discover the next great product!
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