Supermarket Perimeter - November 2019 - 26

Deli

CHARCUTERIE
No longer just a fad, it's attracting money
from shoppers and suppliers alike
BY RYAN ATKINSON

High-end grab-and-go
Charcuterie has established itself as a versatile answer to multiple consumer asks. Shoppers are continually looking for quality, better-for-you
snacking options that don't require much work, if any at all.
Pre-packaged charcuterie boards, as well as made-to-order boards,
check all the boxes.
"American consumers are increasingly
appreciating the fact that the quality and
taste of packaged cold cuts don't differ
from those cut by the deli or at home,"
says Emanuela Bigi, marketing manager

for Veroni, headquartered in the U.S. in Logan, New Jersey. "And most
importantly our customers appreciate the possibility of having the product available on hand, in the interest of saving time. They also appreciate the fact that the products are already combined, so it really makes
serving a creative dish effortless.
"We are seeing growth in the grab-and-go sections of the service
deli for Italian meats, where less handling is required, and the quality of
freshly sliced products can be matched with pre-sliced options."
Volpi Foods, based in St. Louis, says its greatest growth has been in
pre-sliced packages for many of the same reasons.
"Charcuterie can't be sliced like a cooked turkey or ham lunchmeat
- it requires very thin slices to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth ﬂavor,"
says Deanna Depke, the company's marketing manager. "Consumers
and retailers alike are increasingly looking for convenient and consistent options, pushing them towards pre-sliced packages expertly sliced
under our care."
Eckhouse says La Quercia has also monitored the rise of convenience-minded shoppers looking for high-quality products. He says
those products - such as the Trio Packs the company is introducing
next year that include three classic, smoked and spicy prosciutto - are
demanding more space in the perimeter.

QUICK QUALIT Y
Columbus Craft Meats, Hayward,
California, has found success with its
Charcuterie Sampler packs, aimed at easing
shoppers into the world of building a charcuterie board. The packs include Calabrese,
Genoa, Italian Dry and Sopressata.

26 - NOVEMBER 2019

Veroni, Logan, New Jersey, says its on-the-go
cold cut and cheese packs are seeing success.
The products, which fall under the umbrella of
Italian appetizers and aperitivo, come in multiple selections, such as one with Provolone
cheese Prosciutto Italiano, Samale Calabrese
and Salame Milano.
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Volpi Foods, St. Louis, recently expanded
its Volpi Roltini Singles snacking line. It now
includes a brand new Oaxaca Cheese and
Uncured Chorizo wrap that delivers heat
from the thin slices of chorizo paired with
the creamy cheese.

ANDY NELSON, SOSLAND PUBLISHING CO.

YOU COULD LOOK AT TRENDS, STATISTICS AND MORE to get a
sense of where charcuterie stands in today's supermarket deli. But Herb
Eckhouse says there is one sure sign that everything is pointing up.
"We've seen big money come in," he says.
Eckhouse is co-owner and co-founder - along with his wife, Kathy
- of Norwalk, Iowa-based La Quercia. He started the company after
spending 30 years in agriculture and has helped build it into a successful purveyor of handcrafted meats, distributing to all 50 states. The
company has helped shape the charcuterie trend in the U.S.
And now charcuterie is popular enough that everyone is entering
the game.
"There are some big companies getting involved in the business,"
Eckhouse says. "We see that it's attracting bigger money and that would
suggest that the people with money think this will continue to grow."

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Supermarket Perimeter - November 2019

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