Five Specialty Food Retailers Stand Out as the Best of 2006

The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) chose the winners of the 2006 Outstanding Retailer Awards. From a serene solar-powered store in California to a bustling Manhattan institution, from a retailer born in the narrow and tough streets of south Philly to a market just steps from the glamour of Miami Beach, these outstanding retailers are serving an ever-increasing niche of consumers who have made quality food a part of their lifestyles. The 2006 winners are: Di Bruno Bros., Philadelphia, Pa.; The Epicure Market, Miami Beach, Fla.; Straub's Markets, St. Louis, Mo.; Woodlands Market, Kentfield, Calif.; and Zabar's, New York, N.Y.

The Outstanding Retailer Awards give specialty food stores, supermarkets, natural food stores, delis and other retailers across the country an opportunity to be recognized as the leaders in their industry. To identify Outstanding Retailer candidates, the NASFT asked its 2,500+ supplier members to name retailers who they admired. Those with the most nominations were asked to submit entries, which included photographs, store facts, articles, menus, newsletters, press kits, training manuals and letters from customers. This information was evaluated by a panel of former Outstanding Retailer winners, manufacturers, distributors and journalists, who chose these five Outstanding Retailers.

The winners are the definition of a successful specialty food store: They provide excellent customer service, introduce their communities to products not found in mainstream grocery stores, and strive to stock the highest-quality, exclusive products that are not mass-produced. In addition, they devote a substantial amount of time to educating their staff and consumers by regularly providing samples, demonstrations and cooking classes. Ultimately, these stores succeed in showing consumers that specialty foods can fit into everyday lifestyles.

WINNER INFORMATION

Di Bruno Bros.: Family owned and operated for 66 years, Di Bruno Bros. has established itself as the culinary pioneer of Philadelphia. The original flagship store on 9th Street in the heart of the Italian Market still maintains the charm and character it did when it opened in 1939. Today, the Di Bruno grandsons, along with a committed staff of food enthusiasts, operate three stores, a full-service catering operation, a state-of-the-art Web site, as well as an importing and wholesale division.

The new, two-story 9,000-square-foot store on Chestnut Street features a 300-square foot cheese cave filled with approximately 500 varieties of cheeses, ranging from locally produced Tarenaise and Baley Hazen from Vermont to imported Shropshire Blue and Colston-Bassett Stilton from England. In addition, 300 seasonal cheeses are offered throughout the year.

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