Gourmet News: Bozzuto's launches specialty division

CHESHIRE, Conn.-Bozzuto's Inc., the wholesale distributor of mainstream groceries, based here, in September hired former Fleming and Gourmet Award executive Tom Beadle as general manager to establish a new inhouse specialty foods and general merchandise division.

"Bozzuto's recognizes that specialty foods are an area our customers can use to differentiate themselves from their competitors, as well as a way to increase sales and profits," said Beadle. He was former corporate senior director of Fleming's specialty/general merchandise and health and beauty care division in Lewisville, Texas, as well as former division president for Gourmet Award Foods in Milwaukee.

At press time, Bozzuto's had the ability to distribute more than 3,000 SKUs in the specialty food category, more than double the amount of SKUs available last summer, said Beadle.

These SKUs include shelf-stable specialty and natural foods, including cookies, olive and nut oils, pastas, pasta sauces, chocolates and tea. The distributor represents lines including Walkers Shortbread, Stash Tea, Ghirardelli, Perugina and Lindt chocolate, nSpired Natural Foods natural snacks, Rao's and Patsy's pasta sauces, George Delallo Co. Italian condiments, B & G Foods mixes and condiments, and No Pudge brownies.

In addition to distributing many of the SKUs from its own 1 million-square-foot warehouse here, Bozzuto's has a secondary supply agreement with Millbrook Distribution Services in Leicester, Mass.

"Bozzuto's has typically partnered with distributors in the past," said Beadle. "Now we have a concentrated commitment to provide specialty foods...We've made a marketing and merchandising commitment in-house."

The new business and segue into specialty foods was, in part, a result of the demise of Fleming, which sold off all of its wholesale assets in August.

He said Fleming's closure of its King of Prussia, Pa.-based facility left a number of retailers scrambling for new distributors to cover their specialty food deliveries.

"We believe very strongly that the retail community is seeking greater leadership from their specialty food suppliers," said Beadle. "Our mission is to simultaneously reduce costs in the supply chain while improving the entire quality of our service to the retailer."

Bozzuto's, a self-proclaimed billion-dollar wholesaler, services supermarkets, with a concentration of Independent Grocer Association-member mainstream supermarkets, in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Bozzuto's, a privately held company, intends to expand its retail distribution of specialty foods while meeting the needs of customers who already offer such items.

"Our new accounts are as interested in specialty foods as our existing customers," said Beadle. "Once retailers discover what specialty foods can do for their business, they often come back to us looking for ways we can help them expand their offering."

Bozzuto's hosts two selling shows per year, a fall one-day show at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Conn., and a spring two-day show at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.

The fall show Aug. 26 at the Aqua Turf offered themed displays showcasing specialty, natural and ethnic foods "with a high degree of seasonally" for Thanksgiving, with items such as ham glaze and plum pudding, and an upscale Superbowl snacking display featuring Carr's, Dare and Breton crackers. Summer themes include specialty salad dressings and marinades.

"We also featured a low and no-carbohydrate products, which seems to be particularly popular among consumers right now," said Bozzuto.

The company is preparing to roll out in November an extensive Hispanic merchandising set "addressing the entire Hispanic community," including Mexican, Cuban, South American, South American and Central American specialty foods. After the rollout the company will have more than 1,000 SKUs in its Hispanic category alone.

In other news, Bozzuto's Inc. hired Frank Puleo, formerly with Genuardi's Family Markets, as director of grocery category management. The company also added customers Geissler's Supermarkets of Connecticut and Roche Brothers Supermarkets of Massachusetts, in September.