Wendy Robinson, program manager and senior buyer at Market Hall Foods shared what she looks for when sourcing new products, during the How I Buy session at the Winter Fancy Food Show, Sunday.
“I want to find what is up and coming,” she said. “We’re small and can pivot and put products on the shelf and showcase them in two or three stores. It helps small brands get exposure and we always like to be first.”
When considering items for placement, Robinson said that she always thinks about packaging and a product’s ingredients. Market Hall Foods is dedicated to sourcing products with clean ingredients with no preservatives or dyes and only those with sustainable oils, and other quality indicators.
“I talk to the person and ask them about their company,” she said. “I want to know their story and where their raw ingredients are from.”
Taste is also very important, according to Robinson.
“We taste about 95 percent of what we put on shelves, which is unique since not all buyers do,” she said.
Some of this tasting takes place during buying meetings where Market Hall Foods’ buyers might taste 8 to 10 extra virgin olive oils, for instance.
“We talk about how each product would be on the shelf and if we even have a place for it on the shelf,” she said. “Sometimes a product isn’t a right fit for us but maybe it’s a good fit for a produce store or market down the street. If we’re not able to take a product, we always give [makers] other suggestions.”
Related: Charcuterie Enhancements to Debut at the Show; Buyers Share Strategy During Scale Up Saturday.