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What's New
See what's in store for the New Year in Food Culture. Download our new "Looking Forward in Food Culture 2012" report. |
09.08.2010
“HartBeat” is The Hartman Group's FREE online newsletter, providing insight, analysis, information and strategy to give business leaders the knowledge and vision to build sustainable brands.
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Extreme Ethnography
This year we've thrown caution to the wind to bring you cultural analysis from the front lines, answering hard-hitting questions like, "If a sandwich has no bun, can it truly be called a sandwich?" and "how come being thrifty is such a drag?" Trends Treks were embarked upon, stealth iPhone photos were taken; goodness knows how many grams of sodium were consumed (we blame the Double Down). So far, we've found plenty of inspiration and more than a few local gems that hit the spot:
- Snacks!, a bodega-style shop in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, emphasizes all things local, from ice cream to sodas and candies while catering to everyday needs. You might find locally produced Bacon Jam from street food favorite Skillet one aisle over from the Scotch sponges. Check out what we found on our Trends Trek here.
- Butchers are coming back in a big way as consumers become more and more interested in all things locally sourced. Seattle boasts a few of these trendy meat sellers, including Bill the Butcher: a handful of sustainably minded shops that cater to custom cuts.
- It's lean, it's mean, it's $18,000 worth of espresso machine invented right in our backyard. The hand-built Slayer allows baristas to create truly customized espresso drinks, playing with pressure, air flow, and more. The machines are still exceedingly uncommon, with fewer than twenty in shops across the country. Read more here.
Social Media Done Right, Wrong & Just Plain Cute
How does a Facebook status update translate to a forklift full of Wheat Thins? What would you do if your Twitter campaign went suddenly, disastrously awry? While we engage in social media daily, we don't always have the answers (we do, however, have plenty of opinions). Sometimes it's best to sit back and watch the wonderful world of online communication unfold. Take, for example, this video of a kitten in a tiny hat eating ice cream. The Internet is a strange, fascinating place.The Power of Packaging
Customization and play are powerful things. 2010 has seen the explosion of bespoke customization from tea to chocolates to even Pop-Tarts. With this new-found taste for playful, personalized luxury comes some stunning packaging. We've written about our stand-out favorites and covered rebrandings done right. For example:
- Q Tonic caught our eye this spring and continues to be a delicious player in the artisan cocktail world. Developed "hand-in-hand with food chemists and New York City’s best mixologists," Q Tonic is clean, crisp and just plain tasty. See how it holds up to your standard fizzy mixer here.
- Dr. Perricone, a household name among many in the health and wellness community, recently underwent a supplement makeover, rebranded as a modern day apothecary. Read why we give it the thumbs up.
- Mary & Matt produce handmade chocolates that are as visually delicious as they are delectable. Bright colors and clean lines served with a heaping side of nostalgia. See more eye candy here.
All this talk of bespoke snacks is making us hungry. Even though the leaves will be turning soon, there's still time to whip up some elBulli ice cream sandwiches or boozy popsicles. After all, our favorite subject has always been lunch (and breakfast, and dinner). To get more blog updates and timely insights, be sure to follow the Hartman Group on Twitter and Facebook.
