Need A Tasteful Gift Item?

Gourmet food items are not only tasty, but very tasteful additions to existing gift lines. Whether your gift market serves a small specialized niche or a broad encompassing niche, gourmet food items can fulfill your customer’s gift needs. Diversity is the foundation of gourmet food items which range from specific dietary requirements to international cuisine ingredients and everything in between. Unique and not offered by box-marts, gourmet foods are an upscale item with a low cost investment.

Appealing to a wide array of customers, gift baskets are a staple of most flower and gift shops. So naturally, as a shop owner your interest lies in finding the right gift basket products. By carrying gourmet gift basket items, you can create customized and tasteful gifts for customers. In this FGmarket newsletter, we will address the many different types of gourmet items and how to use them to set your shop apart from your competitors.

So What Makes An Item Gourmet?

Generally speaking, it is a fine food item. This can include, but is not limited to snacks, fruits, chocolates, cheeses, spices, oils, and other food items. Even some meats can be considered gourmet. People tend to think of gourmet foods as items one can not buy at a local grocery store.  Therefore, consumers perceive these products as specialty food items.

The biggest asset of gourmet items is that they are not readily available everywhere.  However, the perception attached to gourmet items encourages consumers to seek them out.  By choosing your gourmet items carefully, you can drive this consumer to your front door. For instance, I have traveled out of my way to visit a store that sells a particular spice blend that I love. How did I come across this spice blend? It was given to me in a gourmet gift basket.

Gourmet Cooking Goodies – A tisket a tasket I love my spice and oil basket!

As mentioned, I received a gift basket that contained several spice mixes, herb-infused cooking oil, bread dipping oils and a delicious Tandoori bbq grilling sauce. Now I can’t live without these great gourmet items and I frequent the shop often when I run out. This shop made multiple sales off of one gourmet gift basket.  Oils, herbs and sauces are a great way to dabble in the gourmet food market.  They have a long shelf life and don’t require refrigeration.

Making Your Own Gourmet Items Without All The Work

To ensure repeat business, customers need to know where to pick up more of those delectable gourmet items.  That is where private label gourmet foods set you apart from the rest.  Wholesale gourmet food vendors often have private label services.  That’s right! They will put your name on their product.  So when the customer runs out of that special dipping sauce, they will know exactly where to go – your store. As you are deciding which vendors to use, keep this in mind: branding gourmet foods items can increase your repeat sales.

Gourmet Baskets Healthy, Organic, Natural And Oh So Yummy

The natural, organic and healthy gourmet food market is one of the most popular niche markets you can use to boost sales. Everyone seems to be on a health kick.  Targeting this rising consumer group can help you gain market share.  For example, pack a basket with healthy snack items such as freeze-dried fruits, soy nuts, all natural wheat crackers, and gourmet jams then name it the Naturally Good Snack Basket. Target the consumer group by displaying this basket and promoting it in your advertising campaign. Selecting gourmet food items that capitalize on a rising trend gives you an advantage over your competitors.

Special Dietary Needs Items for Gift Baskets

Specialty gourmet food baskets that are dietary based offer a gift to those who may not be able to enjoy a common gift basket. Those with special dietary needs are often left out; this is a market you can easily cater to successfully. Examples of specialty diet concerns are gluten free items, sugar-free items, Kosher items, low sodium, gluten-free and vegetarian items. Offering these items reaches a segment of consumers often forgotten about with common gift baskets.

Men and Gourmet Baskets

Men are especially fond of receiving gourmet food baskets. For a manly gourmet basket, you need hardy items with robust flavor. So when a guy friend broke his leg, I wanted to send a manly gourmet basket. The first place I turned was my oil and herb shop. I asked the shop if they could do a basket with beef jerky, summer sausages, chutney’s and even some barbecue sauces. They did indeed! He raved about that basket for days and said that it was one of the best gifts he’d received.

Gourmet Food — Do It Your Way

You can sell gourmet items individually, in groups or in gift baskets.  Be sure to display them in all these ways so they appeal to your customers needs. Gourmet foods and baskets are a relatively low cost way to add flavor and luxury to your gift basket selection.  What a tasty way to increase your business.

You can find many wonderful gourmet food vendors at FG market.  Below is a sneak peek of the many unique and tasty gourmet food items you should consider.