NASFT Recommends

Whether you run a small cheese shop or own a nationally distributed brand, the targeted recommendations below will direct you to educational resources that will help your company succeed.

Entry Level Specialty Food Manufacturer

• Review our Fancy Food Show education programs which generally start two days
      prior to the trade show floor opening. We have focused programs on Friday and
      Saturday aimed specifically at start up companies.

• “Getting Started in the Specialty Food Business” contains summary level material on
      starting a company and is a good jumping off point if you have an idea for a product
      you’d like to bring to market but haven’t made the leap into starting your own
      business yet.

• “The Basics – The Business of Specialty Food” is an essential work for those
      starting out. Please note that this course book is available for instant download
      here but is also available in hard copy to those who sign up for the class on-site
      at the Fancy Food Shows.

• Check our webinars@work® schedule for programs on demand with emphasis
      on distributors, brokers, and branding that can make a difference as you build
      your business.

• Brush up on pricing theories. Many established companies feel that pricing is
      an area that they should have studied harder at the onset to make sure that
      appropriate margins were built in. “The Basics” covers this but you can find
      more information in our archived webinar on this topic “Understanding Pricing
      for a Beginning Manufacturer.”

• Keep an eye on the trends for the industry and specialty food consumers by
      attending the webinars on “State of the Industry”, “Today’s Specialty Food
      Consumer" or opting to purchase the downloadable summary report on the
      latest research.

• Additional free and discounted education opportunities exist for our NASFT
      Members and Member Candidates (entry level producers not ready for full
      membership) that are not listed here. Find out more about joining this vibrant group.

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Established Specialty Food Manufacturer

As an established specialty food producer, you should focus on specific issues facing your business, many times, established producers ask NASFT for assistance with:

• Promotions: There is plenty to study on this topic with downloadable resources like
      “The NASFT Guide to Successful Demos” and “A Guide to Understanding
      and Managing Trade Promotions.”

• Finance: Check out “Best Financial Practices for NASFT Members” as well
      as our archived webinars and Fancy Food Show programming to find additional
      guidance.

• Distributors & Brokers: We’ve got webinars on working with brokers as well as a
       NASFT Broker Contact Template these topics as well as both a downloadable
       resource and a webinar on our research titled “Roadmap to Retail: Developing a
       Winning Distribution Strategy.”

• Selling to Supermarkets: Try our popular on-demand webinars covering this all
      important topic.
  

• Keep an eye on the trends for the industry and specialty food consumers by
      attending the webinars on “State of the Industry”, “Today’s Specialty Food
      Consumer" or opting to purchase the downloadable summary report on the
      latest research.

• Read up on food safety in NASFT's latest: The NASFT Recall Manual.
      Learn how to manage a recall wisely

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Retailer

For Retailers, our Fancy Food Show live education sessions often offer the most in depth trend analysis and training they receive all year. Couple that with some of our other resources to flesh out your education experience with NASFT.

• The Kosher Food Holiday Guide is the perfect tool for educating staff and
      aiding in the sales of Kosher Foods central to the holiday season.
   
• Keep an eye on the trends for the industry and specialty food consumers
      by attending the webinars on “State of the Industry”, "Today’s Specialty Food
      Consumer" or opting to purchase the downloadable summary report on the latest
      research.
   
• Sensational Customer Service helps you take your customer service to the next level.

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