In San Francisco, creative retailers are finding opportunities in high-traffic shopping neighborhoods as well as distinctive repurposed spaces (think steel shipping containers). Read on to learn about some of the innovative new shops that opened in 2011.

Marketing Q and A with Tammy Katz, Katz Marketing Solutions

Jim MacIsaac, Owner, Highland Sugarworks (March 30, 1958 – November 1, 2011)

Whether adding a delicate note or packing a punch, alcohol can elevate both sweet and savory condiments. The complex flavors of liquor, beer and wine have inspired producers to come up with award-winning twists on classic condiments for breakfast, lunch and dinner—and even dessert.

To help you stock your shelves over the next 12 months, we’ve asked boutique retailers, artisan manufacturers, trendspotters, industry analysts and other experts in the know to share their thoughts on emerging flavors, manufacturing shifts and retailing successes in the new year.

Cheeses gaining attention among retailers include (top to bottom): Big Woods Blue from Shepherd’s Way; Bavarian Limburger; Rush Creek Reserve from Upland Cheese; Swiss Försterkäse; Wavreumont sheep’s milk cheese from Belgium; and Dante sheep’s milk from Sheep Dairy.

Vietnam, Poland, Spain, Italy and Israel are all the rage, with retailers boasting new items from these countries. Check out the products—such as sweets, pasta sauces and olive oils—that are making them the talk of the town.

It began with a literal journey: Embarking on an effort to start their own business, in 1993 Caryl Levine and Ken Lee left their home in Berkeley, Calif., for a two-month market-research trip to China. Among dozens of concepts they uncovered, one stood out from ...

The key to becoming an inspiring boss begins with how you choose to behave toward your staff. Here is the second part of a two-part series on how to create a culture of responsibility, foster positive energy and be the kind of leader that attracts—and ...

Discover three trends retailers are exploring that may be worthwhile in your store. Plus, new formats in chain retailing are making small the next big thing. Learn how that’s impacting the independent grocer.

When Greg Parham started J&M Foods in 1987, his were among the first cheese straws to the marketplace. Today, the competition is fierce. Parham talks about how he keeps his business on top, stays profitable in a sluggish economy and shares the biggest perks of ...

Tunisia and Morocco are reinventing their olive oil businesses from bulk exports to new branded products, enlivening a mature category along the way. Learn more about their offerings—and discover three more oil-producing countries to watch from the Middle East region.

Centuries of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Spanish influences has developed this global cuisine, known for its big, bold flavors.

This month we look at “super” broccoli, QR codes, food fat taxes, bubble-gum–flavored strawberries and more.

As the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami off the Pacific coast of Tohoku approaches, Japan’s supply chain continues to regain momentum.