Check Out the Best of Atlanta
AmericasMart Forms New Retail Alliances
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The Best of Atlanta Awards were celebrated as a highlight of the Atlanta
Gourmet Market, which was staged with the Atlanta Fall Gift & Home
Furnishings Market and Atlanta Apparel Market, Oct. 14-16.
The Best of Atlanta Awards recognize superior achievements in taste,
originality and packaging of products presented at market. The awards
are bestowed annually among independent submissions from the
Gourmet Temporaries showing at market and from permanent exhibitors in the Gourmet Market Center.
AmericasMart invited Atlanta’s top culinary experts to judge the gourmet
products. Sampling gourmet food and beverages from the permanent
and temporary product centers, the team of independent judges visited the booths and showrooms to experience the product in its unique
environment and interact with the creators and representatives.
And the winners are:
Best Beverage: Sea Salt Caramel Macchiato from Plentiful Pantry
Best Candy (Non-Chocolate): Praline Pecans from The Orchards
Best Chocolate: Pecan Brag Jr’s from Sweet Shop USA
Best Condiment: Balsamic Vinegar with Vidalia Onions Jelly from One
Screw Loose
Best Dessert: Tropical Tucan from Graffiti Zoo
Best Extra: Brew Ha Haberno Jelly from One Screw Loose
Best Jam/Preserve: Lauri Jo’s Blueberry Pepper Jelly by Lauri Jo’s
Best Organic: Detoxify Me Organic from Tea’s Etc.
Best Snack: Mini Fillo Shells by Robert Rothschild Farm
Best Soup: Tortilla Soup from Plentiful Pantry
Obituary: Chuck Baughman
In
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Chuck Baughman, executive vice president and chief financial officer of
BIA Cordon Bleu, died on Oct. 3 from complications of pneumonia. He
was 53.
Chuck worked for BIA, which is led by his brother Paul, for more than
10 years and was instrumental in helping grow the company while
developing and strengthening its sourcing in both Asia and Europe,
the company said. “He will be remembered for his ready smile, hard
work and business integrity,” said Maria Baxley, who works in public
relations, advertising and design for BIA.
Baughman is survived by his wife Heidie, three sons and one grandson.
AmericasMart Atlanta, the Georgia Retail Association and the Florida
Retail Federation have joined forces in a historic alliance giving top
retailers from the Southeast’s fastest-growing states preferred access
to the nation’s single-largest home, gift and apparel wholesale marketplace, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., AmericasMart president
and chief operating officer, and Rick McAllister, president and chief
executive officer of the Georgia and Florida entities.
Highlighting the new alliance is the Georgia Retail Association (
GRA)-Florida Retail Federation (FRF) AmericasMart Business Center open for
the exclusive use of GRA/FRF members shopping AmericasMart’s 13
annual markets. Located on floor 6, showroom 677B of AmericasMart
Building Two West Wing, the Business Center affords members private
lounge facilities and networking opportunities, with GRA/FRF staff associates present during market to address questions and field member
input regarding various business, education, service and legislative
initiatives.
The alliance opens the door to new education, innovation and business-growth opportunities for thousands of Federation and Association
members who as credentialed retailers currently attend or are open
to attend AmericasMart markets; it also accelerates AmericasMart’s
long-standing focus on its expansive Southeastern customer base.
“This alliance affirms our Southeastern heritage and celebrates the
inspired innovations of those retailers who serve our region’s diverse
and burgeoning population,” said Portman, noting that the new partnership occurs in the 50th-anniversary year of both AmericasMart
Atlanta and the Georgia Retail Association. “Our stewardship of these
unique needs is a special calling which we are pleased to accept,”
Portman added.
“We believe establishment of this important presence at AmericasMart will give strong voice to our collective mission and will offer our
membership a unique opportunity to access the marketplace’s full
resources,” noted McAllister. “This critical first step sets direction for
a multidimensional alliance yielding real benefits to our membership
and to AmericasMart exhibitors alike,” he added.
