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Recent E-Newsletters
SBDCNet Connections Issue 44: Chocolate
July 15, 2008
Chocolate
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Specialty foods, whether gourmet, organic or all natural are the rage these days. Formerly available only through farmers’ markets or specialty foods stores, premium fares have gained far-reaching acceptance. Consumers only have to go to the local chain grocery and drug store to find their daily fix. The market for gourmet foods and beverages is currently valued at over $42 billion and is expected to exceed $62 billion by 2009.1 Americans might not need premium treats, but we surely want them and want them daily.
Concerned with the high saturated fat and sugar content for decades, consumers have set aside premium chocolates for the most special occasions. Recent research has revealed the potential health benefits of chocolate to the public. More and more people are embracing chocolates, some are even incorporating higher-quality treats into their daily routines. As a result, the premium chocolate market grew at an annual rate of 10.5% during the period between 2001 and 2005 compared to a paltry 1.8% of the overall chocolate candy sales.2 Premium chocolate is far and away the most exciting category in the confectionery segment.
SBDCNet Connections Issue 43: Coffee House
June 16, 2008
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Coffee House
Are you one of the 108 million people who had coffee this morning as a part of your daily routine? You might be reading this article from your wireless laptop computer at your favorite coffee house and not know that going wireless is a popular trend in the coffee industry. The coffee market is highly competitive with business owners trying to create the best flavored drinks and the best atmosphere to go above and beyond the competition.SBDCNet Connections Issue 42: Pet Grooming
April 22, 2008
Pet Grooming Industry
According to the American Pet Product Manufacturing Association, the booming pet grooming industry has experienced steadily increasing profits from $2.7 billion in 2006 to an astonishing $2.9 billion in 2007. With dogs in almost 45 million homes in SBDCNet Connections Issue 41: Biodiesel
January 5, 2008
Biodiesel
While the term biodiesel is a name for an alternative clean fuel, it is also used as a term for a blend of petroleum diesel and the alternative clean fuel.1 Biodiesel blends are denoted as, "BXX", for example B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel.1 Many people think of biodiesel as using French fry oil but fuel-grade biodiesel has an industry standard, ASTM D6751 to insure proper performance.
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