SAN MATEO, Calif. -- The American Cheese Society here will focus tightly on merchandising the specialty cheese category, at its 14th annual conference set for this week at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Tower, Seattle.
its is included on the conference agenda, as is a merchandising presentation by Paige Lamb, former senior food-service director at Larry's.
Lamb -- who since leaving Larry's has launched her own consulting firm, The Food Paige, in Seattle -- is a co-chair of the society's conference this year.
Workshops during the conference will address topics such as cheese making, how to enter a cheese contest, new flavor trends in cheese, and the most effective packaging and labeling to use. A workshop on engaging local newspaper and magazine food writers in telling the cheese story will be led by Linda Funk, vice president of marketing food-service cheese at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Madison.
The conference organizers emphasized that social activities planned this year will provide ample opportunities to network with other retailers, and with American farmhouse and specialty cheese makers.
