The 100% Cheese Cracker Enters the Plant-Based Category to Expand Consumer Base
When we received the press release about yet, another plant-based snack we were like, really, not again. Almost everyday snacks and beverage drinks would arrive at our office, and not one person in our office would give a thumbs up.
Finally, one arrived, and after just one bite it had our entire staff’s approval. With not one, but two thumbs up!
One editor was heard saying, “I only wish that we had a case of these delectable, and perfectly flavored plant-based snacks.”
Discover snacking again GF, Vegan, and DF
ParmCrisps, the nutritionally on-trend snack brand, has once again broken through the confines of the cracker category. The brand is eager to announce its newest line, Plant-Based ParmCrisps, made from 100% dairy-free cheese. Plant-Based ParmCrisps will come in two timeless flavors: Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper and will be a first-of-its-kind product that caters to the plant-based lifestyle.
Grocery sales of plant-based foods have grown 29% in the past two years, according to SPINS data released in 2020. Plant-based cheese, in particular, has seen an 18% spike since 2019. Americans are increasingly enlisting in a plant-based lifestyle with vegan options, and the plant-based category has exploded to reach $5 Billion in 2020. As a result, restaurants, retailers, and food brands are innovating swiftly and strategically.
“THANK YOU, SAM. A snack that I can’t stop eating, and no tummy aches. Having food allergies, I was worried. Grace Capobianco Ceo- Downtown Magazine”
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“The ParmCrisps innovation strategy has always been developed with the consumer top-of-mind,” says Sam Kestenbaum, CEO of ParmCrisps. ”When we noticed a trend toward plant-based snacking, we partnered with Whole Foods to create a solution for both our consumers and our retail partners. Plant-Based ParmCrisps is that solution, and it tastes so good that we’re confident both mainstream and plant-based consumers will fall in love.”
SPINS, for the last 52 weeks has proved ParmCrisps as the number one Cheese Crisp brand in both the Natural and Grocery category, and we can see why!
Natural Channel’s fastest-growing brand in the entire cracker set. As the Natural Channel leader, Whole Foods and its parent company, Amazon, partnered closely with ParmCrisps for the development and launch of this dairy-free crisp and will have an exclusive on the item in 2020. This first-ever dairy-free cheese crisp will be driving incremental basket sizes and bringing new consumers into the exploding Cheese Crisp category.
Find these first of their kind, plant-based cheese crisps in Whole Foods nationwide in October 2020 for an SRP of $4.79. ParmCrisps are the first-ever no sugar, no gluten snack made from real, oven-baked cheese, and now, dairy-free options.
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About ParmCrisps
ParmCrisps Branded Snacks are artisan-crafted, crunchy crisps made from oven-baked cheese and premium seasonings. Whether consumers are Keto, Plant-Based, or Sugar-Free, ParmCrisps brings them a go-to snack that fits their cravings and lifestyle. ParmCrisps also offers Snack Mixes, the first low-carb, low-sugar Snack Mix to satisfy even the biggest cravings. The brand has been celebrated as a favorite, innovative snack by Food Network, Hungry Girl, NOSH, Medium, Whole Foods Magazine, Oxygen Magazine, and now Downtown Magazine NYC. ParmCrisps can be found and purchased on ParmCrisps.com, and in major retailers nationwide.
Don’t walk but RUN to your nearest Whole Foods Store. We highly recommend this product and congratulate Sam on his growing success.
As we already reported, Downtown Alliance recently released their most impressive end-of-year report to date that touts Q4 as its best quarter of new leasing movement with over 5.5 million square feet of new commercial leasing activity to date. This past year alone, over 1,300 residential units in six buildings opened, pushing Lower Manhattan’s residential population to 62,000, a 148 percent increase since 2001.
Leading the charge, One Wall Street is setting the standard for luxury residential living and upscale retail in Downtown Manhattan. Situated at the heart of Broadway and Wall Street, One Wall Street is undergoing the largest office-to-condo conversion in the history of New York. Boasting more than 100,000 square feet of superior amenities spread across multiple floors, the building is slated to open in 2020 with sales beginning this year. Just recently, Life Time announced it will be adding a 75,000-square-foot health and wellness center to the luxury condo development, joining the previously announced 44,000-square-foot Whole Foods.
The development of One Wall Street reflects the drastic changes in Lower Manhattan, which include magnificent architecture, top-tier schools, charming boutiques, bakeries and patisseries, spectacular wine shops, and next-level fitness studios. But what sets this neighborhood apart from others is its rich history combined with the great outdoors: the beautiful waterfront, lush public gardens, long walking paths, and unparalleled access to other parts of the city.
The landmarked art deco Tower was originally built as the headquarters for Irving Trust in Downtown Manhattan in 1929. One Wall Street was designed by architect Ralph Walker in the early 20th century and is known as one of Manhattan’s premiere art deco towers which includes the opulent Red Room, designed by famed muralist Hildreth Meière.
“Located in the epicenter of Downtown, One Wall Street will be the heart of the renaissance transforming the neighborhood, bringing world-class, fully amenitized condo living to the birthplace of New York City,” said Harry Macklowe, Chairman of Macklowe Properties.“Our partnership with Life Time will offer residents and the surrounding community a wellness-centric lifestyle experience unlike anywhere else in the city. Macklowe Properties has leased to notable retailers like Life Time and Whole Foods, to coincide with the dramatic transformation of Downtown – from the historic businesses of Wall Street to the energy of one of today’s most desirable residential neighborhood.”
A quick summary of the history of Thanksgiving: In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. Since Bradford wrote of how the colonists had hunted wild turkeys during the autumn of 1621 and since turkey is a uniquely American (and scrumptious) bird, it gained traction as the Thanksgiving meal of choice for Americans after Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
There are plenty of ways to give back if you feel so inclined:
Support the Troops
Invite Someone Over
Visit a Retirement Home
Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
Donate to Food Banks
Downtown Magazine partnered with Pastor Cody and Ashley Abercrombie of Liberty Church this Thanksgiving to help those less fortunate.
Pastor Ashley and her team were working with a local school to help several families who otherwise would not have a Thanksgiving meal.
When our CEO/Publisher Grace A. Capobianco heard about this she wanted to help. Grace has been a member of this community for 17 years, and in 2010 launched the much needed luxury lifestyle magazine dedicating the content to the diverse culture which is in Lower Manhattan.
One thing that is said often when speaking about Grace is that she not only serves the people and businesses of Lower Manhattan, but she somehow gets those around her to advocate for our mission too. Grace reached out to her close friends from Whole Foods TriBeCa and Gristedes Battery Park to see if they would donate a meal.
Ashley only asked that each person donates from a list of a Thanksgiving day menu; potatoes, turkey, vegetables etc. but when Grace called upon her dear friends at Whole Foods and Gristedes they each donated an entire meal for two of the families.
We were able to ask Ashley Abercrombie of Liberty Church a few questions about this Thanksgiving and the gift of giving back.
What does it mean for Liberty Church to give back?
Ashley Abercrombie: It is important to us to participate in what is already happening in our local community. There are schools, churches, businesses, non-profits, media and publishing companies that have been around for decades, and we are part of that larger story. Giving back helps us become part of the fabric of our neighborhood.
How did you choose this particular schooland families?
AC: We have many teachers and educators in our faith community, and one of them, Liz Rivera, serves in our church’s non-profit Liberty City, that focuses on the intersections of anti-human trafficking, mass incarceration, youth and education. She has led workshops for young women who are currently incarcerated, a group at her school, called Be Brave, for young women, and leads some of our efforts as well. Teachers and counselors in schools are often the first responders for the next generation, and have the pulse on what is happening in the lives of families in our community. We approached her to ask if we could help, and she responded with a list of names.
What memory will stay with you when you handed the children these meals?
AC: We had the baskets delivered so that they came from Liz, which keeps things safe and healthy for the students receiving what they need, but she did send us pictures. We loved seeing their smiling faces, and we also love creating opportunities for people to engage their faith with their neighborhood, and that’s what will stay with us. The more we can connect people to our city, the better.
What are you most thankful for?
AC: The people in my life. We can go through all kinds of hell in our lives, but if we are surrounded by people who make us laugh, love us like we are, and inspire us to rise to the strength of our full potential, it makes it all worth it. There’s so much pressure in our world to achieve, to care more about things than people, and to put on a mask, and pretend like everything is okay, when it’s not. My husband often says, “It’s okay to not be okay.” He’s right, and we need to create space for the mess of life, and not just the highlight reel, and the people in our corner, who cheer us on and remind us of what’s really important, help us do exactly that.
What would you like our readers to know about giving back?
AC: Giving back is reciprocal. We have as much to receive from the person we are helping, as they have to receive from us. We’re not better than anybody else, and we are nobody’s savior, and I think it’s always important to remember that the ground is level, as we give. We are all human beings with needs – they might look different, but we each have dreams and desires, and the truth is, we need each other. And giving is easier than we think: Who’s already in our daily life, on our job, in our apartment building, in our school (or kid’s school), at the coffee shop we go to every day, that we can build a relationship with? Opening our eyes, right where we are, and seeing the people we interact with every day, can help us discover a need, and graciously respond.
We were also lucky enough to ask our donors to answer a few questions. First up is Rick Marquardt, Metro Marketer of Whole Foods Market in NYC.
Where will you spend your Thanksgiving holiday and what are you looking for most on this Thanksgiving day?
Rick Marquardt: I will spend the first part of my day at Whole Foods Market making sure everyone has what they need for a wonderful celebration. The early evening will be spent in Brooklyn at a vegan Friends-giving! Food and fellowship with kindred spirits who acknowledge that we have so much to be grateful for.
What would like to share with others about giving back?
RM: Nothing brings our team closer together than giving back to the communities our stores serve. Whether volunteering for a day or fundraising with an organization that does outreach for those in need on any level, it’s incredibly gratifying.
Tell us what your favorite thing about working for Whole Foods?
RM: Knowing that small well-thought-out actions in an organization of this scale can impact our world in a positive way, whether it’s in our own backyard or even at the global level like with our Whole Planet Foundation.
We were also able to talk to Eric Rivers, Store Manager of store #070 Gristedes, about Thanksgiving this year.
Where will you spend your Thanksgiving holiday and what are you looking for most on this Thanksgiving day?
Eric Rivers: Family. I’m looking forward to our family tradition and time together.
What would like to share with others about giving back?
ER: It’s part of life. Whether you give back with your time or help as we did with this Downtown opportunity.
Tell us what your favorite thing about working for Gristedes?
ER: Seeing my happy costumers. I love when they are happy and satisfied. We have the opportunity to do that in each store within our communities.
Wine and cheese are present at many festive gatherings throughout the year, but, sales of luxury cheeses soar during the holiday season. Specialty cheeses from around the world start showing up at NYC’s best gourmet specialty stores in mid-November, many in limited supply, and all ready to tempt you to overindulge in their decedent delight.
Silky, oozing delights such as Mont d’Or and Stilton with Port are perfect for any celebration. But what if you’re sensitive to dairy? Do you have to suffer for giving in to temptation, or, are there choices that will leave you feeling fine the next day? Good news! There are a number of specialty cheeses low in lactose that are just as satisfying and wickedly delicious.
Before we get into which cheeses you can choose, let’s talk about lactose. Lactose is, simply, the naturally occurring sugars found in milk. Lactase is an enzyme humans produce in their intestinal villi that allows for the proper digestion of lactose.
People with lactose intolerance do not produce enough lactase in their intestinal villi to assimilate the lactose, and, as the beneficial bacteria in their intestines do their natural job of fermenting food for nutrient absorption, the fermentation of the (unabsorbed) lactose creates a laundry list of nasty problems.
In the cheese-making process, milk is fermented, just like it is in our small intestines. By adding starter cultures or beneficial bacteria to the milk, fermentation occurs and the lactose is converted to lactic acid, a substance that has no ill effect on lactose intolerant and is easily metabolized in the small intestine. Starter cultures are generally used to make aged cheeses, not fresh ones. So most fresh cheeses are the ones to avoid.
Also, these enzymes used in the cheese-making process break down lactose more and more over time, so after the 6 months needed to make an aged cheese, there’s very little lactose left. You may still need to exercise a bit of restraint so make sure to start by sampling a bit at a time. The choices below are worth seeking out! Also visit Murray’s, Whole Foods, American only specialty store Saxelby’s and Stinky Brooklyn for suggestions from NYC’s knowledgeable cheesemongers.
This raw milk beauty is aged between 12 and 18 months, during which time it develops a dense, firm paste and a caramelly flavor. It is also studded with crystalline crunchy bits known as tyrosine, which are clusters of protein that calcify during the aging process.
This raw cow’s milk wonder is aged deep under the streets in Crown Finish Caves in Brooklyn. Sweet buttermilk and fruity undertones highlight this slightly crunchy winner.
Founded in 2013 by Kat Vorotova and David Foult, Try The World is a unique gourmet subscription box service. As delivered to your doorstep each month, every box from Try The World contains hard-to-find gourmet products that have been hand-selected by local experts and celebrity chefs. In short, Try The World aims to capture the essence of the greatest countries in the world through food.
Downtown had the pleasure of conducting Q&A with Kat and David after experiencing the company’s excellent India and Greece-themed boxes. More on Kat, David and their growing company — it acquired Hamptons Lane earlier this month — can be found at www.trytheworld.com.
How did you two first meet? How did you know it was best to go into business together?
Kat Vorotova: David and I met through a startup incubator at Columbia University. I recognized a big problem with the lack of affordable quality food in the U.S. while working at Weight Watchers and running a food blog. I was shocked by how different the selection at middle-class supermarkets looked in the U.S. versus other countries; in the U.S., they were stocked with mass market products filled with long lists of synthetic substances, preservatives, colorants, added sugars, and ingredients one can’t pronounce. While the cleaner, healthier selection at Whole Foods was just too expensive for an average consumer.
David Foult: I came to the U.S. from France to study economics at Columbia, after recognizing the seemingly-unnecessary difficulties of moving products and brands across the world. While helping artisans in Vietnam expand their business with his micro-finance fund and then with a startup in Europe offering short-term retail solutions to foreign brands, David saw the pains that foreign producers had when trying to export their goods to larger economies like the U.S. and Europe.
KV: We decided to solve both problems and create an online marketplace connecting U.S. consumers with great foreign producers. By cutting out the middlemen, Try The World today brings unique quality foods from around the world to consumers at 10 to 50 percent off retail with subscriptions based on customer preferences and an online shop…We discovered early on that we had a complementary skill set and personalities, so it was a natural partnership from the very beginning.
DF: When Kat and I started discussing and brainstorming, we realized that we were thinking in a very creative and efficient way together. That partnership has proven successful as we’re leveraging our backgrounds and expertise to grow our venture.
David, did attending SIPA inspire the business? Or even inspire your interest in other cultures?
DF: SIPA’s crowd is very international. I was meeting someone from a new country every day, learning about his/her culture, there were flags everywhere: that kind of environment, together with our shared passion for food and travel, made Columbia the natural place to start Try The World.
Kat, what inspired you to move to New York?
KV: I moved to New York with my family when I was 13 years old. I was overwhelmed by and fell in love with the non-stop activity of the city, with the diversity of its arts and food offerings, with its people. Although I have traveled, lived, and worked in several places since then, I felt back then and still do that New York is one of the best places in the world to meet talented, ambitious, open minded, curious, kind and hard-working people. It really feels like an incredibly messy and beautiful epicenter of a tornado that produces creative combinations of thoughts, values, emotions, and ultimately innovation across all fields.
How do you two usually find out about new products? I notice that a lot of your offerings are exclusives.
DF: About 50 percent of our products are introduced to the United States market for the first time via Try The World. We like to say that Try The World is like a “chamber of commerce on steroids” for small to medium-sized authentic brands around the world which wish to enter and expand their business in the U.S. They have to pass our guidelines — they must be authentic, delicious, and have high-quality of ingredients and production, sustainable impact, great packaging and story.
KV: Our vision is indeed to eventually be able to carry products from all over the world, although the selection will also be a reflection of consumer demand and feasibility of import. As far as our Countries subscription, we do sometimes repeat countries based on consumer demand but we try to find new products, or have a new focus, to always have our customers discover something new!
Which was the first country you featured?
KV: Our first box was the Valentine’s Day Paris Box for February 2013, which we made because we both have a special place in our hearts for Paris.
How far in advance do you plan your boxes?
DF: For our Countries subscription, we start planning the schedule about eight months in advance, but we start the sourcing process about six months before we release a box. This provides enough time for our team members to fly to the country in question to partner with relevant government and trade institutions, to meet hundreds of artisans, to partner with a curating chef, to receive samples and have a tasting panel with consumers. Then we narrow the selection down to 10 to 12 artisans from the country, help consult the selected brands on necessary labeling, paperwork, and sometimes design and even product mix/flavors. We also allocate about one month for the our vendors to produce the volumes we need, and one to one and a half months for shipping.
KV: I’m a fan of the Vasilissa sesame seed bar, known as pasteli in Greece. Made with just two ingredients — sesame and honey — this super-healthy snack is my go-to during a mid-afternoon slump. It’s the original energy bar, the recipe can be traced back to ancient Greece!
Aside from your company, are there any other monthly subscriptions that you take part in?
KV: I love Runkeeper and Spotify. They literally keep me going!
DF: I’m a big fan of Nature Box, great service, which gave us the idea to launch a “similar but different” offer. Just like Kat I’m a daily Spotify user — I’m always impressed by the relevance of their music recommendations.
When not busy with your company, how do you like to spend your free time?
KV: This may not be very surprising, but I love to travel and I love to eat! I also recently picked up drawing and painting.
DF: I enjoy having brunch or dinner with good friends, working out and discovering new songs and new movies.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?
KV: That’s a tough one, but I have to say when my fiancé took me for a surprise birthday dinner at Jean-Georges last year, I couldn’t have asked for a better dining experience. Beginning with the whimsical presentation of the famous egg caviar in a white duck footed egg holder, to the delicate flavor of their diver scallops with caramelized cauliflower, and perfectly-done duck, and concluding with a never-ending cheese and dessert tasting. The execution was flawless on more than 12 small courses that we sampled. And they brought out a few nice extra things on the house!
DF: Although I enjoy making food at home, New York has a fantastic restaurant scene. I’m a big fan of Cafe Gitane, and I also enjoy trying out the traditional small Chinese restaurants on Mott Street, or the more casual Italian restaurant Gennaro on the Upper West Side.
Do you have tickets to any upcoming events or concerts in New York?
KV: No, but I recently saw The Humans, a Broadway play about an American family meeting up for Thanksgiving dinner in a New York apartment of the youngest daughter. It managed to capture the struggles, the hope, and the mundane that resonate with so many of us.
DF: No, but I’m open to recommendations. (laughs)
Finally, any last words for the kids?
KV: Today we are bombarded by so much information from all of our devices that our brains no longer have time to rest and really process it. Take regular breaks from your devices — take the time to listen to yourself, your body, and the people around you. By listening, you’ll understand. From understanding comes compassion and love, for self, for others. But it can’t come unless you pause and listen. I’ve implemented a small rule: no devices during dinner; unless it’s to snap a photo before diving in!
DF: Learn, meet new people, keep discovering new tastes, new songs, new cities, new perfumes and flavors, read…And as Kat said, technology needs to be a tool we use not the other way around — Steve Jobs’ kids weren’t allowed to use iPad most of the time…
As of this article’s writing, both Hanukkah and Christmas are a little over a week away. Since most of the people in my life still haven’t done their holiday shopping for the year, below are 10 last-minute gift ideas:
Soju is a distilled Korean alcohol that is — by volume — the most consumed spirit in the world. TOKKI is the first soju to be made in the U.S., as produced in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Unlike many of its competitors, TOKKI does not add artificial ingredients or flavors. Beyond Astor Wines & Spirits, TOKKI can be found in dozens of New York City restaurants including Cafe Boulud, Hangawi, Barn Joo, and Thursday Kitchen.
Co-founded by Brandy Hoffman and Patricia Santos, Volition is a beauty company known for its innovative anti-aging products. This set is a 3-in-1 system meant for application twice daily, as massaged into the face and neck areas. It contains 60 mL of a Dual Cream Base and 15 mL of both its Day Active and Night Active products. Volition also offers free shipping and free returns on purchases.
Based in Austria, Swarovski is known all around the world for its crystals. Swarovski’s Crystaldust Bangle Doubleis a new signature design, as crafted using the brand’s Crystal Rock technique. It is lavishly-encrusted with silver-toned crystals, which makes it sparkle, and available in eight different colors. Swarovski fans with an interest in chic tech-wear ought to look into the Cardoon Activity Tracker, as part of the Activity Tracking Jewelry Collection.
Not all Christmas sweaters must be ugly, and this officially-licensed Wu-Tang Clan sweater proves that. UglyChristmasSweaters.com lets shoppers add LED lights to any sweater — Wu-Tang threads included — for $9.95. Those seeking something a little more “yuge” have some Donald Trump sweater options from the site.
TOMS first achieved notoriety for its “one for one” policies, in which the company would give away a pair of shoes to a person in need for each pair purchased. Within the past few years, TOMS has become known for much more than its slipper-esque canvas shoes, including sunglasses, bags, backpacks, boots and dress shoes. Its Del Rey sneakers are not just in line with the company’s “one for one” policy, but also manage to be both comfortable and fashionable. The Del Rey can be purchased in Black Teal Tribal, Grey Plaid and Black Dotted Wool. TOMS purists interested in the Grey Plaid version of the Del Rey may want to check out the Red Black Plaid edition of the classic slip-ons.
Shu Uemura is a top Tokyo-based beauty company. Takashi Murakami is one of Japan’s top contemporary artists. Put them together and you have the Shu Uemura x Murakami Limited Edition Holiday Collection. Only available while supplies last, this collection maintains both the quality that Shu Uemura is known for and the colorful artwork of Murakami. Beauty both inside and outside of the packaging.
Neubau Eyewear is a popular Vienna-based brand known for its chic yet ergonomic pairs of glasses. Its Heinz line is unisex and light, made of lightweight polymer. While the Black Coal Matte caught my eye, Heinz is also available in five other colors. On the Neubau website, shoppers can easily sort models by color, material and gender; 13 colors, two materials and two genders lead to plenty of options.
Tipsy Elves is one of the top sites to purchase ugly Christmas sweaters from, but the San Diego-based e-tailer offers something for everyone. Halloween-ready jumpsuits, Thanksgiving-themed t-shirts, St. Patrick’s Day gear, Hawaiian shirts, patriotic clothing, officially-licensed college sweaters, fanny packs, neck warmers…fun attire and then some. I personally had a hard time deciding between the the American flag sweater and a Hanukkah sweater. Free shipping for orders over $75.
MOO is helping to make business cards cool again, although it also sells postcards, holiday cards, letterhead and stickers. The brand recently partnered with Baron Von Fancy to create limited-edition business cards. But for those who don’t need business cards, MOO has great a hardcover notebook to offer. Sized at 5.12″ x 8.15″, the notebook comes in dark grey with 160 lined pages and 16 unlined pages. Sturdy, professional and fashionable all at once.
Based in the Port Morris section of the South Bronx, The Bronx Brewery has becoming one of New York’s leading craft breweries in only five years. The Bronx Brewery’s No Name IPA is a special collaboration brew only available at Whole Foods Market locations in the Northeast region. The beer is currently nameless and is looking for a name — submissions can be submitted at www.namethisbeerwfm.com. In turn, you have not only given a loved one the gift of great beer, but also the chance to be the person that gives that great beer a proper name.
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