Disclaimer: In exchange for receiving samples from Seal the Seasons, DeLallo Foods, and Sugar Bowl Bakery, I am writing these product reviews.
Seal the Seasons
Seal the Seasons is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based frozen food manufacturer that also happens to be a Certified B Corporation. In other words, in spite of being a membership-based organization for for-profit businesses, the Certified B Corporation designation reflects a company that strives to be economically and socially transparent, give back to communities, and support non-profits and legislation for the betterment of the less financially well-off.
Indeed, they try to support small local farmers, and offer non-GMO, seasonal products with a long shelf-life to tap not only cosmopolitan areas, but also neighborhoods more colloquially known as food deserts.
As a New Yorker, I was raring to try the New York (/ehem…New Jersey) cherry apple berry blend (hey now, New York is number 2 in US apple production, after Washington state). OK, and Jersey has its cherries and berries, too. The packaging is easy to read, proudly displays the states of origin, and most importantly, overall the fruit tasted great (blueberries can be very sour, but fortunately, most of these were hits).
DeLallo
Established as an Italian food market in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of Jeannette in 1954, DeLallo has been a tried and tested name for quality Italian and southern European products ever since. Known particularly for their olives and antipasti, sauces, tea cookies, and pastas, DeLallo products can be found at select retailers throughout the country, or ordered online. Backed by their renowned brand, DeLallo also offers marketing, sales, and other food industry-related expertise.
As a side note, I’ve heard that Pittsburgh has a roaring food and craft brew scene, so any future visit (my sole trip to Pittsburgh and Kennywood was in 1995) would certainly include checking out the original DeLallo market, as well as every sandwich from the Primanti Bros. menu.
Sugar Bowl Bakery
Starting off as a small coffee shop in San Francisco, California, after being purchased by five brothers in 1984, Sugar Bowl Bakery has become a one of the largest minority-owned, nationwide providers of cookies, brownies, and other sweet treats. Having sampled a couple of their products, all I can say is…I am eagerly awaiting your introduction of kouign amann, with a café au lait always at the ready!
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