archives - all articles

2023

• Carta Explora: Case Study (Case Studies)

  Carta Explora reflects a personal passion for the art in cartography, in particular 16th-18th centuries maps. All the stages of development and launch of this project are presented in detail here.
• $200,000 Ad Revenues with a “New Blog – 12 Lessons Learned (Web Strategy)

  They say it is no longer possible to be successful with blogs. Yet this Business Insider article showed how a few friends who got together and started a travel blog, The Smokies, as recently as April 2020, earned $200,000 in passive income (advertising) in 2021.

2022

• How to Set up Food Pick-up Location Based on Products in WooCommerce (Case Studies, E-Commerce - Online Stores, E-commerce for Food & Restaurants, Selling Food Online, WooCommerce - WordPress)

  Author: Marine Moceri, guest blogger Image: Citron Pressé website (citronpressé.com) In this article, we’ll explain which extension to choose to set up various pickup locations based on product categories, how to configure the extension in WP admin, and what it looks like for the consumer in the front end, step by step when he orders. [...]

2020

• Is Europe Behind Canada or the USA re: Food Nutrition Labeling? (Food Labeling)

  When it comes to food labeling and nutritional information, the health authorities in the USA, Canada, and Europe have a very different approach. But who is ahead and who is behind? An interesting question we explore.
• Food Trends: Hummus and Flavored Waters (Food Labeling, Food Research, Food Trends)

  This week, the French TV documentary "Capital" is discussing recent food trends. Among those, hummus and flavored waters, two new food products which bring higher margins for both manufacturers and retailers.
• 2016 Nutrition Facts: FDA Small Entity Compliance Guide 2020 (Food Labeling)

  This article is an overview of the compliance guide about the new 2016 Nutrition Facts Labels, issued by the FDA in January 2020 for the small food businesses. The goal is to help you have a strong understanding of the elements that changed. For small food businesses, i.e., food manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales, the compliance date to implement the new 2016 Nutrition Facts labels is January 1, 2021.
• Designing a Canadian-Compliant Food Packaging: Olivia’s Croutons Case Study (Case Studies, Food Labeling)

  Vermont Company Olivia’s Croutons contacted us because they were gearing up to export to Canada. They mandated us to develop and design their bilingual Canadian-compliant food packaging (content and design). This article presents everything that such a project entails.
• How to Set up a Multi-Location Food Pick-Up and Delivery WooCommerce Shop (Case Studies, E-Commerce - Online Stores, E-commerce for Food & Restaurants, Selling Food Online, WooCommerce - WordPress)

  A step-by-step guide to set up a multi-location food pick-up and delivery WooCommerce shop for a restaurant or food business: plugins, menus, payments, etc.
• 8 Must-Have and Free Small Business and Productivity Tools (Resources)

  Here are the free business and productivity tools (accounting, CRM, time, projects, etc.) I use to manage my small business, that I could not live without.
• Food Labeling: Differences Between U.S. and Canada Labels and Nutrition Tables (Food Labeling, Specialty Food Marketing)

  There are differences between the U.S. and Canada food labels. There are important to know if you want to export your food product to Canada or to the USA.
• Are You Feeling Fulfilled in Your Career?
  3 Self-Discovery Exercises (Personal Side of Things, Resources)

  This article explains what “flow” is and share 3 exercises to help you find true career fulfillment: When have you experienced “flow” in your life? What is your personal mission? Which life and career path I am on? It starts with the story of my own life journey, as an illustration of how we can discover who we truly are.
• Shipping Perishables & Fresh Food: The Data, Studies, Packaging Suggestions & Costs (Selling Food Online, Specialty Food Marketing)

  Which temperature does your package reach during shipping? Which packaging should you use to ship temperature-sensitive products, perishables, and fresh food? How will you ensure that your perishables arrive at their destination still fresh and unspoiled? What is the best shipping option for perishables? Who is the best shipper? What are the costs of shipping perishables?
• 7 ​“​Délicieux​”​ ​Gifts​ ​for​ ​the​ ​French​ ​Cheese​ ​Lover (Gift Guides for Cheese Lovers)

  Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Bonjour, mon ami! Hello, my friend! If you have friends who go crazy for Comté, mad for Mimolette, or nuts for Neufchâtel then you know that they’ll welcome French cheese gifts with open and hungry arms! When it’s time to think beyond the cheese itself [...]
• How to Manage Shipping for Your Food Online Shop (E-Commerce - Online Stores, E-commerce for Food & Restaurants, Selling Food Online, Specialty Food Marketing)

  How do you manage shipping for your food online store: how do you set it up in your shop, and which business decisions you have to make.
• 26 Tips: How to Be Successful Selling Specialty Food at Christmas Festivals (Case Studies, Specialty Food Marketing)

  Here are 26 tips on how to be successful in selling specialty food at Christmas festivals: how to choose the right festivals, the right products and present your company in its “best light.”
• 33 Marketing & Sales Lessons Learned From Running My Food Online Shop (Case Studies, E-Commerce - Online Stores, E-commerce for Food & Restaurants, Selling Food Online, Specialty Food Marketing, Web Strategy)

  Why Have a Food Online Shop? Which E-Commerce Platform Should You Choose? How to Design Your Online Shop? How to Maximize its Performance? How to Select Products and Set Prices? How to Track Sales Performance? How to Get More Traffic and Get More Sales?
• 28 Lessons Learned: Small Food Business – Key Factors for Success – Part 2 (Case Studies, Specialty Food Marketing)

  We managed a small food business for 3 years. Part 2 covers marketing online, offline, and distribution: 28 lessons learned and factors for success.
• 31 Lessons Learned: Small Food Business – Key Factors for Success – Part 1 (Case Studies, Specialty Food Marketing)

  We managed a small food business for 3 years. Part 1 covers the pre-launch phase: research, product development & financing: 31 lessons learned and factors for success.
• 9 Marketing Lessons Learned from a Sweepstake Campaign (Case Studies, Specialty Food Marketing)

  In 2017, we developed a marketing campaign of three sweepstakes to increase awareness of our products, Cheese Companions, as well as increase email subscribers and social media followers.
• Father’s Day: 7 Gifts for the Cheese Lover (Gift Guides for Cheese Lovers)

  Is your dad the greatest cheese lover you know? This Father's Day, go all-in on cheese and get your dad one of these fun and delicious cheese gifts. From cheese to cheesemaking kits to cuff-links, here are the best cheese-lover Father's day gifts you can get.
• 13 Tips: Retirement Planning for Entrepreneurs or Self-Employed Freelancers (Personal Side of Things)

  Let me share with you some traps you should avoid and some tips to consider to better plan for your retirement as freelancers or entrepreneurs.
• Are Your Customers Truly Engaged? Building Trust and Credibility (Customer Experience)

  In the long run, what matters is building trust and credibility to create real customer engagement, not building large email lists of uninterested visitors.

2019

• USA & Canada Food Labeling: 2016 New Regulations (Food Labeling)

  In 2016, both the USA and Canada made changes to their Food Labeling regulations. This article explains the changes in both regulations.
• Exploring Boreal Ingredients & Nordic Food (Food Research, Specialty Food Marketing)

  In 2018, we got involved in an exciting endeavor and discovery: the exploration of ingredients from the boreal and arctic regions, particularly ingredients from the forest, and of the fine foods products that are made with such ingredients, both in northern Quebec and in Norway.

2017

• Food Photography: 10 Simple Tips for Beginners (Food Photography)

  If you own a small food business, you’re probably overwhelmed and intimidated by the quality of food photography you see on social media, and you’re probably thinking that you just don’t have the time to become an expert photographer. On the other end, you realize how crucial it is to get noticed and have impact with your photography.
• 17 Tips for a Successful Fancy Food Show (Specialty Food Marketing)

  You’ve decided to exhibit at the Fancy Food Show, it is a major expense for your small food business and you want to do everything possible to make it successful. Here are 17 tips we gathered from exhibitors, consultants, the Specialty Food Association, and our own experience in several industries, on how to maximize your presence at the show.
• Should You Exhibit at the Fancy Food Show? 6 Must-Haves (Specialty Food Marketing)

  Like any small food business, I am asking myself the question. The Fancy Food Show is such a HUGE thing that you may be thinking that it is the sure way to be discovered by a large number of retailers and distributors. But when is it the right time?
• Online Success Story: Régine Café (Case Studies, Customer Experience, Restaurant Digital Marketing)

  The secret of Régine Café’s success is excellent food – of course – but also a carefully crafted branding, meticulously and consistently implemented day after day that has created a large “tribe” of extremely loyal and engaged customers.
• Food Trends in America – The Tastemakers Book (Resources)

  I recently read a fascinating book about recent food trends in America: The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue.

2016

• Winter Fancy Food Show 2016: Be Different (Specialty Food Marketing)

  5,000 exhibitors, 80,000 products, 7 hours a day of walking up and down the alleys! How different is your product?

2012

• Julie & Julia – 10 Keys to Julie’s Food Blog Success (Food Blogging)

  What are the keys to the success of Julie's food blog? Did you see the movie "Julie & Julia"? Are you jealous of the success of Julie Powell's blog? Are you trying to find THE idea which will make you famous like her? If so, you're not alone. I am convinced that lots of people have the same wish. But with millions of bloggers around the world, there are not so many of these stories.