webhund

I'm going to the summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center later this month. This will be my first time attending and so I'm looking for suggestions, tips, and advice for those who have gone before me. Based on some prior e-Gullet reports, I'm planning on going all day Monday and Tuesday to avoid the Sunday crowd. While previous reports have been very helpful in understanding the overall show better, I'm most in need of any advice, recommendations, and tips for one who will be attending for the first time as a potential retail buyer and needing to establish relationships with vendors and suppliers. (If it helps at all, our primary interest is in flavorings and seasoning ingredients (herbs, spices, etc...), not prepared foods). For example, is pricing discussed at the show or is that usually left for later? What else would be helpful to know if attending as a retailer? I want to make the most of what sounds like a great event, but also a hectic one. I'm fairly new to the commercial food scene, so take it easy on this newbie!

Very interesting machine! Unfortunately, I've come across a couple of variations of these while googling around the web. The basic idea seems to be a somewhat popular appliance in India and surrounding areas. This is more of a mini-grist mill than a hammer-type mill which cinnamon and hard spices generally require. Cinnamon requires more impact through a hammermill action than a slow, constant grind, which is better suited to grains. Thanks though, as the other lengthy thread you linked to has got my little brain spinning on other ideas!

We need to process about 20-40 lbs of cinnamon a week (use ground cinnamon for rubs and seasoning blends for local resale). Currently we are purchasing our cinnamon pre-ground, but would like to start milling and grinding our own. The problem is that our production quantity seems to be too big to do with home/consumer-grade equipment and too small to justify large commercial hammermills. We've budgeted a fair amount of $$$ for this, but the problem has been more one of finding an appropriate sized unit than the cost. If the machine could also handle grinding nutmeg, allspice, and similar hard spices, that would be a huge plus! Any suggestions?