We can't make time slow down, we can't prioritize your responsibilities and past time activities, we can't supply the friends. But we can supply the food and the inspiration.

Many Haddon House products are ideal for the summer, but are also convenient, nutritious, and can enhance your eating experience, especially if you add friends and family. And take your time to relish the meal, from the preparation to the consumption.

This concept of celebrating food is not new. The Slow Food Movement took off in Italy about 15 years ago when a group of people took offense at the opening of a fast food restaurant in Rome's Piazza di Spagna. Since then, the movement has flourished all over Europe and has spread to the United States, striving to protect the right to taste.

The Slow Food Movement also strives to bring public attention to the environmental impact fast food has on the planet, from the obvious build up in landfills of styrofoam and kids' meal toys to the effect the consumption of fast foods has on the variety of the world's species. According to the Slow Food Manifesto, half of the breeds of domestic livestock became extinct during the course of the Twentieth Century. One species of plant disappears every six hours. The lack of variety offered by fast food chains is taking its toll.

The lack of food choices translates into diminished diversity globally, and also in stores. For instance, in the seven years between editions of Slow Food's anthology of Italian cheese, 100 varieties became unavailable on the market.

Haddon House is pleased to offer you variety - variety in abundance! We encourage you and your customers to enjoy this summer, slowly. We offer a host of products, both organic and conventional, unavailable anywhere else. So stock your shelves with our large assortment of marinades, dressings and sauces, and distribute recipe cards for delicious summertime meals to make with these products. There's nothing like a slow-cooked barbecue, or a dish of marinated, grilled vegetables. These meals often take some time to cook, but the results are worth it.

Complacency in food choices means the loss of natural variety, the destruction of aroma and taste, and is also detrimental to your sales. Today's customers want a variety, and giving them what they want this summer will boost sales in every area of your store. Promoting the concept of Slow Food and variety will be lucrative. For more information about Haddon House's assortment of summer items, please contact your sales representative.

Photo by Dena O'Hara.