Balducci’s Rolling Out New Concept

Gourmet food retailer Balducci’s is launching its inaugural Balducci’s Gourmet on the Go Café at Hearst Tower, headquarters to media giant Hearst Corp., in New York. Presided over by an expert chef, the café will offer custom-made salads, artisan sandwiches, and sweet and savory crepes, all featuring fresh local ingredients. The location is slated to open in mid-December, a Balducci's spokeswoman told Progressive Grocer.

“Balducci's has the reputation of being one of the oldest and finest brands in specialty food,” said Lou Nowikas, Hearst Corp. senior director, corporate real estate & facilities planning. "Like Hearst, Balducci’s is a New York institution.”

“For the Balducci family, there was no middle ground,” noted Emil Grosso, VP of business development for Germantown, Md.-based Balducci’s, which has stores in Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Virginia. “The products simply had to be the best, and that principle remains unchanged today.”

Breads and pastries for the café are sourced from local bakeries, while Balducci’s has “the best coffee in New York City,” in Grosso’s opinion.

Hearst Tower houses Esquire, House Beautiful, O the Oprah Magazine and Town & Country, among other prestigious publications. In addition to the freshly prepared items, the cafe will carry "select market items" geared toward upscale urban profressionals, the Balducci's spokeswoman said.