July 2026 – RL Reeves Jr

2026 American Cured Meat Championships in Milwaukee

Over the past 77 years cured meat artisans and purveyors have gathered together once a year to crown their kings or queens of ham, bacon, mortadella, baloney, and every kind of sausage under the sun.

In the early days, beginning in 1949, it was just a few dozen men having fun, eating meat, drinking beer and enjoying the camaraderie that comes with being butchers, farmers or rural charcuterie experts.

Bragging rights were at stake.

The Life and Times of the Luzianne Tea Tin

By rlreevesjr2@gmail.com

On July 6, 2026

In Uncategorized

The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) 1941

To tell the story of a brand’s packaging it’s often useful to examine their advertising campaigns from days of yore. I began a recent research journey through Luzianne tea packaging history by examining when and why they shifted from metal tin packaging to paperboard, a thicker, stiffer version of paper (made from wood pulp or recycled paper fibers).

Switzerland to host 27th International Chicory Biennial in September

By rlreevesjr2@gmail.com

On July 5, 2026

In Uncategorized

Switzerland to host 27th International Chicory Biennial in September

EASTERN SWITZERLAND — The 27th International Chicory Biennial, the world’s premier trade event for the chicory sector, will take place Sept. 23-24, 2026. New Orleanians know and love chicory having drunk the stuff since the early 19th century

The biennial event, held in different countries every two years, serves as the industry’s most significant gathering.

Gamper Gemüsekulturen AG will again host the International Chicory Biennial, welcoming approximately 160 industry professionals from across Europe.

The company was established in 2016 by a collective of seven leading vegetable producers in Eastern Switzerland. The goal of this merger was to consolidate their regional offerings to provide a broader, year-round selection of Swiss vegetables.

The biennial serves as a critical forum for root vegetable producers, seed companies, researchers and agricultural equipment suppliers to foster cross-border collaboration and exchange technical expertise. Organizers said sustained high registration figures reflect the event’s enduring importance to the sector.

Switzerland to host 27th International Chicory Biennial in September

This may or may not be as fun as a get-down in Crowley on a Saturday night.

The program is as follows:

Day one, Sept. 23 at the Revier Hotel Säntispark, located at Wiesenbachstrasse 5 in Abtwil. The program features a series of international expert presentations on practical research and applications, anchored by keynote addresses and a panel discussion focused on structural challenges currently facing the global chicory market.

The program concludes on Sept. 24 with a tour and trade exhibition at the Gamper Chicorée AG facilities in Stettfurt, located at Hauptstrasse 4.

The day’s itinerary features a firsthand look at conventional and organic chicory forcing operations and an exhibition showcasing more than 25 European companies. Additionally, the event will highlight technical advancements through a presentation of herbicide trials conducted by Agroscope, alongside live field demonstrations of automated weeding technology from Ecorobotix and Carbon Robotics.

Depending on how deep your love for chicory goes this may or may not be an event for you.

Nature’s Roast Chicory has replaced Reily Foods’ Coffee Partner Chicory

If you don’t have the time or money to travel to Switzerland but need a good chicory fix head over to Canseco or Zuppardo’s and pick up a packet of Reily Foods new chicory product.

For more information and registration:
www.biennale2026.ch