Historically, someone with a discriminating palate; a connoisseur of fine foods and drink was called a gourmand. A stuffy French word that sounded elite and was an uncomfortable fit for most Americans. Happily, the food obsessed were saved with the new, one size fits all, appropriate for every occasion, sobriquet “Foodie.” Who do we have to thank for this warm and fuzzy new nickname? Well, like everything else food related, there are two distinct camps. Certainly it would be easy to credit Ann Barr and Paul Levy with their satiric best seller, The Official Foodie Handbook published in London in 1984. However, respected food columnist and writer, Gael Greene wrote an article in “New York” magazine in 1980 using the term. The chronology would certainly seem to favor Greene in this battle of gourmet titans, but no, claims Paul Levy. Since the writing of The Official Foodie Handbook actually began in 1980, despite its 1984 publication date, Levy has staked his claim. In all fairness, it appears to be a case of simultaneous discovery, and crediting either Barr/Levy or Greene is acceptable. The important take on this coinage is that food lovers all over the world have been christened with a new, and far more egalitarian, nickname. What has this to do with vomFASS and their many franchisees and potential franchisees? Even this simple battle over a nickname is indicative of the passion foodies bring to the table. That means that vomFASS is perfectly placed to cater to and indulge this ever-growing group of food aficionados and home chefs with extraordinary products and exciting approaches to the foods they love to prepare. For example, one of the hottest new trends in the foodie world is molecular gastronomy. vomFASS seized on this wave of foodie interest and has provided two intriguing forays into this exciting arena and recently unveiled their Calamansi Balsamic and Raspberry Balsamic Pearls. These perfectly spherical and delectable confections give a cutting edge component to todays’ home chef as well as an opportunity for vomFASS shops to cater to their state-of-the-art customers. Foodies do not come in customers alone. Most vomFASS owners admit openly to being foodies themselves. Franchisees are frequently attracted to vomFASS after experiencing an exciting shopping excursion as customers themselves. So impressed by the taste-before-you-buy presentation and the myriad of exciting flavors, it’s no wonder that many vomFASS franchisees begin their journey at their first shopping experience.