Hormel, the makers of Columbus Craft Meats, one of the fastest growing deli brands in the United States, announced the launch of three new items designed as premium charcuterie gift options: Charcuterie 101 Collection, Charcuterie Entertaining Collection and Felino Gold. Each is convenient to give and tempting to purchase for oneself. Charcuterie boxes make excellent corporate holiday gifts for employees and clients and will be shipped directly to recipients. The boxes have limited availability due to the select nature of craft salumi and are not available in stores. 

“Columbus’s charcuterie boxes make the ideal holiday gift because they’re a fresh take on the classic food basket,” said Evan Inada, charcuterie/partnerships director at Columbus Craft Meats. “There is a consistent desire for gift baskets every year and this one has a distinct ‘wow’ factor upon arrival and unboxing. Especially now, due to COVID-19 and social distancing, gatherings during the holiday season may look different. This is a perfect answer.”

Research shows many gift box purchasers opt to keep them for themselves or share them with friends. Approximately 52 million people bought a gift basket in the United States last year and 16% of the population bought a gift basket online as a holiday gift. Christmas is the dominant holiday for online gift basket purchases, in terms of penetration and spend.

All gift components were selected after careful review and product testing, and Columbus chose California local accompaniments for its charcuterie when possible. In order to experience the world of charcuterie, Charcuterie 101 Collection has flavor combinations highlighting sweet and bold pairings that complement its slow aged, artisan salami flavor. A wooden charcuterie board in cherry and a cheese knife complete the starter kit. The Entertaining Collection satisfies a grazing table get-together or multiple family charcuterie nights. The collection of bold, spicy, rustic and sweet pairings of artisan salami, cheese, crackers and more make it possible to explore or entertain with charcuterie.

Included in the box is a "how to" guide, which offers practical tips for future use to help recipients assemble the perfect board. The guide takes the recipient through step-by-step instructions to create their board, breaking down the perfect bites, particularly the meat and cheese pairings.

“Everyone loves charcuterie—even people who haven’t had it yet,” said Inada. “That ‘wow’ factor you get after you make a board is special. We can make anybody a charcuterie pro. They just need to know which items to put next to each other and once they have the directions, they can go from there. One of the benefits of giving this as a gift is saving that person the time and effort it takes to select everything on their own.”

In addition to the collections, Felino Gold is a premium option, in a class of its own. Lauded as the "King of Salami," the Columbus Felino follows the famous recipe originating from its namesake in western Parma, Italy. Crafted using the best ingredients, including pork made with no antibiotics ever, fresh garlic and sherry wine, this artisan salami is slow-aged for a minimum of 30 days in a natural casing to develop its traditional, rustic flavor. The 2.5-pound Felino Gold arrives beautifully presented in a wooden box, perfect for gift giving.

“This is the most exclusive of the salami world right here,” Inada said. “We put it in a box of its own because it is special enough to be presented like you would a single, high-end bottle of wine. This is what makes salumi exciting—very rarely do you see a food trend where quality is driving it.”

Charcuterie 101 Collection retails for $109.99 Entertaining Collection retails for $159.99 and Felino Gold is $89.99.

Great care is taken in shipping the boxes, with the perishable items kept cold during delivery and each accompaniment wrapped distinctly in order to maintain its freshness and optimum temperature.

About Columbus Craft Meats

Founded in 1917, Columbus Craft Meats produces award-winning Italian salami and deli meats sold under the Columbus brand. Its products are available at food retailers nationwide. Columbus Craft Meats is a subsidiary of Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL). 

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin’s, Columbus, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 11th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future – Inspired People. Inspired Food. – focusing on its legacy of innovation.