A La Carte

A La Carte announced that its premium custom-molded chocolate line has been completely re-designed to lower minimums, lower pricing and speed up production.

Food and candy promotional product supplier A La Carte introduced A La Link, which adds QR code technology to A La Carte's products.

Nonprofits are big business with big dollars attached. With Susan G. Komen claiming ownership of the color pink and trademarking the slogan "for the Cure," the picture of nonprofit organizations as corporate dollar-generating entities comes more clearly into focus.

It's hard to believe, but the holidays are just around the corner. First Halloween will hit us, and then in the blink of an eye, chestnuts will be roasting on a open fire. If I learned anything from my mother, it's that early holiday preparation is key.

From training new hires to handling employee retention initiatives, human resources departments handle a great deal of critical management work for corporations large and small.

THE IPOD SHUFFLE, 1.8x0.7x0.3". The Kawasaki Ninja 650R motorcycle, 82.9x29.9x50". A Jean Schlumberger Sixteen Stone ring from Tiffany and Co., with an inner circumference as small as 0.586".

Last year was so chock-full of great ideas, we couldn't fit them all into our 2009 Sales Outlook. Below, you'll find the tips we just couldn't squeeze in.

FOOD SEEMS TO be a favorite topic in circles of every kind. It is discussed in boardrooms across the country and in bedrooms late at night. After reporting to work following a fun-filled weekend, one of the fondest memories is usually the dining experiences one had, or wished to have. It is precisely for these reasons edibles are stand-out promotional products. What better way to get people talking about one’s brand, products or services than by serving up irresistible food items? Distributors who take heed will have more than their fair share of the profits available with edible promotions. “Everyone loves food and candy,” observed

In 1981, Chicago Gourmet Specialties was formed. After being in business for one year, the company split, giving birth to Chicago Gourmet Specialties and A La Carte. Then, after a 22-year-long seperation, the two companies were reunited in 2003 under the A La Carte umbrella and new ownership. This year, the company is celebrating its 25th anniversary. “Both companies had grown in different directions over the 22 years they were apart,” noted Mike Shulkin, principal. “Chicago Gourmet Specialties was more customer-service and computer oriented, and A La Carte had a lot of new production capabilities that Chicago Gourmet didn’t have. The combination worked

Chicago-based A La Carte celebrates its 25th anniversary with the publication of its Anniversary Holiday Catalog, which is scheduled to be available mid-August. A La Carte was formed in 1981 when its founders divided the original company into A La Carte and Chicago Gourmet Specialties. Both companies grew to become leaders in the food and candy segment of the promotional products industry, and, in 2003, the two companies merged to become one entity. The release of A La Carte’s special anniversary holiday catalog will be the first of many events throughout the year to celebrate the company’s milestone, according to Adam Robins and Mike Shulkin,