In 2021, the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) established a new certification program to showcase the value and skill set of deli industry professionals in the growing artisan market: Charcuterie Professional Certification: Salumiere. The nonprofit membership organization believes that the subcategory of charcuterie provides retailers a wealth of opportunities to capitalize on current trends that drive consumers to purchase such products.
“The American Cheese Society has had so much success with their Certified Cheese Professional program, which was introduced in 2012,” says Angela Bozo, education director for IDDBA. “Not only have they grown the number of applicants every year and therefore have grown the number of professionals, but we are seeing retailers pay people a bigger wage to get the certification. That’s critically important to growing the category, and a certification like this is one of the ways that associations can say product knowledge builds sales.”
“It all has to start behind the glass, but the deli employees and in-store merchandisers serve as the front line for education and entertainment in the deli,” says Evan Inada, charcuterie/partnerships director at Columbus Craft Meats. “Crafting something that gives them recognition can empower them to keep their career going, rise up to be a fantastic educator, and even be rewarded by their employer. And part of what’s included in the test is the understanding of terroir and what makes charcuterie interesting to the everyday shopper, because we want certified salumieres to influence people from the ground floor up.”
“I was super excited when this certification was announced and that I was going to be part of it,” says Katherine Wilkey, merchandiser for Hormel Deli Solutions. “I enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues that I don’t work with as closely in everyday life. We’d call each other and brainstorm, ask questions, and share what we were studying. It made what could have been a lonely activity much more fun and meaningful.”
“It was really nice to work with people in the same industry focused on the same goals,” says Diane Corrente-French, sales merchandiser for Hormel Deli Solutions. “I’ve done trainings before, but now I have this certification behind me, showing my clients that I’m much more than my title. It gives me additional legitimacy.”
“This certification lends extra credibility to us, as experts in our field, as we work with our accounts,” says Amy Forbis, prepared food specialist for Hormel Food Sales. “But it also reflects well inside the company. I think it’s awesome that IDDBA is expanding their educational programs in this way. It’s relevant, on trend, and a necessity for those of us who are representing high-end quality charcuterie programs.”
The next Charcuterie Professional Certification: Salumiere exam is scheduled for June 2022. Eligible candidates should have a minimum of 1,440 hours paid or unpaid work experience in charcuterie or deli retail during the past two years. “There is a certain amount of background professional hours that we ask candidates for, but we want everyone to feel like they have the ability to take this test and be certified,” says Inada. “It’s not just for the top one percent of salami professionals. It’s for the people who have that inner passion for what they do. To share that passion with the everyday consumer is important for our industry to continue to grow.”
