Oser Communications Group

1 3 August 2018 SNACKING NEWS SNACKING NEWS SNACKING NEWS Le Bon Magot Wins Top Honor Le Bon Magot ® , artisan food producer from the New York City area, has won the specialty food industry's highest honor, the sofi™, for its Brinjal Caponata - Purple Aubergine with Cumin & Curry Leaves Category in the category for a pickle or preserved vegetable. "We are truly honored and humbled to be chosen among our industry peers," said Naomi Mobed, Le Bon Magot Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "The sofi rec- ognizes our commitment to ensure that in- spired ingredients sourced locally, spiced internationally and treated simply deliver flavors that transport to far flung locations all from the safety of your pantry." On the market since 2015, Le Bon Magot condiments and culinary ingredi- ents have been recognized by food serv- ice professionals and retailers for their distinctive flavors, unique spice blends and painstaking attention paid to every aspect of the product – taste, texture and color. Earlier in 2018, Le Bon Magot won the Good Food Award for its Tomato and White Sultana Chutney with Ginger & Garam Masala, and in 2017, won five sofi Awards across a range of categories. n Veggie-Based Snack From the Ground Up Disrupts Salty Snack and Cracker Categories Halen Brands, Inc., CPG incubator and ven- ture capital company, is known for disrupt- ing the better-for-you salty snack category with emerging brands that challenge the sta- tus quo. From the Ground Up is no excep- tion offering nutrient-dense, plant-based versions of popular conventional snacks. From the Ground Up is a line of cauli- flower-based crackers and pretzels that also feature cassava flour and vegetable blend powders made from real veggies. The snacks are Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free Certified and made with vegan ingredients. A 1-ounce serving provides a good source of Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1 and B6, so the prod- ucts are a fun and tasty way to get those veg- gies in (and a secret-weapon for parents trying to sneak in some nutrition at snack time). From the Ground Up made its exclu- sive retail launch this month at Kings, Fair- way, Hy-Vee and Rouses. The snacks are also available now on Amazon, Walmart.com, Jet.com, Boxed.com and Fresh Direct. Also, From the Ground Up will be making its debut at Sprouts, Shop Rite, Fresh Thyme, Safe- way, Albertson's and many others this fall, just in time for back-to-school. Halen Brands was co-founded by Jason Cohen and Leigh Feuerstein in 2015. Cohen's recipe for success has been con- ceptualizing and delivering better-for-you food and beverage offerings in sleepy cat- egories. From the Ground Up is following suit by invigorating and innovating in crackers and pretzels – categories that have been stale for decades. These familiar formats will never be the same, as From the Ground Up redefines "better-for-you," by adding real vegetables to snacks and following through on the nutritionals. "At Halen Brands, we are listening to consumers and applying the wants and needs that we uncover to natural prod- ucts," said Co-Founder of Halen Brands Jason Cohen. "Consumers were asking for a veggie-based snack that actually had in- creased nutritional value, so we began looking at the vitamin and fiber rich Cau- liflower since it's so versatile and seemed to really be resonating with people," he continued. "We're really proud about what we've been able to accomplish on the nutritional front with the crackers and pret- zels," added Aaron Greenwald, President of From the Ground Up. "The products taste as delicious as the mainstream ver- sions and have all the characteristics that a better-for-you customer is looking for. This was not an easy feat and took two years to perfect," he continued. Developing From the Ground Up re- quired purchasing new equipment, finding gluten-free partners, sourcing unique plant-based ingredients and working with European suppliers. From the Ground Up Crackers come in three flavors, including Sea Salt, Cheddar and Nacho; and the Pretzels come in Orig- inal flavor in Sticks and Twists shapes. From the Ground Up Crackers are available in 4 oz. boxes and Pretzels are available in 4.5 oz. bags for a suggested retail price of $3.99. For more information on From the Ground Up, please visit fromthegroundupsnacks.com. "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Insta- gram. From the Ground Up is rooted in the be- lief that food should offer equal parts taste and nutrition. Our mission is to create pre- mium better-for-you snacks in familiar shapes and flavors that are plant-based, Non-GMO and Gluten Free. Our Crackers and Pretzels are made with real cauliflower and are good sources of vitamins and nu- trients. From the Ground Up Pretzels took home a 2018 SOFI Gold Award in the Sa- vory Snack category and the brand was re- cently featured in an Eat This, Not That segment on the TODAY Show. When it comes from the ground, it's got to be good! For more information on From the Ground Up, visit fromthegroundupsnacks.com. Halen Brands, Inc., founded in 2015, is a privately held operating company fo- cused on the food and beverage industry. Current investments include OWYN™, From the Ground Up, Joyfuls™, Chef's Cut Real Jerky and CORE Hydration. Company executives also played a key role in formulating and bringing to market Mamma Says Biscotti, Inc. and Sensible Portions Veggie Straws, as well as invest- ing and partnering with Party-Tizers Dip- pin' Chips, Mrs. Thinster's, Rickland Orchards and SkinnyPop Popcorn. For more information on Halen Brands, visit halenbrands.com. n Peter's Yard Cracker Complements Cheeses Selecting the accompaniments for an array of cheese is an important as the cheese se- lection itself. Crackers should complement a cheese, and not overpower; the perfect savory cracker needs to enhance the eating experience. British artisan bakery, Peter's Yard, is encouraging specialty retailers to try its award-winning sourdough crisp- bread, especially Pink Peppercorn, which was named the best new cracker at the 2017 sofi™ Awards. Peter's Yard's crispbreads are inspired by the bakers' love of Swedish baking, made to an authentic traditional recipe, using all-natural in- gredients that include organic whole-wheat flour, fresh milk, honey and a natural sourdough derived from a 40-year-old starter that is allowed to ferment and bubble for 16 hours before being used. Each batch of dough is rolled in rye flour, cut to shape and baked until golden, taking care to preserve the charac- teristic bubbles and curves that come from using a natural sourdough starter. The re- sult is a light, crisp texture that makes the crispbread the perfect host for cheese. The Peter's Yard crispbreads are authen- tic and made just as they would have been centuries ago in Sweden. Some crisp- breads have a characteristic hole in the centre, reminiscent of traditional life in Sweden. In years gone by, it was custom- ary that large discs of crispbread were baked during the harvest and left to pre- serve over the long Swedish winters. The discs were made with a central hole so that they could be left on a wooden pole, often above the fireplace. The crispbreads are naturally high in fiber, free from anything artificial and also low in sugar and calories. The Peter's Yard range includes a variety of crispbread and pack sizes, so there is a crispbread to suit every eating occasion from a small 'mini' crisp- bread which is ideal for canapés, through to a larger 'single serving size' crispbread to enjoy with cheese. The combination of the crispbread's light, crisp texture and simple, high quality ingredients make them the per- fect partner for any topping but in particular when served with cheese. The sofi Award-winning Pink Pepper- corn crispbread has a delicate peppery touch. It perfectly partners a wide selection of cheese from mild creamy goat milk to a robust vintage English Cheddar. The Peter's Yard range is currently available through World's Best Cheese and Tony's Fine Foods. n

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