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GOURMET NEWS OCTOBER 2018 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 7 Executive Director Hired for Regenerative Organic Alliance Elizabeth Whitlow has been appointed the Executive Di- rector of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, a nonprofit or- ganization that holds the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC). ROC is a holistic, high-bar certifica- tion that encompasses three pillars: soil health, animal wel- fare, and social fairness. Whitlow will report to the Regenerative Organic Al- liance's Board of Directors, which is comprised of farmers, ranchers, brands, experts in animal welfare and social fair- ness, and is led by the Rodale Institute. She will work with NSF International to pilot the new certification and engage with farms, brands, NGOs, and key stakeholders to grow the certification. Whitlow brings a wealth of relevant experience to the Re- generative Organic Alliance. She has dedicated her career in regenerative agriculture to further the impact of high-bar certifications. In her most-recent role as EarthClaims' direc- tor of certification, she oversaw a team working to provide private, third-party verification services for animal welfare, grass-fed claims, antibiotic-free and customized audits to support specific marketing claims. Prior to EarthClaims, Whitlow was a fellow at the Leadership for a Sustainable Fu- ture where she took a one-year course on how to train more effective leaders who understand the interconnectivity be- tween economy, ecology, and community. Whitlow also spent 16 years with California Certified Organic Farmers in roles ranging from reviewer, senior inspector, and livestock specialist to inspection operations manager. "We are thrilled to have Elizabeth at the helm of the Re- generative Organic Alliance," notes Jeff Moyer, Executive Director of Rodale Institute and chair of the ROA. "She brings a deep knowledge of the complexities surrounding organic and animal welfare certifications. She understands the practical needs of farmers and producers and her lead- ership will be key in rolling out the ROC label." "I am honored to be working with such an incredible team and to be part of this important movement," stated Whitlow. "The project has come so far already, and I look forward to keeping that momentum going and expanding the Regenerative Organic Certification program." Born and raised in north Georgia, Whitlow received her BA in German from Georgia State University in Atlanta and her MA in environmental studies from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She is a member of the Farmers Guild Advisory Board and the Sonoma County Food System Alliance Council. Whitlow lives in northern California, where she grows food and community on her micro-farm. She will be based remotely. GN Natural Grocers Announces Closure of Tulsa-Central Store Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. is closing its Tulsa-Central store, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by No- vember 9, 2018. The company stated the decision to close the Tulsa-Central store reflects that store's financial per- formance and the company's ongoing efforts to enhance operating efficiencies across its store base. Natural Grocers' other store in Tulsa, located less than eight miles from the Tulsa-Central store, will remain open, and Natural Grocers believes that store will be in a strong position to effectively serve the Tulsa market. This marks Natural Grocers' first store closure since the company was founded in 1955. The company stated it cur- rently has no plans to close any additional stores. The Tulsa-Central store currently employs 16 individu- als. Some of those crew members may be transferred to other Oklahoma stores. The remaining employees will be offered a severance package, with health benefits covered through the end of 2018. GN Participants Selected for Land O'Lakes Inc. Dairy Accelerator Program Six dairy companies were recently selected to participate in the 2018 Land O'Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator – a pro- gram supporting the dairy industry by providing tailored coursework and mentorship to dairy entrepreneurs. To qualify for consideration, each company was required to utilize dairy as a primary ingredient in their products. "Our 2018 participating companies span dairy cate- gories, demonstrating the vitality and versatility of dairy. We're excited to support the dairy industry by nurturing these innovators and entrepreneurs in the accelerator pro- gram," said Raquel Melo, Vice President of Innovation and New Business Development at Land O'Lakes, Inc. The selected 2018 Land O'Lakes Dairy Accelerator par- ticipants included Blue Marble Ice Cream, which makes or- ganic ice creams and sorbets. Founded by two friends in 2007 in Brooklyn, New York, Blue Marble Ice Cream prod- ucts are made of milk from certified organic, pasture-raised cows. Ice cream and sorbet flavors include classics like vanilla and chocolate, and more unique options like Mex- ican Chocolate, Pumpkin and Green Tea. Darling Pickle Dips, another of the participants, makes cream cheese dips flavored with pickled vegetables, herbs and spices. Born out of a love of snacking by its founders, Darling Pickle Dips offers refrigerated dips made from a cream cheese and white bean base, combined with pickled vegetables, herbs and spices. Flavors include Original Dill Pickle, White Cheddar & Mustard with Dill Pickle, and Spicy Pickle. Indianapolis-based Tulip Tree Creamery, which produces specialty handcrafted cheeses and butter using traditional European recipes combined with the founders' own twist; Tulip Tree Creamery, which makes hand-crafted soft- ripened, semi-soft and fresh cheeses and butter; Smash- Pack, which makes protein fruit smoothie pouches and grass-fed pudding pouches; Numa's Milk Chews, which are milk-based chewy snacks infused with nuts and dried fruit inspired by Taiwanese nougat; and Norr Skyr, a brand of flavored organic skyr, round out this year's participant list. Throughout the three-month course, participants will meet with both Land O'Lakes and external business mentors and will attend seminars focused on topics including finance, brand building, sales, and leadership development. The program will be held in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Min- nesota, metro area. GN

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