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GOURMET NEWS NOVEMBER 2018 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 6 Introducing Natural Grocers Brand Products Natural Grocers has launched its new line of premium quality private label products, including more than 35 different new items across 10 categories. The launch continues Natural Grocers' commitment to its founding principles of Highest Qual- ity Products at Always Affordable℠ Prices. Natural Grocers is extending the power and equity of the Natural Grocers brand into a differentiated line of premium prod- ucts that can only be found at Natural Grocers stores. "Our name has been defining the high- est quality standards in the natural foods industry since before it really was an in- dustry, so when it comes time to put our name on products, only the highest quality products will do, and we make sure that they are priced so that everyone can afford them," said Kemper Isely, Natural Grocers co-President. "We want products that rep- resent our values: hormone and antibiotic- free meats; pasture-based dairy; pasture- raised eggs; no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils and non- GMO; values that have been defining our family's mission since 1955—never com- promising quality for the easy way through. When it comes to house brands, our products are the highest quality at an affordable price." The new Natural Grocers Brand product lineup includes organic pasta sauce, or- ganic olive oil, organic preserves, organic bread, organic apple cider vinegar, organic tortilla chips, organic taco shells, organic canned tomatoes, organic canned beans and organic canned vegetables, organic maple syrup, organic and fair-trade coffee and organic frozen fruits are expected to be introduced in November. Other excit- ing items such as organic and 100 percent grass-fed cheese, organic and free-trade chocolate, organic coconut milk, 100 per- cent grass-fed beef jerky and organic frozen vegetables are already in the pipeline and are expected to be in stores in 2019. The introduction of Natural Gro- cers' new line of organic, private label products is expected to have a positive im- pact on the overall mix of organic prod- ucts in the private label category, which according to Supermarket News, is at just six percent. To highlight the differentiators of a few of the new Natural Grocers Brand Prod- ucts, the premium organic pasta sauce is made with heirloom tomatoes from plants that haven't been altered for generations and with no added sugars. The organic extra-virgin olive oil has not been blended with any other type of oil or treated with heat or chemicals. The preserves use a fam- ily recipe dating back to the 1800s and are made in small batches. Natural Grocers has teamed up with How2Recycle, whose mission is to get more materials in the recycling bin by tak- ing the guesswork out of recycling. To that end, it has created a standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recy- cling instructions to the public. Recyclable packaging is an important component of Natural Grocers eco-friendly and sustain- able practices. Their partnership with How2Recycle is a natural fit as it relates to its private label offerings. As for future plans, Natural Grocers aims to continue providing customers with the highest quality private label options at affordable prices in as many categories as can be sourced, but it will never sacrifice quality over quantity. GN Pillow Pouches Proliferate in Snack Packaging Demand for pouches used in candy and snack food packaging is forecast to increase 3.8 percent annually through 2022 to $3.4 billion. The fastest gains are expected for smaller segments such as nuts and dried fruit, which are benefiting from trends to- ward smaller packages and healthy snack- ing. The large candy and confections segment will grow below average through 2022 due to brand owners of these prod- ucts being early adopters of stand-up pouches, although growth opportunities still exist. These and other trends are pre- sented in "Pouches in the US, 8th Edition," a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland, Ohio - based industry research firm. Nearly 75 percent of demand is gener- ated by pillow pouches, based on their prevalence in savory snacks and cookie and cracker packaging. Pillow pouches are also extensively used to package candy and con- fections, where they replaced more tradi- tional cellophane, paper and foil wrappers due to their more updated appearance and better tamper evidence. Demand for pouches in all applications is forecast to increase 3.9 percent annually to $10.5 billion in 2022. Convenience and the popularity of snacking will continue to drive conversions from rigid containers to more lightweight pouches with value- added features such as spouts, zippers and handles. Savings from reduced material usage, along with associated sustainability benefits, will support brand owners' tran- sition toward pouches. Pouch prices will increase as raw material costs rise, al- though price competition will limit fur- ther gains. GN Nestlé USA Partners with Start-ups in Healthy Snacking and Plant-based Foods Categories Nestlé USA has announced three of its newest partnerships as part of the TERRA Food & Agriculture Accelerator founded by RocketSpace and Rabobank. The pro- gram, which brings together innovators from both large corporations and emerging growth companies, now includes Jackson's Honest, Miyoko's and Here – each of which is creating on-trend foods focused on plant- based nutrition, simple labels and fresh in- gredients. "These companies represent the future of food," said Ashlee Adams, Head of Open Innovation at Nestlé. "Our open innovation efforts are focused on meet- ing companies where they are in their stage of growth and designing win-win partnerships that accelerate that growth. We look forward to working with these companies to share learnings, develop new capabilities and create something better together as we bring people more options in categories that are in high de- mand – healthy snacking and plant- based foods." Here Foods turns fresh produce ingredi- ents grown by independent farmers into produce-packed products like cold pressed juices, spreads and dips and salad dress- ings. Here sources directly from farmers and is working to create a community of farmers and consumers who celebrate food created in a way that is good for people and the planet. Jackson's Honest offers an entire portfolio of more than 20 non-GMO Proj- ect-verified snacks, including potato chips, tortilla chips, and grain free puffs all cooked "low and slow" in organic coconut oil. One of the fastest growing food com- panies in California, Miyoko's is revolu- tionizing the dairy industry by combining proprietary technology with age-old creamery methods to craft plant- based cheese and butter. Through an in- novative approach to traditional cheesemaking methods like fermenta- tion, culturing, and aging of plant-based ingredients, Miyoko's makes real food with complex flavors and textures reli- ably and at scale. Additionally, seven other corporate partners and 15 other food and agricul- ture startups will participate in the co- hort and have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from one another. Nestlé's open innovation approach is part of the company's broader hybrid innovation strategy, which focuses on reinvigorating its base brands, using new internal incubation models to launch products quickly, and leveraging strategic partnerships with emerging growth brands – like those in the TERRA program. Nestlé previously took part in TERRA cohort II, where it helped companies raise funding and launch new innovation. GN Fishermen Continued from PAGE 1 John Pappalardo, Chief Executive Officer of the Fishermen's Alliance and member of the council, convinced his peers to protect additional areas off the Cape's "backshore," beyond 12 miles. His motion, also widely supported, protects up to 25 nautical miles in key "boxes," east of the Cape, critical spawning areas for herring. "This dramatic success for our coastal fisheries, and for the ecosystem, couldn't have happened without strong support from our community on the Cape," said Pappalardo. "It's taken a long time – too long, really – but now we are in a stronger position to rebuild not just the herring population, but our traditional recreational and commercial fisheries." In the audience at the hearing, side by side with fishermen who have spent close to 20 years fighting to bring back their tra- ditional fisheries, were community mem- bers that have supported them, and the Cape's ecosystem. Shareen Davis, a longtime weir Fisher- woman, fisheries advocate, and now a Chatham, Massachusetts selectman, said the buffer would benefit the peninsula's economy and character. "Protecting the areas off Cape Cod's shoreline from large-scale fishing opera- tions chasing herring up and down the At- lantic coast will greatly benefit our marine ecosystem and Chatham's small-scale fish- ing fleet," she said. The Association to Preserve Cape Cod congratulated the Fishermen's Alliance and thanked the council for passing pro- tections that also greatly benefit river herring, cousins of ocean herring, that are unintentionally caught and killed by midwater trawlers. Andrew Gottlieb, Ex- ecutive Director of APCC, called the ac- tion a step forward, but said there was work still to be done. "We need to mon- itor the effects of the changes to make sure that the herring stock is recovering and that the goals are being met," he said. GN

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