Oser Communications Group

1 5 December 2018 SNACKING NEWS Fruit Bliss Adds Tart Cherries to Organic Dried Fruit Line Fruit Bliss has expanded its organic dried fruit line to include soft and juicy rehy- drated Tart Cherries. "After the success of our current line of or- ganic dried fruit, we are excited to add Tart Cherries to the list," said Susan Leone, Founder and Owner of Fruit Bliss. "Our Tart Cherries are great for a healthy snack right out of the bag or for an extra flavor zing in any recipe or smoothie." Fruit Bliss Tart Cherries are picked at the height of ripeness and sun-dried, and then undergo a rehydrating process that leaves them juicier and softer than traditional dried fruit. Like all of Fruit Bliss' products, these Tart Cherries are organic, Non-GMO Project verified, gluten free and contain no preser- vatives. They will be available in 4ounce re-sealable pouches on Amazon and in markets around the country. "Compared with other dried fruits, ours are soft and juicy, with no added sulfites," said Leone, a Brooklyn mom who decided to start Fruit Bliss to fill the gap in 100 percent healthy snacks on the supermarket shelves. "Fruit Bliss really is dried fruit reinvented and a truly healthy snack or ad- dition to many dishes." For more information, go to www.fruit bliss.com, call 646.225.6565 or email info@fruitbliss.com. n Consumers Want to Express Social Values Through Snack Choices BY ROBIN MATHER Whether it's chocolate, coffee, fruit or other snacks, shoppers are turning to prod- ucts from companies that share their social values. Issues such as child labor, fair trade, sustainability and even protecting endangered species have drawn the pub- lic's attention, and companies that em- brace those issues are seeing it pay off with profits. Those profits also come to the retailers who sell such products. But retailers should know that not all customers speak up about their preferences. There are two kinds of customers, says one chocolate retailer. "Those who are steered by social issues, who want to know where the chocolate is made, what the maker's story is, they want that social values stuff up front," says Adam Smith of Fog City News in San Francisco, California, which specializes in chocolate from around the world and stocks upwards of 300 chocolate products at any given time. "For those people, the decision starts with 'which brands are or- ganic? Which are fair trade?' With the other type of customer, it's kind of the re- verse: They're aware of a brand or bar line and then, if my staff mentions it, it's a nice little bonus." While Smith says about 10 percent of his clientele ask about such issues, he quips that it's partly because "We're Fog City News, not Fog City Fair Trade News." In other words, he says, customers with that in mind are probably going to a specialty food store that touts those values. Adopting – and expressing – social val- ues can have some surprisingly positive ef- fects, a study published in 2016 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found. The study learned that teens encouraged to feel socially conscious improved their both their health and the nutrition profile of the snacks and drinks they chose. The researchers suggested that using the teens' own values worked better than trying to coach them on the long-term benefits of a healthy diet. Companies that Get it Right Equal Exchange Coop in West Bridgewa- ter, Massachusetts, is a company founded on the values that today's customers say they want to support. Through its fair-trade work with coffee and fruit growers, the co- op now has offices around the world. Begun in 1986 by Jonathan Rosenthal, Michael Rozyne and Rink Dickinson, the company was formed around fair trade is- sues, with one of its core missions being to educate consumers about trade issues that affect farmers. Its fair trade coffee was the first of its kind in the US. The founders seized on the USA's fascination with spe- cialty coffee in the '80s, when they im- ported their first product – coffee from Nicaragua. Hot cocoa mix followed in 2001, and chocolate bars in 2004. The bars brought the public's attention to the issue of child slavery on cocoa plantations in West Africa. Guittard Chocolate calls its social values program "Cultivate Better," says Amy Guittard, Director of Marketing for Guit- tard, a member of the company's fifth gen- eration. The company's Honorable Sourcing program emphasizes social in- tegrity – from fair trade pricing and premi- ums to growers, to helping growers protect and preserve heritage cocoa varieties. "Where we get our ingredients and the social conditions under which they are grown are central to our work – and inte- gral to our definition of quality," Guittard says. Consumers Get it, Too Market researchers say ethical production and values are a top driver for all buyers – but especially for Millennials, who have a deeper drive for ethically sourced foods than any other generation. "From sustainable farming to free-range eggs, consumers do want their dining choices to have unintended conse- quences," says Sharon Olson, the Execu- tive Director of Culinary Visions Panel. "Whether it's rewarding a company's fair trade labor practices or their zero-waste policies, we found that Millennials are the most serious about ethically sourced grab- and-go foods." About 64 percent of the 1,500 people younger than 35 surveyed for the Culinary Visons Panel's Mindful Dining Initiative said they have a hard time finding enough ethical snacks. Even more of those sur- veyed – 67 percent – said they would pay more for ethically produced food that they take with them. n Organic Chocolate-Hazelnut Spreads Nocciolata and Nocciolata Dairy Free In Asiago (Northern Italy), the Rigoni family has been keeping the long-standing traditions of organic honey and fruit spread production alive for decades. Now, they have perfected a recipe for Nocciolata (pronounced no-cho-lata), a healthier, higher-quality, better-tasting chocolate- hazelnut spread. Made with organic ingredients com- pletely free of genetically modified ingre- dients, preservatives, colors, additives or artificial sweeteners, Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata combines top-quality hazel- nuts, fair trade cocoa and cocoa butter, nat- ural bourbon vanilla extract, raw cane sugar and skimmed milk from outdoor farms to create a chocolate-hazelnut spread with undeniably superior flavor and smooth, creamy texture. Unlike other brands which use palm oil, Nocciolata is made with environmen- tally-responsible, cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydro- genated fats. Each batch takes a slow and gentle arti- sanal preparation to develop rich and com- plex flavors and easy-to-spread texture. Nocciolata is perfect for snacking, a won- derful addition to breakfast spreads, an al- ternative to other nut butters and is wonderful with breads, croissants, crepes and fruit. Nocciolata Dairy Free has the same high-quality as Nocciolata but is com- pletely free of milk. This new, exclusive, extra-addictive recipe has a deep chocolate flavor and is balanced by the generosity of hazelnuts. Nocciolata Dairy Free is a 2017 sofi Award winner for Best New Product in the Nut Butter/Seed Butter category. "In the 1960s, every child in Asiago dreamed of buying the finest and most de- licious chocolate from our village pastry chef's local store," recalls Rigoni di Asi- ago Chief Executive Officer and President Andrea Rigoni. "The memory of this arti- sanal treat inspired us at Rigoni di Asiago to perfect a classic, indulgent, chocolate- hazelnut spread." Nocciolata and Nocciolata Dairy Free are available in stores nationwide in a 270g (9.52-ounce) glass jar. For more information, go to www .rigonidiasiago-usa.com or call 305.470.7583. n

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