Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2019 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 2 Fruit Bliss Launches Snackable Fruit & Nut Bites in New, Sustainable Packaging Organic snack food company, Fruit Bliss, is proud to announce the expansion of its offer- ings to include Fruit & Nut Bites. Made with only five ingredients or less, Fruit & Nut Bites combine a tasty blend of fiber-rich fruit and crunchy nut pieces. The result is the per- fect bite-sized option for breakfast on-the- go, an afternoon pick-me-up or a satisfying lunchbox treat. "With healthy snacking on the rise, and consumers looking for real food ingredients, we recognized an opportunity to combine our dried fruit with nuts to create a pure and simple snacking solution," said Susan Leone, Fruit Bliss Founder and Brooklyn-based mom. "Our existing line of rehydrated fruits is already unique in that they are soft and juicy and have been proven to be a great op- tion on their own or added to a recipe." Fruit & Nut Bites (MSRP $5.99/4 ounce resealable pouch), come in three flavor com- binations, including Apricot, Fig and Tart Cherries. Each flavor is a snackable combi- nation of organic dried fruit, dates and hazel- nut. The Tart Cherries flavor has the added bonus of cacao nibs and powder to create a chocolaty taste without the added sugar. Like all Fruit Bliss products, Fruit & Nut Bites are certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, kosher, vegan, gluten- and sulfite- free. At only about 100 calories a serving (about four servings per pouch), Fruit & Nut Bites provide a satiating, guilt-free treat that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Fruit & Nut Bites are packaged in resealable pouches made with NEO Plastics, a cre- ative solution which al- lows ordinary plastics the opportunity to pro- vide value after being discarded. NEO Plastics utilize the power of nature to convert plastic into biogas, a clean renewable energy source, providing an en- tirely new sustainable solution. "Choosing to package our Fruit & Nut Bites in a pouch made with NEO Plastics is one small thing we can do to help inspire others to do their part for a sustainable fu- ture," shared Leone. About Fruit Bliss One bite and you'll know exactly how Fruit Bliss got its name. Its passion for creating wholesome snacks with simple ingredients is what makes Fruit Bliss downright delicious. It all started as one health-minded mom's mission for clean snacking for her on-the-go family. Established in 2011, Susan Leone founded Fruit Bliss, one of the first compa- nies to bring rehydrated dried fruit to the U.S. Fruit Bliss products are certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project verified, Kosher OU, vegan, gluten-free and preservative- free. Fruit Bliss products can be found in grocery stores nationwide, as well as direct- to-consumer both on Amazon.com and on www.fruitbliss.com. Visit Fruit Bliss at booth #5459. For more in- formation, go to www.fruitbliss.com, call 646.225.6565 or email info@fruitbliss.com. Follow the company on Instagram, Face- book and Twitter. Bellucci EVOO: Harvesting Excellence The morning hours are crisp, and the soft, rolling breeze is accompanied by the strong, rich scent of olives. The time has come to harvest – and Bellucci's farmers are stead- fastly preparing to take to the trees. In order to produce the finest authentic Italian extra virgin olive oil, the olives must be harvested before the first frost. While the timing of harvest is not an exact science, the quality of the olive oil produced depends on its precision. In fact, the taste, color, nutrient level and overall vitality of extra virgin olive oil is drastically affected by when it is har- vested. The trees are inspected to ensure their olive fruits have reached the perfect level of maturity. Firm, bright green fruits produce a verdant, grassy flavor with a strong bite and high antioxidant content. These fruits must undergo a longer milling process in order to extract the oil, which may have a bitter, pun- gent flavor profile. Soft, dark fruits produce copious amounts of yellow-gold oil. This oil is sweet and fruity with a mellow flavor pro- file – though it has reduced amounts of chlorophyll and beneficial polyphenols. The ideal olive is found between these two stages, in the veraison phase. Veraison is a term borrowed from French viticulture, which refers to the change of color found in ripening grapes. In olives, this appears as a yellow-green softening of the fruit, touched by the first blush of red or purple. Veraison fruits are the peak of perfection, and will pro- duce an ample quantity of rich, verdant gold oil; dense in nutrients, and with a well- rounded flavor profile. Bellucci's collective of independent farm- ers all hold a strong commitment to steward- ing their family land. The groves in which their olives are grown are largely tended by hand, and the process of harvest is no excep- tion. Trees are carefully raked with handheld branch combs, the fruits caught by nets arranged beneath their branches before being gathered and poured into crates for transport. The crates are carefully la- belled, entered into the Bellucci traceability system, and then transported to the millhouse, where the olives will be washed, pressed, ground and spun in a centrifuge. After this journey, it will undergo rigorous testing and verification be- fore it can be labelled as extra virgin olive oil. It will then receive the mark of Bureau Veritas, which certifies its purity, authenticity and place of origin, before undergoing the journey to the shelves of grocers every- where. Second only to the perfect timing of har- vest is Bellucci's dedication to ensuring freshness and purity. This means seeing that the olives are pressed into oil within hours of harvest, and that each bottle of Bellucci is transported from tree to table with the utmost care. This dedication has landed Bellucci at the forefront of the extra virgin olive oil industry when it comes to matters of trace- ability and transparency. The company's Trust Through Traceability program supplies each bottle with a unique code which allows consumers to trace it back to the source, in- creasing visibility and trust. A new partnership with tech leader Oracle is helping take traceability to a whole new level, bringing even deeper insight into the production of authentic extra virgin olive oil. The additional development will allow blockchain technology to create an unalter- able ledger which documents each step of the journey between grove and grocer. Visit Bellucci Premium at booth #5132. For more information, go to www .belluccipremium.com. Pocasville's 100 Percent Natural Dragon Fruit Chips As global buyers and experts proclaim that dragon fruit will be one of the top 10 food trends for 2019 (Business Wire, 2018) you must be aware of, dragon fruit has its grasp on the market. Market experts assure that dragon fruit chips would be one of the healthy and trendy products in the market. Likewise, dragon fruit has an excellent rep- utation among big chains, as well as from in- dividual customers. Pocasville added some crunch to this pop- ular superfood. Pocasville's premium crunchy dragon fruit chips are 100 percent natural vacuum dried dragon fruit from Phan Thiet, Vietnam, which is considered the land of the dragon fruit. This delicious and nutritional snack is all natural, non-GMO verified, gluten-free and kosher. There is no cooking oil, no cho- lesterol, no preserv- atives, no trans-fat and no added sugar, but it is still tasty! It is available with white and red flesh. Dragon fruit is well known to aid digestion and the immune system. It is loaded with antioxi- dants and ranks low in calories. Also, it is good for heart health. Treat yourself and your customers with healthy dragon fruit chips. Try this whole- some snack and have it for your go-to healthy snack. Visit Pocas International at booth #5011. For more information, go to www.pocas.com, email contact@pocas.com or call 201.741.7900. Follow the company on Instagram and Facebook. Three Ways to Get Your Products Into the Hands of Gluten-Free Consumers Stores are becoming awash in a sea of gluten-free products, and the competition keeps multiplying. Your company works hard to get your products into distribution and onto store shelves, but the work doesn't end there. You must work just as hard to get your products off of the shelf and into the hands of the gluten-free consumer. Ever wonder what else you could be doing to market your products directly to your tar- get customers? The Nourished Group offers three ways to connect your brand to millions of free-from consumers. 1. Reach a niche crowd through a Custom Email Campaign and get your message in front of gluten-free consumers and bloggers. E-blasts are great for new product launches, special discounts or promotions, and new re- tail distribution announcements. With higher open and click-through rates than the indus- try average and the ability to pick the number and type of con- sumers reached, you can create a successful online campaign tailored to your budget and needs. 2. Sample and sell products at The Nourished Festival. Consumers like to sample products before buying them in the store. At this gluten-free food and wellness festival, con- sumers get the chance to try your products while you get the opportunity to interact with potential customers, bloggers, buyers and re- tailers. The Nourished Festival is expanding to include sections for Paleo, Keto and Plant- Based products and will visit 10 cities across the U.S. in 2019. 3. Advertise on the Find Me Gluten Free mobile app. Find Me Gluten Free is a category leader for finding gluten- free friendly businesses wherever you are. Reach more than three million local and re- gional gluten-free consumers and remind them about your products or business at the perfect time – when they're hungry! For more information, visit booth #N1209, go to www.nourished.group or email stacy@glutenfreemg.com.

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