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GOURMET NEWS JULY 2019 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 8 mate change impacts of widespread defor- estation began applying very public pres- sure to industrial users of palm oil. Under pressure from these powerful advocacy groups, some manufacturers and restaurant chains have eliminated palm oil from their recipes, other palm oil buyers have switched to palm oil that's certified not to have contributed to deforestation, and some are still embroiled in the controversy. The World Wildlife Fund provides an online scorecard that scores Ahold, the Del- haize Group, Walmart and Britain's Marks & Spencer with a perfect 9 out of 9 points on a scale that rewards companies for com- mitment to responsible sourcing of palm oil; Costco, Kroger and Target with a 2 score and Safeway with a 1. Among manu- facturers, Ferrero, FrieslandCampina, Mars and Hershey all received perfect 9-point scores, while Smucker's got 4 points and Campbell's got 2. It's not all about shame and blame, though – the World Wildlife Fund is also a founding member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, which creates stan- dards for sustainable palm oil production and certifies qualified growers and proces- sors. According to the WWF, about 20 per- cent of the world's palm oil is now certified sustainable by the RSPO. Blomquist is the Director of Innovation and Business Development for Natural Habitats, which produces palm oil in Ecuador, and he's a fan as well as an em- ployee. He says that his company, a member of the RSPO, complies with the strictest RSPO standards to ensure that entire supply chain is fully traceable, that all of its oil is grown under sustainable organic practices to protect the watershed and the soil and that Natural Habitats has also gone above and beyond by adopting social justice prac- tices that protect the workers that produce the oil. He says that his company is one of three major producers in the world that protect both the environment and the in- digenous communities in the tropical re- gions where the oil palm is cultivated. Natural Habitats calls its approach "Palm Done Right." The company is currently sourcing its oil from 180 small Ecuadorian farms converted from conventional to or- ganic agriculture. "There are new farmers in queue all the time because we're growing and need more oil," Blomquist said. "Our focus is on transitioning conventional farmers to organic." "When you look at the mill itself, we have a much more sustainable system: little to no waste, and water effluent is treated into a final water that you can grow tilapia in," he added. "When you press the oil, you get fiber, which is collected and used as fuel for the boilers." Ecuadorian law provides some protec- tion for the farmers, with labor laws that mandate a minimum wage and provide for health care coverage for workers, but en- forcement is spotty, Blomquist said, and so Palm Done Right also carries Fair for Life certification, which provides additional protection for both the workers who grow the oil palms and those who process the oil. "It's a much more transparent relationship with the workers," Blomquist said. "We make sure the farmers follow these higher level rules as well." GN Palm Oil Continued from PAGE 1 The boom in demand for the oil led to widespread clearing of tropical rain forest to plant oil palms. Global palm oil produc- tion increased from 15.2 million tons in 1995 to 62.6 million tons in 2015, accord- ing to the European Palm Oil Alliance. Pro- duction is led by Indonesia and Malaysia, which are the leading exporters of palm oil worldwide. By 2018, more than 3.5 million hectares of Indonesian and Malaysian rain forest had been cleared, destroying about 80 per- cent of orangutan habitat and putting the apes on the World Wildlife Fund's critically endangered list. Fewer than 80,000 orang- utans survive in the wild today, according to the WWF, and shrinking forest habitat in the region is also threatening elephants, the Sumatran Rhino and the Sumatran Tiger, all also critically endangered. Environmental organizations alarmed by the loss of wildlife habitat and by the cli- New Brand Reinvents the Brie Category with Unmatched Taste Savencia Cheese USA LLC is introducing Supreme Brie, the newest addition to its range of specialty cheese brands. In developing this cheese, Savencia set out to reinvent Brie as we know it — mak- ing it highly approachable, full-flavored and supremely creamy. In doing so, fresh cream is sourced daily from the farms around the company's Lena, Illinois, creamery, and pas- teurized immediately upon arrival for a con- sistently creamy taste and texture. The re- sult is a deliciously buttery and smooth Brie, with a thin white rind you can eat. The 7-ounce oval shape can be easily cut into slices, making it simple to serve and enjoy every day — not just on special occasions. "To make Supreme, we source cream and put it into production of Brie the same day," said Mikhail Chapnik, Vice President of Marketing at Savencia Cheese USA. "This focus on freshness creates a creamier, smoother, and more spreadable Brie, that will appeal to a broad audience of cheese lovers who don't typically consider Brie." Supreme Brie officially launched in gro- cery stores nationwide on May 20, 2019, giving, in Chapnik's words, "a reinvented, modern twist to our Supreme line of fine cheeses." Aside from the signature 7-ounce oval in modern blue packaging, Supreme Brie will also be available in a larger 4.4-pound oval pack to be freshly cut on-site at deli depart- ments, as well as single-serve miniature Brie Bites, which are perfect for snacking (coming in fall of this year). GN Ritual Sacrifice of Giant Salami at IDDBA Italian salumi producer Veroni brought one of its giant mortadellas from Italy to the U.S. to slice it up for visitors to the IDDBA Show, held in Orlando, Florida June 2-4. This year, the show brought together more than 10,000 exhibitors and attendees from the dairy, deli and bakery industries. Next year's show will be held May 31-June 2 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Veroni, a historical brand founded in Emilia-Romagna in 1925 and present in the American market since 2016, has specialized over the years in the pro- duction of giant mortadellas, which have been featured several times in the Guinness World Records book. It still holds the record for the world's largest mortadella ever produced: 2,680 kg (5,909 pounds) in weight and 29 inches in diameter with a circumference of 7.55 feet. "The bigger it is, the better it is' is not just a motto, but a fact," said Emanuela Bigi, Marketing Manager at Veroni Salumi. "Mortadellas with the largest diameter re- quire a longer cooking process; this helps to enhance their flavors." Even today, the secret and highly guarded recipe for Veroni's giant mortadel- las is one of tradition: high quality raw ma- terials, processed with a "know-how" handed down from generation to genera- tion within the Veroni family. "We are thrilled to have been able to bring one of our giant mortadellas to the United States and that our flagship product has successfully passed all the necessary USDA controls that confirm its quality and safety," Bigi said. Slicing a giant mortadella is a job for ex- perts, so Veroni also brought a charcuterie specialist from Italy to cut the mortadella and offer it to guests at the company's booth, which featured a wealth of 100 per- cent Italian-made traditional salumi prod- ucts that are produced in Italy and imported into the U.S. to be sliced and packaged. Veroni also offered the latest ad- dition to its ready-to-go range, Italian panini made with cured meats between pizza bread from Naples. GN New Report: Specialty Food Sales Near $150 Billion The Specialty Food Association's (SFA) annual "State of the Specialty Food Indus- try Report" reveals that specialty food re- mains one of the fastest-growing segments of the food business. Fueled by increasing interest from both consumers and retail- ers, total sales jumped 9.8 percent be- tween 2016 and 2018, reaching $148.7 billion last year. Specialty food sales outpaced the growth of all food at retail – up 10.3 per- cent vs. 3.1 percent. Product innovation and the wider availability of specialty foods through mass-market outlets is playing a part in the industry's success. Sales through foodservice represented 22 percent of sales, with retail taking the top spot with 76 percent of sales. While online represents less than three percent of sales, it has grown 41 percent since 2016. "Diverse consumer lifestyles are taking specialty foods mainstream," said Phil Ka- farakis, President of the SFA. "To reach these consumers and increase their own sales, food merchants have embraced the vast assortment of specialty products. Our research outlines the momentum in the in- dustry and provides a comprehensive pic- ture of where we are today and how businesses can prepare for the future. Con- ducting important research like this is a part of our mission to champion specialty foods and help our members continue to innovate and succeed." According to the report, the top five categories with highest dollar growth were refrigerated plant-based meat alter- natives, rice cakes, frozen plant-based meat alternatives, water and refrigerated ready-to-drink tea and coffee. The top five categories based on retail sales were cheese and plant-based cheese alternative; frozen or refrigerated meat, poultry and seafood; chips, pretzels and other snacks; coffee and hot cocoa that's not sold ready to drink; and bread and other baked goods. Other points made in the report are that plant-based foods are selling well and spe- cialty foods are increasingly a force in the food market. Younger consumers aren't looking to supermarkets for quick meals, and reduced packaging and food waste are matters of concern for consumers. The sur- vey found that the convenience store chan- nel presents a growth opportunity that producers should explore, that there's op- portunity in breakfast, and that the food- service industry should be concerned about meeting consumers' desires for customiza- tion. Read more at www.specialtyfood.com/ state2019. GN

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