Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n SEPTEMBER 2019 n GOURMET NEWS NH 3 4 WooBamboo Growth Exceeds Expectations for First Half of 2019 Despite its awesome lineup of toothbrushes for every member of the family, WooBam- boo is not a toothbrush company. Its employ- ees do not live and breathe toothpaste, toothbrushes or even floss. Instead, the com- pany prides itself on its desire to inspire the world to do better, which makes it an inspi- ration company! Recent reports show that WooBamboo's mission is succeeding – growth for the first half of 2019 is at 134 percent compared to sales the company experienced in the same time period last year. WooBamboo offers an extensive line of eco-friendly oral care products that inspire the world to take care of their planet and give everyday consumers the power to do just that. WooBamboo offers bamboo tooth- brushes for kids, adults and even pets, along- side other products that include all-natural toothpaste, biodegradable silk dental floss, and launching at Expo East – chewable toothpaste tablets, WooChews. WooBamboo products are designed to serve as quality im- provements over the oral care products found littering landfills around the world. In fact, WooBamboo products can be found in 56 countries, and in more than 18,000 stores worldwide. The company got its start on Earth Day in April of 2013, and has grown substantially in the little over six years it has been in business. WooBamboo's latest stats show that it has re- placed more than 3.5 million (plastic) tooth- brushes with its sustain- able bamboo option, and the company expects to add millions more to that number throughout the rest of the year and in the years to come. Though the company's founders know their products won't single- handedly save the planet, they do serve as important reminders – both to the company and to consumers – that small changes in the way we all live our lives really do add up over time. Waking up in the morning and brushing with a sustainable and panda-friendly bamboo toothbrush can inspire people to make other en- vironmentally friendly decisions throughout the day. On a global scale, such inspiration and the decisions it sparks can have a tremendous effect on the world. The team at WooBamboo believes that saving the world starts with inspiring people to make better decisions about the products they buy and use, and if the first half of 2019's growth is any indication of that, they are certainly onto something. This sort of growth encour- ages WooBamboo to continue its mission to innovate, inspire and change the world. Visit WooBamboo at booth #2734. HyVIDA Sparkling Water Has Better Bubbles An interview with Rick Smith, President, Chief Executive Officer, co-Founder, HyVIDA. GN: Tell our readers about HyVIDA. RS: HyVIDA is what you get when tech- savvy entrepreneurs with spunk create a bev- erage. We harnessed hydrogen gas, a powerful antioxidant, infused it in sparkling water and added a dash of certified organic flavors. GN: Like other sparkling waters, HyVIDA has zero calories, zero sugars, zero sweeten- ers and zero caffeine. What makes HyVIDA different? RS: HyVIDA delivers amazing functional- ity to the sparkling water category and a unique taste experience. HyVIDA's phe- nomenal for your body as the world's first to infuse hydrogen gas (H 2 ) into sparkling water to deliver powerful antioxidants. We also added 30mg of magnesium, creating a user experience unlike any other sparkling water brand. Magnesium is a super mineral that aids the nervous system, reduces anxi- ety and has shown to help the body metab- olize Vitamin D. Also, our process increases the pH to neutralize the acidity on the tongue and esophagus. The incredible result is a soft, bubbly experience that allows the certified organic flavors to leap over the palate. GN: What does hydrogen do for the body that makes it an antioxidant? RS: Many of our customers feel the Hy when they drink HyVIDA. Backed by over 1,000 published medical studies, hy- drogen gas scavenges the body to neutral- ize free radicals directly in the cells, repairing environmental damage and soothing soreness. Hydrogen (H 2 ), being the smallest mole- cule, travels through the body much faster than Vitamin C, profoundly impacting athletes looking for a competitive edge, stu- dents cramming for an exam or professionals seeking to balance a healthy and social lifestyle. GN: Who is HyVIDA's tar- get customer? RS: Health-conscious people looking for better-for-you options in all aspects of their life. This includes the young, the spry, teens, kids, health freaks, domestic divas – anyone who drinks sparkling waters or values the benefits of a healthy beverage. We also see people using HyVIDA Hydrogen Infused Sparkling Waters as cocktail mixers. The crisp flavors make it an easy mixer and the functional benefits are an added reward – particularly the following morning. GN: Is HyVIDA an energy drink? RS: No, HyVIDA is not an energy drink. Many consumers often feel 'perkier,' a sense of clarity, sharpness or calm after a can of HyVIDA. With only four ingredients: car- bonated water, magnesium, certified organic flavors and hydrogen, HyVIDA is a stim- ulant-free beverage made to Neutralize Negative En- ergy™. GN: Where is HyVIDA sold? RS: On Amazon and over 1,000 retailers across the USA, from natural independent stores to larger chains. We have great distribution partnerships with KeHE and UNFI support- ing multiple distribution centers. GN: What is the origin of the name HyVIDA? RS: We're having fun with the brand name. How many brands get to tell people to do something healthy while sounding taboo ... 'Get Hy™'! Hy is an abbreviation for both hydrogen and hydration, and VIDA means life. Visit HyVIDA at booth #8907. For more information, go to www.hyvida.com, call 231.780.7450 or email rick.smith@hyvida.com. Taj Food: Dedicated to Quality, Sustainability How can companies produce eco-friendly products, but also increase yield? For over 25 years, Taj Food (Pvt.) Ltd. has been one of the largest organic processors of organic rice, dried fruits and sesame seeds in Pakistan. Having found successful business ventures across the globe, including North America, European Union, Africa and Asia, Taj Food continues to be the go-to organic supplier of organic product categories. It is the company's practices and standards that set it apart from many other organic proces- sors. Over the years, Taj Food has built a rela- tionship with its farmers, increasing sustain- ability each year along with educating the farmers on efficient and eco-friendly meth- ods. It has actually noticed a big difference in its inorganic arsenic levels with its rice by having its farmers switch to using less water and better soil quality. Investing in such areas has benefited its Long Grain, Japon- ica/Round Grain, Basmati Grain and Red Grain rice with inheriting as low as 40 PPB levels of inorganic arsenic. As the climate changes and the population grows, the world needs a change in its farming ways. Farming is one of the top five causes of global warming, so the im- pact on the climate is more than we can imagine. Taj Food has dedicated itself to being one of the leaders in Pakistan in order to find answers. As it continues to embark on this journey of finding solutions, the company encourages all to join and give support in figuring out this question. At its plant, Taj Food has integrated mod- ern technologies to ensure the highest quality of product output, such as CO 2 chambers, heat treatment chambers, In- frared Sortex, vacuum packing and much more. Other than the technologies, Taj Food adheres to the highest standard of cer- tifications, certified in organic, IFS, Sedex, FSSC22000, Naturland, KRAV and kosher. The company will continue its search for answers while taking into consideration where all products are coming from and how they are being processed at its facility. The goal is to bring in and produce the highest quality foods while protecting health and the planet. For more information, visit booth #511. Fall River Wild Rice: New Ways with America's Native Grain Interest in plants and grains is soaring, as shoppers look for new ways to eat healthy. High in protein and fiber, nutty and with a striking visual appeal, wild rice is one of the healthiest grains available. It was a sta- ple food of several Native American tribes, who called it "manoomin" or "precious grain." Fall River Wild Rice brings this culinary gem to your store shelf. This naturally culti- vated wild rice is great in salads, soups and stir-fries. However, it also works well in mixes for pancakes and muffins and even in chocolate and desserts. Fall River's Fully Cooked Wild Rice is high-protein goodness in seconds. The only cereal grain native to North America, wild rice is not even a rice at all. It is the seed of Zizania plustris, a tall, bloom- ing water grass that prospers in the Great Lakes region, as well as in the fruitful valley in the shadows of the Sierra Nevadas and the Rockies. Fall River Wild Rice is a small grower-owned cooperative in the Fall River Valley, a rural mountain valley nestled be- tween the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges. For more information, call 800.626.4366 or go to www.fallriverwildrice.com.

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