Oser Communications Group

Supplier News BRIEFS GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2019 www.gourmetnews.com SUPPLIER NEWS 1 0 Bono Extra-Virgin Olive Oils Offer Quality, Transparency The product lines offered in the U.S. in- clude Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, produced in Italy, Spain, Greece and Tunisia and packed in Italy; 100% Product of Italy Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil pro- duced in Sicily, Calabria and Puglia; PDO Val di Mazara Organic Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil PDO - Val di Mazara, among others. Each oil has its own cer- tifications, depending largely on the origin of the olives from which it was made. "Our distribution is led by our Sicilian-certi- fied product that comes with PDO and PGI certi- fication," Russo-Tiesi said. The PDO- and PGI- certified oils guarantee that the origin of the olives as well as the fac- tory that produces the oil is grown, harvested and processed exclu- sively in the Val di Mazara region of west- central Sicily, which in- cludes the province of Palermo and western Agrigento Province. "Those certifications guarantee quality and traceability," Russo-Tiesi said. To attain the certifications, the company worked with a third-party auditor that "came in and tracked everything from the first day the olive grows on the tree to the day we bottle the oil," which provides full transparency, according to Russo-Tiesi. "We have a very high-quality product, a very traceable product. Each bottle has its own serial number that kind of acts like a VIN number on a car, so you can trace each bottle of olive oil back to the producer, which is us, and where it comes from – the Sicilian land." In addition to the certification standards, the PDO and PGI bodies contribute their store of accumulated wisdom about olei- culture, which Russo-Tiesi says helps the company to grow the highest-quality olives and thus to produce the highest-quality olive oil. "The PDO and PGI [which also certifies protected designations] bodies are with us every step of the production and selling way," Russo-Tiesi said. The success of their efforts is measured by the more than 50 awards that Bono has taken home for its oils over the past decade. "The Bono family has done a great job," Russo-Tiesi said. "It's four brothers from a very close-knit family that have taken this factory to new levels. They're now one of the top five premier extra-vir- gin olive oil traders [by volume of extra- virgin olive oil] in Italy. They're now expanding and investing greatly into Spain and Tunisia." For more information, visit www .bonousainc.com. GN BY LORRIE BAUMANN Bono's premium Sicilian extra-virgin olive oils represent some of the most traceable on the market. At least for now, those oils are not subject to tariffs on a wide variety of other European food products, including the extra virgin olive oil com- ing onto the market now from Bono's new produc- tion facility in Spain. In addition, the company also operates an oil fac- tory in Tunisia, and that oil also is not subject to tariffs. Bono USA is the Amer- ican satellite of the verti- cally integrated producer and trader of extra-virgin olive oil producer Bono- lio. It's been operating in the U.S. since 2015 under the leadership of Salva- tore Russo-Tiesi, General Manager and President of the U.S. office. "Since then, we've been having great success in this country, both in private label and with the brand," he said. In those four years, Russo-Tiesi has taken the U.S. brand presence for Bono to distribution in all 50 states. The brand is now sold at more than 5,000 locations across the country. Bob's Red Mill's Melissa Meyers Promoted to Director of Sales for U.S. Market Bob's Red Mill has promoted seven-year company veteran Melissa Meyers to Director of U.S. Sales. As Director, she'll lead a team of 20 to drive sales domestically for all Bob's Red Mill products. Meyers has been an instrumental part of the sales team since January 2012, working primarily in the western United States, and she played a key role in nurturing existing retailer relationships and introducing the brand's newly- expanded snack line to category buyers. Prior to joining Bob's Red Mill she worked in the food brokerage business for more than 10 years. GG Scandinavian Crispbreads Introduces Gluten Free Line of Crackers Makers of functional high fiber crackers, GG ® Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads, is launching a highly-anticipated gluten free line of its popular crispbread crackers. GG Gluten Free crackers will come in Multi-Seed and Honey Cinnamon varieties. GG Gluten Free crackers are non-GMO and have 3 grams fiber, 40 calories and only 3 grams of net carbohydrates per cracker. They are an exceptional fiber supplement and a great guilt and gluten free substitute for bread and pizza crust. The suggested retail price is $3.99 for a 3.5-ounce package (15 crackers). Aside from GG Gluten Free crackers, the brand still offers the Original recipe from 1935, but has also expanded, with other delicious varieties and flavors, like Oat Bran (made with just two ingredients), Sunflower Seed, Pumpkin Seed, and Honey Raisin Crispbreads. Folios Cheese Wraps Gain National Distribution Folios™ Cheese Wraps, from Lotito Foods, has achieved expanded distribution of the innovative, low-carbohydrate, naturally lactose- and gluten-free cheese wraps. Folios Cheese Wraps are 100 percent cheese, available in Jarlsberg ® , Parmesan, and Cheddar. With no wheat, starch, fillers or added sugar and only 1g of carbohydrates, these wraps are extremely popular with keto, paleo, allergy-friendly and low-carb diets and for anyone looking for alternative culinary wraps or an interesting twist to an everyday recipe. Retail price for a four-count pack ranges from $3.99 to $5.99. Ardagh Group Introduces 3 New Glass Food Jars Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a division of Ardagh Group, has introduced three new glass food jars for craft food producers on its BOB™ site. The new food containers include a 5-ounce hot sauce bottle, a 9-ounce refrigerator jar and a 12-ounce mayo/salsa jar, all manufactured in the United States out of high-quality, traditional flint (clear) glass. To view Ardagh Group's entire online food catalog offering, visit www.ardaghgroup.com. Rigoni di Asiago Launches New Nocciolata Bianca Hazelnut Spread Rigoni di Asiago, a 96-year-old family- owned Italian foods brand, has launched its newest organic spread, Nocciolata Bianca. The all-hazelnut flavor joins Rigoni di Asiago's popular Nocciolata range of hazelnut and cocoa spreads, in- cluding its classic and dairy free offer- ings. Born in 2008 from a traditional Italian pastry recipe, Nocciolata is a range of or- ganic sweet spreads made from the finest ingredients for a better-for-you hazelnut spread alternative without palm oil. Noc- ciolata Bianca is the only product in the range to not contain cocoa. Its unique and intense hazelnut flavor is ideal on toast or in desserts for a natural snack. Meeting the needs of the modern food consumer, Nocciolata Bianca offers an indulgence with health benefits. Made with more hazelnuts than other spreads, Bianca is gluten-free and high in protein with 45 percent less sugar than the average hazelnut spread on the market. "For Rigoni di Asi- ago, organic produc- tion has always been the Rigoni family's number one mission," said Andrea Rigoni, Chief Executive Offi- cer of Rigoni di Asiago. "Our company aims to preserve and maintain the flavors of the past, respect the environ- ment, and uphold a strong relationship with its local region and traditions. Nocciolata Bianca has been carefully created to fit these val- ues." Founded in 1923, Rigoni di Asiago is a family-owned and operated company from Italy and leader in the organic honey and organic fruit spread market. Located in Altopiano di Asiago, a mountain plateau in northern Italy, the company was one of the first in Europe to turn to organic farming in the 1990s and merit the Certi- fied Organic label. The com- pany's production facilities operate with low power con- sumption, using renewable sources such as wind while re- circulating its own water sup- ply after treatment and purification. GN

• Cover