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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2020 n GOURMET NEWS N H 7 6 Soulfully Seasoned Beans on the Table in a Flash By Lorrie Baumann A Dozen Cousins offers ready-to-eat bean dishes seasoned with the Creole, Caribbean and Latin American flavors of the ethnically diverse Brooklyn neighborhood that brand Founder Ibraheem Basir grew up in. "Food was a joyful, cultural experience," he says of that neighborhood. "I grew up in a Black and Brown melting pot. I can remember eating jerk chicken, empanadas, black-eyed peas. It was a really interesting mix of flavors that I wanted to bring to life with this brand." Coming from a background as a brand manager for a natural foods manufacturer, where he fell in love with the ethos of healthy eating and responsible business prac- tices, Basir has founded his own line with a vision of eventually extending it with other dishes created at the intersection of healthy food, convenience and bold flavor. "Beans is just first. Dinnertime is such a joyous time for people, and you want to put something healthy on the table for your family or for your loved ones. You want, in some cases, to share cultural experiences with the people that you love. But, at the same time, usually people have, like, 20 minutes to prepare din- ner each night," he said. "There's always this tension between wanting to prepare some- thing that's wholesome and h i g h - q u a l i t y, but to do it re- ally quickly. We feel like, as a brand, that's a spot where we can help out." Another of Basir's visions was to offer healthy natural food products that will appeal to those outside the traditional market for natural foods. He notes that people of color have been disproportionately affected by a public health epidemic of nutrition-related illnesses that could be mitigated by a diet that includes a wide variety of less processed options. In pursuit of his brand's mission, the company offers an annual grant and volun- teer support to non-profit agencies working to eliminate socio-economic health disparities in the U.S. The A Dozen Cousins line, named after his daugh- ter and her 11 cousins, cur- rently includes three products: Cuban Black Beans, Mexican Cowboy Beans and Trini Chickpea Curry. "They're ready-to-eat beans, fully cooked and sea- soned, according to those traditions from Black and Latino recipes," Basir said. They're all cooked with avocado oil, real vegetables and spices. They're packaged in pouches that tell the story of the ingredients and their flavors, and they're designed to stand out on the shelf. Each pouch contains 10 ounces and will serve two. Visit www.adozencousins.com to learn more. New Coffee Creamers Appeal to the Dairy-Cautious By Lorrie Baumann Austin, Texas-based Picnik is launching from its foodservice origins into the retail market with a line of creamers designed to provide those with concerns about dairy products to enjoy a creamy coffee again. The launch, helmed by consumer packaged goods veteran Andy Malloy, includes Dairy- Free Collagen and Vegan Creamers along with a fresh look for the line, which also in- cludes Picnik's unsweetened Original Creamer. All Picnik Creamers are keto-certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, and contain zero sugar or net carbohydrates. Like Picnik's Original Creamer, the two new options are unsweetened, powered by MCT [medium- chain triglycerides] oil for an energy and brain boost, and have a similar flavor profile to half-and-half. "This allows people to in- dulge in a way that people with dietary re- strictions can't otherwise do," Malloy said. "Many of Picnik's values fall into that bet- ter-for-you category that I'm passionate about." The Picnik's new Vegan Creamer is made with coconut cream, cashew milk and MCT oil for a silky dairy-free creamer that's paleo- friendly and keto-certified. The Picnik's new Collagen Creamer features grass-fed colla- gen and rich cashew cream to offer an added boost for hair, skin, gut and joints. It's paleo- friendly and keto-certified. The products, like the Picnik's Original Creamer, are now offered in vibrant and modern packaging that puts a spotlight on the ingredients that appeal to paleo-, keto- and other nutrition-conscious shoppers while creating a strong and attractive brand block on shelf. The recipes for the products were developed by brand Founder Naomi Seifter, who opened Picnik in a food trailer made from a repurposed shipping container in Austin in 2013. From her food trailer, she offered grab-and-go lunch items along with the butter cof- fee that developed a cult following for her the brand. In 2016, she opened her first brick- and-mortar cafe full-ser- vice restaurant in Austin. "My initial reaction was a bit of awe because it was extremely crowded and busy, and you could tell that people just loved being there," Malloy said of his first visit to the cafe. "It has healthy food that tasted amazing." Seifter expanded with a second food trailer and developed her first ready-to- drink coffee in 2017. Malloy joined the brand just this year after a career that in- cluded 20 many years with Frito-Lay and, most recently, as chief executive officer of Hail Merry. He's made a specialty of grow- ing brands in the CPG industry and has partnered with Seifter on this end of the business. "Naomi created Picnik after a life- changing difference in what the fats did for her physical health and mental clarity. Now they're getting back to where they started with functionality for physical and baking needs," he said. "She is the gatekeeper to innovation and built all the recipes. We have a chef in our restaurant who helps as well, but the making of our products comes through her and her physical health and mental clarity." "I created Picnik after discovering the life- changing difference that high-quality fats and other functional ingredients could have on physical health and mental clarity," Seifter said. "Based on the response we re- ceived to our Original Creamer, we knew we wanted to expand the line so it was more in- clusive of all dietary needs. Inclusiveness is a core value we live by, so I've worked hard to create our new offerings keeping in mind consumers who are vegan or prefer plant- based food as well as the millions out there who are already putting collagen in their cof- fee daily." For more information, visit www .picnikaustin.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 Asi- ago's popular Nocciolata range of hazelnut and cocoa spreads, including its classic and dairy free offerings. Born in 2008 from a traditional Italian pas- try recipe, Nocciolata is a range of organic sweet spreads made from the finest ingredi- ents for a better-for-you hazelnut spread al- ternative without palm oil. Nocciolata Bianca is the only product in the range to not contain cocoa. It's unique and intense hazel- nut flavor is ideal on toast or in desserts for a natural snack. Meeting the needs of the modern food consumer, Nocciolata Bianca offers an indul- gence 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 aver- age hazelnut spread on the market. "For Rigoni di Asiago, organic production has always been the Rigoni family's number one mis- sion," said Andrea Rigoni, Chief Ex- ecutive Officer of Rigoni di Asiago. "Our company aims to preserve and maintain the flavors of the past, re- spect the environment, and uphold a strong relationship with its local re- gion and traditions. Nocciolata Bianca has been carefully created to fit these values." Founded in 1923, Rigoni di Asiago is a family-owned and operated com- pany from Italy and leader in the organic honey and organic fruit spread market. Located in Altopi- ano 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 Certified Or- ganic label. The company's pro- duction facilities operate with low power consumption, using renewable sources such as wind while re-cir- culating its own water supply after treatment and purification. Fresh Origins Mini Herb, Flower, & Fruit Crystals Fresh Origins' Mini Herb, Flower, & Fruit Crystals ® are the most innovative choice for all mixologists, pastry chefs and tea/coffee enthusiasts. Mini Crystals are fine granules of flavored sugar that make the perfect glass rimmers and desserts, lattes and foam tea dusters. Unlike other glass rimmers, Fresh Origins Mini Crystals are all-natural with authentic flavors. They are made with whole flowers, herbs or fruit that are hand harvested at the peak of freshness and combined with pure cane sugar. Their vibrant colors and flavors have no added preservatives, coloring or fla- voring. Mini Crystals are a clean-label prod- uct and kosher certified. They provide fantastic crunchy textures and prominent fla- vors to any drink recipe or dessert. There are ten available flavors: Basil, Cilantro, Cranberry, Fennel, Ginger, Habanero, Hibiscus, Mint, Pumpkin Spice and Rose. Just like the original Herb, Flower, & Fruit Crystals ® but with a finer granule, these unique Mini Crystals are per- fect for inspiring forward-thinking mixologists. The Mini Crystals can even be tossed into a cocktail and used as a flavorful ingredient and a splash of color. They look stunning at the bottom of the glass and stay semi-crunchy to be savored in the last sip. Recommendations: Mini Mint Crystals are the perfect glass rimmer for signature mojitos. Rim an exotic citrus cocktail with the bright yellow Mini Fennel Crystals. Savory and sweet Mini Basil Crystals pair well with strawberry and lemon drinks. Vi- brant pink Mini Rose Crystals are a beautiful and romantic glass rimmer for champagne cocktails. For more information, go to www .freshorigins.com.

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