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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2020 n GOURMET NEWS N H 2 8 Rogue River Blue Named World's Best Cheese Rogue Creamery's Rogue River Blue Cheese beat 3,800 of the world's most distinguished cheeses, according to a panel of 260 expert judges from around the globe, to be named World's Best Cheese at the 2019 World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy. This is the first time an American-made cheese has re- ceived this top honor. Rogue River Blue Cheese is an organic, cave-aged blue cheese that is wrapped in Syrah grape leaves that are soaked in pear spirits. The cheese was designed by Rogue Creamery, a small artisan cheesemaker in Southern Oregon that has been in operation since 1933. "This is truly the greatest distinction a cheese can receive. What an extraordinary validation of our commitment to quality, the place that inspires our cheese – Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley – and the excellence of the growing American artisan cheese in- dustry," said Rogue Creamery President and self-professed "Mr. Blue," David Gremmels. "I am humbled and filled with gratitude." Every aspect of Rogue River Blue reflects its Oregon roots. It is made exclusively with milk from Rogue Creamery's Certified Or- ganic Dairy Farm in Grants Pass, Oregon, where cows graze on pastures bordering the Rogue River and enjoy a diet of native plants and grasses. A seasonal product, Rogue River Blue is made in limited quantities each year beginning on the Autumnal Equinox, when cooler temperatures bring renewed growth to the pastures and the cow's milk becomes richer and higher in butterfat, which Gremmels considers the best milk for expressing the unique attributes of the region. First created in 2002, Rogue River Blue wowed the cheese world by winning Best Blue Cheese and Reserve Champion at the World Cheese Awards competition in 2003 – cementing it as one of the United States' most celebrated cheeses in a growing artisan and farmstead cheese mar- ket. With this latest win, Rogue River Blue becomes the No. 1 cheese around the globe. "As a result of that 2003 award, we pur- sued the first American raw milk cheese Health Certificate for export to fine cheese shops and restaurants in Europe, the UK, Australia, and beyond," continued Grem- mels. "To have Rogue River Blue recognized again, 16 years later, and crowned World Champion – is a tremendous honor. Rogue River Blue's recognition reinforces the quality of our cheesemaking tradition in America." Hosted by the Great Taste Awards, the 32nd annual World Cheese Awards gath- ered more than 3,800 cheeses from 42 countries on six con- tinents. Each product was ranked by the panel of expert jurors, and ultimately 16 Super Gold winners were selected – from among which a World Champion cheese was chosen. Receiving 100 points at this year's judging, Rogue River Blue tied for top honors with an Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano. A tiebreaking vote crowned Rogue River Blue as the 2019/2020 champion. Visit Rogue Creamery at booth #2080. Setton Farms Grows Industry with Innovative Pistachio Line Setton Farms has been producing America's Best Tasting Pistachios for over 40 years. The company's dedicated team takes a hands-on approach, attending to each detail of growing, harvesting, processing, manu- facturing, packaging and marketing Califor- nia pistachios all over the world. Setton Farms pistachios are simply in a class by themselves because of their great taste and superior quality. The Setton family's values are woven into everything the company does, striving to innovate and exceed industry standards. With a strong commitment to regenerative agriculture, it has been able to employ sus- tainable practices throughout the entire process. Rain and processing water is cap- tured in reservoirs and recycled back onto orchards. Green waste is converted into top- quality compost, enhancing the soil by in- creasing fertility and bio-activity. Pistachio shells are donated to the community for paving dirt roads, reducing air pollution. Solar energy naturally powers operations at both the processing and satellite facilities. These and other efforts create a sustainabil- ity loop, allowing all previously unusable product from the process to be converted back into a valuable input. Setton Farms recently debuted a new line of Seasoned Pistachio Kernels. The company has done the work for pistachio lovers every- where by removing the shell, dry roasting (no oil), and seasoning pistachios through an exclusive process to maintain a superior fresh-from-the-orchard taste. Five varieties are currently available: Salt & Pepper, Garlic Onion, Chipotle BBQ, Chili Limón and Jalapeño. The Garlic Onion Seasoned Kernels re- cently won 1st Place in the Buyers Choice Award at the California Food Expo. Chosen from hundreds of entries, it was given the top honor by the expo's Retail Advisory Council, which encompasses a select group of retail buyers from Whole Foods Markets, Wal- mart, Albertsons/Safeway, Bristol Farms and more. Additionally, this variety won the New Product Competition award at Kosherfest, the world's largest and most attended kosher- certified products trade show. The entire line of Setton Farms Seasoned Pistachio Kernels contains no artificial ingre- dients, are certified gluten free, certified by the Non-GMO Project, vegan and kosher. Retailers can dis- play the 3-ounce resealable bags in a preloaded floor shipper with mini- mal foot space or individual varieties within a tear-away dis- play case on shelf. As a leader in the pistachio industry, the Setton Farms brand has expanded the pista- chio value-add category single handedly with an extensive line of premium plant- based snacks that appeal to a wide audience. Unique SKUs like Pistachio Chewy Bites, Dark Chocolate Pistachios and Premium Pis- tachio Blends help retailers reach more con- sumers that are looking for innovative snacks. For more information, visit Setton Farms at booth #5568 in Hall E or contact Joseph Set- ton, Vice President of Domestic Sales at 631.543.8090. Teapigs Cold Brew Introducing teapigs cold brew, a dead simple, all-natural way to pep up your water this summer! Three super light and refreshing flavors that'll make glugging your way through your two liters a day a breeze. Avail- able in lychee & rose, cucumber & apple and peach & mango; simply pop one in your water bottle before you head out the door and ... well, that's it! No waiting for the kettle to boil, no added sugar, no syrups. You bring the water, teapigs will bring the flavor. lychee & rose Teapigs has taken on board your many, many requests for a rose tea, but as tea taster Louise was in a generous mood (and poten- tially midway through a lychee martini), teapigs gives you rose and lychee. A gor- geously fruity yet floral combo to see you through all those long summer nights, bank holiday picnics and makeshift barbecues in the park. cucumber & apple Cucumber water is the absolute dream when it comes to cooling down in summer, but for the days when you don't feel like carrying a cucumber around in your bag, teapigs has got you covered with its invigor- ating cucumber & apple cold brew infusion. It'll almost make your 8 a.m. com- mute feel like you're spending the day in a dreamy spa. Granted, you might need a lot of imagination for that one. peach & mango Naturally sweet and peachy perfect, this refreshing pairing of peach and mango will make getting your two liters a day a breeze! Visit teapigs at booth #5160. Tropical Açaí Brings Fair Trade Prices to the Industry Located in Pompano Beach, Florida, Tropi- cal Açaí, LLC is a premier, organic, açaí berry wholesale and foodservice fruit distrib- utor. The company supplies top-quality, frozen organic açaí berry puree and other premium organic açaí berry products. Founded in 2015, its reputation as an honest, dependable distributor and importer of the highest quality organic açaí berry products is known throughout the USA. When chefs, end users and resellers use Tropical Açaí, they know they have received the highest quality and greatest taste avail- able. The finest restaurants, smoothie bars and other food services are on Tropical Açaí's list of highly satisfied clients – and the list continues to grow. Because the com- pany owns the farm on which the berries grow, it is able to offer the best "fair trade" price for its customers. Tropical Açaí uses a total vertical integra- tion process in its production protocol. Be- cause it owns the farm and produces the pulp in its own plant, the company is able to con- trol all phases of production. The company is able to oversee the product from seed to extraction and all the way through production and packag- ing. Additionally, because the company owns the berry farm, it is able to provide jobs for the local community in Para, Brazil. The vertical integration process also allows the company to offer its açaí at a better price, thus pro- viding clients with the opportu- nity to achieve their own best profit margin. It is a win-win for both sides of the purchase. Tropical Açaí seeks frozen distributors and intends to increase its retail and foodservice sales customers. The company is launching a shelf-stable, organic, non-GMO verified açaí pulp to food service business. Addition- ally, the entire frozen line is also available to retailers such as Whole Foods, Costco, Trader Joe's, fresh food markets, foodser- vice industry businesses such as smoothie bars, and distributors such as Sysco, US Foods and Restaurant Depot. For fresh, 100 percent natural, fully certified, or- ganic, non-GMO açaí, discover Tropical Açaí and its delicious, cost-effective prod- ucts. Visit Tropical Açaí at booth #2035. For more information, go to www.tropicalacai.com, email sales@tropicalacai.com or call 855.550.2224.

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