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40 GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com THE SUPERSEEDZ STORY: FROM A CAST IRON IN THE KITCHEN TO MORE THAN 5,000 STORES What started in the kitchen with a cast iron skillet is now a burgeoning brand and growing every day. Kathie Pelliccio got the idea to roast and season shelled pumpkin seeds as a healthy snack for her five kids. That was nine years ago. Now SuperSeedz are roasted professionally and sold nationwide. SuperSeedz are dry roasted and shelled pumpkins seeds and come in eight deliciously addictive flavors. It is a great snack in that they are also gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free (except in Original Curry) and vegan so just about anybody can enjoy them. SuperSeedz is also an award- winning snack that captured a first place award in the nationally coveted gallo family of fine foods awards. Other awards include the Connecticut Specialty Foods Sweet Snack award for Coco Joe, a chocolate-covered and vanilla-laced pumpkin seed. SuperSeedz has also won many other awards from Connecticut Specialty Foods and other competitions, such as first place for sweet snacks with the cinnamon and sugar pumpkin seeds, a third place for outstanding baked good cookie or confection. Most of the company's products are sourced locally. Custom spice blends are from Manchester, CIAO BELLA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF GELATO AND SORBETTO INNOVATION Ciao Bella® first began tempting taste buds in 1983 from a small shop located in New York's Little Italy. From that humble start, a legacy of using the very best ingredients crafted into intense and delicious Italian gelatos and sorbettos was born. 30 years later, Ciao Bella is excited to continue to provide moments of happiness and indulgence to its fans by giving them a little piece of summer in Italy. By sharing their love of food, fans can expect to be transported to a place where their palate has yet to travel. In spring 2013, Ciao Bella continued to innovate on its flagship gelato line by adding a new gelato novelty to its national retail offering: Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Squares. The decadent gelato sandwiched between two rich chocolate squares marks an inspired addition to Ciao Bella's established collection of gelato novelties that includes the sofi™ Gold Award-winning Key Lime Graham Gelato Squares. "We're excited to share the Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Square, as it perfectly embodies what makes the Ciao Bella brand so KUSHA: THE SPECIALIST IN AUTHENTIC GRAINS, OILS AND AWARD-WINNING SIMMER SAUCES Authentic is what defines Kusha's (a subsidiary of LT Foods, Ltd.) sourcing activities. Exotic grains, oils and simmer sauces are at the center of the company's global sourcing actions, bringing quality and taste from exotic international locale to American kitchens. Kusha, Inc. is unmatched in its capability to source and market authentic specialty food products. Basmati rice from the foothills of the Indian Himalayan Range, genuine Thai Hom Mali Jasmine rice from Thailand, Arborio rice from Italy, Couscous from Mo- rocco or Grapeseed Oil/Olive Oil from Spain. Homemade Indian simmer sauces, marinades and chutneys along with exotic red and black rice and Bolivian quinoa are also on the menu. Specialty Teas from India and Sri Lanka add a special ethnic flavor to its product line and round off the company's international portfolio. As a leading importer since 1993, Kusha (a subsidiary of LT Foods, Inc.) has operated a full-fledged global "farm-to-fork" enterprise with comprehensive traceability responsibility. From seed to packaging, BUDDY FRUITS INTRODUCES PURE FRUIT JIGGLE GEL "At Buddy Fruits offers a range of seven innovative lines of product that are an ideal healthy snack. Containing 100 percent fruit, these vegan and gluten-free snacks are all natural with no preservatives and the whole product line comes in at, or less than 100 calories. Since the first product launch, Buddy Fruits has always followed the same commitment: reinventing the way we eat fruits by offering healthy snacks you've never seen before! At Buddy Fruits, we promise to simplify your everyday life. We believe healthy food is essential for a good and balanced life. The quality of our fruits is central to all our recipes and a fundamental commitment. That's why we select our fruits from farmers we trust, all around the world," said Jerome Lesur, CEO and Co-founder of Buddy Fruits/Ouhlala Gourmet Corp. The latest addition to Buddy Fruits' product offerings is its revolutionary Jiggle Gel pouch, the first ever squeezable gelatin in the market, made of 100 percent fruit ingredients. n JUNE 2013 n GOURMET NEWS Conn., shipper displays are from Bridgeport and graphics and artwork come from Branford and East Haven. Kathie Pelliccio, Owner and Founder of Kathie's Kitchen has been featured in numerous articles, most recently the Boston Globe. She has appeared on QVC twice and has also been on CT Style, a locally produced food and infotainment show as well as Better Connecticut and CBS 3 Springfield. The most explosive growth in grocery stores today is healthy snacks. People from across the country are realizing the need to eat healthier foods and snacks. Typically, healthy snacks have very little in the way of great taste and flavor. SuperSeedz has changed that in a big way. Every version is bursting with flavor. The flavors are as follows: Sea Salt, Super Spicy, Somewhat Spicy, Tomato Italiano, Original Curry, Coco Joe, Sugar & Cinnamon and Really Naked. SuperSeedz are now available in grocery stores across the country and can also be found in specialty stores nationally. In addition to the current 6-ounce bag, SuperSeedz is also launching the brand new 1ounce grab-and-go size found in alternative channels of distribution such as convenience stores, drug stores and club stores to name a few. SuperSeedz is on its way to becoming America's tastiest healthy snack. unique," said Executive Chef Danilo Zecchin. "By pairing our handcrafted Sea Salt Caramel Gelato with our signature novelty sandwich concept, we're allowing consumers to enjoy a familiar Italian-inspired flavor with an innovative twist." You can expect to see even more excitement from Ciao Bella over the summer and fall as they continue to celebrate their 30th anniversary and plan for the next 30 years of innovation! ents and a passion for evoking delight in every frozen bite. Offering unique and intense flavors like Blackberry Cabernet Sorbetto, Triple Espresso Gelato and Blood Orange Swirled Vanilla Greek Frozen Yogurt, Ciao Bella uses only the most select and pure ingredients, resulting in mouth-watering frozen treats that embody both classic Italy and modern America. The brand has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America for its captivating creations. About Ciao Bella Beyond ordinary, Ciao Bella's indulgent collection of gelato, sorbetto, and Greek frozen yogurt offers an unparalleled dessert experience by relying on a chef-inspired blend of naturally intense ingredi- through the store, to the ultimate target the consumer, Kusha, Inc. has been able to extend and maximize its immediate involvement in the total production process. Recognizing the importance of supplier partners in ensuring quality control has been key—quality in every ounce is Kusha's hallmark. Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., the company markets its vast array of international products under its flagship brand name, ROYAL ®. As the No. 1 Basmati Rice in America, ROYAL products can be found in all five channels of distribution; i.e. Club stores, Retail, Foodservice, Ethnic and Private Label. Along with the ROYAL line of grains and simmer sauces, the company also markets Grapeola ® brand of grapeseed oil, Shahrzad ® and Akbar® lines of tea and Daawat® premium It is an ideal anywhere snack, which offers all the nutritional values of the fruits. The addition of the Jiggle Gel pouch to Buddy Fruits' line further demonstrates the company's originality in developing products that are portable, healthy and fun to eat. "Jiggle Gel is advancing away from traditional gel products, which typically require a bowl and a spoon, all the while making it fun again. Kids will really enjoy this product as it maintains the exciting, jiggly consistency that is often associated with gel snacks. Parents will love it, because it is 100 percent fruit!" said Lesur. Available in three flavors – raspberry, strawberry and orange – the Jiggle Gel pouch For more information, call 203-407-0546, email joe@superseedz.com, check out www.superseedz.com or visit booth 4864B at the Summer Fancy Foods Show. For the latest news and updates on everything Ciao Bella, visit the company at booth 4314. Also, be sure to click on ciaobellagelato.com or follow the brand's official Facebook and Twitter accounts. brand of traditional and extra long grain rice. In order to facilitate its global sourcing activities, Kusha (a subsidiary of LT Foods, Inc.), as the Western counterpart of LT Foods India, one of the worldwide leaders of branded rice products, operates four warehousing facilities coast-to-coast with sales representation in the West, Midwest, South and Eastern regions. With six manufacturing facilities, state-of-the-art packing lines and optimized distribution capabilities, Kusha remains intensely committed to providing its consumers with high quality specialty products and services. For more information, call 562-340-4040, email privatelabel@kushafoods.com, go online to www.kushafoods.com or visit Kusha's booth 246. contains only 70 calories and it's dairy-free. Identical to Buddy Fruits' existing products, Jiggle Gel is made with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, colors or genetic modifications. Remaining lines of Buddy Fruits products include: Pure Blended Fruits, Smoothies, Coconut Milk & Blended Fruit, Superfruit, Pure Fruit Bites and Apple Chips. For more information, visit Buddy Fruits at booth 1374 at the Summer Fancy Food Show, go online to www.buddyfruits.com, call 786-515-0591 or email broch@ buddyfruits.com.