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54 NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com BASS BRUSHES USES GREEN BRUSH LINE, TALKS EXPANSION OF COMPANY An interview with Ron Weinstein, Founder of The Hair Doc, Representative of Bass Brushes GN: Tell our readers about your company. How did The Hair Doc and Bass Brushes start? RW: I founded The Hair Doc after graduating from cosmetology school and working in salons in Beverly Hills, Calif. As a new hairdresser, I had a lot of spare time on my hands, so between appointments I would sell brushes to other salons throughout southern California. As the brush business grew rapidly I set up my own company, naming it The Hair Doc Co. GN: What was your first major success? RW: One of our largest milestones came in 1980 when we started making brushes with and for other companies, including big names like Vidal Sassoon. Private-label work is now a big part of our business, but we got our start with companies like Vidal Sassoon and Nexxus. GN: So how did you make the jump to working on the brush business full-time? RW: I was still operating my brush business part-time at that point, but it kept expanding. Eventually I became a distributor. My agreement was that I would only sell direct to salons and stay out of beauty supplies. During that time I was a hairdresser in the studios working for various movie production companies and television programs. I was juggling television work and the salon, which was fine at first, but eventually the salon got tired of me being out on the set for weeks at a time. And since televi- GLUTEN-FREE CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATION REMAINS A TRUSTED AUTHORITY IN THE INDUSTRY Interview with Channon Quinn, Director of Industry Programs for Gluten Intolerance Group GN: Who is GFCO? CQ: GFCO is the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group, which certifies gluten-free retail and industrial packaged goods as being gluten-free to a standard of 10ppm gluten or less, which is twice as strict as the Food and Drug Administration ruling for gluten-free labeling. The Gluten Intolerance Group is a 39-year-old non–profit organization supporting those with gluten sensitivities, including Celiac Disease. GFCO was established in 2005 based on a consumer need for verification of gluten-free products in grocery stores. Freekeh Foods (Cont'd. from p. 1) GN: Is it an ancient grain? TD: Yes! Freekeh's origins are from the Middle East dating back nearly 2,000 years. It is made by roasting immature green wheat. The word freekeh means "to rub" in Arabic. GN: How does it compare to quinoa or brown rice in protein and fiber? TD: Freekeh is comparable in protein to Great Eastern Sun (Cont'd. from p. 4) years, miso absorbs subtle flavor influences from the wood. Great Eastern Sun uses only the finest certified organic ingredients, producing a rich, hearty miso that gives a wonderful flavor to a wide va- GN: How does GFCO's certification differ from your competitors? CQ: GFCO was the first gluten-free certification in the US. Without a ruling by the FDA on gluten-free standards, based on scientific research and other government regulation, we determined that a stricter standard should be set while still maintaining the affordability of testing. GFCO does not charge an application fee for any applicant. All charges are known prior to the company incurring any charges. GFCO is the largest and most widely known glutenfree certification, certifying more than 16,000 products in 22 countries around the world, with distribution of those products even farther around the globe. GN: Why should a company certify quinoa, and has nearly three times more protein than brown rice! Freekeh has more fiber than brown rice, and according to the American Nutrition and Dietetics Association, is low glycemic and a good source of antioxidants. sion work didn't involve any haircutting—just styling—I grew tired of never being able to show what I could do, so I went back to the salon. I got more and more involved in the brush business, doing trade shows around the country and developing our own Bass Brushes brand. It started with one or two brushes and expanded from there. I would take a certain brush that I knew would sell in salons and we'd improve the quality and sell it under the Bass brand. As the brush business grew, the need for scheduling flexibility became even more important so I opened a one-chair salon next to a television studio. My customers were NBC PR people, cameramen and editors. Eventually I had to make a choice between haircutting – which I loved – and my brush business. It was becoming too difficult to try and do both well. I moved everything into a little office in my home and went out all day selling. We also expanded beyond salons and into retailers since we were mainly representing our own line. GN: So we've heard how the brushes began. with GFCO? CQ: GFCO is the trusted authority for gluten-free certification in the United States, Canada, and we are growing quickly in the European Union. Consumers avidly seek out the GFCO logo on gluten-free labeled products. With the gluten-free market growing so quickly still, GFCO will remain the gluten-free certification that consumers seek and trust. GN: What type of process must companies have in place to meet GFCO requirements? CQ: GFCO reviews the manufacturer's SOPs related to ingredients, production, cleaning, allergens, training, recall program, packaging of gluten-free products, etc. GFCO reviews GMPs, HACCP, and GFSI programs, as well as other auditor reviews. Based on the review of these programs, the site audit and other factors, GFCO may identify requirements that must be implemented before certification will be issued. GFCO defor food service as well as industrial ingredient buyers. We offer both organic and commercial freekeh, and supply cracked, whole berry freekeh, and freekeh flour. GN: What are your goals for the show? TD: Freekeh Foods manufactures organic freekeh in partnership with North American Farmers. We offer three retail packages of organic freekeh, and supply freekeh in bulk TD: We are introducing and sharing our passion for Freekeh with those who have not experienced it before. We want to begin to develop enduring relationships with customers who are committed to promoting Freekeh as a means to ecological sustainability, improved health, and to experience riety of dishes. Miso Master Organic Miso has been artisanally produced by Great Eastern Sun for more than 30 years, using ancient traditional Japanese techniques. Making miso is a very complex art, much like wine or cheese making, and the results de- pend upon the quality of the ingredients and the methods used. Just as you can taste the difference between a fine wine and a cheap wine, you can readily taste and appreciate the quality and subtle balanced flavors produced by the great care, high quality organic ingredients, and nat- GN: Where does Freekeh Foods grow its freekeh? n SEPTEMBER 2013 n GOURMET NEWS But how did they get the name Bass? RW: Well this is a funny story. Originally, we put The Hair Doc on the handle of the hair brushes. But when we started showing them at trade shows, hairdressers would pick them up and think the handle read "Hair Dog" because of the print style. We even received mail at the office adressed to The Hair Dog Co., the Dog Hair Co., the Hair Dog Co. I'm not kidding. My heart sank every time. One day we were having a Sunday family dinner and I turned to my former father-in-law who was a big executive with Seagram's liquors, and I told him what was happening. I admitted that I thought we needed to change the name on the hairbrushes so I jokingly asked him, "Which do you think sounds better: Weinstein Brushes or Bass Brushes?" Bass was my wife's maiden name. As I expected, he said, "I think Bass has a better ring to it." For more information on Bass Brushes www.bassbrushes.net or www.thehair doccompany.com—or stop by booth #2917. fines minimum product, equipment and raw material testing requirements. GFCO standards are that finished products and all ingredients must test at 10 ppm or less gluten. GFCO identifies and assesses a risk factor on all raw materials, which is determined by potential risk of the raw material being cross-contaminated, type of ingredient, history with supplier, testing and other documentation. The risk factor assigned determines the frequency of testing of raw materials before it can be used in production. Frequency or need for equipment testing is determined by factors such as, but not limited to, risk of cross contamination, type and validation of cleaning processes, and type of equipment and production. Finished product testing is always required. Frequency is determined by production frequency, product, facility and ingredient risks. GFCO will perform audits at least annually if not more frequently and they may be unannounced. For more information head to www.gfco.org, call 253-218-2956 or email admin@gluten .net—or just stop by booth #308. a deliciously unique and diverse grain. GN: Do you think it's too trendy or will it stand the test of time? TD: The more consumers learn about freekeh – and that it's nutrient dense, drought tolerant, requires less water to grow than rice, and that it's delicious, versatile, and easy to make – the more we believe that freekeh will continue to grow in popularity! For more information visit Freekeh Foods in booth #2808 in the Organic Pavillion. ural aging of Miso Master Organic Miso. For more information on Great Eastern Sun Trading Company head to www.great-eastern-sun.com, call 828-665-7790 or email customersvc@great-eastern-sun.com – or just stop by booth #2713.

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