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C o n v e n i e n c e R e t a i l e r S h o w D a i l y 4 1 Tu e s d a y, O c t o b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 3 IT TASTES RAAW JUICES GROWTH EXPLODES WITH UNIQUE PRODUCTS In today's beverage industry, one of the fastest growing segments is the premium natural refrigerated ready-to-drink mar- ket sector. It Tastes RAAW ® Juices has been positioned precisely in that high- margin growing market segment that keeps attracting more consumers on a daily basis. No other brand focuses exclusively on fruit and vegetable blends, making It Tastes RAAW juices unique within this sector, and a separate catego- ry of its own. Since 2009, Florida-based Raw Foods International, LLC has looked for a means to attract consumers who are looking for healthier alternatives. With that in mind, 100 percent deli- ciously natural, pure fruit and vegetable blends were created using unique flavor profiles unlike anything else on the shelf. With national distribution, growth has exploded, and today It Tastes RAAW Juices can be found in more than 45 states, the Caribbean and Canada, and expansion continues across all market segments. Aseptically produced for safety and cold-filled for quality and fresh- ness, each juice is deliciously natural and tastes like fresh-pressed juice. It Tastes RAAW Juices are refriger- ated throughout the supply chain and they contain no added water, no artificial coloring or flavoring, no added sugars and no preservatives. Each juice product also is gluten-free, vegan, kosher and is Non-GMO veri- fied. It Tastes RAAW Juices are manu- factured to deliver unique flavor pro- files by mixing fruits and vegetables, and as a result, these juice blends are distinctive from all the other natural fruit juices available today. To date, fla- vors include Strawberry-Purple Carrot, Passion Fruit-Wheatgrass, Mango- Guarana, Raspberry-Lemongrass, Pineapple-Cucumber, Better Beets, Very B e r r y - W h e a t g r a s s , Cranberry-Ginger and Carrot-Lemonade. It Tastes RAAW Juices are not only innovative, but the only ones of their kind – a true market inno- vation – carrying all the necessary attributes of healthy, natural, tasty, and altogether good-for-you products that today's consumers crave. If you are looking for a blast of freshness next time you shop, grab a RAAW Juice from the shelf and take a trip to your garden for a deliciously natu- ral beverage treat. To learn more about It Tastes RAAW juices, visit www.raawfoods.com. NEW TAPAZ2GO MINI MEALS BY MEDITERRANEAN SNACKS By Lonnie Williard, Vice President, Marketing, Mediterranean Snacks It's no secret that gluten-free prod- ucts have seen a recent surge in consumer demand, or that desire for healthier snacking is becoming a more important part of daily food consumption. Mediterranean Snacks recognized these developments months ago when they began developing new tapaz2go. This innovative offering, which is a con- venient, gluten-free certified, mini-meal solution, combines a single serve pouch of protein-rich Mediterranean Snacks Lentil Crackers along with a substantial portion of Roasted Garlic, Red Pepper or Classic hummus in one portable package for healthy on-the-go snacking. New tapaz2go captures key con- sumer trends, like increased snacking occasions, eating small meals and the popularity of tapas. It also leverages the known benefits of a legume-rich diet, as medical studies now confirm that a Mediterranean Diet greatly reduces risk of heart disease, as reported recently in The New England Journal of Medicine. With 250 calories or less per serving and 7 grams of pro- tein, they also address the growing desire for natural, high protein, satiating snacks that is becoming more prevalent in con- sumer attitudes. Protein is a major ben- efit of legume-based snacks. As consumers become more aware of the health impact of their food, protein is becoming increasingly important, in addition to being trans-fat free and calor- ically smart. From providing energy, to building and repairing muscle, protein is an essential part of a balanced diet. Mediterranean Snacks Baked Lentil Chips ® have 4 grams of protein per 22 chip serving, plus are a good source of fiber with a really pleasing crunch. Their Lentil Crackers have 5 grams of protein per serving and tapaz2go has 7, so they are truly a good source of protein and a delicious combination of crackers and hum- mus flavors. What's more, since tapaz2go is shelf stable and can be stored at room temperature, it is a per- fect on-the-go snack solution for people who want to fit healthy, smart snacking into busy lives. The individ- ual package size is 3.6oz at a suggested retail price of $2.99, with shelf life of 300 days. For more information head to www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com, call 973-402-2644 or email sales@ mediterraneansnackfoods.com. MARTINSONS'S FLAVORED COFFEES AVAILABLE IN SINGLE-SERVE CAPSULES A new line of Martinson ® brand single- serve flavored coffees are on their way to customers in the United States and Canada. Thanks to the unique patented RealCup™ flavoring system, consumers will enjoy a new experience of intense aromas and full-bodied flavors, including Joe's Vanilla Velvet, Joe's Caramel Crème, Joe's Tiramisu Twist, Joe's Irish Crème, Joe's Mint n' Mocha and Joe's Hazelnut Crème. Joe Martinson is a legend in the cof- fee world. When he arrived in New York City in the late 1800s, he started his cof- fee career by hand selecting beans right from ships docking in the harbor and roasting them in his mother's kitchen. The new Martinson flavored coffees were selected and blended with the same personal attention and craftsmanship that led Joe's own coffee to be dubbed "the real cup of Joe." "Flavored coffees are perfect for the single-serve capsule format," noted Jeffrey Zietlow, Director of Marketing for the RealCup brand. "They offer vari- ety in taste and aroma for different moods or different moments in the day. Our patented RealCup technology and unique filter ensures the maximum amount of true flavor flows through to the cup in each individual brew." After developing the initial flavored coffee lineup, the RealCup innovation team was back in the lab to work on more flavor variations with appealing aromas and tastes. Martinson's Pumpkin Pie launched in September, just in time for fall. Martinson flavors also help con- sumers feel good about their coffee choice, knowing that they contain 30 per- cent beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. The Rainforest Alliance Certified green frog seal on every package identifies Martinson RealCup flavored coffees as products that have been grown and harvested sus- tainably. Rainforest Alliance certification supports environmental, social and eco- nomic sustainability by promoting sus- tainable land-use practices and helping to ensure the wellbeing of workers and their communities. Launched in August 2012, the RealCup brand is growing in popularity as a single-serve capsule choice, with its unique Flavor Max™ filter that delivers full flavor. For more information, visit www .martinson-coffee.com. VERGE RETAIL ROLLS OUT SMARTPHONE APP THAT LINKS RETAILERS, DISTRIBUTORS VERGE Retail launched VERGE Promote, the industry's first smartphone application that enables distributors to push the latest deal or limited-time pro- motion to C-store retailers earlier this summer. The app can be utilized on both Android and iPhone devices, can be deployed within 30 days, requires no information technology integration—and is branded for each distributor. With VERGE Promote, retailers can choose the type of promotions they receive and place orders for their stores directly from the app. In addition, retailers can provide instant feedback to their distributor, who can then respond in real-time, as well as monitor ongoing order activity, with the platform's intuitive analytics capabilities. VERGE Promote is based on the already proven VERGE Connect plat- form, but with new features and enhance- ments best suited for the distributor to retailer relationship. Now distributors can provide an unprecedented level of communication to all their customers without geographical or size bias, and in real time, allowing the same access to limited time promotions across the board. Required registration ensures only authorized users can access the app and place orders for their account. "Distributors today rely on advance- ments in mobile technology to not only provide new ways for them to reach and connect with customers, but also to help those retailers improve their bottom line," said Carson Kuehne, VERGE Retail Chief Innovations Officer. "Distributors and C-store retailers are excited about VERGE Promote and we're thrilled to bring this kind of advancement to the industry. We know distributors appreciate the app's features and user-friendly functionality, as well as its reasonable cost and ease of deploy- ment." One of the early adopters of the Promote platform includes Southeast wholesaler, Stewart Distribution. "In today's fast-paced retail environ- ment, it's more crucial than ever that we find ways to stay connected with our cus- tomers and empower them to get what they want and need for their stores in order to improve their businesses," said Kevin Barnes, Stewart Distribution gen- eral manager. "VERGE has developed a tool that does just that and we've been able to get it up and running with very lit- tle investment in funds or resources. We're optimistic our customers, as well as our marketing team and partners, will benefit tremendously from this app." For more information, visit vergeretail.com.