Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2014 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 0 2 Cocoa Cravings Gourmet Healthy Chocolate Drink Chicago-based Cocoa Cravings takes an in- novative approach on creating a rare and de- licious collection of organic hot and cold drinking chocolates that emphasize the com- pany slogan, "A Healthy Way To Indulge." Vegan and gluten-free friendly, these are the beverages you need for the season. The Cocoa Cravings selection is both ex- otic and traditional, with the use of dark cocoa combined with rich fruits and herbs along with coconut sugar. The flavors, nutri- ent boost and healthy sweeteners offer a broad yet exclusive appeal to both chocolate and wellness aficionados. All of the chocolate offerings are made from the exquisite criollo cocoa beans – a high altitude variety from the Amazon. With up to a two-year shelf life, all of the naturally balanced and minimally unprocessed choco- late products are full of naturally inherent vi- tamins and flavors that come from handpicked ingredients. Also available are delicious dark choco- late bars, specialty chocolate morsels, raw cacao nibs, dark cocoa mass and cocoa butter. They're packaged to make perfect gifts and are sold in two dif- ferent sizes. The products are also available in a variety of distinctive packaging suit- able for retail, gift baskets, hotels and restaurants. Chocolate bars are identified as 55 percent, 65 percent and 72 percent dark cocoa. With unique ethical trading partnerships across the globe, Cocoa Cravings (www .cocoacravings.com) is your one stop shop for sustainable, organic, vegetarian, spe- cialty, gourmet cocoa and chocolate. Your customers will love the eco-friendly packag- ing, delicious flavors and attractive pricing. It's a simple pleasure to eat something that has been made with real love and care, right here in the USA. For more information and wholesale options with this line and many other vegan-friendly lines, go to www.cocoacravings.com or call 773-583-4850. For more information, follow Cocoa Cravings on Twitter at twitter.com/cocoacravings. Sea Veggies: A High Protein Snack with a Salty Crunch There is a growing focus in America on healthy eating. This trend has caused U.S. consumers to seek out healthier options to in- clude in their everyday diet. Snack compa- nies have noticed this trend and have tried to fill consumers' needs. Baked products, as op- posed to fried, have begun to take up more and more space in the snack aisles at local grocery stores. Although baked products are healthier than fried versions, the health ben- efits of these products are still minimal. While there are snack alternatives that carry significant health benefits, they are often lacking in taste. Sea Veggies meets consumers demand for a snack that provides health benefits while also satisfying the taste buds. The roasted sea- weed product gives consumers the crunch and taste they crave from chips. Available in three flavors: classic Sea Salt, Hot Chili and Black Pepper, Sea Veggies is a great source of vitamins and min- erals, contains no preservatives, no artificial flavors or colors, no cholesterol, no saturated fat and no trans-fat. For some U.S. consumers, their only ex- perience with seaweed is with sushi, but gourmet chefs around the world, not just sushi chefs, have begun to embrace its deep, rich flavor and health benefits, increasing ex- posure for the vegetable. With its growing popularity, seaweed has begun to make in- roads into American households. U.S. consumers are still learning about the versatility of this super food. Sea Veggies can be enjoyed on its own as a healthy snack or in- corporated into a meal to add texture and a depth of flavor. The cheap and healthy product is poised to become a staple in American diets. To try Sea Veggies for yourself, and for de- tails of its comprehensive retail support, stop by booth #2998B. For information and recipes, visit www.sea-veggies.com. Búcha Launches New Flavor An interview with Ronald D. Lloyd, Presi- dent & CEO, búcha live kombucha. NH: Tell our readers what's new with your company. RL: This is an exciting time in the life of búcha. We have just launched a new flavor, which is a delicious blend of lemon and Yuzu, a zesty, aromatic East Asian citrus fruit. It is clean, refreshing and delicious. The blend of lemon and Yuzu fruit as part of a fermented kombucha makes those popular lemonades in the marketplace pale so much by comparison. NH: Your company seems to lean toward un- usual flavors. Is this another one? RL: Yes! Our partner and brewer, Frank Commanday, is a master of pairing unique and complex flavors which have a way of finding perfect harmony in a bottle. We have eight offerings now, and each has its own evocative and sometimes surprising flavor. Yuzu Lemon is no exception. I believe our customers appreciate new and different blends, as evidenced by the success of Grapefruit Sage, Raspberry Pomegranate and Verbena Rose for example. Our line is a true joy to sample at demos where people move from one taste to another, enjoying each more than the last. NH: Has this great taste converted to in- creased distribution? RL: Yes. Last year was a huge success for us in terms of distribution growth, and 2014 looks to be an even stronger year. Since the birth of búcha, our goal was to launch first in the natural foods channel and then expand to the mainstream marketplace. That began last year with distribution in Safeway and Kroger, and we are moving now to expand distribu- tion in those organizations, plus additional chains in the U.S. and Canada. Búcha is the perfect kombucha to make that move. The fact is, búcha presents a wholesome, organic sparkling beverage with the healthful proper- ties of probiotics, low calories and low caf- feine. Plus, we offer bold, delicious flavors, void of any harsh vinegar taste. Our line has a graceful bottle and attractive, stylish graph- ics on a clear label, so you can actually see our kombucha. NH: Did your marketing plans have any un- usual twists this year? RL: The anchor of our program is retailer demos, which allows us to engage with and impact our target consumer – so no twists there. We have to prove our 'great taste' story with as many people as we can, because all of our competitors claim to have great taste. Last year, we also conducted two success- ful consumer p r o m o t i o n s combining bot- tle-hanger mes- sages, with coupons and F a c e b o o k / I n - stagram contests. These promotions not only allowed us to interact on several levels with customers, but it presented an opportunity to bring attention and excitement to our shelf space. NH: How can our readers find out more about your company? RL: Learn more about the búcha live kom- bucha company by visiting www.mybucha.com or www.facebook.com/buchalivekombucha or contact us by email at info@mybucha.com. For more information, visit www.mybucha.com, call 424-238-2066, email info@mybucha.com or stop by booth #5236. Vanns Spices Offers Private Label Vanns Spices has always been the "go to" resource for high quality, all-natural spices among professional chefs, manu- facturers and home cooks. Retailers also appreciate the quality and variety of Vanns Spices, allowing them to offer their customers the absolute best in spices, blends and extracts. For companies wishing to create their own brand of spices, Vanns has the re- sources for creating private label solutions from the ground up. With decades of re- tailing experience, Vanns' specialists guide brand owners through every stage of private label development – from ingredi- ent selection and recipe formulation through to container options and labeling. With manageable minimum orders, Vanns makes the decision to embrace private la- bels easy for every retailer, regardless of size. Historically, retailers have developed private label brands to better appeal to price-conscious shoppers. For retailers who go beyond price and offer service, quality and a more appealing shopping ex- perience as part of their overall value proposition, private label brands take on even greater meaning. According to Mick Whitlock, President of Vanns Spices, "With house branded products, retailers give their customers greater value in terms of product quality and price while improving mar- gins." Whitlock added, "Shoppers can be fiercely loyal and are proud to take home products bearing the name of their favorite store. It's been our experience that the investment in private label brands has paid many times over for our customers." In many cases, Vanns works together with developers, distributors and packag- ing companies to create private label prod- ucts that compete with national brands. In these situations, product quality, container selection, label design and merchandising strategies all become vitally important. Successful retailers have recognized unde- niable value from their private label endeav- ors. With this in mind, Vanns works closely with brand managers to make sure their private label selections of spices, blends and extracts offer in- creased value and generates higher levels of sales. To learn more, see Vanns at the Natural Products Expo West in California – booth #5336. Alternatively, contact Vanns by emailing orders@vannsspices.com or calling 800-583-1693.

• Cover