Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JUNE 2014 n GOURMET NEWS 1 3 8 food becomes a universal language and con- nection. At every turn, our company looks to connect with consumers, farmers and com- munities, and evolve AMIRA into an ever more powerful brand. We ask ourselves what are the key beliefs that we hold on to, and never ever compromise on. For us, today and tomorrow are essentially driven by passion; I call this a "Passion for Purity." To be sure, "Passion for Purity" is not just a slogan. It is a business imperative. As people across the world become more and more conscious about what they eat, AMIRA sees great opportunity because as a company, we have internalized "Purity" as a core value from our inception. AMIRA's foray into organic foods is the perfect exam- ple of business philosophy finding expres- sion in business opportunity. "Food Connect" and "Passion for Purity" are not ideas that have been transplanted into AMIRA; these concepts lie at the core of our value system that has driven our work since 1915, when AMIRA started out as a family run business dealing in rice. Then along the way, we started connecting with the world. Instead of looking only at the markets around us, we started looking at the world as a market and started taking the finest, purest Basmati rice from India, and showcasing it before the world. We have done things differently; and at the same time we strive to make a difference. AMIRA set up the first fully automated rice mill for Basmati rice in India, which meant the consumer could enjoy Basmati that was processed in a world-class environ- ment, untouched by human hands. As AMIRA transformed into a profession- ally managed organization with a footprint in over 40 countries, the world took notice. But I'm not going to talk only about acco- lades here. Yes, we made it to Asia's Most Promising Brands Edition 2013 and Power Brands India 2013, but awards are about what one has done up until, while the essence of business is about the future. The way I see it, the future is about looking at the world, sans boundaries. AMIRA is emerging as a truly global brand, not simply because of our presence in markets across the world, or because we have entered the RTE segment and organic foods, or even because we are now listed on the NYSE; but because we think global. Today, we are present in 40 countries. By 2017, our footprint will be seen in 70 coun- tries, as we connect people and cultures through the power of "Food Connect." This is our vision at AMIRA. For more information, stop by booth #4352 or visit www.amira.net. AMIRA (Cont'd. from p. 1) launch, customer demand has been nothing short of amazing. The Villa Grimelli Collection is now avail- able at over 40 different specialty retailers and used by more than 50 white tablecloth restaurants in the northeast alone. We attribute the products' remarkable de- mand not only to the absolute quality of the collection's assortment of vinegars and sea- sonings, but also to our user-friendly ap- proach to labeling. Each product in our Villa Grimelli Collec- tion, from the Platinum Label Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Prosecco Vinegar to our Fig I Fruttati and Orange Balsamic Glaze, is labeled with suggested uses directly on the packaging. The Villa Grimelli Collec- tion eliminates the guesswork when trying to choose the right vinegar, glaze or seasoning for that perfect dish. By providing multiple uses for the vinegars and balsamic season- ings right on the bottle, we have eliminated any customer need to study before or feel in- timidated by shopping for that special com- ponent at their local specialty grocer. Inspired by the poetic balance of tradition and innovation, we created our Villa Grimelli Collection for today's customer and the home chef. Limited only by creativity and imagination, we have provided the starting point from which to elevate any dish to ex- traordinary levels. If you missed the initial launch of our Villa Grimelli Collection at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, please be sure to stop by our booth #3338 at this year's Summer Fancy Food Show and taste the finest gastro- nomic specialties Italy has to offer! For more information, visit www.de nigrisusa.com, call 973-837-6791 or stop by booth #3338. de Nigris (Cont'd. from p. 1) Coconut Butter to my lentil curry or rice when camping – it adds a creamy richness that's part melt-in-your-mouth shortcake, part tropical explosion. I use the Coconut Oil most often, as a moisturizer, lip gloss, hair treatment and for baking and frying. My ab- solute favorite, though, is Cacao Bliss, a raw, organic coconut and chocolate spread, sweet- ened with agave. I eat it by the spoonful straight out of the jar to give me energy for long rock climbing or biking trips. GN: What makes Artisana coconut spreads better than the rest? SW: First, the coconuts! We carefully select only the finest Southeast Asian, organic co- conuts that are never treated with chemicals or fertilizers. Second, we use only the co- conut kernel and flesh, and never the outside husk, so our coconut oil is pure, white, and more coconutty! And finally, we extract our oil using a temperature-controlled pressur- ized process – never heat – to preserve the coconut's natural raw, living vitamins, min- erals and enzymes. GN: What makes Artisana nut butters better than the rest? SW: At Artisana, we believe better nuts make better butters. To make our raw nut butters, we source directly from small, or- ganic farmers. We hand-select and sort only the best nuts, then grind them in small, tem- perature-controlled batches to preserve their raw, living vitamins, minerals and enzymes. GN: What's new at Artisana lately? SW: There are some exciting things happen- ing at Artisana recently! We have completely redesigned our packaging and logo, and are updating our websites as well. You can ex- pect to see the new look in the next couple weeks. Along with the design refresh, we are launching two new exciting lines: Tahini is back! By customer demand, we are reintroducing our popular Tahini sesame seed puree! It's sweeter and milder than other tahinis and it is 100 percent organic. Soon to come is Cashini – a cashew/sesame seed blend. Also new is the Cacao line, using single origin Venezuelan cacao Criollo and 100 per- cent organic nuts and seeds! The line in- cludes: Cacao Coconut Spread, Cacao Cashew Spread, Cacao Hazelnut Spread and Cacao Sunflower Spread. GN: How can readers find out more about Artisana products? SW: Check out our website (artisanafoods.com) or Facebook page. Or stop by our booth at the Summer Fancy Foods Show in NYC – I'll be there with plenty of samples of our newest products for you to try! Hope to see you there! For more information, visit www .artisanafoods.com, call 866-237-8688 or stop by booth #4070. Artisana (Cont'd. from p. 1) healthy and she stresses the positive medicinal values of Hawaiian Sea Salts coupled with tropical flavors to make eating healthy fun. Laura started selling her products at her sister's passion fruit business, Aunty Lilikoi, and at craft fairs on Kauai to put her children Sean and Nicole through college. Laura en- tered the nine-month-long 2012 Kauai Eco- nomic Development Board Agricultural Business Plan competition and won the first- place prize of $20,000. Laura's awards keep rolling in; she was selected as the Kauai Aloha Spirit Award 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year, named a finalist for the 2013 Pacific Edge best Hawaii Family Business award, and won first place in Garden Isle newspa- per's 2013 best Kauai-made product contest. Salty Wahine products can be found at stores worldwide, as well as at hotels and restaurants throughout Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, Canada, Europe and Asia. Salty Wahine has been selected by the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) to be sold at the Navy Exchange and Commissary stores in Hawaii. Salty Wahine is an active mem- ber of the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, Kauai County Farm Bureau; Kauai Grown, Kauai Made; and SFA. Laura shares her experience with other small business owners through the Mayor's of- fice, the Chamber of Commerce and Kauai Farm Bureau. Salty Wahine has expanded its market by supporting Aloha Festivals in Tempe, Ariz.; Sacramento; and Santa Fe Springs and Napa, Calif.; as well as Las Vegas. Salty Wahine's next step is to expand its mar- ket to high-end gourmet retail chain stores. For more information, visit www .saltywahine.com, call 808-346-2942, email info@saltywahine.com or stop by booth #5306 at the show. Salty Wahine (Cont'd. from p. 1) Twists, Yogurt Covered Pretzel Twists and Crackers. Additionally the White Chocolate Pepper- mint Twists are available in a gifting and fes- tive 1-pound "Paint Can" style container for club stores with a SRP of $11.99. All of the company's holiday products are available for order now. Gratify's product line is certified gluten- free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organi- zation (GFCO) and is also certified Kosher by the OU. The products are also free of many other allergens. Detailed product information is available online at www.gratifyfoods.com. Sister company Side Mates will share a booth with Gratify Foods at the show and will showcase its popular line-up of rice, couscous, quinoa and pasta side dishes (MSRP $1.99-$2.99). With bold package graphics designed to command attention on the shelf, every box features easy-to-follow directions and a home-style main course recipe guaranteed to make mom a culinary expert, even when time is short! Best of all, Side Mates are produced using high-qual- ity, all-natural ingredients in every dish. For more information, visit www.gratify foods.com or www.sidemates.com or stop by booth #1151. Gratify Foods (Cont'd. from p. 4) ingredient list on the jar, you'll see each product contains no more than a handful of the most natural ingredients – and not an unpronounceable name to be found!" This is something many consumers look for today. Additionally, the combination of its gorgeous high-end packaging and su- perb taste makes these products strong vi- able sellers for wine and cheese shops, heath food shops, gift shops and upscale grocers. The following all-natural Can Bech products are now exclusively imported by Wagshal's and ready for wholesale and re- tail distribution: Fruits of the Forest Fruit Spread – a glori- ous combination of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries, this spread of- fers a perfect tart mix. Just-for-Cheese Sweet Sauces – these sauces are designed to pair perfectly with many different types of cheeses. Rose Petal Jelly – surprisingly versatile, this jelly complements ice cream, dark chocolate cake, foie gras canapés or can be used to make a glamorous rose Cosmopoli- tan cocktail. For more information on Wagshal's Imports and the Can Bech product line, visit booth #2850 or wagshalsimports.com. For wholesale inquiries, email Aaron Fuchs of Wagshal's Imports at aaron@wagshals imports.com or call 202-595-3505. Wagshal's Imports (Cont'd. from p. 4)

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