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GOURMET NEWS MAY 2015 www.gourmetnews.com Naturally Healthy NATURALLY HEALTHY 1 4 LOLIWARE Edible Cups and Packaging Could be a Game Changer For a company that just officially launched its first product at March's Natural Products Expo West, New York-based LOLIWARE may already be well on its way to revolution- izing the tableware and even the packaging industry. The company's attractive – and ed- ible – drinking cups were one of the hits of Expo West, followed by a similar reception at Las Vegas' Catersource convention, and sent co-founders Leigh Ann Tucker and Chelsea Briganti back to their New York base with more orders than they had imagined. The pair of industrial designers plan to start their 'revolution' on the dinner table, with cups and other tableware, and then move into grocery store aisles with edible packaging for any range of foods, to take a significant bite out of the 70 million ton load of plastic waste that ends up in landfills each year; and they plan to do it all while bringing a "whole new eating and drinking experience" to consumers, says Tucker. The LOLIWARE concept and product are so unique, the company came up with a new word to describe the material: Biodegr(edi- ble). The cups are both edible and degrad- able, composting from cup to soil in 60 days. However, judging from convention attendee response to the soft and inviting, almost fruit leather-like, texture and true gourmet taste, the cups may not even reach the landfill. "We were able to see a lot of people taste our new flavors at the trade shows," ex- plains Tucker. "We were really happy to see everyone enjoying them." The flavors in- clude Citrus, Tart Cherry – a crowd fa- vorite, Matcha and Madagascar Vanilla. "Some people are a little skeptical when you say, 'This is a cup you can eat.' Then they are happily surprised it's not just 'edi- ble', but it's actually delicious." The cups, which pair well with various types of drinks – think French roast coffee poured into the Madagascar Vanilla cup – are GMO-free and made from all-organic ingre- dients. And in what's probably a first for a food company, LOLIWARE touts the absence of BPA in its edible product. For those more interested in the compostability element of the drinking ware, the company also offers unflavored versions of the cups, available in the same vivid colors as the flavored varieties. The company incorporated only last year, although Tucker and Briganti have been working on LOLIWARE as a side proj- ect to their design work for several years. After taking numerous orders at Cater- source, and earning top honors at Expo West's two-day NEXT Accelerator Natural Products Pitch Slam competition, in which manufacturers pitch their business to a panel of natural products business experts and the winner garners an array of business-boosting prizes and opportunities, Tucker and Briganti now plot LOLIWARE's next step. Or rather, steps, as there are several avenues to pursue. The pair are currently working with two household-name food manufacturers on the development of edible product packaging; and they're planning to make forks, spoons and plates – and of course, straws, to accom- pany the drinking cups. Tucker says LOLI- WARE will initially focus on the catering and special events markets with the cups, al- though they are working on partnerships with other online retailers as well as selling the cups at loliware.com. After working to meet the dual challenges of, first, simply starting a business, and then doing it with a never-seen-before product, the company's principals are taking a moment to enjoy this first splash of success. "We have definitely been through challenging times getting the formula, flavor, and design right. It is hugely encouraging to have the vote of confidence from the amazing panel of judges at the Expo West Pitch Slam – and then to re- turn from Catersource with an equally posi- tive reaction. We're super-excited about the growing enthusiasm around LOLIWARE." GN Serving the Few Continued from PAGE 1 necessarily all, of their values. And that can be very easy to do, said Melissa Hartwig, New York Times – bestselling au- thor of "It Starts with Food" and the up- coming "The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom." "Retailers don't have to decide between promoting vegan or Paleo, because there's actually a ton of overlap. Put up a sign in the produce section that says, '100 percent of these items are vegan, and 99 percent of them are Paleo.' If you find a way to demonstrate that, your store will be wel- coming to everybody. I would love to walk into my natural foods store and see that sign. I would take a picture and Instagram that sign," she said. Catering to vegans allows a grocer also to connect with vegetarians, who generally eat dairy products, and flexitarians, who eat a mostly vegetarian diet but do allow for the occasional consumption of meat. Paleo eaters eat seafood and meat, preferably grass-fed meats, and fruits and nonstarchy vegetables but abstain from cereal grains, legumes and processed foods. Many Paleo eaters also abstain from dairy products, ac- cording to ground rules defined by Loren Cordain, PhD, who is credited with found- ing the modern Paleo food movement. Paleo dieters are a source of inspiration for those who want to incorporate more whole foods into their diet as well as those interested in a diet that's higher in fiber. Al- though only 6 percent of the American pop- ulation is now following a Paleo diet, about 39 to 52 percent of consumers exhibit be- haviors similar to the values of Paleo and vegan consumers, so spending time talking to customers who lean in the direction of Paleo or vegan is one way to learn how to reach both groups of shoppers, Pierce said. "It is easy. It's nice for grocers to have a Paleo section or item markers on Paleo al- ternatives, for instance, to see a Paleo tag on a package of grass-fed jerky or a bottle of coconut aminos, which are a soy sauce sub- stitute, or a jar of almond butter. These are things that are real food, whole food, and they fall under a Paleo template. We don't need more grain-free pasta, breads or crack- ers," Hartwig said. "People who change to a Paleo diet do so in order to change their relationship to food and break unhealthy cravings. If your grocer is highlighting a bunch of grain-free, dairy-free dessert op- tions, they're not doing our population a service. And trust me, if Paleo dieters want to find that stuff, we know where to look." Knowing what products appeal to con- sumers following special diets will help a grocer connect with that tribe, and under- standing the products and how they fit into the tribe's values can help connect those products with the food tribe and also to a wider customer base, Pierce said. Educating staff about superfoods helps connect with ve- gans and vegetarians, since those consumers are usually looking for nutrient-dense foods. And since more shoppers are replacing ex- pensive meat proteins with less expensive choices like nuts, beans or lentils, dairy and eggs, the products that appeal to vegetarians will appeal to that budget-conscious group of shoppers as well. Pierce pointed to the gluten-free movement as a model for under- standing the needs of a niche population and for how understanding the concerns of a small group of consumers can help a grocer serve a much larger group too. "The most important thing I think for grocers to understand about a Paleo eater is that we are not interested in recreating junk food with alternative flours or Paleo ingredients. Paleo eaters are focused on nu- trient-dense whole foods, just like vegetar- ians and vegans, so grocers can accommodate our tribe by highlighting the nutrient-dense whole foods they carry and by highlighting that they pay attention to where those foods come from – whether they're local, organic, grass-fed, pastured," Hartwig said. "That's really what a Paleo eater is going to walk into a grocery store and look for – is this grocer highlighting for me real food options and do they care about where it comes from – especially the animal protein sources." GN NutriFusion Announces Agreement With Beyond Meat NutriFusion ® , a provider of natural nutrition and phytonutrient products for food manufacturers, today announced an agreement with Beyond Meat ® , a developer of plant-based products that replicate the texture and taste of meat. Beyond Meat is incorporating NutriFusion's whole organic, Non-GMO concentrated nutrient- rich food ingredient, GrandFusion ® vegetable blend into its Beast Burgers™ and Beastly Sliders™ food products. It was chosen for its ability to help Beyond Meat achieve its nutritional goals with ingredients coming only from natural sources. Beyond Meat's Beast Burgers and Beastly Sliders are both 100 percent plant based and incorporate all the protein and iron of beef packed with antioxidants, ALA omegas, calcium, Vitamins B-6, B-12 and potassium. The Beast line is 100 percent gluten-free, soy-free, and made without GMO ingredients. NutriFusion's farm-to-table philosophy allows the company to make rich whole-food nutritional blends from fresh fruits and vegetables void of any synthetic additives, excipients or preservatives. GrandFusion allows food processors to add natural nutrients to a wide variety of finished food products. It is an all- natural, patented blend of fruits and/or vegetables that can significantly increase the nutritional profile of food, beverage and supplement products. Rich in antioxidants and an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2, GrandFusion supplies the complex nutrients and phytonutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables and adds the nutrients from as much as two servings of vegetables to every food product, without affecting taste or functionality of foods. "Beyond Meat is a very progressive food company that matches our goal to address a marketplace that continues to evolve toward more educated consumers who care what ingredients go into the food they eat and are demanding healthier options while still looking for the convenience factor," said William Grand, Founder and CEO, NutriFusion. "Beyond Meat has created two amazing products that will appeal to a wide range of consumers because of the outstanding nutritional benefits as well as the taste, which sends a clear signal to consumers that they are not buying just another veggie burger." Beyond Meat is a privately held company with high-profile investors that share the company's passion and drive for changing the way the world gets its protein. Investors include, Bill Gates, Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, investment firm Kleiner-Perkins Caufield & Byers, Seth Goldman, the founder of Honest Tea, and the Humane Society of the United States, among others. Beyond Meat's Beast Burgers, Beastly Sliders and other all natural food products are sold in national retail grocers. "We are building 'The Future of Protein,' and the Beast Burger and Beastly Sliders are significant steps in that direction," said Ethan Brown, co- founder and CEO, Beyond Meat. "NutriFusion made it possible to meet our nutritional goals without using synthetic ingredients, which is a benefit that consumers value." Currently North America is the largest market serviced by NutriFusion, and an established distribution pipeline extends to Australia and New Zealand. NutriFusion's four key sales markets include the food, beverage, nutritional supplement and pet food/treats industries.