Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/510145
R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 3 9 Tu e s d a y, M a y 1 9 , 2 0 1 5 LALIBERTE FROM FROMAGERIE DU PRESBYTERE WINS CANADIAN CHEESE GRAND PRIX Fromagerie du Presbytère's Laliberté is the new Grand Champion at the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix Gala of Champions. The cream-enriched soft cheese with a bloomy rind was deter- mined best of all cheeses in 27 cate- gories. Sponsored and hosted every two years by Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix cele- brates the high quality, versatility and great taste of Canadian cheese made from Canadian milk. "From all the excellent cheeses the jury tasted, we found Laliberté to be the stand-out. This cheese truly distinguished itself in texture, taste and overall appear- ance. Its exquisite aromatic triple cream with its tender bloomy rind encases an unctuous well balanced fla- vor with hints of mushroom, pastures and root vegetables," said Phil Bélanger, Canadian Cheese Grand Prix jury chairman. Named after Alfred Laliberté, the famous sculptor born in St. Elizabeth de Warwick, QC, the farmstead cheese took a year and a half to develop and is made from 100 percent Canadian cow's milk.The cheesemaker is no stranger to the Grand Prix, as their Louis d'Or was notably named Grand Champion of the contest in 2011. The Grand Champion and 27 cate- gory winners were selected from a record-setting 268 cheese entries sub- mitted by cheese makers from Prince Edward Island to British Columbia. The submissions were then narrowed down to 81 finalists by the jury in February. With the expansion of entries, the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix has added nine new categories to the competition. Gouda was judged in three different age categories, as well as a category exclusively for smoked cheeses. Cheeses were judged on appearance, flavor, color, texture and body, and salt content. BETTER-FOR-YOU PRODUCTS LAUNCHING THIS SPRING AND SUMMER By Lorrie Baumann This year 's Natural Products Expo West offered a host of introductions for products that will appeal to the nutrition-conscious consumer. Among those are the bottled teas offered by Blu-Dot Beverage Company. This Canadian company offers five flavors of protein teas that contain 12 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per 473ml bottle and are targeted at the active, nutrition-conscious woman in her 30s to 50s. With protein content derived from 100 percent New Zealand whey, the teas contain no GMOs or artificial ingredients, are gluten free and made with organic green tea. The five flavors are Cranberry Pomegranate Green Tea, Honey Lemon Green Tea, Orange Pineapple Green Tea, Blueberry Acai Green Tea and Apple Pear White Tea. Three of them are sweetened with stevia and have no added sugars, while the other two are sweetened with organic cane sugar. With suggested retail prices of $2.99 to $3.49, the Blu-Dot teas launched nationally with KeHE in April. For further information, visit www.bludotbeverages.com. New Zealand whey also provides the protein for a line of shake mixes targeted at children and their nutrition- conscious parents. KidzShake is a mix that blends with water, nut milks, or dairy milk to make a beverage that offers no-compromise nutrition for children, including a full supplement of vitamins, probiotics, digestive enzymes and Omega-3s. It comes in four flavors: Vanilla Cream, Orange Cream, Chocolate Cream and Strawberry Cream. It's sugar free, non- GMO, lactose free, gluten free and casein free, and it's so tasty that a clever mom can hide a cup of kale in the chocolate flavor. It's sold in 22.75- ounce containers that will make up to 60 servings (Serving size varies according to the age of the child.) and retails for $44, and a 12.13-ounce size that will make up to 32 servings and retails for $24.90. The product is cur- rently offered online through Amazon and on the company's website atwww.kidzshake.com. Biosanare is a Spanish company that's offering a variety of products from Spain and the Mediterranean region. The company is introducing Olive Tea in silk tea bags. The tea is made from olive leaves. It tastes like green tea, but it helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure and offers anti-aging and cardiovascular benefits, according to the company. This is an organic product made from olive leaves that come from trees that have been grown in the Cordoba region of Spain for centuries. The tea bags are packaged in a tin of 20 and are also available in bulk for private labeling. The tin of 20 has a suggested retail price of $7.99. For further information, visitwww.biosanare.com. Martha Stewart is a partner in ULIVjava, which is launching two fla- vors of bottled iced coffees – vanilla and mocha – with three flavors of almond drinks debuting soon. With just 80 calories per bottle, these are focused on being a healthier alterna- tive to other bottled iced coffees, and at a suggested retail price of just $2.49 per bottle, they may appeal to the cost- conscious as well. The almond drink products are expected to appeal to mil- lennial consumers. They're currently distributed in Whole Foods stores on the East Coast, and the company is seeking a West Coast distributor. They're also being served in the Martha Stewart Cafe in New York. For further information, visit ulivjava.com. TuMe is a line of turmeric-infused water in three flavors: Citrus, Mango and Berry. They're sweetened with ste- via and 1g of sugar to produce a drink with just five calories per serving. They offer antioxidants and anti-aging properties, and a 16.9 fluid ounce bot- tle retails for a suggested $3.00 price. The beverage is bottled in Watsonville, California and is targeted at athletes and other health-conscious consumers who want the benefits of turmeric. This is the company's first year in pro- duction, and the drink is currently being carried in 25 northern California stores; and TuMe is partnering with LA Fitness to offer the drink in its fit- ness centers. For more information, visitdrinktume.com. Bliss Nut-Butters has been in busi- ness for 3.5 years in the northwestern U.S. with a range of nut butters made with honey and sea salt that appeal to athletes that need to balance their car- bohydrates and proteins. The nut but- ters are made with a fresh-ground process that preserves the integrity of the ingredients. The peanut butters retail for $6.99 to $8.99 and the hazel- nut butters retail for $9.99 to $12.99. Almond butter is coming out this year. The products are currently sold in the Pacific Northwest and just launched on Amazon. "We're ready to grow," says President and Founder Daniell Bliss. For further information, visit www.blissnutbutters.com. World Soups offers natural, authentic recipes in three flavors: Chicken Pho, Beef Pho and Chinese Style Egg Noodle Soup in convenient microwaveable bowls that are sold from the grocer's refrigerated case. They contain no artificial ingredients, no MSG and no preservatives. The pho soups have no gluten. They have a 30- day shelf life and they're currently dis- tributed only in northern California, which is where they're made. The sug- gested retail prices are $5.99 for the egg noodle soup and $7.99 for the pho varieties. For further information, visit www.worldsoupsinc.com. Zippy's has figured out how to make a shelf-stable salad with Zippy's Salad Bites, which come in two fla- vors: Lemon Kale and Spinach Cranberry. In 3.2 ounce single-serving snack pouches, they contain fiber and protein but no GMOs, no trans fats and no cholesterol. They retail for $3.99, and the taste is as zippy as you'd expect. For more information, emailk- mullin@getzippys.com. This story originally ran in the April issue of Gourmet News, which is a sis- ter publication of Restaurant Daily News from the Oser Communications Group. GLUTEN-FREE FOODS SURGE 63 PERCENT IN LAST TWO YEARS It seems these days, grocery shelves are exploding with gluten-free choices. This is due in large part to greater awareness of a gluten-free diet and as a result of increasing diagnoses of celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities. According to market research firm Mintel, sales of gluten-free foods reached $8.8 billion in 2014, representing an increase of 63 per- cent from 2012. "Overall, the gluten-free food mar- ket continues to thrive off those who must maintain a gluten-free diet for med- ical reasons, as well as those who per- ceive gluten-free foods to be healthier or more natural," said Amanda Topper, food analyst at Mintel. "The category will continue to grow in the near term, espe- cially as FDA regulations make it easier for consumers to purchase gluten-free products and trust the manufacturers who make them. Despite strong growth over the last few years, there is still innovation opportunity, especially in food segments that typically contain gluten." All gluten-free food segments increased in the past year, although the snacks segment increased the most. Gluten-free snacks increased 163 percent from 2012, reaching sales of $2.8 billion. Sales increases were mainly due to a 456 percent increase in potato chip sales. Meanwhile, the meats/meat alternatives segment is the second-largest gluten-free food segment in terms of sales, reaching $1.6 billion in 2014, a 14 percent increase from 2012. What is more, the bread products and cereals segment saw gains of 43 percent during that same time period and is set to reach $1.3 billion this year. Bread and cereal are ripe for gluten- free growth with only 1 percent of the overall segment gluten-free. "Gluten-free products appeal to a wide audience. Forty-one percent of U.S. adults agree they are beneficial for everyone, not only those with a gluten allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity," said Topper. "In response, food manufacturers offering either gluten- free alternatives or existing products with a gluten-free label have increased dramatical- ly over the last several years." Still, it seems not everyone is con- vinced of the health benefits of eating gluten free. While 33 percent of survey respondents in 2013 agreed that "gluten- free diets are a fad," the number increased to 44 percent in 2014. That has not slowed gluten free's growing popu- larity, however. Twenty-two percent of Americans currently follow a gluten-free diet, compared to 15 percent in 2013.