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GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2015 www.gourmetnews.com GENERAL NEWS 1 0 Greek Olive Oil Continued from PAGE 1 Greek olive oil made its way to the Amer- ican market this year, Neuman and oth- ers believe Greek olive oil exports to the U.S. could increase in as little as six to eight months. While much of the Greek economy has been in freefall, the Greek olive market has produced stable and consistent yields in recent years. The wide spacing of trees and hillside growing areas has made a switch to factory farming unfeasible. While this has resulted in production lev- els that are low compared to yields in fac- tory-farmed areas, the Cretan farmers have kept a growing environment that is now very conducive to premium oil man- ufacturing. Europe and America's current olive oil crisis is overshadowed by suspicions of fraud in the American market. With major olive oil companies are facing legal consequences for mislabeling prac- tices, and the USDA making critical steps in defining the Extra Virgin label, a focus has been put on smaller olive oil produc- ers that can verify the sources of their olives. This could translate into higher sales of premium extra virgin olive oil from Greece due to negative press sur- rounding other Mediterranean oils and increasing knowledge of olive oil quality from retail buyers and their consumers. Retailers, Neuman says, now have the opportunity to: "Stop rewarding brands of bad quality with shelf space and pro- motion." Koroneiki olives from Crete, for instance, have a similar flavor profile to Italian Cortina olives and may provide an excellent substitute for buyers who are switching from Italian olive oils. GN KIND Bars Continued from PAGE 1 The warning letter gave KIND 15 days to start taking steps to change the labels as well as its website to conform with FDA definitions. "KIND has, and will continue to take efforts to conform to all FDA regu- lations," Joe Cohen, Senior Vice President of Communications at KIND, said, "We've submitted a plan to FDA outlining the steps we'll take to modify our packaging and website in accordance with the issues raised in the warning letter." KIND says it is working with the FDA on how it can use "healthy" on its bar la- bels. "We are...working closely with the FDA to reach alignment on how we can use 'healthy' on our packaging," Cohen said, "The regulatory definition of 'healthy' is complex." The FDA regulates the use of the term as a nutrient content claim, but does not regulate more general use of the term. KIND doesn't plan to change its recipes for any of its products, but instead will focus on the labeling. "This matter relates strictly to the language on our labeling and our website," said Cohen. KIND maintains that its bars are good for you, even though the exact wording on the label may not be allowed. "We've received a great deal of support from medical and nutritionist communities," said Cohen, "and many experts have spoken up to en- dorse...the benefits of eating nuts and nu- tritious fats." As soon as the warning letter became public, KIND was slammed with a number of lawsuits. As of late April, KIND has been drawn into eight different consumer lawsuits from individuals in both California and New York, with all claiming that KIND's misla- beling violated federal, state and consumer protection laws and caused them injury or damage. One claimant, Brandon Kaufer, repre- sented by Pearson, Simon, and Warsaw, LLP, alleges that he, and others similarly sit- uated, had suffered injury by purchasing the KIND bars under the mistaken belief they were "healthier" and incurred losses of at least $5,000,000 dollars due to KIND's deliberate deception. GN Eckrich Supports Military Families Extending a three-year effort to honor, thank and support military families, Eck- rich is continuing its partnership with Op- eration Homefront this year. Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit that pro- vides emergency financial and other assis- tance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. The national cam- paign provides financial support and life- changing moments to Operation Homefront families. As part of the partnership, Eckrich, a brand of Smithfield Foods and the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and deli meats, is donating five cents for every purchase of specially marked products from May 1 through July 4, up to$250,000. Over the program's three-year history, Eck- rich has donated over $750,000 to Opera- tion Homefront. By the end of this year's fundraising period, the expected total do- nation will surpass $1 million. Operation Homefront provides relief to avert financial crisis through emergency aid, housing and caregiver programs along with family support activities to recognize the service and sacrifice of military life. In addition to the financial commitment to the organization, Eckrich will also con- tinue to support Operation Homefront military families by providing once-in-a- lifetime experiences with support from some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. GN Mars Announces Support for Added Sugars Labeling Mars, Incorporated is supporting two im- portant recommendations designed to help consumers limit their intake of added sugars and achieve healthier, more balanced diets. The candy company has endorsed a recommendation by the world's leading health authorities—including the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and the UK Scientific Advisory Commit- tee on Nutrition—that people should limit their intake of added sugars to no more than 10 percent of total calorie in- take. Additionally, in comments provided to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Committee, Mars has signaled its support for a new U.S. government proposal to include an added sugars declaration in the Nutrition Facts panel on all food packaging. The company's comments to the sugar daily value and added sugars declaration pro- posal can be viewed at www.mars.com. So called "added sugars" are sugars and syrups added to foods to improve sweet- ness, structure, texture, and shelf-life. These are distinct from sugars that are "in- trinsic" to foods, such as lactose in dairy, or fructose and glucose in bananas. "We want people to enjoy Mars brands as part of a well-balanced diet," said Dave Crean, Global Head of Research & Development at Mars, Incorporated. "With this in mind, we support the rec- ommendation of global health experts that consumers limit their intake of added sugars to 10 percent of their calo- rie intake. In the U.S., we have a further opportunity to help people achieve their dietary goals by supporting the govern- ment's proposal to include added sugars in the Nutrition Facts panel. It just makes good sense." GN Fromagerie du Presbytère's Laliberté Named Champion Cheese 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 determined best of all cheeses in 27 categories. Sponsored and hosted every two years by Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix celebrates the high quality, versatility and great taste of Cana- dian 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 appearance. Its exquisite aromatic triple cream with its ten- der bloomy rind encases an unctuous well balanced flavor 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 per- cent Canadian cow's milk. The cheese- maker is no stranger to the Grand Prix, as its Louis d'Or was notably named Grand Champion of the contest in 2011. The Grand Champion and 27 category winners were selected from a record-setting 268 cheese entries submitted 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 Cana- dian 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 appear- ance, flavor, color, texture and body, and salt content. GN Traditional Artisan Cheeses from Appel Farms Each batch of Appel Farms cheese is made in the traditional manner using milk from the farm's own herd of dairy cows. Appel Farms was founded 35 years ago by Jack Appel, who was trained in Europe and brought those cheesemaking skills with him to the U.S. Today, his son, John Appel, takes the milk fresh from the cow and makes artisan cheese just as his father taught him. Controlling the process from the milk source to the finished product ensures consistent quality and flavor, and John strives to main- tain that consistency in the cheese while improving efficiency in the process and adding to the line of cheeses. Appel Farms Gouda has a creamy, buttery texture and nutty flavor. Varieties include Smoked, Mild, Jalapeno, and Sweet Red Pepper. Appel Farms cheeses are available in retail as well as restaurant and food service sizes. For more information about Appel Farms, call 360.384.4996, email john@appel-farms.com or visit www.appel-farms.com.

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