Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS JUNE 2015 www.gourmetnews.com Supplier Business SUPPLIER BUSINESS 1 4 BRIEFS BY LORRIE BAUMANN Specialty oils represent an area of great op- portunity for retailers, and many are under- representing specialty oils, says La Tourangelle Founder and CEO Matthieu Kohlmeyer. "A lot of supermarkets are still under-representing the specialty oils – usu- ally they have a lot of cooking oils, includ- ing sunflower oil and olive oil. But when it comes to other kinds of oils, they don't have a good representation. I think that specialty oils is an area of great opportunity for retailers." La Tourangelle produces about 20 differ- ent specialty oils in a range of sizes. Extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and canola oil are offered as organics, there are nut oils including Roasted Walnut Oil – historically, one of La Tourangelle's biggest sellers; Roasted Pecan, Roasted Pis- tachio, Roasted Almond Oil and Roasted Hazelnut Oil that are useful for finishing dishes after they're cooked or for salad dressings; and a range of spray oils that ap- peal to low-fat cooks. Sales of the oils are being driven partly by food enthusiasts who've discovered that they present an easy way to infuse new flavors into vegetable dishes, includ- ing salads, but also by health-conscious shoppers who are looking for alternatives to highly refined polyunsat- urated oils that have been associated with higher can- cer rates in nutrition studies as well as consumers with sensitive skin who've adopted La Tourangelle's or- ganic coconut oil, grapeseed oil and avocado oil as part of their skin care regimes. "A major trend is that we are seeing a shift in which many women and men are using organic oils for skin care and body care. A lot of consumers are buying our grape- seed, avocado, coconut oil, not just for cooking but for skin care, makeup re- moval, hair care. This has directly im- pacted our sales," Kohlmeyer said. "It's a huge driver for us. So many people now are getting allergic reactions to chemicals. If they go to 100 percent organic coconut oil, they know that they're not getting adulterants.... It's really not only food – it's a lot of different things. A lot of people are telling me that, 'Your jar is in my bath- room, not in my kitchen.'... People are trying to improve their health; they want to be more selective. They're paying more attention to the quality of the products they consume and that they use on their body as well." In the kitchen, La Tourangelle oils con- tribute more flavor than refined oils. "The refin- ing process removes fla- vor. Even though you may get the same fatty acids, they remove the flavors," Kohlmeyer said. He suggested that consumers can gain some insight about whether an oil is highly refined by checking the label for the addition of Vitamin E, which is often added to refined oils to replace the Vitamin E that's lost dur- ing refining. "It's difficult for a store man- ager to be an oil specialist, but if the label says it's refined, you should understand that it's not going to have the flavor," Kohlmeyer said. Many of the leaders of food movements who are urging their followers to avoid highly refined oils are advocating for co- conut oil despite its sat- urated fatty acids. "Organic virgin co- conut oil is now our best-seller. For a very long time, consumers have been told they should avoid saturated fat. When people be- came more knowledge- able, they realized that some saturated fats were actually very good for them." Kohlmeyer said. About half the fatty acid content in coconut oil is lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid that's also found in human breast milk and that is known to increase total serum cholesterol. But more recent nutrition studies have found that most of the cholesterol increase is in the form of high-density lipoprotein, the so- called "good cholesterol." But while Kohlmeyer acknowledges these health and beauty reasons for con- sumer interest in his La Tourangelle oils, his own reason for appreciating them is the flavor they add to food. "I strongly believe that good food should taste good. Good oils, specialty oils, all oils, should have a good flavor," he said. "Refined olive oil on the shelf doesn't cover the needs of your customers.... Cooking is about using flavor. These oils are a way to enhance flavor." While most specialty oils are packaged in glass bottles, most La Tourangelle oils are packaged in tin cans to protect their flavors. "Specialty oils can be quite fragile and can de- teriorate fairly quickly if they're exposed to oxy- gen or natural light. The first step in preserving the oil is to seal it from oxygen and to keep it safe from light," he said. With some oils that are packaged in clear bottles, it's possible to notice that they begin changing color within a few weeks of bottling, which is a sign that they're oxidiz- ing. Colored glass bottles slow this process by limiting exposure to the effects of light, but tin cans do a better job of protecting the oils, Kohlmeyer said, adding that the tin cans also constitute a better choice for the environment. "It weighs nothing, and it's easy to recycle. The typical glass bottle, half of the weight is the bottle, and the other half is the oil." Less weight means a lighter carbon footprint for the product because a heavier container requires more fuel to transport it. La Tourangelle's newest packaging op- tion is a spray can that appeals to home cooks who are already very familiar with PAM. La Tourangelle offers sprays for extra virgin olive, roasted walnut, roasted pistachio, expeller-pressed grapeseed, av- ocado and canola oils as well as Thai Wok and toasted sesame Spray Oils. The La Tourangelle products don't contain the propellants found in competing spray oils, Kohlmeyer said. "I don't think peo- ple realize when people use a traditional spray, that they're spraying a petroleum product on their food.... [With the La Tourangelle sprays,] when you press the spray button, 100 percent oil comes out, no propellants." GN Specialty Oils Offer Opportunity to Appeal to Health Conscious Cracker brand Triscuit is partnering with Martha Stewart to create a limited edition Triscuit flavor, and five emerging food arti- sans to create exclusive products to be paired with a Triscuit in the brand's latest marketing campaign. The promotion is designed to celebrate brands with a philosophy of starting with simple, delicious ingredients, and five arti- sanal food producers were asked to create exclusive products designed specifically to be paired with Triscuit crackers. Exclusive products will be sold nationally beginning in May 2015 on each selected artisan's web- site, along with a box of Triscuit. They are McClure's Olive Tapenade, The Jam Stand's Cherry Ginger Jam, Wondermade Marsh- mallow's Blackberry Mallow, Olympia Pro- visions Summer Sausage and Savannah Bee Company's Winter White Honey with Pas- sion Fruit. GN Triscuit Celebrates American Food Artisans with New Campaign "All Vietnam in One Box" Tea Gift Collection from Sense Asia Sense Asia tea company has announced an artisan tea gift collection "TEA from FARMERS" and revealed its masterpiece "All Vietnam in One Box" of rare 32 tea varieties. It is available for purchase on the company's website and online marketplaces. Rwanda Supplying Coffee to American Market Rwanda will this year fetch more than $3 million from 14,400 bags of Arabica coffee sold to U.S. coffee retail giant Starbucks Corporation. Premium coffee is one of Rwanda's top exports. Last year, the country produced 16,000 tons of coffee, with 98 percent of it exported, according to Rwanda's Trade Minister, Francois Kanimba. Out of that, more than 90 percent is sold in the U.S. The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda says coffee counted for 10 percent ($60 million) of 2014 total exports valued at $599.8 million from $573 million in 2013. Mondelez International Launches Partnership to Accelerate E-Commerce Mondelez International has signed a deal with ChannelSight to add "Buy Now" buttons to owned, earned and paid media platforms across 25 markets, linking to over 130 retailers' websites, to make it easy for consumers to both find and buy Mondelez International products online. After a successful pilot phase in 20 markets with over 100 retailers, the company is now rolling out the technology into additional regions and markets with brands such as Oreo cookies, Cadbury chocolates and Trident gum. Sante Nuts Receive Gold Medal Santé Specialty Foods, maker of gourmet roasted and spiced nuts, has received a Gold Medal Endorsement from Chefs in America, a nationwide network of over highly-esteemed 7,500 corporate and executive chefs. In a triple- blind taste test, all 10 flavors of Santé Nuts scored a nine or higher, with the company's newly-released Roasted Salted Mix receiving one of the highest scores. The nuts were judged according to six distinct factors: appearance, aroma, taste, mouth feel, aftertaste and overall impression. "Chefs In America believes that Santé Nuts superior-tasting product line of value-added nuts respects the history of this great food," the organization said in a statement. "Santé's products are obviously crafted with respect for tradition while offering a modern gourmet air. They are a delicious treat that can lower bad cholesterol and provide heart healthy nutrients—all while tasting great."

• Cover