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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n SEPTEMBER 2016 n GOURMET NEWS N H 4 8 Wholesome! Fair Trade Sweeteners Make an Impact Coffee is unquestionably one of the most popular morning beverages in America. In recent years, it has also become a powerful tool for boosting awareness about fair trade. When fair trade coffee was first available, it began a conversation among consumers, es- pecially the Millennial generation, to spark global change and use the power of their pur- chases to positively impact the lives of farm- ers around the world. "Most consumers believe their level of im- pact stops after they've made their fair trade coffee selection," said Sarah Miller, Director of Marketing at Wholesome! "When you add fair trade, organic sugar to your fair trade coffee, your daily coffee habit becomes a catalyst for change." In 2001, Wholesome! began sourcing its fair trade organic cane sugar from farmers in Paraguay. In 2005, the company pioneered the fair trade sugar certification process. Not only did this secure fair prices for each farmer's crops, but it also guaranteed an ad- ditional premium that would be paid to the local farming cooperatives to use for com- munity development. Since then, Whole- some! has initiated fair trade organic honey certification with beekeepers in Mexico and Brazil, created more fair trade partnerships with sugar cane farmers in Malawi and sourced fair trade organic blue agave from Mexico. In the last 10 years, Wholesome! has paid more than $11 million in fair trade premiums to these farming communities helping bring much needed electricity, clean drinking water, schools, health care and new farming equipment. According to a recent report from the Na- tional Marketing Institute, 59 percent of con- sumers now recognize and understand the meaning behind the fair trade-certified label and 26 percent are more likely to purchase a product with that label. The growing aware- ness of fair trade and the impact that it makes on poverty-stricken farmers around the world has inspired menu changes in inde- pendent and mainstream coffee shops alike. Consumers have responded enthusiastically by supporting fair trade with their purchases in coffee shops and in grocery stores. The National Marketing Institute also identified millennials as likely supporters of fair trade related items stating that 70 percent of consumers under age 30 consider social issues before buying and 28 percent are more likely to buy a fair trade item. However, the study noted that 85 percent of consumers re- ported that fair trade items are not always available options to purchase. "With a growing population that is pas- sionate about making a difference and also prone to considering the certification la- bels on the packages they buy, it's only natural that fair trade coffee supporters would also be interested in fair trade sweeteners," said Miller. Lékué Presents New Deep Steam Case for Cooking Meals in Minutes Lékué presents the Deep Steam Case de- signed for cooking healthy foods such as shellfish, stews, soups and vegetables. The Deep Steam Case is a microwave pot, which offers a faster, nutritious way to prepare meals. Steam cooking in the microwave is healthier for two reasons: it maintains more of the foods' nutrients and it requires little or no fat. The Deep Steam Case is made from 100 percent premium platinum silicone and with- stands temperatures from -76°F – 428°F. This is the same silicone that is used for baby bottle nipples and medical tubes. The prod- uct is food-safe and odor- and stain-resistant. The Deep Steam Case, available in green or red, is sold in two sizes: a 1-2 portion size and 3-4 portion size. The smaller size is 8.5- inches long, 6-inches wide and 3.3-inches tall. It holds 17-ounces and retails for $30. The large steam case is 10-inches long, 8- inches wide and 4.5- inches tall. It holds 1 quart. The large Deep Steam Case includes an easy to follow, 4- color cookbook: One Pot Cooking. The retail price for the two items together is $40. "In each corner of the globe, cooking methods and ingredients are constantly changing so Lékué works day in day out to provide solutions for healthy, quick cook- ing," explains Tara Steffen, Marketing Di- rector for Lékué USA. "In order to explore the benefits, Lékué has car- ried out an intense re- search program with the Alícia Foundation (www.alicia.cat), which has led to the creation of a full range of products. The Deep Steam Case was a result of this research and is one of the Company's favorites." Lékué offers a 10-year warranty on its products. For more information, visit www.lekueusa.com. Consumers Thirsty for Healthier Beverages By Greg Gonzales Need a quick caffeine boost and a blast of antioxidants? The ready-to-drink Matcha Love can do that. Maybe you prefer non-syn- thetic caffeine extracted from green coffee beans in fruit juice, along with a dose of vi- tamins — a company called Frava has you covered. Just like, "there's an app for that," beverages aren't just for hydration any more. "In general, consumers are getting the pic- ture that empty calories are really causing our health problems in this country," said Chrissy Weiss, a registered dietitian who serves as Director of Marketing and Com- munications at Culinary Collective. "There's a movement. These big companies are seeing a decline in regular soda sales and that's been going on for a couple of years now. There's a wave of information and a health move- ment that's going on in this country. What we're seeing today is that there's this whole other wave of people looking for healthy hy- dration, something that gives them health benefits." Some of these beverages include plant waters, low-sugar or natural-sugar juices, non-dairy probiotic drinks like kom- bucha and ready-to-drink simple beverages, like tea and coffee. Category growth has opened the doors for new producers and expansion opportunities for larger ones, too. The tea market for in- stance, has grown by 15 times over since 2009. Loose leaf tea, ready-to-drink teas and cold-press coffee at home have become in- creasingly popular. According to Weiss, market success in functional and healthy beverages cate- gories is similar. "People are seeing these beverages like an affordable luxury, like specialty coffee drinks. I think these ap- peal to a lot of people because they're will- ing to do something that makes them feel good and buy a product that makes them feel better. … What people pay for these, even when a little pricier, they seem a little more affordable." Growth in better-for-you beverages may be coming at the expense of traditional soft drinks. The last two decades have seen soft drinks taking a hard fall, by more than 25 percent, according to the New York Times — by more than $1 billion, since 2011. On the other hand, healthier beverage cate- gories' double-digit sales growth is ex- pected to continue for years to come. According to Nielsen reports, functional beverage sales increased by 6.9 percent in 2015 and will grow even more rapidly this year. The same report said that 90 percent of 2015 growth in juice beverages came from new product launches. Sutter Buttes Debuts Grab-and-Go Option Sutter Buttes Olive Oil Co. is proud to be among those who produce the finest gourmet food products. Its award-winning recipes are globally inspired; the ingredients are local and all natural. Its line of fresh gourmet foods includes California extra virgin olive oils, infused olive oils, balsamic vinegars, tapenades, sweet and savory jams, mustards, baking mixes, dessert sauces, rubs, artisan salts and an extensive line of gifts. This year, Sutter Buttes introduced its newest Gourmet Snack product line in three great choices: Green Olive Tapenade, Black Olive Tapenade and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade, all paired with healthy, zero fat crackers. Sutter Buttes has created a quick gourmet snack for any time and anyone who wants a healthy option for a quick bite. You can even transform the snack box into an instant appetizer. For more information, visit www.sutterbuttesoliveoil.com. Jennies Offers Delicious, Healthy Coconut Macaroons For more than six decades, Jennies Maca- roons have been accepted as a delicious, all natural, gluten-free nutritional macaroon snack. Moving forward more than 60 years later, we are in a world that now recognizes the benefits of natural coconut. The new Jennies has arrived, offering raw, all natural, gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy- free, vegan and organic products made in a nut-free facility and available in fully visible, fresh bakery packaging. The Jennies name comes from the original founder, Arnold Badner. His daughter's name is Jennie and she loved the coconut macaroons that her dad made for special oc- casions. The company sold its original fac- tory in Brooklyn, New York during the height of the real es- tate explosion and moved to a state-of-the-art facility in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, joining forces with the former owner of such iconic chocolate brands as Barricini Chocolates, Chateau Brand Chocolate and Holiday Brand Choco- late. The Jennies staff has been with the com- pany since it started baking in Pennsylvania and is the key factor in why the Jennies Baked Macaroons and Raw Organic Bars are consistent, and excellent in taste, appearance and quality. Jennies customers include market basket stores, Costco, UNFI, Kehe, Haddon House, A&L Foods, Davidson Gour- met as well as other fine distributors. For more information, visit www .macaroonking.com.

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