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Produce Show Daily Saturday, October 15, 2016 6 0 provides a platform for continued growth in tofu and beyond. At this year's PMA Fresh Summit, the companies are showcasing three of the latest innovations in tofu: Nasoya Organic Extra Firm Tofu Twin Pack: America's top-selling tofu item is now available in a more conven- ient format, a tofu Twin Pack that is unique in retail with two equal portions of tofu sealed individually in one pack. Twin Pack is perfect for preparing a small meal/snack or for splitting to make two different tofu recipes. Nasoya Organic Super Firm Vacuum Pack: the new, consumer-friendly pack- aging of this vacuum packed tofu is sure to be a hit. No water, no mess. The tofu is already drained, pressed and ready to cook. Nasoya Organic Tofu Vegetable Dumplings: the first and only fresh dumpling in produce. Made with fresh organic tofu and vegetables, these meat- less dumplings make a delicious and guiltless snack or meal. Even better, they are ready to enjoy in as little as five min- utes. Nasoya started in 1978 when the company's founders first made tofu in a transformed barn in Leominster, Massachusetts. Consumers loved Nasoya tofu, and by 1987, the company moved to a new production facility and installed state of the art production equipment to produce more than 60,000 pounds of tofu per week. The production expansion and equipment upgrade, coupled with the increasing demand for health conscious food products, propelled Nasoya's growth throughout the United States. Always striving to meet the chang- ing needs of consumers, Nasoya has pro- vided delicious, premium foods to con- sumers for more than 35 years. The com- pany's product offerings include Tofu, TofuPlus, TofuBaked, Asian Wraps and Noodles, and low calorie, low carb Pasta Zero shirataki noodles. All Nasoya tofu products are Non-GMO Project Verified. In 1955, Pulmuone started as a sin- gle organic farm in Korea. Today, it has Nasoya (Cont'd. from p. 1) been transformed into one of the largest food companies in Korea and the compa- ny's products are enjoyed around the world. Pulmuone's tofu manufacturing facilities in Korea, Japan and China posi- tion the company as the world's leading tofu manufacturer. Pulmuone uses this global tofu expertise to bring progressive tofu innovation to the United States. Pulmuone Foods USA Inc. was established in 1991 and is headquartered in Fullerton, California. The acquisition of the Nasoya, Azumaya and San Sui brands is highly complementary and syn- ergistic operationally, logistically, as well as within sales and distribution. Through the expanded business scale resulting from this acquisition, Pulmuone expects to continue to strengthen its leadership position within the tofu market and to rapidly expand beyond tofu. Pulmuone is committed to providing authentic whole- some foods featuring the highest quality, all-natural ingredients. A frontrunner in refrigerated all-natural food products, the company's portfolio includes the Pulmuone, Monterey Gourmet Foods, Emerald Valley Kitchen, Cibo Naturals and Wildwood brands. Pulmuone has manufacturing facilities throughout California, New York and Massachusetts with the acquisition of Nasoya. These facilities house food scientists and experts who work tirelessly, utilizing cut- ting-edge technology to research and develop the most organic, all-natural, delicious products. Committed to pro- moting the health of its customers and to sustaining the environment and society, Pulmuone is a member of the United Nations Global Compact, a policy initia- tive for businesses committed to aligning their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environ- ment and anti-corruption. Pulmuone and Nasoya; together they will bring you tasty foods all day long. For more information, visit booth #3415, go to www.nasoya.com or call 800.328.8638. Follow the companies on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. describe the evolution of your business and how it has expanded? MJ: When my wife and I started this business in 2008, our primary focus was on agriculture. We saw that there were a number of complex challenges that farm- ers were facing. After a lot of due dili- gence, we created a solution that addressed a diversity of problems with an innovative technology that is environ- mentally forward-thinking, easy-to-use and manage, and cost-effective. Within a few years, we had collected a wide vari- ety of evidence, both as data and testimo- nials from the field. We expanded our product line based on the positive feed- back we were getting. We learned people were using Magnation in all sorts of inventive ways that were saving them time, money and water, and greatly help- ing them to grow healthier, more mar- ketable crops. We have since expanded beyond farm irrigation and agriculture because we've seen how this technology has so many powerful applications in other areas, such as sports turfgrass, industrial businesses, municipal applica- tions, home and gardens, livestock and poultry and more. We've seen a huge increase in the number of customers – now worldwide – and the variety of ways they are successfully using the products is exciting and inspirational! PSD: Is the market changing its attitude towards new and innovative ways towards sustainability? MJ: Yes! Thoughtful consideration towards spraying programs, water con- servation, sustainable soil practices and food security are hot topics globally. However, like with any innovation, peo- Magnation Water Technologies (Cont'd. from p. 1) ple are skeptical and want to see results. They want to see that sustainability does- n't compromise the quality or quantity of crop yield. To answer this directly, we've built a respectable library of references, testimonials, case studies and data-driven evidence which can be found on our newly updated website, www.rainlikewa- ter.com. We understand everyone with a product can make whopping claims, but with Magnation, the proof lies in the ample number of customers who have been using our system for many years now and the rapidly growing number of new customers worldwide. PSD: There are other water treatment systems that claim to offer similar bene- fits as Magnation. What gives you the competitive edge? MJ: After more than eight years of field- testing and refining our products, we are confident that the technology behind our system is, hands down, better than any- thing else out there. Through rigorous research and development and a firm commitment to innovation, our products are engineered using specifications that are unique to each use case. For those who think that you can use any type of magnetic force, or tie magnets around a water source to get good results, we say, 'good luck!' Buyer beware … there is a significant difference. A lot of time, effort and experience is poured into care- fully constructing our units to achieve measurable, maximum benefits. We also have a Satisfaction or Money Back Guarantee. Visit Magnation Water Technologies at booth #584. For more information, call 888.820.0363, go to www .rainlikewater.com or email info@ rainlikewater.com. JH: I first got the idea for Twist-Ease when I was working as a produce manag- er in Minneapolis. After spending count- less hours cleaning up spilled twist ties, I thought there must be a better way of dis- pensing them. While pondering this dilemma, a sales representative came into my store offering plastic locks on a rod (the type found on a loaf of bread). These plastics locks provided a bag closure and eliminated the mess and inconvenience of bulk twist ties. I used the plastics locks for several years, until one day I ran out of them completely. To get through the day, I found a box of twist ties in the back room and pinched them around the metal rods to provide my customers with a reli- able bag closure. By the end of the day I had an overwhelming amount of cus- tomers that indicated their preference for twist ties over plastic locks. That is when the idea for Twist-Ease was born. Twist-Ease, Inc. was founded on October 18, 1989 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is still based there today. We have been manufacturing our patent- ed twist tie dispensing system ever since. Our original design has undergone sever- al improvements over the years. These changes have optimized the system, fit- ting more twist ties into increasingly smaller footprints. PSD: What is your goal for the show? JH: Our primary goal is to develop con- nections with new retailers that currently do not use our product. A secondary goal is to increase product awareness through an explanation of why using a twist tie is important. PSD: What is your company most proud of? JH: At Twist-Ease we are most proud of our ability to innovate. We take pride in our ability to make modifications to our products and our operations, which in turn, allow us to better serve our cus- tomers. We are also very proud of our employees and their commitment to cus- tomer service. We connect with each and every store on an annual basis to ensure that every dispenser is in good working Twist-Ease (Cont'd. from p. 1) order. Our average length of service per employee is more than 15 years, which has enabled us to produce a consistently high quality product since our inception. PSD: Are you launching any new prod- ucts this year? JH: We are launching the Click-N-Go System. Our current system consists of a plastic dispenser at the store. The dis- penser is refilled with twist tie packs that contain 1,200 twist ties. We noticed that over time our current dispenser can become tired and worn-looking. Once we identified that problem, we began work- ing on the concept of Click-N-Go. The new Click-N-Go system consists of a metal mounting apparatus that is perma- nently affixed in the store. This new pre- filled disposable dispenser will "click" into the mounting apparatus, providing a fresh and clean dispenser every time. We have an excellent video on our website, www.twistease.com/click-n-go, that explains how Click-N-Go works. We are also introducing 4-inch Flag Ties. The 4-inch flag tie offers the same benefits as our 6-inch flag tie, i.e., ample space to write and a long twistable area to tie around the bag. This patent pending flag tie will be featured in the PMA Fresh Ideas Showcase. PSD: Who are your target customers? JH: For PMA Fresh Summit, our main target is grocery store chains across the United States, Canada and Australia. At PMA we are specifically targeting deci- sion makers in produce, bulk foods, store chains and supply buyers. PSD: How do your products or services help your customers compete in their marketplace? JH: Some customers feel they have no need for twist ties because the twist ties create an additional cost. We believe that twist ties are not only necessary, but they provide a better shopping experience for the public and in the process, enhance the store's image. Visit Twist-Ease at booth #1653. For more information, go to www.twistease.com or call 888.623.8390.