Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 3 4 CocoaPlanet Opens Chocolate Factory, Tasting Room, Gluten-Free Café and Chocolate Garden The much anticipated CocoaPlanet factory, chocolate tasting room and café have opened to rave reviews in Sonoma, the heart of Northern California's wine country. The result is spectacular for a small gluten- free French café and chocolate factory. Owner Anne McKibben's blue background lighting, glass table tops, white marble walls, tasteful stone and total wheelchair accessibility attract locals as well as visitors who are buying and almost hoarding her innovative chocolates with "pearls of flavor." When the weather turns sunny again and buds pop out on Sonoma's surrounding vines, CocoaPlanet's large "Chocolate Gar- den" of blue flowers, old wisteria and mod- ern décor is perfect for sipping, nibbling and even entertaining outdoors. Sonoma's CocoaPlanet produces low-sugar healthy chocolate candy and French delights on Broadway in the building that housed the old Sonoma Print Shop for decades. McKibben grew up in Paris, London and Tucson, and became an international market- ing executive for Hewlett-Packard, traveling to 40 countries. She eventually developed fabulous chocolate candies that her (now) late French mother could enjoy after she de- veloped diabetes. With a background in man- ufacturing and marketing, McKibben visited her Los Angeles chocolate manufacturer and took apart their machines so she could create her "pearls of flavor" such as mandarin or- ange, deep dark truffle, vanilla espresso, salted caramel and CocoaMint. McKibben now makes her chocolates in downtown Sonoma on state-of-the-art machines she has designed and patented. The entire building is a gluten-free facility, even the "Paris bistro" café where guests can indulge in quiches, char- cuterie, cheeses, salads, soups, sandwiches and occasional cassoulet and other stews in the tasting room or on the elegant patio. McKibben's CocoaPlanet chocolates are 64 percent cacao dark chocolate, under 100 calories with net carbs of nine grams or less and only seven or eight grams of sugar. They are all non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and free-trade certified. McKibben encourages guests to put a Co- coaPlanet chocolate in a cup, add heated milk, stir and have great flavored hot chocolate, which you get to do yourself in the café or at home. For chocolate tastings, you can try indi- vidual tastes, a mini flight of morsels of each taste, or a "Power Nibble" with two chocolates, almonds and sharp white cheddar cheese. Don't miss the gluten-free desserts such as mandarin orange chocolate almond cake, Ed- ible Dirt, apple walnut tarts, Deep Dark Chocolate brownies and Sweet Scoops vegan sorbets. All of the pastry recipes were converted from conventional flours to gluten-free by Kathy Gori. Also on the menu are char- cuterie and cheese platters, a hummus plate, gougères, Castelvetrano olives, warm soups made with organic veg- etables grown within five miles, grilled cheese sandwich with salad, Paul's Produce Little Gem salad with Cy- press Grove goat cheese, a Sonoma Chef's Salad, Quiche Sonoma with a salad, a pizza Provençal, crêpes and an authentic cassoulet – all gluten-free. About CocoaPlanet Based in Sonoma, California, CocoaPlanet, Inc. uses ethically sourced chocolate pro- duced using sustainable practices, enabling cocoa farmers a better quality of life. Cocoa- Planet is a registered trademark and "Co- coaMint," "Pearls of Flavor" and "More Taste, Less Sugar" are trademarks of Cocoa- Planet, Inc. Visit CocoaPlanet at booth #851. For more in- formation, go to www.cocoaplanet.com, call 707.721.1275 or email info@cocoaplanet.com. SUZIE'S Introduces Shelf Stable Tigernut Beverage and Nut-Butter Filled Cookies Good Groceries Company, under its popular SUZIE'S brand, continues to launch cate- gory-changing healthy products while im- proving its healthy natural staples. Good Groceries continues to provide healthy, nu- trient rich, unique, GMO-free and delicious products. This is not your father's cookies and milk! SUZIE'S Nut Butter filled cookies redefine indulgent adult snacking. The cookies com- bine all the nutrient and mineral benefits from nut butters with a decadently delicious cookie, resulting in an exquisite snack expe- rience. Cookie Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, Hazelnut and Peanut Butter filled cookies will change your idea of a treat forever. If that weren't enough, SUZIE'S has also launched Nut Butter Sandwich Cookies and Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Filled Cook- ies. SUZIE'S soft and creamy cookie line will drive sales and profits with repeat sales as the consumer will need to savor each fla- vor over and over. SUZIE'S "Horchata" or Tiger Nut Non- Dairy Shelf Stable, gluten-free, vegan, dairy/lactose-free vegetable beverage launched in 2016. Tigernuts provided paleo man with 80 percent of the protein in his diet, and SUZIE'S has captured that for you in a delicious creamy gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free beverage. All of SUZIE'S Non- Dairy Shelf Stable Beverages are made with- out GMOs. SUZIE'S milk alternatives are perfect by themselves, with cereal or can be sub- stituted anywhere you use conventional milk. Its Tiger Nut Beverage is added to its Quinoa vari- eties – made with pure quinoa, not blended with other grains – so you get the pure, sweet, nutty taste of quinoa and all its amazing health benefits. Available in three flavors: Unsweetened Original, Unsweetened Vanilla and Vanilla Sweetened. Looking to fit all the benefits of quinoa at meal time into your busy lifestyle? Leave it to SUZIE'S to once again provide the so- lution. Its shelf-stable, ready-to-eat Quinoa Meals are offered in four delicious flavor profiles: Olive Oil, Asian, Tex Mex and In- dian Spice. Healthy and delicious, they warm in the microwave in 60 seconds. SUZIE'S RTE Quinoa Meals are a perfect side dish for two or meal replacement for one. At the office, away at college, on the go or any time, SUZIE'S RTE provide a welcome alternative to lunch, dinner or as a satisfying and healthy snack. Don't forget, when looking for a low calo- rie delicious snack, look no further than SUZIE's Thin Cakes and Puff Cakes. Available in 13 delectable flavor pro- files to satisfy even the most discerning cus- tomer's taste buds. SUZIE'S Tiger Nut and Quinoa Non- Dairy Beverages, Nut Butter Filled Cookies, RTE Quinoa Meals, Thin Cakes and other quality, healthy natural foods are available at fine grocery stores throughout North Amer- ica. SUZIE'S – innovation you can taste! In- novation for your health! Innovation that drives sales! Visit SUZIE'S at booth #470. For more in- formation, go to www.good-groceries.com, email info@good-groceries.com or call 718.768.0821. Rabbit Creek Gourmet Debuts New Products, Packaging Rabbit Creek Products, family owned and oper- ated, brings its customers first class gourmet dry mixes, from brownies to dips to breads for more than 30 years. Stop by booth #402 to see this year's new items and new packaging. For further information, call 800.837.3073 or visit www.rabbitcreekgourmet.com. Dur- ing the Winter Fancy Food Show, visit booth #402.

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