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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 3 0 Curious About Indonesia's Specialty Food? Specialty food products are increasingly in demand in the United States. With Indone- sia's, most of the specialty food export prod- ucts are dominated by small and medium enterprises. SMEs play an important role in the export of specialty products because the portion reaches 40 percent. These SMEs orig- inated in the lush islands of Indonesia, such as Java, Sumatra, Bali, Sulawesi and more. One key to the success of SME production of specialty food products from Indonesia is how the producers are capable to respond and able to supply for an increased demand. Among Indonesia's processed food products that are getting some buzz are chili sauce, soy sauce, snacks and biscuits, tea, spices and a blend of spices (seasoning). Some of Indonesian-made and Indone- sian-inspired products are available at the mainstream Hispanic and Asian supermar- kets, such as Trader Joe's (Sambal Matah, Organic Coconut Sugar), Whole Foods (Co- conut Water, Smooze coconut-based ice cream), 99 Ranch Market (ABC Sweet Soy Sauce, Jans Sweet Cow condensed milk). In- donesian food product trends even pene- trated to mixed-specialty stores like Marshall's and TJ Maxx that sell Deka Crepes and Jans Mixed Roots Chips. Indonesia's specialty food is interesting because of certain characteristics, such as originality, ethnic or cultural background, the typical processing methods and materials used, and it is exclusive. Currently, a huge number of U.S. consumers are de- voted to food and food in- gredients from the Mediterranean and Asia, especially India, Thai- land and Vietnam. However, foods of Korea, Indonesia and Turkey are starting to become sought after. Consumers look for foods and beverages from Indonesia for exotic flavors such as coconut, tamarind and ginger flairs. The materials that are expected to be increased by demand are coffee and cocoa, coconut re- fined, processed spices and organic rice. The Indonesian government, together with the Association of Food and Beverage In- donesia (GAPMMI) has been drawing up a joint strategy to increase exports of food and beverages, particularly to the U.S. and Cana- dian markets. The penetration of Indonesian food and beverage products to the international mar- ket, especially the American and Canadian markets, are being taken care of seriously and sys- temic. About Indonesia Trade Promotion Center Los Angeles (ITPC LA) ITPC LA is an Indonesian government trade development agency, subordinate to Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia. Its main mission is to promote and boost Indonesia's export and its potentials to the U.S through market penetration – from trade shows to mar- keting. It is the bridge of U.S importers and In- donesian exporters to get connected. Looking for a new supplier? Email adrian.lubis@ kemendag.go.id or itpcla@sbcglobal.net or call 213.387.7041. Just Jan's Founder Jan Hogrewe Finds Inspiration on Global Travels By Kris Mason, Director of Brand Innova- tion, Just Jan's Jan has always drawn inspiration from her surroundings and experiences. After all, it was a fig tree in her backyard that got this whole thing started. A tangerine tree that her father planted in her childhood home influ- enced her tangerine marmalade. Jan's fa- mous Meyer lemon curd came about because those were the type of lemons that she grew up baking lemon pies with, with her mom. Surroundings and experiences – the well- spring of Jan's flavor inspirations. If Jan's travel itinerary this year is any in- dication, she's had plenty of exotic surround- ings and should have plenty of great memories to draw from as she creates her next flavors. Jan's odyssey began with a trip to Greece, with her daughter Alyx. There they saw the sights, and sampled the flavors of Greece. The baklava was favorite of both Jan and Alyx's – could there be a flavor featur- ing honey in the future? Perhaps an olive tape- nade? For her next ad- venture, Jan took a trip to Cuba with friends. Here it was the sights and sounds more than anything that made an impression on Jan. The beautiful people who had so little, but we were willing to share so much. On a trip that spanned the entire country, Jan saw how cocoa becomes chocolate, became a mojito expert and dodged a hurricane. She also brought back two types of honey. Finally, in perhaps her most audacious adventure, Jan went to Peru with her daughter Lauren. In Peru, Jan and Lauren mastered the Pisco Sour, learned how to make authentic ceviche and they hiked Machu Pic- chu! They learned that Peru is home to 81 microclimates which produce an incredible array of fruits that would make delectable spreads and curds. Based on Jan's track record, this year's ex- periences will surely inspire the flavors to come. Can't wait to taste what she comes up with! Quality Candy Company LLC: Taste the Quality Difference Today An interview with Laurie Redmond, Co- Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Qual- ity Candy Company LLC. GN: Quality Candy has been family owned and operated for 30 years. In a marketplace dominated by large corporations and multi- national companies, what advantages does a family-owned business provide that others do not? LR: I think it can make all the difference. When Pierre and I started this company, we had a vision to be hard candy purveyors of the highest quality, both in product and in customer service. Often this original vision and sentiment can get lost in a P&L or in- come statement. Original ownership ensures our ability to adhere to that vision, and curate it as we see fit. GN: What would you say is Quality Candy's greatest strength? LR: It's really hard to say when you have so many fantastic components comprising the organization, but I would have to say our greatest strength is our highly adapt- able business model. A blend of automa- tion and hand crafting allows us to take full advantage of various economies of scale, resulting in a wide variety of dis- tinct products and a unique ability to take on new and exciting projects. Put simply, we can make just about anything out of sugar! GN: When you look back at the history of Quality Candy, what are you most proud of? LR: You know, the biggest thing for me is food safety. A company can have the best looking and best tasting products out there, but if that same product isn't safe or clean, it counts for nothing. That is why I am proud to be able to boast that in 30 years we have never had a single product recall or food safety issue. 2016 was a big year for us in this regard, as we secured a Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Level 3 certificate, the most prestigious certification offered. Knowing that the products we sell are flawless with re- gards to health and safety makes my job that much easier. GN: With more than 100 years of combined candy making experience, Quality Candy and its brands King Leo ® and Gilliam ® obviously have a strong rooting in tradition. How do you plan to tackle the future of the industry and what are you most excited about for Quality Candy's future? LR: We are very excited about the future. As a manufacturer of traditional and classic brands, we are very eager to merge our time- tested methods with new opportunities and products. We now offer organic, non-GMO and gluten-free candies, but what I am most excited about is our crushed candy and Bev- erage Brims™. They are great for baking, toppings and drink rims for specialty cock- tails. Give them a try and be sure to send us pictures of your creations! For more information, call 702.565.4711 or visit www.qcandy.com. To email a sales in- quiry, contact sales@qcandy.com. Low Sugar Chocolate? Naturally! What if you could indulge your craving for premium chocolate without guilt? For many, the joy of chocolate is inhibited by the anxi- ety of high sugar and calories. Chocolates made with artificial sweeteners just don't taste right, and aren't an option if you prefer all natural ingredients. CocoaPlanet has invented and patented a way to reduce the sugar in its flavor-filled chocolates without sacrificing taste. Instead of a large center of sugary filling, Cocoa- Planet places small drops of filling through- out its all-natural chocolate disc. With each bite, these "pearls" of flavor complement the rich, dark chocolate (64 percent cacao) in a subtly different blend. The result is prize-winning flavor. Cocoa- Planet has been honored with two sofi™ awards from the Specialty Food Association, recognizing the best in specialty foods. But the difference isn't just on the palate. Distributing pearls of flavor throughout the chocolate allows each one to be only 15 per- cent flavored filling, compared with 60 to 80 percent filling in the sugary "center" of tra- ditional filled chocolates. That enables each single-serving CocoaPlanet chocolate to have fewer than 100 calories, only eight grams of sugar or less, and net carbs of nine grams or less. CocoaPlanet offers five fla- vors to choose from for that afternoon snack or after dinner dessert: Salted Caramel, Deep Dark Truffle, Vanilla Espresso, Mandarin Orange and CocoaMint™. Made with all natural ingredients, they are also Fair Trade certified, non-GMO, gluten-free, three are vegan and all make a great hot chocolate (just steam milk, drop in and stir and in 10 seconds you have a terrific hot chocolate!). About CocoaPlanet Based in Sonoma, Califor- nia, CocoaPlanet, Inc. uses ethically sourced choco- late produced using sus- tainable practices, enabling cocoa farmers a better quality of life. Co- coaPlanet is a registered trademark and "CocoaMint," "Pearls of Fla- vor" and "More Taste, Less Sugar" are trade- marks of CocoaPlanet, Inc. For more information, go to www.cocoa planet.com, call 707.721.1275 or email info@cocoaplanet.com.

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