Oser Communications Group

NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 9 4 the delicious taste and soft texture your whole family will love. Alpine Valley Bakery makes a full line of organic sliced breads ranging from smooth and simply delicious Country White, sweet soft Raisin Cinna-Wheat, to grainy and crunchy Multi Grain with Omega-3 (its No. 1 seller!), and even organic Hawaiian rolls. Even better: its sliced breads are full of whole grains, omega-3s and have fewer than 100 calories per slice. In 1995, Alpine Valley opened its first bak- ery in Mesa, Arizona, and soon captured a growing local market and loyal customers. Popularity grew, and one year later its prod- ucts were being sold in grocery stores. Since then, Alpine Valley has grown into a nation- ally distributed brand sold in Costco, Sam's Club, Kroger, Sprouts and many other stores throughout the country, and is a leading brand of high quality organic bakery products. Alpine Valley Bakery. Taste you can trust. Visit Alpine Valley Bakery at booth #5244. For more information, contact one of the following: Dave Hanke, Vice President Organics Sales Western US, 480.435.5312, Dhanke@AlpineValleyBread.com; Jeff Bagley, Vice President Organics Sales Eastern US, 859.801.8829, Jeff.Bagley @AlpineValleyBread.com. Alpine Valley Bakery (Cont'd. from p. 1) brand in Northern California, known for its premium organic and natural dairy products, which are available in much of California and with limited distribution in Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. With the rebrand to Clover Sonoma, cus- tomers can expect the same quality they have known for years. For example, in 1994, Clover became the first dairy processor to el- evate milk from a commodity to a specialty food by establishing the Clover Promise of Excellence certification program, which in- cludes standards that are the most rigorous in the dairy industry, far surpassing state and federal requirements. In 2000, Clover be- came the first dairy in the U.S. to be certified by the American Humane Association for its animal welfare program, American Humane Certified. In addition to further quality, customers can expect Clover Sonoma to remain inde- pendent and family owned. This pledge is led by Clover Sonoma President and Chief Executive Officer Marcus Benedetti. Marcus and Clover recognize that small brands in the natural and organic industry continue to be acquired by large corporations, which has some benefits for the food industry, but has also created confusion for customers. Which acquired brands retain quality and which get diluted? With its pledge to stay family owned, Clover Sonoma aims to make it clear for cus- tomers. When they continue to purchase Clover products, they are not only serving their families the highest quality dairy prod- ucts, they also directly support family dairy farmers who receive a premium for their work with Clover. Integrity and quality have always been at the heart of Clover Sonoma. The new name simply expresses where the company was born and continues to thrive. Visit Clover Sonoma at booth #2117. Clover Sonoma (Cont'd. from p. 1) chocolates. It's a hand-crafted art that starts by encapsulating liquid in a sugar crust, and then coating it in chocolate. The process we use is more than 200 years old, and to our knowl- edge, we are still the only manufacturer of this specialty confection in America. GN: Why is this process so unique? LD: The sugar crystals literally lock to- gether, forming a crystalline shell that's only a few sugar crystals thick. This forms an ed- ible moisture barrier between the chocolate on the outside and the liquid center. Because of this, you truly do have a large volume of liquid inside a very thin chocolate shell. You must place the entire product within your mouth or your chin may have all the fun! GN: Are the results as delicious as they sound? LD: Yes! The other exciting aspect of this sugar shell is the way it actually enhances the flavor within and protects the identity of the flavor profile. Just as sugar on sliced straw- berries will bring out the flavor, this sugar shell intensifies the liquid flavor. The iden- tity of a liquor is carried in the volatile essences, which normally oxidize, evaporate or migrate through chocolate. The sugar shell becomes an edible moisture barrier that cap- tures those essences, so that the identity re- mains intact and suspended until you crush the shell. It is so good at this that you can do a taste test between two straight bourbons, where both are hand-made, small-batch bourbons, and you can taste the difference between the two! GN: Besides bourbon, what other sorts of liquids do you use for the center? LD: Europeans primarily make brandy-filled chocolates. Since Americans do not typically drink Kirschwasser as a rule, we created liq- uid center chocolates filled with premium spirits, wines, coffees and fruit nectars – fla- vors that cater to American tastes. We also create specialized flavors for customers with a private labeling program. We can put your chosen liquid into the chocolates and have a specialized label created just for you. GN: What's the most unusual flavor request you've received? LD: A man wearing a Stetson and a gun walked in and inquired whether we could put anything into chocolate. I asked what he had in mind, and his response was, 'Sheep Dip!' When I said, 'Sir, I don't be- lieve that's edible!' he explained Sheep Dip was the name of a single-malt scotch from Scotland. GN: It sounds like your customers do a good job getting the word out about Quintessential Chocolates. LD: It is great fun to watch our customers bring friends and family in, and then proceed to repeat our 'schpiel' about our chocolates, right in front of our own salespeople. Often they do such a great job, we just let them continue! For more information, call 800.842.3382, email chocolat.tx@gmail.com or visit www.liquidchocolates.com. Quintessential (Cont'd. from p. 1) mission is to create delicious, convenient snack and food products people can enjoy in their everyday lives. Adding to our popular line of stone-ground, whole-wheat and gluten-free fig bars, we are launching Or- ganic Brownies and Organic Honey and Oat Bars. We know that families are looking for on-the-go snack options that the whole fam- ily can enjoy. Because Certified Organic op- tions are at the top of the list for busy and health-conscious parents, we have made Na- ture's Bakery an easy choice. GN: What is your goal for the show? DM: We want to make a splash, through sampling, with the launch of our new Or- ganic products. We are also offering a sneak peek into the new direction of Nature's Bak- ery. We have exciting updates to our packag- ing, our logos and more, which we will be teasing to a limited audience. GN: Tell our readers about your new prod- ucts. DM: We are launching Organic Brownie and Organic Honey & Oat bars. This is our first foray into organic and we are making a strong flavor offering with limited sugar. Na- ture's Bakery's new Certified Organic Honey & Oat bars contain just 6 grams of sugar. They are just 60 calories or less per serving. They're soft-baked snacks made with real fruit. We have blueberry, strawberry and apple cinnamon flavors that are perfect for breakfast or a quick snack. Our new Nature's Bakery Certified Or- ganic Brownie contains 6 grams of sugar and is 70 calories or less per serving. They're baked with a soft chocolate center for an in- dulgent, just-out-of-the-oven taste that's per- fect for satisfying a sweet craving any time of day. They are Certified Organic and are available in flavors such as Salted Caramel, Double Chocolate and Cool Mint that appeal to adults, kids and the everyday gourmand. GN: What is your company most proud of? DM: We're very proud of our products. Our ingredients have always been thoughtfully crafted and offered at an accessible price point so everyone can pursue a healthy, ac- tive lifestyle though our on-the-go snacks. GN: What kind of customers do you want to reach? DM: Although we want to reach anyone who needs a quick on-the-go snack, we have discovered that millennial moms are really our core customer. They are con- scious about what they feed their children and what they eat themselves, particularly when they are on the go. They want those ingredients to be familiar and they want the product to contain real fruit. When they learn that many of our products are allergy friendly and come in gluten-free options, they feel confident in purchasing Nature's Bakery for their family. Our price point is significantly less than other snack bars in the same space. The price and product at- tributes help entice first time buyers and the great taste not only keeps them coming back, it also encourages the trial of addi- tional flavors. Visit Nature's Bakery at booth #4289. For more information, go to www.natures bakery.com or call 775.883.2253, ext. 113. Nature's Bakery (Cont'd. from p. 1) To build strong bones during childhood and keep them healthy as we age, it's essen- tial that we get sufficient calcium. Unfortu- nately, many of us don't get the recommended amount of calcium from the foods we eat. Carlson Calcium + D3 Gum- mies are a delicious way for adults and kids to get their calcium every day. Just one cherry, orange or strawberry gummy provides 250 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3, which enhances calcium absorption. Calcium + D3 Gummies are soft and easy to chew, making them ideal for children and a great alternative for adults who don't like swallowing supplements or who prefer a great tasting vitamin. Vitamin C Gummies For those who have trouble swallowing sup- plements or who prefer a delicious way to get their vitamin C, just two gummies pro- vide 250 mg of vitamin C. Each tangy or- ange-flavored gummy slice supports a healthy immune system and helps maintain teeth and gum tissue health. Plus, they're free of artificial flavors, sweeteners and dyes. Arm your body with the antioxidant power it needs to stay healthy with Carlson Vitamin C Gummies. Melatonin Gummies Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls when we fall asleep and wake up. When it's dark, our body makes more melatonin. When it's light, our melatonin levels taper off. Disruptions in the sleep-wake cycle can occur for a variety of reasons, including bedtime light exposure from a tablet or smartphone, jet lag, changing seasons, working later hours and poor vision. Melatonin production also decreases as we age. Carlson Melatonin Gummies promote re- laxation and a healthy sleep pattern, so you can fall asleep and stay asleep. Its straw- berry-flavored, all-natural gummy makes a convenient, tasty bedtime snack. Help re- store your body clock so you can wake up feeling refreshed. Visit Carlson at booth #1505. Carlson (Cont'd. from p. 1)

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