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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n MARCH 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 1 2 Vintage Italia Offers New Pasta Bow Ties An interview with Jerry Bello, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Vintage Italia. GN: What's new with the Pasta Bow Ties line? JB: Bow Ties have officially hit store shelves across the country. They can be found at Safeway, Albertson's, Costco Mid- west, Sam's Club Southern Region, Ahold and Kroger stores. In addition, a 16-ounce club-sized bag has been developed. GN: Describe the flavor and texture of Bow Ties? JB: This shape is a baked, puffed, crunchy snack version of the traditional pasta bow tie. This has not been done before. Peers are lauding this as an amazing innovation for the snack category. They are available in four flavors: Creamy Ranch, Honey Butter, Meatball Parm and Smooth Ched- dar. GN: What makes Bow Ties a unique snack? JB: The shape, the three dimensional nature and flavors. Each flavor we chose is incred- ibly unique. GN: What is the MSRP? JB: $3.49 - $3.99 for a 5-ounce package. GN: How are Pasta Chips and Pasta Bow Ties different? JB: Pasta Chips were made as a comple- mentary chip for dip- ping, etc. Pasta Chips are also slightly under seasoned by design, making it the perfect snack to dip. Bow Ties are a stand- alone snack item. The two lines are differ- ent and they function in the snack world very differently. Bow Ties are sold in the snack aisle, and Pasta Chips are in the deli section. GN: What other future snack innovations are coming soon from Vintage Italia? JB: We will continue to build out the pasta platform in snacks. We are researching vari- ous shapes and considering the utilization of protein-based flours to change some of the nutri- ents and functionality of the snacks. GN: As a brand overall, what kind of marketing opportunities is Vintage Italia embracing? JB: We have partnered with Sony Pictures on several cross-promotional point of sale activities for the release of specific DVDs, including Ghost Busters. Our chips were available as part of a shipper project last Hal- loween when customers purchased the DVD or Blu-ray disc at specific retail outlets. We are delighted to work with such a well- known film. For more information, go to www.pas- tachips.com or call Chris Orland at 407.455.1772. Wild Garden Blooms with Marinades and Pilafs Wild Garden recently expanded its brand by bringing the authentic flavors of the Mediter- ranean to the kitchen table with delicious new Quick Marinades and Heat and Serve Pilafs. The company's Taste of the Mediter- ranean line is quickly becoming a pantry fa- vorite thanks to the increasing consumer demand for Mediterranean foods. Indulging in mindful and authentic foods has never been easier. The chef-driven Taste of the Mediter- ranean line offers three authentic mari- nades and three tasty pilafs, blended with more than 13 spices and oils. In only 10 minutes, proteins are fully marinated and ready to be baked, grilled, pan fried or roasted. Marinades range from spit roasted Shawarma to traditional Turkish fare and an exotic Persian blend with garlic, sumac and fennel. In 90 seconds, the Heat and Serve Pilafs create mouth-watering side dishes that are appetizing on their own, mixed into a salad or paired with a marinated protein. Pilafs include Bulgur cooked in tomato sauce and herbs, Couscous with chickpeas in a zesty tomato sauce, and Rice and Lentil made with basmati rice and caramelized onions. Stay tuned for more exciting products and line ex- tensions planned for Summer of 2017. Wild Garden is successfully promoting its line with a mix of digital and traditional mar- keting by engaging with 50k Facebook fans, collaborating with popular bloggers, digital advertising, advertising in food pub- lications and even on public transportation. It also provides a complete consumer expe- rience, as evidenced by strong post-sale re- lationships. Wild Garden has a curated recipe page on its site dedicated to sharing the most delicious Wild Garden recipes from tastemakers, blog- gers and fans. It has also cre- ated an ongoing series of exciting recipe videos that demonstrate how to cook a va- riety of creative meals in min- utes. Wild Garden's Taste of the Mediterranean line is on shelves at an affordable price (SRP: $2.49-2.99) in major national grocers and online at www.wildgarden.com. For more information, call 708.298.3810 or email marksmith@wildgarden.com. Learn more at www.wildgarden.com or follow @WildGardenFoods on social media. Three New Sauces from Stonewall Kitchen When it comes to unique, delicious and dis- tinctive specialty foods, Stonewall Kitchen never disappoints. As one of the most awarded specialty food companies, every new product release is met with great antic- ipation. These three latest simmering sauces – Maple Bourbon Braising Sauce, Enchilada Sauce and a White Chili Starter, are flavor- ful, versatile and sure to be popular with cus- tomers everywhere. The Maple Bourbon Braising Sauce is re- ally spectacular. It's perfect for folks who enjoy pot roast, Swiss steak, beef brisket or anyone who enjoys braising dishes in gen- eral. Made with sweet maple syrup, brown sugar, fresh spices and smooth bourbon, this wonderful sauce creates a delectable main course that's tender and delicious. Rich and savory with hints of sweet and subtle bour- bon notes, it also takes traditional recipes to new heights. The best way to describe Stonewall Kitchen's new Enchilada Sauce is to say it's truly authentic. It's made with genuine Ancho and Pasilla chillies, roasted tomatoes, garlic and spices to accurately honor the cul- tural cooking traditions of this fa- bled sauce. The result is an interesting combination of both subtle and dominant flavors that includes a little bit of spicy heat, making it a perfect addition to Tex-Mex menus, chili recipes and more. Last, but certainly not least, the new White Chili Starter pro- vides a fun and tasty twist on conventional chili. It's a wonderful com- bination of color, flavors and textures that includes Great Northern Beans, crunchy corn, crispy red bell peppers, sa- vory onions, mild green chilies and a little garlic and spices. Simply add chicken, turkey or even pork for an exceptional "white" chili that's great for lunch or dinner. De- scribed as a meal in a jar, Stonewall Kitchen's White Chili Starter is sure to please family members and impress chili cook- off champions. Like all of Stonewall Kitchen's rich, savory sauces and tasty meal starters, customers love the versatil- ity and convenience of creating delicious meals in minutes with flavors that go beyond traditional. Healthy Cultural Snacks: SunTropics Captures Market with Coconut Rice Pudding With the growing demand for all-natural and ready-to-eat snacks, consumers will be eating up SunTropics' new coconut-milk based puddings in simple, single-serving cups. Reports show that cultural flavors and "coconut everything" are currently trending in snacks among all ages. From the single Millennial searching for the newest trendy ethnic treat to the mom seek- ing a healthy variety in her kiddo's lunch- box, SunTropics captures the widely expanding market of unique snack cups with its new Coconut Rice Pudding in a va- riety of innovative flavors. Gluten free. Dairy free. No preservatives. These highly desired components are all at- tained in small, slowly simmered batches of whole coconut milk, Thai rice and freshly shaved coconut. Available in Original, Sea Salt Caramel and Cinnamon, each coconut milk-based recipe is continually met with en- thusiastic consumer responses that always seem to end in the ques- tion the company has grown to expect: "Where can I get this?" Meeting market de- mands and exceeding consumer expectations have been the key to SunTropics' success since 2002. The Lao Family founded the small family business in response to the lack of natural tropical fruit products that origi- nated from real fruit rather than artificial fla- vors. They discovered not only an entire market of ethnic groups who missed the au- thentic taste of home, but an increasing num- ber of taste-lovers who yearned for fresh, natural flavors. Coining the motto, "Taste More Fruit," they determined to create and share the true taste of the tropics by main- taining integrity in their ingredients. Using only the freshest fruits and the most natural ingredients available, SunTropics continues to pioneer fresh, on- trend products. Today, it is a leading natural tropical fruit juice and snack company on the West Coast. The SunTropics family is dedicated to fair treatment and to the communities from which its products derive. The company vows to stay true to the fruit, and to its friends who have grown to trust the natural integrity of its products throughout the years. Visit www.suntropics.net or call 888.323.7888 for more information.

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