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GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JUNE 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 1 2 8 Mooney Farms: A Pioneer in Sun Dried Tomatoes For more than 25 years, Mooney Farms has been producing Bella Sun Luci, a premium brand of sun dried tomato products. Family owned and operated, the company is located in Chico, California. Mooney Farms has never compromised quality or flavor. When it started, the com- pany decided to produce a delicious product with the highest quality ingredients, includ- ing 100 percent pure olive oil and 100 per- cent sun dried tomatoes, never substituting with low grade oils or ingredients. Its cus- tomers know that every item they purchase will meet their expectations because the company has never changed its recipes. Staying in tune with current health trends, Bella Sun Luci is part of the Med Mark Al- liance, founded by Oldways, a nonprofit or- ganization dedicated to educating people about healthful, traditional diets such as the Mediterranean diet. The Bella Sun Luci brand is a perfect fit, since olive oil is a key ingredient in this style of eating, and sun dried tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. Most importantly, absorption of lycopene is 2.5 times greater from processed tomato products, and is enhanced when consumed with a small amount of oil, especially olive oil. The company's products bear the Med Mark logo and represent one of these core foods. NuVal is a nutritional scoring system devel- oped by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts to help consumers make healthier decisions at the grocery store. NuVal Scores summa- rize comprehensive nu- tritional information in one simple number between 1 and 100. (A number you can trust to make better decisions about nutrition in just a few seconds!) Each NuVal Score takes into account more than just the nutrition fact panel. It considers 30-plus nutrients and nu- trition factors – the good (protein, calcium, vitamins) and the not-so-good (sugar, sodium, cholesterol). Bella Sun Luci has the highest NuVal score of 56 in the jarred sun dried tomatoes cate- gory, because it is packed in 100 percent pure olive oil. Mary Mooney, Owner, had this insight as to what today's con- sumers are looking for: "As consumers eat for health, as well as taste, they know that our products represent healthful, good tasting foods that they can depend on for consistent flavor, convenience and safety for their recipes. We've realized that great flavor and quality always create repeat customers." For more information, visit booth #2561 or go to www.bellasunluci.com. White Coffee's Gift Packs Perfect the Art of Giving When the December shopping season has arrived and stressed holiday shoppers are stumped for last minute gift ideas, White Coffee is offering an array of gift packs and canisters that coffee lovers are sure to enjoy. Four new gift packs have been created to satisfy holiday shoppers and their loved ones: Joy – A collection of six 1.5 ounce medium roasted ground coffees including Salted Caramel, Toasted Almond, Vanilla Hazelnut, Coconut Cream, Toffee Nut and Egg Nog in a soft brick format with a silver and gold retro decorated gift box. Christmas – Six medium roasted ground coffees highlighting flavors of the season in- cluding Hazelnut, Vanilla, Peppermint Bark, Ginger Bread, Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Fudge, also in a 1.5 ounce soft brick format with an old fashioned gold and black pres- entation. Jim Beam ® – A col- lection of the latest li- censed coffee introduction featuring the taste of the No. 1 selling bourbon with flavors including Original, with its sub- tle caramel and oaky vanilla flavor, Bourbon Vanilla, Spiced Honey, Signature Dark Roast and Cinnamon Stick in a mild, sweet flavor- ful coffee. Spirited Coffee Sampler – A collection of six flavored "spirited" coffees licensed by White Coffee, including two varieties each of Jim Beam, Tortuga ® and Kahlua ® , in a handy gift pack. Two additional win- ter gift-giving options include White's French Roast Coffee in a dec- orative canister, as well as the Medallion canis- ter – both gourmet coffees and both come in 6-ounce sizes. Other gift options include Everyday, another 6-pack soft brick set of flavored coffees as well as a spring-deco- rated gift box. Visit White Coffee at booth #2136. For more information, go to www.whitecoffee.com or call 800.221.0140 for more information. Vermont Creamery Acquired by Land O'Lakes Vermont Creamery will become an inde- pendently operated subsidiary of Minnesota- based Land O'Lakes, Inc. under a deal announced March 29. It will continue to produce its award-winning fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter and fresh dairy at the creamery in Websterville, Vermont. "We have always taken seriously our commitment to our farmers, employees and Vermont's working landscape – these values are at the core of our decision to sell the business," said Vermont Creamery co- Founder Allison Hooper. "As we experience unprecedented growth, we need a partner who can bring the resources and expertise necessary to help us realize our vision and the potential of our business." "We purchased Vermont Creamery and welcome them to the Land O'Lakes family because we love their brand and would like to help bring it to even more people," said Chris Policinski, Land O'Lakes Pres- ident and Chief Executive Officer. "We share a value-added, branded approach to marketing our products, a meaningful re- spect for our customers and deeply rooted rural values." Hooper and Bob Reese, who founded the business together in 1984, say Land O'Lakes is the ideal new owner. A farmer- owned food and agricultural cooperative, Land O'Lakes has been in operation for more than 95 years. Widely known for its iconic butter brand, it is a diverse business that also includes Purina Animal Nutrition and WinField United. At its core, Land O'Lakes is driven by agricultural products that return value to farmers and fulfill its purpose of feeding human progress. "Vermont Creamery's heritage mirrors our own here at Land O'Lakes – a company founded by people who care about bringing the highest quality products from farm to fork," said Beth Ford, Land O'Lakes group Executive Vice President and Chief Operat- ing Officer. "We are excited about the cul- ture of product innovation they have built in addition to the category itself and the oppor- tunities for even more expansion." "After years of thoughtful planning and a rigorous selection process, we are confident that we have found the best steward of our business, values and people in Land O'Lakes. We are both respected dairy brands with deep connections to farmers and an unyielding commitment to quality and in- novation. We look forward to this opportu- nity to tell our story more broadly and increase access to our high-quality dairy products," Reese added. Reese and Hooper will serve as trusted advisors and brand ambassadors for the business. President Adeline Druart and the leadership team will remain in place as will all employees of the business. Ayers Brook Goat Dairy is not included in the transaction. The Hooper family will retain ownership of the farm, which will continue to serve as a key supplier to the creamery and catalyst for the growth of the goat dairy industry in Ver- mont. The terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed. Adeline Druart, President of Vermont Creamery, remarked, "Bob and Allison have been such incredible entrepreneurs building Vermont Creamery's success and mentoring the team on their vision and values for the business. Partnering with Land O'Lakes adds the next key ingredients for our growth: additional resources and dairy ex- pertise. This transaction positions Vermont Creamery for continued success in the fu- ture." Founded at a time when Americans rarely ate goat cheese, Vermont Creamery has grown over nearly 35 years to be a pre- miere producer of fresh and aged goat cheese, crème fraîche and cultured butter. With hundreds of awards and burgeoning national distribution, Vermont Creamery is respected as a pioneer of the artisan cheesemaking movement in America. In 2014, Vermont Creamery was the second cheesemaker in the world to earn B Corp certification and will maintain this certifi- cation and commitment to its community, employees and environment under new ownership. Organic Partners International: Feeding the World with Quality Ingredients Drawing together some of the best talent in the organic industry, Organic Partners has built an impressive team of top executives, dedicated experts and talented staff. Organic Partners' international network of growers and processors is tied together through more than 20 years of successful joint business ventures in the European Union and former Eastern Bloc countries, the Philippines, South America, Canada, North Africa, China, Southeast Asia and the United States. Organic Partners is positioned as a primary supplier in several organic product categories. Walking the talk. Living the life. Organic Partners International honestly believes or- ganic is better. Better for people. Better for the planet. Better for our future. It's not simply about how organic food is farmed and processed, but also about cultivating a pure lifestyle. That's something it wholeheartedly embraces. Organic Partners' position within the in- dustry allows it to play a huge role in sup- plying organic manufacturers with the quality ingredients they need to create or- ganic products around the world. To bring organic food to people on a massive scale means building trust from seed to table. The company takes this into consideration with every load it procures, ensuring that safety, quality and certifications standards have been met every step of the way. Its goal is to feed the world with quality ingredients.

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