Oser Communications Group

GourmEt nEWS FEbruArY 2018 www.gourmetnews.com nEWS & notES 8 daRosario Organics, the nation's only pro- ducer of 100 percent USDA certified or- ganic truffle products, announced that the company will debut a new line of single- serve packaging in early 2018 for wholesale and retail food service distribution. Prod- ucts will include individual packets of cer- tified organic white and black truffle oil, white truffle acacia honey, white and black truffle mayonnaise, white and black truffle vegan mayonnaise, and extra virgin olive oil. The packets will enable food retailers to offer customers gourmet condiments made with 100 percent real truffles as an enhancement to their existing menu. Responding to industry requests, daRosario Organics invested in the special equipment needed to provide these prod- ucts in single-serve portions. "This is a game changer for food retailers," said com- pany Founder Rosario Safina. "It's the first time that truffle products will be offered in such quantities en masse. The individual packets are easy to store and dispense, al- lowing retailers to upgrade their truffle of- ferings — on items such as pizzas, sand- wiches, French fries, burgers and salads — that deliver the great taste of real truffles in a cost efficient manner while reducing overall product waste." Safina began importing fresh truffles weekly, in season, into the United States in 1984 and then introduced genuine truffle products in 1985. Safina created the first-ever organic truffle line, daRosario Organics, in 2004. In 2008, daRosario Organics became the world's first 100 percent USDA-certified organic truffle production company. Products fea- ture real truffles as opposed to synthetic chemical flavoring. daRosario products are available nationwide online, as well as via FreshDirect.com and Peapod.com. Grocers selling daRosario products re- gionally include Stop & Shop and Whole Foods, among others. To learn more, visit www.darosario.com or connect via social media @darosario_organics. GN daRosario Organics to Launch Truffle Products Line in Single-Serve Packaging KeHE has announced its next generation of partners in CAREtrade™, an initiative which supports businesses that advance a higher purpose. "Following a successful first year, we are continuing our work with new partners that share our values of using business as a force for good," said Brandon Barnholt, President and CEO, KeHE. "This valuable undertaking provides a boost to brands that combine commercial success with making the world a better place." There are five new CAREtrade partners. Dignity Coconuts built its business model of helping rural communities in the Philip- pines overcome poverty and slavery with employment opportunities, community transformation and environmental stew- ardship. Its signature virgin coconut oil is centrifuge extracted to create a raw, organic and healthy product. Mavuno Harvest produces "ethically sourced, naturally delicious" organic dried fruit from family farms in sub-Saharan Africa. Mavuno Harvest was started by a Peace Corps volunteer who wanted to sup- port African farmers by sharing their fruit with global markets and developing com- munity projects to benefit their region. Native American Natural Foods pro- vides nutritious and natural Tanka bison- based food products, sustainably grown by Native American producers, to further their commitment to supporting the Oglala Lakota tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota through em- ployment opportunities and farming edu- cation. The Real Co. donates a meal to a child for every package of its single origin prod- ucts sold. From personally visiting farms around the world to ensure sustainable practices to employing people with disabil- ities, The Real Co. lives up to its commit- ment to social responsibility. Tony's Chocolonely, based in Amster- dam, operates with the mission of ending slavery and exploitation on West Africa cocoa plantations. Tony's Chocolonely sources chocolate directly from the farmers, offering fair price agreements and training for cocoa growers to achieve a viable in- come. "We select brands aligned with KeHE's dedication to serving," said Laura McCord, Executive Director, Category Management, KeHE, and a co-founder of CAREtrade. "One of our inaugural partners, Growers Alliance, exemplifies the CAREtrade ideal of building a better world by focusing on improving the quality of life for its coffee growers in Kenya. As a result of the addi- tional support provided by KeHE as a CAREtrade partner, Growers Alliance has experienced a 58 percent increase in sales." KeHE's inaugural CAREtrade partners Divine Chocolate, Growers Alliance Coffee, Kuli Kuli, Sunshine Nut Company and Women's Bean Project will continue their participation in the program this year and will serve as mentors to the new member organizations. GN KeHE Announces New CAREtrade Partners Healthy Life Continued from PAGE 1 at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, New York. She's also the founder of Nourish Snacks, a line of sensibly indul- gent granola bites in five flavors – Blue- berry Apple, Chocolate Banana, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate and Co- conut Vanilla. Knowing what your customers are look- ing for is a big factor in making wise retail decisions, Bauer says. "A key to success is to make the healthy food snacks area look inviting – clean, well-orga- nized," she says. "People are going to mosey right on over, if it looks enticing. Use good sig- nage, circulars and shelf talkers to draw your customers' atten- tion to the healthier option snacks you offer." Customers have become much more in- formed about health, she says. They know what they're looking for, and you can help them find it. "I always say there are three golden rules for a snack: It should be no more than 200 calories – that's the sweet spot where hunger is satisfied but your appetite isn't ruined. It needs to be made with whole, nourishing, quality, nutrient-rich ingredi- ents. And it has to be delicious, something that makes your customer happy and sat- isfies their cravings." There are wonderful, real food snacking options, Bauer says. "You can couple peanut butter with an apple, or turkey slices wrapped around bell pepper strips to dip into spicy mustard." Logically, however, retailers want their customers to reach for the packaged snacks, too. Bauer has some thoughts on that. "The iconic snacks like chips and cook- ies – customers who want that stuff will find it, so there's no need to waste the front and center space on these items. It's the newer, healthier stuff that has never been seen or tasted before that should be most visible. Think of it as helping to fuel your customers with beneficial nourishment." Oftentimes, Bauer says, retailers will do a test, putting healthy snacks out in easy customer view. "But they don't always give it a fair shot – they decide it's not working before it's had a chance to do so. Retailers have to decide that they're going to make a positive statement, or lead an initiative, for their customers' benefit." Retailers should listen when customers ask about healthy snack products, she says. "Health takes center stage in the main- stream magazines, online publications, all over the place. Health is hot right now. Customers are seeing healthy snacks every- where, and are asking about them." Understanding customers is obviously important, Bauer says. "Take moms for example. They rank their kids as top priority, and health is super important," Bauer says. "If a mom is going into a store to buy milk and she sees healthy snacks, that's going to be a logical add-on purchase for her." Understanding Hot Trends in Snacking Two of the hottest topics in snacking right now are protein and sugar. Everyone's talk- ing about the protein trend in snacking, Bauer says. "Protein is important because it helps sustain your blood sugar and satisfies your hunger," Bauer says. "But a lot of people are getting too much of it — you need about half of your body weight in grams. If all you're doing is snacking, then yes, protein is something to look for. But most people are eating protein with at least one meal a day – eggs at breakfast, or a turkey sandwich at lunch." Because that's true, high protein snacks aren't needed as much. "If you are somebody who's skimping on meals completely, it's as easy to grab a Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit as it is a protein bar, but both are good choices. Plant-based protein is becoming more and more prevalent, and that's great. It's good for the environment and it's great for your body. But I don't think protein is the end- all for snacking." As for sugar, well, we're all aware that our sugar consumption is out of control, says Bauer. Americans are eating far too much sugar – the U.S. Department of Agri- culture estimates that the average American consumes 19.5 teaspoons of sugar every day, or about 66 pounds of added sugar every year, per person. That's more than 13 five-pound bags of sugar a year. While the U.S. Dietary Guidelines rec- ommend 5 to 15 percent of calories a day in "discretionary calories," including both sugar and fat, children and teens are getting about 16 percent of their total caloric in- take from added sugars alone. "Sugar is certainly villainized right now," Bauer says. "But the answer is not to turn to artificial and fake sugars. You can help your customers by giving them a chance to choose lower-sugar, better- for-you snacks." Remember, she says, "Health is a huge priority for a majority of the population – and it's not just about diets and losing weight. People know that eating the right foods, in the right combinations, has lots of positive health effects.... In a world where so much seems out of control, our food choices are most certainly within our control." GN

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