Gourmet News • January 2023

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Coffee Culture: Attitude Is Ever ything

BY A.J. FLICK

As the $107 93 billion global coffee market continues on a trajectory to reach $167 51 billion by 2027, according to Research and Markets, specialty coffee companies are distinguishing themselves by focusing on intangible factors brewed into quality products

Dope Coffee, based in Atlanta, bills itself as a “tantalizing vibe of coffee + hip-hop,” using music to bridge the gap between generations and offering quality that appeals to everyone

“At Dope Coffee, I wanted coffee to be a platform for a bigger conversation that breaks down

BY A J FLICK

A year ago, a novel condiment called Snaketooth didn’t exist in any form Unlike any other condiment on the market, Snaketooth’s very arrival was notable because of its dynamic pricing – consumers willing to wait a few months might pay $35, but those wanting it right away could pay nearly $300

Let’s go back two years, to London, where the idea to create a never-tasted-before sauce arose,

As Oregon-based Black Rock expands its presence across the West and Southwest, its principle

of empowering young employees has proven successful – for the employees and the company

“Obviously, you hear a lot of generational talk about work ethic and I wouldn’t say it’s untrue,” said co-founder Jeff Hernandez “But there definitely is a huge amount of young people who, if given the right opportunity and have a coach to see them through it, they take off It’s so humbling to see young people, especially young ladies, succeed It’s super impressive for my daughters to see the

USDA Funds Ag Solutions, Training Farmers, Ranchers

The U S Department of Agriculture is investing $21 6 million in scientific research for small businesses to further develop transformative agricultural solutions and nearly $24 million investment across 45 organizations and institutions that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers

“Investing in the professional development of our nation’s newest farmers and ranchers will help our food and agriculture sectors to flourish from the ground up, ” said Chief Scientist Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA’s Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics “Strengthening and growing our next generation pipeline is vital to the continued success of American agriculture and prosperity of rural communities ”

to make a non-geographical sauce

“What I mean by that is a lot of sauces are connected to a region,” said Simon Francis, brand manager for Hebinohà, which manufactures the sauce “When you think of hot sauces, barbecue sauces and so on, we looked at how we could combine elements from lots of different regions

“It took time and effort to get the key ingredients, the best ingredients,” Francis said, “then

moving ahead into the testing phase ”

The final recipe was concocted in 2022

This investment is part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program that supports a wide range of professional development activities across an array of important topics for new farmers and ranchers, such as managing capital, acquiring and managing land and learning effective business and farming practices

FDA Greenlights Nation's First Cultivated Meat Production

With the advances in food produced from cultured animal cells, the U S Food and Drug Administration has approved the first cultivated chicken as being safe to eat

Upside Foods, based in Berkeley, Calif , became the first cultivated meat, poultry and seafood company to get the FDA’s approval

“This is a watershed moment in the histor y of food,” said Dr Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside Foods, noting that the company faced skepticism when it began “We’ve made histor y again as the first company to re-

ceive a ‘No Questions’ letter from the FDA for cultivated meat This milestone marks a major step towards a new era in meat production, and I’m thrilled that U S consumers will soon have the chance to eat delicious meat that’s grown directly from animal cells ”

“We’re thrilled that UPSIDE Foods, a pioneer in this space, has reached this critical and inspiring milestone toward the future of food,” said Bruce Friedrich, president of The Good Food Institute “Cultivated meat will soon be available to consumers who desire their favorite foods made more sustainably, and cultivated

meat is projected at scale to require a fraction of the land and water of conventionally produced protein

“A shift towards cultivated meat has the potential to bring massive benefits for food security, public health, ecosystem recovery, and regional bio-economies that create new jobs and livelihoods This is a history-making moment for our global food system,” he said

Ann Veneman, former U S Secretary of Agriculture, former executive director of UNICEF and Upside Foods advisor called the FDA’s approval “ a big step for-

ward for food, innovation and sustainability ”

“The U S continues to be a global leader in food safety and innovation, and it is great to see the FDA and the USDA applying this high regulator y standard to cultivated meat,” she said “As always, the agencies have been rigorous and thoughtful in establishing a regulatory process for cultivated meat ”

“Demand for meat is skyrocketing, and we need every tool in our toolkit to feed the world,” said Barry Carpenter, former pres-

barriers,” founder Michael Loyd said

“My first mission is to inform and educate about the culture of coffee ”

FROM

EDITOR

I get a lot of emails from companies pitching their products for possible features It helps to have a catchy subject line to catch my eye In November, I received an email with a tantalizing subject line: “$300 for a Gourmet Sauce?” It didn’t take me long to open it

“Would You Wait 6 Months for a $300 Gourmet Sauce?” the email said “One company ’ s unexpected result from a new pricing approach ”

I read on

“The results of Hebinohà’s experiment with dynamic pricing for its Snaketooth gourmet sauce, the first food product to use such an approach, have not gone quite as expected

“‘From the moment we launched our fragrantly spiced Snaketooth sauce earlier this year, demand has outpaced supply We had to quickly consider how we make it available to as many customers as possible,” said Jana Avila of Hebinohà ‘Our initial thought was to limit order sizes, but that’s easily overcome, until dynamic pricing was suggested as a way to balance increased popularity with regular availability ’”

OK, I bit I had to know more about this sauce called Snaketooth and what makes it so compelling that people were willing to pay hundreds of dollars for it We came up with an article for this issue about a never-before-tasted condiment marketed in a never-beforeseen way for food products

The people who make Snaketooth struggle to describe its taste I still haven’t tasted it, though I’m on a list of media folks to get samples

What I have tasted is the Torani Pourcast Flavor of the Year for 2023 The syrup company created the inaugural flavor in 2021, naming Salted Egg Yolk its flavor for 2022 The company mailed a series of clues to me, leading up to the reveal I was nowhere close to guessing it

This year, though, I was determined to at least get close to guessing the flavor This time, Torani sent a package with velvet bags and dates to open them Because I’m the kind of person who believes in opening Christmas presents on Christmas Day and not Eve, I didn’t cheat and open them all at once

T h e f i r s t b a g i n c l u d e d a s m a l l g l a s s v i a l w i t h m a t c h s t i c k s i ns i d e a l o n g w i t h a p o e m : I m a k e t h i n g s c r u n c h w i t h a d e l i g h t f u l c r i s p / m a k e m a r s h m a l l o w s a ro u n d f i re s o n c a m p i n g t r i p s / I ’m a w a y t o p re p a re f o o d t h a t w e ’ v e a l l l e a r n e d / Yo u m i g h t l i k e m e l i g h t , m e d i u m , h e a v y o r b u r n e d ” I o p e n e d u p g u e s s e s o n s o c i a l m e d i a a n d m a n y o f u s w e re t h i n k i n g i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g ro a s t e d o r t o a s t e d

The second bag had a luggage tag and poem: “I am full of light, but others say a lack thereof / I help keep things warm when the sun is above / I can be found in voids and holes / You can see me best looking at unlit coals ” This led one friend to suggest the flavor was charcoal Um Don’t think so The luggage tag, to me, suggested it was an exotic flavor, as the Salted Egg Yolk was Since it did talk about coals, my mind switched from something roasted to something toasted Toasted Black Sesame came to mind

Two days before the final bag was to be opened, a package with the actual syrup arrived and remained unopened until the last clue The final bag contained a variety of black sesame snacks and poem: “I am crunchy with a ton of flavor / I’m found on buns, in stir-fry, or whatever you savor / I’m rich and nutty, used in sweets, and more / I’m part of a magical phrase that opens a door ”

Salted Black Sesame is Torani’s Pourcast Flavor of the Year It’s sweet and smoky nutty Delicious If it’s the flavor for 2023, it’s going to be a tasty year

Until next time, stay safe! GN

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Most Consumers Choose Wild, Sustainable Seafood

Studies show that 82 percent of consumers prefer seafood that is wild and sustainable, but are still craving more clarity on how to ensure the seafood on their plate is the best choice, according to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute ASMI is bringing together an Alaska Seafood Ambassador network to educate consumers and is giving them a chance to experience the wild of Alaska for themselves

Alaska Seafood Ambassadors include influential seafood and food industry experts, chefs, retailers, dietitians and fishermen, including Chef Melissa King, “Top Chef All-Stars” winner and entrepreneur known for combining West Coast ingredients with modern techniques and Asian flavors, and Tracy Welch, lifelong Alaskan and commercial fisherman who works to promote and protect the common interest of Alaska’s commercial fishing industry

Alaska Seafood Ambassadors will provide education, shopping tips and recipe inspiration via social media and ASMI’s website

“Some people are intimidated by seafood, but I think it’s easier and faster to cook than almost any other protein,” King said “The key is starting with high quality seafood, which is why I love working with wild Alaska seafood

“The wild and natural environment of Alaska produces flavorful seafood that does a lot of the work for you Any Alaska species is delicious with something as simple as olive oil, lemon and fresh cracked pepper, or you can experiment with more adventurous flavors, like yuzu koshu – one of my favorites ”

“As a lifelong Alaskan and commercial fisherman, I understand the importance of knowing where your seafood comes from,” said Welch, executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska “I’ve dedicated my life to ensuring that wild Alaska seafood is available for future generations, both here in Alaska and across the globe

“An easy way to know you are choosing the best wild, sustainable fish is simply to choose seafood from Alaska, since all

seafood out of the state is guaranteed wild and sustainable ”

According to research from ASMI and Datassential, shoppers are more motivated to choose seafood when it’s wild, a product of the United States and when they are inspired by easy or healthy recipe ideas

When shopping for seafood, a clearly labeled source and sustainability certification, or asking your retailer, fishmonger or server, are the best ways to know whether seafood is wild and sustainable These details are the type of education shoppers are hungry for, with 71 percent of consumers wanting to know more about seafood sustainability,” Welch said

Curious Alaska seafood customers can become certified themselves with Alaska Seafood U, a brand new interactive online resource to learn more about how seafood from Alaska is harvested, the types of products available, as well as what makes it so

nutritious and sustainable

Seafood from Alaska includes five species of wild salmon, cod, halibut, Alaska pollock, sablefish, rockfish, sole/flounder, crab and more that are available at restaurants and retailers nationwide

Alaska is the only state with sustainable fishing written into its constitution The Alaska seafood industr y goes to great lengths to understand and respect their greatest resource and ensure they are only harvesting what the environment can support, according to ASMI Plus, wild seafood from Alaska is a healthy choice as it contains high-quality protein, omega-3s, vitamin D and B12, iron, zinc and other important nutrients for immune support and overall wellness GN

Global Coconut Oil Market Expected to Reach

$7.4B by 2027, MarketsandMarkets Reports

The global coconut oil market size is estimated to be valued at $5 7 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $7 4 billion by 2027, recording a compound annual growth rate of 5 5 percent, according to a report from MarketsandMarkets

The increasing demand of natural ingredients in the food and cosmeceutical industr y are driving the coconut oil market, according to the report C o c o n u t o i l i s a s o u rc e o f m a n y o l e oc h e m i c a l s s u c h a s f a t t y a c i d s , m e t h y l e st e r s a n d f a t t y a l c o h o l F o r c o o k i n g a n d t o i l e t r y p u r p o s e s , i t i s c o m m o n l y u s e d i n t h e f o r m o f f i l t e re d c o c o n u t o i l Vi rg i n c o c o n u t o i l , w h i c h i s h i g h - q u a l i t y o i l , i s p re p a re d f ro m t h e m i l k e x t r a c t e d f ro m

t h e r a w k e r n e l

The pharmaceutical market is a relatively untapped and small market in comparison to other non-food applications and the rapidly growing food and beverage market

Coconut oil in food and beverages acts as a cooking oil replacer to enhance the flavor It is a source of carbohydrates, which helps in improving digestibility

Coconut oil is gaining popularity in the United States due to several health benefits offered by it – helping to reduce weight, strengthening the immune system, preventing heart disease and staving off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

In the food industry, coconut oil is used extensively in baked products, processed

foods and infant formulas The use of organic coconut oil in the baker y coupled with the increasing growth of the baker y industry is projected to propel the demand for coconut oil

Based on nature, the organic segment is projected to be the fastest growing during the forecast period, according to the report Organic farming of coconut allows the use of organic fertilizers such as compost manure, farmyard manure, fish meal, blood meal, neem cake, groundnut cake and bone meal

Different countries have different sets of rules to be followed to get coconuts certified as organic produce Due to the increasing demand for organic products

worldwide, the demand for organic coconut oil is also increasing

T h e A s i a P a c i f i c c o c o n u t o i l m a r k e t i s v a l u e d a t $ 3 1 b i l l i o n i n 2 0 2 1 a n d i s p roj e c t e d t o re a c h $ 4 2 b i l l i o n b y 2 0 2 7 , g ro w i n g a t a c o m p o u n d a n n u a l g ro w t h r a t e o f 5 4 p e rc e n t d u r i n g t h e f o re c a s t p er i o d T h e A s i a P a c i f i c c o c o n u t o i l m a r k e t i s p ro j e c t e d t o w i t n e s s s i g n i f i c a n t g ro w t h d u e t o t h e p re s e n c e o f s e v e r a l p l a y e r s i n t h e re g i o n

The Asia Pacific region is one of the major coconut oils producing regions It is driven by the robust growth of the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries, which has supported the industry to gain acceleration in this market GN

Giant Food, the leading greater Washington, D C regional grocery chain, is offering shoppers a selection of products in reusable packaging, thanks to a partnership between Giant Food and Loop, the circular reuse platform developed by TerraCycle Customers can walk into any of the 10 participating Giant supermarkets and purchase more than 20 products from leading consumer brands, all packaged in reusable containers instead of single-use packaging

“Giant is proud to be the first grocery retailer on the East Coast to launch a partner-

ship with Loop, a global leader in eliminating waste, and offer our customers a program that allows them to shop for products while helping our environment,” said Diane Couchman, vice president category management, non-perishables at Giant Food

An assortment of products in reusable Loop containers from well-known brands including Kraft-Heinz, Nature’s Path and Stubb’s BBQ Sauce will be found in branded displays at participating Giant stores

When finished with a product, the empty

packaging is returned to a Loop Return Point at any of the participating stores From there, the containers are sent to Loop to be sanitized, then returned to the CPG suppliers to be refilled and returned to the store for future purchase

Customers are charged a small packaging deposit at checkout, with a full refund given once the container is returned

“Loop’s goal has always been to make reusable packaging as convenient for consumers as disposable packaging,” says Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle and

Loop “With Giant as the newest retailer bringing Loop to consumers, we are giving them what they’ve been asking for since Loop was introduced in 2019 – the ability to forgo single-use packaging and purchase the products they use every day in durable, reusable containers ”

To maintain advanced sanitization standards for all reusable containers, Loop consults with Ecolab Inc , a global leader in cleaning and hygiene solutions, to identify proper equipment and design on-site cleaning procedures GN

Produce Growers, Buyers Agree Price

Volatility Is Big Growth Hurdle to Overcome

Nearly half of produce and buyers participating in a ProducePay sur vey identified price volatility as one of the primary challenges to managing their day-to-day operations In addition, 68 percent of growers surveyed said that being able to reach fair pricing terms is their major pain point when it comes to trading

ProducePay’s sur vey findings shine a light on the immediate needs around improving efficiency and profitability in the produce supply chain – particularly as the industr y contends with record inflation, rising production costs, supply chain disruptions, and extreme weather events, according to the company

A diverse group of produce growers and buyers across the United States participated in ProducePay’s national survey, and their input revealed a shared desire for greater access to trading partners and greater security in pricing across the produce industry These common concerns were especially prevalent when asked about price volatility “There’s an urgent need to bring more transparency and efficiency to all aspects of the global produce supply chain,” said Pablo Borquez Schwar zbeck, CEO and founder of ProducePay “Underpinning many of the survey responses we received was a resounding plea for the kind of price stability that only happens when trading partners have direct access to one another and can reach more agreeable and profitable business terms ”

Since its launch in 2017, ProducePay’s

marketplace has been a top platform for pre-vetting and matching growers and buyers, empowering them to make transactions directly with each other, according to the company Members of ProducePay’s marketplace also receive the trade protection needed to give growers and buyers

strategic partner that provides valuable information about the US market,” said Pablo Carlos Garcia Lopez, owner of Fresh4All LLC in McAllen, Texas “The biggest challenge I face is being unsure of how to price my product and compete with other producers when conditions change from one day to the next It has been extremely helpful to have a broader understanding of current pricing trends so that I am making more informed decisions when selling my Persian limes on the marketplace ”

Half of the growers said they have difficulty finding consistent buyers Nearly 45 percent of growers agreed that being unable to expand and diversify their portfolio is stunting business growth

alike the assurance that they are conducting safe transactions and purchasing quality products

To offer its marketplace users more transparency into pricing data, ProducePay recently enhanced its pricing data visualization feature to allow buyers and growers to view pricing indexes based on transaction histories from both USDA and ProducePay marketplace transactions for more than 30 commodities With this new tool, users are able to see pricing and movement data to evaluate fair pricing of their own trading on ProducePay’s marketplace

“As a new member on ProducePay’s platform, it has been very important to find a

While produce growers and b u y e r s a l i g n o n g ro w t h h u rd l e s , s o m e p e r s p e c t i v e s revealed in ProducePay’s sur vey d i v e rg e d T h e s e i n c l u d e t h e i r re c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r t h e b e s t w a y t o e l i m i n a t e p o s t - h a r v e s t w a s t e T h e o v e r w h e l m i n g m a j o r i t y o f g ro w e r s ( 5 7 p e rc e n t ) s a i d t h a t h a v i n g a c c e s s t o m o re b u y e r s w a s t h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e m e a n s o f eliminating waste, while buyers identified g re a t e r t r a n s p a re n c y i n t o a g ro w e r ’ s s u stainability practices as their most effective t a c t i c

Nearly 43 percent of buyers indicated they have trouble finding consistent growers to purchase from and 41 percent said they have difficulty finding enough supply from growers Forty percent said they look for new growers through acquaintances, 31 percent at trade shows and 10 percent on online marketplaces

As environmental, social and governance strategies continue to become widely adopted by the produce industry, the survey found that sustainability was a significant priority for both growers and buyers More than 43 percent of buyers said that sustainable practices are one of the requirements they look for in a grower, besides their production capacity and certifications

The majority (55 percent) of buyers also said their companies have carbon reduction targets

Half of the growers said that implementing sustainable practices is extremely important to them, with 70 percent already implementing protected agricultural practices and 61 percent practicing crop rotation

As sustainable practices become more of a global imperative, another key insight from ProducePay’s recent sur vey is that produce growers have major concerns about the financial burden of sustainable practices Approximately 53 percent of the growers said that their primary challenge with implementing these practices is that market pricing does not allow them to recuperate their investment costs which will stall the produce industry’s efforts toward reaching carbon neutrality GN

Red, White or Crimson? Copa Di Vino Makes Splash at University of Alabama Sports Events

Single-serve

Copa Di Vino will be the exclusive wine available at the University of Alabama’s Athletics Department events, which includes NCAA football games in Bryant Denny Stadium, according to Splash Beverage Group Through this agreement, Copa Di Vino will also be included in various broadcast and digital advertising conducted by the athletic department

Copa Di Vino is the leading producer of premium wine by the glass in the United States Famously launched with multiple appearances on the hit television series, “Shark Tank,” the brand is now widely recognized for premium wines without the need for bottles, corkscrews, or glass

“This is a very exciting and unique opportunity for Copa Di Vino to not only see

increased sales as we continue our execution in large venues, but to benefit from an association with one of the more widely recognized brands in the U S , ” said Robert Nistico, Splash Beverage Group’s Chairman and CEO “The University of Alabama Crimson Tide has the largest fan base in the SEC Alabama football has appeared in 9 national championship games since 2009,

ProAmpac Paper-Based Dr y Food Laminate Certified

Biodegradable Products Institute has certified ProAmpac Compostable CPM-2000, a high-barrier paper-based laminate for dry foods BPI certified that CPM-2000 complies with the specifications established by the American Society of Testing and Materials Standards ASTM D6868 for Industrial Compostability

“ProAmpac partnered with BPI to ensure CPM-2000 met their stringent guidelines for industrial compostability before deliv-

ering this groundbreaking solution to the marketplace,” said Nathan Klettlinger, director of global marketing for ProAmpac ProActive Compostable CPM-2000 has been successfully validated and commercialized for tea envelopes and over wrap, but is suitable for a range of dry food products ProAmpac’s novel high-barrier paperbased solution provides a compostable alternative to traditional non-sustainable structures Additionally, CPM-2000 has an

exceptional print quality that reinforces branding without sacrificing compostability

“CPM-2000 is engineered to provide exceptional seal characteristics, very high moisture and oxygen barriers, and high resistance against aggressive oils or ingredients used in flavored products,” said Ray Recchia, innovation manager of sustainable paper packaging “By maintaining

and U of A Athletics hosts over 1 4 million spectators each academic year, including over 800,000 at Bryant Denny Stadium

“Copa di Vino, through this agreement, will be allowed to use the Athletics Departments logos and we’d note that Alabama is the No 1 selling brand in college athletics U of A fans will see Copa signage throughout the venues ” GN

required filling line speeds, CPM-2000 can be an ideal sustainable alternative for a wide range of multilayer laminates

Apeel Sciences Launches System to Reduce Avocado Food Waste

Stakeholders across all stages in the fresh produce supply chain may instantly and non-destructively determine the ripeness of avocados with technology being launched by food system company Apeel Sciences

By coupling advanced imaging technology with machine learning, Apeel has increased visibility into internal quality and ripeness, now allowing producers and grocery retailers to make more informed sorting, shipping, and merchandising decisions, which has the potential to further mitigate food waste and help consumers enjoy consistently ripe and reliable avocados

“Apeel started with a mission to prevent food waste across the supply chain with our plant-based protective coating,” said James Rogers, CEO “Our mission hasn’t changed, but we are evolving our offerings to further drive change in the food system The expansion of our technology offerings will increase access to insights to create a smarter supply chain that maximizes the lifespan, quality and sustainability of fresh fruits and vegetables ”

Apeel’s technology has implications for the entire produce industry and has been optimized to increase value for partners at different stages of the supply chain, as well as for consumers The company announced several new efforts to deploy this groundbreaking technology

Apeel is deploying an improved AI data model for imaging hardware in produce sorters at packing houses and distribution centers Developed in collaboration with

MAF Industries, these devices scan avocados and instantly group them into categories according to ripeness and dry matter Once sorted, the fruit can be routed to the optimal retailer based on remaining shelf life to help prevent food waste

The new data model is global, enabling it to be implemented without time-consuming calibration This inline sorting technology is being tested in a commercial packing house in Europe

The company also is launching a first-ofits-kind produce quality scanner for distributors and grocery retailers that can be used to evaluate ripeness and dry matter of individual avocados These devices are more than five times faster than existing methods, do not damage fruit like current methods and insights are automatically captured in a cloud database to inform receiving, stocking, and merchandising decisions They are being tested at retail locations in North America and Europe

Apeel also is unveiling an avocado ripeness scanner for consumers that could allow grocery shoppers to know the exact ripeness window of produce like avocados before purchasing The Apeel RipeFinder also features a consumer-friendly user interface Instead of displaying data, it reveals information such as “Your avocado is ready for a salad,” or “Your avocado will be ready in about 4 days ”

Ripeness is the leading factor influencing consumers ’ avocado purchase and eating decisions, and these advancements can minimize frustration and guesswork of sell-

ing, buying, and enjoying avocados at peak ripeness Prior to development of this technology, avocado ripeness was commonly tested using a penetrometer, a device that uses a needle to punch a hole in the fruit and measure the tenderness of samples

Dry matter, a proxy measurement of oil content, is an industry standard quality indicator and is determined by a laborious and wasteful process that typically involves microwaving samples These methods of testing are not only destructive and create food waste, but cannot be applied to a large-scale continuous operation, limiting the amount of available data used to make decisions

The advanced imaging system works by shining a bright beam of light into the avocado, where it will penetrate several millimeters below the skin A sensor measures how much light is reflected in the visible and near infrared spectrum Machine learning models are then tasked with converting this measured light spectrum into an accurate prediction of the avocado’s firmness and dry matter The measurements can inform how long before the fruit is ready for consumption, such as ready-to-eat now, in two days or four days

The avocado ripeness model developed by Apeel is the most in-depth model in the market today “All of our products are grounded in our view of nature as a database, and this data model is no different,” said Lou Perez, Co-founder and SVP of new product introduction “The global avocado ripeness model was developed using ma-

chine learning by collecting data on tens of thousands of avocados throughout multiple seasons, blooms, and countries of origin

“This deep knowledge of produce behavior, as well as our integrated position in the supply chain, gives Apeel a unique advantage to create technologies that protect, detect, and direct quality produce and ultimately improve food supply chain decisions ”

“This technology and data model will really improve supply chain efficiency,” said Simon Hunt, COO of MAF Industries

“The data will determine whether a piece of fruit can be stored, whether it can be delivered through the supply chain at a slower pace, or whether it needs to be on shelves tomorrow When we have this clear picture, we can send the fruit to a different location on the pipeline and treat that fruit differently ”

The advanced imaging technology is available only for avocados, but Apeel is working on models for other produce including limes, mangos and mandarins

Apeel’s evolving technology stack is built on an unprecedented understanding of produce quality and shelf life This was first developed through the creation of Apeel’s plant-based coating and has deepened as their imaging technology has allowed for a powerful way to “peek behind the peel” and collect data on ripeness, freshness, nutritional density and other attributes GN

Trigo to Scale AI-Powered Frictionless Grocer y Retail Platform in Europe, U.S.

Trigo, an Israel-based computer vision company, raised $100 million in a new equity financing round to scale deployment of autonomous urban supermarkets across Europe and the United States, enter new geographies, and develop its comprehensive store and inventory management software application suite, StoreOS

The investment was led by Singapore investment firm Temasek and 83North New strategic investors include SAP SE, who will also help commercialize Trigo’s solu-

tion Existing investors joined the round, including Hetz Ventures, Red Dot Capital Partners, Vertex Ventures, Viola, and supermarket giant REWE Group, one of the world’s leading retailers

Trigo transforms existing supermarkets into fully autonomous digital stores where feeds from ceiling-mounted cameras and shelf sensors are analyzed to generate a “digital twin” of the store Computer vision algorithms – similar to the ones on driverless cars – log interactions between humans and merchandise

The result is a fundamental transformation in the way physical stores are being managed and experienced by both shoppers and operators For example, shoppers can walk into stores, select their items off the shelves and leave without having to queue at checkout or scan any goods Payments and receipts are

settled digitally

Built on top of that core technological infrastructure, the company will offer retailers access to additional applications through its StoreOS store operating system, with which they can track inventor y in real-time, minimize out-of-stock and expired items for in-store and online shopping, mitigate fraud, personalize marketing and manage store and supply chain operations predictively

Trigo’s solutions are currently deployed with some of the world’s leading grocery retailers, including Tesco PLC in the United Kingdom, ALDI Nord in The Netherlands, REWE Group in Berlin and Cologne, Netto Marken-Discount in Munich, Israel’s Shufersal and Wakefern Food Corp , the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States

Trigo will use the funds to execute on significant deployment of stores, increase the size of stores supported to include fullsized urban supermarkets, expand into new geographies and further develop its StoreOS offering

“By opening multiple autonomous stores

with five of the world’s leading grocery retailers, we have proven that we can deploy computer-vision and AI to empower physical stores with the same kinds of insights and capabilities that e-commerce stores have,” said Michael Gabay, Trigo cofounder and CEO “This investment allows Trigo to build on this success and focus on three core initiatives: expanding our autonomous retail platform, building increasingly larger stores, and executing a pipeline of contracted stores around the world ”

“Trigo’s superior computer vision technology built the infrastructure for graband-go shopping and laid the foundation for additional in-store scenarios of the future,” said Joern Keller, EVP and Head of SAP S/4HANA Industry Cloud at SAP SE “As a leading provider of enterprise software for the retail industry, SAP is delighted to join as a strategic investor to Trigo to support the development of the StoreOS autonomous supermarket operating system Their solutions will complement SAP’s cloud solutions for retail, integrating seamlessly with SAP S/4HANA and pave the way towards building an intelligent store ”

Bacardi, the world’s largest privately held spirits company, is cutting approximately 140 tons of single-use plastic annually, by removing plastic pourers from its bottles in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Spain and Portugal

The plastic Non-Refillable Fitment is commonplace throughout the spirits industry and is found in the neck of a number of the company ’ s iconic drink brands including: Bacardí rum, Martini Fiero, Bombay Sapphire gin and Dewar’s White Label blended Scotch whisky

The removal has already begun, and by early next year, all 1 75l bottles of Bacardí rum – including Superior, Gold and Coconut – in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico will no longer contain the plastic pourer, cutting 76 tons of plastic annually

h i n g t o d o f o r t h e p l a n e t , ” said Rodolfo Ner vi, VP, global safety, quali t y & s u s t a i n a b i l i t y “ A s a f a m i l y - o w n e d c o m p a n y f o r m o re t h a n 1 6 0 y e a r s , p i on e e r i n g c h a n g e i s i n o u r D N A , a n d w e ’ re p ro u d t o b e l e a d i n g t h e i n d u s t r y a s w e t a k e a n o t h e r h u g e s t e p t o w a rd s a c h i e v i n g our commitment to be 100 percent plastic f re e b y 2 0 3 0 ” B a c a rd i i s re v i e w i n g e v e r y w a y i n w h i c h i t i s u s i n g p l a s t i c a n d e x p l o r i n g w h e t h e r i t c a n b e r e m o v e d o r r e p l a c e d w i t h a m o r e s u s t a i n a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e A m a j o r m i l e s t o n e w i l l b e re a c h e d i n 2 0 2 3 , w h e n t

Brazilian Researchers Teach Artificial Intelligence How to Sort Specialty Coffee Beans in Brazil

Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more prevalent From automated algorithms that control social media feeds to cars on the road, AI is seeping into every aspect of modern life

Recently, researchers in Brazil have been trialing the use of artificial intelligence to sort coffee beans Using multispectral imaging and machine learning, the Brazilian team is classifying coffee beans as either standard or specialty, depending on what they score on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scale

“ N o r m a l l y, t r a i n e d c o ff e e c u p p e r s w i l l u s e t h e S C A s t a n d a rd s t o m a n u a l l y g r a d e a n d s o r t c o f f e e H o w e v e r, t h i s i s a v e r y t i m e - c o n s u m i n g t a s k , ” s a i d R o b H o d g e , a d i re c t o r a t R a v e C o ff e e “ W h i l e t h e i d e a o f u s i n g A I t o s o r t t h e s p e c i a l t y c o f f e e b e a n s i s a f a n t a s t i c o n e , i t ’ s i m p o r t a n t

t h a t t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e s e b e a n s d o e s n ’t d ec re a s e ”

Typically, cuppers in Brazil and elsewhere will be trained to identify a specialty bean and a standard bean based on a range of different metrics However, manual testing requires inspecting, roasting and tasting coffee samples, which can be an incredible time-consuming process

If AI can be used to sort specialist green coffee beans from standard coffee beans, that would not only speed up the sorting process, but also ensure that the quality of all organic, green coffee is consistent

A s p a rt o f t h e s t u d y, f o u r d i ff e re n t m ac h i n e - l e a r n i n g a l g o r i t h m s re v i e w i m a g e s o f t h e c o f f e e b e a n s B y l o o k i n g f o r t h e p re s e n c e a n d c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f c e r t a i n m o l e c u l e s , i n c l u d i n g c a f f e i n e , c h l o rog e n i c a c i d s a n d c a t e c h i n , t h e A I s y s t e m i s

a b l e t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t i s c o n s i d e re d a s p e c i a l t y b e a n a n d w h a t i s a s t a n d a rd c o ff e e b e a n

“In order to be classified as a specialty green coffee bean, it must score higher than 80 on the SCA scale,” Hodge said, “that ensures a consistent quality across specialty coffee beans, which goes to create a consistent, high-quality taste in the coffee you drink at home ”

The AI System is able to assign a number to each coffee bean, differentiating between specialty and standard beans

“What’s most impressive,” Hodge said, “is the speed at which these machines are able to identify a quality bean from a standard one Not only does it eliminate the need for roasting and tasting, it can handle a large number of beans at once, speeding up the entire tasting process, while still ad-

BlueNalu Establishes Science Board to Scale-Up Cell-Cultured Seafood

Cell-cultured seafood developer BlueNalu has formed a scientific advisor y board to support its next stages of growth The inaugural board represents a diverse group of internationally renowned technology experts with deep knowledge and proven expertise in innovation, product development, bioprocessing, engineering, sensory science and systems biology

The SAB will work with the team to accelerate the large-scale commercialization plans of BlueNalu’s cell-cultured seafood and is expected to ser ve as a conduit to connect the team to advantageous re-

sources, innovative solutions and critical collaborations

“We have thoughtfully developed an accomplished and synergistic board that will support the company ’ s aggressive technology goals,” said Lauran Madden, chief technology officer “Each member has over 20 years of experience engineering innovative solutions and collectively, we believe their depth and breadth are unmatched at BlueNalu

“In this critical new food tech space, we want the best minds to be seated at our table, and we feel we accomplish that with

this team Its formation is an important next step in accelerating scale-up technology solutions to commercialize cell-cultured seafood that is cost effective, safe and aligned with product benefits that consumers love ”

The SAB will work closely with BlueNalu’s senior leadership and functional teams to provide their unique perspectives and strategic guidance with the goal to improve and accelerate the company ’ s cellcultured seafood production and problem-solve the forthcoming large-scale commercialization challenges GN

hering to the SCA’s guidelines ”

Rave Coffee doesn’t yet use AI sorted coffee beans While AI does look like it will, one day, be a core component of coffee bean production and sorting, Rave believes in the skills of highly trained growers and coffee sorters

“All of our producers and partners across the world sort their green coffee beans by hand,” Hodge said “That means every specialty coffee we provide has been tested and evaluated by a trained professional Whether that’s part of our coffee subscriptions service, or even our Nespresso-compatible coffee pods

“Saying that, we ’ re excited to see the long-term results of this technology, and hope to see it prove useful for our producers, whether they’re based in Brazil, Papua New Guinea or anywhere else ” GN

Berr y Global Wins Sustainability Award

Berry Global Group, Inc received a Technology Excellence Award from The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in the food/beverage category for its Proxima tethered closure with tamper-evident band The packaging solution cuts down on waste by securing the closure to the bottle and improving recyclability

“To help our customers meet the growing sustainability demands of today and tomorrow, we develop new products and materials that are designed to advance a pathway to circularity,” said Jean-Marc Galvez, president of the consumer packaging international division at Berry Global “As we push the limits of innovation with creative, sustainable packaging solutions, it is an honor to be recognized by our peers and other packaging experts ”

Pack Expo attendees and packaging expert panelists said Berry’s Proxima tethered closure offers beverage companies an inno-

vative design solution that helps reduce plastic litter and encourage closure recycling Maintaining a convenient and comfortable user experience, the closure design features a special tamper-evident band that, once broken, does not impact the closure’s ability to remain attached and is positioned out of the way for drinking but can easily be reclosed

Because the closure is designed to remain intact with the bottle, it is less likely to be littered and more likely to be recycled – given that PET bottles are the most recycled plastic package type

Berr y dedicated its Pack Expo International booth to showcasing how it is collaborating across the value chain to drive environmental sustainability Launched at the Expo, Berr y ’ s “More Together” cam-

paign encourages employees, customers and partners to share their personal passions for creating change

The campaign highlights how Berr y is working with others to advance the circular economy and lead the plastics industr y

cycled plastic; securing bio-based resin made from responsibly sourced sugarcane for Raw Elements’ natural Face + Body sunscreen tube; transitioning Wendy’s from paper to more recyclable drink cups made with 20 percent ISCC-certified, recycled

away from its dependence on fossil fuels Key collaborations include: achieving a 59 percent reduction in carbon emissions in comparison to the same bottle made from virgin material by making McCormick’s new food color bottle with 100 percent re-

plastic (on a mass balance basis); and improving recyclability of Conagra Brands’ Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa line by switching original packaging made from three different materials to a widely recyclable, polypropylene container GN

Better Juice Start-Up Launches Commercial Sugar-Reduction Plant for Global Reach

Sugar-reduction FoodTech start-up BetterJuice, Ltd has launched its first full-capacity manufacturing plant, setting the wheels in motion for full commercial production of its proprietary sugar-reducing immobilized enzymes The new facility will enable the Israeli company to fulfill current commissions from juice producers globally, as well as respond to anticipated new demands

The groundbreaking technology developed by the Israeli start-up produces proprietary beads composed of non-GMO microorganisms that naturally convert the juice’s composition of fruit sugars including sucrose, glucose and fructose into better-foryou prebiotic and other non-digestible fibers

The new site, located in the Nes Ziona science park south of Tel Aviv, is replete with commercial-scale equipment, including an industrial fermenter and industrial immobilization processor The specialized equipment is used for growing and harvesting the beaded microorganisms used in producing Better Juice’s immobilized sugarreducing enzymes

The site also houses pilot labs and the company ’ s new headquarters The new plant has a production capacity to support

sugar-reduction of 250 million liters of juice per year Better Juice has entered into commitments with a number of juice companies to reduce the sugar loads in various fruit juices, including apple, orange and pineapple juices

Better Juice’s technology can reduce up to 80 percent of the simple sugar content in fruit juices and fruit-based condiments without any degradation of naturally occurring nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants It does not dilute the product, maintaining the body and full flavor of the juice and only gently reducing the sweetness

Better Juice’s groundbreaking technology decreases the naturally occurring simple sugar loads in a versatile range of products, including juices, jams, yogurts, ice creams, sorbets, and more, to the food and beverages manufacturer’s desired levels

“This move marks a major leap forward in our commercialization efforts,” said Gali Yarom, co-founder and co-CEO “We project that the new plant will accommodate our production needs for the next four years

“As interest and demand in our technology continue to flourish in the global fruit

juice sphere, we will expand our production capabilities outside of Israel as well ”

Wired magazine recently rated Better Juice as one of the 10 most promising startups in Israel

Better Juice’s facility and operations also maintain high alignment to environmental, social and corporate governance principles

The biodegradable polymer beads are rechanneled to livestock feed after being used in the production phase, minimizing waste

The bioreactors, which have a 20-year lifespan, can be controlled remotely, reducing the company ’ s need for travel and its subsequent carbon footprint Only a small amount of energy is required to activate the bioreactors On a social level, the company boasts a 50 percent female workforce and assists manufacturers of fruit-based products to comply with the various “sugar tax” regulations in the regions where they operate

“We had to design and construct specialized systems from scratch to support our unique production processes while taking environmental considerations into account and adhering to the strictest requirements for waste treatment, water recycling, and energy efficiency,” said Henry Elkoby, Chief

Engineer of Better Juice

“Better Juice was founded with the vision of promoting the overall well-being of people globally,” said Eran Blachinsky, cofounder and co-CEO of Better Juice “The realization that also naturally squeezed fruit juice can harbor high quantities of simple sugar is what sparked the creation of the Better Juice technology

“It has been an incredible journey seeing our concept evolve into fruition, and onto the global market so that more people around the world can enjoy the full flavor and nutritional benefits of fruit juices ”

Better Juice was founded in 2018 as one of the first startups to be nurtured by The Kitchen FoodTech Hub

“Better Juice brings a new hope for juice manufacturers and consumers, by reversing the perception of natural fruit juices as overly sugary products and turning juices into better-for-you beverages,” said Amir Zaidman, chief business officer of The Kitchen Hub and a Better Juice board member “The company offers a truly better juice product by reducing the sugars while maintaining their natural profile of vitamins, minerals and fibers ” GN

Acquires

Worldwide Produce, one of the largest fresh produce and dairy distributors on the West Coast, has acquired Left Coast Food Company, a premier foodservice distributor of frozen goods, dr y goods and produce ser ving the greater San Diego, Calif , region The acquisition expands Worldwide Produce’s presence in Southern California and marks the company ’ s fifth completed

acquisition since it became a Sole Source Capital portfolio company in 2019

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed Headquartered in San Marcos, CA, and established in 2017, Left Coast is a specialty food distributor offering a full suite of perishable and non-perishable goods primarily to foodservice companies

“Left Coast has made a strong impression

on its customer base in the region surrounding San Diego, a highly attractive area in which we have operated for years, ” said Todd Ferguson, CEO of Worldwide Produce “Worldwide’s operational and product sourcing expertise, combined with Left Coast’s dedicated focus to the San Diego region, will allow both companies to continue to provide the highest level of

product and service to our customers ”

“Worldwide Produce is an ideal partner to support the continued growth of Left Coast Food Company,” said Guy Roney, president of Left Coast “By joining Worldwide, Left Coast will benefit from Worldwide’s expansive product catalog and supplier relationships to offer more choices to customers to meet their diverse food needs ” GN

End-to-End Food Bar Packaging Solution Available in North America

Harpak-ULMA has launched ULMA’s FR500 – a complete end-to-end automated solution designed to package food bars into a three-sided sealed package at up to 1000 PPM – in North America The FR500 integrates row distribution, flow wrapping, case packing and palletizing Traditionally, integrating these processes require users to stitch together three or four vendors’ products in a less-than-optimal approach that adds integration cost, solution complexity, and time-to-commissioning risk Achieving high speed throughput requires producers to solve the complicated process of synchronizing automation processes across these disparate components In addition to the integration expense, production issues are exacerbated by the shared responsibility challenges of multiple-vendor solutions Finally, multivendor solutions delay time-to-value as factor y acceptance testing requires a multi-step process to evaluate individual components and their integration

The ULMA FR500 incorporates a row

distribution material handling module, a high-speed horizontal flow wrapper and a bar top-loader cell for cartoning, with optional RSC shipper case packing and palletizing The row distribution system ensures an efficient, continuous flow towards the horizontal wrapper, employing a buffer conveyor to manage unscheduled system stoppage

Accumulated bars in the buffer are combined with the incoming flow without having to stop the upstream process The design allows the removal of individual components for cleaning and maintenance operations

After transference, bars are repositioned into an end-to-end orientation, and quality control is performed to reject out-of-tolerance products If desired, its film former can accommodate 100 percent paper material

Cartoning is performed by the bar toploader cell, which utilizes a high-speed star wheel to place the bars into a grouping chain The bars and automatically formed

cardboard cartons are fed to the cell, where a two-axis delta robot simultaneously

“The ULMA FR500 is a high-speed, compact end-to-end solution that takes less time for startup and occupies less space in the customer’s facilities,” said Hugh Crouch, flowwrap product manager “The all-too-common approach – to concoct an automated solution using equipment from multiple vendors – can’t achieve the simplicity, speed, time to market and reliability offered by a fully automatic, pre-integrated single-sourced solution

transfers groups of bars from grouping chain to cartons, changing the pitch of the bars to match the cartons Tertiary RSC cartoning and palletizing options are also available

“Like all Harpak-ULMA packaging platforms, the FR500 is a smart, connected machine capable of leveraging our advanced Augmented Reality capabilities, including remote support, visual work instructions, and even remote OEE monitoring As a result, the FR500 is one of the most advanced solutions in its class ” GN

NutriLeads Launches BeniCaros Organic, Prebiotic Immune-Support Ingredient

An organic version of BeniCaros, an awardwinning immune health ingredient for foods, beverages and supplements for Netherlands-based NutriLeads BV, is on the market

BeniCaros is a soluble prebiotic carrot fiber known as RG-I (Rhamnogalacturonan-I) that trains the immune system to respond faster Clinical research shows BeniCaros’ dual mechanism of action accelerated and strengthened healthy cellular and gut-initiated immune responses to significantly reduce the severity and duration of common cold symptoms BeniCaros is sourced from upcycled carrot pomace

“BeniCaros is Earth friendly, people friendly and clean label,” said Joana Carneiro, NutriLeads CEO “Organic certification expands BeniCaros’ versatility as an immune-support solution for a broad range of products in the nearly $200 billion global organic food and beverage market ”

Certification of BeniCaros Organic assures manufacturers and formulators that this product complies with strict standards covering every aspect of production This includes seeds, soil conditions, weed and pest management, storage and recordkeeping BeniCaros has a completely traceable supply chain and is manufactured using a

proprietary, all-natural extraction and purification process that utilizes only water

BeniCaros Organic was certified by SKAL, the national organization in the Netherlands that ensures compliance with European Union organic regulations Under an equivalency agreement, products certified to EU or USDA organic standards may be sold, labeled and represented as organic within the European Union and the United States

BeniCaros is off-white in color, water soluble, odorless, tasteless and pH and heat stable It is also Kosher, Halal, non-GMO, vegan and vegetarian and now available in

an organic version

About NutriLeads BV NutriLeads is a private company developing natural, plant-derived ingredients that are scientifically and clinically proven to strengthen human health The company ’ s proprietar y technology platform is based on naturally bioactive fibers RG-I found in select crops The company ’ s first product BeniCaros has won several awards for research and innovation NutriLeads is developing other products to protect the gut barrier and improve metabolic health through gut microbiome modulation GN

United Natural Foods, Inc will bring Cornerstone for Natural’s Smart Shelf Tag program to its suppliers and retailers Smart Shelf Tags contain ELi QR Codes, an enhanced, more secure version of a QR code, which can be scanned to provide shoppers with additional product information and rich digital content on their mobile phones without requiring an app Smart Shelf Tags allow suppliers and retailers to engage and educate consumers while they’re shopping in-store As consumer demand for product information and insights grows, UNFI is increasing access to information and product transparency on the shelf Because most in-

store shoppers consult their mobile phones about products, Smart Shelf Tags are designed to engage shoppers with targeted content directly from suppliers while they’re physically shopping in the grocery aisle In addition, the tags increase product transparency, create a touchpoint between suppliers and shoppers, and can help grocery retailers build consumer loyalty and trust

While the ELi QR Codes used on Smart Shelf Tags look like familiar QR codes, they are more secure They not only provide a scannable code, they also incorporate the back-end content to which users are directed The content for an ELi QR Code is sourced from the supplier, automatically

populates for each individual UPC, and may include promotional offers, nutrition and allergen information, testimonials, traceability information, brand stories, videos and images Retailers never have to source, manage, or update content and the codes are automatically printed on the tags

Cornerstone has built more than 120,000 ELi QR Codes, thousands from prominent consumer packaged goods brands and new and emerging brands alike

Consumers have shown that they value information when selecting a brand and will remain more loyal to brands that provide greater transparency Certain product categories are a natural fit for Smart Shelf

Tags, especially those from which consumers seek more information before deciding on a purchase: vitamins and supplements, wine and spirits, gourmet cheese, natural and organic products, functional foods, local items and those from new and emerging CPGs

“ R e t a i l i s c h a n g i n g , a n d w e n e e d t o change with it,” said David Williams, Cornerstone’s EVP of Business Development

“ R e t a i l e r s a n d b r a n d s n e e d t o w o r k t ogether to engage and educate their shoppers and our smart shelf tags provide this u n i q u e o p p o rt u n i t y, h e l p i n g w i t h d e c i -

sion-making at a key point of purchase in the store ” GN

from PAGE 1

ident and CEO of the North American Meat Institute and Upside Foods adviser “Cultivated meat, along with conventionally produced meat, will play a crucial role in enabling our food system to get to this point ”

The Alliance for Meat, Poultr y and Seafood Innovation issued a statement applauding the declaration that Upside Foods’ cultivated chicken is safe to eat

“The FDA’s decision reflects a thoughtful, rigorous and science-based process that took place over the course of several years During this time, Upside Foods provided the agency with the safety and supporting information that Upside used to determine its cultivated/cell-cultured chicken is safe and may proceed down the regulator y pathway

“AMPS Innovation looks forward to continued progress by these and other companies to help expand safe and delicious food options for consumers and help support a more sustainable food supply ”

FDA Commissioner Robert M Califf and Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, issued the memo approving Upside Foods in November

“The world is experiencing a food revolution and the U S Food and Drug Administration is committed to supporting innovation in the food supply,” they wrote “Advancements in cell culture technol-

ogy are enabling food developers to use animal cells obtained from livestock, poultry, and seafood in the production of food, with these products expected to be ready for the U S market in the near future,” they wrote “The FDA’s goal is to support innovation in food technologies while always maintaining as our first priority the safety of the foods available to U S consumers

“The FDA has extensive experience in food safety assessment across a wide range of food production technologies, including the use of biological systems and biotechnology The agency is evaluating new substances all the time as industr y practices evolve to meet consumer demands and preferences Food made with cultured animal cells must meet the same stringent requirements, including safety requirements, as all other food regulated by the FDA,” according to the memo

“The FDA is ready to work with additional firms developing cultured animal cell food and production processes to ensure their products are safe and lawful under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,” Califf and Mayne wrote “We also plan to issue guidance to assist firms that intend to produce human foods from cultured animal cells to prepare for pre-market consultations

“The published draft of this guidance will provide a formal opportunity to the public for comment We are already engaged in discussion with multiple firms about various types of products made from cultured animal cells, including those made from seafood cells, which will be overseen

solely by the FDA We continue to encourage firms to enter into dialogue with us often and early in their product development phase, well ahead of making any submission to us, ” they wrote

Since its founding in 2015, Upside Foods has supported the development of a regulator y framework for cultivated meat that ensures safety and transparency, according to the company In 2018, it partnered with the North American Meat Institute to advocate for joint regulatory oversight of cultivated meat by the FDA and the U S Department of Agriculture The following year, Upside Foods co-founded the world’s first trade coalition for cultivated meat, the Alliance of Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation “Since our earliest days, our top priority has been to ensure the safety and quality of our products,” said Eric Schulze, PhD, VP of Regulatory and Public Policy at Upside Foods “FDA sets the standard for global acceptance of new food innovations, and we are incredibly grateful for the agency ’ s rigorous and thoughtful process to ensure the safety of our food supply We’re also extremely proud to have played a leading role in helping to champion the framework for how cultivated meat, poultry and seafood

are regulated in the U S ”

U S cultivated meat is regulated by the FDA and the USDA Upside Foods will work with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to secure the remaining approvals that are required before Upside Foods’ cultivated chicken can be sold to consumers

Upside Foods grows meat, poultr y and seafood directly from animal cells These products are not vegan or vegetarian – they are meat products, made without the need to raise and slaughter animals

Upside Foods said cultivated meat production at scale is expected to use less water and land than conventionally produced meat Because it’s made in a controlled environment subject to high standards of testing for safety and quality control, it has the potential to help reduce the risk of harmful bacterial contamination

U p s i d e F o o d s ’ p ro g re s s t o w a rd c o mmercialization includes a $400 million Ser i e s C , p l a c i n g v a l u a t i o n a t o v e r $ 1 b i l l i o n , t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f c u l t i v a t e d s e a f o o d c o m p a n y C u l t u re d D e c a d e n c e , a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h re e - M i c h e l i n s t a r re d c h e f D o m i n i q u e C re n n a n d t h e o p e n i n g o f i t s E n g i n e e r i n g , P ro d u c t i o n , a n d I n n ov a t i o n C e n t e r, a n a d v a n c e d c u l t i v a t e d m e a t p ro d u c t i o n f a c i l i t y GN

”

Coffee Culture

impact they can have in the world when they take it into their own hands ”

Two Gen Z women who met as baristas while working their way through engineering school saw their peers were driving the so-called “fourth wave ” in specialty coffee in an industr y that all but ignored them Their solution was Transcendence Coffee, coffee syrups with flavors beyond syrups on the market and a quality coffee blend

“We wanted to appeal to Gen Z consumers, ” said co-founder Mitalee Bharadwaj, “and that’s also us, so we were perfect to understand our own consumer, not only for things on a basic level, but for sustainability, using glass bottles with recyclable material and sourcing spices globally We’re women-owned and we do make an effort to use a supply chain that does appeal to Gen Z consumers, who are ver y conscious about consumption ”

Loyd, whose love of coffee carried him through his career in the Marines and as a coffee shop owner, is never far from his favorite beverage

coffee

The second wave came courtesy of Howard Schultz, who took a Northwest regional coffeehouse that specialized in premium single-origin coffee, Starbucks, national then global Swept up in the second wave was the hipster coffee scene, places to hang out between work and home and even work there

“The third wave is where I jumped into the coffee game,” Loyd said “The third wave is where we took the specialty offerings of a Starbucks and went to town ”

If robusta arabica defined the first wave, by the third wave, arabica was being sourced by small, sub-tropical regions including Burundi, Ethiopia and Kenya

“They can’t find it on the map, but the nomenclature has become part of the culture,” Loyd said

“In the third wave, we ’ re not tr ying to disrupt That doesn’t necessarily feel that genuine to me, ” he said

Loyd believes one of the reasons for a surge in coffee drinking is a trend away from alcoholic beverages

“Being in the Marine Corps, I had a lot of emotional issues and I was consuming a lot of alcohol So I pushed back and focused on coffee I have my rituals, but I always make coffee and no matter which form it takes as I continue through the day, it’s a positive buzz ”

After leaving the Marines, Loyd spent a couple of years ser ving coffee directly to customers at two small cafes But the pandemic caused him to reconsider his path forward in the coffee trade He began developing concepts about coffee culture among friends until he was ready to launch Dope Coffee

With crowdfunding in the first round and a private investor in the second, Loyd took operations from his garage to a coffee brewing facility with a bigger roaster and automated packaging machine

Hip-hop has taken a permanent spot in popular culture, from TV commercials to the Super Bowl halftime show

“You can’t go anywhere without hearing it,” he said

Yet Loyd believes Dope Coffee can have wide appeal

“We’re a Black-owned company, but it’s not just for Black people to drink We want to share it with everyone ”

This year, Loyd is ramping up for a retail push to get Dope Coffee on as many shelves and in as many homes as possible Black Rock Coffee was founded in 2008 by two late 20s friends, Hernandez and Daniel Brand, who dreamed of walking the path of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, building Apple Computer from their garage into a global giant – only with coffee

One big problem, though They were in Portland, Ore , where there were five coffee shops within a radial mile and not far from Vancouver, Wash , which has the most coffee per capita in the United States

They hit on the idea of bringing quality Oregon coffee to places such as Chandler, Ariz , which has 1 5 coffee shops per radial mile, a strategy that is working

Hernandez said customers notice the results of the company ’ s work ethics

“People feel it,” he said “They walk in and there’s something they’re very aware of, that the stores have that right cultural energy and flow The closest thing that’s parallel is a bar, like Cheers, where everybody knows your name ”

Transcendence founders Bharadwaj and Lisa Yala saw coffee as a way to bring a bigger variety of flavors – particular cultural flavors – to beverages they served as baristas

“One of our favorite parts were the seasonal menus, ” Yala said “We could experiment with recipes and our customers loved them But then you would look at the board and see flavors that lacked variety ”

As the two women began discussing launching a line of flavored syrups, they didn’t have to look farther than their own family backgrounds

“I

warehouse ”

A year ago, Loyd was shivering in his garage, roasting, grinding and bagging Dope Coffee It’s a testament to his hard work and Dope Coffee’s appeal that it’s in full production

“It’s going well,” Loyd said “The coffee culture mindset was something I stumbled upon a few years back Coffee primarily was viewed as a commodity that gets you through the day and wakes you up “Things began to shift here recently, especially with single-origin, specialty grade coffee What we ’ re doing now is bringing culture to the front

“American coffee culture is young,” Loyd said “This country is young, less than 300 years old From the 1920s to 1940s, Folgers was in the first wave of coffee in America ”

For decades, most American coffee culture centered around dark-roasted coffee blends – no single-source coffees in sight “People are still drinking Folgers today,” he said “My mother drank Folgers That red can is burned into my head Folgers is

“There are a lot of things I didn’t know and I made a lot of first-timer mistakes,” he said

From getting third party certified to ordering bags to navigating the retail world, Loyd learned and Dope Coffee grew, to where a chief sales officer recently was added to enhance retail sales

“That was huge in terms of bringing in knowledge and capability to the team ”

Loyd’s industry research included looking into Black Rifle Coffee, another veteran-owned specialty coffee company

“They’re all about the militar y, that’s a culture,” Loyd said

While Loyd relates to Black Rifle Coffee founder Evan Hafer, Black Rifle’s culture on the outdoors and gun ownership isn’t for him

“For me, even as a veteran, I’m not an outdoor, gun-type guy I served eight years and was deployed, but I don’t identify myself as that I love hip-hop concerts, that’s the culture I’m from

“In my opinion, one of the most diverse moments you’ll ever see in America is a hip-hop concert,” Loyd said “Probably more than any other genre, you’ll find these diverse groups evenly dispersed ”

In 2021, Black Rock was named the fastest growing private company in Oregon by the Portland Business Journal There are more than 115 Black Rock Coffee Bars in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington

But Black Rock Coffee’s biggest differentiator came with its approach to its workforce They watched as young employees worked their way up from being a barista to managing a store

“We thought how cool that was and found ourselves wanting to bring others into the Black Rock team,” Hernandez said “What a gift it is knowing what someone is capable of, see their hard work and see that hard work rewarded

“The first part is to find these young people who have that fire in their belly,” Hernandez said

Black Rock Coffee encourages growth and provides support for young employees

“That’s why we launched Algerian Baklava and Indian Gulab Jamun, mine being Indian and Lisa Algerian,” Bharadwaj said “We couldn’t find flavors beyond hazelnut, vanilla and caramel and another big thing in terms of quality, people don’t want chemicals ”

T r a n s c e n d e n c e uses whole spices with no artificial additives

“You don’t feel like you ’ re drinking imitation flavor,” Bharadwaj said

The Algerian Baklava Syrup is a twist on the popular dessert with notes of orange blossom and honey The Indian Gulab Jamun Syrup was also inspired by a traditional dessert with notes of cardamom, saffron and rose

Coffee House coffee blend, designed to pair with other syrups or on its own, has tasting notes of sweet chocolate, stone fruit and candied orange, with ingredients sourced from Chiapas, Mexico; Sierra Nevada, Colombia; and Honduras

From experimenting in their kitchens with recipes to being able to put the syrups into production, the women are now focused on scaling up the product line to distribute widely in shops, boutique stores and online GN

have a hot cup in front of me now, ” he said “It’s a bit frigid here in the

looking to move up About 70 percent of Black Rock Coffee Bar employees are female

Wild Earth Developing First Cell-Based Meat for Dogs

Wild Earth, a cruelty-free dog food company, has developed a cell-based meat broth topper for dogs that will be available to consumers in 2023 The cell-based chicken broth, created in the Wild Earth labs in Berkeley, Calif , using proprietary technology, will be the first cell-based meat product to be introduced in the pet food industry

Since its inception, Wild Earth has been committed to providing a clean protein, superfood-packed, nutritionally complete dog food produced without harming any living creature or planet Earth Cell-based

meat is the next step in the company ’ s mission to transform the pet food industry and reduce the industry’s detrimental impact on the environment

“Our pets’ environmental paw print accounts for 30 percent of meat consumed in the U S and it doesn’t have to,” said cofounder and CEO Ryan Bethencourt “By replacing factor y-farmed products with clean, sustainable, cruelty-free cell-based meat, we can tackle the issues of low quality and often contaminated meat used for our pets’ food and transform the sustain-

many diverse communities we serve ”

ability of the entire pet food industry

“Cell-based meat is the future of food for us and our pets, and this development marks an important milestone in our mission to disrupt the pet food industry for the better We walk the walk when it comes to taking steps to reduce the destructive impact the industr y has on our pets’ health and on our environment,” he said Wild Earth saw its growth skyrocket in 2020 after closing a deal with Mark Cuban on “Shark Tank” and has since secured a host of big name investors, including actor

Paul Wesley

“Wild Earth has always been on the cutting edge of plant-based pet food and I look for ward to seeing their continued growth as they step into the cell-based meat space, ” Cuban said

The cell-based broth topper will join the company ’ s premium line of high-quality, nutritionally complete, 100 percent vegan products, developed by a team of vets and animal food scientists, including Complete Protein Dog Food and Superfood Dog Treats GN

“We recognize that beginning farmers and ranchers have unique needs for education, training and technical assistance Their success, especially in the first 10 years, often hinges on access to reliable, science-based information and the latest educational resources so they can improve their operations’ profitability and sustainability long-term,” said NIFA Acting Director Dionne Toombs “This investment will benefit a rising generation of beginning farmers and ranchers that truly reflect the tapestr y of American agriculture and the

Snaketooth

Continued from PAGE 1

“We started with low-volume production, sent out samples and the response was very positive It was amazing,” he said “People tended to come up with weird and wonderful uses The strangest was using it on vanilla ice cream ” But, just what is Snaketooth?

“There’s a spicy element to it,” Francis said “It’s difficult to describe what it tastes like There’s nothing like this out there It has a slight kick to it, but it’s not overpowering ”

Hebinoha aims to work with highend restaurants to develop desserts using Snaketooth

One of the challenges of creating Snaketooth is a long lead time sourcing ingredients from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, which adds to the cost issue

“We don’t skimp on the ingredients,” Francis said

The sauce is aged in barrels with some of the yeast used in the sauce dating back to the 1600s – yes, you read that right, the 1600s

“When it came to ingredients, we had carte blanche to use the best-tasting products we could,” he said

While the sauce ’ s main ingredients are intriguing – Japanese Nama shoyu, misted Alba cinnamon, Spanish smoked pimentón, blue agave nectar from Mexico – it’s the botanicals that were chosen that gives Snaketooth its distinctive taste

USDA is investing in small businesses, particularly rural and agricultural enterprises, because they play a vital role in the American economy, Jacobs-Young said

“They embody the entrepreneurial spirit that America was built upon This latest investment strengthens federal research and development support for small businesses, including women- and minority-owned businesses, and enhances USDA’s efforts to rapidly scale innovation across the food supply chain ”

The investment is part of the NIFA Small Business Innovation Research program that targets early-stage private-sector projects Grant funding will support 34 research projects that propose innovative and dis-

“We don’t publicize the botanicals,” Francis said “It’s our secret ”

When the first batch of Snaketooth quickly sold out, the team considered using dynamic pricing

“It’s never been done before with a food product,” Francis said “Was somebody who wants it today willing to pay a higher price or somebody willing to wait six months pay a smaller price? So we had software written and added to the system and

ruptive solutions on topics ranging from food science and nutrition to natural resources conservation

“The projects we ’ re supporting demonstrate scientific originality, technical feasibility and strong commercial potential,” Toombs said “With this research, our small business partners are helping solve some of our most vexing agricultural problems ”

Funded projects include innovation in cleaning soft-serve ice cream machines Improperly cleaned soft-serve ice cream machines can be a source of contamination and foodborne illnesses Inventherm of Baton Rouge, La , is developing commercial soft serve ice cream and slush machines that use a novel, more cost-efficient sanitizing process

depends on sales, the price can drop down,” Francis said “The highest price we ’ ve hit was $260, which is where we cap it because otherwise, it could go crazy “The experiment, if you want to call it an experiment, has worked,” he said “We’re not restricting how many you can buy, but we ’ re basically saying if you want it today, it’s going to cost you because it’s what we have in stock If you ’ re prepared to wait six months, the base price is $35 ”

Dynamic pricing also allows Hebinohà to plan production, knowing how many people have ordered it and how many bottles are needed

“It’s never been done before with food,” Francis stressed again “It’s done with things like airline tickets, but not food ”

The process eliminates contamination and will save machine owners thousands of dollars annually This Phase II funding will allow an advanced prototype to be built and brought to the commercial market

Another project seeks to help the pear industry deliver ready-to-eat fruits to consumers Mirtech Inc of North Brunswick, N J , has developed a “dual-regulator system” that will provide new market opportunities other wise unavailable to the pear industr y due to consumer dissatisfaction with either over-ripening or under ripening of pears The system will not only provide “ready-to-eat ripeness” at the retail level, but will add 10 to 12 days of shelf life to benefit both retailers and consumers GN

Hebinohà hamburger

“Our goal is to get it out there as much as possible,” Francis said “We’re working with a restaurant group on a special dish they can make for a month as well as a dessert with vanilla ice cream, something that’s easy to prep ”

Hebinoha stresses to interested chefs that Snaketooth is an incomparable condiment, down to its name

“We were playing with words that had bite to it,” he said “We came up with Snaketooth Hebinohà is Japanese for snaketooth Snaketooth is in a whole category by itself It’s very difficult to replicate what we have ”

it did exactly what it was supposed to do ”

The software takes into account the rate of sales compared to the inventor y to set the price When we spoke in December, Snaketooth was selling in London for immediate deliver y for $260 Previously, someone bought six bottles for $200 each

“You have to check regularly because it

The company is producing about 400 bottles a month and with a new production facility, is expecting to produce 10,000 bottles a month sometime this year, at which time the dynamic pricing likely will end Each time Snaketooth is featured, whether it’s the New York Times or the U K Sunday Times, a spike in sales results, he said As Snaketooth slithers out on the market, though, word of mouth grows, too, about its versatility

“It works on ever ything – lamb, pork chops I put some on the side of a favorite recipe for chicken with chocolate recipe we have on our website We’re in talks with a gourmet hamburger place – a high-end place where it costs $20 for a hamburger We’re meeting with them about offering a

Because Snaketooth is so distinctive with a high price point, the company is also aware that it could be counterfeited as it gains market share

“We are in talks with some very high-end retailers,” Francis said “They’re specialty retailers It’s unlikely to ever go into a grocery store ”

Hebinohà is tinkering with the idea of store displays that show live pricing next to the product, like stock tickers

“That’s never been done before,” he said But then, Snaketooth has never been produced before

“You have to have a fairly unique product to do this,” Francis said “You can have the best ketchup in the world, but will people pay more for it or get another ketchup? Our product is like no other product It’s like Chanel or Prada purses – you can’t buy them anywhere else

“It’s a novel way to approach it,” he said “But it’s working for us ”

T H E B U S I N E S S N E W S P A P E R F O R T H E G O U R M E T I N D U S T R Y

Stonewall Home Key Lime Mousse Candle

A member of Stonewall Kitchen’s exceptional family of lifestyle brands, Stonewall Home brings customers high-quality home goods such as candles, room sprays and reed diffusers Brand new as a part of a January launch, the Key Lime Mousse Candle is an innovative take on a fragrance inspired by a favorite Florida confection Great for the coming of spring, this seasonal candle is a treat for the senses Light and refreshing notes of

key lime, sugar and whipped vanilla cream come together for a moder n take on a classic pie flavor Specially crafted with a luxurious soy blend and finished with handtrimmed, lead-free cotton wicks, it exhibits a beautifully creamy appearance with an excellent fragrance throw that will call customers back to warmweather getaways

www stonewallkitchen com

OMG! Pretzels S weet Surprise Pack

This collection of sweet flavors is sure to wow any sweet tooth Snack lovers will enjoy the classic blend of cinnamon and sugar with Sweet & Salty Pretzels, a hint of heat with Sweet & Spicy and Sweet Chili varieties, and some good old-fashioned nostalgia with Salty Butterscotch Pretzels

Each flavor is mouthwatering on its own, plus people can drizzle them with chocolate for some extra indulgence

OMG! Pretzels uses wholesome ingredients and carefully crafted family recipes to make delicious, bite-sized, sourdough pretzel nuggets that are perfect for every

White Coffee

White Coffee is a family owned, certified woman-owned business, started in 1939 As third-generation importer of fine Arabica coffee, White Coffee sells the finest coffees to thousands of residents in New York and across the United States each year As the company has grown, White Coffee has helped pioneer the growth of the specialty coffee industry Today, White Coffee continues to be an industry leader in sourcing and roasting the finest coffees available as well as featuring world-famous licensed brands such

occasion It’s the premium quality and unforgettable taste that make OMG! Pretzels the obvious choice for customers in search of a superior snack

The Sweet Surprise variety pack makes a wonderful gourmet gift for any foodie and is great for Valentine’s Day promotions Once you pop one in your mouth, OMG! comes popping out! For more information on becoming a retail partner, contact OMG! Pretzels or look the company up on Faire

OMG! Pretzels www omgpretzels com

Aussie S elect Australian Lamb

Ready for a SLICE of the action? Aussie Select® is a trailblazing brand of hand crafted, premium charcuterie featuring all-natural pastureraised Australian Lamb A cart-stopping new flavor experience for your customers, available in three flavors, presliced and 4ounce/pack: Lamb Pastrami, Agave Rosemary Lamb Ham and Tikka Masala Lamb Ham All products are Certified Halal, chef-developed and answer the call for unique food that reflects today’s desire for new flavors

Fall River Wild Rice

Interest in plants and grains is soaring, as shoppers look for new ways to eat healthy High in protein and fiber, nutty and with a striking visual appeal, wild rice is one of the healthiest grains available It was a staple food of several Native American tribes, who called it “manoomin,” or “precious grain ” Fall River Wild Rice brings this culinary gem to your store shelf This naturally cultivated wild rice is great in salads, soups and stir fries However, it also works well in mixes for pancakes and muffins and even in chocolate and desserts Fall River’s Fully Cooked Wild Rice is high-protein goodness in seconds

and great taste, health and wellness and sustainability Need more? Eighty-nine percent of consumers stated they definitely or probably would buy Aussie Select products Lamb is outgrowing all traditional meat offerings and the total fresh meat category, and charcuterie interest has increased 428 percent in the past five years Let’s talk! Contact Jaclyn Glatzer

as newly added Peanuts, Baileys and Mars Wrigley, to name a few The company has built its business one customer at a time, cup by cup, with excellent quality and attentive customer service

White Coffee is based in Long Island City, N Y , and is a third-generation, certified woman- owned business, in operation since 1939 Its products are available in retail outlets throughout the United States and online

White Coffee 800 221 0140 www.whitecoffee.com

STAR Double-Stuffed Jalap eño and Garlic Olives

Both garlic stuffed and jalapeño stuffed varieties are growing faster than the category and STAR has combined the two popular flavors into its new, colossal sized, flavorpacked olives

Introducing STAR Double-Stuffed Jalapeño and Garlic Olives Harvested while still young, these large-sized olives pack a whole lot of flavor

Featuring artisanal quality, these are the perfect balance of flavors, not too spicy and not too salty Enjoy straight out of the jar, in charcuterie platters or use as a spicy garnish for your favorite drinks

Contact Borges USA for more product information

Borges USA www.borgesusa.com

The only cereal grain native to North America, wild rice is not even a rice at all It is the seed of Zizania palustris, a tall, blooming water grass that prospers in the Great Lakes region, as well as in the fruitful valley in the shadows of the Sierra Nevadas and the Rockies Fall River Wild Rice is a small grower-owned cooperative in the Fall River Valley, a rural mountain valley nestled between the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges

Fall River Wild Rice 800 626 4366 www.fallriverwildrice.com

Stonewall Kitchen, Vermont Coffee Comp any Bring Jolts of Java

Customers can wake up and smell the coffee with Stonewall Kitchen and Vermont Coffee Company, an exceptional member of its family of brands With a combined focus to bring unique, feel-good flavors to pantries and shelves, these brands let customers enjoy specialty products right in the comfort of home From baking mixes to coffee beans, there’s so much to love about these buzzworthy offerings

Perfect for pairing with a daily cup of joe, Stonewall Kitchen’s new Java Coffee Cake Mix bakes up moist and fluffy for a decadent mor ning slice Balancing cinnamon and sugar with a rich crumb topping, it all gets topped off with a decadent espresso glaze that can be prepared with a few tablespoons of a favorite brew Customers will love the burst of coffee flavor in every bite, which makes for a sweet and balanced a m treat

Still not enough caffeine? Look no farther than Vermont Coffee Company’s bold blends There’s nothing quite like enjoying breakfast pastries with a cup of their newest brews in natural flavors such as sweet maple, roasted hazelnut and rich vanilla For customers who prefer a darker roast, the Italian Rustica blend is now available ground and boasts smoky notes of spice and dark cocoa Every bag features organic, non-GMO arabica beans

that are roasted with 100 percent r e n e w a b l e energy for a cup customers can feel good about With a variety of both ground and whole bean offerings, Vermont Coffee Company is the solution to crafting any café concoction

Thanks to these coffee-packed products, customers will feel ready to tackle the day

From brewed blends in the coffee pot to baked goods fresh out of the oven, Stonewall Kitchen and Vermont Coffee Company unlock the best potential for a sweet mor ning This is just the start –there’s a whole latte goodness for coffee lovers to try across Stonewall Kitchen’s incredible family of brands!

Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

Stonewall

Stonewall Kitchen

World Select Cuts www worldselectcuts com

Try Ariston’s newest arrivals from Greece

These gorgeous infused salts come with their own adjustable stainless-steel mill They are both a gourmet food item and a little kitchen tool all in one A must in every kitchen and store counter

They come in the following flavors:

• Plain Sea Salt from Greece

• Greek Salad Infused Sea Salt (beautiful blend of rosemary, oregano and sundried tomato) pairs well with Ariston Select EVOO & Med Herb infused olive oil)

• Garlic & Basil infused sea salt Excellent with Ariston traditional balsamic, caprese salads, cheeses; great with pasta and Italian meat, too; beautiful color as well

• Lemon & Turmeric infused sea salt Excellent with chicken, seafood, rice, potatoes, eggs and anywhere that needs the brightness of lemon flavor and the healthy and earth flavor of turmeric

• Black Sea Salt (sea salt with all natural cuttlefish black ink) Keep your guests guessing what’s your secret ingredient

Tastes like sea salt with a subtle hint of seafood Also works excellent as a salt rim for a cocktail and bloody Mary drink

• Smoked Sea Salt Excellent with all meats and seafood It tastes like you have

been smoking your food for hours without all the work Excellent and bold flavor – a little goes a long way

• Plain Pink Himalayan (from the Himalayan Mountains)

Try them all!

Ariston Specialties 860.263.8498 www.aristonspecialties.com

Jake’s Nut Ro asters New Brine & Dill Almonds

Jake, a fourth-generation member of the Jasper family, is proud to continue the farming traditions of his great-grandfather that have been passed down for over 70 years Jake’s Nut Roasters is pleased to announce its newest flavor to the Jake’s can lineup: Brine & Dill Almonds

Already becoming a consumer favorite, Jake’s Brine & Dill Almonds are bursting with the bold flavors of vinegar and dill They provide a little tanginess with just the right amount of dill pickle flavor, the perfect addition to your snacking routine These almonds are “Straight from Jake’s Orchard” showcasing the company’s vertical integration and commitment to sustainable growing practices Jake’s almonds provide the quintessential plant-based protein and make eating

this healthy snack both fun and satisfying!

Produced in a dedicated peanut-free facility, these premium Califor nia almonds are dry roasted and seasoned in small batches to deliver exceptional quality Jake’s Nut Roasters 7 ounce cans have a cool, classic appearance that look great on store shelves, kitchen counters, and table centerpieces They also make the perfect gift

A commitment to quality and innovation has propelled many fine Jasper Specialty Foods products into the hands of health-conscious almond lovers around the world Jake’s Nut Roasters can also be found on Amazon

Jasper Specialty Foods 800 255 1641 www jasperspecialtyfoods com www.jakesnutroasters.com

Halladay’s Har vest Barn The Dude Box

Halladay’s Harvest Bar n would like to introduce you to its wildly popular gift boxes With catchy names and fun graphics, these boxes are the perfect grab and go gift for the holiday season

Food is such a fun practical indulgence for holiday gifting Gift boxes such as The Happy Camper, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner and You had me at Bacon, are a few of the company’s fourth quarter favorites

The Dude Box has been the best-selling

holiday gift for the guy in everyone’s life –because no one knows what to get for their dude A man party in a box, this gift is perfect for game night or any event Included are five mixes guys will dig: Garlic Chipotle Dip Mix, Cheddar Ale Dip Mix, BBQ Rub for Chicken and Ribs, Classic Vermont Beer Bread Mix and Steakhouse Burger Seasoning

Halladay’s Har vest Barn 802.463.3471

www halladays com

Le Gruyère AOP

Do you know Le Gruyère AOP?

• Le Gruyère AOP is produced using raw milk

• Le Gruyère AOP is natural – there are no additives, no GMOs and no preservatives

• Le Gruyère AOP is naturally gluten and lactose free

• E a c h w h e e l o f G r u y è re A O P i s a g e d f o r a m i n i m u m o f f i v e m o n t h s b e f o re b e i n g re l e a s e d f o r s a l e a n d c a n b e a g e d f o r b e t w e e n 1 4 a n d 1 8 m o n t h s I t c a n b e k e p t f o r m o re t h a n 2 4 m o n t h s f o r c h e e s e l o v e r s l o o k i n g f o r a n e v e n s t ro n g e r f l av o r

• A wheel of Gruyère AOP weighs between 25 and 40 kg

What does AOP mean?

Protected Designation of Origin To be considered AOP, you have to have:

• A tradition

• A limited production zone

• A name

• A knowhow and a history

• A product

Production process has been maintained since the origins of Gruyère AOP back in the year 1115 and is strictly respected by the milk producers, the cheesemakers and the affineurs who follow the rules of the AOP specifications

Le Gruyère AOP www.gruyere.com

Stonewall Home Jasmine Berry Candle

Stonewall Home, a member of Stonewall Kitchen’s family of brands, is dedicated to bringing high-quality home goods to customers’ everyday lives

From candles to reed diffusers, it crafts high-quality fragrances that delight the senses with every use Joining a wonderful array of scents, the new seasonal Jasmine Berry Candle is a great way to transition from winter to spring

This candle is truly captivating with its notes of pomegranates and jasmine that

are accented with rhubarb and berries It’s made with a creamy soy wax blend for a dreamy appearance and finished with handtrimmed, lead-free cotton wicks, which provide a lowsmoke bur n and excellent fragrance throw

Crafted down to the last detail, this dazzling Stonewall Home candle will help shine a light on life’s best moments

Stonewall Kitchen www stonewallkitchen com

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars’ Matterhorn Alpine Cheddar Cheese

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Inc Matterhor n Alpine Cheddar Cheese is a homestead cheddar with a blend of select Alpine cultures added for the most unique tasting Cheddar on the market It’s aged for a minimum of eight months

The Widmer family has been handcrafting Cheddar since 1922 in small batches using original family recipes In recent years, Widmer Cheddars have more age to satisfy the palate of the distinctive, artisanstyle cheese lover Original family recipes and select cultures (with no shortcuts) gives the Cheddars a more sophisticated and complex flavor profile Widmer still

washes the Cheddar curds before salting and placing in forms to lower the amount of lactose, which reduces bitterness in the final product The super aged Cheddars have an intense flavor with hints of caramel and are known for being very smooth without the bitterness associated with some aged Cheddars They are also available with jalapeño peppers

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Cheddar can be purchased in 8ounce pieces, 1-pound pieces, 5pound pieces, and 40-pound blocks

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars 888.878.1107 www.widmerscheese.com

New Hard S eltzer from Sp arkling Ice

Sparkling Ice SPIKED™ is Sparkling Ice’s entry into the burgeoning alcoholic bubbly beverages category

The new full-flavored spiked seltzer is offered in four flavors: Cherry Lime Cooler, Lemonade Refresher, Ruby Fizz and Strawberry Citrus

Smash, each with 4 percent alcohol, zero sugar and only 80 calories It’s offered in slim 12-ounce cans in a 12-can variety pack

Sparkling Ice www.sparklingicespiked.com

TRADESHOWCALENDAR

(dates subject to change)

January 15-18

Winter Fancy Food Show Las Vegas, Nevada www specialtyfood com

February 1-3

North American Association of

Equipment Mfg Orlando, Florida www nafem org

February 26-28

National Grocers Association Las Vegas, Nevada www nationalgrocers org

March 2-3

Tastemaker Conference Chicago, Illinois www tastemakerconference com

March 5-7

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York New York City, New York www internationalrestaurantny com

March 5-7

Coffee Fest New York City, New York www coffeefest com/new-york

March 5-7

Healthy Food Expo New York City, New York www internationalrestaurantny com

March 7-11

Natural Products Expo West Anaheim, California www expowest com

March 28-30

International Pizza Expo Las Vegas, Nevada www pizzaexpo pizzatoday com

April 18-19

Ingredient Marketplace, SupplySide East Secaucus, New Jersey east supplysideshow com

May 7-10

Craft Brewers & Brew Expo America Nashville, Tennessee www brewersassociation org

May 8-11

Food Safety Summit Rosemont, Illinois www foodsafetysummit com

May 22-25

Sweets and Snacks Expo Chicago, Illinois www sweetsandsnacks com

June 4-6

Dairy Deli Bake Seminar & Expo Anaheim, California www iddba org

June 16-18

International Society of Sports Nutrition Fort Lauderdale, Florida www sportsnutritionsociety org

June 25-27

Summer Fancy Food Show New York City, New York www specialtyfood com

July 9-11

School Nutrition Association Denver, Colorado www schoolnutrition org

August 28-30

Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Los Angeles, California www westernfoodexpo com

(included) CPG Collective to Debut at Winter Fancy Food Show

On the heels of launching its successful partnership with the Specialty Food Association at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, (included) CPG, a collective of BIPOC founders and executives in consumer packaged goods, will make its Winter Fancy Food Show debut Jan 15-17 in Las Vegas

The SFA has supported (included) since June of 2022 with the first cohort of (included) members joining the SFA at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City The SFA continues to invest in creating a more inclusive specialty food industry by sponsoring an additional 10 BIPOC makers from (included) at the 2023 Winter Fancy Food Show

“The Specialty Food Association is a notfor-profit membership trade association working toward a more inclusive specialty food industry,” said Bill Lynch, president,

SFA “In partnering with (included), we are able to reach a broader spectrum of BIPOC owners and makers who we can showcase at our Fancy Food Shows ”

The exhibitors from (included) are: HibisBloom, Mojave Mallows, Niramaya Foods, One Stripe Chai, Power Up Foods, Route to India, SANCHI Foods, Urja,Wild Orchard and Wonder Monday

“As BIPOC founders whose mission is to make an impact at scale for both people and the planet there are so many challenges we face each and every day that make it an uphill battle So we are extremely thankful and appreciative of the efforts made by (included) CPG and the Specialty Food Association to empower us with your resources, support, and advocacy to help us realize our dreams,” said Michael D Ham, president, Wild Orchard GN

Top Food, Beverage Personalities to Appear at Foodie Con

FoodieCon, a first-of-its-kind celebration of the most influential digital content creators in the food and beverage community, will take place Feb at the Loews Miami Beach FoodieCon offers a day of social-mediaworthy cooking demos, interactive panels with digital thought leaders, immersive activations and photo opportunities, book signings, and more – all culminated by a poolside reception with the culinary industry’s top creators

The inaugural FoodieCon will take place at the 2023 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One It will feature digital trailblazers such as Everything Delish, Jeremy Scheck, Black Forager, Jessica Woo, Salt Hank, Nick Di Giovanni, Owen Han, Wishbone Kitchen, Golden Balance, Robert Lucas, Succulent

Questex’s Vibe Conference, an on-premise beverage conference for beverage executives, has announced that founders of One Fair Wage, Sorel Liqueur and Archer Roose will deliver keynote presentations The annual conference, which features informative, high-level content, product tastings, and networking opportunities, takes place Feb 27-March 1 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina in San Diego

“Continued labor challenges, inflationary pressures, and changes in consumer behavior are having a dramatic impact on the beverage industry,” said Tim McLucas, vice president & market leader, Bar & Restaurant Group “Continued success will require developing and maintaining strong industry relationships, keeping up with the latest trends, and understanding how to utilize this data in strategic decision-making Vibe Conference is committed to helping the industry meet these challenges and our keynote presenters will deliver timely and actionable information that helps beverage executives ”

Bite, The Pasta Queen, Lynja, and more

The event is being launched in collaboration with Digital Brand Architects, the industr y leader in influencer management and marketing, representing a world-class portfolio of diverse social media-oriented creators and personalities With SOBEWFF as the backdrop, FoodieCon is the definitive insider’s mecca for food culture, content creation, and networking with the best and brightest in the industry

As one of SOBEWFF’s newest signature e v e n t s , F o o d i e C o n a l s o f u rt h e r e l e v a t e s t h e a n n u a l e v e n t ’ s c h a r i t a b l e m i s s i o n

Heading into its 22nd year, SOBEWFF has r a i s e d m o re t h a n $ 3 4 m i l l i o n t o d a t e f o r t h e C h a p l i n S c h o o l o f H o s p i t a l i t y & Tourism Management at Florida International University G N

In “Driving Industry Change,” Saru Jayaraman, founder and president of One Fair Wage and Director, Food Labor Research Center, UC Berkeley, will share her efforts, experience, and the promising results of improving wages for restaurant team members

In “The Truer Vision,” Jackie Summers, the first Black licensed distiller in America and the founder of Sorel Liqueur, and Dr Hoby Wedler, blind from birth, earned his PhD in organic chemistry and is a sensory expert, entrepreneur and educator will discuss how a common desire to make the world more accessible

In “Drinking Our Way to a Cleaner Planet,” Marian Leitner, founder and CEO, and Elizabeth Banks, well-known and highly regarded actor, director, producer, and chief creative officer of leading canned wine company, Archer Roose, will discuss the importance of sustainability within the wine category as well as the company ’ s own efforts to “drink their way to a cleaner planet” one canned wine at a time