Gourmet News • February 2022

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VOLUME 87 • NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2022 • $7.00 • Goya Foods Applauded for Humanitarian Efforts PAGE 6

• Rhino Foods Workers Migrate Temporarily to Solve Labor Shortage PAGE 8

• What Brands Are Vegans Looking for Online?

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• Vertical Farming System Reshaping Agriculture With High-Yield Crops PAGE 11

• Caddo Mountain Spring Water Plans Mixed-Use Visitors Center in Arkansas PAGE 14

• Featured Products PAGE 19

• Food Safety Summit Puts E. coli on ‘Trial’ in May PAGE 22

• Advertiser Index PAGE 22

B U S I N E S S

N E W S P A P E R

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I N D U S T R Y

Breakfast Becoming Big Business, Better-for-You Products Increasing

BY A.J. FLICK

Health experts still insist breakfast is the most important meal of the day and judging by market numbers, millions of people worldwide agree. Coupled with trends toward healthier eating as well as nostalgia, the breakfast food market is expected to reach $729.5 billion by 2030, according to Allied Market Research.

That’s a lot of bacon being brought home.

Speaking of which, the United States is the world’s third-largest producer and consumer of pork and pork products, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. In addition, the United

States is usually either the top or runner-up as the world’s largest exporter of pork and pork products, accounting for more that 20 percent of commercial port exportation.

But that’s pork production on a grand scale. Take it down to ground level and you’ll find that today’s bacon lovers can indulge without sacrificing their desire for products with accountability and sustainability – and even plant-based products that

BY A.J. FLICK

blood cannot be used for energy, which results in high blood sugar, a factor often leading to diabetes.

Mice on the high-fat plus black beans diet also decreased low density lipoprotein cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol, by 28 percent and triglyceride levels 37 percent compared to mice eating the high-fat diet without black beans. High bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol levels

Leading flavor creator Torani raised a lot of eyebrows when it announced its inaugural Pourcast Flavor of the Year: Salted Egg Yolk Syrup.

But it brought a smile to expert bartender Ty Young’s face.

“My dad is Chinese-American and my mother is Japanese-American,” said Young, who owns and operates Shaken & Stirred, a bartending staffing and consulting service in Tucson, Arizona. “I’ve grown up with Asian food from the moment I can remember eating.

“One of my favorite treats at dim sum is Harm Tarn Soh. The salted egg yolk taste and flavor are so distinctive that my mind takes me back to my time visiting Macau as a youngster,” said Young, who was event mixologist for James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Bianco’s restaurants.

“These pastries were actually created in France, but were brought to China during the spice and silk trading efforts by Marco Polo.

The flavor took hold throughout China and Southeast Asia.

“It blows me away that Toriani was able to not just capture the taste and flavor, but also the

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taste as good, or better, than bacon and sausage from years past.

“There’s a lot of bad bacon out

‘Mouse-Size’ Portion of Black Beans Shows Big Impact On Human Health Adding cooked black beans to a high-fat diet improved sensitivity to insulin and diabetes-related conditions and restored gut bacteria balance in obese mice, according to a USDA Agricultural Research Service study.

As small as the mouse-size equivalent of a single serving a day of black beans,

which is about a half cup for a human, lowered insulin resistance 87 percent in obese mice compared to obese mice eating the same high-fat diet without the black beans. Insulin resistance is when a body’s response to the hormone insulin is blocked so glucose in the

Asian Flavors Inspire Torani’s Newest Flavor

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Coffee Behavior Study Finds Genetic Link to Better Health Outlook A study that sought to explore how the bitter taste of plantbased drinks plays in coffeedrinking behavior, as opposed to getting a “caffeine fix,” discovered a genetic link to similar bitter products such as tea, beer and dark chocolate and extended to genetics and health.

The study says those who drink coffee unaltered by milk or sweeteners may have a genetic disposition toward better health.

The study, written by Marilyn C. Cornelis and Rob M. van Dam and published in Nature Scientific Reports, focused on coffee because it’s a widely consumed

beverage globally that is naturally bitter and contains caffeine. Previous genome-wide association studies didn’t include how coffee’s bitter taste could be altered by adding milk or sweetener.

Cornelis and van Dam set out to test whether previous findings that showed genetic variants related to taste were more strongly linked with drinking unaltered coffee than with milk or sweetener.

Genetic markers of coffee and caffeine consumption are often used as variables to seek a link to coffee/caffeine and health, according to the study. For example, evidence for a link between unaltered

coffee and type 2 diabetes is different from a link between any coffee and type 2 diabetes.

The new study suggests that the psychostimulant effects of caffeine outweighs the anticipated bitterness, drawing those who associate bitterness with the physiological effects of caffeine not only to the smell and taste of coffee, but dark chocolate, too.

Conversely, those who associate bitterness to ill effects of caffeine show an avoidance of unaltered coffee.

“Taste preferences and physiological caffeine effects thus seem to become entangled in a way that

is difficult to distinguish for individuals,” the study states.

Coffee and tea are among the most widely consumed beverages in the world, according to a 2018 study by Reyes and Cornelis.

Consumption of these plantbased beverages has been associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

“Coffee and caffeine have been linked to beneficial and adverse health effects. Our findings may allow us to identify subgroups of people most likely to benefit from increasing or decreasing coffee consumption for optimal health,” Cornelis said. GN

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GOURMET NEWS

FROM THE EDITOR

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FEBRUARY 2022

GOURMET NEWS

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I’m not a morning person. I don’t think I ever was.

Long before the FOMO (fear of missing out) idea was coined, there were many nights growing up when I wished I could stay up late and watch TV or movies with my parents. The older I got, the more I realized I’m a night owl. Yes, I can get up early and I do, when I have to. But there’d better be breakfast ready if I have to get up early. I love breakfast. Several of my comfort food memories center around breakfast.

When my siblings and I were little, it was the delight of sharing “bowl eggs” (soft-boiled eggs mushed up with butter and crackers in a FireKing handled bowl – I still have one of those bowls). My dad often would make them for us and we’d get quality time with him before he left for work. Later, when we moved overseas, we discovered S.O.S. (politely speaking, creamed beef on toast) at the Officer’s Club on base. S.O.S. became a family staple and after living in Southeast Asia for a few years, we replaced the toast with rice. It became a Christmas morning breakfast tradition. My sister and I took a crosscountry road trip in our 20s and my mission was to find the best

chicken-fried steak breakfast along the way. It turned out to be at a rest stop in Oklahoma.

So it was a lot of fun to set breakfast as our editorial theme for February. We talked to Camilo Velasquez at The Baconer, who shared his love of all things bacon and introduced me to the delicious concept of ground bacon. Then there was Lance Avery of Big Fork Foods, another bacon devotee who set out to also satisfy the palates of flexitarians craving sausage. Breakfast just got a lot better for everyone.

There’s a lot more going on with our February issue. Do you have the coffee gene? I’m pretty sure I don’t. Torani surprised a lot of people with its new Flavor of the Year, but I found one adventurous bartender who knew exactly how to use it. This month also sees the publication of our Spring Cheese Guide, where we had a lot of fun talking about queso and seeing the vast array of cheese out there. Check it out. GN — AJ Flick Senior Editor aj_flick@oser.com

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FEBRUARY 2022

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New Products: Reduced-Sugar Juice Products Close to Landing on Retail Shelves Israeli startup Better Juice sealed its first commercial deal to bring reduced-sugar juices one step closer to U.S. supermarket beverage aisles. The company inked an agreement with a major U.S. fruit juice manufacturer for commercial installment of its sugar-reduction technology.

This is Better Juice’s first official commercial venture in its long-term collaboration with GEA Group, AG, Germany, a world leader in process engineering for the food and beverage sectors. The two companies joined forces in a strategic move to scale up and promote the sugar-reduction technology throughout the global beverage market.

Better Juice was granted a patent for its sugar-reduction enzymatic process in Eu-

rope. Armed with recent self-affirmed GRAS status, the company is out to market its innovative system to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide.

Better-Juice’s patented enzymatic technology uses all-natural ingredients to convert fructose, glucose, and sucrose sugars into prebiotic and other non-digestible fibers. The juice passes through a continuous flow bioreactor housing non-GMO microorganisms that transform the unwanted sugars into beneficial, non-digestible molecules. It boasts capabilities to reduce sugar loads by up to 80 percent, while preserving the full complement of vitamins and other nutrients. The process moderates the sweetness of the juice, while intensifying the fruit flavor.

According to the first commercial order, the fruit drinks manufacturer will produce natural juices with a minimum sugar reduction of 30 percent, and anticipates the product to arrive in supermarkets by spring 2022.

Meantime, the plant-based meat trend shows no sign of slowing.

Plant-based chicken is one of the hottest, highgrowth categories in the space, rising at 18 percent in the last year, according to SPINS. NotCo has debuted NotChicken to the Latin Amer-

ican market and added four SKUs to its portfolio: NotChickenNuggets, NotChickenBurger, NotChickenBurgerCrispy and NotChickenFillet.

NotCo also produces NotMilk, NotBurger, NotMeat, NotIceCream and NotMayo in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Colombia. In fewer than five years, NotCo has become the fastest-growing food tech company in Latin America, achieving a valuation of $1.5 billion.

NotCo’s NotChicken line is available in Chile, Argentina and Brazil in more than 980 retail partners. The brand also plans to introduce NotChicken in North America.

A flurry of dairy products was introduced in late 2021, including an Apple Pie parfait made with Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt in a collaboration between Danone North America and 7-Eleven. The 6ounce parfait contains 12 grams of protein with the crunch and crave-worthy flavors of apples, cinnamon and granola with a pecan topper.

“7-Eleven customers are looking for convenience when they shop with us, so offering them a delicious, proteinpacked option like the Apple Pie parfait was a no brainer,” said Surbhi Martin, vice president, Greek and functional nutrition, Danone North America.

The treat debuted in 7-Eleven stores before the holidays.

Gelson’s stores began selling Californiabased Challenge Dairy Products’ new spreadable butter with avocado oil in late 2021. The product combines the delicious flavor of freshly churned Challenge butter with the added benefits and clean flavor of pure avocado oil.

The butter is made with simple highquality ingredients: fresh butter, pure avocado oil and sea salt. The spreadable butter is packaged in a 6.5-ounce tub and has a suggested retail price of $2.99. Additional retail availability will follow.

On the ice cream front, Perry’s Ice Cream created its newest flavor in partnership with the Buffalo Bills and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams gave consumers five holiday flavors.

Perry’s Ice Cream Company launched Hey-EySundae!, which blends nougat ice cream with salty caramel swirls and brownie dough pieces. The latest creation in Perry’s longstanding collaboration with the Buffalo Bills, it also kicks off a charitable partnership with the Buffalo Bills Foundation.

The flavor’s name is inspired by the Bills’ “Shout” fight song, the iconic anthem that unites generations of Bills fans. The ice

cream is available in 1.5-quart cartons at retailers across Western New York, Central New York and Erie, Pennsylvania, including most Tops Markets, Wegmans, Dash’s, Shurfine and Country Fair locations. It will also be available at participating Perry’s scoop shops across these regions.

A portion of the proceeds from every sale will be donated to the Buffalo Bills Foundation, which is dedicated to preventing child hunger, increasing access to nutritious food for families and supporting healthy eating in the Western New York region. Perry’s made an additional $5,000 donation to the foundation on Giving Tuesday.

The holidays got sweeter for fans of Ohio-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams with five seasonal flavors: White Chocolate Peppermint, Cognac with Gingerbread, Pistachio Macaron, Sugar Plum and Mexican Hot Chocolate. The holiday delights were available online for nationwide shipping, at Jeni’s scoop shops across the country and in select grocery stores.

One cannot survive on ice cream alone, so companies are producing better-for-you products, including Wilderness Poets’ new umami-rich miso crystals. The family-owned Oregon company has released two varieties of probiotic-filled Organic White Chickpea Miso Crystals, allowing consumers to get a taste of Japanese umami one sprinkle at a time.

Available in two varieties – pure Miso Crystals and Miso Crystals with Wakame Seaweed and Chives – the soy-free miso crystals are made from dried organic chickpea miso paste with no additives, preservatives or stabilizers. The flavor-packed flakes can instantly transform any dish into an umami-rich experience.

The Organic Miso Crystals with Wakame Seaweed and Chives offer a convenient and reliable way of making the perfect, hassle-free miso soup, ramen broth or warm stews. Meanwhile, the plain Miso Crystals can be used as both a traditional soup and a seasoning atop staples including avocado toast, rice or even popcorn.

This authentically cultured superfood features Brown Rice Koji, a rice inoculated with the beneficial fungus Aspergillus oryzae – making it a versatile and gut-healthy ingredient, rich in live probiotics, essential minerals, potassium, folic acid and Vi-

tamins B, E, and K. In functional beverages, there are even more hemp- and cannabis-infused products on the market these days, including Kona Gold’s new line of beverages and Branded Legacy’s additions to its Spikes CBDX and Elev8 Hemp beverage lines.

Florida-based Kona Gold Beverage, which enjoyed record revenues and company growth in 2021, is developing a new line of hemp drinks, Ooh La Lemin Sparkling Lemonade, expected to be launched in Q1 of this year. In addition, the company is rebranding its Kona Gold Hemp Energy Drinks, expected to be rolled out in March.

Ooh La Lemin Sparkling Lemonade, which will be produced in 12-ounce cans, is made with all-natural ingredients, is gluten and GMO free and it has 10 calories.

Six flavors are planned: Blue Raspberry, Citrus Splash, Cucumber Watermelon, Huckleberry, Original and Pineapple Mango.

Florida-based Branded Legacy, which develops hemp- and cannabinoid-infused beverages, credited its new leadership and sales team for doubling sales from December 2020 to December 2021. Building on this growth, the company is adding new products to its Spikes CBDX and Elev8 Hemp lines, set for the first quarter of this year.

Speaking of functional beverages, Shire City Herbals is introducing its proprietary Apple Cider Vinegar Cleansing Tonic for those who want to improve gut health this year.

The 2-Day Cleanse features certified organic ingredients: apple cider vinegar, honey, ginger root, lemon and cayenne chile pepper. It was born from customer requests to have an easy way to reset their digestive system on an intermittent basis.

The 2-Day Cleanse is available online starting at $19.99 and will be exclusively directto-consumer through the beginning of 2022. GN

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FEBRUARY 2022

Dry Fly Distilling Toasts New Distillery Dry Fly Distilling had plans for a new distillery. Then the pandemic hit, with its supply chain crisis. But that didn’t faze the Washingcomton-based pany, which moved into its new Spokane digs in late 2021.

“You always know a move will be difficult, but moving a distillery and installing all new

production equipment – much of which is coming from overseas – is really next level,” said Don Poffenroth, Dry Fly’s and president founder. “Plans for a new distillery were in the works before the pandemic and we knew it would be a huge undertaking. I’m so proud of our new home. It

makes all the obstacles we faced worth it.

We can’t wait to show it off to our fans!”

The new 24,000-square-foot facility increases production capacity from 20,000 proof gallons to 75,000 with the ability to expand. The distillery started with four 650 proof gallon fermenters, but can house as many as 10 along with an additional column still.

The bigger space will allow the bottling line to be optimized at 1000 bottles per hour and increase the canning capacity of the popular On the Fly cocktails from 40 cans a minute to 100.

With the new distillery, Dry Fly will go from 16 to 35 employees.

Other amenities include a tasting room for visitors to sample products and buy favorites, a full-service restaurant, offices and an event space for groups up to 50.

“In an effort to get things up and running as quickly as possible, we have been opening in stages,” said Poffenroth. “At long last, we are fully operational and welcoming visitors to the distillery for tours as well as to our bottle shop, restaurant and new meeting space. It’s really a dream come true.” GN

Goya Foods Applauded for Humanitarian Efforts The Rotary Club of Houston awarded Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, the Rotary Lombardi Humanitarian Award for humanitarian efforts and continued support of its communities. This prestigious national award, last given 10 years ago, was presented to Goya President/CEO Bob Unanue at the 48th Rotary Lombardi Award, an annual event that recognizes the nation’s best college football linemen and celebrates the memory of one of football’s greatest coaches.

“Goya Foods is a great humanitarian company with kind and compassionate people – recognized not only for their gen-

erous giving, but for encouraging others to serve their communities,” said David Schwarz, 2021 general chairman of the Rotary Lombardi Award.

“In addition to supporting significant issues such as human trafficking and cancer research, Goya donated over 4.5 million pounds of food nationally and in Houston during the pandemic so that families in need, our healthcare workers and front-line heroes were nurtured, fed and felt appreciated.”

Through the Goya Gives initiative, the company supports hundreds of non-profit organizations, events, scholarships, programs and humanitarian relief efforts. In re-

sponse to the recent tornadoes in the South, Goya donated more than 50,000 pounds of food to victims in Kentucky with the help of local non-profit organizations.

In 2021, Goya launched Goya Cares, a global initiative dedicated to eliminating child trafficking.

“It is a great honor to receive the Rotary Lombardi Humanitarian Award® on behalf

of Goya Foods and all of our employees who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic so that we could donate much-needed food during these difficult times. I am so proud of our Great Goya Family and to accept this award in honor of their commitment and dedication to the success of Goya and the communities we serve,” Unanue said. GN

Coca-Cola United Begins $42 Million Expansion of Baton Rouge Facility Coca-Cola Bottling Company United has broken ground on a $42 million expansion of its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, campus. The project includes expanding the existing warehouse, optimizing distribution operations and installing a leading-edge warehousing system.

Coca-Cola United will expand the existing warehouse by 120,000 square feet and install a state-of- the-art Vertique case picking system that features the latest technology in the beverage industry.

The system turns the case picking process into a more organized and efficient operation, putting less stress on associates.

The expansion is expected to create up to 15 direct jobs to supplement the 558 jobs that will be retained on-site at the Baton Rouge facility.

“As a Louisiana native, I’m so proud to see what Coca-Cola United is doing across our state,” said Susanne Hall, west region vice president. “Including our plans for Baton Rouge, we will have invested more than $100 million in our Louisiana operations over the past five years. This shows our strong commitment to the Capitol Region and to the entire state of Louisiana.”

“Every square inch of space has been thoughtfully designed and utilized,” said

Scott McCallister, Louisiana division director.

New machinery and equipment will support increased capacity and productivity, including a generator, recycling equipment, storage racks, forklifts, conveyors, power switches, gears, lighting and fire suppression systems.

Site preparation and construction is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2022, with completion slated for August 2023.

Baton Rouge Coca-Cola has been in operation for 115 years, when the first bottle was filled at a small building at the corner of Europe and St. Louis streets in down-

town Baton Rouge. The current facility at 9696 Plank Road was built in 2009.

With the expansion, the total size of the Baton Rouge facility will increase to 900,000 square feet. The facility distributes approximately 10 million cases in the Baton Rouge market and 11 million cases to six other United facilities across Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. The facility serves more than 8,000 customers.

The Baton Rouge facility expansion follows the July announcement of plans to invest more than $15 million for renovations at its Lafayette, Louisiana, distribution facility. GN

Quinn Snacks Bolsters Executive Team Quinn, a Colorado-based natural foods company known for reimagining classic snacks, announces that Kristy Lewis will elevate to chief visionary officer and chairwoman of the board as Mike Keown steps in as chief executive officer.

Since 2010, Lewis has delivered snack industry firsts including the first microwave popcorn in a patented Pure Pop Bag made with compostable paper, the first whole-grain gluten-free pretzels, the

first gluten-free Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets and the recently launched gluten-free Maple Almond Filled Pretzel Nuggets and Plant-Based Cheezy Filled Pretzel Nuggets.

After successfully building Quinn into the No. 1 driver of growth in the pretzel subcategory and the fifth largest driver of growth in the entire salty snack category in both the Natural Channel and Whole Foods Market, Lewis is transitioning into the CVO

role so she can focus on innovation, mission and the vision of the company.

Quinn launched its Farm-to-Bag transparency policy in 2012 and Be Better. Do Better. mission in 2019, which aims to make a critical impact in the food industry by supporting and helping farmers take the first steps toward a more regenerative farming approach.

Lewis’s new roles will allow her to dive back into why she started Quinn in the first

place, to challenge the status quo in the food industry. She founded Quinn in Boulder with a passion to reimagine nostalgic classic snack categories.

Mike Keown is former CEO at Honey Stinger, a fast-growing sports nutrition brand in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He brings more than 30 years of CPG leadership experience with a successful track record at companies such as Farmer Brothers, WhiteWave Foods and Minute Maid. GN

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FEBRUARY 2022

Westrock Coffee Expands Plants, Launches Overseas Operations Westrock Coffee Company is expanding its operations and beverage capabilities with the purchase of a facility in Arkansas that will be the largest facility of its type in the United States. Westrock Coffee also is expanding its extracts manufacturing capacity in North Carolina and launching operations in Malaysia that will serve its rapidly growing customer demand across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa regions.

“We are expanding our finished product offerings, adding end beverage packaging solutions and expanding our geographic reach to meet our growing customer demand,” said Scott Ford, CEO and cofounder. “Our growth benefits everyone at Westrock Coffee – from our global customers and farmer partners to our current and future employees and the communities where they live.”

“Westrock Coffee Company provides the drink that fuels many Arkansans in the workplace and others all around the world,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. “The expansion into Conway by repurposing this facility and providing new jobs reflects the growth of Westrock and the fact that Arkansas is a dynamic and welcoming place to do business.”

The company finalized the purchase of a

524,000-square-foot facility in Conway that will provide Westrock Coffee ample space for the development, production and distribution of its coffee, tea, and ready-todrink products. The location will use stateof-the-art equipment including advanced robotics specifically designed to efficiently manufacture and package a wide range of beverages, such as canned or bottled cold brew coffees, lattes, assorted teas and juicebased products as well as single serve coffee cups. The space will also incorporate stateof-the-art quality assurance and product development labs, enabling Westrock Coffee to create, test and produce more beverage solutions.

The Conway location will require a variety of skilled jobs to support our focus on global product innovation, manufacturing and packaging. Initially, up to 50 jobs will be created following phase one of the buildout, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023, then growing to approximately 250 positions over time.

Many of the jobs will require a significantly advanced and skilled workforce, commanding higher salaries ranging up to over $100,000 per year.

Conway will be an addition to the company’s already established presence in Arkansas, with corporate offices in Little

Rock and a manufacturing facility in North Little Rock.

In addition, the company announced it is expanding its Commercial Park location in North Carolina. The expansion will allow Westrock Coffee to respond to unprecedented growth due to customer demand for its extract, tea and herbal products.

The expansion will add two fully automated production lines, which will increase overall capacity of extracts processing at this facility by more than 50 percent. The expansion also will include modernizing its current manufacturing and packaging process for bottled products. Upgrades to the Concord facility should be complete by the end of 2022.

Work is already complete on the 90,000 square-foot, twobuilding facility in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, with finished goods production set to begin in the first quarter of 2022. The new facility, which is 30 minutes from Singapore, will enhance Westrock Coffee’s roasting capacity to accommodate increases in manufacturing, packaging,and warehousing of

coffee and extract solutions across APAC and MENA regions. While Westrock Coffee has a history in international coffee trade and export, this will be its first roasting, manufacturing and packaging facility outside of the United States. GN

Rhino Foods Workers Temporarily Migrate to Lake Champlain to Solve Labor Shortage Two Burlington, Vermont, companies team up to solve a chocolatier’s increased fourthquarter workload and a frozen dessert company’s work slowdown for maintenance.

The fourth quarter is the busiest time of the year for chocolatier Lake Champlain Chocolates, hiring seasonal staff to make, package and ship the chocolate.

Over at Rhino Foods, the fourth quarter is the slowest time of the year due to annual facility maintenance and installation of new equipment, so it has extra staff available for work.

Instead of turning employees away for those weeks, Rhino lends them to Lake

Champlain Chocolates.

“It’s really a win-win for both companies,” said Rooney Castle, vice president of Rhino Foods. “Lake Champlain Chocolates has access to highly trained food manufacturing employees and we can continue to offer a paycheck and benefits without interruption to our staff.”

It’s a life saver for Lake Champlain Chocolates, which usually calls on everyone to help out, including requesting administrative staff to take factory shifts.

“This is always a busy time of year and it’s not unusual for employees to step out of their regular role to spend a day in ship-

ping or packaging to push through those particularly busy days,” said Mary Wylde, director of people and culture at LCC. “This year, however, is a completely different story. We’re down a significant number of seasonal hires – couple that with record sales and it becomes a real challenge.

“We’ll provide the Rhino employees with mentors and the training they need to be successful. Plus, an abundance of chocolate so it is a positive and rewarding experience for them,” Wylde said.

Rhino Foods started the Employee Exchange Program in 1993 when the company faced excess staff brought on by

efficiency improvements and the seasonality of the ice cream industry. Instead of laying people off, the company explored creative solutions to keep well-trained employees for the long term.

“It is simply an exchange of employees between companies with opposing seasonal business cycles,” Castle said. “We avoid seasonal layoffs, retain well-trained staff and increase company morale.”

This program also reflects the values of the two Certified B Corporations; the belief that there is a better way to do business and using business as a force for good in the world. GN

Gallivant Mawa Products Celebrated at Museum of Ice Cream After tasting Gallivant Mawa Ice Cream, which is made in Houston, the Museum of Ice Cream in Austin decided to feature the frozen treat over the holidays.

From Dec. 9 through Feb. 6, the museum celebrated its Pinkmas holiday season by doling out free scoops to visitors.

They also are planning promotions for Valentine’s Day and in March for SXSW. “The staff of the Museum of Ice Cream in

Austin recently gave me a tour and I love what they’re doing to celebrate ice cream,” said Snehee Chaplot, founder and CEO of Gallivant Mawa. “It’s a very cool space and a must-visit for everyone who likes ice cream.”

“The team members at the Museum of Ice Cream tasted Gallivant Mawa Ice Cream in early November and gave it a rave review, which led to their decision to choose our brand for their Pinkmas event

and celebration,” said Victor Martino, director of sales and marketing for Gallivant Mawa.

Gallivant Mawa Ice Cream is made with South Asian mawa milk solids, which gives it a texture that’s creamier than gelato with a super-premium ice cream taste.

Chaplot created with global flavors that comprise the nine varieties – Indian Mango, Thai Coconut, Vietnamese Coffee,

African Chocolate, Guatemalan Cardamom, Persian Pistachio, Chinese Black Sesame, Japanese Matcha and Madagascar Vanilla – of India-inspired Gallivant Mawa Ice Cream. GN

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GOURMET NEWS

Giant Food Invests $50M in Diverse-Owned Lending Giant Food, the leading greater Washington, D.C. regional grocery chain, is making a $50 million money market fund investment supporting The Harbor Bank of Maryland, the only Black-owned and -managed commercial bank headquartered in the state.

The investment will provide the bank with greater financial opportunities for the communities it serves by being able to sup-

ply more loans to consumers and small businesses, investing in technologies and digital capabilities to better serve customers and expanding operations to serve more communities.

Giant’s investment is an extension of its commitment to being a better neighbor through diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including raising awareness for a diverse network of partners and suppliers

and fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects the backgrounds and experiences of its communities.

The money market fund investment will be managed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management through its Empowering Change program (The Harbor Bank of Maryland serves as a distributor), part of its commitment to bringing new economic opportunities to historically underserved communities. GN

Study: What Brands Are Vegans Searching for Online?

Beyond Meat is the world’s most searchedfor vegan brand, according to a study conducted by Maxima Kitchen Equipment experts. The producer of plant-based sausages, burgers and beef pulls in more than 422,000 searches a month – more than twice as many searches as its nearest competitor.

Oatly is the world’s second most Googled vegan brand. The company, which creates oat-based alternatives to milk, yogurt and ice-cream, rakes in almost 200,000 searches

a month, well ahead of the average searches for all brands on the list (127,000).

The study analyzed monthly searches for 100 of the most popular vegan brands to determine the most sought-after products globally.

Quorn is the world’s third most searchedfor vegan brand, according to the study.

The global meat substitute, endorsed by Olympic stars Mo Farah and Adam Peaty, pulls in 95,000 searches a month.

JUST Egg is also among the world’s favorite vegan brands. The plant-based egg product – a favorite breakfast ingredient of singer Lizzo – appears in 94,000 searches a month, making it the fourth most Googled vegan brand in the world.

Follow Your Heart, producers of plantbased mayonnaise Veganaise, and multiple vegan cheese products, saw the world’s fifth highest number of searches, at 32,000 a month. GN

National Convenience Acquires Century Distributors National Convenience Distributors has acquired Century Distributors, one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest full-line wholesale distributors to the convenience and grocery store industries. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Century Distributors, founded in 1976 and located in Rockville, Maryland, will

join NCD as a newly created division. National Convenience Distributors is the fourth largest wholesale convenience distributor in the United States, servicing 12 states along the I-95 corridor, with annual revenues in excess of $3 billion.

National Convenience Distributors, based in Farmingdale, New York, has be-

come the largest full-line convenience store distributor servicing the Northeast. Century will benefit from enhanced customer experiences, best practices, a centralized operating system integration, increased marketing power and go-to-market efficiencies, and synergistic and collaborative programs. GN

Woodland Foods Buys Majority Interest in Graham Partners Graham Partners has become a majority investor in Woodland Foods, an established leader in supplying specialty food ingredients and innovative culinary products to the foodservice, industrial and retail sectors for more than 30 years.

“Diana and I are extremely proud of the one-of-a-kind resource we’ve built, inspiring culinary professionals across the U.S., while experiencing consistent growth throughout the years,” said David Moore, founder of Woodland Foods. “Graham Partners brings extensive experience working across the food industry and will provide strong support to accelerate Woodland Foods’ significant growth.”

“Woodland Foods provides Graham Partners with a unique opportunity to in-

vest in a company with a well-established supply chain across five continents and long-term relationships with marquee customers across all channels of the food business,” said Andrew Snyder, managing principal at Graham Partners. “We share a commitment to service, quality, safety and a spirit of innovation that are embodied by Woodland Foods and its tenured staff and believe that together we will elevate our position as thought leaders, fueling multiple trends in the world of food, while growing substantially in the years to come.”

Woodland Foods’ management team and staff will remain in place and expect a seamless integration.

Lincoln International acted as the financial adviser to Woodland Foods and Vedder

Price P.C. served as the legal adviser to Woodland Foods.

Woodland Foods is a leading importer and manufacturer of more than 1,800 specialty culinary ingredients and products from more than 65 countries around the world. Woodland Foods sells under the brand DG (D’allesandro Gourmet) in the foodservice channel, under Curious Spoon and Epicurean Specialty in the retail channel and under Woodland Ingredients in the industrial manufacturing channel.

Woodland Foods specializes in providing a one-stop-shop resource for globally sourced specialty culinary ingredients and products, a robust product innovation platform as well as custom blending, processing and packing. GN

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FEBRUARY 2022

Faba Beans Market Growing to $3.47B The global faba beans market is expected to grow from $3.06 billion in 2020 to $3.18 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate of 3.77 percent, according to Research and Markets. The growth is mainly due to the growing demand for natural and plant-based proteins. The market is expected to reach $3.47 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 2.19 percent.

The faba bean is a common legume cultivated for its edible seeds or beans. Some varieties of faba beans are used as a source of protein for livestock.

Faba beans are also widely used in the production of products such as protein powders and custom blends. The companies in the faba beans production distribute their products through various distribution channels to both individual customers and commercial establishments.

The main types of faba beans are organic and conventional faba beans. Organic faba beans are produced using natural principles such as biodiversity and composting. Conventional faba beans are produced using high-input modern agriculture with synthetic chemical fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and others.

Faba beans are used in food processing, animal feed, nutraceuticals, sports nutrition and infant nutrition. These are made available to the end-users through supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, online retailers and other channels.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the faba beans market in 2020.

Yield loss due to various diseases in faba beans could restrict the market. Faba beans are subject to a number of diseases that reduce yield and quality.

An increasing shift toward veganism boosted the growth of the faba beans market during the historic period. Moreover, plant-based goods are driving revenues at grocery stores worldwide, expanding at nearly double the rate of total food sales.

Specialty Food Ingredients Market Fueled by Clean-Eating Movement The global specialty food ingredients market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.30 percent from 2021 to 2026, according to Research and Markets.

With increasing preference for clean label products, demand for natural colorants is expected to increase exponentially. Although natural colors are safer, they have a few issues, like consistency.

This production of such colors involve high production costs and lack of raw material availability.

Natural colorants have varied applications in functional foods. Food colors find application in many processed foods including candies, snack foods, margarine, cheese, soft drinks, jams/jellies, gelatins, pudding and pie fillings.

The main constraint of the industry is the high cost of production, chemical instability due to fluctuating temperature/pH conditions and increased regulations.

The market for specialty food ingredients in North America is driven by rising rates of diabetes and obesity, causing consumers to focus on healthier lifestyles and demanding food products with functional and specialty ingredients.

Specialty foods are outpacing their non-specialty counterparts in almost every category, due to the rise in awareness regarding food quality.

Gluten-Free Market Set to Reach $11.4B by 2026 The U.S. gluten-free food market will reach $11.4 billion by 2026, according to Research and Markets.

The U.S. gluten-free market is segmented into bakery products, dairy/dairy alternatives, meats/meats alternatives, condiments, seasonings, spreads, desserts and ice creams, prepared food, pasta and rice. Bakery and dairy alternatives are the most preferred for the gluten-free diet.

Research and Markets expects that the U.S. industry will grow with a compound annual growth rate of 10.10 percent from 2020 to 2026. The market was valued at $6.4 billion in 2020.

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Vertical Farming System Reshaping Agriculture with High-Yield Crops Challenges posed by urbanization and gradual dwindling of arable land is driving more farming indoors. Agri-tech startup Future Crops has developed the first indoor vertical farming system that grows crops in a soil substrate composition.

The Israeli-Dutch venture has established a fully automated 8,000-meter indoor vertical farm in Westland, Netherlands, the “greenhouse hub” of Europe. The nine-story facility is powered primarily by solar energy and combined with high-precision agricultural technology. It can provide optimal growing conditions for a broad spectrum of leafy greens and herbs.

CEO and co-founder Gary Grinspan said this method of cultivation not only delivers quality fresh produce, but enables the produce to reclaim its original characteristic taste and aromas that degraded following decades of pesticide use and industry pressures to place the focus on boosting output.

Future Crops’ advanced technology maximizes yield per area unit in comparison to traditional agriculture while retaining quality, according to the company.

The company uses innovative data-driven technology to tailor ideal environmental conditions for crops to thrive within a highly controlled, automated structure.

The system controls dozens of parameters

of growth conditions, including humidity, temperature and lighting, to create optimal climatic conditions to suit each crop.

Grinspan likens the technology to a

“plant whisperer.”

“Plants will draw what they need from nature,” he said. “Our team of agronomists are able to listen to each plant to determine its individual needs in real time – how much sleep versus light, the type of light, air quality, how much water, specific nutrient needs, etc. The plants respond in their own unique language as expressed via small nuances such as changes in morphology, shape, size and color. Via these signals, our algorithm can be primed to provide the plants precisely what they need at each stage of their life cycle.”

The crops are grown in a soil-based substrate.

“We composed a unique nutrient enriched soil-like recipe as the bed for grow-

ing all our produce to keep it as close to what nature intended,” Grinspan said.

“We learned from nature and did not want to change its rules. Our system can consistently grow a comprehensive range of herbs and leafy microgreens throughout the year, completely free of any pesticides or biological substances and with zero dependence on climate conditions.”

Experts warn of global food shortages due to a growing population forecast to exceed 10 billion over the next decade. Lack of availability of fertile land dedicated to growing crops will soon strain the planet, which is further compounded by climatic instability that threatens many cultivars.

These trends have challenged the agricultural industry to rethink the farming paradigm in a way that allows greater productivity in a more sustainable manner using fewer resources. Moreover, the combination of environmental, logistical and geopolitical bottlenecks spurs initiatives to bring food sources closer to home.

High-tech vertical farming offers a means of achieving voluminous crop outputs in

limited space, Grinspan said. Crops grown in the Future Crops vertical farm have demonstrated a longer shelf life and reach full growth in significantly less time, enabling multiple growth cycles.

This significantly shortens the farm-to-table supply chain by weeks, including reducing food mileage.

Following a family tragedy, Grinspan left a long corporate career within major CPG food companies, including PepsiCo and Unilever.

Wanting to devote his energies toward bettering the world, he established Future Crops.

The company was founded in 2016, in conjunction with the Israeli Agricultural Research Organisation and A&F Ventures, a private equity arm run by the Lerman Family, leaders in the American steel industry. The company secured $30 million in its first round of funding, providing a major portion to advance its efforts to transform the agricultural value chain.

The company sealed a joint R&D venture with ARO’s Nativ Dudai and David Haimovitch.

Future Crops runs supply contracts with a leading Dutch grocery retailer and other European retailers. GN

NW Restaurant Chain Burgerville Adopts phade Biodegradable Drinking Straw Georgia-based WinCup has partnered with quick service restaurant Burgerville to bring phade – the world’s first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable drinking straw – to all 40 locations across Oregon and southwest Washington.

Made with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade sustainable straws and stirrers maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic equivalents, but will safely return to nature through composting.

“Burgerville’s vision is to make the Pacific Northwest the healthiest region on the planet,” said Hillary Barbour, Burgerville’s director of strategic initiatives. “That includes healthy people and a healthy planet.”

The company has worked to replace its plastic straws with an alternative that holds up in its shakes and drinks while reducing

the environmental footprint, she said.

Burgerville has implemented various sustainable practices from recycling restaurant waste and packaging materials to offsetting the electricity use of all its restaurants and corporate headquarters with renewable energy credits. All of its cooking oil is recycled into biodiesel, a cleaner burning blend of diesel fuel.

The company also works with ranch and farm partners who view land conservation as second nature.

“Sustainable sourcing is directly connected to the restaurant’s widespread popularity,” said WinCup President and CRO Michael Winters. “Finally, there’s a straw that performs like it’s supposed to and is vastly more sustainable than other alternatives to traditional plastic straws.”

TÜV AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade as both industrial and home

compostable. TÜV also certified the material from which WinCup’s phade straw is made as marine biodegradable. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute has certified phade as industrial compostable.

Biotech company Danimer Scientific, a global leader in PHA technology, creates the canola-based PHA resin using its Nodax biopolymer, sourced by WinCup to manufacture the straws and stirrers. TÜV AUSTRIA certified Nodax as industrial and home compostable, as well as soil, freshwater and marine biodegradable.

The sustainable qualities of Nodax PHA and phade continue to attract the attention of global restaurant brands turning to the straw as a high-performing biodegradable alternative to traditional petroleum-based straws.

“Unlike with petroleum-based straws, which take hundreds of years to biodegrade, phade straws generally biodegrade in a matter of months in environments where bacteria are present and can use PHA as a food source,” said WinCup CEO Brad Laporte.

WinCup has won numerous awards for the development and launch of phade, including the 2021 Innovation in FoodService Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief and 2020 Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Bioplastics Division of PLASTICS. WinCup was recognized out of a pool of more than 4,000 global entries by Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards as a finalist in the Consumer Products and Enduring Impact categories and as an honorable mention in the World Changing Ideas-North America and General Excellence categories.

Los Angeles-based global private investment firm Atar Capital acquired WinCup in 2020. Among Atar’s core principles is a commitment to sustainability and investing in companies that work toward protecting the environment.

WinCup is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and has eight manufacturing locations. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids and straws. GN

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GOURMET NEWS

Univar Solutions Acquires Leading Distributor Sweetmix Illinois-based Univar Solutions, a global chemical and ingredient distributor and provider of value-added services, has acquired Sweetmix Distribuidora de Matérias Primas Industriais, one of the top five distributors in Brazil of ingredients and specialty chemicals.

Bringing together both new customers and suppliers as well as agreements with existing Univar Solutions’ suppliers, Sweetmix significantly will enhance its specialty food ingredients offering in Latin America.

The business also enhances Univar Solutions position in the local coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers market.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Our acquisition of Sweetmix represents an exciting opportunity to accelerate our growth in the food ingredients distribution space in Brazil and enhance the value we offer to global suppliers and local customers through a versatile range of ingredients,” said Nick Powell, president of ingredients and specialties for Univar Solutions.

Jorge Buckup, president of Latin America for Univar Solutions, said, “Importantly, Sweetmix will give us increased scale and serve as an ideal platform for expansion in

Latin America with our other recently announced partnerships, including Novozymes and AGT. Sweetmix is a renowned leader in Brazil and we look forward to partnering with their team to expand our portfolio in Latin America and create even more value for our stakeholders.”

Founded in 1994, Sweetmix Distribuidora is a pioneer in the introduction of sweeteners and other ingredients in Brazil. Univar Solutions is a leading global specialty chemical and ingredient distributor representing a premier portfolio from leading producers globally. GN

Gryphon Investors Acquires Vivify Specialty Ingredients San Francisco-based Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm, has acquired Vivify Specialty Ingredients in partnership with the company’s family owner, Aakash Shah, who will remain on the board of directors and Vivify management.

Vivify is a leading provider of specialty organic colorants, functional ingredients and additives across multiple consumer and industrial end markets.

CenterOak Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm and its affiliate CenterOak Equity Fund I previously announced that it had sold Vivify Specialty Ingredients.

Based in Glendale Heights, Illinois, Viv-

ify is a partner of choice to customers in more than 50 countries, offering solutions such as technical product specifications and formulations, sourcing difficult-to-find additives, product quality monitoring and just-in-time inventory. Through a technical, high-touch salesforce, it supports customer-specific solutions focused on product performance and customized applications by offering unique and innovative lab capabilities.

Vivify distributes products that are manufactured domestically and internationally and sold in more than 50 countries. CEO Devlin Riley and other members of the

management team will continue to lead the company.

Gryphon was advised by legal counsel Kirkland & Ellis and financial adviser Guggenheim Securities. Keybanc Capital Markets served as Vivify’s exclusive financial adviser, with Gibson Dunn as legal counsel.

KeyBanc also served as Vivify’s exclusive financial adviser in connection with the CenterOak transaction. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher served as CenterOak’s legal counsel.

Terms of both transactions were not disclosed. GN

Ardagh Glass Packaging Celebrates U.N. International Year of Glass Indiana-based Ardagh Glass Packaging, part of Ardagh Group, will celebrate the United Nations International Year of Glass throughout 2022, commemorating the essential role of glass packaging in a sustainable society.

The International Commission on Glass, the Community of Glass Associations and ICOM-Glass are promoting 2022 as the United Nations International Year of Glass to underline the scientific, economic and cultural importance of glass in all its forms in everyday life.

The year-long celebration will result in a range of events across the world, including fairs and exhibitions, seminars and social media campaigns, to inform and educate communities of the rich history that glass has and its enormous beneficial contributions in areas such as sustainability, health, culture and art, to name a few.

AGP is looking forward to supporting some of the events taking place in recognition of this significant milestone for our industry. These include the National Day of Glass April 5-7 at The Madison in Wash-

ington, D.C., and the Glasstec Exhibition Sept. 20-23 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The first glass bottles and jars were made in Egypt more than 2,000 years ago. Today, glass packaging is made from 100 percent natural and sustainable raw materials – recycled glass, limestone, soda ash and silica sand.

Glass is sustainable and infinitely recyclable. Additionally, glass is the only widely used food packaging granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s status of GRAS. AGP has a long history of glassmaking dating back more than 300 years. All of AGP’s glass bottles and jars contain recycled glass (cullet), and, in Europe, AGP uses up to 90 percent recycled content in the manufacturing process, according to the company.

AGP’s Sustainability Report targets include zero waste to landfill, a 26 percent intensity reduction in water usage, a 23 percent intensity reduction in NOx emissions, a transition to 100 percent renewable electricity and maximizing the use of recycled glass in furnaces. AGP is aligned with

the Science Based Targets Initiative for Greenhouse Gas emissions and is committed to delivering CO2 reduction through a continued focus on developing lower carbon glass packaging via both new and existing technologies.

Eight facilities across AGP are already using renewable electricity: Limmared, Sweden; Barnsley, Doncaster, Irvine and Knottingley in the United Kingdom; and Bridgeton, New Jersey, Burlington, Wisconsin, and Madera, California, in the United States. To support AGP’s emissions reduction strategy, major off-site renewable energy projects are under development in three European facilities – one in Germany and two in the United Kingdom.

Aligned with these sustainability targets, AGP – North America has diverted waste from landfill at its Burlington, Wisconsin and Ruston, Louisiana facilities by diverting 100 percent of their non-hazardous oily debris from landfill and converting it for energy recovery and alternative use. This same methodology will be implemented at additional facilities throughout AGP – NA. GN

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FEBRUARY 2022

Global Markets Sunny Side Up for Egg Processing, Coffee The global egg processing market is estimated to account for $40.2 billion in terms of value, seeing a compound annual growth rate of 4.3 percent by the end of 2027, according to a report from Coherent Market Insights.

Meantime, the global coffee market is anticipated to reach $144.68 billion in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.60 percent for the period spanning 2021-2025, according to Research and Markets.

Egg processing is more than hens laying eggs, but may also include shell manipulation, cracking of shells, removal of scrapings, removal of tail feathers and removal of extra skins. The process ensures healthy and hygienic egg products.

Increasing demand for eggs is expected to drive growth of the global egg processing market, according to Coherent Market Insights.

Demand for eggs and egg-related products across the globe has increased significantly. According to the International Egg Commission, global egg production in 2018 was pegged at 76.7 million tons, increasing from 64.2 million tons in 2010. In 2018, China held the dominant position in egg production across the globe, accounting for 34 percent of global egg production.

Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein, good calories and other critical nutrients such as iron, minerals, vitamins and carotenoids.

Eggs also contain disease-combating nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

Growing disposable income in developed and emerging economies also has increased the consumption of eggs.

Eggs are sold in different forms including dried and powdered eggs, egg whites, egg yolks and frozen eggs. In October, Clara Foods launched the first animal-free egg protein, Every ClearEgg, rebranding the company as The Every Company.

Eggs also play an important role in baking as they add structure, color, flavor and leavening to the cakes and cookies. The balance between eggs and flour is critical in providing the height and texture of various baked goods. Egg wash is beaten with water, cream or milk to seal edges and add shine. As a result, demand for egg-related products is increasing across the bakery sector.

North America is expected to witness significant growth in the global egg processing market during the forecast period due to rapid urbanization and growing consumption of eggs.

In the global coffee market, factors such as increasing out of home coffee consumption, rapid urbanization, rising e-commerce retail sales, increase in Gen Z income, increasing instant coffee preference, growing demand for specialty coffee and increasing green coffee consumption in emerging economies are expected to drive the market, according to Research and Markets.

However, growth can be challenged by weather uncertainties, retail consolidations and stringent regulations. A few notable trends include growing penetration of premium coffee shops, high demand for cold brew over iced coffee, inclining desire for functional coffee, increasing gourmet coffee sale in America, increasing potential for agri-tourism in the coffee industry and rising popularity of coffee as a subscription.

In 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic created an unfavorable impact on the global market as the production, exports and imports of coffee and related products decreased significantly.

The fastest growing regional market is Asia-Pacific, due to rise in the demand for coffee by the working population, the growing presence of a large number of coffee chains and increasing e-commerce retail sector.

The United States represents one of the largest markets and is well penetrated at developed market levels.

Spray Drying Equipment Market Expanding As applications in food and beverage rise, sales in the global spray drying equipment market are projected to increase year-over-year by 4 percent, reaching $820 million by 2027, according to Fact MR. Growing demand to increase production output across various end-use sectors is expected to continue pushing sales in the forthcoming years.

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FEBRUARY 2022

Caddo Mountain Spring Water Plans Mixed-Use Visitors Center in Arkansas Caddo Mountain Spring Water is working with RPPY Architects on a design for a visitors center at its spring/artesian source water property in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.

The center, which Caddo says is an industry first, will include a shared public use facility for community organizations and schools, which will contribute to the economic development of area communities and the welfare of its citizens in one of the poorest counties of Arkansas.

The center will be set in the Caddo River Valley, surrounded by the precipitous forested Caddo Mountains. Thousands of acres of U.S. Forest lands abut the property on its upgradient north and south, affording it natural water protection from contamination. Arkansas State Highway 8, which traverses the property, is a U.S. National Forest Service designated Scenic ByWay. Caddo envisions the center to be a desti-

nation for visitors in a rural Arkansas county that has no state park.

“We want to interact with people who visit us at our center about our water, the environment/sustainability, hydrogeology, solar power and its great area heritage,” said Barry Davidson, founder and CEO. “We also want to share and call attention to the natural beauty of our area in The Natural State.

“We want to leverage the company’s assets in all areas to optimize our operation and have a platform for key positive social impact,” he said. “A goal of the company is to exceed the expectations of its productconsuming public as well as ourselves as consumers.

“We understand the product we make available, how and where we make it available and the market it serves can enhance the health and lives of the people who consume it. We believe we can have a major positive social impact on everyone who

gains a better knowledge of water, the environment/sustainability and area heritage through education,” he said.

The center will envelop the company’s

Black Beans Continued from PAGE 1

flammatory responses. Chronic inflammation is believed to be the basis for insulin resistance and other metabolic diseases.

are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Other diabetes-related biomarkers, including levels of leptin, glucagon and a group of inflammatory biochemicals, were significantly better in the mice on the highfat plus black beans diet.

Adding black beans to the high fat diet restored the balance of healthier bacteria in the gut, particularly decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes bacteria to Bacteroidetes bacteria in the gut by 64 percent compared to mice on the high fat diet without black beans and mice on a low fat diet. High ratios of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes are associated with obesity. Intestinal bacteria associated with inflammation such as Blautia and Clostridium all were significantly reduced in mice fed the high fat plus black beans diet compared to mice on the high fat diet without beans.

“This research suggests that eating even a small amount of black beans can have multiple health benefits,” said ARS research chemist Wallace Yokoyama with the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit of the Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California. Yokoyama led the study, which was published in the scientific journal Foods.

“We also tested if supplementing the high fat diet with individual components from black beans would have the same beneficial impacts on the obese mice and didn’t find the same effects at all. It was only adding whole black beans, and cooked whole beans at that, which had the benefits,” Yokoyama said.

The most interesting scientific information coming from this study, Yokoyama said, is data to begin determining just how black beans improve insulin resistance.

Black beans may inhibit the JNK/c-Jun pathway, a key metabolic pathway that has many functions, including regulating in-

Global Black Bean Market Black beans or black turtle beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), are generally low in fat and high in fiber and protein. They are popular in Latin American, Mexican and Caribbean cuisines as well as in Cajun and Creole cooking. Like all common beans, black beans are native to the Americas.

Today, they have been introduced around the world to become known as frijoles negros or poroto negro in Spanish, feijão preto in Portuguese, and karuppu kaaramani and kala ghevada in various regional cuisines of India.

Rising awareness of black beans in terms of health and also culinary tourism as an exotic food will have a significant impact on market growth, according to Market Watch, which says increased investments by supermarket/hypermarket, c-stores, specialty stores and e-retailers are driving the market.

In 2021, the growth of black beans market will have a significant change from 2020, Market Watch said. Over the next five years, the market will register a “magnificent spike” in compound annual growth rate in terms of revenue. In a new study, 2020 was considered the base year and 2021 to 2026 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for black beans.

Of course, the global pandemic significantly affected disruptions in the importation and exportation of black beans. As economies and trade recover, the black beans market will continue to grow at a steady rate, Market Watch predicted.

North America is expected to hold the largest market share, with the market here expected to grow considerably during the forecast period. Advanced technology and the presence of large players in the region likely will create ample growth opportuni-

ties. The North American market is expected to hold the largest market share, with the Asia-Pacific region projected to provide significant opportunities and expected to grow at the highest compound annual growth rate.

Driving factors for the growth of the global market are the increasing use of black beans in supermarket/hypermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores and by e-retailers.

environmental and sustainability efforts.

“Caddo will be the first water in the world bottled by the power of the sun,” Davidson said. “We went through strict underwriting by the USDA to obtain a solar energy REAP Grant. Caddo will also be the first water in the world with a visitors cen-

Black Bean Powder Power In addition to being used as whole beans, they are used in other ways around the world.

Black bean powders are a source of oxalate; flavonoids such as delphinidin, petunidin, malvidin, Kaempferol and quercetin; hydroxycinnamic acids including ferulic, sinapic and chlorogenic acid; triterpenoid phytonutrients and fatty acids.

Black bean powder is a good source of molybdenum, folate and dietary fiber coupled with other sources such as copper, manganese, phosphorus, vitamins, proteins and magnesium. As with whole beans, the powder has health benefits that decrease risk of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, improve digestive health and regulate blood sugar.

Black beans are available throughout the year, which helps in continuous availability of powder for the global market, according to a Transparency Market Research report.

Black bean powder has its application in the food industry in soups, sauces or marinades, dressings, dips, seasonings, snacks, appetizers and entrees. Industries manufacturing sausages and other condiments use black bean powder to enhance the taste of the product and make it healthier. Use of the powder in preparing desserts such as brownies and smoothies is increasing.

Black bean powder is also available in packed products, which are distributed through retail chain for household con-

ter like ours. We selected RPPY for their ability and shared passion for our project that would produce innovative, memorable designs for us that people will want to visit.”

Caddo is so proud of its water sourcing that Davidson called on the FDA to mandate a standard of identity for all bottled waters.

“Consumers deserve to know where each bottle of water comes from and what contaminants are in it,” he said. “There is no pure water on the planet. Purified water is a bit of an industry’s marketing play on words. A standard of identity rule for bottled water is a prerequisite of best practices in solid blockchain business logic.” GN

sumption.

Consumption of organic black bean powder is increasing as a result of increasing awareness of the health benefits of organic products. Global demand for organic black bean powder as a protein source is increasing in use by bodybuilders and gym instructors.

India and Brazil are the largest producers of black beans commercially in the global market. China produces the largest volume of the green, non-dried form of black beans. Central America, Latin America, Mexico, Indonesia and the United States are emerging markets in black bean production. Black beans are consumed on a daily basis in Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

Fermented Black Beans Rise Fermented black beans have a tint of gingery taste. Fermented black beans, called douchi in China, traditionally are made from soybeans that have been dried and fermented with pepper and salt. Black beans, which resemble small raisins, and are salty, a bit bitter and sweet in taste.

Fermented black beans can be stored in air-tight closed containers and cold stored for a year.

Fermented black beans are widely used as seasoning and found in many Chinese dishes, either stir-fried, steamed or stewed.

Favorite dishes using fermented black beans include twice-cooked pork from Sichuan, mapo tofu, steamed pork ribs and seafood of the region such as braised mud marinated with fermented black beans.

Some restaurants have picked fermented black beans as a special ingredient as black beans give moist, aromatic, mouth-watering succulent flavor to pork ribs.

The global fermented black beans market is estimated to be primarily driven by the Asia-Pacific region, according to Transparency Market Research. China is the major consumer of black beans followed by the United States. GN

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FEBRUARY 2022

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Violife Promotional Campaign Urges Consumers: Change Cheese to Change Planet Backed by a 2021 study that shows its nondairy vegan cheeses have less than half the carbon footprint of dairy cheeses, Violife has launched a campaign to urge consumers to change their cheese to help save the planet.

The study included two Violife non-dairy cheeses that are available in the United States: Violife Creamy Original Cream Cheese and Violife Feta Flavor Block. The study showed that these products have less than half the climate footprint and occupy less than one third of the land when compared

to the same amount of dairy cheese.

The findings are from a metric-based life cycle assessment study that evaluated the end-toend environmental impact of Violife including greenhouse gas emissions, waste production, water, land and energy use, which were calculated over the life cycle of the product from the harvesting of raw materials to the end-of-life use by consumers. The study was conducted by Upfield in partnership with leading sustainability adviser Quantis.

“The food we eat contributes around 25 percent of the CO2 emitted globally each

year,” said Erica Cheung, senior brand manager, citing a 2018 article by Poore and Nemecek. “Violife wants to show consumers that what we eat can make a significant positive impact on our planet by simply changing your cheese to non-dairy cheese from dairy cheese.”

The findings are the motivation behind Violife’s “Change Your Cheese” campaign, which began in January to encourage consumers to lighten their impact on the planet by changing out dairy cheese for non-dairy cheese.

“Violife is vegan, but cheese-loving consumers don’t have to be,” Cheung said.

The campaign shows everyday foodie moments such as dining out, indulging at the movies and cooking at home. It introduces Violife’s “change” meals by creatively

switching out the word “cheese” for “change.” Violife has recreated classics including the “Change” Burger, Nachos N’ “Change” and “Change” cake.

Violife is also a gold sponsor of Veganuary in the United States, a global movement aimed at encouraging people to sign up to the challenge of going vegan in January.

Violife is partnering with One Tree Planted to plant up to 10,000 trees based on the number of vegan meals consumers try. For every five vegan meals consumers register at www.violifefoods.com, Violife will support One Tree Planted in planting one tree.

The global campaign is being delivered through video, social, PR, influencer and digital channels. GN

Publix Mourns Former Charities Leader, Daughter of Founder, Carol Jenkins Barnett Carol Jenkins Barnett, former chair and president of Publix Super Markets Charities and daughter of the company founder, passed away on Dec. 7, 2021, in her home surrounded by her family. In 2016, she learned she had younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Jenkins Barnett, 65, was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida. She began with Publix in 1972 as a cashier and later worked in Publix’s corporate marketing research and development department. In 1983, she was elected to the Publix board of directors, where she served for 33 years.

In 1983, she joined the foundation’s board of directors, which later became

Publix Super Markets Charities and instilled in her a passion for the needs of the communities Publix serves. This experience gave her a deeper understanding of her father’s interests, philosophies and goals for philanthropic giving. Following her father’s stroke in 1989, the board appointed her chair and in 1991, chair and president.

“The Publix family is deeply saddened by the loss of a great humanitarian and community advocate,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones. “In addition to her service at Publix, Carol Jenkins Barnett made significant contributions to many nonprofit organizations and for the betterment of all children with

investments in early childhood education programs.

“She will be sorely missed by her family, our associates and the community. Carol had a generous heart and compassionate soul. Her efforts will continue to improve the lives of others for generations.”

Jenkins Barnett earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from Florida Southern College in 1979 and received the doctor of public service honoris causa in 1998.

While attending FSC, she joined the Junior League of Lakeland and remained actively involved in her community.

Jenkins Barnett and her husband, Bar-

ney, donated to many nonprofit organizations including United Way, Florida Partnership for School Readiness and Family Fundamentals. They funded numerous community projects including the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children at Lakeland Regional Health.

Jenkins Barnett is survived by her husband, Barney Barnett; two sons, Wesley Barnett (Ashley Bell Barnett) and Nicholas Barnett (Ashley Gibson Barnett); three grandchildren: Raleigh, Birdie and Zoey; and many other family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Anne. GN

Fortune Fish & Gourmet Expands Reach Into Texas Illinois-based Fortune International, the country’s leading processor, distributor and importer of quality seafood, meats and gourmet products, has acquired Ocean Harvest Wholesale, a seafood and shrimp processor and distributor based in Texas and Louisiana. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Already one of the nation’s largest seafood and specialty food processors and distributors, this acquisition further expands Fortune International’s Fortune Fish & Gourmet distribution reach into Texas, according to the company. The addition of Ocean Harvest gives Fortune Fish & Gourmet direct access into Houston and the other thriving major cities in Texas while gaining logistic efficiencies throughout all the states Fortune serves along the Gulf Coast.

The Delcambre shrimp processing facility in Louisiana increases Fortune’s shrimp processing capabilities and adds additional

brands to its portfolio.

Ocean Harvest’s name will change to Fortune Fish & Gourmet and will continue to operate out of its facilities in Houston and Delcambre.

“Texas has been a target market for us for a number of years,” said Sean J. O’Scannlain, Fortune’s president and CEO. “Ocean Harvest’s successful processing and logistic models give us the important framework to continue to grow throughout the state. The shrimp processing plant in Delcambre will be crucial in the further development of our domestic shrimp program.”

Ocean Harvest has been a family owned and operated seafood distributor and processor in the greater Houston area for more than 20 years. Established in 1992 by Eric Tran, Ocean Harvest is

a leading U.S. wholesaler, importer, marketer, distributor and processor of superior fresh and frozen seafood products.

Products are warehoused in a 70,000square-foot distribution center centrally located in Houston.

The warehouse is FDA certified and fully refrigerated.

The shrimp processing plant in Delcambre has direct access to the Delcambre Canal, allowing direct purchases from the boats, unloading of the shrimp, processing, packaging and storage. The plant utilizes state-of-the art equipment and innovative processing techniques and undergoes stringent uniformity inspections to meet and exceed industry standards.

The Ocean Harvest management team

and personnel will remain intact to run Fortune Fish & Gourmet Texas, said Tran, Ocean Harvest founder, president and owner.

Ocean Harvest Seafood represents Fortune International’s 12th transaction since launching its acquisition strategy in 2012, which has been further accelerated since entering into a partnership in 2020 with Investcorp, a leading global alternative asset manager. Fortune’s previous acquisitions include JDY Gourmet in 2012, Chef Martin Old World Butcher Shop in 2014, Coastal Seafoods in 2016, Morey’s Seafood International of Missouri in April of 2019, Classic Provisions Inc. in June of 2019, Jubilee Seafoods in July of 2019, Seattle Fish of Missouri in January of 2020, EuroGourmet in March of 2020, Neesvig’s in November of 2020 and Meat Processors Inc, in September of 2021. GN

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Breakfast Continued from PAGE 1 there,” said Camilo Velasquez, chef and cofounder of California-based The Baconer.

“A lot of times, I feel like there’s no such

thing as bad bacon. But there’s a lot of bacon that doesn’t taste like anything or the quality is not there.

“For somebody really trying to eat healthy, eat clean and put their dollars into their ideals, they know that this is a McDonald’s hamburger and this is grass-fed Wagyu beef,” he said. “There’s been so much low-quality bacon on the market for so long, that consumers don’t realize there’s anything out there that’s better. We’re changing that. We’re certainly working to educate consumers so they know there’s other producers out there.”

Lance Avery, chef, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Big Fork Brands, couldn’t agree more.

“What’s important to consumers is knowing where the food is from,” he said.

“If you’re having something made with palm oil, you should know that more than likely, it’s contributing to deforestation of some tropical rainforest out there.”

Balancing Bacon in Diet While eating bacon has led many a nutritionist to raise a red flag, the key is to strike a balance between eating meat and the fruits, vegetables and grains that bodies need to get and stay healthy.

“Right now, I’m having kale and broccoli in a rich fruit smoothie. It looks disgusting, but it’s good,” Avery said, laughing.

And it doesn’t mean you can’t have a little meaty fun, Avery said.

“Bacon sausage does make vegetables taste good,” he said. “Take one link, slice it up and sauté it, then add a bunch of vegetables to the pan. A little flavor goes a long way.”

“Over the last year, year and a half,” Velasquez said, “people really have been looking for comfort foods, foods that make them feel secure and happy. It’s sort of the whole farm-to-table, clean meats movement becoming much better established over the last several years in the market.

“There’s a better awareness of buying a high-quality product that is not factory farmed and coming from who knows where. Knowing where the meat is coming from, that there’s no antibiotics in the bacon, you know you’re buying good bacon.

“Now, you can’t eat a pound of bacon every day,” Velasquez said, laughing, “but there’s a lot of value and you don’t need to eat a ton of it. One of the interesting things I’m seeing is bacon steaks. We see a lot of people use them as a center-of-plate item.

GOURMET NEWS They’ll eat a 4-ounce bacon steak instead of a 10-pound rib eye.”

At first, Velasquez and his business partner – his wife, Elisa Lewis, worked with farms in the San Francisco Bay area, where The Baconer was based. As the business grew, they looked a little farther down the road at Sonoma farms.

“As we grew, that got harder,” he said.

“You’re dealing with small farms and one of them can only have so much a week available.”

But with experience comes knowledge and networking. Velasquez and Lewis met more chefs and companies and learned about sustainable suppliers. The Baconer now works with Heritage Foods to source its humanely and cleanly raised bacon products.

Thanks to his upbringing in Iowa, the top pork producing state, Avery knew one thing he didn’t want to do: contribute to the industrial farming that is not only brutal to the pigs, but to the environment and quality of life issues – because they smell awful.

“I wanted to do it a little differently,” Avery said. “I work with small, independent farmers who raise a special breed, Berkshire, which are known for their excellent marbling and flavor. I wanted to support those guys, the farmers doing things differently. When I started, there were about 15 farmers.

Now, there’s over 150. It’s a nice trend.

We’re going back to a heritage breed. I feel there’s a farmers movement to go back to that less-industrial method of farming and I want to support what they’re doing.”

Passion for Bacon Avery’s venture into producing gourmet meat products began with a trip to the first Iowa Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which drew a couple hundred people to Des Moines in 2008.

“The next year, a couple thousand came and the third year, up to 5,000 people,” Avery said. “I thought, ‘Dang, there’s something going on here. People are passionate about this.’ The first year, we brought maple pumpkin cheesecake to give out to people. By year three, I thought, ‘You know what? I think I should make something to sell to these folks instead of giving stuff out.’

“Bacon,” he said. “What can I do with bacon that hasn’t been done before? So I used my homemade meat grinder and played around with blends.”

Avery worked in product development for a living and knew that his task was daunting.

“Then I thought, ‘Whoa, man, this is pushing my boundaries, stretching my muscles as a chef.’”

Four months later, Avery came up with a bacon sausage formula that he believed was ready to produce.

“That was year four,” he said. “I gave it to a mobile butcher in Des Moines. I think he made up 300 pounds. People went bananas for it.”

Now, Avery is tapping into the plantbased movement.

“One of the massive trends in the meat world are plant-based products,” he said.

“That’s why we created the True Blends sausage. It’s my take on a flexitarian’s

sausage, so they can keep a plant-based diet without sacrificing flavor.”

The sausages, which are minimally processed, come in three varieties: black bean, peppers and corn; mushroom, lentil and garlic; and white bean and kale. Each sausage has 110 calories, 11 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and no added sugar.

The sausages are better-for-you, but again, he cautioned, “It’s not like you can live off these things.”

Big Fork Brands products include bacon sausage, flexitarian sausage, bacon hot dogs, craft pork jerky, craft meat sticks and Chicago Sauce.

Making It Happen For Velasquez, innovation is his motivation for bacon products and emits from his own curiosity about all things bacon.

“It all comes out of me wishing I had something, then realizing that I can make that happen,” he said, laughing.

That’s even how the idea of creating The Baconer came about, asking themselves if they should start a bacon company.

“The honest answer was, ‘Why not?’

Making bacon was a hobby at home for me, but I had been involved with other people in a supper club in Brooklyn years ago. I learned you could do all kinds of smoked and cured meats, that there were more cool things you could do than cutting the slabs into strips.”

The Baconer specializes in a French tradition that is fairly uncommon in the States: lardon, meaty chunks of bacon that add flavor for everything from stewed black beans to tacos to salad toppings to snacks all by themselves.

Velasquez said consumers enjoy finding new ways to use lardons as much as he does.

“Everybody loves to do new things with it. It’s got a lot of potential,” he said.

One day, Velasquez wondered why people didn’t have ground bacon. So he made some. He advised adding ground bacon (25 percent) to ground beef for bacon burgers, into ground beef or lamb in Bolognese pasta sauce or just frying it to use as bacon bits – such as on ice cream. Yes, he said ice cream.

The Baconer product line includes candied bacon rub, uncured and sugar-free bacon, bacon steaks and small-batch bacon strips.

Though bacon-makers like Avery and Velasquez note that bacon isn’t just for breakfast anymore, it does make that first meal of the day special.

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FEBRUARY 2022

Both men also stressed the importance that quality makes a difference.

“Go for quality,” Velasquez said. “Cooking should inspire you. These days, there’s convenience and speed, the need to eat something quick. But people do want to slow down and enjoy their food, too. Enjoy cooking. And that’s where quality matters.”

Better-for-You and Convenient Happy news, though, for breakfast-loving consumers on the go. Even the convenience products are getting healthier. In November, Field Roast and JUST Egg teamed up to launch Field Roast Classic Style Sausage, Egg & Cheese Plant-Based Breakfast Sandwich in Whole Foods, with national distribution at other retailers in 2022.

The innovative co-branded vegan breakfast sandwich is made with Field Roast Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage Patty, JUST Egg Folded and Chao Creamery Creamy Original Cheese Slice, A recent OnePoll survey commissioned

by Eat Just found that many respondents had plant-based breakfast foods versus other meals and more than 80 percent were open to trying a plantbased meal one day a week. With the global plant-based egg market anticipated to be worth an estimated $1.5 billion by 2026, JUST Egg has expanded to a variety of formats since launching nationally in 2019 and is looking to continue that momentum in collaboration with Field Roast’s popular plant-based breakfast sausage and dairy-free cheese products.

The breakfast sandwich adds to Field Roast’s plant-based product line that includes Field Roast Signature Stadium Dog, Field Roast Plant-Based Pepperoni and Field Roast Plant-Based Nuggets.

Even major food companies are aiming to claim a stake in the better-for-you breakfast market. General Mills Big G cereals, Chiquita bananas and Yoplait yogurt have teamed up to promote an affordable good breakfast nutrition of cereal, banana and yogurt for just over a dollar.

The “Go Bananas for Breakfast!” campaign works to correct the statistic that most Americans fall short when it comes to the recommended daily amounts of whole grain, calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

The cereal, banana and yogurt breakfast contains more than 12 grams of whole grain, 30 percent of the daily value of calcium, 25 percent of the daily value of vitamin D and 15 percent of the daily value of potassium.

The campaign also includes a limited time offer of coupons and a digital rebate. GN

GOURMET NEWS

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Kraft Heinz Acquires Majority Stake in German Company’s Just Spices The Kraft Heinz Company announced an agreement to acquire an 85 percent stake in Germany-based Just Spices GmbH. The remaining 15 percent ownership stake will be retained by Just Spices’ three founders, who will continue on with the company and focus on driving the business and its international growth.

Launched in 2014, Just Spices is an innovative startup, trailblazing the highgrowth taste elevation category with annual sales of approximately €60 million. Its 170-plus product portfolio includes spice blends, salad dressings and easy-to-prepare In Minutes blends for diverse meal occasions ranging from breakfast and light snacks to salads and baking, with a broad

range of savory, sweet, classic and exotic flavors.

Just Spices’ rapidly growing spice revolution business sells approximately 70 percent of its ready-made and one-step spice blends directly to consumers, with its remaining sales through major grocery retailers both in-store and online in Germany, Spain, Austria and Switzerland.

Just Spices’ data-driven product innovation has successfully been geared toward the needs of Gen Y and Gen Z consumers, with about 1.6 million followers across the company’s social media platforms. Its advanced analytics knowledge has enabled Just Spices to create and identify early consumer trend signals, foster product innova-

tion, understand customer sentiment and optimize consumer targeting.

“This is a great opportunity to further accelerate our growth agenda by strengthening our ability to anticipate trends in consumer tastes and preferences, as well as our speed to innovate,” said Rafael Oliveira, international zone president at Kraft Heinz. “We will leverage our scale and agility to accelerate Just Spices’ business in the fast-growing taste elevation market beyond its current German base and its recent market entries in Spain, Austria and Switzerland. We also see tremendous potential to strengthen and enhance our own

direct-to-consumer operations and go-tomarket expansion.”

The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including merger control approval, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. GN

Melodea Tackles Plastic Waste Process With Sustainable Wood-Pulp Packaging Israeli green-tech startup Melodea has developed MelOx, a high-performance, plantsourced barrier coating that protects packaged products from oxygen and oil and grease transmission and Melodea VBcoat, which protects packaged goods from water vapor and oil and grease transmission.

Melodea sources its barrier coating material for packaging from wood pulp, the same raw material used to make paper.

The innovative green solution helps steer paper and packaging producers toward more socially responsible packaging routes and meet sustainability goals more quickly. The coatings are sustainable and recyclable, thus easing plastic waste pollution.

“Cellulose, the primary building block of the cell walls of all plants, is the most abundant biopolymer on the planet,” said Shaul Lapidot, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Melodea. “It provides plants with extraor-

dinary strength, and is a lightweight – yet strong – material.”

The company applies proprietary technology to extract cellulose nanocrystals

from wood pulp sourced from trees grown in industrial forests.

The sustainable barrier coatings are designed to offer protection from oxygen, oil, grease and water vapor transmission. The coatings help maintain the quality and integrity of packaged foods inside while elim-

inating the need for aluminum and plastic.

As a forestry by-product, it is compostable, recyclable and non-toxic for people and the environment. Once done with the package, consumers can throw it into the recycling bin.

“Consumers are imposing more strident demands when it comes to the welfare of the planet, and this increasingly resonates in their purchasing behavior,” Lapidot said.

“Concurrently, the supply chain is greening up its act, especially in light of legislative measures curbing plastic use.”

The E.U. Single-Use Plastics Directive went into force in July, effectively placing a ban on the 10 most polluting single-use plastic items littering beaches including plastic bags, packets, wrappers and food containers. The directive also placed labeling requirements to inform customers on the packaging’s disposal options and its content.

“It is no secret that the solution for a sustainable and circular packaging industry necessitates moving to bio-based materials,” said Melodea CFO Zvika Weiss. “Our

cellulose-based barrier coatings offer an economically affordable, naturally abundant and sustainable alternative to oilbased products. More importantly, its raw material lives in harmony with nature – it comes from the forest, and it returns to the earth at the end of its lifecycle.”

The company’s liquid formulas can be applied as a coating to various substrates, including paper, paperboard, bio-plastic and even plastic itself. It serves companies across the packaging value chain, from paper and packaging producers to consumer goods manufacturers and food companies.

The high-barrier coatings can be tailored to a broad range of packaging products, such as pouches, lids, and food and beverage cartons. It is suitable for packaging both dry and liquid products.

“Our coatings can easily be integrated into standard industrial coating lines, including slot dies, rod coaters and gravures – the coatings already are in pilot use by a number of major companies,” Weiss said. GN

Iconic Brands to Triple Capacity at TopPop’s New York-based Iconic Brands, together with its wholly owned subsidiary TopPop, expects to triple the company’s 2021 ice pops and cocktail manufacturing capacity to more than 150 units in 2022 with a new 64,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

The Pennsauken, N.J., facility is expected to begin production early in the first quarter of 2022 and reach its full potential production capacity by the end of the quarter.

Plans for the newly increased capacity include 150,000 flexible stand-up cocktail pouches per day, including thermo-formed shot cups and alcohol Jelly shots and

adding a custom plastic bottling line in the third quarter.

U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau recently approved Iconic to manufacture wine, malt and spirits and do custom product blending in-house at the new facility.

The project is ahead of schedule, Iconic CEO Larry Romer said.

“We believe that TopPop is now well positioned to boost Iconic to record revenue growth in 2022,” he said.

Iconic has invested about $4 million in facility improvements and manufacturing and packaging equipment. Almost half is for three state-of-the-art, high-speed liquid-

filling machines that, using continuous motion, can produce about five million ice pops per week.

TopPop uses innovative, flexible packaging solutions in the beverage sector, which are in high demand. Millennials and Gen Z and other mobile consumers favor lightweight beverage solutions.

These consumers also gravitate toward solutions that are better-for-you and better for the planet.

Flexible packaging is more sustainable than cans and bottles from a production standpoint because it uses fewer resources and generates less waste and emissions. Additionally, the COVID-19

pandemic has quickly accelerated the growth of e-commerce solutions. Flexible beverage packaging is lightweight, durable and more cost-effective, making it ideal for an improved direct-to-consumer solution.

In 2020, TopPop manufactured 10 million ice pops, growing nearly 5 times annualized, to 36 million during the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2021. With the new Pennsauken facility coming online, and including its existing 30,000-squarefoot Marlton facility, TopPop will have sufficient capacity to meet the demands of existing and new customers while developing and launching its brands. GN

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FreshEdge Acquires Distributor Monteverde’s Indianapolis-based FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, acquired Monteverde’s, a fresh produce distributor located near Pittsburgh.

Monteverde’s operates out of a 61,500 square-foot facility.

The addition expands FreshEdge’s foot-

print farther into the eastern United States and provides space and logistical support to better serve its increasing customer base. Monteverde’s joins a growing alliance that includes Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Indianapolis Fruit, Get Fresh Produce, McCartney Produce, Leonardo’s Produce, Valley Produce, Vine

Line, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh and Papania’s.

FreshEdge operates with 1,775 employees, about 731,500 square feet of warehouse space and a fleet of more than 670 trucks.

Terms of the deal, which closed on Nov. 30, 2021, were not disclosed. The transac-

tion strengthens the combined businesses’ presence in western Pennsylvania and the tri-state region that includes Ohio and West Virginia.

Steve Monteverde from the Monteverde family and Monteverde’s president, Gloria Garofalo, will continue to lead the company. GN

Opopop, Foxtrot Team to Expand Reach Gourmet popcorn maker Opopop has expanded product availability through a new partnership with Foxtrot, the corner store, café and delivery market.

“We’ve seen early success in direct-toconsumer channels and Opopop is now eager to join the Foxtrot family in their mission to reshape the shopping experi-

ence for a new generation of foodies,” said Opopop President Sarah McDowell.

“Foxtrot’s premium, forward-thinking retail concept was a natural fit when looking for new ways to engage popcorn lovers.”

Opopop developed an exclusive popcorn Discovery Collection for Foxtrot cus-

fort of their homes.”

Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup was developed by Torani Flavor Scientists Continued from PAGE 1 Melissa Dyandra, Mailyne Park and Lance Schwarzkopf. Their work on the actual mouthfeel and viscosity of this lab benchtop included dozens of formuclassic,” he said. lations before the team ultimately landed “Our Flavor of the Year is the culminaon the final flavor, which delivers an elution of years of research and development sive richness, deep orange color and just and as serious ‘flavor geeks,’ we couldn’t be the right amount of sweetness. The dismore excited,” said Torani CEO Melanie tinctive syrup is sweet and salty, making it perfect for milk teas, milkshakes, espresso drinks, cold brews and more.

Like all products in Torani’s Puremade Syrup line, it is made with pure cane sugar, all natural flavors, color from natural sources, no preservatives and no GMOs. Young’s expertise creating custom cocktails to pair with food at Bianco J MARTIN HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY Restaurants for the likes of the L.A. Dodgers’ ownership group and the New Orleans Pelicans Dulbecco. “Torani is committed to delivercoaching staff, among many others, ining amazing flavor for all, and Puremade spired him to create cocktails using Torani Salted Egg Yolk is an especially fun innoPuremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup. vation that showcases our passion for fla“I replaced the sweeter agents in classic vor.” drinks like the Manhattan and Old FashSalted egg yolk continues to gain moioned with this syrup and it created a commentum and is used around the globe to pletely new experience. It’s odd that a enhance both sweet and savory cuisines cocktail brings me back to my childhood,” and beverages, including ice creams, pashe said, smiling. tries, boba teas and potato chips – even Mc“Most people use these syrups in coffee, Donald’s french fries in Singapore. Salted but I’ve been using them in my cocktails for egg yolk is often promoted leading up to years,” Young said. “I’ve learned that lesser Lunar New Year (Feb. 1 this year), with its is actually more.” signature golden hue signifying prosperity, Young experimented with various cona central theme of the holiday. coctions before coming up with what he “Our research has shown consumers’ calls Feather From Heaven: growing interest in salted egg yolk as a flavor, both abroad and within the U.S. in reFeather From Heaven cent years,” said Andrea Ramirez, Torani’s 3 ounces rye whisky consumer and customer market insight ½ ounce Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk manager. “Not only is it delicious and verSyrup satile, but it’s a flavor that reflects the cur1 lemon rent culinary tourism trend in which 3 sprigs rosemary consumers seek new foods and beverages Tajin seasoning from around the globe, even from the com-

Torani

tomers, which includes seven pouches of Flavor Wrapped Popcorn Kernels and a microwave popcorn popper that retails for $30. The Opopop Discovery Collection and restock flavor cartons are available at all 15 Foxtrot locations in Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C. Customers may shop in-store or order 5-

minute pickup and 30-minute delivery via the Foxtrot app.

“We’re always seeking out the most delicious things that bring a sense of joy and discovery to our customers,” said Foxtrot VP of Merchandising Ashley Alden.

“Opopop’s innovative product takes a nostalgic everyday snack to a new level.” GN

Heaven recipe and others he made with Muddle two rosemary sprigs and half of the Torani Puremade sliced lemon with syrup Salted Egg Yolk for at least 10 seconds in J MARTIN HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY Syrup on his Instaa stir glass. Remove gram account, @Tylemon peels and roseFighter1116, where mary sprigs. Pour conhe dishes on other tents into a shaker. Add custom drinks (and ice, rye whiskey and shares photos of his shake for at least 10 secdogs, too). onds. Using a strainer, Torani Puremade pour over fresh ice in a Salted Egg Yolk Tajin-rimmed glass.

Syrup joins the comGarnish with lemon pany’s line of more wheel and burnt rosethan 150 syrups and mary. sauces.

Famous for intro“Because the Salted Egg ducing the Italian Yolk Syrup is very soda to Americans in sweet,” Young said, “you the 1920s and creatdon’t need much. It also ing the world’s first needs to be offset with flavored latte in the an acid, such as lemon 1980s, Torani is conjuice. The savory comstantly pursuing the ponents from the rose“next big thing” in flavor. mary pair well with the sweet Salted Egg With Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Yolk Syrup as well. Rye whisky cuts Syrup setting the standard, the company is through the sweet rather than a sweeter opplanning to continue the Pourcast Flavor of tion like bourbon.” the Year program in 2023 and beyond. GN Young will share the Feather From

J MARTIN HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Jake’s Nut Roasters Seasoned Almonds

OMG! Pretzels Sweet & Salty Nuggets

Jake, a fourth-generation member of the Jasper Family, is proud to continue the farming traditions of his that great-grandfather have been passed down for over 70 years. Since 1948, 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 is a creative line of specialty almond snacks with distinctively bold and unique flavors, which include Bleu Cheese Cracked Pepper, Bloody Mary, Mesquite Smoked, Hatch Chile, Maple, Barbecue and Buffalo. These almonds are in fact “Straight from Jake’s Orchard,” showcasing the company’s vertical integration and commitment to sustainable growing practices.

OMG! Pretzels creates an elevated snacking experience with “ridiculously delicious” gourmet flavored sourdough pretzel nuggets. As a women- and family-owned business, OMG! Pretzels prides itself on using only premium ingredients and keeping products 100 percent made in America. There are no gourmet pretzel nuggets on the market quite like OMG! Pretzels, as each pretzel bursts with unbelievable crunch and flavor. Their gourmet status makes them a versatile snack, appetizer or recipe addition. Recognized as an award-winning product with strong consumer satisfaction, these pretzels are a must-have in every single home and retail location.

Jake’s almonds provide an unparalleled snacking experience and make eating this healthy snack both fun and satisfying. Jake’s Nut Roasters 7-ounce cans have a cool, classic appearance that look great on store shelves, kitchen counters or table centerpieces. Produced in a dedicated peanut-free facility, these premium California almonds are dry roasted and seasoned in small batches to deliver exceptional quality. Be on the lookout for a new Jake’s flavor coming soon. Jake’s Nut Roasters can also be found on Amazon.

Jasper Specialty Foods 800.255.1641 www.jasperspecialtyfoods.com www.jakesnutroasters.com

MarDona Family Style Gourmet Pasta Sauces MarDona Specialty Foods is proud and pleased to present its new 24oz Family Style Gourmet Pasta Sauces.

MarDona worked hard to create these sauces to be versatile and perfect for any favorite pasta dish – as well as a perfect sauce for steak pizzaiola, chicken cacciatore, fried calamari or even just to dip in a favorite crusty bread.

Consumers will love the sauces because they are delicious, natural and enough to go around.

MarDona uses only pure, natural ingredients in the making of its gourmet sauces. MarDona uses the best crushed tomatoes, fresh spices, pure olive oil and

the finest ingredients. Then, sauces are cooked slowly over a low heat for hours to bring the sauces to their well-balanced thickness and great taste. MarDona also keeps the sodium and calorie levels as low as possible. The sauces are, of course, gluten free and have no sugar added.

MarDona prides itself on having the finest in gourmet products while providing them at affordable prices. Come and enjoy the new MarDona Gourmet Pasta + sauces today.

Manga!

MarDona Specialty Foods 855.645.7772 www.mardonausa.com

Vermont Coffee Organic Medium Ground Coffee From Stonewall Kitchen Vermont Coffee Company started with the simple desire to share great coffee with the best of friends. All these years later and the big, bold flavor of its organic, noGMO arabica blends continues to unite – just take their Organic Medium Ground Coffee, which is a perfect pick for sharing with those who matter most.

This exceptionally versatile coffee features a smooth, full-bodied blend with notes of sweet caramel. But there’s more to this cup of joe than just great taste. Ethically sourced and sustainably slowroasted using 100 percent renewable

energy from a combination of wind and local dairy farms, this is coffee that’s good for both people and the planet. From the morning grind to evening pick-me-up, consumers are sure to appreciate this carefully crafted blend with every soothing sip.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

New Hard Seltzer from Sparkling 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 12can variety pack.

Sparkling Ice www.sparklingicespiked.com

FEBRUARY 2022

They have handcrafted each of their eight flavors to perfection, including Sweet & Salty, the perfect flavor for a picnic date or Valentine treat. The classic combination of cinnamon and raw cane sugar are the stars of Sweet & Salty Pretzels. But, don’t worry, you will get the perfect touch of salt as well to round out this amazingly poppable flavor. Whoever said you can’t have the best of both worlds never tried Sweet & Salty Pretzels! This flavor also adds the perfect crunch on top of ice cream or a fun twist for a pie crust.

OMG! Pretzels www.omgpretzels.com

Ariston Specialties Lemon Infused Olive Oil Ariston Specialties’ Lemon infused olive oil is made with the award-winning select extra virgin olive oil and lemon essence.

This combination is a match made in heaven, resulting in a wonderful, clean, fresh-tasting oil. The same technique is used with Ariston’s Orange infused olive oil, Ariston’s Blood Orange infused olive oil and Ariston’s Lime infused oil. Ariston’s Lemon infused olive oil compliments steamed vegetables, seafood, poultry and pork. The lemon oil is also an excellent ingredient for baking.

Ariston is sharing a popular recipe made with Lemon infused olive oil, which could be substituted with Orange infused, Blood Orange infused and Lime infused olive oil.

Get the recipe by emailing aristonspecial-

ties@hotmail.com.

Lemon infused olive oil also pairs nicely with Raspberry Condiment Vinegar and White Balsamic Vinegar for a wonderful salad dressing. Ariston recommends two-thirds of the Lemon olive oil to one-third of the Raspberry Condiment Vinegar or White Balsamic Vinegar. These ingredients make a healthy dressing (no preservatives, no emulsifiers, no chemicals), just totally natural and tasty ingredients.

Ariston Specialties www.aristonspecialties.com

JoGo Eco-Straw Each year, billions of coffee pods are thrown away – enough to circle the entire earth over 10 times – and 1.5 million trees are cut down every year to satisfy demand for paper coffee filters. Luckily, there’s a better way to brew.

JoGo is designed to fight against disposable culture by eliminating the need for paper filters, coffee pods, to-go coffee cups, and plastic straws. JoGo allows you to brew and drink

coffee in the same cup.

Designed by outdoor educators and coffee lovers, the JoGo straw offers all the robust flavor of a French press with the ease of instant.

Drop a scoop of ground coffee into a mug, add hot water, pop in the JoGo and enjoy.

JoGo www.jogostraw.com

Tabletree Cherry Juice Turns out the state best known for its big skies also has something to brag about on ground level, too.

Tabletree Montana’s Cherry Juice uses Flathead Lake cherries, a touch of honey and a dash of cinnamon as its natural preservatives for an award-winning juice gaining attention worldwide.

Gary and Susan Snow

have developed a proprietary system that produces quality, healthy and nutritious products (expect new products soon).

Taken alone, the Cherry Juice has nutritional benefits, but is great for cooking and cocktails. Sold in select specialty food stores and online.

Tabletree Montana www.tabletreejuice.com

GOURMET NEWS

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FEBRUARY 2022

Ardagh Glass Mason Jars Ardagh Glass Packaging – North America’s versatile Mason jars are perfect for craft food producers. Proudly made in the United States using high-quality flint (clear) glass, these jars are 100 percent and endlessly recyclable.

This 16-ounce Mason jar is offered in 12-pack cases available for purchase on Ardagh’s BOB™ site (food.buyourbottles .com) with convenient online ordering and payment via credit card or PayPal. Or, you can purchase the jar in six-pack cases by contacting Ardagh directly.

Ardagh is dedicated to the craft food market with capabilities and resources to

grow with you every stage of the way. By the pallet or truckload, BOB and Ardagh have the ideal shapes and styles for craft food producers like you. View Ardagh’s entire stock portfolio at www.ardaghgroup.com/food2022.

Ardagh Glass Packaging – North America 856.455.2137 www.ardaghgroup.com/food2022

Howard Products Wax-It-All Howard Wax-It-All is a food-grade paste wax that is safe for any surface where food contact may occur. This thick, smooth blend of beeswax, carnauba wax and foodgrade mineral oil helps to revive, seal and protect surfaces in and around your home. Use Wax-It-All on butcher block, concrete, stainless steel, granite, marble, soapstone, slate and laminate countertop surfaces; metal, plastic furniture and painted cabinets.

Wax-It-All enhances beauty and protects surfaces to make them look better and last longer; is easy to use – simply rub the wax on, let it absorb and buff off any excess; is safe for indoor and outdoor

countertop surfaces; and helps delay tarnishing and oxidation of bronze, copper, brass and even wrought iron.

It also gives finishes a soft sheen and a smooth feel; locks in the oils and waxes after using Howard’s other foodgrade products; is great for woodworkers who need a hard, carnauba wax finish; and is made in the USA with food-grade ingredients under strict quality controls.

Minimum wholesale orders are only six cases (free freight).

Howard Products 800.266.9545 www.howardproducts.com

Junior’s Coffee from White Coffee White Coffee has added Junior’s coffee to its family of licenses.

In 1950, when the Dodgers ruled Brooklyn and Nat King Cole ruled the airwaves, Harry Rosen set out on a mission to create a new restaurant where families could enjoy comforting food, lively conversation and fabulous desserts. He believed that in order to be a great restaurant in New York, you had to make a great cheesecake. So Mr. Rosen and his baker Eigel Petersen set to work perfecting “The World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake,” a recipe that would later come to define the iconic “New York Cheesecake.” It wasn’t long before the

perfect pairing emerged: a slice of the world’s most fabulous cheesecake and a cup of Junior’s freshly brewed coffee!

As pioneers of the “bottomless cup,” the Junior’s philosophy has always been, “All you want, as you want it.” Today, Junior’s is proud to offer its freshly ground coffee available in Brooklyn Blend, French Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut Torte and Pumpkin Pie in both 12ounce ground coffee bags and single-serve cups, to cheesecake lovers around the world.

White Coffee www.whitecoffee.com

Top Tomato Bloody Mary Mix Top Tomato Bloody Mary Mix is produced locally in the heart of the Ozarks, in small batches with the highest quality ingredients. Filled with bits of real garden tomatoes, chopped onion and garlic, this mix brings a bit of a kick that pairs perfectly with anyone’s favorite spirit. Unlike many of its competitors, it’s gluten free. It also contains no MSG, no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup while being low in salt, sugar and in calories. Who knew a bloody mary mix could be so healthy?

Winning multiple awards every year, Top Tomato Bloody Mary Mix has become a nationally known mixer. While it primarily

is used as an alcoholic beverage, it makes a savory standalone drink and great to use within recipes.

Now available in original flavor or get a kick with brand new Spicy Mix.

Circle B Ranch 417.683.027 www.circlebranchfoods.com

21

Montebello Lasagne from Stonewall Kitchen Imported exclusively by specialty food maker Stonewall Kitchen, the new Lasagne from Montebello delivers farmto-fork pasta perfection by way of northern Italy. This is a region prized for its produce, a place where organic durum wheat is thoughtfully grown, carefully harvested and gently ground into semolina flour. It is here where authentic lasagne begins.

Expertly crafted by skilled artisans using old-world techniques, this pasta is cut with classic bronze dies to produce a wonderfully porous texture that better soaks up sauce. Oven ready with no need to parboil,

each sheet can simply be layered with fillings and allowed to rest for one hour before baking as usual. The packaging even includes a recipe for classic lasagne, ensuring your customers can truly enjoy the finest Italy has to offer.

Stonewall Kitchen www.stonewallkitchen.com

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 good-

ness in seconds.

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

Blenders & Bowls Smoothie Bowls with Laura’s Gourmet Granola Two women-owned food brands have teamed up to create a delicious, healthy snack: frozen Smoothie Bowls. Blenders & Bowls ready-to-eat Smoothie Bowls are topped with Laura’s Gourmet Granola.

Blenders & Bowls founders, Kara Jordan and Erin Thompson, took their popular smoothie bowls sold at their brick-and-mortar cafés in Austin, Texas, packed them frozen into ready-to-go, 6-ounce containers and then collaborated with Laura’s Gourmet Granola to top them with a golden, delicious granola to create a whole new way to enjoy smoothie bowls at home.

The flavors are stunning, too: The O.G.

(açaí, strawberry, banana), The Sesher (açaí, peanut butter, and cacao), The Sunny (mango, pineapple, banana) and The Magic Dragon (dragonfruit, pineapple, mango). The 6-ounce size frozen smoothie bowls are topped with the artisanbatch granola for a complete meal to-go that is gluten free, vegan and dairy-free, with no processed sugar.

Blenders & Bowls www.blendersandbowls.com Laura’s Gourmet Granola www.laurasgourmet.com

Just Crack an Egg Omelet Rounds If you’re craving a perfect omelet. but don’t have the time, Just Crack an Egg has your solution. Its Omelet Rounds use cage-free eggs to create a fresh-tasting breakfast in a microwave. Bonus: There are no artificial flavors, dyes or preservatives. They come in four flavors: All American with uncured bacon and sharp Cheddar; Three

Meat with pork sausage, uncured bacon, uncured ham, red pepper, green pepper and onion; Classic with uncured ham, Cheddar, red pepper, green pepper and onion; and Broccoli Cheddar, whose name says it all.

Just Crack an Egg www.justcrackanegg.net

22

GOURMET NEWS

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FEBRUARY 2022

SMORGASBORD

TRADESHOWCALENDAR (dates subject to change)

February 6-8

April 10-11

Winter Fancy Food Show

Northwest Foodservice Show

Las Vegas, Nevada www.specialtyfood.com

Portland, Oregon www.nwfoodshow.com

February 27-March 1

May 9-12

National Grocers Association

Food Safety Summit

Las Vegas, Nevada www.thengashow.com

Rosemont, Illinois www.foodsafetysummit.com

March 3-4

May 21-24

Tastemaker Conference

National Restaurant Association Show

Chicago, Illinois www.tastemakerconference.com

Chicago, Illinois www.nationalrestaurantshow.com

March 6-8

May 23-26

Sweets & Snacks Expo

Healthy Food Expo

New York City, New York www.internationalrestaurantny.com

Chicago, Illinois www.sweetsandsnacks.com

March 6-8

June 5-7

IDDBA 2022

Coffee Fest

New York, New York www.coffeefest.com/new-york

Atlanta, Georgia www.iddba.org

March 8-9

June 12-14

Summer Fancy Food Show

Craft Beverage Expo

Chicago, Illinois www.coffeefest.com/chicago

Louisville, Kentucky www.craftbeverageexpo.com

June 24-25

March 8-12

Coffee Fest

Natural Products Expo West

Chicago, Illinois www.coffeefest.com/chicago

Anaheim, California www.expowest.com/en/home.html

August 28-30

March 10

Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo

Women in Craft

Los Angeles www.westernfoodexpo.com

Louisville, Kentucky www.craftbeverageexpo.com

August 28-30

March 13-15

Coffee Fest

Seafood Expo

Los Angeles, www.coffeefest.com/los-angeles

Boston, Massachusetts www.seafoodexpo.com/north-america/

October 7-8

March 22-24

Coffee Fest PNW

SIAL

Seattle,Washington www.coffeefest.com/pnw

Las Vegas, Nevada www.sialamerica.com

October 25-28

March 22-24

The Gathering

International Pizza Expo

Orlando, Florida www.thegatheringevent.com/east

Las Vegas, Nevada www.pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com

October 27-29

April 5-7

PMA Fresh Summit

National Hardware Show

Orlando, Florida www.pma.com/events/freshsummit

Las Vegas, Nevada www.nationalhardwareshow.com

ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER

PAGE

WEBSITE

Elmhurst Milked

24

www.elmhurst1925.com

EU3

2

www.iconsofeuropeantaste.eu

Royal Hollandia

23

www.royalhollandia.us

Stonewall Kitchen

4,7

www.stonewallkitchen.com

Where to Buy

3

www.wheretobuy.io

Trade Shows: Food Safety Summit Puts E. coli on ‘Trial’ in May The 2022 Food Safety Summit, May 9-12 in Rosemont, Illinois, kicks off with a mock civil jury trial involving a large-scale foodborne illness outbreak.

Opening statements will be delivered and testimony offered in a case about a mother losing her child to a severe E. coli O157:H7 infection. The audience (some of whom will become jurors) will hear testimony and cross-examination from the company CEO and VP of food safety.

Ryan Osterholm, founding partner of OFT Food Safety and Injury Lawyers, will lay out the case for the prosecution and Shawn Stevens, founder and national food industry lawyer with Food Industry Counsel, will represent the defendant.

Following closing arguments, watch a jury (randomly selected from the audience) deliberate the case and issue their final verdict.

Odyssey Wellness showcased its premium functional mushroom elixirs at the BevNET beverage industry conference,

held in Santa Monica in early December.

Odyssey is building on the increasing demand for beverages with functionality and health benefits for consumers, especially those seeking enhanced focus, clarity, energy and mood from the cognitive benefits of mushrooms.

“The rapid acceptance we’re getting from major retailers and distributors so early in our launch confirms there’s an untapped market for our innovative premium elixirs with less sugar, exotic flavors and an intentional infusion of the most potent, bioavailable mushrooms available,” said Scott Frohman, CEO and founder.

Odyssey hosted an after-party to highlight the beverage line’s diversity by offering samples of drinks as well the option for elixirs infused with premium spirits to provide flavorsome, functional cocktails.

Odyssey Elixirs are made with organic ingredients; contain no preservatives, artificial flavors or sweeteners; and are vegan, non-GMO and kosher. GN

Messer Liquid Nitrogen Cryogenic Technologies Shown at IPPE New Jersey-based Messer is helping food processors during the COVID-19 pandemic by installing innovative cryogenic technologies to address production challenges.

As consumer demand shifts to retail channels, cryogenic technologies boost production of existing processing lines and quickly add capacity to new lines.

In addition, due to the reduced availability of carbon dioxide, Messer converts customers to liquid nitrogen, improving their security of supply.

Messer showcased these technologies at the 2022 International Production & Processing Expo in January.

“When our customers had to curtail production due to labor shortages and CO2 reliability, we quickly installed new chilling and freezing technologies to help boost throughput and to mitigate CO2 shortages,” said Mark DiMaggio, vice president of applications, marketing & execution at Messer Americas. “Our customers have ac-

celerated their adoption of nitrogen and, given the ongoing CO2 supply challenges the industry faces during the pandemic, they are continuing to do so.”

At IPPE, Messer demonstrated its: • Patented high-capacity Wave Impingement freezer, which combines the benefits of wave product agitation with impingement gas flows to give customers new levels of IQF quality and productivity. The Wave Impingement freezer is a cost-effective and efficient alternative to CO2 flighted freezers and triple pass tunnels.

• Bottom injection chilling technology with Messer’s Kryojector injectors and control system, a hygienic technology that can improve food safety and deliver consistent batch-to-batch chilling, while reducing blender cycle times.

• Cross-Flow tunnel freezer for crustfreezing a wide range of high-moisture and hot products while preventing ice from hindering operations. GN

ADM Continues Growth in High-Value Flavor Segment Chicago-based ADM, a global leader in nutrition and agricultural origination and processing, has acquired Flavor Infusion International, a full-range provider of flavor and specialty ingredient solutions for customers across Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Our Nutrition segment has been delivering profit growth of 15 to 20 percent a year, and our flavors business has been an important driver of that success, with annual sales growth of more than 10 percent,” Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM’s Nu-

trition business said.

“This acquisition represents another important bolt-on addition as we expand our capabilities in this high-value segment.”

With this acquisition, ADM adds an experienced and successful team of 60 colleagues who serve a growing list of food and beverage customers across Latin America and the Caribbean with a wide range of flavor ingredients and solutions from two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Panama and Colombia. GN