Sprouts Foundation Awards $3M to Local Organizations
The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation will grant $3 million to roughly 300 local Phoenix organizations focused on advancing education, access to nutrition, and wellness for adults and children in communities with Sprout locations. Allocating organizations with $5,000 to $10,000 in funding, grant categories include:
- Sprouting School Gardens – Funding for new or existing school-based gardening programs that provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that bring nutrition education to life for students
- Growing Healthy Kids – Funding for community-based programs focused on children’s nutrition access, nutrition education, and health and wellness
- Wellness Across the Lifespan – Funding for community-based programs focused on adult health and wellness
Executive Director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Lyndsey Waugh, shared her thoughts on the company's objective, “Our goal is to help children and adults connect with vital resources, learn new skills, and improve their health and wellness.”
Companies looking to apply must submit their applications to the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation by July 15.
Natural Grocers Debuts New Film
Natural Grocers is promoting the fourth short film in its "Meet Your Farmer" film series: A Family Leggacy. The movie gives a behind the scenes look at a farmer who produces Natural Grocers branded regeneratively grown organic eggs, his family, and the day-to-day life of farmers and ranchers changing the way food is produced. The fourth installment in the series allows viewers to meet organic growers, grassroots farmers, and regenerative ranchers dedicated to the land they work, the animals they raise, and the communities they serve. The film series is just one of the ways in which the Natural Grocers brand spreads nutritional education to its consumers. Store shoppers will see promotion for the film online and in stores through the month of July.
Vermont Creamery Celebrates 40th Anniversary
2024 marks the 40-year anniversary of artisan dairy company, Vermont Creamery. To celebrate, the brand will be:
- Awarding the Bob Reese Scholarship for Aspiring Cheese Entrepreneurs, to support up-and-coming cheese entrepreneurs
- Previewing its latest creation, Hooper, a soft-ripened, first washed rind, donut-shaped goat cheese named after company co-founder Allison Hooper, at this year's Summer Fancy Food Show
- Celebrate its Sea Salt Butter receiving the Gold sofi Award
- Honoring its co-founders for being awarded with the Specialty Food Association Lifetime Achievement Awards at the annual 2024 SFA Awards Gala
Guests can stop by booth 465 during the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show to discover the latest from the brand and learn about its growth and partnerships with family farms across New England and Canada. “Vermont Creamery began as a passion for quality cheese and a belief that we could create delicious, artisanal dairy while making a positive impact on all our stakeholders,” says Allison Hooper, Co-Founder of Vermont Creamery.
CRN Launches New Podcast
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) debuted a new podcast, Supplement Source, on June 24. Hosted by VP of Communications, Jeff Ventura, the monthly show will examine various topics within the supplement and functional food industry. "We are thrilled to introduce 'Supplement Source' as a new platform to engage with our industry stakeholders and share valuable information about the industry," shared Ventura.
The first episode will feature Brassica Protection Products LLC CEO and Co-Founder, Tony Talalay, discussing the importance of innovation and quality in dietary supplements. Other special guests will include CRN members and industry insiders looking to educate and inspire supporters of the dietary supplement and functional food sector. Listeners can access episodes of the show through SoundCloud and the CRN website.
Nutriventia Limited Launches TurmXTRA
Nutriventia Limited has launched its water-dispersible turmeric extract, TurmXTRA. The clinically proven extract ingredient is effective even in low-doses for supporting joint and muscle health and it has recently been accepted for use with various Blackmores products, the company says. Most recently, the company revealed a new human clinical study showing the extracts supreme bioavailability and its bioequivalence from a single 250 mg dose compared to a leading branded turmeric extract with piperine, commonly consumed in three 500 mg doses. "TurmXTRA's inclusion in Blackmores' products validates our philosophy of delivering high-quality, clinically proven ingredients to our customers, especially a brand with high standards for excellent such as Blackmores," shared Vishal Shah, Nutriventia's co-founder and executive director.
Dole Continues its Packaging Sustainability Efforts
Dole Packaged Foods is continuing its commitment to sustainability by removing 97% of the plastic used in the packaging of its popular Smoothie Bowl line. Staring this summer, consumers will notice a new paper-based wrapping material for the brands Acai Original, Acai Protein, Mango Gets Mangosteen, and Strawberry Meets Aronia flavors. The debut of the new sustainable packaging will remove 130 metric tons of plastic from the brands operations annually and continue their mission of positively impacting people and the planet. “People and the planet remain at the cornerstone of everything we do, and as part of our global promise, we’re committed to delivering delicious and nutritious products, while minimizing our environmental impact,” said Orzse Hodi, SVP & Managing Director for Dole Packaged Foods, Americas.
CGI Team Shares Vision of Better Future
Columbia Grain International (CGI) is utilizing its company culture values to align with individuals looking to help bring nourishment to the world and create lasting impactful career opportunities. The direct approach allows CGI to offer opportunities at grain elevators, pulse processing plants, agronomy centers, logistical operations, HR, and develop careers from education to executive management through its CGI Legacy Program, an initiative to support local Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters with a sustainable, hands-on grain marketing program. Jeff Van Pevenage, CEO of Columbia Grain International, spoke on the shared mindset amongst its team members, “We value every member of the Columbia Grain team who demonstrate daily our core values of innovation, reliability, respect, and have the dedication to work hard to cultivate growth for our farmers, our supply chain management and for their own self-enhancement."
New Studies Favor TSI's Paraxanthine
Two new studies have found TSI's enfinity paraxathine, a pure metabolite of caffeine, to be less bitter than caffeine, easier to formulate with, and just as effective as caffeine without the unwanted side effects. The first study, a double-blind, randomized, and crossover experiment published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, tested the cognitive fatigue of trained runners when quickly switching between tasks after a 10K treadmill run. Results showed paraxanthine allows individuals to switch between tasks faster and more efficiently when compared to caffeine. The second study, published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, confirmed enfinity as a safe ingredient for weight management due to its thermogenic and hunger-reducing properties.
This latest research enables enfinity to continue gaining recognition amongst consumers for its cognitive benefits and weight management properties while becoming a viable alternative to traditional stimulants.
Roquette Showcasing at IFT First Event
Plant-based ingredient supplier, Roquette, will be spreading "Plant Positivity" at booth 2031 at this year's IFT FIRST event in Chicago. Guests of the three-day event will be treated to nutritious better-for-you beverages like the sugar-free, fiber-enriched Paloma Mocktail and a protein-fortified coconut milk drink containing NUTRALYS Fava S900M, the brands fava bean protein isolate. “At Roquette, we believe that plant-based ingredients are key to fostering positive nutrition in a wide array of applications. Our commitment to “Plant Positivity” means leveraging our extensive market knowledge, high-quality ingredients and exceptional application expertise to help food manufacturers and formulators create products that captivate and satisfy," said Anke Golde, Head of Customer Technical Services Food & Nutrition Americas. On Monday, July 15th, Mr. Golde will be presenting "Plant Positivity: High Fiber Happy Hours", a discussion on the science behind the Paloma Mocktail's exclusive concept.
OFI Outlines 2030 Social and Environmental Targets
OFI (olam food ingredients) celebrated UN Sustainable Gastronomy Day with the launch of its "Choices for Change" sustainability strategy, an initiative with its targets and action plans through 2030. The proposed plan of action will look to build on the company's current product-specific strategies for cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices to address growing consumer demand for sustainable products. As food supply chains continue to face challenges, Choices for Change will focus on providing supply chain excellence to strengthen supplier engagement, reduce supply chain risks, and provide customers with more verifiable data for sustainability decision-making and reporting.
Other targets in the 2030 Choices for Change strategy include:
- Delivering enhanced livelihood support to one million farmers, helping them to be more productive and deliver better quality ingredients.
- Cutting scope 3 emissions by 30% to offer customers verifiable, low-carbon products and ingredients and contribute to net-zero commitments.
- Bringing 2 million hectares of land under regenerative farming practices to create long-term farm resilience and products with verified positive natural impact.
Clasado Biosciences Confirms BART as Exclusive Distributor
Functional ingredient specialist, BART, is now the exclusive distributor of Clasado Biosciences (Clasado) prebiotic, Bimuno GOS. The beneficial bacteria, available in powder and syrup formats, is suitable for various applications including dietary supplements, functional foods and beverages, and has been associated with gastrointestinal, immune, and cognitive health. The latest distribution agreement enables BART to distribute the prebiotic in the Polish market, increasing global access for the award winning product. "We are delighted to announce another key step in our ongoing expansion as we partner with the highly experienced BART team to bring Bimuno GOS to the Polish market. We look forward to seeing how formulators in the region capitalize on spectacular opportunities for growth, backed by an enviable scientific profile that consumers can trust," said Dr Frederic Narbel, VP of B2B Sales at Clasado.
ADM Receives Approval, Collaborating with Ooni Pizza Ovens
ADM and pizza oven manufacturer, Ooni, will roll out their new line of flour which is produced through regenerative agriculture practices. Known for its range of high-quality pizza ovens, Ooni has tapped ADM to provide consumers with an exceptional home pizza-making experience using flour that has been farmed with the intention of reducing its environmental footprint. "We are thrilled to be working with Ooni, a company that shares our vision for a more sustainable food supply chain and an unwavering commitment to quality," shared Ashley Fuller, Commercial Director, ADM Milling. Customers can purchase the new line of pizza flour from Ooni's UK website and limited retailers.
In other ADM product news, DE111, the brand's spore-forming probiotic (Bacillus subtilis), has received approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a part of the Australian Department of Health granting the products access to Australian customers. This news follows the company's recent National Health Commission (NHC) approval in China, “This is an important milestone for ADM, as it marks the first Bacillus subtilis strain to be approved by the TGA in Australia,” said Helen Hu, President of Health & Wellness APAC at ADM.
Virginia Dare Returns to IFT FIRST
Virginia Dare will be debuting a newly redesigned booth at this year's IFT FIRST show. Inspired by the company's state-of-the-art offices in Carteret, NJ, IFT guests can stop by booth 1826 to learn about the brands custom flavor configuration, taste improvement, beverage applications, wellness formulations, and functional delivery innovation, while sampling the latest trends in flavor with complimentary fortified functional beverages, fruity mocktails, ready-to-drink plant-based functional coffee lattes, and blood orange yuze ceramide gummies. "We're thrilled to showcase our new booth design, which reflects the evolution of Virginia Dare and our dedication to being a flavor-first innovator. Our new facility has significantly expanded our capabilities, and we can't wait to give visitors a taste of what we can achieve together," expressed Philip Caputo, Marketing & Consumer Insights Manager at Virginia Dare.
