Modern Twist on an Old Classic: Betsy’s Best Transforms the ‘PB&J’ at the MetroCooking DC Show, Dec. 9-10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A Modern Twist on an Old Classic: Betsy’s Best Transforms the ‘PB&J’ into a Healthy, Gourmet Treat at the MetroCooking DC Show, December 9-10
Registered Dietitian and food entrepreneur Betsy Opyt will present “The PB&J Gourmet Experience” at Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters Booth #1139 at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show, Dec. 9-10, 2017, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.
Naples, FL (Dec. 4, 2017) – The ultimate food lover’s weekend returns to the Washington, DC, Convention Center where Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters founder and CEO, Betsy Opyt, will be sampling her sweet and salty spreads including Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter and Peanut Butter with jellies and jams from World of Chiaand artisan sprouted grain Bread Crisps from Angelic Bakehouse.
Dubbed “The PB&J Gourmet Experience,” the creative tasting experience presented by Betsy’s Best at the upcoming MetroCooking DC Show is an excellent example of healthy-foods-meets-gourmet-ingenuity during the two-day culinary extravaganza. Alongside cooking demos and book signings with top Celebrity Chefs, including Guy Fieri, host of the hit TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Betsy will showcase the versatility of her healthy and delicious gourmet products.
Now in its 12th year, the MetroCooking DC Show has grown significantly in popularity over recent years and has emerged as a top national event for foodies. The event draws thousands of visitors and features hundreds of vendors.
As a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and former Miss Indiana, Betsy Opyt has been touring the country sharing her passion for healthy, great-tasting spreads that make eating well a lot easier. Made with whole food ingredients and superfoods such as chia seeds and cardamom, Betsy’s Best Nut & Seed Butters have become a national hit because of their unique taste and texture that appeal to adults and kids alike. As an added bonus, Betsy’s products are also Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, and palm oil free.
“We cannot wait to be amongst some of America’s top culinary minds at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show,” says Betsy Opyt, founder and CEO of Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters. “To showcase our nut and seed butters in a truly innovative setting has motivated us to come up with some creative twists on a classic sandwich that everyone can enjoy - from the discerning foodie to the pickiest kid. Come explore healthy, gourmet food with us. You are going to love it!” she adds.
About Betsy’s Best
Betsy's Best® was founded in 2012 by Betsy Opyt, former Miss Indiana and a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Based in Naples, FL, the company blends its nut and seed butters with unique ingredients, flavors and superfoods to create products that are nutritious, delicious and different. Betsy's Best brands are the initial offerings of Healthy Concepts Food Company, LLC.
Betsy's Best Gourmet Almond Butter with Cinnamon & Chia Seeds was recognized in October 2016 as the first recipient of the ChefsBest Quality in Craft Award by an expert panel of Certified Master Tasters. Also, Betsy’s Best Gourmet Cashew Butter with Cardamom & Chia Seeds was recognized as a NEXTY Award Finalist at Natural Products Expo East in September 2017. For more than 60 hand crafted recipes and to learn more about Betsy’s Best, visit www.BetsysBest.com and connect on social media.
Where to Find Us
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters are available online at www.BetsysBest.com, on Amazon Prime, and in over 2,100 stores in 39 states, including Kroger, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market (Florida), Bristol Farms, Ingles Markets, Vons, Ralph’s, Lowe’s, City Market, King Soopers, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter and others; and through distributors including UNFI, KeHE, Jake’s Finer Foods, Haddon House, Gourmet Merchants and others. For wholesale inquiries contact info@BetsysBest.com, tel 888.685.8292.
Visit Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters, Booth #1139, at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show, Dec. 9-10, 2017, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042
# # #
EnerHealth Launches Helix Herbs, a Professional Line of Herbal Hemp Formulas for Wellness Practitioners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EnerHealth Launches Helix Herbs, a Professional Line of Herbal Hemp Formulas for Wellness Practitioners
Helix Herbs, EnerHealth’s new line of hemp extracts, are specially formulated and available exclusively to natural health and wellness practitioners throughout the U.S.
Longmont, CO (November 29, 2017) –EnerHealth Botanicals, Colorado-based manufacturer of natural and organic herbal supplements, has announced the launch of its new line, Helix Herbs, formulated for health professionals who practice holistic alternative and natural medicine methodologies. The line of full-spectrum, raw, whole plant extracts includes 1oz. pure hemp extracts available in four potencies, and four unique 2oz. hemp blends. Products are available through www.helixherbs.com.
EnerHealth, a longtime leader in artisan-quality herbal extracts and other products, developed the practitioner line in response to the rising demand for wellness products made from hemp and the growth in alternative medicine. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in a March 2016 analysis, approximately 38% of adults and 12% of children use Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
The perceived therapeutic attributes of hemp extract rich in phyto-cannabinoid compounds have become extremely popular as people search for alternative ways to alleviate what ails them. According to market research compiled by Hemp Business Journal, the hemp industry is projected to grow to $1.8 billion in sales by 2020, led by hemp food, body care, and extract-based products.
“The goal with Helix Herbs is to assist people in their quest to find, achieve and maintain optimum health,” says Steve St. Clair, founder and CEO of EnerHealth. “People are increasingly turning to chiropractors, naturopaths, traditional herbalists, and other practitioners for natural healthcare options and we want to provide efficacious hemp extracts for the practitioner’s toolbox,” he adds.
Hemp Extract Like No Other
The hemp used in EnerHealth’s extracts comes from farms that follow organic production practices. Using a specialized “spagyric” technique that utilizes only organic grape alcohol and pure water, the company uses this innovative extract technology and a low temperature technique to preserve the living constituents of the original raw hemp plant. EnerHealth's Whole Hemp Extract is considered to be the most effective and safest on the market today.
Helix Herbs products include the following Whole Hemp Extract formulas, available in 1oz. bottles in the following potencies, and the following Hemp-blended Formulas, available in 2oz bottles:
Whole Hemp Extracts - Containing naturally occurring cannabinoids in a base of certified organic, gluten-free and non-GMO Grape alcohol and MCT coconut oil. Available in strengths of 250mg, 500mg, 1500mg and 3000mg.
Pro-Immune Blend – Pro Immune is formulated with Whole Hemp Extract, which supports healthy inflammatory response and has antioxidant and nutritive properties; Chaga, an antioxidant and immune booster that provides lymphatic system support; Nettles Leaf, which supports healthy blood sugar levels and bone, cardio, and immune functions, and promotes healthy digestion; Elderberry, an immune booster and anti-oxidant that helps modulate body temperature; and Maitake, a mushroom traditionally used to provide immune support.
Mind and Memory Blend – Helix Herbs’ Mind and Memory Formula is made with Whole Hemp Extract, which supports healthy inflammatory response and has antioxidant, nutritive, and mood enhancement properties; Bacopa, an anti-oxidant which supports brain health, memory and healthy cardiovascular function; Turmeric, an anti-oxidant that supports healthy inflammatory response and balances brain function; Gotu Kola, which supports mood, promotes general energy levels and serves as a brain tonic and mild adaptogen; and Rhodiola, an adaptogen that helps balance serotonin levels for better mood, promotes healthy nerve growth, harmonizes the mind, and promotes healthy sleep patterns.
Homeostasis C Blend – Helix Herbs’ Homeostasis C is made with Whole Hemp Extract, which supports homeostasis and healthy inflammatory response and has antioxidant and nutritive properties; Red Clover, which promotes healthy blood function and healthy cell growth and has strong nutritive properties; Chapparal, which supports homeostasis; Dandelion Root, a gentle detoxifier; and Turkey Rhubarb, a gentle detoxifier that supports healthy digestive function.
Ache Away Spray – Ache Away is a topical spray made with Whole Hemp Extract, which supports healthy inflammatory response and has antioxidant and nutritive properties; Skullcap, which promotes healthy nerve growth; White Willow, which helps ease discomfort; Nettles, which helps relieve discomfort and supports nourishment via the skin; Lobelia, which eases muscle discomfort and promotes healthy blood flow; and Camphor/Menthol, which eases muscle tension and helps cool the skin.
For practitioner wholesale inquiries contact Helix Herbs via EnerHealth Botanicals, tel 866.762.9238. Visit www.helixherbs.com and contact sales@enerhealthbotanicals.com.
About Spagyric Medicine
Spagyric Medicine is an ancient alchemical process used to preserve and potenize medicine, dating back to ancient Greece. Spagyric formulations are prepared by reconstituting the cell salts (minerals) back into the herbal extract. EnerHealth uses this innovative extract technology and a low temperature technique to preserve the living constituents of the original raw hemp plant. Enerhealth’s spagyric herbal extracts were tested by third party HPLC gas chromatography analysis of potency in key constituents with results finding an increase of 10 times the normal values found in herbal tinctures.
About Enerhealth
Founded in 2005 by Steve St. Clair, the Colorado-based herbal manufacturing company offers hemp extract oils in tinctures for internal use, hemp–infused massage oils and spagyric hemp salves for topical external use, and hemp seed hearts to eat. Enerhealth also manufactures and sells an extensive variety of health and food products, including single herb extract oils, blended herbal formulations, herb-infused salves, a line of organic cocoa powder and organic coffee blended with medicinal mushrooms, products for cleanses and detox, portable water filters and bottles, and emergency preparedness items. Visit www.enerhealthbotanicals.com.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042
Steve St. Clair, EnerHealth Botanicals, steve@enerfood.com, 303.702.0833
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The Original Organic: Biodynamic Food and Farming on the Rise
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Source: Presence Marketing Newsletter, December 2017
Author: Steven Hoffman
What’s old is new again. Biodynamic agriculture, the predecessor to organic farming
developed in 1924 and based on the ideas of Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolf
Steiner, is growing in popularity among farmers who want to reduce their input costs, build
the health of their soil, and also follow organic farming principles.
The biodynamic label, too, is appearing on more products as discerning consumers demand
organic food that’s been grown in the soil using regenerative agriculture methods that help
sequester carbon out of the atmosphere, as concern for finding solutions to climate change
rises with the temperature.
The number of biodynamic farms in the U.S. is growing rapidly, Elizabeth Candelario, co-
director of Demeter USA, the nonprofit certifier of biodynamic farms and consumer products
in the U.S., told The Guardian. According to Demeter, there are approximately 250
biodynamic farms and wineries in the U.S. and total U.S. acreage under biodynamic
production increased 16% in the last year, totaling 21,791 acres. It is estimated that 350,000
acres worldwide are farmed using biodynamic methods in 47 countries.
“Biodynamic farmers manage their farms—including fields, woods, wetlands, plants, animals
and people—as a self-contained, self-sustaining organism. They don’t use GMOs, synthetic
chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides,” reported Whole Foods Market in its blog (the retailer is
offering a growing number of biodynamic certified products).
“We’re talking about crop rotation and the value of manures and soil fertility; and biodiversity
and how that provides habitat for predators that eat the bad insects,” said Jim Fullmer, co-
director of Demeter USA, the only biodynamic as well as organic certifier in the country.
“The biodynamic system is just the original idea of an organic system. That is what it was
supposed to be. Not a list of materials that are allowed or prohibited, [which] is what organic
has become,” Fullmer said in the Boulder Weekly.
Integrating livestock into the farming operation is essential in biodynamic agriculture,
Fullmer told the Boulder Weekly. “When you do that you’re addressing a lot of input
concerns. You’re generating fertility out of the manures, but also the pasture and the crop
rotations and everything that comes out of the presence of animals. When that starts
happening, you’re building soil humus and when you do that, the farm is able to hold onto
water, it’s able to hold onto crop nutrients and provide them in a living, balanced way, which
leads to pest control because you have healthy resilient crops,” he said.
Boulder, CO, restaurateur and certified biodynamic farmer Eric Skokan, owner of the Black
Cat Bistro and Bramble & Hare Restaurant, grows over 250 different vegetables and raise
sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys and geese on 130 acres spread between three different plots
of land in Boulder County. At the lowest point of production in March, about 65% of the
Bistro’s menu comes directly from the farm, Skokan told the Boulder Weekly. At the height
in the fall, it hovers around 95%. Skokan recently became the first certified biodynamic farm
to table restaurant in the country, the Boulder Weekly reported.
While linked to some “spiritual” or astrological practices, biodynamic is a system of
agriculture in essence. According to Candelario, this is not required for Demeter
certification. “I’m so happy I’m not in the business of certifying people’s spirituality,”
Candelario said. “What we certify is people’s farming to this beautiful agronomic standard.
Learn more:
- Demeter USA, www.demeter-usa.org
- Biodynamic Association, www.biodynamics.com
How to Help Farms and Wineries Damaged in the Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino Fires
Photo by Compass Natural
Source: Presence Marketing News, November 2017
Author: Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
For those looking to help organic farmers and producers who suffered significant damage in the fires that swept through large parts of Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino Counties in northern California, here are some resources where you can help and learn more:
North Bay Just & Resilient Futures Funds
Resources from this fund, established by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) along with a coalition of community based organizations, will be provided to victims of fires, especially those suffering losses not covered by insurance or traditional relief services, and to support initiatives that build more just, healthy, and resilient communities.
California Certified Organic Farmers
CCOF is extending all organic compliance deadlines for operations in the Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, recognizing that power outages and fire damage will affect immediate business operations for some days, weeks, or longer. CCOF lists a number of organizations and ways industry members can help – visit CCOF’s Northern California Fire Relief Efforts page here.
Funds collected on this YouCaring.com website set up by California Wine Strong will be distributed to individuals, businesses and communities affected by the wildfires through Napa Valley Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, the Community Foundation of Sonoma County’s Resilience Fund, and the Community Foundation of Mendocino County Disaster Fund of Mendocino County.
# # #
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing brand marketing, PR, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. Contact steve@compassnatural.com.
PMA Predicts Future Growth of Organic Market
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Source: Presence Marketing News, November 2017
Author: Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
“Once merely a specialty item favored by the ‘uber health-conscious,’ organic food has widened its distribution channel, especially in retail formats, and has now become a staple in supermarkets around the world. The more accessible it becomes, the more its popularity rises.” So says the Produce Marketing Institute in an October 5, 2017, commentary. Organic achieved mainstream status due to consumer demand for transparency, especially about topics including food safety, chemical preservatives, genetically modified ingredients and pesticides, along with health concerns around diabetes, heart disease, cancer and more, which have affected food buying choices, said PMA.
“Consumers now expect to know the story behind their food before they’ll buy it. Is it locally sourced or imported from an international market? Is it produced in an ethical manner or does it come from a factory farm? If a food item doesn’t have a positive backstory, even if it’s cheaper, many consumers consider looking elsewhere. And some important components of a positive backstory include ‘natural,’ ‘organic,’ and ‘locally sourced,’ which can be major selling points despite the added costs. That shift helped transform organic produce from a niche underdog into a produce industry powerhouse, and it’s not slowing down,” said PMA.
Foods with organic and natural claims remain popular among households with children in the U.S., and organic strongly resonates with Hispanics, particularly Millennials and especially those with children. In fact, said PMA, parents in general are far more likely to embrace the positive reputation of organic.
However, PMA cautioned that households with children are on the decline. Meanwhile, the number of consumers that lack trust in the organic label remains steady, it said. Older consumers are the most likely to be unconvinced of the value of organic and are hesitant to spend more for organic products. Younger shoppers, PMA points out, while open to the benefits of organics, often can’t afford them.
PMA reported that the global organic food market was $110.25 billion in 2016, according to management consulting firm TechSci Research. Global organic food sales are expected to reach $262.85 billion by 2022. While Europe and North America make up the strongest demand for organic food, PMA suggested that intense competition in those regions means companies must also look elsewhere to gain a foothold.
# # #
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing brand marketing, PR, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. Contact steve@compassnatural.com.
Betsy’s Best Goes Prime Time for the Holidays
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Betsy’s Best Goes Prime Time for the Holidays
In time for the holidays, Betsy's Best® Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters are now available on Amazon Prime, plus shoppers will receive a bonus PDF Holiday Recipe Book featuring more than two dozen recipes crafted by Registered Dietitian, fitness trainer and former Miss Indiana Betsy Opyt, founder and CEO of Betsy’s Best.
Naples, FL (November 16, 2017) — Betsy's Best® Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters is pleased to announce its better-for-you pantry essentials are now available on Amazon Prime. All of Betsy's Best’s nutritious and delicious, Non-GMO spreads – including Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, Peanut Butter and Sunflower Seed Butter – are now available as singles, two-packs and six-packs, eligible for free two-day shipping for Amazon Prime members.
By selling on Amazon Prime, Betsy's Best products become more visible and readily available online. Amazon Prime members enjoy a number of benefits including free two-day shipping on Amazon Prime approved products. Membership is growing rapidly, and Business Insider reports there are more than 80 million subscribers to Amazon Prime.
In addition to being approved for sale on Amazon Prime, Betsy’s Best Gourmet Cashew Butter with Cardamom & Chia Seeds has been singled out as “Amazon’s Choice.” Amazon's Choice “recommends highly rated, well priced products available to ship immediately,” the company says. Affective today at 4:00pm EDT through end of day November 30th, customers can save 30% off the Cashew Butter buy using code CASHEW30.
Made with superfoods and whole food ingredients such as chia seeds, organic honey and Himalayan pink salt to create award-winning spreads noted for their unique taste and texture that appeal to adults and kids alike, Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters are Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, and palm oil free. Products available on Amazon Prime include Betsy’s Best Gourmet Almond Butter with Cinnamon & Chia Seeds, Cashew Butter with Cardamom & Chia Seeds, Seed Butter with Sunflower & Chia Seeds, and Peanut Butter with Cinnamon & Chia Seeds.
"We continuously look for opportunities to enhance the reach of our brand to more customers who may not be able to find our products in a store near them," says Betsy Opyt, founder and CEO. "The launch of Betsy’s Best products on Amazon Prime will significantly expand its availability in the U.S.”
Holiday Recipe eBook
Amazon Prime customers also will receive a complementary downloadable PDF Holiday Recipe eBook featuring more than two dozen easy-to-prepare holiday recipes hand crafted by Betsy Opyt. In addition to founding Betsy’s Best, Betsy is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, fitness trainer, avid cook and former Miss Indiana. “Our Holiday Recipe Book contains more than two dozen recipes that are high on taste and health when you are low on time,” Betsy says. “These are my own family-approved recipes that I use at home.”
About Betsy’s Best
Betsy's Best® was founded in 2012 by Betsy Opyt, former Miss Indiana and a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Based in Naples, FL, the company blends its nut and seed butters with unique ingredients, flavors and superfoods to create products that are nutritious, delicious and different. Betsy's Best brands are the initial offerings of Healthy Concepts Food Company, LLC.
Betsy's Best Gourmet Almond Butter with Cinnamon & Chia Seeds was recognized in October 2016 as the first recipient of the ChefsBest Quality in Craft Award by an expert panel of Certified Master Tasters. Also, Betsy’s Best Gourmet Cashew Butter with Cardamom & Chia Seeds was recognized as a NEXTY Award Finalist at Natural Products Expo East in September 2017. For more than 60 hand crafted recipes and to learn more about Betsy’s Best, visit www.BetsysBest.com and connect on social media.
Where to Find Us
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters are available online at www.BetsysBest.com, on Amazon Prime, and in over 2,100 stores in 39 states, including Kroger, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market (Florida), Bristol Farms, Ingles Markets, Vons, Ralph’s, Lowe’s, City Market, King Soopers, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter and others; and through distributors including UNFI, KeHE, Jake’s Finer Foods, Haddon House, Gourmet Merchants and others. For wholesale inquiries contact info@BetsysBest.com, tel 888.685.8292.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
# # #
Natural industry mourns passing of Miami retail pioneer Terry Dalton
Author: Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
Source: New Hope Network
With the Unicorn Village Natural Marketplace and Restaurant, and later Sublime Vegan Restaurant, Miami retailer and restaurateur Terry Dalton brought sophisticated hipness, financial savvy and customers in droves to his pioneering full-service natural foods supermarket and restaurant.
Natural products retail pioneer Terry Dalton, founder of the Unicorn Village in Miami, one of the industry’s seminal natural foods stores and restaurants in the 1980s and 1990s, passed away on Nov. 9, 2017, from head injuries suffered in a bicycling accident in northern Florida.
Terry was a true rock star in the natural products industry and remained very active and enjoyed the outdoors. He passed away doing what he loved and is survived by his son, Sage Dalton, a senior dive master at Oceans First in Boulder, Colorado, and former wife and lifelong friend Kathy (Dalton) Boruff, who also resides in Boulder.
Terry sold the Unicorn Village—one of the top grossing stores in the country at the time—in 1995 to Whole Foods Market. If you ever had the chance to eat at his stand-alone Unicorn Village restaurant on the waterfront in Aventura in North Miami, you would have seen top celebrities of the time enjoying Terry’s (and chef Steven Petusevsky’s) nouvelle natural, organic and vegetarian cuisine.
Terry and his team brought that Miami 1980s hip and chic sophistication to natural, organic and vegetarian products, making it appealing to so many more people. After the sale to Whole Foods Market, Dalton subsequently co-founded Sublime—one of the top vegan restaurants in the country—with Nancy Alexander, founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida. He remained involved in various consulting projects and causes since then but mostly enjoyed retirement over the past several years.
However, the impact Terry Dalton and his fellow retail pioneers—members of the original “Natural Network”—had on the evolution of our industry is a powerful and lasting legacy.
Terry Dalton stood out among a group of retail pioneers across the country who in the late 1970s and 1980s were dedicated to moving beyond stuffy, old-school health food store and crunchy, college-town natural food store formats. This intrepid group, including Terry and his Unicorn Village Natural Marketplace and Restaurant in Miami, were out to create the first full-service natural and organic food supermarkets that were the forerunners of today’s natural products retail marketplace. It was truly a unique entrepreneurial moment in the history of natural products.
Other members of the original “Natural Network” included Stan Amy of Nature’s Fresh Northwest (and New Seasons Market) in Portland; Mark Retzloff and Hass Hassan of Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder; John Mackey of Whole Foods Market in Austin; Peter Roy of the Whole Foods Co. in New Orleans (who later served as president of Whole Foods Market); Sandy Gooch of Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Market in Los Angeles; Anthony and Susan Harnett of Bread & Circus in Boston; and Terry Dalton of the Unicorn Village in North Miami. A number of these stores sold to Whole Foods Market and elsewhere, but their impact nonetheless lasts to this day.
Terry’s natural foods store and restaurant stood out as models for the industry. Throughout the 1980s and until 1995 when he sold his store to Whole Foods Market, Terry presided over one of the most sophisticated, hip and profitable natural foods scenes in the country. It was the THE place to go for natural foods, prepared foods and gourmet cuisine in the Miami area, and celebrities from Madonna to the stars of Miami Vice were regularly spotted perusing products in the market, or chatting over vegetarian fare in Dalton’s waterfront restaurant adjacent to his store.
Through my work as editorial director of the Natural Foods Merchandiser with New Hope Network in the ‘80s and ‘90s, New Hope co-founder Doug Greene sent me to many stores for our monthly retail profiles and I got to meet, report on and befriend so many of these founding retail pioneers—and work with them on seminars and educational programming at Natural Products Expo. Terry’s friendship was special and we remained close and worked on other projects together over the years. He took me under his wing like he did with many individuals in our industry, and helped nurture my career in the change-making and ever-changing natural and organic products market.
As such, his son, Sage, and his ex-wife, Kathy, asked if I would write this tribute to let the natural products community know of his passing and to honor Terry Dalton and his contribution to natural and organic food and agriculture, health and wellness, and environmental sustainability. I am honored to offer this tribute to Terry Dalton, my mentor and friend.
If you would like to learn more about the incredible founders who started an industry, including more about Terry Dalton’s work and legacy, read Natural Prophets by Joe Dobrow, an excellent book and an important history to preserve.
For those seeking to reach out to Terry’s family, please contact Sage Dalton at scubasage@me.com. The family is also still considering how best to honor his memory, and we’ll keep everyone posted. Life is precious, friends. Love and health to you all!
—Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
Tributes from family and industry leaders:
“I met Terry in Florida when I was 17. We started hanging out, visiting our families in the west, and we moved to Oregon for a time in the mid-1970s where our son Sage was born. Terry would tell me of his vision of opening a juice bar and natural foods store, and over the next few years, it all materialized. First, we delivered honey for a beekeeper to natural foods stores up and down the West Coast, and when we sold all the honey, we’d fill the van back up with fresh produce and then sell that all the way back home. After Sage was born, we moved back to Florida to be closer to my family. Terry soon partnered on his first restaurant, Chestnut, in 1979 in Fort Lauderdale, which ultimately led to the Unicorn Village store and restaurant, and the rest is history. Terry was my soul mate, and while his biggest passion was for natural products, his biggest love was for his son, Sage. And yet, while to us he was husband and dad and liked to ride bikes and all that, we knew he was a rock star to so many people. He was so influential in launching the natural products industry.”
—Kathy (Dalton) Boruff, Terry Dalton’s ex-wife
“My fondest, clearest memories of Terry Dalton, was when, in the mid-1970s, he lived in Oregon and was just starting out. He used to drive up Interstate 5 loaded to the gills with avocados, honey, dates and other fresh products from his runs in a van up and down the West Coast. He would just appear; there was no set schedule, but it was the highlight of the month when he came to visit. The store’s staff would empty out just to see what fresh products Terry brought to us. Of course, this was all before he moved to Florida and launched the Unicorn Village and his restaurants.”
—Stan Amy, founder, Nature’s Fresh Northwest and New Seasons Market
“Terry Dalton was clearly the leading voice for prepared foods, and he had the highest-volume vegetarian restaurant in the country for 10 years. None of us had cracked the foodservice code yet; Terry was way out ahead in terms of prepared foods, and his business was always very profitable. When we bought his store while I served as president of Whole Foods Market, Terry’s Unicorn Village team helped us dramatically improve our prepared foods offerings. Regarding the Natural Network, Terry was there from the very beginning. He saw the wisdom of us all working together, sharing information and trying to build this entire industry.”
—Peter Roy, founder, Whole Food Co., New Orleans; former president, Whole Foods Market; founder of the Natural Network; and board member of a number of successful natural products companies
“Terry Dalton was a progenitor in our natural foods industry, changing the lives and career paths of many, including my own. In 1989 at the Unicorn Village Restaurant and Market in Miami, he introduced me to a new way of thinking about our food supply, ingredient quality and ultimately how these issues affect on not only us, but the bigger picture of our planet’s well-being. This was the training ground in which we would feed thousands each day, with creative, globally inspired, clean food prepared from scratch. He empowered me to create and explore new, more socially responsible culinary directions at least 20 years before others. Terry’s guidance and memory will continue to push me forward for years to come. His profound influence on the industry and me personally will continue to benefit our world for generations to come.”
—Steven Petusevsky, chef and culinary specialist; former executive chef, Unicorn Village; and author, Whole Foods Market Cookbook
“Terry Dalton was such a good-hearted guy. Yeah, we were all pioneers in organic foods and natural grocery, but Terry really was the guy who pioneered the juice bar, fresh food and vegetarian food ideas that you see on every street corner in America today.”
—Hass Hassan, co-founder, Alfalfa’s Market, Boulder, Colorado, and Fresh and Wild Market, London, England
“We remember in the 1980s when a group of independent natural products retailers throughout the U.S. decided to meet regularly so that information and techniques could be shared. We called ourselves ‘The Natural Network.’ Founding retailers included Stan Amy of Nature’s Fresh Northwest and New Seasons Market in Portland; Mark Retzloff and Hass Hassan of Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder; John Mackey of Whole Foods Market in Austin; Peter Roy of the Whole Foods Co. in New Orleans (who later served as president of Whole Foods Market); Sandy Gooch of Mrs. Gooch’s in Los Angeles, and Terry Dalton of the Unicorn Village in north Miami. We visited each other’s markets and collected a myriad of ideas and opportunities over the years. Visiting Terry Dalton’s Unicorn Village was a joy. The deli section and restaurant were truly advanced and creative. Terry became our go-to person as the rest of us were trying to incorporate prepared foods sections into our natural products markets. We shall always remember this delightful, knowledgeable man who contributed so much to the expansion and ethics of the natural products industry.”
—Sandy Gooch, founder, Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Market, and Harry Lederman, industry veteran, marketing specialist and investor, and husband and wife, Los Angeles
“Terry Dalton was one of the original ‘Fabulous Five:’ Nature’s Fresh Northwest, Bread & Circus, Mrs. Gooch’s, Whole Foods Market … and the Unicorn Village.”
—Cheryl Hughes, founder, the Whole Wheatery, Lancaster, Califronia
“Small, innovative food companies need advocates, buyers who’ll tolerate new stuff every week. All the way from tiny Redwood Valley, California, Brightsong Tofu filled a standing order of ‘whatever you got that’s new and good’ for Terry. It was the ‘80s. We shipped by air every Friday a big box of mixed tofu products; they were sold out the next afternoon. Terry inspired us to transcend the ordinary.”
—Richard Rose, founder, Brightsong Tofu, Tofurella and HempNut, Santa Rosa, California
“Terry was both idealistic and pragmatic. He also was from Oregon (a little logging town called Roseburg) and described himself as the black sheep of his family because he got into natural foods and liberal causes. And yet he was so successful and still so gracious. And he built the first, and probably only, dockside natural foods supermarket, where people in their yachts and cabin cruisers could buy provisions!”
—Gil Johnson, former editor, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Portland, Oregon
“Terry Dalton was developing and promoting women and minorities long before anyone was keeping statistics. To this day the Unicorn Village management team remains one of the most diverse teams with whom I have ever worked. Terry was always mentoring—when the Unicorn went to Natural Products Expo, Terry brought as many of the team as he could manage and still keep the show going at home. He wanted everyone to get a chance to see what it was like to play on a bigger stage. Terry was always trying new ideas, but he always wanted to back up what we were doing by analyzing the numbers. He was creative but results driven. I always felt a bit smarter after talking to Terry. Rock star, Renaissance man, solid and true friend.”
—Catherine Ali, former CFO, Unicorn Village
“I worked for Terry Dalton at the Unicorn Village for over 10 years, up until it was acquired by Whole Foods Market in 1995. It was one of the most successful independents in its day. Terry was a pioneer and a visionary, and he was a mentor and an inspiration to my career in the natural foods industry. I will forever be indebted to him and his memory will always be with me. My prayers and thoughts go to his family, Sage And Kathy.”
—Richard Lewis, former purchasing director, Unicorn Village, and General Manager, 4th Generation Organic Market, Boca Raton, Florida
“My father made a conscious choice to enjoy life. He loved bicycling, kayaking, jazz music, family and living a peaceful life. We are truly honored by the overwhelming expression of love we’ve received from this community of natural products people he was also dedicated to, in addition to his own family.”
—Sage Dalton, Terry Dalton’s son and dive master, Oceans First, Boulder, Colorado
Panel Features Top Chef Host Padma Lakshmi, Other Notables, on Future of Food
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Source: Presence Marketing News, November 2017
Author: Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
Due to the power of social media, even young audiences in remote parts of the world know about “Top Chef,” said the hit food show’s co-host Padma Lakshmi, noting that children are more aware of food at a younger age, and engaging them in cooking and passing recipes down is important to food’s future. Home Economics “should be brought back” into the school curriculum, she suggested.
Padma spoke at The Next Big Bite: How We Will Eat & Drink, held October 16 at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. The event was hosted by Les Dames d’Escoffier New York, a professional women’s culinary organization with members who are leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality. Lakshmi joined other panelists including Melissa Clark, New York Times food columnist and cookbook author; Kerry Heffernan, executive chef, Grand Banks Restaurant, New York; Pascaline Lepeltier, instructor, Court of Master Sommeliers at the International Culinary Center, master sommelier, and author; Missy Robbins, chef and owner, Lilia Restaurant, Brooklyn, NY; and Susan Ungaro, president, The James Beard Foundation. Dana Cowin, DBC Creative, host of the podcast Speaking Broadly on Heritage Radio Network, and former editor-in-chief of Food & Wine, moderated the panel.
Here are food trends to watch, according to the panel and as reported in Specialty Food News:
Vegetables and plant-based foods. Stem to stalk is the new nose to tail. “Wasting food is going to become like not buckling up,” predicted Ungaro.
Untapped resources of the ocean such as algae or dogfish. “Dogfish is very plentiful and now we’re sending it to the U.K. because they know if makes good fish and chips. People here don’t understand that it’s a great resource,” said Heffernan.
Increased interest in the origins, content, and production methods of wine and spirits. “We can know what we eat, but we don’t always know what we drink,” noted Lepeltier.
Demand for healthier fare will have chefs rethinking traditional favorites. “We’re going to see a trend toward healthier, but with balance,” said Robbins, who created her restaurant with a health-oriented menu in mind. “People will give themselves the authority to indulge when they want to.”
Foods to watch: seaweed; beans, pulses, and legumes; oysters; and hemp.
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Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing brand marketing, PR, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. Contact steve@compassnatural.com.
Organic Industry Leaders Speak Out in Support of OTA’s Lawsuit Against USDA
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Source: Presence Marketing News, November 2017
Author: Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing
On January 19, 2017, one day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, organic industry and animal welfare advocates hailed the release by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) new Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) rules – the result of a 14-year-long process that would require organic farms to follow improved animal welfare practices. The rule addressed four areas of organic livestock and poultry production, including requiring humane living conditions, animal healthcare, transport and slaughter.
The next day, however, on January 20, the new administration ordered a freeze on all new or pending federal regulations, and delayed implementation of the OLPP rules under the National Organic Program (NOP). In May, USDA asked for additional public input on whether it should enact the rule, suspend it, delay it, or withdraw it. During this new 30-day comment period, USDA received more than 47,000 comments, 99% of which were in support of implementing the new rules by November 14, 2017.
After hearing nothing from USDA since then, on September 13, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) filed a lawsuit against USDA saying it has a duty to protect and advance the U.S. organic sector, and that USDA is in violation of The Organic Food Products Act and the Administrative Procedure Act for its delay of the Organic Livestock Rule. OTA is asking the District Court for the District of Columbia to reverse USDA’s decision to delay and eliminate options proposed to further delay, rewrite or permanently shelve the rule—thereby making the final livestock rule effective immediately, as written.
“In a 60-day period in Spring 2017, the USDA received more than 45,000 positive public comments from farmers, consumers and food producers, agreeing with proposed rules to improve animal welfare, particularly increased pasture access for poultry. Its customers—the public—have spoken, but unfortunately, it seems, they have not been heard,” wrote Matthew Dillon, Clif Bar’s Director of Agricultural Policy and Programs, on September 26 in New Hope Network’s IdeaXchange. “Instead, USDA is listening to a few massive egg producers that want to increase sales into organic markets but not incur the costs of higher animal welfare standards,” he added.
Longtime organic industry leader Gary Hirshberg, Cofounder and Chair of Stonyfield Farm, also spoke out in support of OTA’s lawsuit. “Maintaining the integrity of organic standards, and the consumer trust that we in the organic community work hard every day to earn, demands constant vigilance,” he wrote on October 16 in New Hope’s IdeaXchange. “That’s why the recent legal action by the Organic Trade Association against the federal government over yet another delay in enacting the organic livestock regulations is so critical, and why it deserves the support of all organic stakeholders.”
“The organic industry takes very seriously its contract with the consumer and will not stand aside while the government holds back the meaningful and transparent choice of organic foods that deliver what the consumer wants,” said OTA Executive Director Laura Batcha in a release. “The government’s failure to move ahead with this fully vetted regulation calls into question the entire process by which organic regulations are set—a process that Congress created, the industry has worked within, and consumers trust.”
Cross-Country Road2Wellness Tour Reaches the Finish Line at Making Strides Walkathon, Oct. 15, in Jones Beach, New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cross-Country Road2Wellness Tour Reaches the Finish Line at Making Strides Walkathon, Oct. 15, in Jones Beach, NY
Raising awareness for cancer prevention and a cure, leading nutritional supplement maker Nature’s Answer CEO Frank D’Amelio, Jr., has led a team of riders on a 4,000-mile, cross- country motorcycle tour in partner with the American Cancer Society. The riders reach the finish line on October 15 at the start of the Making Strides Walkathon in Jones Beach, NY.
Hauppage, NY (October 11, 2017) – What does a coast-to-coast motorcycle tour and the American Cancer Society have in common? Both are hoping to raise awareness across America about cancer prevention, treatment and finding a cure during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
Led by Frank D’Amelio, Jr., CEO of New York-based Nature’s Answer, one of the nation’s oldest and largest family owned manufacturers of nutritional supplements, along with a group of colleagues, the riders on the Road2Wellness Tour are covering 4,000-miles from San Diego to New York to kick-start the nonprofit Nature’s Answer Foundation with a mission to help educate communities and raise funds for prevention, treatment and research to finding a cure for cancer – a disease that has affected nearly every family in America.
During the 16-day road trip, which began September 30, the Road2Wellness Tour, held in partnership with the American Cancer Society, has included stops along the way to highlight the foundation’s support of health and wellness and cancer research organizations throughout the U.S., including the following organizations. The tour culminates October 15 at the starting line of the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walkathon in Jones Beach, NY.
American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge – With 31 Hope Lodges across the U.S., the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge offers cancer patients and their families a free place to stay when their best hope for treatment may be in another city. The Nature’s Answer Foundation is proud to support Hope Lodge, and the Road2Wellness Tour included stops at Hope Lodge in Phoenix, AZ; Nashville, TN; and Hershey, PA.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory – Founded in 1890 in Cold Spring Harbor, and home to eight Nobel Laureates, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is one of the world’s preeminent institutes specializing in cancer, molecular biology and genetics research.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walkathon – The Road2Wellness Tour riders reach the finish line at 7:00 am on the morning of Sunday, October 15, in Jones Beach, NY, where they will join 250 Nature’s Answer employees, family and friends at the starting line of the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walkathon.
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine – Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Phoenix, AZ, is a premier university for naturopathic practitioners. SCNM is one of seven accredited naturopathic medical schools in North America.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – Families never receive a bill from St. Jude’s for treatment, travel, or lodging for life-threatening childhood illnesses. Most of the funding for this world-renowned children’s research hospital, based in Memphis, TN, comes from donors, with only 14% coming from insurance – a vastly different model from other hospitals, and one supported by the Nature’s Answer Foundation.
Social media coverage of the tour using #road2wellnesstour has featured frequent updates and live streaming on Facebook (Nature’s Answer); Twitter (@natures_answer); Instagram (naturesanswer and road2wellnesstour); and on the tour’s website, www.road2wellnesstour.com.
Nature’s Answer will donate 10% of total product sales across all channels of distribution during the entire month of October to the Nature’s Answer Foundation, to be distributed to various charities to support cancer research. In addition, select Road2Wellness Tour gear is available online at www.road2wellnesstour.com, with the net proceeds from the sale of these items to be donated to qualifying charities, as well.
For more information and a complete tour schedule, to see a list of our partners, and to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.road2wellnesstour.com. To schedule an interview with Nature’s Answer CEO Frank D’Amelio, Jr., contact Steven Hoffman, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042.
About Nature’s Answer
Founded in 1972 by Frank D’Amelio, Sr., along with his wife Josephine, Nature’s Answer® is one of the largest family owned and operated manufacturers of nutritional supplements in North America. Today, Nature's Answer continues to combine the best of traditional herbal remedies, vitamins and minerals with innovative scientific techniques and phytopharmaceutical manufacturing to deliver supplements of the finest quality and value for the entire family. Visit www.naturesanswer.com.
About the Nature’s Answer Foundation
Established in 2017 as a tax-deductible, nonprofit 501c3 organization, the mission of the Nature’s Answer Foundation is to support scientific research to help find a cure for cancer and other leading diseases, promote preventive health education, and raise funds for these important causes. Please visit our website, Nature’s Answer Foundation.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
Christine Berry, tel 631.840.3153, cberry@bio-botanica.com
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