Steve Hoffman 3/4/23 Steve Hoffman 3/4/23

Creating the Silicon Valley of Natural Food: Q&A With Entrepreneur Steve Hughes

In 1997, Steve Hughes was named CEO of Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings tea company. Although he came from a conventional food background, Hughes quickly saw the potential of the natural foods movement—and he realized that Boulder was one of its epicenters. Along with local first-generation natural products company founders like Steve Demos and Mark Retzloff, Hughes was instrumental in turning Boulder into what he calls “the Silicon Valley of natural and organic food.”

For more than 25 years, Hughes has helped build some of the natural products industry’s iconic brands. After leaving Celestial Seasonings, Hughes moved on to serve as CEO of Frontier Natural Products. He then built Boulder Brands, which launched EVOL Foods, Udi’s, Smart Balance, Earth Balance and other brands. Seven years ago, Hughes founded Sunrise Strategic Partners, which is now one of the leading investment firms in the natural channel.

*Steve Hughes, CEO & co-founder of Sunrise Strategic Partners.*

At Sunrise, Hughes identifies and invests in brands in trending categories that are transforming the healthy, active and sustainable-living space. Sunrise recently merged two companies in its portfolio—Teton Waters Ranch and Sun Fed Ranch—to create the industry’s leading grass-fed/finished-beef platform dedicated to regenerative agriculture. Other Sunrise investments include Maple Hill Creamery, which produces 100% grass-fed, organic dairy products, and Kodiak Cakes, which produces whole-grain, high-protein pancake and waffle mixes.

Hughes recently reminisced about his experience in the natural products industry and shared his predictions about the future on the podcast Compass Coffee Talk, co-hosted by industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steven Hoffman and sponsored by PRESENCE Marketing, Naturally Boulder, Naturally San Diego and Naturally New York.

Read on to learn more about Hughes’ perspectives on brand building, hot investments in the natural products space, regenerative agriculture, the top components of a good business model and more.

Q: Over the years, you’ve really kept your eye on how to build brands, how to consolidate and scale, and how investments and economics affect the natural products marketplace. How is all of that going so far in 2023?
For 25 years, there was nothing but capital, increasing almost every year. If you had a good idea, you could probably get some funding to get started. But what happened last spring was that the pendulum kind of swung back the other way. People were less prepared to invest in companies that maybe had a great idea but not a great business model.

There are a couple of reasons why this happened. First of all, the Fed started making money more expensive. And then there was a lineup of natural brands that went public, like Beyond Meat, Oatly, Tattooed Chef. They came out of the box trading well above their IPO price, but they were businesses that had great top lines without very good business models. They were losing money, and they’re now trading 95%, 90% below their IPO price. That has really cooled off investors looking to take the big swing at high-growth, not-great-business-model kind of companies.

Before, this capital was pretty patient. They’d invest in a company, and if that company was losing money but the business was growing, they’d keep funding the business. But that changed pretty dramatically pretty quickly. I think there’s a little bit of retrenchment now, and I think it’s going to be with us for a while because interest rates are not going down anytime soon. They’re probably going up.

Q: What does that mean for natural products companies looking for investors currently or in the near future?
I think when you look at the lineup of companies that went public in 2020 and 2021 and how they’ve performed in the public space, it’s given investors a real pause about, OK, what are the rules? What has to happen for a company to be successful today? I think the answer is a bit different than it was a year or two or three years ago.

If you’re a company that’s got some scale and making money, I would just be really prudent now and be patient and grow and protect your bottom line. But if you’re a smaller company that isn’t cash-flow positive, you’ve got to get cash-flow positive. You’re not going to get funded, or if you do get funded, you’re not going to like the terms of that funding.

I think what we did with Teton and SunFed Ranch is a good example. These are two pretty good-sized companies, at about $60 million each. They had just turned profitable, but we figured if we put the two of them together and created Grass Fed Foods, we’d end up with a $120 million business growing 30% plus, making good money.

That’s one model. The other model I call “safety in numbers.” If you're a smaller company that’s underfunded, is losing money and can’t get funding, think about other brands in your category that are complementary and are facing the exact same issue. Could they or should they be trying to merge? I think that’s going to be the theme over the next 18 months—call it the mini-merger, where you get two or three small companies in the same category that together are profitable.

Q: Grass Fed Foods just recently launched. Can you tell us more about how it came about?
We invested in Teton Waters Ranch, which was grass-fed hot dogs and dinner sausages, six years ago. They were sourcing most of their raw material out of Tasmania, which is the ideal place in the world to get grass-fed meat. We built that business, got it to $60 million. But there was nobody to scale in the grass-fed space.

One of the challenges for regenerative agriculture companies like Teton is for the company to get the scale, so the retailers and food-service operators can really have confidence they can lean into it and get the product supplied properly and professionally. My partner, Vince, kept knocking on doors, saying, “If we could get two of these companies together, we could clear the field and be the largest.”

Then, I met Chris and Matt from SunFed five years ago at Expo. They’re sixth-generation ranchers in Northern California that do fresh grass-fed meat—what goes in the butcher case, what goes on the table at the restaurant. They had gotten SunFed to $60, $70 million at that time.

So, we had these two beautifully complementary companies—one doing prepared meat with an international source, one doing fresh meat with a domestic source. The big challenge was this was going to require somebody who really knew what they were doing to put these two together. We brought in Jeff Tripician, who had spent 15 years in premium protein with Niman Ranch and Coleman Natural Foods and had successful exits on both. So now we’ve got a scaled business with a guy who’s been there, done that—a guy with a playbook.

We invested in Teton when it was a $3 million business and today, it’s part of a $120 million platform. This is the largest grass-fed beef platform in the space, and I think it’s going to ramp and grow very quickly. This is really going to be a rocket ship. This could be the biggest outcome in Sunrise history.

Q: Can you talk a little bit more about the regenerative agriculture you’re promoting with Grass Fed Foods and other companies?
At Sunrise, we really felt six years ago that regen agriculture is going to be perhaps the biggest fundamental mega trend of the next 20 years—because, basically, it’s back to the future. It’s how we did it 100 years ago before we industrialized our meat supply and dairy industry. It’s better for the earth. So, we’ve put about probably 40% of our capital into this space.

One of the companies we invested in is Maple Hill Creamery, which is America’s first and only 100% grass-fed organic dairy milkshed, with over 150 farms. There are so many great positives to their regen agriculture business model.

First of all, they rotate the cows around the milkshed every three days. This makes the grass look like you haven’t cut it in three years—like how it used to be on dairy farms. The cows are also productive until they’re 14 years old, whereas an organic cow might be productive only until age 4.

A calf never gets an ounce of the mother’s milk on an organic farm. They get their own formula. But we incentivize Maple Hill farmers to wean, to have the calves on the mom for eight months. That makes the chemistry of the milk different, and better for the consumer. Cows are naturally wired to eat grass—they have four stomachs for that reason—and their grass-fed milk is a different chemistry than the milk from cows fed grain.

We launched Maple Hill Milk into Whole Foods. Our best item at Boulder Brands, Earth Balance margarine, sold $85 a week per store at Whole Foods. But after just 90 days, half gallons of whole milk from Maple Hill were going $600 a week per store. So, the consumer gets it. A challenge for us is to get the products there in an economical way that they can afford.

We were smaller, later-term investors in Vital Farms, which produces eggs, butter and ghee in the regen agriculture space, and it’s really exciting to see what’s happened with that business. It’s one of those that came out in the class of 2020 IPOs that traded way up, but is now normalized back to a pretty good place. It’s $15-a-share stock, and I think they've got nothing but white space in front of them.

Q: Speaking about brand development, we have a question from a listener: “What are the basic three to five general components of a great business model?”
Well, the first ideal is a highly differentiated, meaningful point of difference, ideally attaching an untapped consumer need. You’re looking for something the consumer’s ready for but isn’t on the market yet, like Maple Hill milk.

The second thing is margin. If you're a 50% gross-margin business, your ability to get the cash flow to break even quickly is there. But if you’re a 20% gross-margin business, you’ve got a long road to go and a lot of wood to chop.

The third is talent. To get to a business of $10, $15 million, you’ve got to almost be manic, right? You’re spending your own money. You’re spending nickels like manhole covers. You make every decision, because you’re on the line. But when your business starts to scale, you need to have the ability to bring in the “been-there, done-that” talent and be able to manage that talent. And that’s a challenge, because people that have been successful, that have been with bigger businesses and then come to smaller businesses, have a different business-management model.

Once we get the right CEO in place, the folks across our businesses see that, really, almost overnight, they start making the kind of progress and traction they need to get to scale the business.

Q: Can you give us an example, like how that applies to Kodiak Cakes? We know this is a story you’re really proud of personally, and there’s even a “How I Built This” podcast on NPR about Kodiak.
Kodiak is probably my favorite business experience. I got a call from my partner Jamie Manges at Trilantic Capital Partners, and he said he knew somebody who knew Kodiak co-founder Joel Clark, and Joel was getting ready to take in capital. So, I went on the internet, and they had the hokiest video of a trailer, which is their office, and a bear breaking into it, right? I thought, “This is something. OK, I’m just doing Jamie a favor. OK, I'm that kind of guy.”

Kodiak’s point of difference was a whole-wheat, high-protein alternative to white refined flour, which meant it could play in any category white refined flour is in. When Joel came to see me, Kodiak was at $15 million. It was at Costco and Target.

Joel showed me his deck, and when I got to the second page, I went, “Holy smokes, Joel, this is a billion-dollar brand.” He went, “What are you talking about?” I said, “Joel, you have got a 20 share of pancake-mix business at Target, and the category's up 20%. The category nationally is up 2%. You’re bringing millennial moms with money to Target to buy pancake mixes.”

So, we partnered up with Joel, and it was fascinating. It was just a great collaboration. Joel has got such great business and brand instincts. His business IQ is off the charts.

We came up with what we call the Kodiak Cabin. The foundation of the cabin is pancake mixes in 25,000 doors. The first floor is baking mixes in 25,000 doors. The second floor is all of that in a cup you can microwave in a minute. Then, the third floor is frozen waffles.

Kodiak went from $20 million to $200 million when we sold the majority of the control to Catterton 18 months ago. When I spoke to Joel recently, he was at $350 million.

Two years before he met us, Joel and Cam, his partner, were on “Shark Tank.” They were told all the reasons they weren’t going to be successful. I think they offered Joel $500,000 for half of the company. And, he said no, wisely.

I’m kind of a brand junkie and a trend junkie. I’ve been on some of the great rides in this industry. But working with Joel on this one was so special because it was so personal. All of his family had equity in the business, and he got to an extraordinary outcome. To have a small part in helping him do that is so great.

Q: Finally, what’s on the horizon for you personally? What kind of work is exciting for you right now?
I love looking for the next new thing. As I said earlier, I think products that revert us back to the basics are an untapped consumer need, whether it’s grass-fed meat and dairy or heirloom grains.

I’ve been talking with one company that’s doing stone-ground milling the old way. This company has just gotten started. They’re in the Northeast in Whole Foods, and they’re outselling Dave’s Killer Bagels by 50%, 75%. So, the consumer gets it, right? But one of the big challenges companies like this have is capital.

I also like resolving the disconnect between what a company founder says their unique point of difference is and what their product package says. One of the things we learned at Sunrise over the years is that you have your story, your concept statement. You want that to be 40%, 50% top-box resonating with your target consumer. But you want to make sure your package reflects that concept too. Because the reality is that for these small, emerging companies, 99.9% of their marketing budgets are package.

This industry is so dynamic, and while it’s going to go through different peaks and cycles, I think it’s just fascinating to see how many brilliant and caring people are in this industry. I think a young founder can reach out to anybody in this town and get a cup of coffee. I think that’s something we need to continue to nurture and build on, because there are tougher days ahead.

I've gotten a lot of great things out of this industry, a lot of great friends, a lot of great experiences. I’ve done well. It’s been great for my family, and I want to give back a little bit, and not necessarily with a price tag to it—just to help out where I can.

Steve Hoffman 3/2/23 Steve Hoffman 3/2/23

Jack & Annie's Impact Report Evaluates the Brand's Contributions in Supporting Regenerative Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The next-generation, plant-based meat brand measures the outcomes of its efforts to build a sustainable food system

BOULDER, CO (February 28, 2023) -- Jack & Annie’s, a leader in the alternative meat category, knows that fulfilling their mission of making a positive impact in the world includes measuring their own. With their first-ever Impact Report, Jack & Annie’s evaluates the company’s contributions in supporting regenerative agriculture through jackfruit, as well as its efforts to build community in the U.S. and India, support farming family partners, and further understand and improve the company’s own carbon footprint.

“We have always known that our environmental impact is strong. Jackfruit is one of the most sustainable crops, and we continue to partner with our farmers on regenerative practices,” said Annie Ryu, CEO and founder of Jack & Annie’s. “This past year, we took it one step further, performing our first LCA (Life Cycle Assessment). We discovered that jackfruit as an input is 94% better than beef, 60% better than chicken and 87% better than pork for Global Warming Potential.”

Jack & Annie’s is a global company, with teams in India and the U.S. working together to make a positive impact. In the U.S., the team participates in community programs to lessen food waste and is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Additionally, Jack & Annie’s is proud to partner with over 1,700 farming families in India, who help harvest the jackfruit. The farmers benefit by being educated about the value of jackfruit on their land; selling jackfruit to Jack & Annie’s enables farmers to increase their income by 10-40%. Additionally, by building these relationships over the past decade, Jack & Annie’s has been able to study and calculate the carbon sequestration of the jackfruit trees, which equates to 28,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.

“The novel supply chains we've built have helped create a food system that offers both a healthy diet and a lower carbon footprint and provides an opportunity for small-holder farmers to earn incremental income. At scale, this food system will play an important role in solving this century's critical problems – public health, climate change and economic empowerment,” says Rahul Shrikant, Jack & Annie’s VP of International Operations.

Jack & Annie’s plans to further quantify its impact on food, farmers and the environment by planting 50,000 jackfruit trees per year to sequester more carbon. The company will also continue to provide education and assistance to farmers, bolster diversity through unconscious bias training, perform an ESG Materiality Assessment, and begin to take inventory of their carbon emissions.

ABOUT JACK & ANNIE’S
To view the full report, please visit jackandannies.com/impact/impact-report/.

For more information about Jack & Annie’s, please visit jackandannies.com or follow on Instagram @jackandannies, Twitter @jackandannies and Facebook @jackandannies.

CONTACTS
Steven Hoffman, steve@compassnatural.com
Taylor Welborn, taylor@jackandannies.com

Steve Hoffman 3/1/23 Steve Hoffman 3/1/23

Hemp Industry Indigenous Leaders to Convene at NoCo Hemp Expo in Colorado Springs, March 29-31

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What: 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo
When: March 29-31, 2023
Where: The Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, CO
Info: https://www.nocohempexpo.com/
Register for NoCo9 tickets: https://www.nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales/

LOVELAND, CO (March 2, 2023) – Indigenous leaders in the hemp industry are planning their exhibits and talks to bring generations of knowledge to the 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s most comprehensive hemp business conference and trade show. The event will take place on March 29-31, 2023, at the historic Broadmoor Resort & Convention Center in Colorado Springs.

“The contributions of Indigenous people to sustainable agriculture and stewarding the Earth are immeasurable,” said Morris Beegle, Producer of NoCo. “This year, NoCo Hemp Expo is proud to include a larger presence of Indigenous programming and exhibits.”

Indigenous Leaders Working Group Meeting
To start the show, leaders will gather on Wednesday, March 29, 2-4 p.m. MT in Her Many Voices Meeting Room for an Indigenous Leaders Working Group Meeting facilitated by Winona LaDuke, Executive Director of Honor the Earth and the Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute and founder of Winona’s Hemp, and Mary Jane Oatman, Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association and Founder and Publisher of THC Magazine. Their hope is to provide a space for Indigenous industry participants to meet, mingle and contribute to the growing hemp industry among Indigenous tribes.

Indigenous Panel Discussions
Indigenous leaders will also participate in educational programming throughout the event. On Thursday March 30, at 2 p.m., LaDuke and Oatman will be joined by Theo Wahquahboshkuk of Prairie Band Ag, Rob Pero of Canndigenous and Ira Vandever to discuss the role of Indigenous knowledge in growing the hemp industry, using every part of the plant, and innovative workforce approaches. There will also be a presentation on March 31 moderated by LaDuke called “Growing Hemp: Now and Then” as part of the Agriculture Symposium on the Main Stage. Joining LaDuke will be Alex White Plume, Chris Boucher, Ryan Loflin and Bill Billings to discuss traditional and modern-day hemp farming methods, and what the growing U.S. industry can take from Indigenous farming methods to contribute to the success of hemp growing today.

Indigenous Pavilion
On Thursday and Friday of NoCo9, the show will host a dedicated exhibit pavilion with the theme of community work that will feature leading Indigenous producers and organizations, including:

- Winona’s Hemp/Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute
- Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association
- Canndigenous CBD
- Prairie Band Agriculture/Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
- Turquoise Indigo Fibers
- Additional participants to be announced

The pavilion will include the opportunity to speak with Indigenous leaders, a weaving demonstration to show traditional application and use of hemp fiber, as well as literature and stickers available for attendees.

“The Indigenous approach is cooperative. We focus on farmers and local economies,” said Winona LaDuke of the Honor the Earth/Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute. “We will be talking about how hemp has a minimal carbon footprint, uses minimal water and is a sustainable resource. Let’s do this the right way for this sacred plant.”

About NoCo9:

Experience Hemp Expo Hall – The World of Hemp Under One Roof
In addition to three days of comprehensive education, keynote presentations, workshops and seminars, NoCo9 will feature the Experience Hemp Expo Hall in The Broadmoor’s new, state-of-the-art exhibition facilities. Featuring a world of hemp and business opportunities, the Expo Hall will allow NoCo9 attendees to sample wares, learn about products and businesses, hold meetings and visit exhibitors. The Experience Hemp Expo Hall also will feature specialized zones, including:

Divita Hemp Block Demo Zone & Solution Circle – Visit this special educational zone on the trade show floor for solo presentations, panels, demos and workshops from experts and specialists innovating with hemp across all industries, from hemp textiles to medicinal applications of cannabinoids, to using hemp in artisan craft production, as well as in building and construction.

Schedule at a Glance
- Advocacy & Policy Conference, Wednesday, March 29
- Lake Terrace Welcome Party & WAFBA Awards of Excellence, Wednesday, March 29
- Business & Investment Conference, Thursday, March 30
- 2nd Annual NoCo Hemp Pitch, Thursday, March 30
- Agriculture & Academia Conference, Friday, March 31
- Experience Hemp Expo Hall, Thursday and Friday, March 30-31
- Garden of the Hemp Gods-NoCo9 After Party, Friday, March 31

The Broadmoor Offers Special NoCo Hemp Expo Rates
NoCo Hemp Expo will take place March 29-31, 2023, at one of Colorado’s most historic resorts, The Broadmoor. With roots dating back to the late 1800s and located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs features a world-class setting, state-of-the-art meeting and convention space, a lake, walking paths, 36-hole golf course, spa, restaurants and lodging at a special rate for NoCo Hemp Expo attendees. Recently remodeled, The Broadmoor is committed to sustainability and has been awarded a Forbes Five-Star resort rating every year since 1960.

First Citizens Bank, EarthX, Patagonia Lead Distinguished Group of Sponsors
NoCo Hemp Expo is pleased to recognize our Sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor First Citizens Bank. “Having a leading, agriculture-focused financial institution such as First Citizens Bank, with its 100-plus-year history of serving farmers and ag-related businesses, step up and serve as Presenting Sponsor of this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo is a huge statement, providing vital credibility and legitimization for the industry at a time when it’s needed most,” said Beegle. “We’re also thrilled to welcome EarthX as our Environmental NGO partner and Patagonia as Sustainable Apparel Sponsor. Additional lead sponsors include Global Fiber Processing, Michael Best, CannaConsortium, Advanced Bio-Materials Technologies, Divita Hemp Block & Weaving Vibes. We are very excited about these categories to bring focus to areas where hemp can make a difference in sustainability and improving the environment.”

Exhibit and Sponsor
For more information on sponsorship and exhibiting, please visit https://www.nocohempexpo.com/sponsors-and-exhibitors-request/

Register Here for NoCo9
Visit https://www.nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales/

About NoCo Hemp Expo
For nearly a decade, NoCo Hemp Expo — the world’s most comprehensive industrial hemp exposition and conference — has brought together international business and government leaders, academics, nonprofits, media and the public to collaborate on important initiatives, opportunities and solutions for the future of a crop and an industry that can have significant positive impact on human, animal and planetary health.

The 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo is produced by We Are For Better Alternatives (WAFBA), a leading organization dedicated to the advancement and advocacy of hemp farming, processing, production, innovation, education and legalization. WAFBA also is the publisher of Let’s Talk Hemp, the industry’s leading news source. Learn more about the hemp and cannabis industry and subscribe to the latest news at www.letstalkhemp.com.

Contact
Morris Beegle, WAFBA, info@nocohempexpo.com
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042

Steve Hoffman 2/23/23 Steve Hoffman 2/23/23

JAMBAR® Takes Off: Artisan-Crafted Organic Energy Bar Created by Jennifer Maxwell, Inventor of the Original PowerBar®, Expands in Natural, Organic and Specialty Retail Stores

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JAMBARs are now available in four San Francisco International Airport retail locations and a growing number of natural and specialty food stores and grocers. Visit JAMBAR® at Natural Products Expo West, Booth #151 in the Arena, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, March 9-11, 2023

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (February 21, 2023) — JAMBAR® – the artisan-crafted, certified organic energy bar created by Jennifer Maxwell, inventor of the original PowerBar® – is taking off. The whole food bar, available in four flavors and with 10g of protein per bar, is now available in four retail locations in the San Francisco International Airport and in a growing number of leading natural, organic and specialty retail stores across the country.

MIssion-based, the brand is committed to donating 50% of profits to philanthropic causes supporting sports and fitness, music, community and active living. Today, JAMBAR sponsors more than 200 sports and music events throughout the year. In January 2023, Bicycling and Runner’s World magazines both named JAMBAR as a 2023 Fitness Nutrition Award Winner.

In addition, the brand is getting ready to exhibit for the first time at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade show, held each year at the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) in Anaheim, California. Buyers from the world over attend this highly anticipated industry event. There, the JAMBAR team will share samples of its organic energy bars and interact with wholesale buyers and industry professionals in exhibit booth #151 in the ACC Arena, March 9-11, 2023.

Growing Retail Presence From East to West
In just two years since the company launched, JAMBARs are now available in such leading retail locations as Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley, California; 16 of 21 Earth Fare locations in the southeastern U.S.; all four Jimbo’s stores in San Diego; Good Earth Natural Foods in Fairfax and Mill Valley, California; all Mollie Stone’s locations in the San Francisco Bay Area; select Safeway stores in Northern California; Nugget Markets, Scotty’s Market, United Markets and Woodland Market in the Bay Area; and more.

"We first spoke with JAMBAR because they were a local company but soon discovered they are so much more! Besides creating a delicious, all-organic snack bar, they also donate 50% of their profits to support music programs and activities. They truly stand for health and taking care of people. A mission and a product that resonates with our customers as well as all of us at United Markets!" said Kelly Smith, president of United Markets.

For travelers in the San Francisco International Airport, JAMBARs – the perfect organic whole food energy bar for people on the go – are available in two Klein’s Deli locations and two Napa Farms locations.

“We are excited and motivated by such a positive response from natural, organic and specialty grocers across the country. They help support and expand our philanthropic mission,” said JAMBAR founder and CEO Jennifer Maxwell. “Also, I believe health-conscious consumers will embrace JAMBAR’s commitment to flavor, nutrition and sourcing the highest-quality organic ingredients in crafting JAMBARs. We offer premium, healthful, on-the-go nutrition at a reasonable price."

Small-Batch Crafted in the U.S.A. in JAMBAR’s Own Production Facility
With its own manufacturing facilities in San Rafael, California, JAMBAR is an independent, woman-owned business founded in 2021 by lifelong athlete, musician and food science and nutrition expert Jennifer Maxwell.

Natural products industry veterans and energy bar aficionados may remember Jennifer, who, along with her late husband, Brian, created the original PowerBar®, which, when it was introduced in 1985, effectively launched the entire energy bar category.

Today, inspired by organic food and agriculture and a desire to give back to and support healthy communities and the environment, Maxwell developed certified organic JAMBARs in four delicious whole food flavors that provide a good source of protein, nutrients and fiber. Using organic ancient grains, berries, nuts, premium chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and real syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners, JAMBAR delivers a convenient, incredibly tasty bar you can take anywhere.

JAMBAR Is Available in These Musical Organic Flavors:

Chocolate Cha Cha — A blend of premium Guittard chocolate, real food ingredients and ancient grains. Fair trade certified, non-GMO and gluten free with 10g of protein per serving.

Malt Nut Melody — Peanut and maple malted magic with a touch of sesame and vanilla for an amazing medley of flavors, Malt Nut Medley is non-GMO, with 10g of protein per serving.

Jammin’ Jazzleberry — Vegan and gluten free, a jazzy combo of organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, with 10g of plant-based protein per serving.

Musical Mango — Energy goes exotic with delicious mango and ancient whole grains. The Musical Mango bar is vegan, gluten free and contains 10g of plant-based protein per serving.

JAMBARs are available online at JAMBAR.com, on Amazon.com and also at leading natural food and specialty stores. For wholesale inquiries, contact jammin@jambar.com, tel 877-JAMBARZ. For more information, visit www.JAMBAR.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Visit JAMBAR at Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural and organic products trade exhibition, Booth #151 in the Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, March 9-11, 2023.

Media Contacts
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042
Debbie Pfeifer, JAMBAR, pfeiferworks@gmail.com

Steve Hoffman 2/21/23 Steve Hoffman 2/21/23

NoCo9 Joins the Big Leagues With Keynote Speakers From Major League Baseball and Charlotte's Web

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MLB executives Jon Coyles & Uzma Rawn will join Jared Stanley of Charlotte’s Web on March 29 in a panel discussion led by NoCo9 producer Morris Beegle at the upcoming 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo

What: 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo
When: March 29-31, 2023
Where: The Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, CO
Info: https://www.nocohempexpo.com/
Register for NoCo9 early bird tickets: https://www.nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales

Loveland, CO (February 21, 2023) – The hemp industry is about to “play ball” at the upcoming 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo at the historic Broadmoor Resort & Convention Center in Colorado Springs, March 29-31, 2023.

Leading off this year’s most anticipated gathering of hemp industry leaders will be a special keynote conversation featuring Charlotte’s Web Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Jared Stanley, along with two senior representatives from Major League Baseball (MLB): Jon Coyles, Vice President of Drug, Health & Safety Programs, and Uzma Rawn, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Partnerships.

Morris Beegle, Producer of NoCo Hemp Expo and Publisher of Let’s Talk Hemp, will lead the panel discussion, held as part of NoCo9’s Advocacy & Policy Conference on Wednesday, March 29, 11:45 am - 12:30 pm MST, the opening day of NoCo Hemp Expo – and the day before “Opening Day” of MLB’s 2023 season on March 30.

Major League Baseball became the first major professional sports league to enter into a sponsorship agreement with a CBD company when it announced the partnership with Charlotte’s Web in October 2022. The intimate discussion will dive into this groundbreaking partnership, what it means for Charlotte’s Web, and how having athletes lead the way will further educate the public about the vast potential of CBD as a natural wellness option.

'A Historic Milestone for the Sports and the CBD Industry'
“The MLB and Charlotte’s Web partnership is a historic milestone for sports and the CBD industry. The physical demands and strain on an athlete’s body are a century-old problem, and we’re here to help them address recovery in a new way. And when all else is stripped away, the mental state of an athlete is what distinguishes the greats. We know that hemp-derived CBD can provide natural solutions for top tier athletes—in both mind and body—as well as support the everyday lives of fans. As more and more athletes advocate for the benefits of CBD, MLB stands as a thought leader in advocating for player options,” said Jared Stanley, Co-Founder and COO, Charlotte's Web.

“As we enter our first full season working with Charlotte’s Web, we’re really excited to see this partnership come to life,” said Uzma Rawn, MLB Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships.

In a release on MLB.com, the league described the deal as “an exclusive multi-year partnership formed with the goal of increasing visibility of CBD for baseball players and fans.”

Charlotte’s Web has released a new CBD tincture product called Charlotte’s Web SPORT – Daily Edge that features the MLB logo. The product was developed to meet MLB’s “scientific benchmarks and no-banned substances policy,” MLB’s statement said.

“Charlotte’s Web showed a real commitment to health, wellness and science by working through the NSF Certified for Sport process before partnering with us at MLB,” said Jon Coyles, MLB Vice President, Drug, Health & Safety Programs. “This is an important, valuable conversation to have in the sports and wellness space, so I’m looking forward to our discussion.”

“I am thrilled that we will be showcasing this historic partnership and look forward to discussing its impact,” said Morris Beegle, Co-Founder and Producer of NoCo Hemp Expo, who will interview the panelists.

Experience Hemp Expo Hall – The World of Hemp Under One Roof
In addition to three days of comprehensive education, keynote presentations, workshops and seminars, NoCo9 will feature the Experience Hemp Expo Hall in The Broadmoor’s new, state-of-the-art exhibition facilities. Featuring a world of hemp and business opportunities, NoCo9 attendees can sample wares, learn about products and businesses, hold meetings and visit an expo hall full of exhibitors. The Experience Hemp Expo Hall also will feature specialized zones, including:

Divita Hemp Block Demo Zone & Solution Circle – Visit the Divita Hemp Block Demo Zone & Solution Circle – a special educational zone on the trade show floor for solo presentations, panels, demos and workshops from experts and specialists innovating with hemp across all industries, from textiles to medicinal applications, to using hemp in artisan craft production, as well as in building and construction.

Exhibit and Sponsor
For more information on sponsorship and exhibiting, please visit https://www.nocohempexpo.com/sponsors-and-exhibitors-request/

Register Here for NoCo9
Visit https://www.nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales/

The 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo is produced by We Are For Better Alternatives (WAFBA), a leading organization dedicated to the advancement and advocacy of hemp farming, processing, production, innovation, education and legalization. WAFBA also is the publisher of Let's Talk Hemp, the industry's leading news source. Learn more about the hemp and cannabis industry, and subscribe to the latest news at www.letstalkhemp.com.

Contact
Morris Beegle, WAFBA, info@nocohempexpo.com
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042

Steve Hoffman 2/21/23 Steve Hoffman 2/21/23

From Native American to Modern Tradition, Black Walnuts Are One of the Last Wild-Foraged Foods in America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

At 17g of pure, complete protein per serving, Surthrival’s new Black Walnut Protein Powder is sustainably foraged from wild-grown, native North American Black Walnut trees.

BIDDEFORD, Maine (February 21, 2023) – Most of us are familiar with the common walnut we grew up eating throughout the year. Those walnuts, available widely in grocery stores, come from the English Walnut (Juglans regia), cultivated primarily in commercial orchards from trees that originated in the UK and Europe.

But what many people may not realize is that the prized Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) is native to North America, where it can only be found growing wild in the eastern United States. From the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico east to Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Black Walnut trees sustained Indigenous peoples, including the Cherokee, Delaware, Chippewa, Iroquois, Meskwaki and others, for thousands of years.

Those Native American tribes, like the European settlers after them, valued the tall, stately Black Walnut for its bark, wood, natural dyes, medicinal value ... and food. For millennia, foragers have sought the nutmeats of the wild-grown Black Walnut, rich in nutrients, essential fatty acids and protein, as an important and delicious food source – a tradition that continues to this day.

In fact, it can be said that Black Walnuts are one of the last wild-foraged foods in America today!

Foraging Black Walnuts: A Longtime Tradition
Surthrival’s new Black Walnut Protein Powder is sustainably sourced exclusively by foragers of wild Black Walnuts. For about six weeks each October and November, foragers, families and friends gather to collect Black Walnuts by hand from fields, forests, farms and yards.

Then, in bags, buckets, trailers and even truckloads, they bring them to buying stations in garden centers, feed stores and grocery stores set up seasonally throughout the Midwest, where the foragers are paid by the pound for their harvest. Once the Black Walnuts are collected, sorted, husked and hulled by a third-generation, family owned business based in Missouri – the heart of Black Walnut country – for Surthrival, the nutmeats are turned into an exquisite, high-quality, fully absorbable protein powder that is ideal for smoothies, blended drinks, and to fortify baked goods and other recipes.

“Black Walnuts grow wild in fields and pastures across the Midwest and are hand-harvested by locals every year. They grow naturally, watered by the rain, and are produced without the chemicals or pesticides often used in commercial orchards. They’re also gluten-free, creating an ideal ingredient for any consumer concerned with food additives and the growing process of the foods they choose,” says Daniel Vitalis. Vitalis is a passionate hunter, forager and wild food cook, co-founder of Surthrival, and creator and host of the Outdoor Channel’s WildFed television series, now in its third season.

“Black Walnuts have been growing here wild since the first humans set foot in North America, and they’re still wild today. They are incredibly sustainable – they naturally reproduce and continue producing Black Walnuts for over 50 years. Black Walnuts have been, and always will be, a completely wild, all natural, un-processed product,” Vitalis says.

Supporting 'Eco-Culture' and Wild Food Sheds
In sourcing its Wild-Foraged Black Walnut Protein Powder from local collectors, Surthrival is supporting what Vitalis refers to as “eco-culture," a more ancient and sustainable alternative to agriculture. "With the right shifts in landscape management, viable wild food sheds that can be maintained on a large scale are possible," Vitalis envisions.

“It’s a win-win – as the customer gets a healthy, sustainable wild food, foragers prosper from providing the raw materials. Supporting foragers, companies and suppliers in this way move us toward a newer – or perhaps an older – way of engaging with the landscape for our food needs,” says Vitalis. “In doing so, we can create a viable market for a wild food sustainably for decades to come.”

*Daniel Vitalis, co-founder of Surthrival.*

As a naturally available food source, Black Walnuts have a long history of recipes and uses. Indigenous peoples mixed the crushed nuts in breads and puddings. The nutmeats were also an important ingredient in corn soups and several other traditional native dishes. The fresh nuts were crushed and boiled to make a beverage. “There is even a story about a bread recipe the original explorers Lewis and Clark developed in the early 1800s when their expedition traveled through Missouri and Black Walnut country,” Vitalis relates.

Black Walnuts: The Highest Protein Content of Any Tree Nut

Black Walnuts contain the highest protein content of any tree nut and are an excellent alternative for health-conscious consumers seeking to add more high-quality, plant-based protein to their diet, according to WebMD.

To create its Black Walnut Protein Powder, Surthrival uses an exclusive, ultra-clean CO2 extraction process to draw out the plant-based protein from its wild-foraged, sustainable harvest – with 17 grams of protein per 1⁄4-cup (30g) serving. The company is proud to be the exclusive distributor of this path-breaking product, which it says is the first of its kind.

Surthrival’s Black Walnut Protein Powder, available in 16-ounce pouches, comes from wild-grown, North American native Black Walnut trees. Unlike other proteins, Black Walnut is habitat-friendly – no agricultural land is used or irrigation required, since the trees aren’t “grown” like traditional crops. Moreover, no fertilizers or toxic chemicals are involved, “only wholesome, healthy, wild nature. It’s wild nutrition you can feel great about,” says Vitalis.

About Surthrival
Based in Biddeford, Maine, Surthrival was founded in 2008 by LeighLon Anderson and Daniel Vitalis, star of the Outdoor Channel’s WildFed, to provide powerful, regenerative nutrients to support peak nutrition and optimal wellness. In addition to its new Black Walnut Protein Powder, Surthrival’s products include its best-selling bovine colostrum powder, elk antler concentrate, reishi mushroom extract, Vitamin D3/K2, and CBD for pets and people.

Follow Surthrival on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

For wholesale inquiries, contact wholesale@surthrival.com.

Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com

Steve Hoffman 2/17/23 Steve Hoffman 2/17/23

Compass Coffee Talk™ Gets Its JAM On: Podcast to Feature Jennifer Maxwell, Creator of the Original PowerBar® & Founder of the New, Artisan Organic Energy Bar, JAMBAR®

Compass Coffee Talk™, a popular live webinar series featuring conversations with top business leaders in the natural, organic and sustainable products industry, welcomes Jennifer Maxwell, Co-Founder of the original PowerBar® and Founder and CEO of the new Certified Organic, Artisan Energy Bar Brand, JAMBAR®.

What: Compass Coffee Talk™
When: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 8:30 am PT; 9:30 am MT; 10:30 am CT; 11:30 am ET
Presented by: Compass Natural, Connecting Media and Markets in Natural and Organic Products
Sponsored by: Presence Marketing, Naturally Boulder, Naturally New York and Naturally San Diego
Register: Register for Free Here

BOULDER, CO (February 17, 2023) — How do you top being the person who created the entire energy bar category? By taking that category to the next level. Jennifer Maxwell, inventor of the original PowerBar and founder and CEO of JAMBAR, is doing just that.

Maxwell will appear on April 5, 2023, on the popular Compass Coffee Talk™podcast, which features lively conversations with natural products industry leaders, innovators and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses to succeed in the market.

*Jennifer Maxwell, founder and CEO of JAMBAR®*

Jennifer, along with her late husband Brian Maxwell, literally invented the entire energy bar category in the mid-1980s. Today, the energy bar category, valued at nearly $5 billion globally, is one of the most vibrant product sections in any retail food store.

Jennifer launched JAMBAR using her food and nutrition science skills first learned at the University of California, Berkeley, to create a line of artisan energy bars with certified organic, whole food ingredients, high-quality protein and fiber.

Considered the “next generation” of energy bars, JAMBARs boast one of the cleanest labels in the category. In addition, Maxwell’s commitment to philanthropy is at the forefront of the brand’s mission – JAMBAR donates 50% of all after-tax profits to support music, active living and community connections in Marin County, California, where the company is based, and around the country.

Hosted by natural and organic products industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steven Hoffman, Compass Coffee Talk is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading public relations, branding, and business development agency serving the natural, organic, eco-friendly and hemp products industries. Capsalis and Hoffman will interview Maxwell to learn more about her comeback story.

A Legacy of Athletics, Entrepreneurship … and Music
A lifelong long-distance runner, Maxwell studied food science, nutrition and exercise physiology at U.C. Berkeley, where she met her husband, Brian. After developing the original PowerBar energy bar recipe in their kitchen, they began building the business from a small apartment, growing the company to more than $150 million in annual sales before selling the company in 2000. When Brian passed away unexpectedly in 2004, Jennifer focused on raising her six children and, over the years, discovered the healing power of music. Today, in her free time, she performs regularly as a drummer in bands in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“We’re thrilled to host Jennifer Maxwell on Compass Coffee Talk,” said Steven Hoffman, Managing Director of Compass Natural and co-host of Compass Coffee Talk. “As musicians in our spare time ourselves, Bill Capsalis and I appreciate JAMBAR’s mission and Jennifer’s passion for supporting music and active living. Jennifer invented the energy bar category and we look forward to hearing her perspective on this growing food segment, her comeback in the natural foods industry, and her continued entrepreneurship.”

Register for Compass Coffee Talk with Jennifer Maxwell
Register here for free to participate in the upcoming Compass Coffee Talk, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 11:30 am – Noon ET.

About Compass Coffee Talk
Take a 30-minute virtual coffee break with Compass Coffee Talk™. Hosted by natural industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steve Hoffman, Coffee Talk features lively interactive conversations with industry leaders and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses of any size succeed in the market for natural, organic, regenerative, hemp-derived and other eco-friendly products.

Compass Coffee Talk™ is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading PR, branding and business development agency serving the natural and organic products industry.

Previous Episodes of Compass Coffee Talk
View the entire library of Compass Coffee Talk episodes on YouTube. Co-hosted by natural products industry veterans Steven Hoffman and Bill Capsalis, Compass Coffee Talk has featured notable professionals such as Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado; Steve Hughes, co-founder of Sunrise Strategic Partners; John Mackey, CEO and Co-Founder, Whole Foods Market; Miyoko Schinner, CEO and Founder, Miyoko’s Kitchen; John Foraker, CEO of Once Upon a Farm; Emerald-Jane Hunter, Founder of the MyWhy Agency; Heather Terry, CEO of GoodSAM; Milton Zimmerman, Executive Vice President, Presence Marketing; and more.

Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com

Steve Hoffman 2/17/23 Steve Hoffman 2/17/23

Jack & Annie’s Launches Even Tastier New Recipes for Their Delicious Meat Alternatives Made From Real Plants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The next-generation plant-based meat brand introduces their “Best Recipe Yet” with even meatier flavor and texture, all with jackfruit as the primary ingredient.

BOULDER, CO (February 16, 2023) — Jack & Annie’s, a leader in the alternative meat category, has raised the bar again with even tastier new recipes for their Crispy Jack Nuggets, Crispy Jack Patties, Gluten-Free Jack Tenders, Savory Jack Breakfast Sausage Patties, Maple Jack Breakfast Sausage Links, and Classic Jack Meatballs. Plant-based and meat eaters alike will love the crispier nuggets, wings, and patties, all with even more craveable flavor. The jack breakfast sausages and meatballs are well-seasoned with a juicy bite. The new “Best Recipe Yet” will be available in grocery store freezers nationwide starting this June. Check the store locator to find a retailer near you.

“Our team has continued to innovate and evolve our recipes to make sure we’re always giving our fans the very best plant-based foods possible,” said Annie Ryu, CEO and founder of Jack & Annie’s. “Jackfruit is our number one ingredient, and we’re able to make simpler and less processed foods compared to other meat alternatives. These new recipes give fans more of what they want with amazing flavor and texture.”

Industry analysts have noted consumer concern about plant-based foods being overly processed or having questionable health benefits. Jack & Annie’s boldly stands out among other meat alternatives, because its foods are made primarily from jackfruit, a naturally delicious, nutrient-dense, sustainable, and regenerative plant that is known for its meaty texture and satisfying taste. The result is crave-worthy foods with valued nutritional benefits and positive impact for the planet.

Jack & Annie’s new foods are available at grocers nationwide, including Sprouts, HEB, Wegmans, Publix, Giant, Harris Teeter, Target, Hannaford , Whole Foods, and Stop & Shop.

Jack & Annie’s will be exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West, March 9-11, 2023, in Anaheim, CA. Come try a sample at Booth #4972 in Hall E!

About Jack & Annie's
Jack & Annie's, founded by Annie Ryu, features products made by The Jackfruit Company. Jack & Annie's is on a mission to create real, delicious foods featuring jackfruit, an underutilized crop that is one of the world’s most sustainable and regenerative plants, as the primary ingredient. Jack & Annie’s plant-based offerings are more than just a delicious alternative to meat; they are also naturally nutrient-dense, high in fiber and protein, and lower in calories, and they have a simpler ingredient panel than other meatless products. From crispy jack nuggets to savory jack sausage patties, the Jack & Annie’s portfolio offers foods that are satisfying for meat eaters and plant-based eaters alike. Bite by bite, Jack & Annie’s and The Jackfruit Company are building a better planet, supporting farming communities in India by preventing jackfruit from going to waste, operating the largest global jackfruit supply chain, and providing over 1,700 farming families with 10-40% of their income.

For more information about Jack & Annie’s, please visit jackandannies.com or follow on Instagram @jackandannies, Twitter @jackandannies, and Facebook @jackandannies.

Media Contacts
Taylor Welborn, Jack & Annie's, taylor@jackandannies.com
Steve Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com

Steve Hoffman 2/17/23 Steve Hoffman 2/17/23

Hemp Industry Charts Course at Annual Flagship Gathering, NoCo Hemp Expo, in Colorado Springs, March 29-31; Hemp Industry Awards and Pitch Nominations Now Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What: 9th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo
When: March 29-31, 2023
Where: The Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, CO
Info: www.NoCoHempExpo.com
Register for NoCo9 Early Bird Tickets: https://www.nocohempexpo.com/ticket-sales/

Loveland, CO (February 17, 2023) – As hemp industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and advocates prepare to convene at the 9th annual NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s most comprehensive hemp business conference and trade show, on March 29-31, 2023, at the historic Broadmoor Resort & Convention Center in Colorado Springs, nominations are open for two special events: the annual WAFBA Awards of Excellence and the NoCo Hemp Pitch Competition.

Hemp industry members are encouraged to nominate outstanding individuals and/or groups to be recognized at the WAFBA Awards of Excellence Celebration and Welcome Party on the evening of Wednesday, March 29, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, the first day of NoCo Hemp Expo. Nominations are being accepted for the following categories:

*The Broadmoor Resort & Convention Center in Colorado Springs.*

Legacy Award
This award is to honor a remarkable person whose legacy in industrial hemp has and will continue to empower, influence and inspire others. Their perseverance has remained steady through challenges they may have faced over time.

Elevation Award (Advancing the Industry Through Impeccable Leadership)
Someone who drives the industry forward by breaking down barriers, thus paving the way for others. They are an advocate who focuses on developing others while being committed to their own personal development. Their impact goes beyond the industry.

Mother Earth Award (Lady of Agriculture)
A woman whose entrepreneurial spirit has ushered in a new era of business leaders through her skills and execution in agriculture. She is a visionary who has cultivated relationships through education, inclusivity and collaboration.

Best New Tech Award / Tech Innovation
A person or group whose work is at the forefront with game-changing technical tools for improvement and impact to further the hemp industry, whose brand has grown markedly over the last year, whose product or services fill a gap in the market or both.

Carbon Solution Award
Acting as a change agent by creating ways to reduce carbon emissions with their own practices and/or products, and leading the way in lowering their carbon footprint while providing direction for others to do the same in the joint effort against the carbon crisis.

Community Economic Impact Award
Someone who has demonstrated extraordinary stewardship by positively impacting their community through job creation and opportunity, contributing to clean-up, strengthening financial stability, inclusivity and leading by example.

Entries Open for NoCo Pitch Competition
In addition to the WAFBA Awards of Excellence celebration, this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo also will feature the Second Annual NoCo Hemp Pitch on Wednesday, March 30, 3:30-5:00 pm MST, where six finalist companies will vie for prizes, including legal fees and other services.

Sponsored by Michael Best, a leading law firm serving the hemp and cannabis markets, the NoCo Hemp Pitch competition features six finalist companies looking to elevate their business and get the exposure and resources they need to take their brand or idea to the next level. Prizes include more than $5,000 in value in legal fees and other services.

The finalists will have six minutes to pitch in front of a live audience and will be judged by hemp industry start-up consultants, attorneys and investors. Submissions for the competition are due by Friday, March 3, and can be made by completing the form here.

“NoCo recognizes the unique challenges of the hemp industry, and we are looking forward to celebrating again this year hemp founders, game changers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and others who are making a difference,” said Morris Beegle, Producer of NoCo Hemp Expo, and President and Founder of We Are For Better Alternatives (WAFBA).

Experience Hemp Expo Hall – The World of Hemp Under One Roof
In addition to three days of comprehensive education, keynote presentations, workshops and seminars, NoCo9 will feature the Experience Hemp Expo Hall in The Broadmoor’s new, state-of-the-art exhibition facilities. Featuring a world of hemp and business opportunities, NoCo9 attendees can sample wares, learn about products and businesses, hold meetings and visit an expo hall full of exhibitors. The Experience Hemp Expo Hall also will feature specialized zones, including:

Davita Hemp Block Demo Zone & Solution Circle – Visit this special educational zone on the trade show floor for solo presentations, panels, demos and workshops from experts and specialists innovating with hemp across all industries, from hemp textiles to medicinal applications of cannabinoids, to using hemp in artisan craft production, as well as in building and construction.

Schedule at a Glance
- Advocacy & Policy Conference, Wednesday, March 29
- Lake Terrace Welcome Party & WAFBA Awards of Excellence, Wednesday, March 29
- Business & Investment Conference, Thursday, March 30
- 2nd Annual NoCo Hemp Pitch, Thursday, March 30
- Agriculture & Academia Conference, Friday, March 31
- Experience Hemp Expo Hall: Thursday and Friday, March 30-31
- Garden of the Hemp Gods - NoCo9 After Party, Friday, March 31

Exhibit and Sponsor
For more information on sponsorship and exhibiting, please visit https://www.nocohempexpo.com/sponsors-and-exhibitors-request/

Contact
Morris Beegle, WAFBA, info@nocohempexpo.com
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042

Steve Hoffman 2/14/23 Steve Hoffman 2/14/23

Revolutionary Solution for Natural, Organic & Specialty Brands: TrewUp Automates Deductions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Groundbreaking, user-friendly deductions management and analytics software saves time and money for natural, organic and specialty brands facing myriad chargebacks from distributors.

BOULDER, Colorado (February 14, 2023) – TrewUp, a food + tech company, has revolutionized the process of analyzing distributor deductions for natural, organic and specialty products manufacturers. Say goodbye to the grueling and time-consuming process of manually poring over endless pages of distributor statements and hello to TrewUp’s user-friendly, cloud-based AI technology.

Founded by industry veterans Kyle Barnholt and Scott Cousins, TrewUp was created to solve a common problem for CPG companies in the natural, organic and specialty products space. Their software allows brands to focus on profitability rather than on deciphering mountains of data from distributors.

According to the leadership at TrewUp, deductions are made up of all activities within the supply chain, including shortages, late fees, promotions, advertising, spoils, etc. “To reduce costs and boost sales, natural product companies need to identify where they should invest time and resources. Understanding deductions by type – such as fines and fees as opposed to advertising and promotion – is one step toward gaining that visibility. From there, they need to drill into spend by indirect retailer in order to manage trade spend for maximum ROI. We're excited to bring a tool to market that automates these crucial processes for companies seeking success in a challenging market,” advised TrewUp co-founder and CEO Kyle Barnholt.

TrewUp categorizes billbacks and aggregates the data by category, making it easy to input into accounting software like QuickBooks. Brands can quickly see whether they've overspent or underspent their accruals, allowing them to better manage their promotions and reinvest any savings.

Mining a Trove of Distributor Information … at the Click of a Button

According to Barnholt, CPG and natural products manufacturers often see deductions as an expense that is out of their control, or as a labor-intensive process of uncovering data that is often “buried in hundreds of invoice formats on thousands of PDFs across platforms and mediums,” making it difficult to effectively mine that valuable information. However, he noted, “Deductions are a unique source of intelligence about your business that can be used to improve everything from warehouse processes to sales to promotional schedules.”

TrewUp’s Deductions Software Offers These Solutions
- Automatically imports data from third-party platforms
- Uses cloud-based AI technology to extract, read and decipher deduction data
- Loads, reads and interprets data by retailer, deduction type and UPC code
- Helps reconcile deductions to discover and dispute errors
- Enables better decision-making for growing top-line sales and bottom-line profits

Free Webinar: Increasing Profitability Through Deduction Management
TrewUp co-founder and CEO Kyle Barnholt will be presenting as part of an online panel on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 3:30 pm CST. The webinar is hosted by Naturally Chicago, a leading trade organization serving natural products businesses in the greater Chicago area, and sponsored by TrewUp. Registration is free to everyone, and topics will cover: how to redeploy trade spending for more profitable sales; understanding and identifying ways to reduce costs; and best practices for deduction management. Register here.

Schedule a Meeting at Natural Products Expo West
For more information, to request a demo or to contact TrewUp, visit here. Additionally, TrewUp co-founder and CEO Kyle Barnholt will be in attendance at Natural Products Expo West, March 8-12, 2023, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, and is available for in-person meetings at the event. Natural Products Expo West is the world’s largest conference and exposition for the natural and organic products industry. Contact TrewUp here to request a meeting with Kyle Barnholt at Expo West.

About TrewUp
Founded in 2021, TrewUp provides user-friendly, cloud-based AI technology to natural, organic and specialty food and related CPG product manufacturers to harness the power of data and insights to accelerate your business and save time and money. At TrewUp, we're passionate about using technology to simplify the deduction process, giving brands what they need to manage their business with clarity and confidence. Visit www.trewup.com and follow the company on LinkedIn. To request a demo or to contact TrewUp, visit here.

Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com

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