Gourmet News

Organic Trade Association Names New Board Members

Published September 30, 2016

Melissa Hughes, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for dairy cooperative Organic Valley, has been re-elected as President of the Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors by fellow board members as part of the association’s 2016 general member election. This is the third year in a row for Hughes to serve as OTA President after being re-elected by OTA membership to serve her second three-year term on the board.

“I am honored by this vote of confidence from OTA membership and from my fellow board members,” said Hughes. “The organic sector has many challenges to tackle, and organic has to have a voice at the table to effectively address those challenges. OTA’s hard work has given us this voice, and I’m optimistic we’ll continue to help organic strengthen and advance.”

Other officers announced at OTA’s Annual Meeting held September 21 in Baltimore include Kim Dietz of J.M. Smucker Company as Vice President—USA, Sarah Bird of Bhakti Chai as Secretary, and Tony Bedard of Frontier Co-op as Treasurer.

In the recent election, Leslie Zuck of Pennsylvania Certified Organic was also re-elected, while Doug Crabtree of Vilicus Farms was elected to his first term on the board.

The OTA Board selected Marci Zaroff of Under the Canopy to fill an appointed term, and Ryan Benn of Alive Publishing Group Inc. has been appointed for another year by the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) to represent Canadian interests on the OTA Board for a one-year term.

Completing the board are Samantha Cabaluna of Earthbound Farm, Jesse Laflamme of Pete and Gerry’s Organics, David Lively of Organically Grown Company, Melody Meyer of UNFI, Kelly Shea of WhiteWave Foods and Perry Clutts of Pleasantview Farm.

“The diversity of the OTA Board reflects the diversity of OTA membership,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. “Our board members are all visionaries, as is every member of OTA. We have laid out an ambitious plan for organic for the next 15 years, and I know our board will get us closer to achieving that vision.”
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OTA thanked departing board members Rick Collins of Clif Bar & Company and Dag Falck of Nature’s Path for their contributions while on the board.

OTA is a membership organization, and its trade members have the opportunity to nominate and elect members of the board of directors. OTA elections are held in rotating cycles with new members serving three-year terms. In 2017, there will be three elected and two appointed seats. Anyone interested in adding their name to the slate should contact OTA.

Also during OTA’s Annual Meeting, Carmela Beck of Driscoll’s received OTA’s 2016 Member of the Year Award. This special recognition, driven by OTA staff and endorsed by OTA’s board, was created to honor a truly engaged member.

AnnualMeeting_Carmella(1).jpg Over the years, Beck has proven to be a world-class member of the trade association. Each year, she leads Hill visit teams as part of OTA’s Policy Conference and is an enthusiastic supporter of Organic PAC. She has been an Annual Fund volunteer, and a valuable contributor on the international front, joining an OTA mission to Mexico to educate the Mexican government, industry and consumers on the U.S. organic industry and the National Organic Standards Board. She has been an active participant in OTA-led trainings with the Mexican SAGARPA and SENSICIA agencies, and co-presented with OTA at Expo Orgánico, Mexico’s largest organic-only event.

“Driscoll’s has been a long-term OTA member and I have been an active member since 2010. Driscoll’s Organic Program has grown to 15 percent of our business and will only continue to dramatically increase in the coming years. As OTA members we have relied heavily on the OTA for its leadership, expertise, advocacy, education, marketing and messaging capabilities,” said Beck. “I am very honored by this recognition, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration and our life’s work.”

OTA’s Annual Meeting and the annual Organic Leadership Awards dinner this year were held at the Columbus Center in Baltimore in conjunction with Natural Products Expo East. The event drew hundreds of OTA members to pay tribute to outstanding OTA members and to celebrate the strongest growth in OTA membership in five years. A total of 216 organic farmers and organic businesses have joined OTA in the twelve months since the 2015 awards dinner. OTA membership now represents more than 8,500 organic businesses and operations in every state of the union, from small organic producers to major growers, from local family-run organic operations to nationwide companies.

October the Month to Celebrate Cheese, Glorious Cheese

Published September 29, 2016

The sixth annual American Cheese Month celebration kicks off October 1, with events and promotions taking place nationwide throughout the month. Launched by the American Cheese Society in 2011 to highlight the nation’s burgeoning artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheese industry, American Cheese Month is a celebration of the incredible quality and diversity of cheeses made by American producers.

The American Cheese Society will commemorate American Cheese Month in its hometown of Denver, Colorado, at the Great American Beer Festival, where more than 500 pounds of artisan and specialty cheese will be sampled to consumers alongside craft beer. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has also shown his support for American Cheese Month by issuing an official proclamation and publicly declaring that he is Pro-Cheese. Viewers can watch this video of Governor Hickenlooper, along with a series of Cheese Party campaign videos that offer a lighthearted take on this campaign season, on the American Cheese Society’s Vimeo site.

Nora Weiser, Executive Director of the American Cheese Society, said, “As more and more consumers seek out high quality, local foods, regional cheeses from around the country are growing a loyal following.” There are over 900 such cheesemakers in the U.S., and the quality of their cheeses is seen in the awards they garner around the world. “These cheesemakers are passionate, hard-working, and incredibly creative,” said Weiser. “It is an exciting time in this nation’s food scene, as the fruits of their labor are embraced so strongly.”

Revenue from sales of Cheese Party merchandise and select American Cheese Month events in October will support the nonprofit American Cheese Education Foundation. The Foundation is funding the first comprehensive survey of the U.S. artisan and specialty cheese industry.
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Anyone with a love for cheese is encouraged to participate in American Cheese Month. A dedicated website and events calendar offer ideas for cheesemakers, retailers, distributors, chefs, enthusiasts, and others to get involved. Cheese lovers can also network on the American Cheese Month Facebook page and share photos of their celebrations on Twitter (#AmCheeseMonth, @CheeseSociety, @theCheeseParty).

If you would like to hold an American Cheese Month event, or if you are interested in learning more about partnership opportunities, contact the ACS office: 720.328.2788 or info@cheesesociety.org.

American Cheese Month is made possible with support from Gourmet Foods International.

2016 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) Returns With Its Biggest Show Ever

Published September 28, 2016

The 2016 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE)—the largest and most comprehensive event in the Western Hemisphere for the grain-based food industry—returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center October 8-11, where 20,000+ bakery professionals with gather to network, learn and check out the latest innovations in baking supplies, ingredients and equipment from more than 900 leading manufacturers and suppliers covering more than 700,000 square feet of exhibit space.

“We’re excited for attendees and exhibitors alike to see what’s new at IBIE with programs that facilitate increased networking, more opportunities for hands-on learning and an endless supply of inspiration,” said Michael Cornelis, Chair of IBIE. “IBIE is proud to bring together all segments of the grain-based food industry. We’ve revamped old favorites and added some fresh, exciting features to the mix for 2016 to ensure everyone—whether their first time visitors or show veterans—has a truly exceptional experience.”

A host of stimulating new and returning features will create an even more engaging experience for attendees and exhibitors. Highlights include:

The All-American Tailgate serves as the official kick-off event, taking place on the opening night of IBIE, October 8 at 4:30 p.m., and provides an incredible opportunity for networking with key colleagues and suppliers from around the globe. Held right on the show floor, tickets include unlimited drinks, tailgate-style food, music, interactive games and, of course, sports on big screens.
The Idea LAB serves as a hive for innovation and includes the Innovation Spotlight Theater featuring a curated display of the industry’s latest advancements, as well as an “Ask the Experts” answer bar.
The Innovation Showcase brings the latest advancements to the forefront in a cutting-edge display in the convention center grand concourse.
IBIE has developed—in conjunction with the Global Gold Chain Alliance (GGCA)—a new pavilion on the show floor dedicated to cold storage solutions and innovations, as well as presenting warehouse, construction and transportation options.
The American Cake Decorating Demo Theater and The ONE Demonstration Theater by Revent feature free daily demos by celebrity chefs and big-name cooking pros showing off their skills and latest techniques, right on the show floor.

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An expanded educational program highlights the latest techniques and proven strategies for streamlining wholesale operations, improving product quality and increasing profits. The 90+ sessions are designed for professionals of all levels and backgrounds.

More than 20 new seminars will focus on the most relevant issues facing the industry today, featuring expanded content for upper management. This year’s speakers are well-known subject matter experts and business moguls that run the largest bakeries in the world, including Todd Hale, Lee Sanders and Ramon Rivera. as well as business moguls who run the largest bakeries in the world.

The education program begins on October 7, the day before the Baking Expo™ opens, with RPIA’s Business of Baking for Beginners seminar and the Tortilla Industry Association’s two-day Technical and Management Conference, which addresses operation skills, safety regulations, quality control, plant efficiency and best practices for the baking industry’s fastest growing market segment.

Education seminars at IBIE 2016 are organized into targeted tracks: AIB Technical, Retail, Bread Bakers Guild of America, International, Management, Sales & Marketing, Ingredients & Processes, Food Safety & Sanitation and Retail Hands-on (Cake & Pastry Decorating). Sessions are held daily from 8:30 a.m. to Noon and in the evening to give attendees plenty of time to explore the latest innovations on the Expo floor.

Popular returning features including: B.E.S.T. in Baking Program, The Great American Pie Festival, PMQ Pizza Village and RBA’s 15th Annual Pillsbury Bakers’ Plus Creative Decorating Competition.

For more information, or to register for IBIE 2016, visit www.IBIE2016.com.