Portsmouth, NH — A regional health & specialty food distributor, Associated Buyers, hosted a Table Top Product Show today. The building was filled with manufacturers and their products, with tempting tastings available at each vendor’s table.
Trends observed:
COFFEE – fair trade, organic, artisan-roasted. Small companies are getting into a marketplace dominated by big-name brands and making names for themselves with their personalized selection of the best beans worldwide.
CHOCOLATE – fair trade, organic, and lots of very dark!
DIPS, SPREADS & PESTOS – tantalizing and savory, many flavors and variations from which to choose.
JAMS & JELLIES – lots of choices sweetened with old-fashioned sugar and free of nasty high-fructose corn syrup
GLUTEN-FREE – most manufacturers have the words gluten-free in their promotional literature or on their labels; if not, then most know if their product qualifies as gluten-free, and if not, why. Gluten-free is now an everyday term in the marketplace.
DYE-FREE SODA POP – someone’s caught on to the need for dye-free beverages and there are several brands from which to choose.
PRODUCTS:
TERRA NOSTRA organic Chocolate – The samples offered were absolutely delicious. If you’re looking for a sumptuous dark, dark chocolate, I’d recommend Terra Nostra.
Features & Benefits:
• Organic
• Fair-trade
• Gluten-free
• No soy lecithin
• “Ricemilk Choco™” is all-vegan! The first of its kind!
• Lots of different flavors
For more product information: www.terranostra.us
Wings of Nature Snack Bars – A satisfying treat when you’re craving that sweet-something. The gluten-free flavors we enjoyed during our taste test: “Almond Raisin” and “Apple Cinnamon”.
Features & Benefits:
• Gluten-free
• No refined sugar (sweetened with rice syrup)
• No Trans-fats
• Organic
Although these are manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat products, the sales rep assured me that equipment is washed down before any gluten-free products are created. For more product information: www.wings-of-nature.com
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