Pre-packaged raw food targets busy, health-conscious consumer
Eating healthy foods on the go could become easier, as fresh, packaged convenience foods proved to a be popular category recently at a major natural foods trade show, where a raw kale salad made with red bell peppers, cashews and Himalayan salt was named the most innovative product among hundreds of competitors.
Despite the fact that the raw food diet — popularized by celebrities such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow — seems to have lost some of its sizzle after being displaced by the so-called “caveman diet,” raw ingredients “invaded” the packaged foods category at Natural Products Expo East this year, organizers said.
It’s a category that was likely of great interest to buyers from retailers such as Whole Foods and Starbucks that were on hand at this year’s trade show in Baltimore, looking for innovative new products to add to their store shelves.
Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale, Vampire Killer, a packaged, fresh kale salad made with red bell peppers, sunflower seeds, cashews, garlic, lemon juice, scallions, garlic and Himalayan salt, was named the most innovative product this year.
A one ounce serving contains 141 calories and 9 g of fat and is high in vitamins A and C.
His raw kale chips and cashew-based vegan cheese also received accolades. The no-bake, non-fried chips are dehydrated under 115 F (46 C) and are made from beets, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, cheddar and kale.
Brad’s, which is based out of Pipersville, Pennsylvania, also donates two cents from each purchase to the Your 2 Cents Fund, which helps the organic industry unite producers, consumers, researchers and educators.
A devotee of the raw food diet, creator Brad Gruno said he developed the snack foods because he missed crunchy snack foods. Since converting to the new lifestyle, Gruno has lost 40 lb (18 kg).
Other award winning products include:
Best Packaging: Tiny Fruits by Little Duck Organics
Best New Food: Hibiscus Lemon LunaPops by LunaPops
Inspired by traditional Mexican paletas, the fruit and dairy-based popsicles source milk from local farms. Flavors include milk chocolate chai, pomegranate-blueberry and hibiscus lemon.
Best New Health Beauty: Fair Trade Ethiopian Coffee Scrub by Planet Botanicals
Best New Supplements/Herbs: Vega Sport Performance System by Sequel Naturals
Made with whole grain brown rice, green pea, hemp, alfalfa, and spirulina.
Most Innovative: Vampire Killer – Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale by Brad’s Raw Foods
Best of Press: Daily Dose of Dark by NibMor Chocolate
A ‘daily dose’ chocolate that helps chocoholics with portion control. The 70 percent cocoa is organic, vegan and sugar-free.
Natural Products Expo East wrapped up September 24 and returns to Baltimore in September 19, 2012.
http://www.bradsrawchips.com/
