Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/110595
HONORABLE MENTIONS Congratulations to these three manufacturers, who were runners-up in this year's competition: VISION: Alex Whitmore, Founder, Taza Chocolate Making stone-ground chocolate was Alex Whitmore's mission in 2006, but it soon expanded to include addressing the dire financial and environmental problems of the cacao trade. Whitmore is dedicated to creating a better way of doing business, one that supports farmers, the environment and consumers who demand products that are both excellent and ethically made through Taza Direct Trade. In 2010, Whitmore founded Maya Mountain Cacao Ltd. with a mission to support sustainable cacao production in Belize. In 2011, he released a cacao sourcing transparency report, making the details of each company's cacao-sourcing relationships public. BUSINESS LEADERSHIP: Allison Hooper and Bob Reese, Co-founders, Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery After 28 years of creating award-winning butter and cheeses made from 20 Vermont goat farms, Allison Hooper and Bob Reese have established a sustainable goat dairy in Randolph, Vt. Ayers Brook Goat Dairy is a land-conservation partnership where experienced and amateur farmers can learn good animal management. Hooper and Reese believe that an environmentally sustainable and economically vibrant goat dairy industry will help conserve and protect the region's working landscape, as well as foster jobs and agricultural economic development opportunities throughout the Northeast. CITIZENSHIP: Amit Hooda, Chief Executive, Heavenly Organics During a business class at university, Amit Hooda—who grew up in northern India with a garden full of organic produce and a renowned agronomist father—created the idea for Heavenly Organics. Today, the company's honeys, sugars and other products directly benefit a collective that impacts more than 250 families in troubled areas in northern and central India and Kashmir, moving families from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, and promoting viable economic growth. nities caught in conflict. "Canaan assesses its accomplishments based on how much we are moving producing communities from the position of vulnerability to that of economic security," Abufarha explains. "To that end, beyond price, we are invested in increasing crop yields for farmers, increasing quality so we grow the value return of the products they produce [and] the sustainability of the soil they produce from, and helping them navigate some of the social or political issues that may be limiting their potentials." Today the organization works with 1,700 farmers and 200 female producers, selling their products in 17 countries worldwide. Since Canaan's launch, the average price of Palestinian olive oil has more than doubled, and in 2008 Canaan broke ground on a new 32,000-square-foot, state-of-theart olive-processing facility that employs 40 Palestinians and can commercialize the products of 3,000 to 5,000 farmers. "Canaan assesses its accomplishments based on how much we are moving producing communities from the position of vulnerability to that of economic security." Impact In addition to supporting farmers from production to social and economic empowerment, Abufarha has created programs such as self-managed women's co-ops focusing on products traditionally processed by women, like sun-dried tomatoes, za'atar spices, couscous, capers and soap. Participation has increased to 200 women since 2007. "These opportunities bring new avenues for women to enter the workforce and give them the skills to be income generators and engaged and participating citizens at 34 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com To read about all the nominees in this year's Leadership Awards, go to specialtyfood .com/onlinehighlights. the same time," he observes. Abufarha has also created Canaan Scholarships, which provide an average of $60,000 per year for 10 full university scholarships to farmers' children, as well as a microloan program that has formed 10 women-owned cooperatives to date. Factory workers at the plant reap the benefits as well. After 10 years of employment, staff is eligible to apply for a loan to start their own socially responsible business to solve a social problem. Going Forward Canaan is currently working with women's groups on a new line of herbs and expanding the soap-making offerings. Abufarha notes that the award is particularly appreciated for "the visibility it will bring to the great farmers I work with, the wonderful food products they produce, and the love and care they give to the land from which they produce." |SFM| Denise Shoukas is a contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine.