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.
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produt roundup Mamma Chia Energy Beverages. In its energy drink line launched last fall, Mamma Chia unites two Central and South American ingredients: chia seeds and guayusa. Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein, while guayusa—sourced from the leaves of a holly tree in the Amazonian rainforest—is a source of caffeine. The company com- bines them with organic fruit juices and organic cane sugar for a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks. Each 10-ounce beverage includes roughly the same amount of caffeine as an 8-ounce cup of coffee. All four flavors—Blackberry Blast, Cherry Charge, Raspberry Razz, and Grape Power—are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher. mammachia.com Organic Gemini TigerNut Horchata+ Green. Still relative- ly unknown in the U.S., tiger nuts are slowly making their way into the natural and health food channels. Common in Spain and Africa, tiger nuts are actually small tubers, not nuts. To produce the beverage, Organic Gemini presses the nutrient-dense ingredient to yield nondairy milk, which is then pureed with broccoli leaf, spinach, kale, lemons, parsley, ginger, and Himalayan pink salt. Since tiger nuts have a natural sweetness, the creamy, pale green drink requires no added sugar. Horchata+ Green is one of several options in Organic Gemini's line of horchata beverages. The product is vegan, kosher, organic, paleo- friendly, and non-GMO. Other flavors include original, unsweetened, chai, coffee, banana, and strawberry. The company also sells tiger nut gra- nola, oil, and flour, and plain tiger nuts in bulk. organicgemini.com Pok Pok Som Drinking Vinegars in Chinese Celery and Turmeric. Pok Pok restaurants, with locations in Portland, Oregon, New York City, and Los Angeles, frequently incor- porate Chinese celery and turmeric root into their highly acclaimed Thai dishes. So, it was a natural extension for chef Andy Picker to create drinking vinegars based on these fresh staples. Drinking vinegers have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, and Pok Pok's versatile line acts as a lower-sugar soda alternative (just add seltzer) or an ingredient in craft cocktails. The tur- meric variety is made with Hawaiian red turmeric and ginger, while the Chinese celery version uses real Chinese celery and celery root—and has earned a place as a 2015 sofi Awards finalist. pokpoksom.com 'Tude Juice in Ginger & Turmeric. All of 'Tude Juice's small-batch beverages use unfiltered, cold-pressed juice made from apples grown in Washington state's Yakima Valley. To preserve the fruits' nutrients, the company exposes filled- and-sealed bottles to high pressure (rather than heat) to kill potential bacteria. The newest vari- ety melds ginger, turmeric, and vitamin C with juice from three Granny Smith apples. Other beverages in the line include straight apple juice (in Fuji, Gala, Cripps Pink, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and mixed Pacific Northwest apples) and mixed apple juices, with such infusions as marionberry, blueberry, cranberry, mint, and cucumber. tudejuice.com Up Mountain Switchel in Mate and Lemon. Three years ago, Up Mountain mod- ernized a family recipe for switchel, mixing water, fresh ginger, raw organic apple cider vinegar, and 100 percent pure Vermont maple syrup, and packaging the brew in 12-ounce mason jars. This summer, the Brooklyn-based company is introducing two new flavors: maté, using the South American staple yerba maté, provides about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee; lemon features a tart citrus kick. All of the switchels can be served as is, over ice, mixed with seltzer, integrated into cocktails, or warmed up for tea. drinkswitchel.com MORE BEVERAGE INNOVATORS • Botanic Water • DRINKMaple • Harmless Harvest Coffee-Infused Coconut Water and Nama Cha • KSR Ventures Miracle Tree's Moringa Tea • Numi Turmeric Tea • Opa Organics Ouzon Soda • Runa Clean Energy Drinks in Original, Berry, and Orange Passion • Vertical Maple Water • Vita Mansi Calamansi Juice Drink Dina Cheney is the author of Mug Meals, Meatless All Day, Year-Round Slow Cooker, Williams-Sonoma New Flavors for Salads, and Tasting Club. 128 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com