Suma launches new oat pasta range

Suma Wholefoods has launched a new range of high-quality oat pastas. The company are one of the very few in the UK offering this new form of pasta made with oat, corn and rice flours rather than the traditional wheat.

Kate Willis, Brand Product Coordinator at Suma Wholefoods, comments: “Consumers are looking for good quality pastas, unusual new ingredients and exciting gluten-free options and this range delivers just that!”

She continues: “Consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits of oats as a nutrient-rich food associated with a reduction on blood cholesterol when consumed regularly.

“Made with organic ingredients, including oat, corn and rice flours, our oat pasta is certified gluten-free and ideal for both those with gluten-intolerance and those who simply prefer to reduce their gluten consumption. The texture is tender and the taste is delicate, so there’s no competition with any sauce it accompanies. It’s perfect to use wherever you’d otherwise use a wheat pasta.”

‌There are three varieties in the new range: Linguine, Rigatoni and Casarecce. Linguine, meaning little tongues in Italian, is flatter and wider than spaghetti but not as wide as fettuccine. Casarecce, from the Italian word for homemade, are short twists of pasta originating from Sicily which appear to roll up on themselves. Rigatoni is larger than penne and ziti, and sometimes slightly curved.

The range comes in cardboard packaging that is sourced from a sustainably-managed forest, is fully recyclable and 100 per cent plastic-free.

Supplied in cases of 12, they have a long shelf life of 36 months when stored correctly. The Rigatoni and Casarecce retail at £26.90 per case with a RRP of £2.99. Linguine is £28.40 per case and £3.19 RRP.

Pravera Ltd takes over distribution of Qi Teas

Pravera Ltd has announced that it has taken over the distribution of organic tea company, Qi Teas.

Since Qi Teas were first introduced in the UK over 25 years ago, they have proven themselves to be an ethical and sustainable company; offering customers a range of Fairtrade and organic teas certified by the Soil Association, packaged in unbleached teabags, sustainable packaging and sourced from a small independent Chinese co-operative, the Wuyhan High Mountain Tea Company.

The original company went into administration in 2021 and has been in caretaker ship since then. Now Pravera Ltd, who are well known for their distribution of organic skincare brands over the past 20 years, have expanded and taken over distribution of Qi Teas.

Diversifying into organic food and beverages is a return for Graeme Hume, Managing Director and previous founder of Juniper Fine Foods, who said: “For me this is a return to my roots, and even better is, after 25 years, Qi Teas still have no peers when it comes to the palatability of green tea. With the growth in demand for the many benefits of green tea we have this unique brand that has been sitting lost and overlooked on many retailers’ shelves, our mission is to get the Qi Tea’s message out there so consumers can enjoy green tea and benefit from the product.”

Pravera Ltd have now officially taken over the distribution and Qi teas will be available from January 2024.

Meet the organic sector in Paris on 22-24 October 2023!

Natexpo, one of the most significant organic and sustainable living trade shows and the only B2B gathering for eco-products in France, returns from 22 to 24 October at Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre.

The sector is evolving, and now industry players must offer more commitments: sustainability, eco-responsibility, bulk, vegan, local, CSR are trends that are at the heart of consumer expectations today.

At Natexpo, these trends are notably showcased within the New Products Gallery: a space that highlights the innovations of exhibitors, a true showcase of hidden gems, visited by all journalists and visitors in search of novelties and in partnership with the magazine Circuits Bio for the 2023 edition. 200 products will be exhibited.

Another reflection of the boundless inventiveness of the organic industry is the Natexpo Awards, which have been rewarding the most original, useful, and eco-responsible products introduced to the market since 2005, across 10 categories representing the entire organic sector: sweet grocery, savory grocery, fresh products, beverages, dietary supplements, cosmetics and hygiene, ECO-Products / ECO-Services, services and equipment for retail and brands, ingredients and raw materials, as well as Seeds, dedicated to innovative small structures.

Plus, the International Special Mention recognizes the most innovative product presented by a foreign company. Awarded by a panel of experts, journalists, organic professionals, and nutrition experts, the Natexpo Awards assert the added value and differentiation of the product to both distributors and consumers. The 11 winners will be displayed at the entrance of the fair.

Natexpo is also an unparalleled source of innovations!

6 Villages will showcase innovations from TPE/SMEs and startups looking to enter the organic market thanks to Natexpo. Leading names in the organic sector are not left behind, spread across 8 sectors within the fair: Food, Cosmetics and Hygiene, Dietary Supplements, ECO Products / ECO Services, Ingredients and Raw Materials, Services and Equipment for Retail and Brands, E-Commerce Solutions, and the new Textile sector.

For a tailored visit and optimal comfort, Natexpo also offers numerous tools:

• Discovery Tours, with a focus on Organic Ingredients and the Circular Economy. For 1 hour, visitors will discover and meet exhibitors offering innovative products and services during a guided tour led by our specialist partners.
• 8 Thematic Trails, highlighting exhibitors and conferences related to key areas of interest: Organic Catering, Private Label, Vegan, Zero Waste, Local, Epure dedicated to premium cosmetics, Newbies, and Delicatessens and alternative grocery stores, new this year.
• Business Meetings, to benefit from targeted meetings with industrialists and processors in the organic sector, according to visitors’ criteria, to build personalized appointment schedules.

A unique opportunity to stock up on innovations and meet future business partners.

18,000 professional visitors are expected for these 3 days of networking. They will have the opportunity to get informed about the industry’s challenges through 200 conferences and roundtable discussions, led by specialists in the organic market.

Want to be part of it? Request your free visitor badge now at: https://natexpo.com/en/visiter/votre-badge-visiteur-2/?utm_source=targetpublishing&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=natexpo

Save the dfor Natexpo 2023!

The premier international event for the organic sector in France will be held from 22 to 24 October at Paris Nord Villepinte, Hall 6.

For this new edition, 2,500 exhibitors and brands are expected. Natexpo is an industry vertical trade show representing the entire organic and sustainability-focussed market. The sector is changing, and today its players must display their commitments to going further: durability, eco-responsibility, loose and bulk goods, vegan, local sourcing and CSR are all trends at the centre of consumer expectations today.

18,000 trade visitors are expected to attend these three days of meetings and business. They will have the opportunity to get up to speed and perfect their knowledge of the sector’s burning topics through 200 talks and round tables, presented by organic market specialists.

A unique opportunity to stock up on innovations and meet future business partners.

• Make a date for 22 to 24 October 2023, at Paris Nord Villepinte, Hall 6, France.
• Download your visitor badge

Best in Organic Celebrated at Annual BOOM Awards

Excellence in the organic industry was celebrated this week with the winners of the prestigious Best of Organic Market Awards being announced.

Better known as the BOOM Awards, following a rigorous judging process, the winners were announced at a special ceremony in Bristol.

The BOOMs, which are the UK’s only organic awards, honours the brands, businesses and people behind the UK’s organic industry and was open to all certified organic businesses in the UK. The awards are run by Soil Association Certification in partnership with headline sponsor, Huboo.

Judging was by a panel of experts, including Telegraph columnist, chef and food writer, Xanthe Clay, chef, food and travel writer and broadcaster Romy Gill, and Bake-Off contestant, chef and TV presenter, Briony May Williams, and food expert and TV presenter Andy Clarke.

The awards include a category voted for by the public, The Nation’s Favourite, which celebrates the best-loved organic product of the year. This year, it went to Clearspring for its Organic Tofu – Silken & Smooth. They received the highest number of votes from a public vote, beating off some tough competition including Freedom Brewery Helles Lager; Grass Roots Dairy Organic Salted Butter and Aspall’s Organic Cyder Vinegar.

The Lifetime Achievement which went to Iain Tolhurst, from Tolhurst Organic, who recently received an MBE for Services to Agriculture in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

Winner of Winners which went to Brown Cow Kefir Fermented Yoghurt while the Rising Star was awarded to Sinead & Adam – Aweside Farm. The couple upped sticks from their careers and home in London to start an organic farm in Arlington, East Sussex, where they have transformed 4.5 acres of ex-arable land into an ecologically thriving smallholding.

Soil Association Commercial & Marketing Director, Alex Cullen, commented: “We’re thrilled to announce the winners, who truly represent the best that organic has to offer. Organic farming and production offers vital solutions for climate and nature, which is why we’re so excited to see these products making an impression with the public. New and diverse representatives are appearing all the time, and we’re proud to celebrate them here. We’ve heard so many of their fantastic stories working with sustainable businesses.

“These are the people who make the system work and draw other people in. It’s thanks to them that we’re so hopeful for the future, and we’re thrilled we’ve been able to recognise them. This drive to innovate means the organic market remains popular and resilient. We’ve been so lucky to work with such a dedicated and expert panel of judges, who worked through hundreds of shortlisted products and entries to with the unenviable task of making the key decisions.”