-By James Mellgren

I recently returned from Boston where I attended the Natural Products Expo (NPE) East in the beautiful new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, conveniently located downtown near the water. It was a lovely venue for the show (in case you’re thinking of going next year, which I strongly urge you to do) and the show seemed bustling with buyers. Having only ever attended the West Coast show, I was anxious to see how they did things back east in the world of natural foods, and I wasn’t disappointed. There was a wealth of innovative products geared to be better for consumers and for the planet; and just as there were many original ideas and products at the show, there were also many trends that ran throughout. For example, although overall beverages, especially waters, were fewer at this show, dairy-based drinks are getting very big, particularly kefir. One of the best is from one of my favorite yogurt and cheese producers in California, Redwood Hill Farm (www.redwoodhill.com), which weighed in with its new Kefir in Plain, Blueberry Pomegranate and, the newest flavor, Mango Orange Pineapple. The company uses fresh, grade-A, non-homogenized goat milk along with 10 active kefir cultures, and that’s it, except for the flavorings, of course. Its brochure reminds us that in the Russian Caucasus Mountains, where the drink likely originated and where the natives partake of it freely, people often live to be well past 100 years old. Something to shoot for, and a delicious way to get there. Another terrific example of drinkable yogurt was from the folks at Organic Valley (www.organicvalley.coop), the farmer-owned cooperative based in Wisconsin. Its Pourable Organic Non-Fat Yogurt is made from cow’s milk, lightly sweetened with organic agave nectar, and has live probiotics and other good things. Organic Valley Organic Non-Fat Yogurt comes in Plain, Vanilla and Berry.

Not all yogurts are for drinking, however, and there were several new entries into this popular market segment. Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt is from the folks at Stonyfield Farm (www.stonyfield.com). The yogurt is thick and creamy, and full of goodness. Packed in convenient 4-ounce packs, the yogurts are certified organic, kosher and gluten-free. The two new flavors are fantastic: Creamy Caramel and Rich Chocolate, both still with 0 percent fat like all the others. The other flavors are: Plain, Vanilla, Honey, Blueberry and Strawberry. Another new one that I had never seen before is from a French Canadian company called Liberté (www.liberte.qc.ca). Liberté’s Méditerranée line of yogurt is made from Vermont rBHT-free milk, contains active cultures, real chunks of fruit at the bottom, and all the yogurts are incredibly thick and delicious. The new flavors are Apple Crumble and French Vanilla, and they are also available in Lemon, Strawberry, Plum & Walnut, Peach & Passion Fruit, Wild Blackberry and Coconut.

In the prepared foods area, there were several new lines, such as Crepini Café (www.crepinicafe.com), maker of what the company accurately describes as a cross between a French crepe and a Russian blini. These handmade frozen delights come in both sweet and savory varieties, including Greenwich Spinach Gourmet Crepini, Portobella Parmigiano Crepini, Four Cheese/Basil Crepini, Vishnya a La Russe Sour Cherry Crepini, La Dolce Vita Crepini and Naked Crepes to be stuffed with your own filling. Kettle Cuisine (www.kettlecuisine.com) has a fabulous new line of all-natural gluten-free frozen soups. They are very hearty soups made from organic ingredients, are dairy-free and low in fat. The three new delicious varieties — Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables, Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles and Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans — come in convenient 10-ounce single-serving bowls that can go right in the microwave. Speaking of soup, Tree of Life (www.treeoflife.com) has introduced a new line of organic broths in the following varieties: Low Sodium Free Range Chicken, Free Range Chicken, Beef Flavored and Vegetable. They contain no MSG or preservatives, and are fat-free. The company was sampling it as part of a delicious tomato soup made from its chicken broth and its new canned Organic Tomatoes. This entirely organic line of canned tomatoes includes diced, diced with Italian herbs, diced with no salt added, crushed, crushed with basil, plain tomato sauce and tomato paste. They tasted garden fresh in the soup, which probably took minutes to prepare, about the amount of time it would take to heat up.

There were many other products I found, some of which you will see below, and more that you will find online on our Web site, www.GourmetRetailer.com. Most of all, I encourage you to attend both Natural Products Expos. NPE West will be held in Anaheim, Calif., March 11-14, 2010 (www.expowest.com) and NPE East will be back in Boston Oct. 14-16, 2010 (www.expoeast.com). See you there.

Industry News
The Nose Knows at Wyke Farms
When you consider that film star Betty Grable’s legs were once insured by her studio for $1 million, it’s not such a stretch that the nose attached to the master cheese grader for Wyke Farms is being insured by Lloyds of London for £5 million (about $8.3 million). Nigel Pooley, the Somerset-based cheese expert, has worked in the cheese industry since 1963 and has graded cheese for the family-run Wyke Farms, the United Kingdom’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, for the past 12 years. Owned and operated by the Clothier family since 1902, Wyke Farms has become known for its long-standing traditional values and practices, as well as the distinctive taste of its award-winning cheddar. As the one who grades and selects cheese for packing or, more importantly, for further maturation to produce the renowned Vintage cheeses, Nigel Pooley is a valuable asset and the guardian of the Wyke brand to ensure its consistency and that each product delivers what it promises on the packaging.

Jonathon Thomas, group accident and health underwriter of Watkins Syndicate at Lloyd’s, and an acknowledged expert in the insurance of body parts, said, “The functional parts of key people in certain industries are often just as valuable to the production process as key pieces of machinery in manufacturing. Mr. Pooley breaks new ground as our first cheese nose, but perfume and wine noses we have insured in the past justify similar quality control value.”

For more information about the lovely cheeses selected by Mr. Pooley for Wyke Farms, please visit www.wykefarms.com.

S. Wallace Edwards & Sons Unveils New Web Site
With the launch of its new Web site, S. Wallace Edwards & Sons ushers in a new era of Internet retail service. Every element is intended to represent the Edwards family expertise and aesthetic in digital form, and give customers a user-friendly, interactive experience. The Web site, designed by Americaneagle.com, Inc. of Chicago, has a number of new features to make shopping a breeze. Instructional videos and charts invite viewers into a virtual smokehouse, where expert chefs break down the tasks of boning, cooking and carving ham, and demonstrate how simple these procedures can be for the home cook. The recipe section gives customers still more options on dishes to prepare with Edwards products. In the Q&A section, customer needs are anticipated: the Edwards team has compiled answers to the most common questions asked by customers through more than 80 years in business. A new order-tracking feature has been added to easily view the status of a purchase or gift. Members can also become fans of Edwards Virginia Ham on Facebook and follow EdwardsVaHam on Twitter for the very latest in news and company happenings. S. Wallace Edwards & Sons is a third-generation family-owned company located in Surry, Va. Edwards’ meats are regarded as among the best available and are served in renowned restaurants by top chefs throughout the country. The new consumer Web site is www.VirginiaTraditions.com. Wholesale buyers can also visit www.EdwardsVAHam.com or call 800-200-4267.