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The Anatole Hotel in Dallas was filled with 2,500 brokers, wholesalers and retailers for the 21st Annual Tree of Life International Show. The show floor had 410 vendors. According to its corporate marketing programs manager Jim Atkisson, these are record numbers.

Tree of Life offers retailers a complete selection of natural, organic, specialty, ethnic and gourmet food products. According to president/CEO Richard Lane, "Tree of Life's history is continuously driven by meeting the needs of the ever-increasing numbers of Americans who choose a lifestyle of 'Living Well.' Our relationship with the 'living well' shopper and with the retailers where they shop is at the very core of both our company's mission and strategy."

The three-day show offered many people the opportunity to see what may be "the next big thing." Here are some possibilities:

• Ready-to-eat as well as spices and rubs of ethnic cuisine: African, Indian, Caribbean, Hispanic and Cuban.

• Certified-organic baby food frozen in individual containers and energy drinks for kids.
• Salsa and dips with a blend of sweet and spicy fruit-based mixtures.

• Higher-cocoa and lower-sugar chocolate; organic, natural, fair trade, single origin (like olive oil or wine); mixed with fruit puree (passion, banana), hot and spicy (chipotle, cayenne), and flavorings such as red wine; and some filled with surprises like pop rocks.

• Functional water fortified with the hottest best-for-you super foods such as acai, goji and quercetin joining last season's antioxidants like pomegranate and blueberry, and this season's yumberry from China.

• Teas -- white, red and black; the darker the tea, the more caffeine. It's certified organic, fair and equitably traded, and a very old tradition has come to life in the States: flowering tea.
• Plantains: the new snack food, fried, baked; in sweet or savory.

• A growing variety of spices such as nutmeg in attractive non-refillable grinders.

• Stevia, made from the leaves of the stevia shrub, native to Paraguay, is the newest natural sweetener. Expect to see it in everything from tea to tomato sauce.

• Gluten-free food choices are a must for those living with celiac disease. The choices are expanding and now include Mexican rice mix, cake and cookie mix, pasta, pizza, pierogi and ready-to-microwave brownies.

• As you know, we eat with our eyes before food ever gets into our mouths, so packaging counts for a lot. In the case of Sun Showers, the bright fresh-looking bottles are a definite eye-catcher. The drink is all-natural, 100 percent "super juice" which consists of five single-minded nutritional benefit-driven products: Stamina, Defense, Heart Healthy, Revitalize and Strength. Each 64-ounce plastic bottle contains eight servings each with two servings of fruit and/or vegetables, and only 120 calories per 8-ounce serving.


• Belgian chocolate bars from Newtree have a tranquil new age feel that's just right for the present psychological climate: "pleasure," "rejoice," "vigor" and "sexy" are some of the 11 varieties. They come in large bars and a mini-box of three in dark at 73 percent cocoa and milk chocolate. Delicious enlightenment.

Comments? shoffman@gourmetretailer.com