A look at Colombia´s organic offerings
Posted - February 24, 2007
A look at Colombia´s organic offerings
By Lucia Lorente
The organic sector in Colombia is still fragmented. Just a few players export high volumes of coffee, palm oil and bananas. The vast majority of organic producers are small farmers from vulnerable groups such as single mothers, indigineous people and displaced groups -victims of violence in rural areas. However, there is great potential for organics to stimulate socially responsible farming.
Existing and potential projects need foreign investors and buyers committed for the long term. Take a look at Ashongos, an association of small female producers of organic certified mushrooms. The project aimed to stimulate urban agriculture among single mothers. They are usually left out of the workforce because of age, family responsibilities or lack of education. “Proper promotion to reach the markets is pivotal to ensure sustainability of social projects helping disadvantaged communities to fight poverty,” says Carmenza Jara-millo, project founder. “Once we had a great product, the project required training and assistance to find the channels of distribution, buyers who would pay a fair price and secure repeat orders,” says Jaramillo.
The project became sustainable thanks to a couple of consistent buyers: one local, the other FM Foods from the UK. “FM Foods has placed a small order of just 100 kilos of dried mushrooms to deliver every three months. It is a small volume, but repeat orders offer certainty,” says Jaramillo. Aware of the importance to support social projects in the field of promotion and marketing, the IOM -International Organization for Migration -established a social marketing unit in Colombia to assist disadvantaged groups’ organic projects.“ It is common to develop projects to assist minority groups only up to the point where they have a product to sell. Sometimes the project includes even exposure at a fair,” says Claudia Rojas, the unit’s manager. “To succeed, any project needs follow up and training in marketing and promotion”, says Rojas. One project is ANEI, a producer of organic certified coffee and “panela” (a brick of unrefined sugarcane-based sweetener). ANEI comes from the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The IOM helped indiginous people already farming under eco-friendly methods for centuries, get organic certification and proper packaging and promotion. This helps ensure the products reach retail shelves at a fair price. ANEI now includes more than 60 farmers, each farming one to three organic certified hectares. La Red, a Colombian network of ecofriendly local producers, offers another example of small producers accessing the broader market. Thanks to Dutch government support, La Red has developed a portfolio of organic and fair trade products such as coffee, honey, herbs and fruits. Coffee from the Arhuaco community is now on the shelves of Carrefour’s supermarkets in Colombia. Exports to Japan are on the way.
Organic mango, pineapple, cacao beans, herbs and flowers, whose conventional counterparts already sell well, can succeed in organics, according to Diana Toscano of the Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry is preparing a study to get a picture of Colombia’s organic potential and attract foreign investors. Domestic organics consumption is still small, in spite of Ministry of the Environment efforts. Organic restaurants and natural health shops have begun appearing in trendy neighbourhoods. Café Mulato (a coffee shop chain) has four locations in Cali and plans to open more in other cities. Bioplaza, a restaurant and natural health store in Bogota.
It recently opened Smoothies & Co., with alternatives to fast food. As in most every country, though, the main retail chains and supermarkets are needed to stimulate local demand for organics. They are introducing some organic products. More information and education are needed to ensure local demand will increase, says Freyre Restrepo, managing director of Café Granja La Esperanza. Restrepo sells his specialty organic coffee directly to foreign markets. “Coffee producers that are not able to sell under the specialty fair trade and organic certified coffees are forced to sell at the price for conventional,” says Restrepo.
Often, they can’t afford certification, he says.Increased demand for organics has attracted large conventional producers like Lucerna (“panela” or sugarcane loaves), Dulces del Valle (milk caramel products) to certification. Companies like these have relatively easy access to large buyers. “We are the only producer of organic sugar in Colombia and achieved ten tonnes per year,” says María Isabel Pardo, director of organic products at Ingenio providencia. Pardo says Colombia needs a national association of organic producers and exporters to help foster access to markets. All this would matter little if no one wanted to purchase Colombian products. Some buyers’ interests have been piqued by the South American nation.
Juan Pablo Campos, President of Daabon Organic Japan, imports foods to Asia. “There is a great demand for organic certified fruits, fresh, dried and pulp,” he says. Mango and red grapefruit have potential in Colombia. However, exports to such a foreign market requires about 40-50 tonnes each week. Colombian organic producers are looking for potential business opportunities. They are starting to appear at the fairs. Five companies exhibited at Expo East 2006. Procampo de Colombia attended the last Biofach America Latina, and for the first time, BioFach 2007 Nuernberg will host three Colombian exhibitors besides Daabon: La Red, Biotropico (a certification agency), and Ci Famar.
Procampo de Colombia, Frutexpo, Paraíso Andino and VIT will visit Fruitlogistica and Biofach. Interested parties can connect with the companies at the Organic & Wellness News satnd in Hall 5-123.
Kids Rule!
Posted - February 1, 2007
Lunch Box - Kids Rule!
The Challenge: Organic, Delicious and Nutritious in Eco-Friendly Packaging
By Adrian Larose - as printed in O.W.N. Spring 2007
When you look at children, what do you see? Little people learning to make environmentally-conscious decisions? A future health epidemic? Or a new market for truly healthy organic and natural foods? Eating habits formed in childhood often persist.
So do bad choices that cause obesity. An overweight youth will probably become an overweight adult - with a risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and many other disorders and illnesses.
Obesity is now a childhood epidemic. Globally, between 10 to 25 per cent of children are overweight. The International Obesity Task Force IOTF states that obesity ranges from two to 10 per cent. This means 155 million children worldwide, says Dr. Tim Lobstein of the IOTF.
No surprise: Gerber, the baby food giant, which also has an organic line, states that 10 per cent of nine to 11 month old children in the United States eat fries every day and one in five do so by 19 to 24 months. The average German consumer takes 120 grams of fat, an excess of 50 percent, says Gottfried Ulbricht from the German Institute of Nutrition Research in Potsdam-Rehbrücke.
In Canada three years ago, 26% of children aged 2 to 17 were overweight or obese based on body mass index. That’s up from 15% in 1978-79, says Statistics Canada. In the past 20 years, the rates of obesity have tripled in developing countries that have been adopting a Western lifestyle with decreased physical activity and cheap, calorie-dense food.
What’s more, studies also suggest that pesticides build up to higher levels in kids than in adults. Others suggest that high glycemic meals, usually from highly-processed foods, could mean worse marks at school.
Organic companies could lead us to a solution. Besides responsibility for the environment, consumers associate organics with health. If certified organic snacks for kids were nutritious, they could shrink waistlines and lead to better life-long eating habits while cutting waste and pesticide use.
“I wonder sometimes if the organic companies are making the same mistakes as conventional ones,” the Edible Schoolyard’s Kyle Cornforth says. The Schoolyard is an American program teaching schoolchildren to cook and eat healthy foods. Take Stonyfield Farm. Its senior communications manager, Carmelle Druchniak, says that their organic yogurts target babies, toddlers and children. Like other Stonyfield products, the yogurt contains growth-hormone-free milk and avoids cornstarch, gelatin and artificial flavours and colors.
That’s a great improvement over conventional companies. Not bad. But, as with many other organic foods, sugar is still a main ingredient, says Cornforth. Even organic sugar causes obesity and cavities.
US based Earthbound Farm encourages parents and children to pick fruits and vegetables - almost undeniably healthy - by selling pre-packaged apple slices and carrot sticks. Though still packaging-heavy, they are healthy choices. But the same company is often criticized for its size and farming practices. Substantial or not, the criticisms confuse consumers even more.
So where can consumers find convenient nutritious organics children will actually eat?
Organic & Wellness News asked organic companies to tell us about their most nutritious and delicious products aimed to satisfy our children’s nutritional needs - products with attractive, convenient and eco-friendly packaging, for those little customers always on the go. They had to be tasty as snacks and keep well in lunch boxes.
Below are some of the replies, divided into three categories that kids need plenty of: fluids, fiber and protein.
A Look at Delicious and Nutritious Offerings in the Children’s Foods Market
Fluids
A study by the German Association for Nutrition and Diet shows that children need two liters of fluids daily to improve concentration and performance, says Birgit Larsen of H&S Tee-Gesellschaft in Germany. “Our teas offer herbs mixes and flavors that young taste buds enjoy,” she adds. “The brews can be a great way to get kids adequate, healthy fluids”. H&S offers a line of children’s teas in eco-friendly packages that feature traditional fairy tales.
“We have taken the challenge to balance a convenient, delicious and nutritious organic product at an affordable price that especially kids and teenagers would like,” says Dr. Edit Dulovics, CEO of Dr. Wolfe’s Bioproducts Ltd. The Hungarian firm recently launched a line of certified organic juices with a unique mix of fruits and herbs, available in school and university vending machines. “With the entry of large conventional companies to the organic sector, finding truly nutritious and organic foods is becoming more difficult, says Dulovics.”
The company’s juices are high in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins and contain no added sugar (aronia apple and pear are used as sweetener), preservatives, artificial colors or artificial flavors. “It has been hard to find the fruits we want in organic quality, especially exotic fruits like acerola” says Dulovics.
“We invested three years finding the best stable formula with fruits high in antioxidants such as black currant, blackberries, blueberries, and other ingredients known for their health benefits, like echinacea, aloe vera, lemon balm and hiprose. The effort pays off. The line is doing tremendously well,” says Dulovics.
Selling the product at a lower price than conventional soft drinks was one of the company’s goals. “Our delicious organic certified juices are less expensive to end consumers than cheap soft drinks,” says Dulovics. “The soft drinks sector invests heavily in marketing, mass advertising, offers free vending machines. We have invested in product development and have lower mark ups,” says Dulovics. “Once consumers see and taste the difference, I am sure they will select what is healthier for them, if it is delicious and if possible less expensive.”
In times of high concern for the quality of our foods, the introduction of GMO’s and several food scandals it is important for parents to look after the labels of food given to their children, says Saskia Kenntemich spokesperson of the house Rabenhorst , producers of Rotbäckchen , one of the most well known brands of healthy juices for children in Germany. The firm is celebrating its 55th anniversary in 2007.
With the LOHAS consumer in mind, (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) Rabenhorst has also introduced Bioborn, a line of fruit and vegetable juices, teas and cocktails, a total of 20 flavours in attractive packaging. Yogurt is another food that suits children’s needs. Conventional brands do not offer yogurt’s true value, which comes from the content of probiotics such as Lactobacillus bifidus and Lactobacillus Casei. These promote desirable bacteria and proper enzymes that improve digestion, reduce lactose intolerance and relieve constipation.
Known for high-quality ingredients and aware of the above, Andechser Natur has introduced liquid yogurt in 200ml bottles ideal for lunch boxes. Andechser also sells its line of natural and fruit yogurts in glass jars at natural and organic health stores and supermarkets.
Fiber
Fiber is very important for proper digestion. Eating muesli is a simple way to enjoy a fiber-rich breakfast. The mix of uncooked dry cereals and vitamin-rich fruits was first developed by Swiss Dr. Bircher-Benner around 1900. By contrast, sugary cereal with little fiber is often the first food children eat each day.
Not so good, since a breakfast with a high glycemic index, common among highly-processed foods, can cause serious problems. Dr. David Benton of the University of Wales Swansea found that two to three hours after eating a meal with a high glycemic index, adults performed more poorly on memory tests than those who ate a lower-glycemic meal. A sugary breakfast could mean bad marks at school.
Naturkost GmbH offers a perfect muesli for children: not too hard to crunch and not too sweet, even though it includes tiny bites of organic chocolate. The colorful package features the cartoon Maya the Bee, making the muesli an ideal breakfast for picky eaters.
Cereal is also important for Nature’s Path in Canada, one of North America’s largest independent organics companies. Its EnviroKidz line includes cereals and breakfast bars, with savvy marketing: for each dollar sold, the company gives environmental groups one penny. The donations fit the kid-friendly packaging that Maria Emmer-Aanes, marketing director, says helps the line succeed.
The cereal boxes feature realistic animal characters, including gorillas and cheetahs. And there’s more than that on the box: the line’s packaging teaches kids about the environment. All ingredients are organic: no high-fructose corn syrup or GMO canola oil.
And the Italian 40 year old firm Perfoods has experienced tremendous success at home and abroad, with their line of organic coated puffed breakfast cereals under their own brand Perfoods BIO and with private labels. “Since our processed cereals keep the great nutritional values of the original grain used, are completely natural, no artificial colourings, additives or preservatives, most of our clients adopted our products to create ranges especially meant for children”, says marketing manager Barbara Tinelli.
Germany is well known for its high-fiber breads. To increase the fiber in children’s lunch boxes, Mestemacher GmbH launched an organic, thinly-sliced rye bread with no crusts that comes in a colorful package.DR. KARG opted for the fiber-rich”Knaeckebrot” or crispbread in bite-size bits inside an easy-to-carry package. Made with certified organic ingredients and baked without oil, the crispbreads are a convenient and nutritious alternative Kids like.
Protein
Not all snacks need to be sweet. Protein is important for growing bodies. It not only represents 15% of our body mass, but also plays an important role in the transport and storage of other nutrients. Pastries of quality whole wheat flours filled with chopped or ground meat or vegetables offer a healthy, lunch-box-friendly meal, says Nancy Caincibello, CEO of Toronto’s Plen Organics Inc..
The company produces traditional pastries called “empanadas”. Whole Foods Market, the largest retailer of natural and organic foods in the world, recently began carrying the line. “It is important to offer children the most nutritious and balanced meals with natural ingredients. Consumers who learn the taste of real foods at an early age will keep good eating habits for life,” says Caincibello. “Foods that kids eat most often should be organic to avoid excessive accumulation of pesticides, artificial colors and preservatives in their young system.”
Organic certified cold cuts produced with fine spices and without artificial flavors and additives offer another great source of protein. BioNini Salami Snack has won the market for 4 to 12 year olds as a healthier low-salt alternative.
And for those that prefer a vegetarian alternative, Italian firm BIOLAB di Santinelli Massimo offers the BURGERINI, mini burgers of tofu and vegetables, ideal to fit the lunch box or as appetizer, presented in an attractive package. The firm caters to those that like healthy and delicios but easy to prepare Italian food.
Dessert
Alright, we admit it - everyone can use some candy once in a while. Just make sure it’s from a company like Pure Fun Confections, a Canadian firm that produces certified organic lollipops, citrus slices, mint pinwheels and more. Ingredients include evaporated cane juice, organic rice syrup, and natural flavors like Goji berry and pomegranate. New additions to the company’s line hint at its past successes and offer consumers even more choice in organic candy. As the company says, it’s what Pure Fun doesn’t put in that makes its product unique: no dyes, no pesticides, no artificial flavors and no GMOs.
Still tempted to a treat? Try Gildo Rachelli Demeter, the first bio-dynamic ice cream in Italy. The use of organic and bio-dynamic ingredients gave back to the old fashioned ice-cream in an artisan production the full and delicate taste of long time ago, the company claims. Rachelli’s ice cream includes only organic milk, yoghurt, cream, fresh fruit and non refined sugar cane.If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you can’t do too much better than that.
Even though the list of firms catering to the children of LOHAS consumers is growing, there is still ample space for innovators who take the challenge to develop convenient, nutritious and delicious organic foods to serve this vulnerable but highly important market segment.
Imagine more children eating less refined sugar, thanks to creative and if possible more affordable alternatives offered by manufacturers of certified organic foods - meals and snacks with irresistible taste, texture and appearance that keep nutrition in. Foods with more “super natural foods” such as kamut, quinoa, acerola, acai, maca known for their excellent nutritional value in the list of ingredients. Imagine slimmer waists, healthier teeth and better school grades. The rewards, in profits and environmental and physical health, could be huge.
Governments Support Children’s Access to Organics
Lifestyle changes that cause weight loss can reduce diabetes and hypertension. But preventing these diseases requires social and political change. Strong public health initiatives are needed to make affordable, healthy foods available. Education and community planning are also needed to encourage exercise. In 2003, the World Health Assembly (connected with the World Health Organization) adopted the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity, and Health. The WHO issued objectives for developing countries on school meals and healthy living.
Some countries, including Brazil, India, and China, now monitor obesity and nutrition. In Bolivia, there have been attempts to introduce organic school breakfasts. Canada has banned vending machines from many schools.
Europe has taken some important steps. In Italy, organic school cafeterias have more than doubled within the last decade. There were only 64 in 1996. In January this year, there were 647, according to an analysis by Coldiretti. In Germany, polls show 80% of the population believes children’s eating habits are important. But children there often eat junk food, partly because it is what they most often hear about in ads. To raise children’s awareness about organic farming, the Health and Environment Department of Munich City Council began “Bio fuer Kinder” (Organics for Children), a new project to highlight how important organics are to everyday life.
Andalusia, a region in Spain that exports 90% of its organic production, is also increasing domestic consumers’ access to organic foods. Schools there have been the target of several initiatives, including an “organic bus” filled with games and fun activites. “The children are our special interest to guide towards a healthy diet and lifestyle. They are the consumers of the future,” said Isaías Pérez Saldaña, counsellor with the Regional Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
