Brazil Third in Organic Farms
Posted - March 30, 2009
Brazil Ranks Third in Number of Organic Farms
OrganicsBrasil Reported Successful Participation at Biofach
By Sofia Garcia, O.W.N.
Brazil, a country known for the cultivation of both exotic and staple food ingredients, currently ranks third in terms of number of organic farms, according to a recent survey by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
This vast Latin American country, which concentrates most of the Amazon rainforest, has been leading the world in production or export volume of coffee, soy beans, cane sugar, orange juice and beef. Now it also offers a wide range of organic certified products for export. Thirty one exhibitors with quality ingredients such as cashews, acai berries, cacao, coffee, and processed foods, supplements, essential oils, cosmetics and even apparel made of organic certified cotton were on display at the OrganicsBrasil Pavilion at Biofach in Nuremberg, Germany this past February 19-22. Exotic Umbu fruit jam and Baru nuts, where two new product introductions at the fair.
OrganicsBrasil also had a stand for the first time at Vivaness (Biofach’s sister and parallel fair for personal care products), with leading Brazilian natural cosmetics firms Ecove and Surya present. Beraca, Brazilian leading supplier of natural and ethical cosmetic ingredients was also showing its range for the third time, first under the umbrella of OrganicsBrasil. “Biofach ‘09 was impressive”, said Filipe Sabara, Beraca’s business director. “The organic market has been growing each year in different product categories, and in the personal care market, it was amazing to see an increase of exhibitors and visitors, compared to Biofach last year”. Sabara added that visitors seemed more focused and knowing the products they wanted to find.
The Beraca group is working hard to supply products that will help natural cosmetics manufacturers continue strong focus on “naturally and organically” claims, which may help them go through tough economic times. Surya export manager Vinicius Vasconcelos was also satisfied with the response to his line at Biofach. “Interest has been high and we have excellent medium term prospects for closing deals with retailers and importers.” Surya’s products use ingredients from the Amazon and are fair trade certified.
According to Ming Liu, OrganicsBrasil project manager, the thirty one Brazilian exhibitors at Biofach generated an estimated $21.8 million in sales opportunities.
“Despite fewer visitors, approximately 30% less than previous years, we noted that those who did appear were more objective, focused on closing deals and establishing long term partnerships”, said Ming Liu. “The results achieved by Brazilian participants were solid and positive.” This season OrganicsBrasil also had a pavilion at Expo West in Annaheim , March 5-8 and is joining the Brazilian pavilion at Sial Montreal, April 1-3 exploring the Canadian market.
More information available at www.organicsbrasil.org.
Italian Firm Reaches Latin America
Posted - March 30, 2009
La Finestra’s Next Frontier: Latin America
By Adriana Michael, O.W.N.
It’s easy to think of Latin America as a source for wholesale organic ingredients, but few think of it as a market for high-end European organic foods. Yet improving economies are changing that perspective. As the standard of living rises, so do the occurrences of diabetes, allergies and obesity. Enter La Finestra sul Cielo, an Italian organic pioneer and leading food producer with a heavenly antidote: carefully processed foods that appeal to those who know that prosperity means little without good health.
Spearheading the overseas project to bring La Finestra sul Cielo (in English the name means “window to the sky”) to Latin America is Miguel Angel Montesinos, managing director of the sister company in Spain. Montesinos and his wife, Anna Flo started la Finestra sul Cielo España five years ago, after noticing that Spain did not carry any products such as those of La Finestra’s unique line. 
The couple took on the challenge of introducing the Italian line first to Valencia. Sales exceeded soon everyone’s expectations. This prompted Marco Merla, managing director at La Finestra’s head office in Italy and the Montesinos to expand operations across Spain. Currently, over 1,200 Finestra products can be found in 1,500 Spanish retail outlets, including organic supermarkets Eco Veritas and Natura Si, with annual sales reported at over 4 million Euro.
The contagious enthusiasm of Montesinos and his passion promoting organics has also opened doors for La Finestra’s line of macrobiotic foods in Portugal. With this market ably covered by Anna , Miguel sees Latin America as the next obvious region for expansion. A target many European organic companies have not considered in the near future.
For Spain, it’s a natural market,” Montesinos says. “If several companies from different sectors such as cars, computers, heavy machinery and consumer goods are doing well in Latin America, why not organic certified foods?”
First stop: Brazil.
In cooperation with distributor Jeffrey E. Sidi La Finestra sul Cielo Espana is now bringing their products to Brazil, first because it has a growing organic market. Second, the government is particularly supportive of the organic sector. La Finestra tested the market with their line of cereal beverages through Pao de Açucar, a local supermarket chain that has identified organic foods as a category of importance. It serves it with a more personal approach than other large conventional supermarket chains. Response to la Finestra’s products at Pao de Açucar has been positive. Careful not to compete with existing businesses in Brazil, however, Finestra will introduce only unique products such as their vegetable and cereal based drinks, spelt pasta and crackers, all milk, egg and sugar-free foods.
“Most of the local businesses concentrate on fresh produce, tropical and exotic fruits, soy and soy-based foods, rice and coffee,” says Sidi. “We will only import foods that don’t compete with local suppliers.” However, although soy-based drinks are already popular there, they are often full of sugar, coloring, preservatives and other undesirable substances that health-conscious consumers avoid. La Finestra’s soy drink line, on the other hand, stands out because of its highly nutritious and natural makeup.
So far, La Finestra sul Cielo Espana has introduced 80 products into Brazil, in spite of the relatively high retail price. Besides the cereal drinks, goods made with quinoa and amaranth have been well accepted “We work with very low margins” says Sidi. “But with over a thousand different products to choose from, we are able to remain profitable in spite of a strong Euro and currency fluctuations”. Montesinos and Sidi are optimistic. They believe one way to the Latin stomach is by introducing health practitioners to their product line.
“Consumers need coaching in the purchasing of organics,” says Sidi. Health practitioners can explain to their patients how gluten, sugar, egg and salt-free foods are important to a balanced diet, while also explaining the health benefits of cereals like kamut and quinoa.
Though a venture still in its infancy, La Finestra products can now be found in 150 Brazilian retail outlets after only one year. In 2009, the young and enthusiastic team targets 300 outlets in Sao Paulo and other main Brasilian cities.
Montesinos already put an eye in other markets to conquer: Colombia, Mexico and Chile. Both men agree that the key to opening up Latin markets is a combination of finding serious entrepreneurs passionate about organics who have a strong financial foundation and a commitment to see a project through, despite economic ups and downs. Looking through heaven’s window on what Montesinos has already accomplished for La Finestra in Spain, Portugal and now South America, success seems deliciously close.
Africa at BioFach 2009
Posted - January 18, 2009
Africa Pavilion Going Strong for BioFach 2009
Africa will again makes its presence known at BioFach. After great success with its first Africa Pavilion at the 2008 edition of the Nuremberg, Germany, fair, 2009 fair visitors will again enjoy African designs, colours, sounds and flavours.
Last year, the Africa Pavilion gathered 73 exporters exhibiting from 13 African countries, generating favourable coverage and sales. This year over 100 exporters, export promotion agencies and non-governmental organizations will showcase specialities from Sub-Saharan African countries, connecting buyers and suppliers. According to organizers Grolink and Agroeco, this year, around 35 stands with 120 exhibitors from 14 African countries will be exhibiting a full range of organic certified products.
Products to be displayed include cashew nuts, cereals, cocoa, coconut oil, coffee, cotton, dairy, dried fruit, essential oils, fertilizers (organic, of course), flowers, fruits, spices, nuts, herbs, hibiscus, honey, wax, macadamia, natural products, oilseed, processed food, pulses, rice, sesame, shea butter, spices, tea and vegetables.
Countries represented are: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The 2009 Africa Pavilion will occupy 500 square metres of space; Uganda alone will occupy 90 square meters.
Products to be displayed include cashew nuts, cereals, cocoa, coconut oil, coffee, cotton, dairy, dried fruit, essential oils, fertilizers (organic, of course), flowers, fruits, spices, nuts, herbs, hibiscus, honey, wax, macadamia, natural products, oilseed, processed food, pulses, rice, sesame, shea butter, spices, tea and vegetables.
Organizations cooperating with Grolink and Agroeco in the development of the project include IFOAM, ITC, Organic Exchange, Rwanda Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, NOGAMU (a Ugandan agricultural movement), TOPAZ, Hivos and the Triodos Foundation.
If the Africa Pavilions at Biofach 2009 and 2010 show results similar to those in 2008, organizers will consider to celebrate Africa as Continent of the Year in BioFach 2011.
Visit http://www.organicafrica2009.com and send any requests to africa2009@grolink.se.
La Vita Launches New Cookies
Posted - December 18, 2008
Crunchy, Healthy Cookies Deliver Old-Fashioned Good Taste: La Vita Introduces Eight New Prebiotic Cookie Varieties
La Vita Health Foods has introduced a line of cookies with a low glycemic index that are also prebiotic, vegan and Kosher, and cholesterol, wheat, dairy and lactose-free. These La Vita All Natural Crunchy Cookies contain no high fructose corn syrup, maltitol, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives and still have a year-long shelf life.
“When family and friends visit this year, hosts can offer adults and children alike La Vita Crunchy Cookies,” said Zina Minz, founder of La Vita Health Foods. “They’re suitable for guests with special dietary needs, or just watching what they eat. As a family-run business, those values are so important to us at La Vita and are always at the forefront of our minds.”
Industry-savvy attendees at the 54th Fancy Food Show in New York City recently proclaimed the cookies the best-tasting sugar free and gluten free cookie they had tried.
“Until now, most healthy, high-fiber cookies simply have not been very enjoyable to eat,” Minz said. “We developed La Vita All Natural Crunchy Cookies to have a delicious homemade taste and fresh-baked texture that melts in your mouth.”
After two decades of research and testing in Israel and Europe, La Vita’s unique soy-flour recipes and baking processes now allow the firm to offer its nutritious alternative to “traditional” grocery-store baked goods, which usually contain artificial preservatives, colors and flavors.
La Vita Crunchy Cookies are available in eight varieties, based on classic recipes updated with a modern twist to appeal to today’s health-conscious eaters. These include Poppy Seed, delightfully matched with a whisper of light lemony goodness, Peanut Butter, for that rich, satisfying wholesomeness, and Cajun, which features cayenne, red peppers and chicory and is subtly sweet with a pleasant saltiness.
Try some out at your next party or as a gift. For once, you can be sure no one will miss the “junk” food!
About La Vita Health Foods, Inc.
Based in Monsey, New York, La Vita Health Foods is dedicated to providing consumers and retailers with the very best “Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free Foods for a Healthy Future.” Its Crunchy Cookies are available in Almond, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, Strawberry, Poppy Seed, Raspberry Lemon, Cajun, and Peanut Butter. For more information, call (845)368-1073 or visit www.LaVitaHealthFoods.com.
Pasta Profits
Posted - November 1, 2008
Alb-Gold : Inspiring noodles
By John Coghlan – as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
How can you succeed with noodles? In 1977, each day, Alb-Gold produced about 110 pounds of Spatzle – traditional German noodles. Today the company produces, each day, a thousand times that much. A European leader in the tough high-quality noodle market, now it’s time for Alb-Gold to increase its market share also in the United States. In Amana, Iowa, where one hundred fifty years before inspired German-Protestant mystics built their communities, Alb-Gold is opening a plant in a joint venture with successful German beverage manufacturer Bionade. Alb-Gold will build the 50 million US dollar factory following the highest environmental standards. Connecting the Alb-Gold plant with the Bionade bottling plant, will be an information and nutrition center open to the public, a similar successful concept of Alb-Gold at its main plant in Germany.
Egg Crisis, Sunny-side Up
The story begins with Klaus Freidler’s father who had established a chicken farm in 1968. Freidler, Alb-Gold’s CEO, remembers the farm as it was forty years ago:“The egg market was in a big crisis. Prices went down and we had lots of problems selling our eggs for good money.” But one day when visiting a local fair, Freidler turned the egg crisis sunny-side up – into opportunity. An exhibitor was showing onlookers how to make good noodles with a noodle machine. What hit Freidler was how many eggs went into the dough. “That was the answer to our problems. We had tons of eggs, why not produce high quality egg-noodles? I bought the machine the same day.” Alb-Gold hatched.
Creativity and Ecology
Alb-Gold became “bio“. To be even more eco-friendly, Alb-Gold has also used advanced technology to decrease its environmental footprint and reduce the use of natural resources, including solar panels installed on the processing plant. Lost heat from pasta-dryers now heats administrative buildings. But Freidler was too creative to stick to traditional spinach and tomato Spatzle. Alb -Gold moved to making ginger, herbal and other exotic noodles The menu at Alb-Gold’s on-site restaurant “Sonne” (which means the sun, also the firm’s logo) and the cooking studio include lemon, chocolate and gingerbread Spatzle for desserts.
Freidler showed how Alb-Gold added eco-consciousness to the company’s ethos. Alb-Gold stipulates that its spelt farmers must put flower strips around their fields. “For most of our organic products, we use cardboard boxes. There is no extra plastic bag for the noodles,” says Friedler. “We think this is one of the best ways to pack the noodles and to avoid plastic in the landfills.” Then Alb-Gold further committed itself to quality and went organic. It started offering organic pasta in the early 1990s. Today 25% of the firm’s noodles are certified organic. The premium specialties, the ecological and organic and last but not lesast exotic tastes and forms have lead Alb-Gold to success.
Noodle-Beverage Fusion
Then, in 2004, at a mountainbike-event sponsored by Alb-Gold, Freidler showed his creativity yet again: he met Peter Kowalsky, managing director of the German well-known organic beverage company, Bionade. Both were committed to regional values, high food quality and sustainable development. From this and further opportunities to share values and visions came the idea of opening joint plants in Iowa.
Alb-Gold’s success also comes from connecting direct consumers with the roots of the food they taste.Each year, the plant hosts over 350,000 visitors. They see how the noodles are produced; try them at the restaurant; learn some recipes at the cooking studio; walk through the herb garden to learn about the local herbs used in Alb-Gold noodles; shop at the store that features many regional foods and hand-made products from local artesans; visit the stalls where companies offer food samples; and attend the many cultural and sports events the company supports each year – a host of activities to inspire.
Alb-Gold produces 15% of its noodles for export, most going to the United States and Canada. In 2010, when the new plant in Iowa opens, US sales will doubtlessly go up.
But success aside, Freidler wants Alb-Gold to avoid the big mass supermarkets, where price, not quality or health, comes first. The company will continue to sell through the gourmet channels, to natural health stores, specialty food shops and will also provide its line to the food service segment. To meet distributors who share their views Alb-Gold will exhibit along with Bionade at fairs like Expo West, All Things Organic and the Fancy Food Expo in NY. This fall they will also be present at Biofach America, parallel event to Expo East in Boston. A good showing for a remarkable year and company: Alb-Gold is celebrating its fortieth year – contact them and earn a 40th anniversary-discount.
Chocolate for a Good Cause
Posted - November 1, 2008
Pacari Chocolate Goes Beyond Sweet Actions
By Lucia Lorente - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
In Ecuador, some rural areas do not have access to electricity. Communities use a huge number of battery-operated flashlights, consuming 10-12 batteries per month at a total expense of around 5-8 USD – a high portion out of an income that is often less than 2 USD per day!
Further, batteries are toxic products that contain harmful metals and substances. The used batteries are not properly discharged. They fill fields all over, and children are found playing with the colourful used “toys,” even putting them into their mouths!
Aware of this situation, Pacari Chocolate, the first organic and fair trade chocolate developed in Ecuador from bean to final product, and its parent company Ecuadorian Organics have started a new program. The community-minded firm imports solar-powered flashlights to help farmers get around 5-6 hours of light. The batteries required last around three years, saving tremendous expense and waste.
The solar energy flashlights offer a temporary but smart solution, until the government brings electricity to those families, that also implies loss of more natural resources, as more forests are cleared to give space to new roads and antenas. “Solar energy is still one of the few free clean commodities available to all”, says Ecuadorian Organics co-founder Santiago Peralta. “We also aim to help limit the use of other fuels for lamps and candles that can cause domestic fires”.
Ecuadorian Organics has also launched the Organic Agriculture Educational Project, providing technical support in organic farming as well as used computers collected from overseas clients and donors who ship them to rural schools in Ecuador. A pilot project has served 1,000 children and the next phase plans to include other schools.
Danish Lead 2009
Posted - November 1, 2008
Denmark Country of the Year at BioFach 2009
By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
Next year in February, Biofach, the most international and influential fair for organic trade celebrates its 20th anniversary. Denmark has been selected “Country of the Year” to greet and share its amazing success story in the organic sector with over 46,000 visitors and around 2,900 exhibitors.
This is no surprise for those in the know. Denmark has a strong history of environmentalism. The country is a pioneer and trailblazer in wind power.
Today Danes spend an average of 80 Euros a year per person on organic food, making this small country of over 5 million people, the leader in the European Union (EU). Sales of Danish organic products grew by 33% in 2007. A 6.5% of all food sold in the country comes from organic sources. The capital city of Copenhagen enjoys a 12%, while the Danish government scores even higher than the citizens, with 45% of food requirements in schools, hospitals and other official areas coming from organic production.
“We have chosen Denmark because it has one of the world’s leading organic markets,” said in a release Udo Funke, managing director of BioFach in Nuernberg. Biofach management is convinced Denmark will continue to play an important role on the organic market in the future. “Denmark is a strong export-partner with internationally recognised organic products.”
How did Danemark reach this benchmark?
Denmark was the first country in the world to introduce a state-controlled organic certification, represented by a red Ø-mark, says Paul Holmbeck, managing director of Organic Denmark, a national umbrella organization that coordinates all private and public efforts for the proper development of the organic sector in the country. “Our national organic mark is trusted by Danish consumers and enjoys a 94% recognition rate”, says Holmbeck. “People in Denmark believe in our government institutions”. If someone tries to break the rules, the process goes very public and this openeness creates consumer trust.
Holmbeck also believes that the merging of all consumer, farmer and trade organic associations in 2002 under the umbrella – Organic Danemark – was a real turning point in the country’s organic movement.
The merger of eight main different organic associations was a process that started back in 1998, when the first step was to move offices of all entities to the same building. Holmbeck has been involved with the organization since the beginning and has seen first hand the process of internal restructuring and organization that has made Organic Danemark the powerhouse it is today.
“We had the same objectives and worked on the procedures to make sure all needs of all entities were addressed and covered,” says Holmbeck. Having one voice, one umbrella has empowered the movement and its members even further. “Communication with government officials and the media and reaching end consumers has been much effective”, adds Nanna Hyldegaard Hansen, public relations manager for Organic Danemark.
One of the main accomplishments of the Danish organic sector i since its pioneering years has been the cooperation of farmers and processors with the major supermarket chains, a task that Organic Danemark has developed even further.
“We created a tailor-made marketing strategy with each chain,” says Holmbeck. “They are competitors and know we work with all of them, but we make sure to offer each chain added value for our relationship with them.”
Another contributing aspect to the strong development of the organic sector has been the product differentiation, thanks to strong cooperation between organic producers, research institutions and Universities and the amazing support received from the government. “Danemark enjoys an environment that rewards innovation and a commitment to product development and to find more sustainable ways to obtain consumer goods”, says Holmbeck.
Given Denmark’s high levels of organic food consumption, it’s a sure bet that their strategy has paid off. Holmbeck also says that Organic Danemark is using the same approach to increase export activity with supermarket chains outside the country. During Biofach 2009 in Germany, visitors and exhibitors will enjoy a series of seminars and presentations to showcase Danemark’s success story and the different aspects of the programs currently in place , besides the release of results from research showing more evidence of the strong relationship between health issues and organic farming.
Amish and Organic
Posted - November 1, 2008
Amish Naturals: Sharing the grain
By Adrian Larose - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
Many would agree most people do not connect with nature these days. We’re separated by walls of technology, away from nature’s rhythm. Yet, you needn’t visit the rainforest to get back in touch. The North American Amish have lived this way since the 18th century.
To say the Amish live in harmony with nature is an understatement. Eschewing modern conveniences like electricity and motor vehicles, the peaceful farming communities are strong in many places across the United States, as well as some parts of Canada.
The Amish’s traditionally organic, hardworking and quality-focused nature leads them to do differently than most. Amish furniture enjoys a quality reputation, and most recently has this extended to another area: food.
This reputation is due mostly to firms such as Amish Naturals. The company brings all-natural and organic products to market while supporting traditional Amish communities.
Amish Naturals began with pasta. Later additions include granola bars, a wheat-derived fibre supplement and microwave popcorn. Some products are organic; others are all-natural; all are kosher. The firm retails through 3,600 US based stores, with Canada and Europe in the works.
Its pasta facility in Holmes County, Ohio is largely operated by Amish. All staff believe firmly in Amish farming traditions.
“Almost 80% of the company’s workforce is Amish or Mennonite, a related denomination with many of the same core values,” says COO and Executive Vice-President Troy Treangen. The company recipes are similar to long-used Amish ones. “We’ve just taken that same process, same ingredients, and made it on a mass scale that they still operate. If you walk in our facility, you’ll see Old Order Amish guys and gals,” says Treangen.
The Amish lifestyle extends to helping others, no matter their faith. When a Holmes County Amish community helped non-Amish neighbour David Skinner recover from severe flood damage, he in turn decided to help them. Feeling there might be a market for the all-natural food the Amish enjoy, he created Amish Naturals and now works as its CEO.
“The Amish take a lot of pride in their work, whether it’s farming, making quilts, or furniture,” says Treangen. “They have the values that bring good quality food to the table. That’s what we’re really about, the wholesomeness.”
Those values have resulted in the firm’s wheat-derived fibre additive, for which Amish Naturals has filed a US patent. “It doesn’t alter taste at all,” says Treangen. “The additive is already in Amish Naturals’ high-fibre products. Other manufacturers could easily replace some flour with this additive.”
Not everything has been smooth sailing. Many Amish prefer to withdraw from the world. This can cause problems with organic certification.
“The Amish are organic farmers by definition,” says Treangen. “Organic is the old, natural farming method. Yet the Amish cultural desire to stay disconnected from the broader world, for independence, security and religious unity, can hamper organic certification.”
It is difficult for some to accept a direct relationship with authorities. Others have nonetheless taken the plunge and are fully certified, including the firm’s egg supplier.
Perhaps combining new and old is the real story. “What we’re doing is taking an ethnic brand, an ethnic culture, an ethnic product, and bringing it to national exposure,” Treangen said. “You do have to apply certain levels of technology to do that.”
The Amish, meanwhile, grow quality crops under organic methods and contribute labour to a company that brings their culture and food to a wider audience.
“We want to be the largest Amish employer in Holmes County,” Treangen said. With 40 employees after only 18 months, Amish Naturals seems to be well on its way.
Australian Organic Skincare
Posted - November 1, 2008
Jasmin Skincare: Facing the challenge of organic beauty
By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
Imagine a laboratory at the top of a mountain, surrounded by virgin forests, and supplied directly with medicinal herbs, extracts, and essential oils from its own organic biodynamic farm. Such a mountain is called Mt. Tamborine in the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland of Australia, where Jasmin Skincare has developed its 100% organic certified line of skincare and cosmetics.
Founded in 2002 by Lihua Song and Gordon Chalmers, the driving force behind Jasmin Skincare has been the desire to offer people a natural and alternative range in an industry dominated by multi-nationals peddling synthetics. The company’s entire operation is vertically integrated, ensuring complete control of production, from farming of the active ingredients all the way to the end product delivered to the consumer.
Conventional wisdom in the beauty industry claims that the inclusion of a few ingredients are as far as organic cosmetics can go. They point to the sometimes poor performance of natural shampoos and deodorants as an indicator that truly natural beauty products will never sell as well as their synthetic counterparts. Fortunately, dynamic firms like Jasmin Skincare are proving those naysayers wrong.
It took this company three long years of research and development, and an investment of around eight million US dollars but, in the end, Jasmin Skincare launched its own organic line. A claim not easy to make, as water is the main ingredient in most cosmetics and water can not be certified as organic.
With Jasmine Skincare, Song and Chalmers replaced the traditional water phase with ingredients such as shea butter, aloe vera gel and beneficial plant extract.” If we use water in any product it is in the form of certified organic rosewater and limited below 10% of the total formulation”, says Chalmers. The only exception to this are the five floral hydrosol mist sprays (rose, jasmin, neroli, chamomile and lavender). The lipsticks are only produced under the category of “cosmetics”, which as such contain no water.
With the boom of the green movement, it’s all too common to see cosmetics touted as all-natural when they’re anything but natural. Some brands may even have some organic certified ingredients. However, a careful look at the labels may reveal that the formula hides the usual cocktail of toxic chemicals.
Preservatives, in particular, are often not natural, may be petroleum derived, such as parabens, known to be harmful.
Finding organic solutions that would offer the same performance as traditional cosmetics has not been easy, but Song and Chalmers are dedicated enough to their ideals to practice what they preach. The company has paid great attention to emulsification issues, preservation and efficacy of the final product. One of their best finds has been a natural citrus based preservative by UK firm Citrox Ltd. “Using proprietary ingredients such as (those from) Citrox with a range of essential oils and extracts that have known anti-microbial functions allows us to increase shelf life to near comparable levels with our ‘chemical swill’ brethren.”, says Chalmers. Testing these mixes with various blends of our own, we are getting results that far outperform even the traditional parabens”.
Many cosmetics and skincare preparations have a pH problem, not with the formulation Jasmin got from Citrox. “A secondary benefit from using the Citrox natural formula is that it pulls the pH level down to levels that match normal skin, thus making the products easier to work with”, adds Chalmers. The results have been far better than Song and Chalmers expected. “We are launching our new Migaloo mid-priced certified organic range, with Citrox as the base preservative.”
Jasmin has proved it is possible to develop 100% natural cosmetics with organic certified ingredients that perform well. The line of over 100 products is selling at selected spas and salons in Australia , China, Hong Kong and other Asian countries. Jasmin follows the Soil Association standards and has Australian OFC certification. According to Chalmers Jasmin is among the first, certified organic companies to ever pass the strict Chinese Ministry of Hygiene and CIQ import certification.
Over the past three years Song and Chalmers have developed a “show and tell” farm and manufacturing facility. Last year they hosted over 7,000 visitors. “We have given everyone a ‘first hand’ experience of both fresh organic produce and understanding how it is possible to manufacture skincare and cosmetics in an environmentally friendly way”, says Chalmers.
But the project does not end there. This year the firm undertook USDA certification and, once finalised, it plans to certify for the new EU organic standards.
The next stage is to move totally to wind and solar power generation, pay attention to a new concept of Jasmin’s themed stores and to focus on Europe, North America and the Middle East. A busy agenda ahead for an energetic duo and a lab sitting on top of a dream mountain.
Organics Advance in China
Posted - November 1, 2008
China’s New Sophisticates
By Adrian Larose - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008
Demand for certified organic products is growing in China, with three organics trade fairs taking place annually, an associated year-round exhibition centre in Beijing and an increase in both interest in and research on domestic organics consumption.
Of course, China’s organic trade channels remain limited, compared to well-developed Western markets. Yet, according to the World of Organic Agriculture 2007, China ranked third in area of organic land under cultivation, after only Australia and Argentina. This area farmed organically in China has been growing at astonishing rates – 20 to 30% per year, according to the final report from the BioFach China fair.
Amongst Chinese consumers in Beijing, meanwhile, more than 65% currently buy some organic foods, according to Ipsos Marketing research commissioned by the environmental NGO Greenpeace. Over 80% of survey respondents indicated they planned to buy organic foods at some point in the future. A major reason listed for choosing organic was concerns about health and safety.
A new 500 square-metre exhibition centre in Beijing is aimed both at those consumers, and at the organic businesspeople who are quickly increasing in number throughout China. The Organic Life Experience Center is organized by the same team as the Organic China Expo (OCEX), with the national Chinese government’s financial support. It offers year-round display and purchase of organic goods that are sold in the country.
Among the many brands now on display there are Green dot dot, the Beidahuang Group, Bolongbao organic wine, Lowcarbs organic, COFCO, Hona Organic, Qingpuyuan Vegetables, Beijing Well Full Food, Joyful Organic and products from as far as Mexico and Colombia as well as from German natural cosmetics firm Weleda.
“The Organic Life Experience Center in Beijing aims to provide a platform to build new business contacts for enterprises, promote an ecological lifestyle to consumers and stimulate the development of China’s organic food industry,” says Gao Chayao, of OCEX . “It holds lectures on health and organic food and cooking methods to promote awareness of organic agriculture.”
Besides providing year-round display spaces for the organic products, the Center also offers trade facilitation services, including market data analysis, and an experience center that holds these public events and product tastings. “The experience center allows visitors to taste delicious foods made of organic ingredients and healthy and nutritious diet alternatives,” says Gao. There is also a shop where goods on display can be purchased. All goods in the centre are certified organic.
The OCEX fair itself takes place in Beijing, this year from Nov. 27-29, 2008. Yet OCEX is not alone. The Organic & Natural Products fair in Shanghai has been established for a couple of years and big business has truly “come to town” with BioFach China now being held annually in Shanghai
This addition to the global BioFach fair network is heading for its third edition May 29-31, 2008. Compared to the two Chinese fairs, BioFach has had special success in attracting foreign firms that are eager to start harnessing the potential to export to China’s enormous population – as well, of course, attracting the expected qualified Chinese firms, eager to develop their own foreign export connections.
At BioFach China 2008, 242 exhibitors presented to more than 9,000 trade visitors, the latter a growth of almost 25% over the 2007 premiere edition. Amongst exhibitors, the international category had the strongest growth. The 2007 premiere had almost no foreign exhibitors, but 24 foreign firms graced the halls in 2008. This number will no doubt grow over coming years as confidence in the Chinese market’s potential and systems increases.
Other fairs that dot the region include Natural Products Expo Asia, held in Hong Kong, by the same organizer as major US fairs Natural Products Expo East and West; and Asia Organic & Lohas Expo, in Taiwan.
For visitors and locals alike, the organic lifestyle is steadily becoming an easier one to follow within China. The China Environment and Sustainable Development Reference and Research Centre has produced organic shopping guides listing stores for several Chinese cities in recent years, while Greenpeace just released The 2008 Beijing Organic Guide. It lists more than 60 shops, some of which are franchises, as well as restaurants and even farms.
Exactly who will be visiting these suppliers is becoming clearer. A visitors’ survey conducted by OCEX found that they are generally middle-aged, well-educated and live in a family setting. Only one third of those surveyed correctly identified China’s organic seal, and many named high prices as one major reason against buying organic.
Some of this goes with Greenpeace’s survey findings. “On one hand, a survey commissioned by Greenpeace China in January 2008 shows that nearly 80% of Beijing consumers are willing to buy organic food,” says Wu Haiyan, with Greenpeace China. “On the other hand, Greenpeace is concerned over the effect of chemical-intensive and GMO-intensive agriculture has on the environment and human health.” More than 90% of the Greenpeace survey respondents listed safety and health as reasons to buy organic, something they have in common with health-conscious shoppers in more developed organic markets worldwide.
It’s encouraging, if not surprising, to see the organic market begin to develop in China for the same reasons as it has in so many other countries. Perhaps in domestic organics, as in many other things, the Chinese will quickly catch us all up!
