Colombian Organic Firm

Posted - November 1, 2008

Daabon Sets Mood for a Greener Colombia

By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008

Daabon Organic, a third generation family-owned business in Colombia, is run by Alberto Davila Diazgranados, affectionately known to all as Don Alberto. He has turned a family farm founded by his father in 1914 into a progressive international enterprise, a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and a leading grower and exporter of organic bananas, palm oil, cacao and coffee. Don Alberto is an easy to approach man who enjoys the company of others. He certainly meets many people, running a company that employs over 1500 people and deals with over 400 contractors.

Keeping a business alive for almost 100 years is a challenging task.What has been the formula to its success? “Being fair with yourself and others, listening, setting clear rules for all family and co-workers, and finding the best people who share your vision and will be involved to reach the goals,” he says. Don Alberto learned from his father’s experiences as a banana exporter and plans on keeping the management of the business where it started: in the family. His five children are all employed by Daabon Organic, and  a structure is in place to welcome the 4th generation into the company as well.

“They all can join but need to show genuine interest in what we do, study abroad, work first for another company.Everyone is free to stay or to sell and leave”, he says. “So far everyone is still in…and with clear responsibilities and area of work, like in any other company”.

How has Don Alberto been able to transform such a large business into a completely organic enterprise? Throughout the seventies and eighties Daabon introduced conventional farming of African palm, cotton and rice crops. Soon they were aware of the incredible amount of pesticides the rice and cotton crops required. “We were stuck in a vicious cycle spending lots of money in infrastructure to spray the fields up to 28 times per year!”. The bugs got resistant and more inputs were needed. His son Manuel, raised the concept of organic farming. There was a market, particularly in France. Daabon converted the farms in 1993. “In the tropics you really need to be careful of what you do. We do not have seasons, but a rich biodiversity to protect.”

Another key to their success was to convince small land owners from the surrounding communities to become organic, and to show them a way of thinking and a lifestyle that went beyond conventional farming methods. They worked patiently with their local partners at all levels to show them why organic was the best way to go.

To that end, Daabon has created farming co-operatives, in collaboration with the government, to ensure the farmers receive technical assistance and financial support. Don Alberto describes one of his most rewarding experiences - he and his wife co-signed bank loans on 188 small farms, to allow the farmers to borrow capital to purchase seeds and start their own organic palm tree plantations. The effort has brought a 94% success rate, as most farmers understood the benefits of the concept.

Don Alberto and his team are in the process of converting Daabon Organic into a carbon-negative enterprise. He realizes that it will be a lengthy process, but one that will offer customers a new standard in conservation.

Yacon

Posted - May 1, 2008

Yacon: Natural Sugar Control

By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2008

A South American tuber grown in the Andes could offer valuable sugar control and immune system bonuses to the human body. The yacon, called an apple or pear of the earth for its sweet, crispy taste when washed and eaten fresh, grows between 1,500 and 2,500 metres above sea level. The Andean peoples have long used the root to ease health problems like liver ailments, says Dr. Cass Ingram, a natural health expert who has written a dozen books touching on functional foods such as yacon.

“South American traditional medicines have never been written about in common books. There’s been a lack of quality articles describing their ethnic use and the medicinal properties,” says Ingram, explaining yacon’s low profile. “No one has published about what the properties are.”

Yacon contains a high percentage of inulin, a fructo-oligo-saccharide or FOS. The body does not convert this class of sweet-tasting chemicals into energy, and so they rank a zero on the glycemic index scale. “This is the perfect functional food for resting the pancreas,” says Ingram.

Inulin mimicks better-known insulin, Ingram says, producing all kinds of health benefits. “Insulin has everything to do with how we digest our sugars and starches,” he says.

Good bacteria in the gut feed off the inulin, Ingram says. Yacon functions both as sugar control and as pro-biotic, thus boosting the immune system.

Caution is required to ensure a marketable product retains the benefits of the pure root. “We knew if we could keep it unprocessed, then it would be medicinal,” Ingram says of his early work with yacon.

Organic products derived from yacon are gradually becoming available in North America. Careful methods are required to ensure desirable inulin is obtained while unwanted fructose sugar, which occurs only in the root’s fibrous parts, is not. “If you don’t treat the product properly, what’s going to happen is that you will obtain only fructose sugar, which is not good,” says Jorge Urena, president and CEO of Uhtco Corporation. Uhtco is a well known supplier of organic yacon products, and the main importer to Canada.

Ingram worked with Urena and Uhtco’s partners in Peru to get organic yacon in its highest potency. “We asked him to make extracts that were unprocessed. No alcohol. No heat,” Ingram says. Working with small farmers in Peru and having built a Peruvian processing facility to house the required machines, Uhtco’s processing plant introduced yacon syrups and the line is expanding.

Yacon has a citrus, light caramel flavour, Ingram says. Urena prefers to use the syrups as a sweetener, while Ingram pours his over yogurt or other dairy products. “It’s more interesting for its aroma,” Ingram says, and its health properties.Whatever the impetus, many people today have far too much sugar in their diet and could certainly benefit from the natural, healthy powers of this exotic and not widely known “apple of the earth”.

Yerba Mate

Posted - May 1, 2007

Yerba Mate Booming as Healthy Alternative

By Tatjana Schulz - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2007

The latest trendsetting drink isn’t Latte Macchiato, not chai - not even Paris Hilton’s prosecco so handily presented in a can. No, it’s none of those: according to People magazine, the new ‘in’ drink is Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

What is this concoction? Unlike many think, it is not derived from the ordinary tea plant. Instead, it comes from a perennial South American shrub that can grow up to fifteen meters in height. The leaves and stems were long brewed by the Guarani, an indigenous group in Uruguay and Paraguay.

Like coffee, the ever-popular hot beverage, mate stimulates alertness. However, unlike coffee it does not disrupt sleeping or digestion. Even though it contains caffeine, it also contains more minerals than black and green tea. The list includes calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, vitamins A, C, E and B-complex - not to mention plenty of anti-oxidants.

As an emerging food, yerba mate is far less studied than green tea. Still, a flurry of research has been published recently. In test tubes, yerba slowed the growth of some cancer cells. Several small studies found it aided weight loss. Preliminary work suggests the South American brew may also fight atherosclerosis, and last year, Brazilian scientists found the tea slowed rabbits’ growth of arterial plaques.

At the moment, the world’s main yerba consumers are the Argentineans. 80% drink the herb at least once a week. The Middle East is the major market, in countries such as Syria and Libya.

“With consumers looking for healthy alternatives to coffee and soft drinks, more people travelling and learning about customs and traditions in different countries and easier access to exotic and sometimes forgotten or marginal products, yerba mate has found a great moment to become more than just a trendy drink”, says Ricardo Avalos of Canopy Foods, one of the first firms to introduce yerba to the United States,under the name Aviva Ltd.

The company introduced a successful program for coffee and tea retailers - shops that sell prepared drinks as well as stores that retail drink mixes - to introduce yerba alongside coffee and tea.

Mate has other uses beyond drinks hot and cold, though, says Susana Manzur, with Paraguayan mate producer and exporter Rio Itambey S.A.. Medicine and personal hygiene products are some examples. Chocolates and gum could also benefit. A perfume called Misiones has been launched recently in Argentina. The plant has great properties for natural cosmetics. An Iguazu spa applies yerba as part of an antioxidant skin mask.

“Creative entrepreneurs aware of changes of consumer tastes and expectations have developed yerba mate drinks that go beyond the traditional hot infusions to offer a growing line of healthier alternatives to conventional soft drinks”, says Avalos. Companies like Guayaki in the United States and Sol Mate in Canada have developed unique, ready-to drink mate that have done well in the direct-to-consumer market.

An important aspect is yerba’s connection to environmental issues. The way yerba is grown and harvested greatly affects the final product’s taste - and not only that. A recent study suggests shade-grown yerba contains more nutrients than plants cultivated under the spicy hot sun. This is great news for organic yerba mate grown as part of diversity conservation projects in the South American forests.

The increasing demand for healthier drinks is a great opportunity to innovate and explore alternative markets while introducing added value products, says Avalos. His partner Dan Garcia has introduced over 20 yerba flavours and presentations. Avalos, who launched a brand of traditional yerba from Paraguay, will re-launch his and Garcia’s brands under Canopy Foods. “We aim to join efforts and to work with yerba mate producers in Paraguay to enter the foreign and domestic market with better merchandising concepts and promotion like some importers and distributors have done in the United States”, he says.

But it is not an easy task, says Paraguay’s Manzur. “Over 80% of the yerba mate sold to the United States comes from Paraguay”, she says. Most producers do not care about added value when the main market is already growing.

Certainly, organic certification offers mate growers some incentive. “But in today’s market structure, the producer just makes 10% of the profit, while the exporter and importer share 15% each, the distributor and broker 25% and the retailer adds another 35%”, says Avalos. “To talk about sustainable development, the producer would need to be more directly involved”.

Still, some growers are organic certified and they get a premium. One is Brazilian Cha Mate Triunfo Ltda. It has collected yerba in eco-friendly ways for almost half a century. The company, certified by Ecocert, is located in the Iguazu Valley where conditions are great for wild shade-grown yerba. The company exports to the United States one of the finest yerba mate in the market.

From its South American origins, yerba is growing into a familiar international drink. Its diverse applications in everything from food colourings to cosmetics will only become more obvious as more and more consumers adopt yerba as a healthy - and very tasty - alternative to their morning cup of coffee.

Maca Medicine

Posted - September 1, 2006

A Reliable Supplement: Maca

O.W.N. News Network - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2006

Maca has been used as a folk medicine for centuries to enhance physical performance and endurance in the physically demanding environment of high altitudes. It has also been taken for the enhancement of fertility and sexual behavior in men and women, as a remedy for menopausal symptoms, as an antidepressant and to help the healing of wounds.

“The flavor is strong and bitter. As a food, you would need to develop a taste for it, the same as with coffee”, says John Harrison, managing director of Ecotrends Ecologics, Canadian distributor of natural healthcare products. “Maca has been around for centuries. In North America and Europe it has been introduced in capsules”.

Mr. Harrison explains that to enter the market with maca and any other natural supplements there is need for expensive research and trials, before you obtain the NPN (New Product Number). “Strict regulations are important to increase the credibility of real natural health products, but trials following the drug model with a synthetic substance do not really match the conditions of a natural product. It is important to note that super natural foods may not have the expected effect if, in the processing or extraction, the value of the active ingredients present in the original food is lost.”

There are two methods to process maca, but only the drying process yielding a non-gelatinized substance conserving undisturbed its vital nutrients and other elements ensures the best results, notes Dr. Luis Jáuregui, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Ohio and Co-Director of the Center for Applied Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Ohio.

Super Foods

Posted - September 1, 2006

As Organic Taste Evolves, Suppliers Innovate

By Adriana Michael - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2006

When it comes to food, consumers want diversity, quality and the adventure of experiencing new tastes - but they often have little time to cook. From this dynamic a trend has emerged: consumers are willing to spend on foods that offer health, convenience, authenticity and sustainability.

A few years ago, it was a novel experience to find organic food in the supermarket. No longer. Today, organic customers expect to find organic potatoes, carrots and tomatoes in supermarkets. They expect to be able to prepare sushi, Thai and Indian foods from organic products. And their tastes continue to evolve. So what’s next?

Savvy suppliers are introducing innovative products to meet organic consumers’ ever-growing expectations. These suppliers know that they must broaden the range of ethnic, specialty and natural super foods.

A great variety of new products made their debut at the trade fairs this season, including exotic fruits rich in antioxidants, empanadas, energy bars with quinoa, acerola, acai and maca and non-carbonated drinks of yerba mate and pomegranate.

With super natural foods suppliers are finding ways to continually spice up and energize the organic consumer’s evolving menu. “Buyers from Loblaws (Canada’s largest supermarket chain) state that their sales growth is coming mainly from the ethnic and kosher departments”, says Donna Wood managing director of Ethnic & Specialty Food Expo, a new fair from the Organic Trade Association, to debut this September 10-11 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, near Toronto. The Specialty/Ethnic foods segment has grown almost twice as fast as the overall food industry, and is expected to continue to grow at 12 percent annually during the coming five years.

Super Natural Foods
Natural foods, with their recognized healthy properties, offer a great opportunity to enter both the ethnic food and the natural supplements sector. This is the case with quinoa, a unique seed native of the Andes and staple food of the Ancient Incas. “We have seen more interest for gluten-free products and quinoa offers great possibilities for the Scandinavian market”, says importer and distributor Jorn Ussing Larsen of Aurion in Denmark. ” Bolivia has quinoa of good quality. We are currently importing an average of three tons per month from the Andean Valley”.

Quinoa is growing in popularity as dried seed for mueslis, porridge, risottos, energy bars and flour for gluten-free baked goods. Quinoa has even knocked at the door of Coca Cola in Japan. This Spring, the company re-launched its non- carbonated drink Sokenbicha, introducing quinoa as one of the twelve ingredients in the blend, along with. sprouted brown rice, young barley leaves, Angelica keiskei, and quinoa

“Perceiving the necessity of responding to consumer needs that have been changing in recent years and also to win over new consumers of the product, four new ingredients, creating a refreshing easy-to-drink blend.”

“We are really pleased to start reaching the large companies with our quinoa. We need more people to learn about it”, says Miguel Choque Llanos, manager of ANAPQUI, the national association of quinoa producers from Bolivia who coordinated this shipment of quinoa to Japan.

Yerba mate, known to promote natural health benefits such as detoxifying the body, strengthening the immune system, and reducing blood pressure has also been introduced this year in a new version of the tea-like beverage from South America by Canadian firm Sol Mate. The company claims the development of the world’s first certified organic, sparkling yerba mate beverage that delivers energy, health and refreshing great taste. It was launched at the Expo West and All Things Organic in a unique glass package with an eye-catching design.

Super Fruits

Following the demand for all berries, especially blueberries, exotic fruits are now entering the market. Great interest is shown especially in those known for their high level of antioxidants, such as pomegranate, noni and mangosteen. Research firm Innova Market Insights reports that there were over 100 product introductions containing pomegranate over the year. At All Things Organic, a constant crowd surrounded the stand of Fruttzo’s, a US-based firm with the first organic, refrigerated pomegranate drink. The company has also introduced an organic juice of acai, a Brasilian berry from the Amazon. It is not only tropical fruits that are making the news- in Germany, juices and other products derived from the yellow fruits of the European shrub sallow thorn are featured at organic and specialty stores and at tourist shops.

Alamoda

In an effort to increase the visibility of Andalusian organic olive oil, CAAE and the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers Creadores de moda de Espana have launched the project “alamoda”. Each designer, inspired by the Andalusian landscape, developed a label for one of the 13 bottles of a collection of the best organic olive oils from the region. A great project to enhance both food and fashion, two of Spain’s strongest sectors.

Cranberries

Posted - February 1, 2005

The Power of Cranberries:
Natural Functional Food

By Kristina Loge - as printed in O.W.N. Spring 2005

Research has confirmed that cranberries are a powerful, effective food, packed with antioxidants that protect against cancer and heart disease. They are also a natural, rich source of vitamin C.

One of the three native North American fruits, cranberries were a valued medicine for Native Americans who used them for the treatment of bladder infections. They help to reduce the formation of dental plaque and prevent the onset of ulcers. Researchers believe that flavonoids present in foods like cranberries, grapes and wine, can prevent cardiovascular disease. They inhibit blood clotting and reduce high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.

Cranberries are perennials. They grow on long-running vines in sandy bogs and marshes. Bogs are impermeable beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay, originally made by glacial deposits. They are natural refuges for a vast array of birds, insects and other creatures, therefore it is important to encourage organic production and harvesting that does not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Harvest takes place in the Fall. Some cranberries are dry harvested and sold as fresh fruit. Others are wet harvested by flooding a bog with water so that the berries float to the surface. They are then made into juices, jams and marmalades.

Cranberries are now widely recognized for their natural goodness and healing properties. They can be used in a variety of dishes and are available fresh or frozen across North America. Only recently, they began to be introduced to foreign markets. Gradually they have entered organic and natural food retailers like Reformhaus in Germany.

A leading producer, processor and exporter of both organic and conventional cranberries is Fruit d’Or in Canada, represented in Europe by Dutch firm Berrico, exhibiting at BioFach 2005.

Aprainores Cashews

Posted - February 1, 2004

Cashew-Nut Producer Aprainores Quadrupled Export Capacity

By Staff - Organic & Wellness News - as printed in O.W.N. Spring 2004

Aprainores, an association of 69 producers of organic cashew-nut seeds from El Salvador, begins now to cash in the fruit of their joint effort. Their activities began in 1995 with funds from the EU, Oxfam and other organizations as a way to promote sustainable rural and social development in the area of Bajo Lempa, which was severely affected by civil war and natural disasters.

Certified by BCS of Germany, Aprainores has been successfully producing and exporting whole, halves and pieces of cashew-nuts since 1998. Exports are offered to the EU, mostly to Rapunzel in Germany and other accounts in the UK and Belgium.

“We offer the small enterprises training and assistance in systems and standards of quality control, because they need to understand the importance of reliability and meeting delivery times”, stated Carlos Vargas, Oxfam GB coordinator for market access in Central America and the Caribbean. “Aprainores is a great example of social sustainability and teamwork, while protecting the environment and offering all workers the opportunity of being part of the process, the goals and the results”, he added.

The producers receive 40% of the gains, people at the processing plant get 30% and those responsible for the trading activities receive the balance. The majority of workers at Aprainores are women, working conditions meet the requirements of fair trade and the processing plant meets the HACCP standards.

“At Aprainores, there is a feeling of belonging and coworkers feel rewarded for their laborious and responsible attitude that reflects in the company’s steady growth”, stated marketing manager Camila Flores. “Each year, our production and export volume gets better. From only five metric tons of product at the beginning, in 2003 we exported a volume of 20.3 tons”.