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Hungarians embrace trend for organics while Czech sales rebound

Posted - July 1, 2011

Hungarians embrace trend for organics while Czech sales rebound

By Warren Beaumont

Hungary has a brace of “green” companies that produce organic foods such as fruit, pastries, jams and edible oils, with the environment and quality as top priorities, according to Beata Balazs, a Budapest consultant in a report from the Hong Kong TDC. Firms such as BioHungaricum, Biokal International, Biokontroll Hung

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FI Europe celebrates 25th anniversary

Posted - July 1, 2011

FI Europe celebrates 25th anniversary

By Adriana Michael

Food Ingredients Europe and Natural Ingredients 2011 comes to the Paris Nord Villepente, France November 29-December 1. In its 25th anniversary, the primary event of the industry is expected to be larger than ever. With over 1500 exhibitors and more than 23,000 food & beverage professionals from over 100 countries expected, Fi Europe & Ni is the world

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Canada market development investment

Posted - April 12, 2010

Canada market development investment

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) in Canada announced a partnership with the Government of Canada on March 6 to develop a long-term international marketing strategy to expand Canada

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Euro-Nat: Partnering Bolivian quinoa for 20 years

Posted - February 11, 2010

Euro-Nat: Partnering Bolivian quinoa for 20 years

By Angela Mallaroni

In 1988, entrepreneur Didier Perreol, discovered quinoa at a casual encounter during an exhibition in Geneva. He was looking for a unique cereal product to stand out from his 75 product line his firm Euro-Nat had recently introduced to natural health food stores in France.

Didier Perreol, Founder and CEO Euro-Nat, FranceImpressed with the grain, Mr Perreol went to Bolivia to meet with ANAPQUI, the only cooperative of small quinoa producers in the country at the time. With his first 500 kg order of Royal Quinoa, Mr Perreol went back home with the commitment to introduce quinoa to France. The emblematic company brand Primeal was born, and an intensive communications campaign followed.

Primeal Royal Quinoa was a success. It was versatile, easy to prepare and mix in many recipes and inspired Mr. Perreol and others to publish quinoa cookbooks. For the next ten years Euro-Nat imported quinoa from the producers in Bolivia and the Primeal brand entered every natural health food store in France. In 2001, Euro-Nat started distribution of quinoa products to major supermarket chains under private label.

To develop a stable project with constant delivery and traceability of the best quinoa available, Mr Perreol made a further commitment: to set up shop in Bolivia itself. In 1997, he founded Jatariy, (

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Germany still leads the pack

Posted - January 30, 2010

Germany still leads the pack

Based on a report produced by Dr. Klaus-Juergen Holstein, Ein Herz fuer BIO magazine

Germany still represents the biggest organic market in Europe, with potential for growth, followed by France and Great Britain. Organic sales account for 6.5% of the total food sales in Germany, 3.4% in France and 2.2% in Great Britain.

Compared to the other two countries, the German food market is generally low-priced, including organic food. The German organic sales concentrate mainly on fruit and vegetables, supplements and wellness food from rice cakes to vegetarian spread, and on dairy products.

Regarding channels of distribution, at the end of the 1990s small specialist shops dominated with over 40% of organic sales. Today, the 2000 specialist shops account for only 23% of total sales. Supermarket chains with around 40,000 outlets account for 35 %, and 19% of sales go through discount-markets, which with 10,000 retail shops account to 40% of total food sales.

Tegut is the leading organic retailer in Germany with only 300 shops, but nearly 20% of its annual turnover refers to organic foodSpecialist shops do not have a well developed structure yet.There are only two large chains , Alnatura and Denn

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Irupana: building a sustainable model of social enterprise

Posted - January 25, 2010

Irupana: building a sustainable model of social enterprise

By Adriana Michael

With a jeep, 4,000 USD and two ideas, entrepreneur Javier Hurtado Mercado founded Irupana Andean Organic Food S.A. in 1985. First, he wanted to market natural and organic certified products from small indigenous producers in Bolivia. Second, he wanted to make available ancient forgotten nutritious foods. After working for several years with NGOs, Javier and his wife Marta Cordero realized that the only way to help peasant farmers was to set up a distribution business to bring products directly to the buyers.

Javier Hurtado, Founder and CEO Irupana Andean FoodUntil 2004, the firm supplied mainly the domestic market with over 120 natural foods and a distribution network of 400 outlets. Opening a franchise followed, currently with 18 natural food shops that offer coffee, a variety of Andean cereals and baked goods, pasta and honey.

A tender bid from the government (2000-2004) allowed Irupana to offer a nutritious breakfast with quinoa to feed over 60,000 students from public schools. Instead of refined imported wheat for cheap bread, the children discovered a delicious and nutritious local staple.

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Hope for Haiti restoring the soil

Posted - January 21, 2010

Hope for Haiti restoring the soil

By Adriana Michael

What happens when a country has no trees left and its soil has been depleted with intensive farming, a high density population and poor governance? Look at Haiti. Our hearts go out to the people of this Caribbean nation. The recent earthquake is the latest in a series of problems which have left the country in a very challenging position.

Haiti is part of a tropical island shared with the Dominican Republic. Its land and mountains were once covered with at least 60 percent lush rainforest. Now it is deforested with 9 million inhabitants, 80 percent of whom are unemployed or living in slums and extreme poverty.

A dramatic history, political oppression and government corruption, lack of literacy, a growing population concentrated in one small geographical area with no access to basic services and external debt, have turned Haiti into the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.

Soil erosion is disastrous in this mountainous country. Haiti has no internal source of fuel except wood. For the past 200 years people have been cutting the trees of its rainforest without replanting. Currently over 98 percent of its land is deforested. With no trees, the remaining soil is washed away during the rainy season out into the Caribbean Sea.

Without its soil Haiti has also lost the means to feed itself and must import over two thirds of its food, while thousands of people in rural communities end up in Port-au-Prince with no work.

Providing water for the community is a major challenge. Only a few enjoy running water and sewerage systems.
The majority do not have access to potable water or toilets, leading to disease.

To get on its own feet, Haiti needs to be built on a new development model with a multi dimensional approach to solving its many problems. Where to start? Generating the structure to support sustainable agriculture is a solid base for long term positive social, environmental and economic change. Healthy soil retains and filters water resources, provides food and protects communities from flood and other natural disasters. Before the earthquake most funds from the continued international aid to Haiti focused on urban initiatives.

Knowing the causes of Haitian poverty is part of finding the right solutions. It helps people like us, the international organic community know where to focus our energies, resources, know

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Arbio, Interbio harvest fruit of strong cooperation

Posted - January 15, 2010

Arbio, Interbio harvest fruit of strong cooperation

By Angela Mallaroni

The lifestyle in the picturesque south-west of France is largely built around culinary delights sourced from traditional family farming in Aquitaine and Midi- Pyr

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Sanphi: France gains taste of Brazil

Posted - August 15, 2009

Sanphi: France gains taste of Brazil

By Adriana Michael

Sanphi International, a sourcing, trading and consulting agency established in Brazil two years ago, will be introducing well known organic certified Brazilian brands to France this Fall. After two decades of rich experience acquired dealing with the international market in Latin America, French national Philippe Leclerc decided to relocate to Brazil two years ago to start this new venture sourcing Brazilian foods and ingredients to satisfy the growing demand for organics in France.

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France

Posted - July 23, 2009

France

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