Organic superfruit ingredients debut in North America
into two of the most dynamic and fastest growing segments of the
food industry - superfruits and organics.
Superfruits and their extracts have flooded onto global markets in recent years but few can claim organic status as do Navitas Natural's suite of Asian and South American superfruits. Its new range presents five superfruits - mesquite, goji, yacon, lucuma, camu camu - in powder form at retail level and suggests they be mixed into drinks and other recipes such as cakes and salads to "help achieve optimal whole food nutrition". Three of the ingredients in the Organic Powerfood Powders range - yacon, lucuma and mesquite - are marketed as diabetic-friendly alternative sweeteners. All five will be available in 8oz. and 4oz. re-sealable retail pouches for use in the home and are being distributed in the North American health food channel. All of Navitas' ingredients also come in bulk form for its growing B2B operation and Navitas president Zach Adelman said its raw materials had been sold to North American and Asian supplements, health bars and functional chocolate manufacturers. New fruits, new markets Navitas said it was attempting to tap into growing demand for "exotic culinary experiences" with its Powerfood line. "This appetite for international food combined with the growing trend for healthier organic options is fueling the popularity of organic 'power foods' from around the world," it said. "By reintroducing ancient, natural foods to the western world, Navitas Naturals is expanding the functional food category and providing options with more bio-available essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals than most supplements and chemical extracts." Adelman said ethical treatment of growers was paramount to the company. "We travel directly to the source to connect and create partnerships with the farmers who grow the crops," he said, noting the company sourced from Peru, Columbia, China, Brazil and Turkey. "All Navitas Naturals products are organic or ethically wild crafted," Navitas said. "No pesticides, sulfites, genetically modified foods, or sweeteners are ever used in our products." Other Navitas products include maca (powder and capsules), cacao (beans, nibs, paste, butter, and powder), goldenberries, mulberry, and three varieties of trail mixes. Its goji line also includes dried berries, while yacon comes in dried sliced fruit and syrup form. Superfruits pomegranate, cranberry and goji were highlighted by Business Insights in its top-10 flavours to watch list recently. The global organic ingredients market has been characterized by shortages as it struggles to keep up with a sector that has shown double-figure growth for 20+ years in North America.
