Bell Flavors & Fragrances Takes Citrus Collection on the Road
Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. is hitting the road to exhibit its citrus collection at the Institute of Food Technologists’ 2022-2023 Regional Section Suppliers’ Events spanning coast-to-coast. IFT’s Regional Sections offer a way for networking with professionals steeped in the science of food to make strategic connections at a local level. These engaging events provide the opportunity for networking and education, and allow suppliers to debut their latest products and services supporting the science of food community.
Bell recently exhibited at the Minnesota Section IFT Annual Suppliers’ Expo and the Intermountain Section IFT Symposium and Suppliers Night, showcasing menu items with bold fruit and spice flavor blends, including Urfa Chili Meyer Lemon Snack Mix, Caviar Lime Nimbu Soda, Ponzu Togarashi Popcorn, Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Bites and Caviar Lime and Dragonfruit Taffy. Following recent events, the Bell team will be heading to upcoming 2022 IFT Regional Section Suppliers’ Events to debut their new citrus-infused menu:
- Nov. 1: Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT) Annual Suppliers Expo and Symposium (booth #308)
- Nov. 16-17: Longhorn Section IFT Suppliers Expo (booth #242)
“The Bell team is excited to embark on our Regional IFT Roadshow to connect with fellow industry colleagues and release our new menu featuring citrus flavors, like Ruby Red Grapefruit and Calamansi. Consumers continue to gravitate toward food and beverage items that contain natural flavors given a rising interest in clean label. And, with the stress of current events, they’re gravitating toward comfort and products that provide an uplifting mood boost. Given their vibrant colors and sweet-tart tastes, citrus is typically associated with feelings of joy, and we’re delivering a bit of happiness and a boost of flavor bite by bite, said Benjamin Stanley, CRC, corporate chef – sweet applications manager.
Bell will be joining exhibitors on the Expo floor to showcase a new citrus collection, educational resources and a team of culinary experts. Across the globe, consumers continue to lean into citrus, with 52% of U.S. consumers indicating that they like or love it and one-quarter (25.7%) of U.S. menus featuring it. Citrus flavors resonate particularly well among those looking to support their immune systems and increase their vitamin C intake. Bell offers iconic, natural flavors in its citrus collection, such as Grapefruit, Mandarin Orange and Meyer Lemon in addition to specialty citrus flavors, like Buddha’s Hand and Meiwa Kumquat. These flavors can be added to a multitude of applications, including confectionery, sauces and dips, beverages, snacks, sweet goods and more.
Inspired by consumer preferences and marketing data, Bell will showcase the following refreshing, citrus-flavored menu items:
Sudachi Snack Mix
This snack mix features Bell’s Sudachi flavor to lend tart and fresh notes of a Japanese Sudachi lime. Sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit and is a specialty of the Tokushima Prefecture in Japan. Given its natural sourness, it’s not typically eaten as a fruit, but rather used as a flavor in place of lemon or lime.
This delicious mix also features Bell’s Wasabi flavor to impart a heat-driven spice while Bell’s Kokumi technology makes the snack mix more rich and complex.
Citrus Slice Gummy Medley: Buddha’s Hand, Calamansi and Blood Orange
Buddha’s Hand: Bell’s Buddha’s Hand flavor has a distinct flavor profile, boasting notes of lemon and yuzu with a sweet, lemon blossom aroma and offering a unique spin on the classic fruit slice candy.
Calamansi: Bell’s Calamansi flavor displays blended notes of tart lemon, lime and orange. This citrus fruit is commonly used in Filipino and Southeastern Asian cuisines and can range from green to yellow to orange in color.
Blood Orange: Bell’s Blood Orange Citrus flavor has notes of navel orange with hints of tartness and floral fruits and is usually less acidic than a traditional orange.
Pink Limoncello Champagne Spritz Mocktail
Whether savored on a hot, summer day or enjoyed during a cozy dinner party with friends, this mocktail is sure to be refreshing and provide a mood boosting pick-me-up. The mashup of Bell’s natural Champagne Type flavor, Pink Lemon Type flavor extract and Lemon flavor (Sorrento type) deliver sweet-tart citrus notes with a hint of bubbly.
Ruby Red Grapefruit IPA Popcorn
This seasoned popcorn features Bell’s natural Ruby Red Grapefruit, IPA, and Hop flavors, which blend together to impart notes of fresh squeezed grapefruit and hoppy IPA beer. A refreshing spin on an everyday snack, this popcorn will inspire memories of sweet summertime and sipping on a cold beer.
Kumquat Madeleine
These mini madeleines are a condensed version of a traditional French madeleine. They’re flavored with Bell’s Kumquat and Vanilla flavors, giving them a distinct citrus note that is sweet with notes of sour and tang. Vanilla rounds out this sweet treat to elevate the cookie.
Bell’s presence at IFT’s Regional Section Suppliers’ Events will foster strong brand awareness and spark interest in delivering food and beverage products that spotlight its citrus collection. In tandem with citrus-infused samples, discussions around Bell’s proprietary technology capabilities and annual Spark trends will drive successful commercial connections among prospects and customers.
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Fridays on the Farm: A Young Farmer’s Mission to Make an Impact
From the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To read the entire story, click here.
Kendall Rae Johnson is the youngest certified farmer in Georgia. Photo by Amelia Dortch, NRCS.
This Friday meet Kendall Rae Johnson, the youngest certified farmer in Georgia. Before starting school each morning, this 7-year-old starts her day by heading outside to her backyard, an urban oasis where she grows fresh fruit and produce. This oasis is called aGROWKulture and it’s an urban farm located in the heart of Southwest Atlanta.
Kendall’s love of vegetables started at a young age while cooking collard greens with her great-grandmother, Laura-Kate, who used to always say, “Hey, don’t throw my stems away. I can put those back in the dirt.” That’s when Kendall developed her interest in growing practically “anything” at only three years old.
“She would go ahead and put seeds in pots from some foods that we ate,” said Kendall’s mom, Ursula Johnson. After those pots grew into a patio garden, her dad, Quentin, built her a larger garden for her 4th birthday.
The garden has now expanded to cover the fayoungemily’s entire backyard and is becoming a source of fresh produce in the area. Kendall sells food basket subscriptions and grow boxes and donates food boxes. The farm is also a learning hub in their metro-Atlanta community where Kendall regularly hosts classes about urban agriculture and conservation.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Chestatee-Chattahoochee Resource Conservation and Development Council partnered with aGROWKulture to construct a high tunnel, enabling Kendall to grow fresh produce all year. It’s a great growing resource for Kendall and a big attraction to others.
Pointing out the high tunnel, Kendall said, “I call it Kendall’s Garden Playhouse! When other kids visit us and see it, they get really excited and ask a lot of questions.”
Read the full story here. For updates on issues of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Oregon Fruit Products Appoints Prewett as President, CEO
oe Prewett (left) and Chris Sarles (right) stand outside Oregon Fruit Products headquarters in Salem, Ore. (Photo: Business Wire)
The board of directors for Oregon Fruit Products LLC has appointed Joe Prewett as president and chief executive officer. Prewett will assume the role effective mid-October, while current CEO, Chris Sarles, will help to ensure a smooth transition.
Prewett has been with Tillamook County Creamery Association since 2013 as executive vice president of brand and category growth, where he helped more than double the company’s net sales by leading the company’s growth planning, marketing and product innovation. Prewett has been a member of the Oregon Fruit Products board for two years and helped shape its current strategic plan.
“We’re honored to have someone of Joe’s background and expertise step in to help guide the future of Oregon Fruit Products,” said Sarles. “Joe’s experience working with our business, as well as his vision and passion for people and culture of the organization are a perfect match for what we’re seeking for the next phase of the company’s growth. I’m pleased to pass the torch and I look forward to watching Joe lead Oregon Fruit Products to even greater success in the years to come.”
Before joining Tillamook, Prewett served as vice president of marketing for Farmer Brothers Coffee, Coffee Bean International and Medical Research Institute. Prewett has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon and a master’s in business administration from the Anderson School at UCLA.
As president and CEO of Oregon Fruit Products, Sarles helped assemble the team that has helped to create the sustained growth trajectory the company has experienced. Sarles is stepping down and plans to focus on non-profit organizations that help women and children that need a “hand up” to launch forward in their lives.
“I’m excited to step into this new role with a company that has an incredible reputation for product excellence and customer service,” said Prewett. “Chris and I both enjoy developing world-class teams with bold vision and purpose. I look forward to building upon the momentum at this great Oregon company.”
Founded in 1935, Oregon Fruit Products offers a complete line of canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, foodservice operators and ingredient sales. The company is the recipient of the Oregon State University Center for Family Enterprise’s 2022 Business Renewal Award and the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Agricultural Producer of the Year Award. Oregon Fruit Products is located in Salem, Ore.
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