Manitoba Harvest Launches The First Organic Hempmilk Into the European

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Manitoba Harvest will Exhibit their Healthy Hemp Foods at the BioFach Organic Trade Show in Germany

 

Winnipeg, Manitoba (February 7, 2008) – For the past few decades, the movement of eco-friendly hemp products has flowed primarily from the European Union toward North America. Now, a dynamic Canadian company that helped re-establish sustainable hemp agriculture in North America in the 1990’s is ‘turning the tide’ by launching their award-winning Hemp Bliss organic hempmilk into European markets. Manitoba Harvest (www.manitobaharvest.com ) is a hemp foods pioneer that is crossing the sea to exhibit Hemp Bliss and their full line of healthy hemp foods at BioFach, the largest organic trade show in the world, from February 21-24, 2008. The BioFach event (www.biofach.de), which is held annually in Nuremberg Germany, will feature more than 2,500 exhibitors, and will attract more than 45,000 retailers and industry experts from more than 100 countries.

 

Hemp foods are one of the hottest health food trends in North America, growing 39% from 2006 to 2007, and now Manitoba Harvest is expanding swiftly into international markets to capitalize on emerging global interest. “Our products have been available in Japan and the United Kingdom for a couple of years, but interest is really picking up in other countries where organic lifestyles and awareness of hemp’s nutritional value and culinary merits are growing,” says Mike Fata, President and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils.

 

Manitoba Harvest has recently gained orders in Sweden, and a large shipping container of their goods is currently on a ship en route to Australia where it is expected to be on store shelves in early February. “We’re capitalizing on our decade of experience as a hemp foods innovator in North America to penetrate dynamic organic markets in Europe with hemp products that are easy to try,” says Fata. “People everywhere are finding out that hemp foods and drinks are extremely nutritious - and then they try them and discover that they have a delicious nutty flavour and gourmet appeal,” adds Fata.

Hemp Bliss organic hempmilk provides the powerful nutrition and pleasant nutty flavor of hemp seed in a non-dairy hempmilk beverage. It is a nutritious and delicious alternative to dairy, soy and grain-based drinks and is the first line of organic hempmilks. Hemp Bliss naturally provides a boost of 1,200 mg of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and 5 grams of protein per serving. Overall, it contains more Omega 3, 6 and 9 EFAs than any milk including dairy and other alternatives such as soy, rice and almond. “Foods that offer omega-3 essential fatty acids like hemp are hot because medical evidence touting the health benefits continues to grow,” says Fata. In addition to the EFAs, hemp seed offers an impressive digestible protein profile, a bunch of healthy fiber and an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

 

With Chocolate, Vanilla and Original varieties, Hemp Bliss is offered in a 32-ounce carton for $4.99 and is widely available in stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to Hemp Bliss, Manitoba Harvest produces organic cold-pressed Hemp Seed Oil, Shelled Hemp Seed, Hemp Seed Butter and Hemp Protein Powder.

 

One Award for Product Quality and Innovation - and One for Industry Leadership & Social Responsibility

 

In Germany, Manitoba Harvest hopes to follow-up on the vigorous momentum provided by the Best New Food Product Award that the company earned at the Natural Products Expo East trade show held in Baltimore in September of 2007. That show is the biggest organic and natural products event in North America. Hemp Bliss organic hempmilk stood out above hundreds of other products displayed and was voted on by retail and distribution attendees at the show, which attracted a record crowd of more than 25,000 attendees.

 

During the past 5 years, Manitoba Harvest’s sales have grown more than 1,000% earning them a spot on the Profit 100 list of the fastest growing businesses in Canada. But of more importance to the founders is the recognition they earned in October 2006 when the company was presented with the 2006 Socially Responsible Business Award at the Natural Products Expo East show for their work pioneering sustainable hemp agriculture in the 1990s and for helping to spread organic farming in Canada ever since. In the 1990’s activist and co-founder Martin Moravcik worked with the Manitoba and Canadian governments to re-legalize hemp agriculture. The goal of reintroducing hemp farming came to fruition in 1998 when the Canadian government began issuing hemp farming licenses and he partnered with Mike Fata and Alex Chwaiewsky to form Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils.

 

The co-founders refer to hemp seeds as “seeds of change” and ever since the company’s humble beginnings, they have been inspired by a belief that this natural resource can be a shining example of sustainable agriculture and can drive social change. Not only is hemp good for human health, it is also good for the planet. Hemp is naturally pest-resistant, and because hemp plants grow rapidly and close together, they crowd out weeds and don’t need herbicides. It is also a soil-building plant that is excellent for crop rotation.

 

Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest is proud to be the largest hemp foods and oils-only producer in North America. Manitoba Harvest contracts thousands of acres of hemp seed production in Manitoba with more than 20 farmers that are shareholders. The company owns and operates a kosher and USDA certified organic facility and their products are distributed to thousands of stores and are also sold as bulk ingredients to food and cosmetic manufacturers. Since Manitoba Harvest is an integrated producer of hemp food products they control production from “seed to shelf,” and are therefore able to ensure freshness and quality. For more information, visit www.manitobaharvest.com or call 1-800-665-HEMP.

Author: Manitoba Harvest

Date: 08/02/08

Source: NPI Center

Copyright: NPI Center