BOULDER, Colo. (July 26, 2010) — In an exclusive relationship with Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFMI), Earth Balance, a leading producer of natural spreads and nut butters, today announced the launch of its new line of organic and Non-GMO Project-verified refrigerated soymilk – an industry first – available in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide as it enters into the marketplace.
“Since Whole Foods Market opened its doors thirty years ago, our mission has been to sell the highest quality natural and organic foods. We've long been committed to educating shoppers about genetically modified foods and supporting the availability of alternatives to GMO choices. In fact, sourcing non-genetically engineered ingredients is a top priority in developing our store brand products,” said Errol Schweizer, senior global grocery coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “We're excited to work with Earth Balance to offer a great tasting and high quality organic refrigerated soymilk that is also the first utilizing the rigorous practices of the Non-GMO Product Verification Program.”
According to the Center for Food Safety, more than 90 percent of domestic soybeans are genetically modified. The non-GMO Project is a collaboration of manufacturers, consumers, processors, distributors, farmers, seed breeders and retailers – including Whole Foods Market – who are dedicated to providing consumers with information about GMO risks and with a process-based program that identifies products that comply with the Project’s consensus-based definition of non-GMO. The non-GMO Project allows product suppliers who comply with the program’s strict requirements to include the non-GMO Project Verified seal on product packaging. Earth Balance is the first soymilk to bear the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal and it is made from 100 percent USA-grown soybeans.
“At Earth Balance, we are dedicated to organic and sustainable agriculture, and we go to great lengths to avoid the use of genetically engineered ingredients and to provide the freshest, most flavorful products available on the market,” said TJ McIntyre, Earth Balance General Manager. “We're excited to join in the collaborative effort to make non-GMO ingredients more available and affordable while at the same time complementing the existing health-focused Earth Balance family of products. We are happy to build on a great Whole Foods Market relationship, and are excited to promote a plant-based diet by featuring a recipe from Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet on every package of our refrigerated soymilk.”
Available in Original, Vanilla, Chocolate and Unsweetened varieties, this smooth and creamy refrigerated soymilk is vegan, free of lactose, cholesterol, dairy, gluten and is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D.
To taste Earth Balance's new refrigerated soymilk, visit any Whole Foods Market store across the country. Sampling demonstrations will be held throughout August.
For more information on the Non-GMO Project or the third-party Product Verification Process, visit: nonGMOproject.org/.
Note: While Earth Balance is not the first soy milk verified by the Non-GMO Project, it is the first refrigerated Non-GMO Project Verified soymilk and the first to bear the “Non-GMO Project Verification” seal.
