“Food in little cans – can be a little surprising”

 

The new 100% organic sandwich spreads with “Organic Tofu Yeast”, all-new at the Bio Fach World Organic Trade Fair 2011.

Booth: 7-109

 

Conventional canned organic sandwich spreads contain conventional yeast as an important, defining constituent. What’s special about the new Viana sandwich spreads is that they consist to 100 % of organic ingredients, with organically grown tofu yeast.

“Organic Tofu Yeast” is a new development from Viana/Tofutown. It expands the previously narrow spectrum of organic yeasts. The naturally produced “Organic Tofu Yeast” grows on organically grown cereals and a specially developed organic soy fibre product. The natural nitrogen source required for the production is also enhanced using an organic tofu product from the house of Viana/Tofutown, further refining the flavour. There are no additives involved. The only defoaming agent we use is organically grown sunflower oil. Yeasts are natural and indispensable aids for foods such as organic breads and pastries, beverages such as beer, wine and champagne, as well as the classical canned vegetarian spreads. In Germany, 2 kg are consumed per capita per annum. By means of comparison, we only eat about 1 kg of rice a year. The ancient Egyptians already valued and used yeast for baking bread and brewing wine. Yeast is a natural ferment that has played and still plays a great role in many cultures. Those poor old canned sandwich spreads have led a miserable life for millennia, mostly in health food shops, roughly since the time when “vegetarian” was a synonym for “muesli freak” and the rock stars of the health scene were Pastor Kneipp und Oskar Bircher-Benner. We at Viana have taken a closer look at this product range, and with dedication and boldness brought it up to speed for the new millennium.

The basis no longer comprises conventional yeasts and conventional yeast extract, but instead the new Organic Tofu Yeast. Conventional yeast products, especially yeast extracts, are currently the subject of considerable discussion; however they are still allowed in organic products.

“Organic Tofu Yeast”, however, is a natural and recognised source of high-quality protein, and is remarkable for its content of B vitamins, which are also important for vegetarians and vegans. The human body needs B vitamins in order to develop nerve and brain performance (school exams, swimming certificate, driver’s license, promotions, Nobel Prize and Olympic Medals are more easily attained with the new Organic Tofu Yeast). B vitamins are essential for providing energy and for cell renewal in our bodies. According to Melinda Manore from the Oregon State University in Corvallis and her colleague Kathleen Woolf, even a minimal shortage can lead to constraints on performance efficiency, regenerative ability and immune defence, for instance in the case of athletes.

The first use of the new and exclusive Organic Tofu Yeast in the development and production of the Viana canned sandwich spreads not only had an effect on the flavour, but also had the effect that we could significantly reduce the salt content. The Organic Tofu Yeast is responsible for the spreads’ texture, incomparable melting quality and characteristic flavour. By the way, the EU Eco Regulation stipulates that yeasts including those in vegetable spreads must be organic from 1 January 2014. Viana is quicker off the mark. Try them at the Biofach 2011 and judge our achievement for yourself.

FAQs

The consumer magazine Ökotest downgrades products with yeast extract. Do the new Organic Tofu Yeast or the new canned sandwich spreads contain yeast extract?

Answer: No. The production of the spreads is very “clean”, and they contain no extracts.

Isn’t yeast as such a problematic raw material?

Answer: Yeast is an ancient cultural asset and carrier of important nutrients, not least for vegetarians and vegans, and we therefore think that it shouldn’t be maligned, especially with regard to its relatively new role as a raw material for organic foods. Superficial knowledge plays an important part in the current discussion. We Germans consume about two kilos of yeast per capita per annum, for instance in bread, condiments, classical canned spreads and beverages such as wine, champagne and beer. These organic products can’t even be made without yeast.

What is the price difference between conventional yeast products and the new Organic Tofu Yeast?

Answer: Unfortunately, that is the crux of the matter. Because we don’t use additives or defoaming agents, and because the source is not any kind of refuse or by-product but rather pure organic cereals, the process is unfortunately much more expensive. The production costs are about three times as high. However, the EU Eco Regulation does help us by requiring that all yeasts used in organic products be organic from 1 January.2014.

The design is very conspicuous, with brightly coloured lids and musical product titles

Answer: What’s important to us is making the products easily visible and recognisable on the shelves. We want to show that something completely new has arrived. We presented the complete range of eight sandwich spreads to top chefs such as the TV cook Attila Hildmann, and also invited genuine organic foods consumers to test them prior to the launch. We presented a prototype series to lots of customers in the Basic organic supermarket in Bonn and invited them to try the products. They then gave us feedback on their first impressions.

What was the consumers’ initial reaction like?

Answer: Quite honestly, fabulous! The Basic customers found the products so irresistible that several cans disappeared. That’s one wickedly good product. We’re very much looking forward to hearing what the visitors at the Biofach say.

Contact:
Matthias Boller,
Tofutown.com GmbH
Phone +49 177 77 89 809,
e-mail matthias.boller(at)tofutown.com

Tofutown.com GmbH has been a pioneer and leading innovator in 100% vegetarian foods for many years. The company was founded in 1988 in Cologne under the name of Viana Naturkost GmbH. Further information: www.viana.com, www.tofutown.com, www.soyatoo.com