Natural Products Expo West 2015 Hosts 70K Smilers

Attending Expo West was a highly awaited year long promoted event. Therefore, you don't just stroll through without a plan at a massive industry natural products trade show such as Expo West. This year it held over 70,000 attendees whom all seek the same mission - introducing, seeking or analyzing manufacturers, services and/or networking with leading natural industry professionals. 

Shame On Better4UFoods: An Expo West 2015 Fail

If you've ever attended a food show as a trade professional or even as a shopper who loves seeking the healthy and sustainable food, beverages and services, you'd assume food allergies and gluten health risks are a top priority! This pizza manufacturer, Better4UFoods, was so clueless that it's now time I share this story of ignorance in the gluten-free and allergen marketplace. Health and safety concerns can no longer be tolerated. 

Better4UFoods Pizza Ruins My Expo West

Unfortunately, my expo west was cut short due to a brand, Better4UFoods, that had no idea what legitimate, safe gluten-free food is all about.  I'm not upset at Expo West, more at myself along with Better4UFoods who has a pizza company that decided to enter the gluten-free market to capitalize on profits of the growing industry. Better4UFoods is a classic example of what not to do as a manufacturer in the gluten-free market because of how they do not comprehend the seriousness of gluten-free lifestyles.  

Are Better4UFoods Amateurs?

I'm asking for your opinion on more of the details. As shown above, Better4UFoods' Expo West booth served regular pizza in an oven while their entire trade show booth backdrop had their gluten-free banner, and had a Gluten Intolerance Group certified gluten-free sign on their table near their pizza samples. Let me ask you, would you expect their pizza on the table to have gluten knowing this?  

Better4UFoods Cross Contamination Fail

On Saturday afternoon at Expo West, Better4UFoods failed the gluten-free test. Their booth had a few people, and the staff behind the booth were talking about their products and options such as Daiya cheeses they source with an interested trade pro. I listened in  as they talked about gluten-free, analyzing their booth and the certified gluten-free sign blatantly at the front of the table.  Although, I was at Expo West since Wednesday, I admit my fatigue got the best of me. I already had what seemed like a few hundred gluten-free conversations, so I mistakenly "assumed" this booth was gluten-free safe due to the signs everywhere.  Wow, was I wrong and upset, utterly devastated to make the mistake that I haven't made in over a decade of my life, assuming food is gluten-free without asking. 

Why Wasn't Better4UFoods Trade Show Staff Educated?

I asked the woman and man behind the table what was in their gluten free pizza, while handing off my business card on their table,  elaborating that I was a gluten-free blogger. As I tasted it, they said, "We aren't serving gluten-free pizza now." So I said, "excuse me, this is not gluten-free pizza on your gluten-free table?" They looked around puzzled, scared and in that silence, I did what any other Celiac Disease diagnosed patron would do... I ran off to the bathroom to eliminate all of the recent samples I just ate by all means necessary. I had no other choice! My trade show and my health would be at risk if my body has an auto-immune attack. Therefore, I tried my best to remove the food from by stomach asap. 

Be wary of supporting gluten-free products from those who know little to nothing of a category that is rooted by actual health concerns - Celiac Disease. 

Better4UFoods tricked me and likely many other innocent gluten-free trade professionals at Expo West 2015. I encourage others to come forward and claim if they were sick after eating at Better4UFoods Expo West 2015 table. We can't stand for this ignorance in our natural food industry. The time to educate all and stop turning your head is now!

Better4UFoods Never Apologized 

I waited over a week to write this article because during this encounter I had left my business card. The woman and man behind the the Better4UFoods booth apparently didn't care that they "glutened" me. My card says that I'm a  gluten-free blogger, my phone, email, social sites and that have Celiac Disease since 1997 are clearly noted on the business card. I received no phone call, email, text or outreach whatsoever. One would think that a company with a backbone of either allergens or gluten related illnesses wouldn't stoop this low. 

Trust is only earned. Never assume, and never trust anything is gluten-free until you read labels and talk to people behind the company. Use your eyes, ears and heart or say NO. 

In our natural products industry, we know that gluten-free isn't a fad, and it only has one strict definition. It's not easy. I repeat, gluten-free is not easy. Clearly, gluten-free guidelines by the FDA issued in August 2014 only helped out a little bit. Gluten-free ingredients and risks of cross contamination must be proven gluten-free safe via product testing <20 ppm per FDA. For those with Celiac Disease, we prefer testing <10 ppm and ideally <5ppm due to so many contamination risks.  Better4UFoods had gluten pizza in the same oven cooking on a table that had gluten free certified signs, and banners everywhere. It's a disgrace in 2015 at a natural food show that gluten health risks still exist by manufacturers who are empowered to set examples.  Yet Better4UFoods tried to save themselves by putting up an "allergen risk" sign on their booth. 

I would never buy a product from Better4UFoods when they conducted this type of health risk in public at a natural products respectable industry trade show. Who knows what happens behind the kitchen oven and in their manufacturing facility. That's my biggest concern to other healthy gluten free consumers and business professionals who trusted them.

Until next food show, I move forward, but I'll never forget.  Have you had a glutened experience and didn't share it? Please share it today so that we can learn from each other.

Recipe For Healthy Kale & Sausage Chebe Balls

Just look at those beauties, you can't eat just one! Chebe bread (manioc flour) dry mixes are so easy anyone can be a chef, even me!  The gluten-free certified dry mix is basic so you can add your favorite greens, meats, beans, cheeses, etc. Pick and choose what to slice and dice so that you're bread balls are much more nutritious than the typical products on the market today. Everyone I've made them for (even the gluten-free skeptics) found them delightful, with their warm baked aroma, crispy outside and soft chewy interior. What I love about Chebe is each time I make them, regardless of a few ingredients changes, they always are quick and delicious, guaranteed!

Chebe products are verified gluten-free by Celiac Spru Association (CSA) whom test for <5ppm. The FDA gluten-free guide only recommends <20ppm gluten threshold and Celiac's should feel much safer about Chebe Bread than other products on the market.  Cheebe Bread is also free of all grains, soy, potato, yeast and MSG! Chebe FAQ - get all of your questions answered about what works, allergies, and tips. 


INGREDIENTS 

• Choose your favorite Chebe dry mix as any of them can be used. However, I often use the original mix.
• Organic eggs
• Slice and dice large handful of organic kale
• Slice and dice handful of (pre-cooked) natural/organic chicken sausage or other "meat".
• Use kombucha instead of water (water may be needed while molding balls)
• Coconut oil 
• cheese (shredded, sliced or sour cream) optional

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Blend Chebe Original Bread Mix with 2 tbsp. oil, 1 cup shredded cheese (sharp or hard cheeses work best) and 2 large eggs. Slowly blend in exactly 1/4 cup water.
3. Knead dough with hands until it is smooth. (if gets too sticky just add more water into your hands)
4. Divide dough into 16 pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Place 1-2" apart on ungreased baking sheet
5. Bake 20+ minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy. Insides will be soft and chewy. (all ovens vary)

The Search For Gluten-Free At Expo West Food Show

It's officially butterfly in the stomach time. I'm soooooooo excited for the biggest natural food trade show of the year, Expo West in California this week! This is not your ordinary food show as this is for business professionals within the organic, non GMO, gluten-free, vegan and sustainable manufacturers, distributors, brokers and supply chain that cover various categories from food, beverage, vitamins, supplements and services, too.  Most brands in your traditional grocery store cannot attend this trade show, as they contain distributing GMO ingredients, lack any form of sustainable footprint and do not care about overall healthy missions, just profits #Truth. 

Each year there are more gluten-free vendors, but some still claim "naturally gluten-'free" without verifying their product to any degree. Ugh it's annoying, but I probe deep enough to find the truth.  Remember, gluten-free has only one meaning; gluten-free ingredients and no cross contamination. This requires each brand/manufacturer to (a) obtain a full certification that includes inspecting the entire manufacturing facility, supply chain for all ingredients and testing the final product (b) batch testing the final product regularly through 3rd party laboratories to be sure the food, beverage and/or beauty product exceeds the FDA gluten-free labeling threshold for those with Celiac Disease

 

I'll have my eyes open and big ears out for gluten-free goodies. I do not sample products until I learn about the brand, inspect each brand's booth for cross contamination and find their team to be genuinely interested to share and meet with me. Sometimes trade show vendors are too excited and they look to hard for what's under their nose. This year my plans is extra focussed to support those who provide innovative, trending gluten-free products and call out those who do it wrong! Shame on you may re-appear post show. 

EXPO WEST VENDORS: Let's meet and discuss your gluten-free products. Email me anytime to meet up for sampling, interviews, and sharing your verified gluten-free and allergen free products. Be sure to find me on @GlutenFreeG on Twitter. 

EXPO WEST ATTENDEES: If you're a blogger, buyer, marketer, or gluten-free expert email me to get together to catch up at the show as well. I'm sure we can find ways to keep busy! Find me on @GlutenFreeG on Twitter.