NPEW 2017

Alter Eco Press Fact Sheet

Overview: Alter Eco is a pioneer of globally crafted organic foods, including delicious Swiss-made chocolate bars and truffles, Bolivian Royal quinoa, heirloom Thai rice and Mascobado cane sugar. All Alter Eco products are USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Carbon Neutral Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Gluten-Free. Recognized as certified Benefit Corporation, Alter Eco is dedicated to full-circle sustainability throughout its operations and supply chain.

Pillars of Sustainability: Alter Eco works with small producers in the Global South to directly benefit co-ops and farmers while bringing delicious and healthy foods to the masses. A certified Benefit Corporation, Alter Eco operates on four pillars: sourcing using Fair Trade principles, producing of only organic and non-GMO foods, creating minimal waste by working toward 100 percent compostable packaging, and offsetting carbon emissions. These principals are entwined with Alter Eco’s commitment to the highest quality ingredients and taste in all its products. As part of its effort to becoming a carbon negative company, Alter Eco works with the Pur Projet, a reforestation program started by Alter Eco France founder, Tristan Lecomte, to plant trees and offset the amount of CO2 produced.

The Story:Alter Eco co-founders, Tristan Lecomte in France, Mathieu Senard and Edouard Rollet in the United States and Ilse Keijzer in Australia were trained in business but remained activists at heart. Before starting Alter Eco over a decade ago, they had experienced first-hand both profit-driven multinationals and on-the-ground NGOs. Seeing the challenges of existing humanitarian aid efforts, they became pioneers in social entrepreneurialism, wielding their business acumen to fight for social and economic justice.

The Family: Alter Eco offers a range of high-quality and farmer-grown organic ingredients and foods that deliver a rich, bold flavor with a social and environmental benefit. Product lines include:

• Chocolate – An assortment of silky smooth chocolate bars and truffles free of emulsifiers, artificial flavors and soy, and crafted from organic cacao beans hand-harvested in the Peruvian Amazon and Ecuadorian Coast, and finished by expert Swiss chocolatiers.
• ​Royal Quinoa – A variety of nutty, protein-packed 100 percent Royal quinoa that is grown and manually cultivated in the nutrient-rich soil of the Bolivian Altiplano region of the Andes Mountains.
• Rice/Sugar – Native heirloom grains from the heart of Thailand, and an unrefined Mascobado cane sugar from the Philippines.

Executives:
Mathieu Senard, Co-CEO and co-founder
Edouard Rollet, Co-CEO and co-founder
Kate Tierney, President

Where to Buy: Alter Eco is available nationwide at major natural food retailers and grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market, Wegman’s, Sprouts, Kroger, Publix and online at www.alterecofoods.com.

Address:
Alter Eco
2339 Third Street, Suite 70
San Francisco, CA 94107

On the Web:
Website: www.alterecofoods.com
Facebook: AlterEcoSF
Twitter: @AlterEcoSF
Instagram: AlterEcoSF|
Pinterest: Alter Eco

Media Contact:
Malena Whetro
Rachel Kay Public Relations
858.243.4761
Malena@RKPR.net

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Contact: Malena Whetro
Rachel Kay Public Relations
858-243-4761
Malena@rkpr.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alter Eco Sweetens Sustainable Chocolate Portfolio with New Bars and Truffles Launching
at 2017 Natural Products Expo West

Leader in Organic and Fair Trade Foods Unveils Four Melt-In-Your-Mouth Flavors

San Francisco, Calif. – March 2, 2017 – Alter Eco, pioneer of fair trade and organic foods carefully crafted to entice the senses, is giving real chocolate lovers a reason to rejoice with the launch of four new flavors: Dark Salt & Malt, Dark Salted Almonds, Dark Super Blackout and Dark Mint Truffles. The new dark chocolate varieties bars boast at least 70 percent cocoa, while the truffles contain 58 percent cocoa. All chocolate varieties are made with the some of the world’s rarest and highest quality single origin Ecuadorian cacao that’s roasted from the inside out, and finished by expert Swiss chocolatiers to craft an unforgettable taste experience. The new chocolates make their debut at Natural Products Expo West at booth #3311.

“Now more than ever, shoppers are seeking food products that not only taste amazing, but align with their core values,” said Edouard Rollet, co-CEO and co-founder at Alter Eco. “Hand-crafted with the highest quality ingredients, our exciting new dark chocolate flavors transport shoppers on an adventure for the senses while giving them the purchasing power to sustain our planet for years to come. Whether it be planting trees to naturally sequester our carbon footprint or ensuring fair and meaningful trade with our farmers, our chocolates are not only delicious but environmentally and socially conscious.”

USDA Organic and Certified Fair Trade, Alter Eco’s new dark chocolates stay true to the brand’s steadfast dedication to full-circle sustainability throughout its operations and supply chain. In addition to reforesting the land and ensuring fair farmer compensation, the bars and truffles are wrapped in sustainable packaging – the chocolate bars are wrapped in recyclable FSC certified paper and the truffles in compostable wrappers made of eucalyptus and birch. Like all Alter Eco chocolates, the new products are also Certified Gluten Free (excluding Dark Salt & Malt), Non-GMO Project Verified, and free of soy, emulsifiers and artificial flavors. Flavor details include:

• Dark Salt & Malt – This malt-meets-salt bar is made with 70 percent cocoa and is crafted with premium Fleur de Sel de Gurande sea salt that’s married with deep Ecuadorian chocolate – giving a novel take on a classic malt flavor, all with a crispy, yet smooth, texture.
• Dark Salted Almonds – Made for chocoholics that are nuts for sea salt, this bar boasts roasty-toasty almonds, 70 percent cocoa, Ecuadorian chocolate and a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel de Gurande sea salt, all with a hint of Madagascar vanilla beans for a balanced bite.
• Dark Super Blackout – If you love dark chocolate and the health benefits it boasts, you’ll love this bar at first bite! Made with Ecuadorian chocolate and a touch of Madagascar vanilla, the deep dark intensity of this 90 percent cocoa bar is met with a smooth, creamy texture that appeals to real, fearless chocolate lovers.
• Dark Mint Truffles – An irresistibly cool combination made with 58 percent Ecuadorian cocoa that encloses a silky-smooth, oh-so-minty center made with creamy milk, wholesome coconut oil and a mellowing touch of Madagascar vanilla.

Hitting retail shelves in April, the Dark Salt & Malt and Dark Salted Almonds, along with the Dark Mint Truffles, retail for $3.99 and $7.99, respectively. Dark Super Blackout will launch in May with a retail price of $3.99.

Alter Eco products are available nationwide at major natural food retailers and grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market, Wegman’s, Sprouts, Kroger and Publix. For more information or to purchase Alter Eco online, please visit www.alterecofoods.com.

About Alter Eco

Alter Eco is a pioneer of fair trade and organic foods carefully crafted to entice people’s senses. All Alter Eco products are USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Carbon Neutral Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Gluten-Free (excluding Dark Salt & Malt Organic Chocolate). Recognized as a top certified Benefit Corporation and one of the first registered Public Benefit Corporations, Alter Eco is dedicated to full-circle sustainability throughout its operations and supply chain through four pillars: sourcing using Fair Trade principles, producing of only organic and non-GMO foods, creating minimal waste by working towards 100 percent compostable packaging, and in-setting carbon emissions by means of large-scale reforestation programs in the cooperatives that produce its crops. These principals are entwined with Alter Eco’s commitment to the highest quality ingredients and taste in all its products. More information is available at www.alterecofoods.com. Follow Alter Eco via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and Instagram.

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