October 2008 Amy’s Kitchen Debuts New Product Category
at Expo East ’08!
Presenting Amy’s New Cakes in zesty Orange and rich
Chocolate
Santa Rosa, California - Amy's Kitchen, the nation's top-selling
brand of natural and organic convenience foods, is celebrating it’s
20th anniversary and is pleased to debut a new line of organic vegan
Cakes at the Natural Products Expo East Show, October 16 - 18, 2008,
in Boston. Visit Amy’s Kitchen at Booth #1774.
Amy’s New Cakes:
Everyone will love these cakes, especially warm and topped with ice
cream. They’re also delicious with fruit or your favorite non-dairy
topping. No one will believe they’re not homemade! Both are
organic and vegan to boot.
Orange
Cakes:
(SRP $3.89 - $4.49/11oz)
Typically, Amy would rather have a slice of cheese pizza than dessert,
but she can’t resist Amy’s Orange Cake. When she was in
high school, Amy would have a piece (made by Susan, Amy’s chef
Fred’s sister) in her lunch every day. Amy’s Orange Cake
is moist, light and delicious with the sweet taste of orange. Vegan.
Chocolate
Cakes:
(SRP $3.99 - $4.49/11oz)
Amy’s dad, Andy, wears a t-shirt that says, “I would give
up eating chocolate but I am no quitter.” Andy grew up eating
chocolate cake from his father’s bakery. He describes this new
chocolate cake as “rich … moist … light … chocolatey … irresistible.” Vegan.
More New Frozen Items
Roasted
Vegetable Tamale (SRP $4.29 - $4.99/10.3 oz)
Traditionally prepared corn masa made from organic white corn is filled
with savory fire-roasted organic vegetables and covered with a special
(not too spicy) red sauce that lets the flavors of the tamale come
through. A side of perfectly seasoned black beans complements this
warm and sustaining meal. After you eat it, you might very well agree
with those who say tamales ARE the best food ever created – and
you won’t have to spend hours preparing them! Gluten free. Vegan.
Roasted
Vegetable Lasagna (SRP $4.29- $4.99/9.8 oz)
There’s no getting around it … customers love Amy’s
lasagna. Ever since the first veggie lasagna was introduced in 1992,
people keep asking for more. Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
is a unique and delicious lasagna – combining savory fire-roasted
organic vegetables layered with our slow-simmered marinara, a creamy
white sauce and tender organic pasta, then topped with baked bread
crumbs. Why eat out at an expensive Italian restaurant when you can
enjoy Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Lasagna in the comfort of your
own home?
About Amy’s
Amy’s is the nation's leading source of natural and organic convenience
food. The market for organic foods is among the fastest-growing grocery
categories, with sales expanding at more than 10 percent annually.
Now celebrating its 20th year, Amy's is a family-owned and operated
business based in Sonoma County, California. Its products are available
nationally in natural foods stores, most supermarkets, select warehouse
club stores, as well as internationally.
Amy's uses certified organic ingredients, including vegetables, grains
and fruits grown without pesticides. Fats are used sparingly and selectively;
all dairy ingredients are made with pasteurized rBST hormone free milk
and do not contain animal enzymes or rennet. No dishes contain meat,
fish, poultry or eggs. Amy's products are non-GMO and do not contain
hydrogenated fats or oils.
November 7th 2008 URGENT FOOD RECALL
ALLERGY ALERT
Amy’s Kitchen Inc. Issues Allergy Alert and Voluntary National
Recall due to Possible Undeclared Milk in Tofu Scramble
in a Pocket Sandwich; Lot Code H148
Contact: Bill Twieg
Technical Director
707-568-4566
For Immediate Release: Santa Rosa, California, November 6, 2008. Amy’s
Kitchen Inc. of Santa Rosa, California is voluntarily recalling Tofu Scramble
in a Pocket Sandwich Lot 10 H148, because of the presence of milk in a product
that is labeled non-dairy. The 4.0 oz net wt frozen product, sold in
U.S. grocery stores, comes in a retail package labeled as Amy’s Tofu
Scramble in a Pocket Sandwich. The code date printed in white on the easy open
zipper end is
10 H148 A,B,C or D
The products could cause an allergic reaction if consumed by any individuals
allergic to milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity
to dairy products run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic
reaction if they consume the product. Consumers without
milk allergies can safely consume the product.
The recall was initiated after one report of an allergic reaction due
to this product, which was not labeled as containing dairy ingredients.
Testing has shown the presence of milk.
No other products or code dates of Amy’s Kitchen products
are affected by this recall.
Consumers allergic to milk should contact Amy’s Kitchen for a
replacement or refund. The product is distributed to retailers only.
Retailers are instructed to destroy the affected product.
Amy's Kitchen is cooperating with FDA and will also issue an
alert via the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
For instructions or questions, consumers may call the company collect:
707-568-4500 and ask for the consumer services department at ext 4571. Consumers
who are not allergic to milk ingredients can consume the product or
call for a full refund.
To speak with someone at Amy's Kitchen, please contact
us at: 707.568.4500 ext 4571
May 2008 Amy’s Celebrates
20 Delicious Years Amy’s Kitchen - Born out of Love
Santa
Rosa, California – Twenty-one years ago, Amy Berliner
was born. The company that became her namesake was founded a few
months later, in 1988, by mom Rachel and dad Andy—longtime
vegetarians. Amy is now a sophomore in college, and Amy's has become
the nation's top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience
foods.
“We didn’t set out to become the nation’s leading
natural frozen food brand,” says Andy Berliner. “All we
wanted to do was create a business that would allow us to earn a living
by providing convenient and tasty natural vegetarian meals for people
like ourselves, who appreciated good food, but were often too busy
to cook from scratch.”
The
idea for the company was born one night when Amy was just a few weeks
old. Rachel sent Andy to a natural foods store with instructions to
find a quick and easy vegetarian meal for dinner. He came home with
their first microwavable meal. “It was horrible,” he recalls.
Realizing that other people must also be looking for a quick-yet-tasty
meal of the nontraditional kind, Rachel and Amy devised a plan to start
making great-tasting convenience food for vegetarians.
The company started on a shoestring, with Rachel and Andy’s
house and barn as headquarters. The founding meetings were held in
the same room where the two were married and where Amy was born. The
company’s first product, Vegetable Pot Pie, became an instant
success. When the pies hit regional markets, Northern Californians
gobbled them up and, within months, they landed on health food store
shelves nationwide. Other products followed in rapid succession, and
the two entrepreneurs discovered that their products were not only
being eaten by vegetarians and those interested in natural foods, but
by millions of people looking for great-tasting, convenience foods.
Since
then, Amy’s has created more than 150 products, including 115
frozen items (pizzas, pocket sandwiches, pot pies, entrées,
bowls, snacks and whole meals) and a grocery line that includes canned
soups, beans and chili, as well as jarred pasta sauces and salsas.
Today, the company has two beautiful facilities in California and Oregon
and distributes its products to natural food stores, supermarkets and
club stores across the nation, as well as to Canada and abroad.
Besides traditional American favorites, Amy’s chefs draw on
rich ethnic traditions to create authentic Mexican, Italian, Asian,
and East Indian meals for their customers to enjoy. Always on the lookout
for new and innovative dishes, Amy’s recently introduced four
varieties of lightly sweetened, slow-cooked frozen cereal in a bowl.
The company also has a brand new line of Kids’ Meals geared to
the tastes and portion preferences of children (if only Amy were a
toddler again!).
Always attentive of the special dietary preferences of its customers,
Amy’s Kitchen also provides soups and meals that are lower in
sodium, as well as many gluten free and vegan choices. For all of its
products, Amy's uses certified organic ingredients, including vegetables,
grains and fruits grown without pesticides. Fats are used sparingly
and selectively; all dairy ingredients are made with pasteurized rBST
hormone free milk and do not contain animal enzymes or rennet. No dishes
contain meat, fish, poultry or eggs. Amy's products are non-GMO and
do not contain hydrogenated fats or oils.
Andy and Rachel, who imagined Amy’s as a niche business back
in the 1980s, unwittingly rode a tidal wave into the next decade. Their
business grew an average of 20% per every year since 1988, with their
success mirroring the rise of the organics movement.
In spite of their phenomenal growth and in spite of being an industry
giant, Amy’s remains a family effort--with Andy as CEO, Rachel
as Director of Marketing, Eleanor writing Web and packaging copy, Amy
helping in the plant during summers, and everyone participating in
taste-testing. Just like the first veggie pie back in 1988, each Amy’s
recipe is still made from scratch.
“Amy’s is just a large kitchen,” says Rachel Berliner. “While
our pots may be large, the techniques for preparing food are much the
same as those used in cooking at home.” Each burrito is hand
rolled, each pizza crust hand stretched and topped, and broccoli is
hand placed in the pot pies. “From choosing the very best ingredients,
to baking pastry to perfection, every detail is given our full attention.
We are cooking for you in the same way you would cook for yourself.” In
fact, the Amy’s plant has twice the national average of the number
of people involved in making a unit of food.
Rachel and Andy Berliner are available for interviews by arrangement.
Please contact Debby Fortune for more information: fortunepr@aol.com
or 510-548-1097
May 2008 Amy’s Serves Up Delicious Meals for Millions of Consumers
with Lactose Intolerance and Dairy Allergies
Santa Rosa, California – Amy’s Kitchen,
the nation’s top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience
foods, offers over 80 delicious, satisfying choices that are either
lactose-free or completely dairy free. Adults and kids of all ages
who suffer from lactose intolerance or dairy allergies will appreciate
the options and convenience of Amy’s foods.
Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose,
a type of sugar in milk and other dairy products. According to the
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (part of the
National Institutes of Health) lactose intolerance affects approximately
30 to 50 million Americans, including the majority of African Americans,
Ashkenazi Jews, Asian Americans, and American Indians, as well as many
Hispanics. Conversely, only a tiny percentage of the populace who trace
their roots to northern Europe has lactose intolerance. Products identified
as “Lactose Free” do not contain any lactose (milk sugar),
although they may contain caseinate, a milk protein. Amy’s produces
84 “Lactose Free” products—most of which are also
completely dairy-free.
Dairy allergies, though less common, can produce
symptoms more severe than lactose intolerance, and in rare cases,
even anaphylactic shock. With dairy allergies, a person’s
immune system reacts to the presence of milk proteins in the body
by producing histamines, which can cause a range of allergic reactions.
Physicians agree that the best way to treat dairy allergies is
to avoid consuming dairy products, lactose or the dairy proteins
casein and whey. Amy’s “Dairy Free” products
do not contain lactose or milk proteins. If you need to avoid milk
proteins or dairy completely, you should purchase only Amy’s
products that are labeled “Dairy Free,” “Non-dairy,” or “Vegan.”
Lactose Free Products from Amy’s
Amy’s
offers a wide range of lactose-free options (currently 84 Amy’s
products are lactose-free), such as Macaroni & Soy-Cheeze (SRP
$2.79 - $3.29)—perfect for kids and adults who miss this childhood
favorite, Soy Cheeze Pizza (SRP $6.29 - $6.99), made with Amy's delicious
pizza crust and sauce, topped with a high protein, mozzarella-style,
soy-based cheese, and Tofu Vegetable Lasagna (SRP $4.29 - $4.99), which
has the same delicious sauce, organic pasta and vegetables as Amy’s
Vegetable Lasagna but is made with tofu and soy cheese.
Most
of Amy’s lactose-free foods are also dairy-free (currently Amy’s
offers 81 dairy-free products), including a hearty Black Bean Vegetable
Enchilada (SRP $3.79 - $4.49) and a great grab-and-go Bean & Rice
Burrito (SRP $2.39 - $2.79)—both are satisfying, dairy-free options
that can be made in just minutes. Pizza, a favorite fast food usually
off-limits for people who avoid dairy, can be enjoyed again with Amy’s
cheese-less Roasted Vegetable Pizza (SRP $7.29 - $8.49). Amy’s
is also pleased to offer a selection of dairy-free soups, including
their popular Lentil Soup (SRP $2.39 - $2.79) and Lentil Vegetable
Soup (SRP $2.39 - $2.79).
Dear Amy,
I want to thank you for providing quality products for families like
mine that have many diet restrictions. My son is allergic to milk
and its by products and pizza is his weakness. Without your pizza
he would have missed numerous pizza parties.
Thank You,
Hanifah Rios
Dear Amy,
Thank you so much for making such fabulous, tasty, healthy food. My
kids it, and I especially love your dairy-free options. I became
allergic to dairy about 10 years ago, and your Roasted Vegetable
pizza has been such a treat.
All the Best,
Kelly Line
Dear Amy,
I just want to take the time and tell you how "WONDERFUL" your
dairy-free products are. My daughter Morgan is now 8, and very allergic
to all dairy. So naturally we are very creative with meals and they
are great! Low and behold we came upon AMY'S in our grocery store.
She loves everything you have non-dairy. The store doesn't carry
all the
non-dairy items, but we keep going back at least once a week to see.
Today they had the vegetable pocket, WOW, she gave it a "10".
Keep up the great job! Between Amy's and Tofutti, the children can
have a normal life, thanks so much, looking forward to new non dairy
items.
Peg and Morgan Pietruch
Letters from Consumers with Lactose Intolerance
Dear Amy,
I nearly cried in the grocery store on Thursday. Soy Mac N Cheese?
I couldn't wait to tell my 12-year-old son. He is totally lactose
intolerant. Can't stomach even a sip of milk. I've made Mac n Cheese
from scratch, it's a pain, but he loves it. He is so happy to have
your soy cheese pizza. When I saw that box of Soy Mac N Cheese,
something he's been wishing and hoping for, ASKING for, I had to
buy 2, because I knew he'd eat one right away and want another
one the next day. Thank you for making soy cheese foods, and for
making our day! I'll be stocking up and waiting to see what you
do next!
From Beth
Dear Amy,
Words can't describe how thankful I am for your awesome products! When
I discovered that I was lactose intolerant, it was difficult to
adjust to a life without dairy... and most dairy-free foods just
taste terrible.
But your meals taste great and keep me very happy (especially the tofu
lasagna! Yum!) Keep up the great work!
From Lyra
Dear Amy,
I am not vegetarian but I am lactose intolerant. I decided to try your
meals after a friend at work brought one in for lunch. Your products
are a godsend. I had tried some vegetarian frozen foods before
and had been less than impressed. Your foods are great and the
seasonings are perfect. With such a variety of dairy free meals
I found this week I had been a lunchtime vegetarian! Thanks I will
keep looking for more of your products.
Bev
For press inquiries, please contact Debby Fortune at 510.548.1097.
Or click here for email.
"Well, imagine my delight
to find that several of your products had the mark for kosher certification
on them; so I bought the gluten-free vegetable lasagna with ricotta cheese
and tonight I had it for the first time. All I can say is YUM!!! What
a wonderful product." >> Donna L. Halper - Boston,
MA