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Get The Scoop with Smirk's

By: The Bulk Ingredient Network for the Natural Food Industry
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  • Summary

  • It’s our mission to help you navigate the world of high-quality bulk food ingredients, so you can produce and market products you are passionate about. This podcast is where we share everything we know about bulk ingredients. You’ll hear a wide range of industry feature stories, commodity market news, and expert insights into bulk nuts, seeds & grains, coconut products, dried fruits and much more. Each episode will include Smirk’s own Industry Market Report one of the resources our current clients depend on. It's the latest natural foods industry news compiled by Smirk’s commodity buying experts. You will know the key takeaways for the bulk items your company relies on. We’ll also will go deep into specific ingredients with our product category experts sharing origin info, applications, specs, and new product innovation ideas. We’ll even touch on cosmetic and pet food industry ingredients. You’ll hear the natural products industry stories of our growers direct from their locales around the world. There are amazing people in these communities and our relationships make it possible to source the best ingredients for you. You can count on us to provide boots on the ground information from our grower and processor relationships that you won’t find anywhere else in the industry. So hit the button where you listen to your favorite podcasts and subscribe to the show. https://smirks.com/podcast/
    2023
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Episodes
  • Chia Seeds & Plant-Based Protein Powders Trends EP 7

    Chia Seeds & Plant-Based Protein Powders Trends EP 7
    Sep 25 2023
    Elisa Louis and Donny Edson are talking with Tom Merrow, the owner of Onset Worldwide. His career in the food industry was kickstarted by an opportunistic meeting during his stint as a freight forwarder in Boston. Tom quickly evolved a curiosity for the import-export dynamics into a thriving business, Onset Worldwide. Alongside his wife Sarah, Tom has managed to establish Onset as a recognizable name in the food industry in just a decade. Today, he focuses on enhancing the brand by pioneering innovative processes, producing premium quality, allergen-free seeds, grains, and flours and pushing the envelope with new products like plant-based proteins and cold milled oil seeds. Donny's introduction to the chia seeds was nothing short of serendipity. It was 2010, and Donny was occupied at a sunflower booth during a trade show in Paris. Out of the blue, a stranger approached him with a bag of chia seeds, asking to trade. Intrigued, Donny decided to take a closer look at this new contender in the market. Over time, he discovered the incredible benefits of chia seeds, not just as a thickening agent but also as a key ingredient in granolas, energy bars, baby foods, pet treats, and even horse feeds. Smirk's, began to import chia seeds from Argentina, leading to an unexpected surge in sales. Today, chia seeds are one of the top selling items at Smirk's, a testament to Donny's innovative approach and keen eye for recognizing potential market trends. Understanding how to pitch to brands effectively is crucial in any industry, especially when it comes to the food industry. A brand partnership can lead to expanded reach, increased credibility, and the potential for lucrative deals. However not all pitches are welcome. It's not uncommon for larger brands to refuse ideas from external sources, choosing to innovate in-house instead. This isn't a death sentence for your idea though, shifting focus on adding value to the customers directly can create a more refined, targeted product that can compete with the big brands, winning over their customers instead. Tom shares his experience pitching to established brands like Puma, but getting turned down as they don't accept outside ideas. Instead of letting that stop him, he channeled his energy into creating products that add more value to their customers offering products at a competitive price without compromising on quality. Tom's approach offers a masterclass on perseverance and how important it is to stay focused on the customer's needs. Like any other commodity, the price of chia seeds fluctuates due to numerous factors. Some of these key factors include changes in growing regions, crop conditions, market demand, and weather patterns. By keeping a close eye on these aspects, businesses can anticipate and respond strategically to potential price changes to ensure efficiency and profitability. Donny made a deep dive into factors impacting chia prices, explaining how they have experienced periods of extreme highs and lows. He emphasized the need to closely monitor crop conditions owing to their direct impact on market prices. He suggested a strategy of purchasing chia in two cycles: November-December and June-July to mitigate risks associated with frost damage.   Chia Seeds: History and Market Garret McBride and Donny Edson talk all things chia seeds. Chia seeds are an increasingly popular health food known for their impressive nutritional profile. Originally used by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, these seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. The market for chia seeds has been on the rise for the past several years, thanks to their classification as a superfood and their widespread use in various health and wellness products. They can be consumed raw, cooked or added to various dishes for an easy health boost. In the podcast, Garrett and Donny discussed the phenomenal growth witnessed in the chia market. They discussed the historical significance of chia seeds tracing its origin and use by ancient civilizations. They also extensively touched on the upsurge in chia seed consumption, attributing it to their nutritional benefits and the increasing wellness-conscious consumer base proving that chia seeds are more than a fad; they are a market with a lot of growth potential.     The Market Report with Donny Edson ·         Prices in Peru are going  up due to weather conditions. This has affected both quinoa and cacao which is trading at multi-year highs ·         Organic mango show prices 20% higher than last year. The new crop harvests in a few months ·         Amaranth, especially organic amaranth is almost sold out from India and the prices from Peru are expected to be higher ·         Coconut prices are creeping up a bit in Sri Lanka and in the Philippines prices are stable ·         We can book contracts for coconut through June 2023 so locking in now is a good idea ·...
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    49 mins
  • Bulk Ingredients for Soap and Cosmetics with Soap Creek EP: 6

    Bulk Ingredients for Soap and Cosmetics with Soap Creek EP: 6
    Aug 28 2023
    Today’s episode is hosted by Jason Strauch and Garrett McBride. A growing part of Smirk’s business is in the natural and organic soap and cosmetic industry. Just like the with the natural foods business, they supply organic and natural ingredients to this market segment as well.  To highlight the industry, they’ve invited Fred and Roxy Johnson, co-owners of the Soap Creek company based in Utah. They’ve been a customer for several years now and we’re excited to have them with us. What started as a hobby sharing soap with family and friends grew into a local brand selling their projects around their community. When they were accepted into the Natural Products Expo West, it opened the doors to new opportunities. Now they are making products for nearly every big box retailer across the country!           We’re shooting to have more around 100 to 120 employees mark. We feel like that’s a good size company for us and it really has helped a lot to have vendors like Smirk’s helps us along that journey and help us through that growth and support us through that. It’s made a huge difference.” Hear how the Smirk’s and Soap Creek relationship has grown. What started with organic coconut oil has led to many more products. What Soap Creek looks for in a supplier: ·         Certified organic and/or fair trade. ·         Ease in gaining certifications to keep their organic designation. ·         The ability to source a number of products. ·         Pricing and availability. Smirk’s products are food grade which is a great benefit for the soap and cosmetics industry. Hear how Soap Creek uses the ingredients purchased from Smirk’s to make soap. They use more than one process and it’s customized for each customer. Fred reminds us that some of their products have ingredients from the Philippines, France, Mexico and more. Trends in the industry include solid products, saving on costs of packaging and increasing the ability to recycle.   Product Feature Today we are highlighting organic and non-GMO ingredients used in the soap and cosmetic industry. The global natural cosmetics market is expected to reach 48.4 billion dollars by the end of 2023, with 82% accounted for here in the US. The FDA has not defined the term “natural” for cosmetics. Smirk’s defines natural cosmetics as products that contain ingredients that are derived from plants and minerals and are minimally processed. The consumer trend is for products with fewer ingredients, without chemicals and additives. Today’s consumer is also looking for products with less packaging and packages that are easily recyclable. Smirk’s offers a full range of products for use in the natural cosmetic industry: ·         6 oils including avocado and coconut ·         Cocoa butter ·         Pink Himalayan salts ·         Arrowroot powders and starch ·         Vanilla extract Smirk’s contracts these ingredients over time to maintain a consistent supply   Monthly Market Report ·         Ocean freight – overall we have no concerns. ·         Interest rates and the cost of money continue to be a concern for both supplies and clients. ·         Sunflowers – when bombing happened in Ukraine, prices went up for a bit but have fallen back to standard prices. ·         Pumpkin seed demand has been soft, it’s a good time to secure your needs for the fall. ·         Chia is being harvested and we are watching to see how the market responds. ·         Coconut sugar is very tight in the US. It may be October before we have ample product. Overall, things are stable, and we encourage our clients to book for the rest of 2023 and early 2024 to take advantage of good pricing and availability.   For more info on any natural products email us: whatsnew@smirks.com   Check out Soap Creek Products  
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    46 mins
  • The Best Bulk Ingredients for Snacks and Trail Mix Products EP 5

    The Best Bulk Ingredients for Snacks and Trail Mix Products EP 5
    Jul 26 2023
    Many snack brands face a familiar problem: the need to create trail mix products that truly resonate with consumers and offer something different. With so many options out there, it can be challenging to differentiate yourself from the competition and capture the attention of your target audience. Here’s what you’ll learn about the snack market: ·         Navigate through the thriving snack industry with a focus on the prominence of trail mixes. ·         Delve into the intriguing flavor profiles and distinctive attributes that give trail mixes an edge. ·         Learn how to leverage the impact of non-GMO and gluten-free labels to your advantage. ·         Gain insight into the rising popularity of keto and protein references in trail mix branding. ·         Reflect on the careful considerations required in choosing ingredients and packaging for trail mixes. Every brand can position their own trail mix in so many different ways to compete in the marketplace and capture their own following. - Nick Erker Nick and Donny explore the relevance of callouts in trail mixes with a special highlight on keto and protein. With more and more people hopping on the keto bandwagon or looking for protein-rich meals for an active lifestyle, these callouts can be particularly appealing. They also talked about how labels like no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors, are increasingly vital for today's informed consumers. Clearly, callouts can add that extra spark to your trail mix!  The world of unique trail mix flavor profiles and trends is wide and worth exploring. With people's taste preferences changing and diversifying, sticking to the basics isn't going to cut it anymore. Offering a wide variety of flavor profiles for your trail mix, from spicy and sweet to umami and savory, can cater to everyone's palate. Donny also discuss the influence of other ethnic snacks on the trail mix market. Nick explains this is a really interesting direction for trail mix brands to consider. Spicy, sweet, tangy, and umami-rich flavor profiles can offer snackers a little culinary adventure through their snack, making it a refreshing departure from predictable flavor combinations. Hear how it can open up avenues for brands to reach out to niche markets and establish a different sort of brand-consumer relationship. Adopting a customer-centric approach and actively engaging with your audience, we can gather valuable insights and feedback to constantly improve and refine our trail mix offerings. Lots of ingredients have been discussed in the snack category. Donny shares specifics on a few that are really popular including: ·         Cashews, macadamia, Brazil nuts, walnuts·         Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds·         Banana chips, mango, pineapple, papaya (dried fruits that may have sugar added)·         Organic cranberries and goldenberries (great alternatives)·         Coconut chips ·         Cocoa gems Smirk’s is here to help with all the ingredients that you want to use in your natural food snacks. Got a question or need help with sourcing Smirk’s is happy to help. Market Report [19:07] Listen for the details for this month’s market report including: ·         The almond crop was better than expected, so prices are expected to remain stable. ·         Chia harvest is expected to be good. Recommendations to secure your chia supply now for the rest of this year and into 2024. ·         White chia supply may be more plentiful. ·         We’re seeing good prices and availability on gluten free oats. ·         Demand is exceeding supply right now for coconut sugar and we expect the market to remain tight so letting your supplier know what you need is our recommendation. ·         If you need quinoa, we recommend getting your coverage for as far out as you can on quinoa and getting your price locked up. ·         Sunflower seeds are plentiful and US growers can be one of the best sources this year.              Email: hello@smirks.com
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    27 mins
Hygiene & Healthy Living Economics
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