As indicated in an earlier post on our change to take sesame off of our labels, I had indicated that there would be other small changes to the ingredients as well.  These are the changes that you need to be aware of although they will not change any of the top food allergen declarations:

Sugar:   Currently we use a soft brown sugar that is made of cane juice but is refined.  In the new ingredient formulas, this ingredient will be changed to evaporated cane juice which is unrefined.

Chocolate Chips:  Although we are still finalizing this change, if all goes as expected, the new chocolate chips will have the anhydrous dextrose (corn based) removed and an additional ingredient, salt, will be added.  The 70% dark chocolate chunks will remain the same.

Crisp rice:  Not only will the sesame warning be removed due to the new crisp rice, the addition of honey as an ingredient (rice flour, rice bran, raisin juice concentrate, honey, salt), will mean that Nonuttin granola bars and granolas will now no longer be considered vegan as honey is considered an animal by-product. 

As indicated in the Say Goodbye to Sesame post, here are the details about which labels are changing with expected dates:

We will be moving to the new labels for the USA only at first.  This should take place within the next 8-10 weeks and will occur with all of the granola bars and clusters at the same time.

Canadian labels are expected to be changed within the next 4-6 months.  Why?  Health Canada has been promising changes to the allergen and gluten labeling for some time but most recently they have indicated that the new regulations will be posted in Spring 2010 which could be all the way until June.  So that we can make sure that we meet all new regulations, we will be waiting on Canadian packaging changes until those announcements take place.

In the meantime, be sure to read your Nonuttin labels.  If it still has the sesame warning on it, the formula is still containing the current crisp rice, NOT the new.  All new labels will only say:  Contains: soy (chocolate varieties) or May Contain:  soy (fruit varieties).

While we’re saying goodbye to sesame, we’re saying “hello” to Martha.  Martha who?  Why, Martha Stewart, of course! Read more »

One of the things I struggle with as both the mother of a food allergic child and as a manufacturer is changing ingredients in our products.  This could be removing products, bringing in new ingredients or changing a recipe.  Believe me, every choice is carefully reviewed, often put out to our customers for feedback and truly agonized over.  I walk in your shoes and know exactly how our family feels when a favorite gets put onto the unsafe list.

In April 2007 when we moved to pure oats so that we could respond to customer requests for a gluten free product, it was a Catch 22.  Moving to gluten free would allow so many more people to enjoy Nonuttin products.  Unfortunately, the only way to do that was to move to a gluten free crisp rice from a new supplier, just as that supplier decided to put sesame on the same line. 

Although we’ve always had the crisp rice tested by a lab for sesame before coming to the Nonuttin’ facility and the testing has always been negative, I felt that a sesame warning must still go on our granola labels (bars and clusters).  So we labelled and carefully outlined why we were doing so on our website.  All the while, I’ve been looking for a crisp rice that could meet all of our allergen requirements and remove the sesame without requiring a 10 000 lb custom order.

I’m happy to say that we’ve finally done it.  No more sesame warning!  Read more »

Just in time for Easter, we’ve brought in Divvies 4 oz solid chocolate bunnies to bring some joy to your household. Since they’re made in a gluten free, egg free, dairy free, peanut free and nut free environment, you don’t have to worry about anything except whether to nibble on the ears or the feet first.

Divvies products are at Nonuttin’ for a limited time and in limited amounts so don’t miss out. You can also get jelly beans, gummy stars and Benjamint chocolate bars and plain Bingo chocolate bars to make a delicious Easter basket that’s safe for your family.

Allergen Information:
Divvies does make cookies that include wheat and gluten but they are made and packaged in a completely separate building from the candy that we are offering. The only allergen declaration for all of these items is for soy and all ingredients are posted for each Divvies item that we offer.

Some Divvies jelly beans and gummy stars are fruit flavored (natural and/or artificial flavors) so if you have any fruit allergies, please contact us so we can inform you what flavors are in these products.

If you have any further questions, we’d be happy to answer them at mailto:info@nonuttin.com  or toll free at 1-866-714-5411.

Shipping Times – Canada
Order at the latest by 10 am March 24 to ensure the treats arrive before the Easter bunny does using ground shipping. For information about ground and express shipping times, please see our Canadian Shipping Policies at: http://www.nonuttin.ca/help.php?section=shipping#canada

Go Shopping in the Canadian Store Now: www.nonuttin.ca

Shipping Times – United States
Order at the latest by 10 am on March 18 using ground shipping to make sure there are no disappointed facese. Please see our US Shipping Policies for information about US Customs and Express Shipping at: http://www.nonuttin.ca/help.php?section=shipping#usa

Go Shopping in the American Store Now: http://www.nonuttin.com/shop/

In last January’s enewsletter, I had mentioned that we had received many requests for products with sunflower seeds.  At that time, I asked for feedback on both the pros and cons after which we received several emails for both sides.

After carefully reviewing the feedback and, in many cases, having further discussions with the people who sent in feedback on the con side, it was evident that sunflower seeds would be overwhelmingly well accepted as long as they were  were controlled on the pouch line only (trail mixes, baking ingredients, etc.) in the same manner that we currently control the soybeans. Read more »

Time flies when you’re having fun.  I can’t believe that 5 years have passed since I began making Nonuttin’ granola bars in my commercial kitchen located in my home.  Between batches, I’d be making phone calls, delivering orders to local stores, building our website and eventually, sending orders out by courier.  Originally, we didn’t even have an online shopping cart because I hadn’t envisioned selling granola bars online, only to stores.  But customers requested easy access so I built it. Those of you who have been with us since the beginning probably remember having to phone in your order and I was the only one on the other end of the line.

We’ve been through many ups and downs as many of you can attest to and there have been times that I wasn’t sure that we’d make it, often due to circumstances beyond our control.  And while my husband still has another job, we’re very positive about the future of Nonuttin’ Foods.  One day, I hope to have him working beside me, adding his passion to making our company better and better.

One of my employees who just joined us last September remarked the other day that she couldn’t have kept going for as long as I have with the dedication required.  Both she and another employee agreed that I was very stubborn.  I’m not disagreeing, just that I’d use a different word because the word stubborn indicates an unwillingness to yield, even when the facts suggest otherwise.  Tenacity on the other hand, is defined by persistent determination, even when the odds might be against us.

We’ve been out of that first commercial kitchen for a long time and are again bursting at the seams, ready to grow into our next space.  Where will the future lead us?  I don’t know for sure but I’m willing to use that determination to get me up the next mountain to make Nonuttin’ the company I originally envisoned it to be:  the leader in providing delicious foods for those with special dietary needs.  I’d love to have you accompany me on the journey.

It has been a wild and crazy weekend on the Nonuttin’ front.  Actually, it started about 2 weeks ago when our long planned separation of the Nonuttin’ website into Canadian and American sites began counting down to the actual split which began on Friday. 

It all began as a wonderful idea with all sorts of plans of how the sites would look, how they would function, what writing would need to be different and more.  I began learning more than I wanted to know about search engine optimization and how much re-writing I would have to do of many parts of the website and product pages so that the search engines wouldn’t see duplicate content.  Then the writing began and it’s been an ongoing process for 2 weeks.  Blech!  So much for all of the glamour.

We’re almost there.  You may have noticed that the site has been down temporarily since Friday and since we’re still not done despite working through the weekend, it will be down at least Monday as well.  But…

I’m really thrilled with the 2 stores with 2 separate currencies and the cleaner look.   While many US customers who are close to the Canadian border are familiar with Canadian currency, we were confusing a lot of Americans with how they would be charged.  Not a problem any longer!

We’ve also set up shipping charges that are clear cut BEFORE you start your order and we’re offering the lowest FREE shipping amount we’ve ever offered:  $125!  I’m sure that will make many of you happy.  Cherry fruit chips have been permanently reduced and Canadians can finally see their t-shirts  and lunch kits again since they were removed due to US  Customs issues.

If I can only see the computer screen from my red-tinged blurry eyes, a newsletter will be coming out in the next few days to those who don’t subscribe to our RSS Feed outlining all of the changes (argh, more writing).  Maybe I’ll put my head down on the computer keyboard for just a minute, it looks kind of comfortable, the keys are flatter than I thought, zsdfzdfzdfzdfkjdszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I was in Vancouver yesterday demonstrating Nonuttin’ products for the various chefs, caterers and suppliers who will be very busy during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Paralympics next February and March.  Few of these professionals will actually be feeding the athletes at the games as the majority will be taking care of the vast business surrounding the games:  sponsors, corporate guests, media, governments, visitors, etc.

Talking to the executive chefs at many of the top hotels in Vancouver, I saw that there is a keen understanding of special dietary needs for all meals of the day although we were focusing on Nonuttin’ products as an option for breakfast and snacks.  Some smaller caterers that I talked to though, felt that the the requests that they got for various food allergies and gluten intolerances were too overwhelming.  Add in the concerns about cross contamination and they’ve thrown up their hands in despair.  Instead, they’d prefer to indicate to their patrons that nothing they produce for different catering events are safe for any of those with Celiac or food allergies.

 I do think that things will change.  Take vegetarian meals for instance.  At one point, no caterer would offer a vegetarian entree, but now we see (at least here on the West Coast) at least one vegetarian and perhaps even vegan options offered at every catered event. 

Running a manufacturing company, I do understand that the controls required can be overwhelming but I don’t think that they are insurmountable.  I’d rather see the fear taken out of the equation and some education to occur from our regional health inspectors so that caterers can see that offering at least some options for specialty diets is doable.  And given the increase in food allergies, Celiac disease, cultural and religious dietary needs, any caterer who doesn’t keep up may find themselves with few clients left to serve.

Finally!  After many months of contemplation, the Nonuttin’ blog has begun.

For those of you who follow our enewsletter, you’ll know that I’m never short of words but it would be really nice to have the enewsletters be shorter with the introduction of the Nonuttin’ Notes.  But don’t unsubscribe from your enewsletter just yet!

Following the enewsletter is still a must because there will be exclusive enewsletter deals along with product and allergy/gluten free world information but the blog will give the ability for us here at Nonuttin’ to keep you informed on an ongoing basis.  Enjoy!