Awards

Manufacturer and distributor Organika Health Products won Business of the Year for the 76-plus employees category at The Richmond (British Columbia) Chamber of Commerce’s 35th Annual Business Excellence Awards.

People

Frank Jaksch, president, CEO and cofounder of ChromaDex, and Michele Lobo, vice president of nutrition body care for Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence, were appointed as directors of the Natural Products Association Board representing the supplier side. John Montague, founder and owner of Web Vitamins, was elected president of the NPA East region.

Linda G. Sherwin was named senior account manager at Takasago International Corp. (USA). She will handle key accounts in the Midwest.

Company

MOM’s Organic Market opened a new store in Waldorf, Md., powered by wind energy.

Sprouts Farmers Market will open its third Oklahoma location in 2013. Founded in 2001, the natural grocer chain has nearly 150 stores.

Fair trade certified chocolate company Alter Eco received Non-GMO Project verification for its entire line of products.

Better For You Foods, owner of the Better4U pizza line, acquired Natural frozen pizza brand A.C. LaRocco. With this acquisition, Delray Beach, Fla.-based Better For You Foods now sells 15 kinds of natural frozen pizza.

Omega-3 supplement company Nordic Naturals, based in Watsonville, Calif., has launched a free mobile app allowing customers to order products online, find a retail store, learn about omega-3s and set reminders to take their supplements.

Los Angeles-based Marley Coffee partnered with Mother Parkers Tea and Coffee to become the company’s exclusive distributor for all of Canada.

TO YOU Snacks has partnered with world champion water skiers Whitney McClintock and Thomas Degasperi to market the Orlando, Fla., company’s snack bars. The bars feature the athletes on the wrapper and contain their favorite ingredients inside.

Crispy Green, the Fairfield, N.J.-based producer of freeze-dried fruit snacks, relocated and doubled the size of its corporate headquarters.

SCS Global Services of Emeryville, Calif., debuted its Certified Antioxidant Superfoods Program at the PMA Fresh Summit 2012 conference in late October. The certification program tests foods that “have naturally high levels of antioxidants.”

Product News

Novato, Calif.-based Nativas Naturals unveiled Organic Coconut Water Powder. The freeze-dried instant drink powder is activated by adding water and is also certified organic, raw, vegan, gluten free and kosher.

Carlson Laboratories, based in Arlington Heights, Ill., added a new flavor to its Norwegian Cod Liver Oil line: Bubble Gum.

California-based Pharmavite added Cranberry and Dark Chocolate Cherry versions of its SOYJOY snack bars. There are now nine flavors.

Financial News

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation invested $4.6 million in the organic young children and toddler food company Happy Family, based in New York City. A combination of equity and loans, the money will help Happy Family expand its operations. The investment was part of the Battle Creek., Mich., foundation’s mission-driven investment arm.

Onward, Upward and Outward

In late October, nutritional supplement company NBTY opened a new nutritional bar manufacturing plant in Amityville, N.Y. The plant will produce 1 million bars a year and create more than 150 jobs.