Food & Drink Awards 2020

Page 44 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Food & Drink Awards The snacking industry has gone through a dramatic change over the past decade, with more companies looking for ways for their customers to enjoy their products without compromising the level of nutrition. While many have done this to varying degrees of success, none have done it quite like I Amaranth. I Amaranth have not looked at modern advances to perfect healthy snacking, they have instead revolutionised it with the help of a plant that dates back over 7,000 years: Amaranth. Alberto informed us of the importance ancient colonies attached to the Amaranth plants “In ancient Mesoamerica amaranth was known as huautli, meaning ‘the smallest giver of life,’ Azteca gave it to their warriors, reserved it for women in their birth giving years and worshipped it with religious ceremonies. Amaranth is truly unique, gluten free and amazingly tasty.” By creating healthy snacks using the Amaranth plant, I Amaranth took this naturally occurring, ancient phenomenon and turned it into something that has a place in the 21st Century. Starting as a small street food vender, this family owned business grew into something spectacular, that offers snacks of all varieties. “What began as street food we Chocolate, sweets and crisps, what do they have in common? They taste great but are bad for you. Traditionally this has been the belief of virtually everyone: the best tasting foods, are the ones you should be eating sparingly. Yet, there are companies out there challenging this belief. One of those is the LUXlife: Food and Drink Awards winners of Most Innovative Specialty Healthy Snack Company 2020 – California: I Amaranth. I Amaranth is a healthy snack company looking to shake up the snacking industry with foods that are healthy, nutritious and good for you - without compromising flavour. We spoke with I Amaranth’s Alberto to see what it is that sets them apart in the world of healthy snacks. Oct20193 I Amaranth Most Innovative Specialty Healthy Snack Company 2020 - California took a step further and made a Gluten Free, vegan and healthier versions of all of the favourite amaranth snacks we all grew up enjoying from the time we were children. We are proud to be a family owned business, and lovers of amaranth, each of us in our own way.” I amaranth is an ethical company, that cares for all involved in the production of their products. They put a lot of effort into ensuring that everyone from the farmers to the consumers get the best from their company and the snacks they produce. “We work directly with the farmers; our amaranth is local and organically grown in a friendly way to the planet and fairly traded with amaranth communities. We include as much nutrition as possible in all our snacks. Besides amaranth, we use chickpea flour, flax, sesame and chia seeds to give an Omega 3 and Calcium.” Something that stands out about I amaranth is that this isn’t a big company pushing a product on to consumers that they themselves don’t believe in. It is a company of people who grew up using this product and has grown to include more individuals that endorse a healthy lifestyle. “Our staff are always committed to a healthy lifestyle; we want to extend our values to everyone involved with our company. We do look for people who love our snacks, have our values and understand what it takes to have a healthy lifestyle.” I amaranth sets itself apart from other healthy snack production companies because of the intimacy it offers. With this being a small business, it can form relationships with its suppliers and consumers. Above these things though, is the fact that I amaranth has a level of malleability, as well as a keen eye for detail, which helps in maintaining a high level of quality. “Our high-quality standards have helped us continue with our sales, as we are new business, it’s easy for us to adapt new markets, clients and even countries.” There is no doubt that I amaranth are deserving of the LUXlife Food and Drink Awards Most Innovative Specialty Healthy Snack Company 2020 – California title, as it takes an innovator’s mind to utilise something ancient to make something revolutionary and that is exactly what they have done. Company: Amaranth Contact: Alberto K Website: www.iamaranth.com