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Ally Mamalider | Organic Traditions
99 Plays7 months ago
Are you a Super Food junkie?! If you love shopping for nutrient-rich products that are packed with fiber or antioxidants or minerals or vitamins or healthy fats, or probiotics, or yummy green stuff (or all of the above) then you’re going to really enjoy this wellness infused episode of Aisle 42 where we talk with Ally, a second-generation founder of Organic Traditions.
We chat through some of their remarkable products, like their wildly popular green powders, mushroom coffee blends, and probiotic lattes.
And Ally shares her journey of growing up in the natural food industry and the inspiration behind their superfood products, organic ingredients, and her family and teams’ sustainability efforts.
To learn more about these amazing super foods visit https://www.organictraditions.com/
To learn more about the makers of this podcast go to: https://www.ethicalfoodgroup.com/podcast.
Here’s a summary of this interview:
Vision for the Perfect Grocery Store: Ally imagines a store with clean labels, simple ingredients, no greenwashing, and products that appeal to all five senses, similar to Eataly or Erewhon.
Growing Up in the Industry: Ally shares her experience of being part of the natural CPG industry from a young age, shaping her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for organic products.
Organic Foundations: Organic Traditions was founded in 2001 with a commitment to 100% organic ingredients, emphasizing quality, food safety, and sustainable farming practices.
Regenerative Agriculture: Ally discusses the importance of regenerative practices in their supply chain and the growing trend towards formalized certifications for such methods.
Superfoods Product Line: The brand offers over 100 superfood items, including greens powders, mushroom coffee blends, probiotic lattes, and functional blends for smoothies and recipes.
Holistic Formulation Approach: Products like the turmeric latte with probiotics are carefully formulated to ensure all ingredients work synergistically for optimal benefits.
Mushroom Coffee Blends: Ally highlights the popularity of their mushroom coffee blends, which offer functional benefits like improved focus and endurance, appealing to wellness-focused consumers.
Sustainability Initiatives: Organic Traditions partnered with One Tree Planted to plant over 10,000 trees in India and plans to extend the program to British Columbia, Canada.
Future Innovations: The company is exploring new ways to incorporate superfoods into daily routines, with a focus on women's health and hormone health products.
Availability: Organic Traditions products are widely available in health food stores across Canada, major U.S. retailers in states like California, Texas, New York, and Florida, and online.
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Transcript
Introduction to Aisle 42 and Organic Traditions
00:00:00
Speaker
This is aisle 42.
00:00:06
Speaker
Are you a super food junkie? If you love shopping for nutrient rich products that are packed with fiber or antioxidants or minerals or vitamins or healthy fats or probiotics or yummy green stuff or all of the above, then you're really gonna enjoy listening into this wellness infused episode of aisle 42, where I talk with Allie, a second generation founder of organic traditions. We chat through some of the remarkable products like their wildly popular green powders, mushroom coffee blends, and probiotic lattes.
Imagining the Ideal Grocery Store Experience
00:00:37
Speaker
And Allie shares her journey of growing up in the natural food industry and the inspiration behind their superfood products, organic ingredients, and her and her family and her team's sustainability efforts. I hope you enjoy listening in. Here's Allie from Organic Traditions.
00:00:55
Speaker
Okay, Ali, I'm so excited for this chat because we've talked a few times that now we can really get into things. I want to talk about super foods and green powders and mushroom coffees and instant lattes and all the good things that you and your team are cranking out. You've been doing this for decades, but before we go down that road, I want to officially invite you to the aisle 42 podcast with the big
Allie's Journey in the Natural Food Industry
00:01:17
Speaker
question. And that is if you were to imagine the perfect grocery store of the future, what would it look like? Wow, that's a good question. It would have better products. It would just not have any of the crap that's out there. Like my ideal grocery store, you know, there's some stores out there that are getting closer to it, but just products that are clean label, simple ingredients that really
00:01:50
Speaker
Do what they say they're going to do or are what they say they are no green washing on the label and just really great taste and variety and like cool stuff that you haven't seen before and beautiful packaging. I think like from a retail, I actually love this question.
The Importance of Sourcing Organic and Regenerative Agriculture
00:02:10
Speaker
like It needs to hit all five senses, this grocery store of the future. It needs to like look nice, everything needs to taste nice, it needs to smell good, the presentation. like Think about the grocery stores that you go into that have like all the different counters and everything's merchandise so beautiful and it's like instantly you're hungry, that like whole experience. It's like Italy meets Erwan meets
00:02:35
Speaker
the nicer law blouses of the world in Canada, for example, but with you know the right products. That's number one. Sounds amazing. I would love that. And it sounds like a destination, and that's one of the common threads across many of the guests that have answered the question, maybe you know similar to you, and that is that there are many of us who really enjoy grocery shopping. Not everyone does, and that's understandable. But for those that do, having a destination can be you know a wonderful experience. But even though for those that don't, and imagine a lot more people going into a grocery store and not feeling anxious and not feeling frustrated and not feeling duped and not feeling like they're potentially wasting money or you know they buy things that their family will eat, but should they eat? And that experience is an important one. So I think that's a ah great answer.
00:03:29
Speaker
Now, you are the first guest we've had on the show that claims a second generation founder ah status, which is remarkable. And, you know, organic traditions has been around for a while. And in unclassic aisle 42 fashion, I'd love for you to sort of take us back in time a little bit. What has it been like to be a part of a company that you grew up in literally as a child? Well, it's been very inspiring. I think that growing up as part of the natural CPG industry in Canada really you know set the tone for exactly what I'm doing right now, certainly. and
00:04:08
Speaker
It's been very educational. It's really made me an entrepreneur. So I, it's funny you asked about the grocery store because like some of my most vivid memories as a child is spending time in health food stores, grocery stores, and then at trade shows, literally from the age of like seven, eight, nine. So it's kind of just been the background to my childhood for as long as I can remember really. So cool. I love it. And you, uh, you wear that mantle very well. And when you speak about your team and you speak about your family's history and you guys lean into such hard places, like let's start with organic.
00:04:52
Speaker
Organic ingredients are so important to you and I do feel that it's a real solid foundation when it comes to a healthier food system if more and more and more brands and food producers would focus on ingredients that are better made, better grown. A lot of good things would happen. It would be ah the beginning of a domino effect, I think, on changing things. So what's it been like for you and your team to really lean into organic ingredients, sourcing those ingredients, making those decisions around innovating around organic ingredients?
Product Spotlight: Super Greens and Mushroom Coffee
00:05:25
Speaker
Well, it hasn't always been easy, but it's definitely been very clear from the get-go. So when my dad founded the brand in 2001, he wanted everything to be 100% organic and hence the name organic traditions. You can't have a brand called organic traditions and not really go after the organic certifications and really follow through on that. So that's been a core, the most inherent value of the brand from day one is that everything needed to be certified organic and really taking it a step further we traveled to all the suppliers that we work with to release see their.
00:06:07
Speaker
quality, their food safety, their organic programs, their certification, whether it's India or Peru or Japan, he was really going himself and developing relationships with these organic farmers. And from an early stage, he really saw the importance of regenerative agriculture, which is pretty much inherent in organic farming for the most part, but some places more than others. So for us, it's like the identity of the brand and it's something that you know we're happy to see it's continued. but
00:06:42
Speaker
It's not always easy. There's a lot of supply that has to either be rejected. It fails third party testing or there's issues with export because organic equivalency isn't the same in every country. But for us, we know that it's what's better for the earth. It's what's better for the consumer. And so we really just have maintained that as a core principle. It's not the most important to the brand. I love it. And it's, you guys have leaned into it so well and he communicated so clearly. Regenerative organic is starting to come into the the limelight. I think consumers are still have some ways to go to understand truly what that is. But, you know, the spirit, I kind of like to refer to it as it's the healing practice of sort of organic is a great baseline. And then regenerative organic is just that extra level of making sure the soil and the systems left behind are improved versus extracted and and degraded.
00:07:39
Speaker
So I'm curious to know, do you see regenerative practices coming into more and more of your supply chain? Yes. So I would say that a big chunk of our supply chain are already doing regenerative agriculture, but what we are going to see change more and more over time as consumers kind of have that growing awareness is more formalized certification programs that actually bring the practices that they're putting in place to light. Some of them have regenerative agriculture certifications, but that's more something that's being done in the domestic United States right now, I'd say than overseas suppliers doing so.
00:08:19
Speaker
And so I think there's gonna be a
Environmental Initiatives and Tree Planting Campaigns
00:08:21
Speaker
shift there. I like the way that you described it. Someone else described it to me as kind of like everything going back to status quo or being back in harmony. So like the regenerative agriculture practice is really all about kind of sustaining the earth back and the farming that you're doing in that area to how it should be as if there was no impact from the farming you're doing whatsoever. And so I know that a lot of Suppliers that we work with are already doing that but they haven't gone and filed, you know For these programs that are just coming up right now So we'll see I think a shift to that and then of course because we want to be able to share with our consumers what we're doing We will kind of chase those certifications as it gets bigger and bigger with our partners as well.
Future Product Innovations in Wellness
00:09:10
Speaker
Very cool. Man, we really dove into the deep end there, didn't we? Let's yeah take a step. Let's talk about product for a second. and So I have on my shelf behind me the super greens, turmeric and probiotics. That's the one that's in our kitchen on a regular basis. But why don't we walk listeners through a little bit. What do you guys make? I mean, let's start with the super foods. Kind of talk to us about some of the, um, you know, products in the super food lineup that consumers get really excited about. Yeah, so Organic Traditions is a superfood company. We make over 100 different superfood items, but we're really all about feeling you to live your best, most vibrant life possible through the power of superfoods. And whether that's using one thing or picking up one of our blends that allows you to try you know a number of superfoods all at once, that's really what we're all about. so
00:10:02
Speaker
Some of the categories that we really lead in are our greens powders, as you mentioned. We make mushroom coffee blends. We make probiotic instant superfood lattes. And we make a lot of other functional blends as well. So think smoothie mixes and things that you can kind of add in recipes day to day. And these functional ingredients, one of the things I keep hearing over and over again by people saying that these are not always easily digestible or absorbed in our body, that our bodies need to be sort of ready for them or able to digest them. What's been sort of the feedback on consumers that, you know, enjoy these products and that they really feel that uplift because they're able to absorb and use everything that's in there.
00:10:50
Speaker
Yeah, I think ah well we've had great consumer feedback on some of you know the products that I mentioned for years, and we're constantly iterating and improving things. But it really comes down to kind of a holistic approach to the R and&D and the formulation of these things to make sure that everything that's in there is in there for
Distribution and Availability in North America
00:11:10
Speaker
the right reason. And all the ingredients are going to work together really well and kind of deliver the result that you're looking for. So a great example would be our turmeric latte with probiotics. It's so delicious. Think like a golden milk latte. It's instant. You just add water and it's great for your gut because you get a billion probiotics per serving. But it's not just herbs and spices kind of thrown into the ingredient thinking like trendy things. It's really fully thought out. So we have turmeric extract powder, turmeric powder,
00:11:46
Speaker
and black pepper. And a lot of brands that have tried to launch something like this, they don't include the black pepper. And this is like getting a little nerdy for a second. But if you don't have black pepper, when you are absorbing turmeric in your digestive system, you actually don't reap all the benefits of the turmeric, you need the black pepper to release the benefits of the curcumin, which is the kind of the compound in the turmeric that has all those great anti-inflammatory benefits, benefits to calm your cortisol down and really like help you get into like a zen state. You just won't get those benefits without the black pepper. So we really like to take a step back in everything that we're formulating and make sure that yeah, you can digest those functional benefits and you're kind of taking it in the right way.
00:12:36
Speaker
That was a good nerd. You nerd it out very well. So yeah, that was well done. Now we got to talk about this mushroom coffee business. So I'm a coffee snob and whenever I try any sort of coffee alternatives, I usually find it quite off-putting. However, I have been more dedicated recently to trying it. um Yours really stands out as far more better tasting than I've ever expected. Who are the consumers that seem to be responding the most to the mushroom-based coffee alternative? Is it people that are sort of trying to kick caffeine? Is it people that want to reintroduce it? like Who's really loving the mushroom coffees?
00:13:21
Speaker
So I wouldn't say it's people that are trying to kick caffeine because the mushroom coffees do still have caffeine. The thing is, I think a lot of people that believe they need to kick caffeine are maybe doing so because of all the other stuff that's in their coffee. So whether that's like, cream, sugar, other flavors, syrups, additives. like Let's just take a step back for a second and evaluate what's in your coffee before you decide to kick coffee because I don't necessarily think coffee's always the issue. Maybe caffeine impacts some people negatively. That's fine. you know Everyone's an individual. but
00:13:57
Speaker
Coffee isn't necessarily the problem always for everyone. I would say that the people who are gravitating to our mushroom coffee it's just the consumers that really want to continue to find those micro moments and like new habits throughout their day that they can incorporate wellness habits. They want to get these functional benefits without needing to take supplements all day long or take like a ton of different supplements. And so why not, if you're going to have a coffee or like a pick me up halfway through the day, I think these consumers that are gravitating to our product, they're really thinking like, I might as well have a drink and benefit from it too. And that's really the whole functional benefit category in general, but definitely the mushroom coffees were seeing that. so
00:14:44
Speaker
We have four mushroom coffees and I would say two of them that are really function forward are it's right in the name, right? So there's one called focus fuel and that's great for memory cognitive function focusing getting into a great flow state at work and then there's one called endurance fuel and that's great for pre-workout powering through a long day really doing physical activity and exertion and so We're really seeing consumers gravitate who are looking for those kind of benefits. I like what you said about a wellness habit. I've never heard that phrase before. I don't know why. It sounds so logical.
00:15:30
Speaker
but When I think of your product, that's exactly where it lands for me. you know I think as consumers, where <unk> we're very aware of you know big tubs of green of powders and meal replacements. and these you know sort of In the powder category, sort of almost sits like um you know it's it's easily understood. but then you're your serving size, your packaging format, obviously what you what the ingredient decks that you have, you know, these fit into a lifestyle more like a wellness habit. I actually like that because it's also like, you know, I think of my own consumption of your product. It's more of a, I would say I most commonly, my wife and I most commonly would have it early afternoon.
00:16:14
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's just very common for us to like grab a bag of organic traditions. Yeah, like at two o'clock. Yeah. It's like, okay, maybe you have normal coffee in the morning and you know, maybe someone's feeling like, Oh, I shouldn't have a second one, but now it's this one that has all these upgraded ingredients. It's clean. It's actually really helping me benefit through the rest of my work day. Or this is instead of me going and eating like a junky snack because I'm feeling like a little dip in energy. So something to kind of keep you stable. And it's just that like afternoon pick me up, you know,
00:16:50
Speaker
Yep, I agree. So on the sustainability front, what are some of the initiatives that you guys are doing internally? And what are some of the things you'd like to do in the future? Oh, I love that question. So we're always focused on sustainability. I'd say they think that we're doing right now that I'm actually really excited about. We just completed last year a campaign with One Tree Planted. And so they're a great organization that does tree planting all over the world. And we had a shopper marketing program where for every bag purchased, we would plant one tree. And we selected to start the program in India because we just source so much raw material from there. They've had a big problem with deforestation. Obviously, there's a lot of countries that have had a problem with deforestation over the past few years, whether that's from wildfires. But we really wanted it to be a place that organic traditions is doing business at the supplier level. so
00:17:49
Speaker
We planted a ton of trees there. I think it was over 10,000 trees in one specific area with one tree planted. And that was just a starting point for us to see how the program went and how it would resonate. And I'm really excited because we're now kicking off kind of the two of that. And we're going to be doing tree planting in British Columbia in Canada and obviously being a Canadian brand. And with the deforestation in BC, we're excited to see where this next part of that goes. So that's kind of what's happening at a brand level right now that we're excited about. And it's great because our community can get involved. And just by purchasing things that they're already buying, they're really going to help us get those numbers up for that campaign.
00:18:34
Speaker
for the future we would love to move. Obviously everything is in packaging and so I think packaging is one of the areas that organic traditions we can make the biggest impact on our sustainability through changing our packaging. We really focus on shelf life stability and food safety. And so packaging, we're always kind of in this tension between what can we do that's more sustainable and what's best for the product. And so I'd love to see us come to a place where we can have fully compostable packaging. But right now the packaging that's compostable has kind of a shorter shelf life than the product itself. So we'll get there. We're working on that.
00:19:20
Speaker
That's cool. Yeah. It's a tough place to lean into, but, uh, appreciate that you're leaning into it. And, uh, seeing how I'm in Vancouver, thank you for planting trees in Burj Columbia. I appreciate that. When I go, I spend a lot of time camping and often, you know, when you're camping in the backwoods, you see all these big chunks of the planet that have been, all the trees have been wiped out and it looks like an apocalyptic landscape and it's, um, it's heartbreaking. And, um, yeah, I appreciate the trees, Ali. Thank you. Yeah. Once we have kind of like the geo map of everywhere where everything's being planted, we'll be able to track it. So we can definitely share that with you. And maybe that's going to be your next camping site. We'll put a pin on the map. What's coming up in the future for you guys when it comes to the products that you make or the trends that are coming down the ah pike? What's sort of on your radar over the next year or two?
00:20:14
Speaker
Yeah. So we have a lot of exciting products in the innovation pipeline. We're really going to work on bringing things to market that are in the super foods realm that are kind of adjacent to what we're doing and what we're known for, but that allow people to think about how they can incorporate super foods in new ways. You know, we're very known for having basically every ingredient you need to build a great smoothie or these functional beverages, but we're kind of thinking, How else can we make superfoods easy for people to use on a day-to-day basis? So that's kind of the question that we're answering in this innovation, all these strategic meetings that we're having. And I will say one thing that we want to focus on in that is
00:21:01
Speaker
women's health, hormone health, that really seems to be a consumer trend that I think is going to continue to grow. And so looking at how we can support that for consumers and make sure that we're bringing products forward that are efficacious and that taste great will be kind of the next wave, I think, of innovation for us. Very exciting. So cool. I love it. And so where can consumers find your product when they're shopping online or in store?
00:21:32
Speaker
So online, we're just at organictraditions.com. And in store, I mean, depending what store you're in, ah we're pretty much in every health food store across Canada, I'd say, and then in a number of major retailers as well, typically in the grocery department. It really just a depends. We have so many products, so it's tough to say what aisle to go to, but you won't miss us in the health food store, that's for sure. I love it. And into the US, I know you guys have some distribution down there. Yeah, so we have distribution in the US. um A lot of distribution centralized around California, Texas, New York, Florida, and we're working on growing that further as well.
00:22:16
Speaker
So good. Ali, thank you for the time. Thanks for everything that you're doing for people and the planet. And I love seeing your product on shelf. Usually there's large chunks of the shelf dedicated to organic traditions and it's a beautiful thing. So thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for listening in on my conversation with Ali. Now take a moment for yourself. A little self-care time. And head on over to organictraditions.com to see how you can feed your wellness habit. Okay, that's it for me. I'm Corwin Hebert from Ethical Food Group, and I'll see you in the future.