Fancy Food Find: Natierra
In the “Fancy Food Find” series, take a closer look at some of the treats on display at the 2015 Winter Fancy Food Show.
Some of us travel to open our eyes to the environment around us and gain perspective. Others travel to learn about themselves and develop skills. For Thierry Ollivier—founder, CEO, and president of Natierra—who spent a decade traversing the world, he realized he had the power to do something meaningful in his career. “I traveled to countries and communities where I met farmers face to face,” Ollivier explained in an interview, “I learned about the way they earned their living, their relationship with the land, and how assistance can impact their livelihood in a big way.”
Its name a bilingual portmanteau of “nature” and “earth”, Natierra also represents the 2014 merging of Himalania and Nature’s All Foods under one future-focused brand. Ollivier launched his venture into the superfood and gourmet salt space in 2001 with Brandstorm Inc’s Himalania Goji Berries and Himalayan Pink Salt. Ten years later, Ollivier honed his expertise in the organic industry to launch Nature’s All Foods, the first organic and Fair Trade freeze-dried fruits and veggies line.
Today, Natierra fuses the spirit of adventure and the celebration of health and community to bring conscious consumers unique superfoods, gourmet salts and on-the-go snacks. The company’s tagline “Superfoods with Soul” symbolizes its commitment to forge responsible business decisions that foster social progress and sustainable harvesting.
First, under the Himalania brand, you can find goji berries, hemp seeds, and chia seeds in both pure and covered (think cacao dusted, chocolate, and yogurt) options. Benefits include vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, protein, and Omega 3 and 6 healthy fats, so munch on these snacks directly or add them to salads, soups, and more.
Natierra’s salt line also falls under the Himalania moniker, with pink salt, ice salt, and inkasalt varieties. Forget iodized table salt, which is heavily processed to eliminate minerals and prevent clumping, thus eliminating nutrients and flavor. Pink salt, for instance, is an unrefined, unprocessed “raw” salt that’s hand-mined from the heart of the Himalayan mountains. It’s an excellent finishing touch to any dish, including fish, pork, vegetables, soups, and sauces.
Second, Natierra’s Nature’s All Foods brand proves that freeze-dried food is not just for astronauts. I still get excited by freeze-dried ice cream from science museum gift shops, but hadn’t spent much time exploring freeze-dried produce options. Freeze-drying removes 98% of food’s water content, preventing it from spoiling while maintaining most of its flavor, color, texture, and nutritional value (and making it a crunchy alternative). One whiff of Natierra’s pineapples, for instance, transported me to a Hawaiian pineapple field. Natierra’s line contains both fruits and vegetables, also in pure and chocolate-covered versions; choices range from strawberries to roasted corn to chocolate covered bananas.
If you’re looking for inspiration, Natierra also features recipes for every meal of the day. From pink salt butter and honey caramels to shelled hemp seed pesto to lemon and herb marinated grilled chicken, there’s bound to be a dish that sparks your interest.