Makers Of Gluten-free Pizza Kits, Organic Chai, Mustard Bbq Sauce, Meringue Cookies Among 85 Companies To Join Nasft

The National Association for the Specialty Foods Trade, Inc., is pleased to welcome 85 new members.

The companies include GalloLea Organics, Asheville, N.C., maker of a gluten-free pizza kit, Koda Farms, a grower of sweet rice in South Dos Palos, Calif., and Southern Soul Barbeque, St. Simons Island, Ga., maker of barbecue sauces and spice rubs. Other new members include producers of Indian and Japanese products, granola, spice mixes, and popcorn.


The NASFT, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, is the leading U.S. trade association for food artisans, entrepreneurs and importers. Today there are more than 2,900 members throughout the U.S. and abroad.

"NASFT membership signifies a company is a viable enterprise in the specialty food industry," says Ann Daw, president of the NASFT. "We strive to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of food makers and are delighted to welcome these new members and the innovative products they will bring to consumers."

To join, a food company must first be approved by the NASFT Admissions Committee, an 11-member panel of food makers, distributors and retailers that reviews detailed applications and ensures the business produces products that qualify as specialty foods. The NASFT Board of Directors votes quarterly on the committee's recommendations.

Benefits of membership include the opportunity to exhibit at the NASFT's biannual Fancy Food Shows, North America's largest marketplace devoted exclusively to specialty foods, participation in the sofi� Awards, the highest honor in the $70 billion specialty food industry, and a wide range of education programs and networking events. For information on membership, click here.

About the NASFT

The NASFT, based in New York City, is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 that fosters trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food trade. The NASFT's website for consumers, foodspring.com, provides an insider's look at specialty foods and the entrepreneurs and artisans behind them. For more information, go to http://foodspring.com/about/nasft. For information on NASFT's Fancy Food Shows go to www.fancyfoodshows.com.