EPA Orders Chemical Testing for Hormone Effects

A couple of months ago, we posted a study published by the UK’s Food Standards Industry (FSA), which concluded that organic foods have no more nutrients than conventional foods. What the study didn’t include was the potential health risks of pesticides and herbicides used in conventional foods.
Luckily, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday that they have issued the first test orders for pesticide chemicals to be screened for their potential effects on the endocrine system. “After years of delay, EPA is aggressively moving forward by ordering the testing of a number of pesticide chemicals for hormone effects,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances.
See the entire article here: EPA Orders Chemical Testing for Hormone Effects

Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency

From the Alchemist... Ahmed Rahim

From NUMI's very beginnings, my sister Reem and I knew that working with people around the world had more meaning than just buying and selling a product or service. It was about building a relationship; a partnership for many years to come. Now, after ten years, we have maintained many of our initial suppliers from China, South Africa, Europe and even in our backyard of Oakland. These partners have become friends and have made significant strides and major accomplishments to see NUMI succeed over the years. As we have evolved into one of the leading importers of Fair Labor and Fair Traded Organic teas and herbs to US, it has become even more important to continue evolving and growing our “give back” programs, including some new initiatives we are launching here in Oakland in 2010. One of the most recent transitions to Fair Trade certification is our Chamomile Lemon Myrtle (aka Sweet Meadows). There are a few other ingredients which will be certified early next year by a new certification called Fair Labor Practices & Community Benefits. We are committed to creating a business model that touches many individuals along the way, to make a positive change and share with those that need it most! Thank you for all your support over the years!

~Ahmed Rahim, Co-Founder

A Look at Numi Organic Tea, Then and Now:

THEN- 1999:

Workspace

700-square-foot apartment

Product SKUs

Dry Desert Lime, Rooibos, Honeybush – all first-to-market introductions, including nine SKUs of teas and herbal teasans, one assortment, four SKUs of fruit teas, three tea-infused vinegars and salad dressings.

Innovation

Numi was the first U.S. company to introduce Rooibos to a national audience. The tea soon became widely known as a high-antioxidant tea without caffeine. Numi continued its trend in innovation with a first-to-market offering of award-winning Flowering Teas.

Number of Employees

2: Ahmed and Reem.

Distribution

200 natural food grocery stores, coffee shops and gift shops in the U.S. as well as Canada and the UK.

Growth

Getting our feet wet!

Operations

Reem’s apartment served as Numi’s headquarters, where product packaging, shipping and product development all took place. Orders were organized in a shoe rack in Reem’s studio-turned main Numi office; the 75 square-foot office also housed Ahmed’s bedroom.

Reem’s favorite artist/poem

Artist: Susan Rothenberg Poet: Hafiz

Ahmed’s favorite band

Ben Harper

Founder roles and involvement

Reem painted original artwork that graced Numi’s packaging, using samples of original teas and tea-stained paper to make packaging. Rudimentary process sometimes involved driving her car over the paper as a makeshift printing press. Ahmed created all Numi blends, using Reem’s kitchen as the tasting lab and Reem as the chief taste tester. Ahmed was also chief product photographer, using props from Reem’s garden and home.

NOW- 2009:

Workspace

25,000-square-foot loft warehouse space near Jack London Square with public Tea Garden

Product SKUs

More than 104 SKUs, including teabags, loose leaf, bottled and flowering teas, gift items and accessories. InnovationNumi is the first U.S. company to introduce a complete line of premium-quality Puerh teas to a U.S. audience. Puerh is known as an ancient healing tea with more antioxidants than green tea.

Numer of employees

35: Ahmed and Reem are still at the helm of the organization.

Distribution

Thousands of mainstream and natural groceries, coffee shops, hotels, department stores, restaurants, spas, universities, gift shops, Costco as well as distribution to 29 countries.

Growth

Recognized industry leader; won more than 28 awards in business growth, sustainability, packaging and innovation.

Operations

Orders, shipping, customer service and product development all handled through fully-staffed operations, customer service department, shipping and warehouse teams; products stored in fully equipped Numi warehouse.

Reem's favorite artist/Poem

Artist: Rembrandt Poet: Hafiz

Ahmed's favorite band

Ray LaMontagne

Founder roles and involvement

Reem paints original artwork that graces Numi’s packaging, usually from her own art studio in Jack London Square. As CMO for the company, Reem oversees a professional marketing and design team on all visual and written merchandising. Ahmed creates all Numi blends, usually using Numi’s tasting lab as a test kitchen. As the company’s CEO, Ahmed oversees a qualified operations, QA and sales/foodservice team.

Numi Celebrates its 10th Year

Well, August 7th 2009 marked 10 years since Numi was created and launched. When my sister and I began, I couldn't have imagined the beautiful people and loving communitea that now surrounds us. Numi has become more than just a tea product, but an experience that touches individuals, communities and the environment, not to mention the transformations we have made in the Tea World. Since our inception, we've always brought new and unique teas and herbs to the market. We were the first to introduce Rooibos, Honeybush, Lemon Myrtle and Dry Desert Lime, which remain our most popular flavors. Flowering Tea was another big innovation we launched in the Western World, captivating our audience with blooming tea leaves. Now we are forging new frontiers with our Puerh line, not just in tea bags, but in our new bottled iced teas. The inspiration for our tea infusions comes from our belief in using premium quality organic ingredients, eco-friendly materials and following Fair Labor practices. All of this and so much more is a snapshot into why we are so proud and honored to have celebrated our 10 years with you! Thank you for all your inspiration, dedication and love! ~Ahmed Rahim, Co-Founder

Organic Industry Shaken and Stirred by New UK Nutrition Study

It’s like a marteani, only with a horribly bitter after taste. The organic food industry has been abuzz in recent weeks about a recent study published by the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Industry (FSA), which concludes that organic foods have no more nutrients than conventional foods. But the study did not factor in the potential health risks of pesticides and herbicides used in conventional foods.

The Organic Center, nonprofit think tank to the U.S. organic industry, quickly published a statement asserting that the authors of the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA) study used old data and flawed logic in reaching the conclusion that organic food is no healthier than conventional. The Center alleges that the UK study actually downplayed the positive findings which favored organic food and did not measure important nutrients such as antioxidants.

The Organic Trade Association has appointed nutrition and food safety expert Marion Nestle as spokesperson on the issue, who commented to say that “…there are many reasons to think that organic foods have greater benefits for the environment, for pesticide reduction, and for taste, all of which affect human health at least as much - or more - than minor differences in nutritional content.” [Source: SustainableFoodNews.com]

Stonyfield Farm’s CEO Gary Hirschberg also weighed in, posting an article on the Huffington Post that argues the study misleads the public by ignoring documented health and environmental benefits of organic food: “I believe studies like the FSA report need to look beyond the dinner plate and recognize that organic farming's avoidance of chemicals offers health benefits beyond nutrition.,” Hirschberg said.

Numi shares the viewpoint of its fellow industry advocates, that it’s crucial to look holistically at the importance of organic foods. Supporting agricultural systems that are free of pesticides and chemicals is beneficial not only for the health of consumers, but also for the health of farm workers and for the environment. Numi also urges that organic tea is important to consider, as it is free of chemicals and pesticides, which in conventional teas steep directly into the cup. Why not maximize your antioxidant intake and minimize your chemical intake by going organic?

SF approves pushcarts

We were really excited to see this great news of SF approving pushcarts for healthy street food! It seems so ironic that there hasn’t been more of a street food culture in this pedestrian, park-friendly city; high time that all of those weekend park-goers can enjoy healthy, sustainable and affordable food while languishing in a bit of leisure time in Dolores Park: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/16/MNSC18Q4OI.DTL&tsp=1

Cool off with Chocolate Puerh ice cream

Nothing is more refreshing or cools you off more than a big bowl of ice cream. On this scorching hot Oakland day, we thought we’d send out some food for thought. Thanks to our good friends at Parties That Cook, they’ve concocted a deliciously unique recipe for Numi Tea Ice Cream infused with our Chocolate Puerh blend and accented with whole vanilla beans.

Bibby Gignilliat, Parties That Cook’s founder and executive chef, appreciates teas that incorporate unusual flavors that test the palette. “I love the rounded complexity of Numi’s Chocolate Puerh blend. Each cup is a truly intoxicating experience reminiscent of cacao beans, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and vanilla beans.”

Yum. We can’t wait to try this recipe out!

Need an ice cream maker? Bibby likes Simac’s Ice Cream Machine but if you’re wanting something a little more wallet-friendly, check out Cuisinart’s Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Maker.

NUMI TEA CHOCOLATE PUERH ICE CREAM

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out into the milk
2 bags Numi Chocolate Puerh Tea
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Infuse Milk: In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream, milk and the split and scraped vanilla bean until the milk begins to boil slightly around the edges. Turn off the heat. Remove the Numi tea from the tea bag and add it to the milk/cream mixture. Let it steep for 10 minutes.

Make Ice Cream Custard: In a large bowl, whisk yolks, sugar and salt until pale. Gradually whisk hot cream/milk mixture into yolk/sugar mixture. Return to saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the custard thickens and leaves a path on the back of a spoon when a finger is drawn across it (about 2-3 minutes) or when the temperature reaches 160ºF (do not boil!). Pour through a strainer into a bowl over an ice bath. Whisk to cool quickly.

Churn Ice Cream: Process custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Place in the freezer in an air-tight container. Allow the ice cream to set completely before serving (1 –2 hours).