The World’s most Socially Responsible Cookie
By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
 Vermont
cookie maker releases new and improved socially responsible product line.
Liz Lovely Inc, a Vermont-based, nationally distributed
cookie maker has re-released their entire line of cookies as Certified Organic,
Certified Fair Trade and Certified Vegan. This is the first nationally
distributed product in this segment to acquire all three certifications. The
suggested retail price of the cookies has not changed: $3.99 to $4.39 for "2 big
ones".
 "The
wizards at Liz Lovely made my favorite cookies even better! They’re now
Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified. And at the same price…wow!" remarked
Clem Nilan, Director of Purchasing for City Market, a downtown cooperative
grocer in Burlington, Vermont.
I still remember the first time I tasted a Liz Lovely
cookie. I am not a vegan. I can’t even say I eat very healthy—except now that
chocolate and coffee are considered healthy my healthy eating rating may have
soared.
After one bite, I could not believe they were Vegan. They
tasted as good or better than anything vegan I had ever tasted.
 They
were so good, I was afraid I would eat them all up quickly (and I KNEW that was
not healthy)
I called my favorite vegan and asked him to come try the
cookies. Cliff eagerly came over and pronounced them the best he had ever
tasted. (Just for background, you should know that Cliff’s Vegan and Cookie
credentials are based on the fact that he got me started on Trader Joe’s
unsalted peanut butter)
Cliff has good taste—but is really picky about what he
eats. I know he would pick Liz Lovely cookies.
Liz Lovely Releases First Certified Organic, Fair Trade, Vegan Cookies
According to Dan Holtz, Liz Lovely’s vice president of
sales, "Customer demand for Organic and Fair Trade products is huge, and still
growing. We’re first-to-market with these certifications, and it was not easy to
achieve all three certifications. Our new recipe uses only sustainably harvested
organic palm fruit oil in place of the processed egg and butter substitutes we
were using previously. It’s also important to note that, unlike palm kernel oil,
palm fruit oil is heart-healthy and 100% free of trans-fat."
 While
many natural foods companies look outside their business for recipe formulation
and manufacturing resources, Liz Holtz, president and founder of Liz Lovely,
does not subscribe to this philosophy. According to Liz, "We have an artisan
philosophy. Everything is made from scratch in our own bakery, not in some giant
contracted food factory." She added, "We’re extremely excited about the new
organic recipes. They’re uncompromising in flavor and in their commitment to
social responsibility."
Liz Lovely partnered with the Vermont chapter of the
Northeast Organic Farmers Association and
TransFair USA to identify available ingredients, setup audit trail systems,
and prepare the business for Organic and Fair Trade certification with the
respective organizations. Liz Lovely has been Certified Vegan by
Vegan Action since their inception in 2003.
AND SO THE LOVE STORY ENDS HAPPILY AND HEALTHY EVER AFTER
Liz Lovely was founded in 2003 by high school sweethearts
Liz and Dan Holtz and is located in the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Liz Lovely, Inc. bakes and distributes Certified Organic,
Fair Trade Certified, Certified Vegan cookies to leading natural foods retailers
throughout the country. Cookies include Cowboy, Cowgirl, Peanut Butter, Ginger
Snapdragon and Macadamia Mountain. Liz Lovely also sells eco-friendly baked
goods and gift baskets for consumers, corporate giving, and events directly from
their website. The company’s socially responsible mission is summed up in their
tagline, Baking a DifferenceTM
For more about Liz Lovely, visit
www.lizlovely.com |
