ELWOOD, IND. — Red Gold, Inc., an Elwood-based producer of premium tomato products, has transitioned to Non-B.P.A./B.P.S.-lined cans and has received Non-GMO Project Verification for nearly all of the canned tomato products under the company’s four brand labels. The company also has redesigned its labels to unveil a cleaner, easier-to-read format.
“No other canned tomato brand out there has this level of transparency on their labels,” said Colt Reichart, a fourth-generation family owner at Red Gold. “Rather than create something to meet other standards, we elevated our objectives to deliver information that’s top-of-mind among our consumers. We know our fellow food companies share that drive to exceed their customers expectations, and invite them to join us in this effort.”
The company’s brands include Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso and Sacramento, with products ranging from whole, diced and crushed tomatoes, to tomato sauce and tomato juice. The company, which said it is the first tomato brand to offer Non-GMO Project Verified products in a Non-B.P.A./B.P.S.-lined can, said no major changes were made to its growing and canning operations to receive verification. The verified non-G.M.O. products began shipping to grocery stores and food service distributors after the harvest last fall.
“Everything we do as a company is guided by our mission to provide the freshest, best-tasting tomato products in the world,” Mr. Reichart said. “Our decision to pursue third-party verification was born out of the marriage of our mission and values. We’ve always done the right thing. Our customers have never had reason to question it, and now we have measured that validation through an independent organization.”
Partnering with more than 50 family farms across Indiana, southern Michigan and northwest Ohio, Red Gold uses tomatoes that are grown within 200 miles of its facilities. Tomatoes are washed, processed and canned within approximately one hour of delivery to a Red Gold facility. As part of the Red Gold’s sustainability practices, tomato peels and seeds are saved and converted into animal feed, and the company said it is on track to reach zero-landfill status by 2017.
“Each can shipped from Red Gold holds the quality and promise that only four generations of family-run operations can deliver: the best tomatoes, created from responsibly and sustainably-managed crops grown on family-owned farms,” Mr. Reichart said. “Proving the pure goodness of our products was a logical thing to do as a business, and honors the trust that families place in us each time they use our products.”
Bisphenol A (B.P.A.) has been used in metal food packaging for more than 40 years and is one of the safest packaging options in the world, according to studies and regulations put in place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, as the clean label movement gains steam, more consumers are calling for B.P.A.-free packaging. Companies that have recently announced a transition to B.P.A.-free cans include ConAgra Foods, Inc., Campbell Soup Co., and Del Monte Foods.
