Sonoma Crisps at the Monterey Jazz Festival!

The Monterey Jazz Festival took place this past weekend: the longest running jazz festival in the world!! More than 500 top jazz artists performed throughout the weekend on 9 stages.

Sonoma Crisps was part of the Savor California Tasting Tent at the festival, where Jazz Lovers from all over the world were able to taste delicious wines, beers, gourmet foods, produce..and our SOnoma Crisps Apple Sticks! All products made in the golden state California!

I was there to sample our NEW!! SONOMA CRISPS BERRY BLENDS, which are in select stores in Northern and Southern California :)

Here are the New Sonoma Crisps Berry Blends that I was sampling out at the Festival...

Starting from the left:

Gala Apple Strawberry Blend:

A blend of subtly tart gala apple sticks with sweet 'crunchy' strawberries!

Each bag contains 80 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

Gala Apple Cinnamon Raspberry Blend:

A rich blend of tart raspberries and gala apples with a hint of cinnamon. A flavorful combination of bold, slow-baked apples with a dash of sweet cinnamon balance the raspberry flavor.

Each bag contains 80 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

Golden Delicious Blueberry Blend:

A perfect harmony between the mild sweet flavor of Golden Delicious apples and crunchy dried blueberries picked at its peak harvest.

Each bag contains 80 calories and 2 grams of fiber.

Pop'n Raisin Apple Cube Blend:

This fun blend is made of world's first 'CRUNCHY' raisins mixed with apple cubes for on-the-go healthy snack. The Raisins are grown in the sunshine of Fresno California and are inflated to make them light and crunchy. The golden delicious apple cubes mild flavor complement the raisins flavor subtly.

Each bag contains 107 calories along with protein, fiber, and iron.

It is always so interesting to see the customers reaction when they first try our Sonoma Crisps Products.

I get alot of ...

"WOW!"'s and "Amazing!!" and "Only 80 calories?!!?" lol.

Also, I am always tempted to take a picture of the surprised facial expressions of people when trying the World's First "CRUNCHY" raisin for the first time...hehe

For those of you who were not able to be with us for the Jazz Festival, the Berry Blends are now available at these fine select stores:

Northern California:

Mollie Stones

Whole Foods (Strawberry Blend only)

Marukai Cupertino Store

Southern California:

Marukai (Artesia and Sepulveda Store)

Vincente Foods

Oaks Gourmet Market

Next time I would like to write about the Nutrition value for the berries!! Yay for Antioxidants!!

Sonoma Crisps now available at Raley's!

Today is the second day of September~! Wow I cannot believe how time flies by. I have promised myself to update the blog at least once a week, but have been failing miserably.

On a brighter note, now select Raley's stores in Northern California carries our products!!

Select Raley's Stores carry our products, focused mainly in the Sacramento area.

Sonoma Crisps in a red shipper @ Elk Grove Raley's. Do you notice the little cardboard box hanging out?? This box actually carries our sample bags of our products inside!! This is for customers to try..before you buy! :)

This is at the Fairfield Raley's! The produce managers were all very helpful in setting up the products. Thank you Thank you THANK YOU!

The locations that the Sonoma Crisps are available at are:

Granite Bay, Elk Grove, Laguna, El Dorado Hills, Gold River, Auburn, Grass Valley, Madison and Hazel, Rocklin, Roseville, Natomas, Lincoln, Folsm at the Parkway, Freeport, Fairfield, Calvine, Rush River and Foothills Blvd.

Sonoma Crisps goes to New York!!

Hello everyone! Last month, we had the amazing experience to go to New York for the 55th Summer New York Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center!

The Fancy Food Show has been going on since 1955, and is North America's largest specialty food and beverage marketplace!

Here are some of the amazing statistics, for this amazing show:

16,000-24,000 attendees

250,000 products(!!) including confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic and more

1,300-2,500 exhibitors

81 countries represented

It was my first time going to such a HUGE food show, and also my very first time in New York! It was oh-SO-very exciting!!:)

We were very excited to have a booth at a incredible show :) Here is a picture of our booth!

Brooke (left) and I (right)

At our booth, we sampled our apple sticks, raisin crunches, strawberry blends for people to taste..and it was such a good experience to hear the reviews at a personal level. This was the first show where we were able to present our NEW Raisin Crunches!for everyone to try :)

Yes - NEW..and IMPROVED..! hehe

Research and Development is always ongoing at Sonoma Crisps, and we have added some Cinnamon to our Raisin crunches - and the flavor is ammaaazing! In fact, its addicting - on average, I have to eat one bag of the raisin crunches a day.

Some of the most interesting reactions that people gave us was -not surprisingly for the Raisin Crunches!

"Whoa! Its Crunchy!" "This is a new texture!!" hehe, I wanted to take some of their surprised looks..

I will update more pictures from the show on the next post, but other than meeting many people, sampling products, hearing our products review, meeting other exhibitors, etc..

I had the most fun walking around the show (its HUUUUGE took me 3 days to cover the whole show) and sampling the products, ofcourse!

I felt like I ate, and ate and attee..the whooole trip at New York!

THere was a "EMERIL look-alike" at the show, sampling Emeril's pasta sauces. He looked/talked JUST like him! The pasta was really delicious =)

Our products featured in "What's New What's Hot" item shelf!! *excuse me for the lighting..*

The booths were literally from all over the world, and it was so interesting/fun to look at how each booth decorated their booth..and the sampling of the gourmet foods from all over the world..who can complain about that!?

more pictures to come...

Have a great weekend!!

Hika

I'm in Sonoma!!

Hello!! Time flies when you are having fun!

It's been a while since I've last blogged, but this week I flew up north to SONOMA!!!

I am originally from San Jose, but moved to Torrance, LA for work..and although I've lived in north california for most of my life (went to college @ davis too!), I've NEVER been to Sonoma before..

and oh my gooodnesssss...

I will post some pictures for you all to see...

IT"S SOO BEAUTIFUL HERE~!!!

Amazingly beautiful! Everywhere you go, the scenery is just breath taking..its KODAK moment every moment in Sonoma County lol.

It is my first time in Sonoma County, and also my first time to see the MANUFACTURING PLANT of our product, Sonoma Crisps! I'm so happy and excited that I got to meet the Research and Development Team..Bob, Will, Flora, Lupe, Maria, Ricky.. :)

Yesterday and Today I got to go into the plant as well, wearing a science coat, mask, hair net, hand gloves and all that jazz..and got to see how the APPLE STICKS & RAISIN CRUNCHES are made. It really was fun, and it reminded me ALOT of science/chemistry class from my college years. Also got to taste many samples of each product..since Research and development is always happening at this Sonoma Plant!

As much as I love living in LA, its nice to get away from the craziness , and I'm really enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Sonoma, and its scenery..and wine =D

I will post more pictures later on for all to see!

And THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE who has sent us an inquiry about doing a BLOG REVIEW of our samples.

Sending you love and apple sticks from..Sonoma!

hikari

Retail Stores that carry our products

Hello everyone! How is your wednesday going so far..?

I had a GREAT day so far - had a very positive meeting with a distributor, and seems like we may be having more stores carrying our products..YAY!!

This is one thing I love about being a sales person - you are always out and about, meeting new people, making new possibilities...I'm a type of person who can't sit still, so I must say its a perfect job for me. =)

So far, the stores that currently carry our products are mainly in the northern california region.

Sonoma Crisps are available in the following chain stores in North California:

Andronico's Market: http://www.andronicos.com/

Consentino's Markets: http://www.cosentinosmarkets.com/

Drager's Markets: http://www.draegers.com/

Lucky Supermarkets: http://luckysupermarkets.com/

Mollie Stone's Markets: http://www.molliestones.com/

Oliver's Markets: http://oliversmarket.com/

PW Markets: http://www.pwmarkets.com/

Raley's - Coming Soon http://www.raleys.com/

Whole Foods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Sonoma Crisps are available in the following chain stores in Southern California:

Gelson's the Super Market: http://www.gelsons.com/

Marukai Market:http://www.marukai.com/location-e.html

More to come soon...

If you would like to propose which stores you would like to see our products at, please drop us a line! I and others will do everything we can to make it possible!

-Hikari

Sonoma Crisps Reviews

Hello everyone! It's been a week since I blogged, and I really admire all the bloggers who update every single day. I hope to make this a habit, at least 2-3x a week, and maybe will post some pictures up as well =)

Anyway we have been very lucky to have very popular bloggers to review our products!! Increasingly, I feel that blogs have become a powerful tool for marketing and a way to communicate with the consumers on a very personal level. Because we are a start up snack company, what our consumers think about our product,packaging, and etc., is very very important to us!

So, it has been VERY interesting, reading each blogger's review of our products. Every one seems to have a different preference on our products, and we have been getting many new ideas about our products, and recipes using our products. Thank you Thank You for everyone who has been part of reviewing our products!

Today, I will like to introduce to you a wonderful Blog: Danica's Daily. A blog about living a healthy clean lifestyle filled with good eats! She has wonderful pictures for every post, and I am secretly a fan of her cooking (science projects!?) and her goofy husbands facial expressions. haha :P

Danica has been so kind to write a wonderful review of our products (2 articles!!), and also she has been one of my motivations to continually write in this blog. Thank you, Danica!

Here is the review of our products::
I was so excited when Sonoma Crisps contacted me to do a product review of their products. I was pretty much sold when they said the entire bag is ONLY 70 CALORIES, 1 Weight Watcher Point!My sample pack included 4 packs of their healthy snacks. It took everything in me to refrain from opening them all up the other night when we got home. But, I refrained so I could do a proper review.* Apple Sticks Original* Apple Sticks Golden Delicious* Apple Sticks Cinnamon* Raisin CrunchI really wanted to try all flavors at once but found it hard to justify 280 calories in Apple Sticks. You all may have thought I lost my mind at that point! So, today, I picked the two flavors I wanted to try the most.* Apple Sticks Original & Apple Sticks CinnamonThe nutritional specs are pretty good on their products. They are fairly clean with the exception of fructose (aka sugar) being added. I think the fructose used is minimal as the grams of sugar in a small apple are around (15g /4 tsp naturally occuring sugar) and the entire package has 16 g of sugar for 1 1/2 apples! I definitely think that is "in moderation" and not something to stop you from picking up these tasty treats!The nutritionals on Apple Sticks Original are just as promised:And the Nutritionals on the Apple Sticks Cinnamon ~ YUP that is for the ENTIRE bag!Their Apple Sticks are "slow baked" not dehydrated or fried - there is not a single drop of oil in any of their products ~ how awesome is that?! But, wait, it gets better. Each bag contains the equivalent of 1 1/2 apples. Now that is a really nice size portion for only 70 calories/1 WWP.I have to admit - I absolutely LOVED the "fry" shape!I took 1/2 of each bag for my sample and asked some of my friends/co-workers to tell me what they thought with the other half.I have to say I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!!! They are crispy and snappy like chips, yet, light at the same time. I had a hard time choosing which flavor I enjoyed the most, but, I think I liked the hint of cinnamon the best.All of my co-workers & two other Weight Watcher Friends LOVED them. We all thought they were the perfect snack for the afternoon when you want something sweet. For 70 calories it is a better alternative than M&M jar that shouts my name every day!I definitely think you all should stock up on these and keep them on hand. They would be perfect to carry in the car, your purse and/or keep at your desk. It is a healthy, sweet snack, that you can not only feel good eating, but, you can feel good giving it to your kids too!They sell them at your local grocery stores or if you cannot find them there, click HERE to buy them on Amazon.com.

Thank you Danica! I will be posting up the second review tommorow.

If you would like to review our products, please send me an email at hikari@sonomacrisps.com, if your blog reflects our company's philosophies, we would love to send you a sample for you to review.

Have a great day everyone!

hikari

Products that make Mom's life easier!

Hello everyone! Mother's Day is just around the corner, and with perfect timing Sonoma Crisps has been chosen as one of the 15 Food products that make Mom's life easier by the She Knows website!!

CLICK FOR ARTICLE!!

Taken from article:

Moms looking for delicious ways to feed the family, save time and feel good about the foods they are serving don’t always have time to peruse the growing number of food products lining the supermarket shelves. We’ve done some research for you and think you’ll enjoy our list of 15 food products that make Mom’s life easier.

9. Sonoma Crisps

If your kids nix the idea of fresh fruit because they want something crunchy, hand them a single-serving bag of Sonoma Crisps. Ideal as healthy, on the go snacks, Sonoma Crisps come in three crunch-satisfying varieties: Apple Sticks Original, Apple Sticks Cinnamon, Apple Sticks Golden Delicious, and Raisin Crunch Original. Made from the highest-quality fruit sourced in California and Washington, Sonoma Crisps are baked slowly to preserve their natural flavors and give them their characteristic crisp texture. The Apple Sticks varieties provide the equivalent of 1-1/2 apples per serving at only 70 calories while the Raisin Crunch Original is a mere 60 calories (as compared to 130 calories per small 1/4-cup of regular raisins). All are fat-free, high in fiber and made naturally. These conveniently packaged snacks are available in grocery stores nationwide and are available for order online at Amazon.com. Visit SonomaCrisps.com for more information.Price: $2.20 per 1.05-ounce bag

********

We are very happy to have our product chosen, and hope to continually make mom's choices easier by creating healthy snacks for kids, and everyone in the family.

All the products chosen look wonderful, and as I am a hummus addict, I really want to try the Sabra Hummus!! Yum!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Jump start your brain, Monday

Good Morning~! How was everyone's weekend?? Los Angeles weather has been funky lately, but the sun is out again! And I am happy once again :)

I am originally from Northern California, and although there is alot of things I miss (family, friends, DOG, etc..) I really can't complain about the weather in Southern California (or SO-CAL), and the beach! *sigh* AHh the beach.

In fact, I am moving to Redondo Beach this weekend! I will be exactly 5 minutes from the beach - YESSS !!! =D

anyway, back to work...

There are so many exciting things going on at work!!

We have sent out some samples for give aways to famous bloggers - and I can't wait to read their reviews. I will be posting their links once they have reviewed our Sonoma Crisps!!

Will be posting up more news as they come along.

I don't know if its because its Monday, but I'm really having a hard time organizing everything in my head today.

I need one of these. A mini-whiteboard!!

On one of my appointments, I walked into an office of a very succesful saleslady, and she had a big whiteboard on her wall. She divided the whiteboard into two, and one half was "To do today", and the other half "This weeks goals".

SIMPLE,

but effective! I tend to like to write down my goals too, and having it in a very visible place really helps to get things done in less time.

What is your organization technique?? Any tips? :)

Business Trip Cancelled

We are now at a pandemic swine flu level - Level 5. Vice President Biden recently said he would stay avoid subways and planes as a precaution. To be honest, I'm not a current event expert..but when the news effects my daily life - as the swine flu is doing so right now, I know its bad news :(

I was supposed to fly up to Sonoma County, where our Sonoma Crisps are manufactured this thursday, but my trip has all together been cancelled. Can't complain though, since there is a high risk going to a place with tons of people..

Hopefully the virus will calm down soon and I will be able to fly up to see the manufacturing plant, and see the stores carrying our products in North California.

Here are some tips that I found on the internet, on how to prevent contracting the Swine Flu.

Excerpted from Yahoo News:

1. Wash your hands.

The best thing anyone could do right now to avoid swine flu, experts say, is to wash their hands. It sounds like a stupidly simple response to an overwhelming situation, but nearly compulsive hand-washing helps prevent the spread of this airborne respiratory disease. It's the droplets from coughing and sneezing that spread the disease. These get on our hands. And then everything we touch is infectious.

HOW YOU DO IT is important:

- use warm or hot water if you can.

- Lather up and rub not just your fingers and palms but also under the fingernails, around the wrists and between the fingers for as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.

-Rinse well.

It is important to wash your hands before eating and after using the bathroom, but also after using a tissue or covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough, sick or not. So yes, that's alot of hand-washing. Basically, think of how often you would wash your hands if you worked in an emergency room or operating room. Wash your hands that often and that thoroughly.

2. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

"The way you spread influenza is with droplets that come out of your mouth or nose,' said Dr.George T. DiFerdinando Jr., a physician, epidemiologist and professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey- School of Public Health. He recommends the classic shoulder or crook-of-the elbow sneeze.

Surgical face masks are an option for keeping your droplets to youself, but they dont keep your hands clean and there is no consensus in the health care community on whether face masks are advisable for everyday use.

3. Stay home.

If you're sick, stay home, DiFerdinando said. Try to muster the energy to wash your hands after you use tissues so you don't reinfect everything you touch afterward This helps you recover, and protects your loved ones.

4. Don't touch your face.

Try, try, to keep your hands out of your mucous membranes- your eyes, nose and mouth - direct routes to the bloodstream that allow a virus to bypass the protective barrier of the skin. Few of us succeed at this fully.

5. Avoid sick people

It's a good idea to avoid close contact with other people who are sick, DiFerdinando said, adding:"we won't even see air kisses." The flu virus tends not to float in the air. Instead, once dispersed, the liquid droplets tend to settle on objects that doctors call fomites- things that people touch that can pick up a virus. Examples include coins, hand rails, door knobs, common household and office objects. Smooth objects transmit microbes more than rough or porous ones. So for instance, coins would allow one to pick up more virus than paper money.

Here is the link to the whole article:http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090430/sc_livescience/5essentialswineflusurvivaltips;_ylt=ArwYca79iouP1BsUTMsHfe4DW7oF

Stay safe, everyone!


Hika

First Blog Entry

Hello all, my name is Hikari and I am a sales representative working for "Sonoma Crisps". This is a blog about our company, products, and the everyday life that comes along with it :) I've been heavily blogging in japanese for over a year, but its my first time doing a blog in English! It will be good exercise for my brain.

Our CEO Kay, and administrator Koko will be writing in this blog as well!

-Hikari