press releases...
Potted winter warmers for those on the hop
16 November 2007
The desire to gorge on rich, stodgy comfort food this winter can send us dozing off onto the nearest sofa. But Grasshopper's range of creamy organic instant porridge pots - now available at Planet Organic, the UK's largest fully certified organic supermarket - provides a delicious, energy-boosting start to the day and is a hot, hearty alternative to mainstream fast food.
Favoured by world-class surfers and Olympic sailors to fight off the bitter sea breeze while revitalising them after physical exertion, Grasshopper has been munched globally. The Cinnamon & Raisin flavour is warming, fruity and spicy, while the Coconut & Date is creamy and sweet. Simply add hot water, stir, let it sit for five minutes with the lid on and it's ready to eat. . Great for Olympic challenges - or a long-haul flight with young children and bad airplane food.
Organic and natural, Grasshopper's potted instant porridge (£1.99 each) contains milk from dairy herds that are never tethered and are free to roam, and is made with only the finest ingredients that comply with the Soil Association - no GM ingredients here! The pots are recyclable and even its shrink-wrap is made from sweetcorn.
Planet Organic sells only the freshest, most healthiest organic food, skincare and natural lifestyle products, based on an ethos of caring for ourselves, but not at the expense of our communities or planet.
"As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, our hibernation instinct kicks in. Energy levels wane and we graze on rich, comfort food that does little to revitalize the mind and body in tandem with our busy modern lifestyle, " said Renée Elliott, founder of Planet Organic. "Only through eating well will we be able to fuel our body and mind so that it performs at its optimum best. We're very proud to offer only the highest quality foods and products essential in promoting good health and general well-being."
Nationwide Deliveries 0207 221 1345 or deliveries@planetorganic.com.
Notes to editors
About Planet Organic
Planet Organic (www.planetorganic.com) was the UK's first fully certified organic supermarket of its kind when it first opened its flagship store in Notting Hill, London, in 1995. It revolutionised the retail scene by offering only natural and organic food, drink and lifestyle products which are kind to the environment and promote fair-trade. Each item is hand-picked and carefully chosen; great consideration is taken on the quality of ingredients and how the produce is grown and consequently transported. Every customer can have good faith in the fact that, when they buy from Planet Organic, they are not only contributing to a genuinely healthier and happier lifestyle, but an environmentally friendly and ethical one too.
Planet Organic is also the first (and, so far, only) high-street supermarket to launch a new, entirely compostable and biodegradable plastic-free carrier bag, which - upon its first week of being introduced - decreased the volume of carrier bags used in all of its stores by 75%. Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, praised Planet Organic for "setting a prime example for other retailers to follow" and for "tackling a key issue in society today".
Food chains are responsible for one-third of all goods dumped in landfills. Planet Organic prefers to send its surplus food to people in need via the charity Fareshare. This enables socially committed organisations to release budgets for important work and rehabilitation programmes that will make a real difference to the community.
Planet Organic has won many awards including: Soil Association Independent Organic Retailer of the Year 1997 and 1998; Highly Commended Store Award 1999 and 2000; Retail Design Award 2001; Natural Products Annual Industry Award for Best Large Store 2004, and the Soil Association Organic Industry Awards for Best Large Organic Store 2005.
Planet Organic sells all natural foods, 90% of which are fully organic and all of which are additive, GMO and hydrogenated fat-free. These include:
fruit and vegetables
artisan confectionary
wheat and wheat-free bread and cakes
wild, line-caught and organically farmed fish
fresh, free-range and organically reared meat
luxury food gift hampers
wines and fresh juices
dairy and dairy-free yoghurts, ice-creams and milk
baby products
paraben and synthetic-free beauty products
books covering everything, from nutrition to juicing
delicious, freshly-prepared food to eat-in or takeaway at the in-store café
eco-friendly household products
Planet Organic also offers:
One-to-one health and body care consultations
A well-informed team to answer any questions
Food deliveries to either your home or workplace, anywhere in the UK, with next day delivery for customers residing in London.
Service and delivery charge for orders over £100 within London is £3.50. All other orders are £7.00. For call deliveries, mail order and hampers call 020 7221 1345.
In the pipeline, Planet Organic will be:
Opening further stores in London
Hold monthly in-store talks by local therapists and health experts on how to lead a healthier lifestyle
Host mother and baby coffee mornings to bring the local parenting community together.
About the founder
Planet Organic was founded in 1995 by former American wine journalist Renée Elliott, whose passion for natural food combined with a staunch sense of responsibility for the environment and the indigenous communities commonly exploited by the conglomerate trade, became the very basis upon which the UK's first ever organic supermarket was built. Today, Planet Organic has grown to be the UK's largest independent organic retailer.
Renée has worked in the organic industry for 14 years and is an elected general member of the Soil Association council since 1999. Such is her expertise that she previously acted as government advisor on contentious GM issues. Renée is also a member of the Multiple Retailers Working Group and continues to act as an advisor on organic issues to a major US fund. Since her appointment to the government's Organic Action Plan Committee in 2004, the UK has seen a 46% rise in organic produce. Renée also co-authored The Planet Organic Cookbook - Naturally Good Food (DK Organic, May 2001).
Renée says: "Shopping, cooking, and eating the Planet Organic way is as much about pleasure as good health. We celebrate food. My life is dedicated to healthy eating and sustainable agriculture whether I'm at work or it's my day off."
Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in the deep south of America and brought up in Massachusetts, Renée, 43, is married, pregnant and lives with her two children in West London.