March 31, 2015

Kay’s Naturals is a Clara City-based company that creates healthy snack foods that meet the nutrition needs of diabetics, those trying to lose weight and a general population that needs healthier food.

Idea to reality: Create a non-nut snack that appeals to those with nut allergies and build an allergen-free kitchen for the production of these and other foods. AURI’s role: AURI assisted in product and process development, trouble-shooting, shelf-life guidance, nutritional labeling, test market research and scale-up. In addition, AURI provided cost-share assistance for UPC labeling and to secure Non-GMO and Vegan Certifications. Outcomes: Nots! owner Rob Fuglie recently opened an… Read More »Fergus Foods/Nots snacks

Idea to reality: Suntava, a Minnesota food ingredients company, has come up with a natural alternative to Red Dye No. 40. Its proprietary hybrids of purple corn are a treasure trove of healthful food ingredients, from a natural red colorant, to milled components for everything from snack bars to cereals. AURI’s role: AURI has assisted Suntava with a variety of product development activities since 2002. Outcomes: The Twin Cities-based Suntava… Read More »Suntava

Idea to reality: Alise Sjostrom had dreamed of owning a creamery since high school. In the spring of 2014, she and husband Lucas began production at their artisan cheese making plant in Brooten, Minnesota. AURI’s role: AURI provided cost-share assistance for scale-up and product development, pre-engineering related costs, and product analysis and nutritional fact labels. AURI also served as a resource for other needs as they arose, such as calibrating… Read More »Redhead Creamery

Idea to reality: Develop gourmet, fresh turkey sausages to expand Ferndale Market’s line of turkey products. AURI’s role: AURI provided formulations, nutritional paneling and labeling. AURI staff also helped identify appropriate processors and worked with the processors to develop specifications for each new product. Outcomes: Three different turkey sausage formulations were successfully developed and are currently marketed to numerous retail stores across the state as well as at Ferndale’s on-farm… Read More »Ferndale Market