Providence Functional Foods Expand to Include Vending and Retail Offerings

Atlanta, GA (I-Newswire) July 18, 2011 - Providence Food Company (www.providencefoods.com; 855-FLORASYN), the Virginia-based industry leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of great tasting and nutritious functional grain based foods and snacks, has unveiled a new varietal line of Mini Cookies for vending and retail applications.

The cookies are made with natural ingredients, no preservatives, and contain significantly reduced levels of salt, saturated fat, and sugar compared to standard cookie products. The full flavor minis, which are initially being offered in four popular flavors, and retailed individually in a 1oz pouch pack and 6-pack count cartons, were formulated to provide a healthier alternative to traditional snack cookies that are found in grocery shelves and vending machines throughout the country. Nutritionally, they beat industry standards in every category required for inclusion into healthcare patient, retail, and vending, menus.

Beyond the great taste and advanced nutrition of the minis, each wholesome cookie contains a clinically proven probiotic, GanedenBC30,(Ganeden Biotech, Cleveland, Ohio; www.ganedenbc30.com), in a per-serving quantity sufficient to provide digestive health support as a part of a healthy diet. The inclusion of this novel probiotic allows consumers to enjoy a dietary benefit traditionally associated with the consumption of yogurt. Since 2009, Providence has been the driving force in the creation of an entire category of everyday foods that provide yogurt type benefits to forward thinking healthcare operators, and consumers who seek to enjoy nutritionally superior, full flavor foods and snacks outside of the traditional refrigerated yogurt cup. Providence functional foods entered hospital patient and retail menus, beginning in the last quarter of 2010, with its 100% Whole Grain Muffin and Pancake products that feature its breakthrough Synbiotic ingredient, Florasyn®.

Including probiotics in non-refrigerated baked products provides a significant opportunity to increase dietary contribution to wellness. Probiotics are "good bacteria" that have been shown to improve digestive health and boost immunity. Unlike many probiotic strains, GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) is unique in its ability to survive harsh manufacturing and cooking processes. Furthermore, GanedenBC30 is shelf-stable, making it an ideal probiotic to be included in a variety of food and beverage products, including chocolate. The survivability and viability of GanedenBC30 can be attributed to the naturally-occurring hardened shell of organic material that protects the bacteria.

These revolutionary cookies are ideal for vending operators facing increasing pressure to provide great tasting, healthier alternatives, but who may have experienced poor unit sales in the category. The flavor and eating quality of the heavily test marketed minis are comparable to other national brands, and they are competitively priced. The first wave of Providence Probiotic Natural Mini Cookies is anticipated to hit US vending machines by the mid-3rd quarter of 2011.

About Providence Food Company

Providence Food Company(http://www.providencefoods.com; 855-FLORASYN), based in Garrisonville, VA, is the world leader in development and manufacture of great tasting, wholesome, nutritious, and healthy Functional Foods featuring GanedenBC30, and its breakthrough Synbiotic component, Florasyn®. .

Florasyn® is a registered trademark of Providence Food Company LLC, Garrisonville, VA., USA.

@Providencefoods on Twitter

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Providence-Food-Company/105187479524

About Ganeden Biotech

Founded in 1997, Ganeden Biotech, Inc. is based in Cleveland and its novel probiotic BC30 is included in the US best selling OTC supplements Digestive Advantage® and Sustenex™ brands, along with the recently launched yogurt, enLiven. It also licenses its patented probiotic bacteria, GanedenBC30, for use in commercial food and beverage applications, medical foods, nutraceuticals and in the animal health industry. GanedenBC30 (Bacillus Coagulans GBI-6086) is self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by an independent panel of experts assembled to assess its safety in use as a food ingredient. For information about GanedenBC30, visit www.ganedenbc30.com.

About Providence Food Company:
Providence Food Company LLC, based in Garrisonville, VA, is the world leader in the development, manufacture, and distribution of great tasting, wholesome, nutritious, and healthy Functional Foods featuring GanedenBC30 Probiotic and its breakthrough Synbiotic component, Florasyn®, a registered trademark of Providence Food Company LLC.
(http://www.providencefoods.com; 855-FLORASYN.
@Providencefoods on Twitter
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Providence-Food-Company/105187479524

Company Contact Information
Providence Food Company
Scott Albertson
PO Box 495
Garrisonville, VA
22463-0495
Phone : 855-FLORASYN