Press Releases

Frontier Natural Products Co-op Introduces Fair Trade Certified™ Vanilla For Home Baking
Bottled Extract On Shelves for Baking Season

June 30, 2006

Norway, Iowa (June 30, 2006) -- Frontier Natural Products Co-op, a leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of natural and organic products, introduces Frontier Fair Trade Certified(TM) Organic Vanilla, the first Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic vanilla extracts and flavors for home baking in the United States. The company is the leading supplier of baking flavors to the natural food market.

Fair Trade Certified(TM) vanilla ensures that small-scale farmers receive a fair price an d use sustainable farming practices--stabilizing vanilla-producing communities and protecting the environment.

Frontier's seasonings category manager Brett Karminski says the new vanilla is a result of the Frontier Purchasing Group's determination to find an ethical source of high quality, organic vanilla extract. "They located a group of small-scale farmers on the outskirts of Bangalore, India, dedicated to sustainable, biodynamic farming and social responsibility who produce an absolutely top-quality vanilla, with a distinctive sweet and creamy flavor that is full, rich and perfect for baking," said Karminski. Frontier contracte d with the group and then helped facilitate the group's communication with Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), which resulted in the Fair Trade certification.

The group, mostly two- to five-acre family farms, is committed to using sustainable practices to halt the erosion of land and decline of the small farms in the area and is active in social causes. The sorters and other workers involved in production are paid well above average rates, and the workers are predominantly female--almost unheard of in India, where women are seldom given good employment opportunities. Also, the group is part of a larger non-profit Indian organization that does charitable work with the nation's poor including helping feed 100,000 needy children every day.

Frontier Fair Trade Certified(TM) Organic Vanilla is certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI) and bears the USDA Organic seal. It is also kosher certified by KSA, and is freshness sealed and dated. The extract is available in 2-oz. and 4-oz. bottles with a suggested retail price of $5.49 and $9.99 respectively. Additional sizes of the extract and a line of Fair Trade Certified(TM) Vanilla Flavor will also be available this fall. Complete product and sales information is available at 1-800-669-3275.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Frontier Natural Products Co-op(TM)
Founded in 1976 and based in Norway, Iowa, Frontier Natural Products Co-op(TM) offers a full line of natural and organic products under the Frontier, Simply Organic®, Aura Cacia® and Aura Cacia Organics® brands. Products include culinary herbs, spices and baking flavors; bulk herbs and spices; and natural and organic aromatherapy products. Frontier's goal is to provide consumers with the highest-quality organic and natural products while supporting and promoting social and environmental responsibility. For more information, visit Frontier's website at www.frontiercoop.com.

Media Contact:
HenryRussellBruce
Colleen Scholer
Senior Public Relations Counselor
cscholer@hrb-ideas.com
319-298-0242
319-298-0243 (fax)