Years before today’s companies even thought of starting, HempNut won the Cannabis industry’s first awards, the Hemp Achievement Award in the Hemp Food category. Three of them, in fact, in just two years 1997/8, all for food innovation including HempNut brand shelled hempseed, the industry’s first.
| To: | Assignments or News Editor |
| Date: | June 1, 1997 |
First Recipient of Award for Hempseed Food Achievement
Richard Rose, founder, owner, and Le Grand Fromage of Rella Good Cheese Co. (formerly Sharon’s Finest) today received the first annual “Hemp Achievement Award” in the Hempseed Food category. Sponsored by Hemp Times Magazine of New York City, the Hemp Achievement Awards honors people in the industrial hemp field who have made significant contributions in men’s fashion, women’s fashion, accessories, body products, technical aspects, paper, hempseed food, and activism. Winners were be chosen by an anonymous industry committee, of which Rose’s selection was unanimous. The awards coincide with the Eco-Pavilion exhibition at the International Fashion Boutique Show in New York City, May 31-June 3.
Sharon’s Finest introduced HempRella in 1994, and Hempeh Burgers in 1995 to the North American food market. In 2 years HempRella became the 19th best-seller in the cheese alternative category, making it the single best-selling hemp product of any kind in the U.S. The 10-year old company also markets TofuRella®, TofuRella® Slices, AlmondRella, Zero-FatRella, and VeganRella.
Rose volunteers time and resources to the 175-member Hemp Industries Association, of which he is a Director, Treasurer, Chair of the Food Committee, and Certification Director. With 17 years of natural foods processing and marketing experience to draw from, he has written many articles on hempseed foods, funds primary research in the field, and disseminates information on the subject via the Internet.
Last year Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke also honored Rose for his work in the industrial hemp field, granting him a Citizen Citation in September.
Hempseed foods have been in human diet for thousands of years, mostly in Asia. Hempseed is very high in essential fatty acids, complete albumin protein, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hempseed contains no THC, which is only formed in the flowering tops of certain varieties of non-hemp Cannabis.
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