Already well-established as the country¡¦s leading retailer when it comes to organics, Woolworths is now ensuring that shoppers can lead a comprehensive organic lifestyle. In line with Woolworths¡¦ organic policy, all the new grocery products are certified by independent organic certifiers who conduct stringent audits to ensure the authenticity of both organic ingredients and organic production processes. The new Woolworths organic grocery offering includes certified soya milk, cream and deserts; liquid stocks; reduced sugar jams, spreads, a stunning variety of pastas and rice, including whole wheat pastas and brown basmati rice; Italian extra virgin olive oil and locally sourced avocado oil; pasta sauces and pestos; tinned tomatoes, lentils, beans and chick peas; vinegars, marinades, mustards, mayonnaise, salad creams and dressings; delicious mueslis, oats and everyday family cereals; sweet and savoury biscuits and snacks; teas and coffees including a decaffeinated ground coffee and All African Espresso beans, brown and white unrefined sugar; nuts and dried fruits; chocolate including French dark chocolate truffles, Italian sparkling drinks (made with sparkling mineral water and fruit juice), and juices. The extensive organic ranges cater for both basic grocery needs and the more specialised tastes of the contemporary cook. Moms will be particularly pleased at having new options for their children such as organic peanut butter (made from only 100% roasted peanuts), tomato sauce, reduced sugar jams, cookies, cereals, instant oats mini flavoured soya milks and a selection of delicious fruit pots in a variety of flavours – ideal for healthy school lunchboxes. It is now easy to offer family and friends complete organic menus ¡V a tasty breakfast or fine Italian dinner. The organic grocery lines are easily identifiable by the new Woolworths organic labels and will be available in stores from February 2008. As South Africa¡¦s trusted supplier of organic produce, dairy, juice and wines, the new comprehensive organic grocery offering, entrenches Woolworths as South Africa¡¦s one-stop organic destination store. ENDS ___________________________________________________________ NOTES FOR THE EDITOR How does organic grocery processing differ from conventional products? With the word ¡§organic¡¨ easily conjuring up images of fresh produce pulled from earth, some consumers are surprised to find out that there are certified organic options for many processed grocery food items. Certified organic processed foods include ingredients that are grown without the use of artificial chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, according to strict organic standards. Furthermore, the products are manufactured in audited, certified organic production facilities. If the same factory also produces conventional products, then stringent checks are in place to ensure that no cross contamination between organic and conventional lines can take place. In order to offer similar shelf life to conventional products whilst avoiding unnecessary food additives, accepted organic manufacturing makes use of processes such as pasteurising, retorting and vacuum-packing to provide effective barriers against microbial activity and ensure product integrity. The Woolworths product development team works closely with its manufacturers to ensure maximum product safety and the minimum use of preservatives within the well-established framework of globally-accepted organic manufacturing standards. What is Woolworths Good business journey? Woolworths Good business journey, announced by CEO Simon Susman on 19 April 2007, is an acceleration of Woolworths¡¦ ongoing commitment to managing the business¡¦s impact as it continues to grow and meet the increasing needs of South African consumers. The Good business journey includes a 5-year plan to 2012 for development in four key areas: ƒ{Accelerating transformation ƒ{Driving social development ƒ{Protecting the environment with includes a specific goal to increase organic and free range food sales to more than R1bn per annum ƒ{Addressing climate change