Virginia Dare: The Name Says It All
If you are a history buff you already know the significance of the name Virginia Dare. But for those who do not, Virginia Dare was the first English child born on American soil in 1587 in the Roanoke colony off the coast of North Carolina. Later, it was said in Native American legend that the beautiful young woman, Virginia Dare, was mistaken for a white doe and shot through the heart with a silver arrow from a hunter’s bow. According to the company, the name Virginia Dare came to symbolize wholesomeness and purity, and when Garrett & Company was founded in the region in 1835, the name was adopted as a brand for its wine produced from the native scuppernong grape.
With the institution of prohibition in 1919, Garrett & Company was required to reduce the alcohol content of its wine. It was then that it decided to utilize its uncommonly fine alcohol in the manufacture of high quality flavoring extracts. Dr. Bernard Smith, a noted flavor chemist, was charged with establishing this line of flavors that would carry the name Virginia Dare.
Over time the company’s flavoring extract arm did so well that in 1923 the Virginia Dare Extract Company was established. Now more than 75 years old as a flavor extract company, Virginia Dare, which is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, is involved in the manufacture of vanilla products, tea, coffee and cocoa concentrates and a uniquely varied line of compounded flavors for a broad spectrum of food and beverage applications. The company’s large portfolio of flavor offerings serves many industries including bakery, beverages, cereal, confectionery, dairy, desserts, food service, functional and fortified foods, ice cream, pharmaceuticals, prepared food and snack food.
Always on the lookout for new territories, the nutraceuticals market is one of the company’s more recent endeavors. In exploring this new market, Maureen Draganchuk, vice president of business development, explained, “Part of our focus was to look at how our existing pharmaceutical, food and beverage business would fit into the functional and fortified food business.” She added, “We went to conferences and trade shows to try and understand how those markets would mesh.”
Areas of interest to the company include sports nutrition products, beverages, energy bars and cereals. In order to mask the prominent off-notes of sports nutrition products, for example, the company expanded its line of masking agents under the name “Prosweet.” Prosweet is a brand of flavors that function as masking agents in fortified foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals.
On the regulatory front Ms. Draganchuk said, “In terms of the dietary supplement and nutraceuticals area the government is really starting to catch up. They are starting to clamp down on companies and their claims.” She added that, compared to last year, there are far fewer new product launches in this area. “Right now I see a lot of people taking existing products and fortifying them with vitamins and minerals. In addition there is an enormous increase in calcium fortification, which works really well for us because our masking agents are effective with these products,” Ms. Draganchuk said.
The commitment from Virginia Dare remains with customers from product concept to product launch. Ms. Draganchuk explained, “We help with product development across the board and have developed solid partnerships with companies as a result.” She continued, “We like to be with the companies every step of the way, as it is more effective than to fire flavor samples out the door to companies because that is a shot in the dark. We are a full service company and we will help develop a concept from start to finish.”
For the future, Ms. Draganchuk predicted, “We will continue to grow our Prosweet line in addition to our entire flavor line.” In addition, one project that is underway is the development of a library of flavors that work well with soy. This comes in response to the numerous requests Virginia Dare has received for developing and masking soy-based foods and beverages, said Ms. Draganchuk.
—R.M.
Virginia Dare
882 Third Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Telephone: 718-788-1776
Fax: 718-768-3978
E-mail: pkerner@virginiadare.com
Website: www.virginiadare.com.
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