At 9AM this morning, Hawaiian Ola sponsored Ultra-Endurance Athlete Jason Lester embarked on an epic journey—a 3,100-mile transatlantic run across America. The journey began at San Francisco’s city hall and will end in New York City New York. In collaboration with Waves for Water (W4W), which supports neighborhoods and communities recovering from Hurricane Sandy, Jason and sponsors like Hawaiian Ola are working to meet a noble goal.

The aim is to raise $20,000, which will rebuild a home for one family, giving them a restorative step forward toward the future. The ultimate goal? To raise as much money as possible to help many families rebuild their homes. As Jason crosses the US, Hawaiian Ola will be following his progress closely and sending him plenty of Noni Energy along the way. Our final post will be from New York City NY, where Ola will join Jason to celebrate the end of a tremendous feat.

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Everyday, millions of people take part in a beloved daily ritual. For some, it’s starting the morning with a fresh cup of coffee, for others it’s a steamy gourd of Yerba Mate. What they have in common is something that’s made them the most popular drinks on the planet—caffeine. To many consumers, caffeine is caffeine, but to a growing number of people, the difference between synthetic and naturally derived sources is an important distinction. For these drinkers, taking a closer look into the ways caffeine-containing products are made tells an important story about how they affect our bodies.

Today there’s no shortage of new research on the positive benefits of naturally caffeinated drinks. In men, coffee has been shown to lower the risk of prostate cancer and in women, lower the effects of depression. Similarly, the leaves of the tea plant have been found to contain potent, naturally occurring antioxidants, which are powerful agents in the prevention of disorders such as Alzheimer’s. But these and other benefits are associated with caffeine sources harvested from natural plants. What about the synthetic caffeine found in sodas, popular energy drinks, and sweets? What sort of effects do they have on our bodies?

To understand how synthetic caffeine interacts with the body, it’s important to know how it’s made. The process takes place in a lab or a factory and involves the chemical synthesis of urea, which is exposed to a variety of harsh chemicals such as methyl chloride and ethyl acetate. When the process is complete the caffeine created is a very pure isolate that is highly concentrated. Caffeine made in this way is absorbed and processed quickly in the digestive system, which is why consuming products containing synthetic caffeine generally results in a very sharp increase in energy and the all-to-common “crash” reported by so many drinkers.

Natural caffeine on the other hand is made by unique, caffeine producing members of the plant kingdom. Currently, we know of around 60 species that have evolved this trait. When these plants are harvested for consumption, the caffeine present isn’t all that different from its synthetic counterpart. What makes it unique is the additional presence of plant-based vitamins and nutrients found alongside the caffeine. These companion compounds help balance out the caffeine’s effects. Additionally, natural forms of caffeine are far less concentrated than isolated synthetics. The result is a more balanced experience where users report a pleasant lift, sustained energy, and a gradual descent from the caffeine’s effects.

The way we see it, clean energy comes from healthy plants, which is why Hawaiian Ola is naturally caffeinated with Organic Yerba Mate and Green Tea. These plants have been used throughout Asia and Central America as healthy caffeine sources for many generations. We choose to source organic to ensure the plants we use are grown without any harmful pesticides, GMO’s, or non-organic fertilizers. Next time you’re out shopping for a healthy buzz, remember that not all caffeine sources are the same; synthetic and natural caffeine products can have very different effects on our bodies. If you have a preference and aren’t sure how to distinguish between the two, keep this in mind: if a product’s ingredients list includes the word “caffeine,” it’s synthetic—if you see the name of a caffeine producing plant such as Green Tea or Yerba Mate then it’s natural.

sources:
http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~jeaster/courseinfo/312/312Nature2003.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110506/new-clues-on-caffeines-health-benefits
http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_m48/coffee-cancer-risk.html

No Sales Ban
Despite the claims from the opposition that 37 will “ban the sale of thousands of groceries”, the fact is it wouldn’t. The only change would be a packaging requirement labeling GM products with the phrase “partially produced with genetic engineering” anywhere on the back or front of the packages.

No Price Hikes
An economic study on Proposition 37 conducted by Joanna Shepherd Bailey, Ph.D., a tenured professor at Emory University School of Law, found that “Consumers will likely see no increases in prices as a result of the relabeling required.” “California consumers know that putting a little ink on a label is not going to change food prices,” said Stacy Malkan, Media Director of California Right to Know.

Friends & Profits
In the US, corporations are considered people in the eyes of the law. The question is what kind of people are Monsanto, DuPont, and Pepsi Co? Would they look out for your best health interests when making decisions about labeling your food—or is there a chance that their campaign to keep GM food unlabeled could have anything to do with generating profits or minding the best interests of their shareholders?

Motivations
In 2009 a CBS poll found that 53% of Americans would not buy food that was genetically modified. In recent polls 90% of Americans would like to see GMO products labeled. Currently 94% of all soy products, 72% of all corn products, and 80% of all pre-packaged foods contain genetically modified material.

Meanwhile
In 61 other countries including Japan, Australia, and Switzerland governments have already passed laws requiring GMO labeling. Yet in the United States, Congress has never even held a vote on the issue to give shoppers the opportunity to exercise their most basic right – to choose.

Make History
Passing 37 would be a landmark win for advocates of food transparency. If California passed a GMO labeling bill it would make history by setting a president as the first US state to require labeling laws for GM food which could lead the way for other states and even national policy changes.

Today you have the chance to make a difference. By voting yes on 37 you’ll be supporting food transparency and standing up for your right to know what’s in your food. Large food and chemical companies selling sugar water and pesticides would tell you to vote no—however, proponents of Yes on 37 such as the Center for Food Safety, Organic Consumers Association, and American Public Health Association do not stand to make a profit from your vote, they are simply concerned citizens like you that believe we should have the right to know what we’re eating.

Let’s make history today! Learn more at California Right to Know & Vote!

Our bottlers facilities are huge, Brett says. Over 40 million dollars of high-tech specialty robotics and automated bottling equipment made us feel like we were in the hands of professionals. After a quick tour of the facilities, the first phase of bottling was ready to begin—batching. First however, the folks at the plant swapped Brett’s Hawaiian tie-dye for some full coverage bottling gear, which would be stained in superfruit juice before the process was complete.

Batching began at 8pm—odd hours are typical for large production facilities like this; upon a thorough pre-inspection of the ingredients, Brett was disappointed to find some of the packages had been damaged in transit and would not be usable for this batch. So they made the best of it and moved forward, changing the total number of shots being run to match the ingredients that were available and began blending. The mixture was tested many times until Brett was satisfied with it. In the end Brett and the batcher stayed at the plant until 3am that night getting it perfect—this was the bottlers longest batching session to date.

The batcher said, “usually the CEO comes to take pictures, and stands behind the glass while we do the blending…they don’t really get their hands dirty”. But Brett preferred to be hands on, working through the night to stay in touch with the process and ensure quality above all. Looking back at the many hours he’d spent over the last year honing his palate and blending different versions of the juice, Brett was thankful for all the time he’d spent designing the flavor and taking feedback from every taster he could find.

Back at the hotel that night Brett slept for two hours before starting again at a sunrise meeting with one of the plants managers to begin the real fun—bottling! After a brief meeting to nail down some final production details, Brett and the team were ready to go. The factory environment is a busy place with lots of moving parts; filled bottles are sleeved (at 180 per minute) and carefully placed into their 12-pack boxes by hand, which are then placed in larger shipper cases to be neatly stacked onto pallets.

As the day came to a close and production was nearing its end Brett couldn’t help himself—wanting to be a part of the process he found himself in line packing boxes with the friendly staff before rushing to the airport for a midnight arrival back in California. Needless to say our first bottling run was a success!

From an idea that started at a small working Noni farm in Hawaii to the first ever organic Noni energy shot, the past 18 months have been full of hard work and good times finding creative solutions to new challenges, all leading to the day we could finally share Ola with the world. Cheers and many thanks to our friends at the plant and everyone else who helped us reach this exciting milestone.

Order Ola at our online store & tell us what you think on facebook

Mahalo!

Over the summer our friends at the plant have worked hard to integrate a long list of new processes and procedures needed to adapt the facilities to a new organic life. A core part of our mission at Hawaiian Ola is to do everything we can to expand the demand and availability of healthy organic goods. Our hope with their certification is that we’ve opened up another avenue for organic products like Ola to make their way into peoples daily lives. Today, the plant will undergo an organic makeover meaning; their facility and equipment will be cleaned of all things un-organic prior to beginning the first phase of bottling (batching) which starts tonight at around 7pm. Throughout the entire process, Ola will be onsite to report on each step with photos and updates so stay tuned for more!

In a sobering talk by the CEO of Stone Brewing Co. Greg Koch called for less sugar and more REAL ingredients in the beverages we’re consuming, citing the growing epidemic of diabetes and obesity related health issues in the US.

In a presentation on the growing importance of being certified as a B-Corporation, representatives from Mamma Chia, Guayaki, and I Am held a panel discussion on the growing network of businesses making the switch to thinking triple bottom line.

On the second day, Bill Weiland (President & CEO of Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence) gave a great talk that included a summary of what he sees as key functional benefits to look for in new products- such as anti-inflammatory, detox, and joint health properties.

It’s inspiring to see forward thinkers in the beverage industry advocating for a change in our relationships with the products we drink. In the coming years our team looks forward to health and social responsibility being major themes in the industry.

Hosted in sunny, chilly Santa Monica California, this years Winter Bevnet Live was an exciting first introduction into an awesome community of drink crafters, brand gurus, and supporting business network of entrepreneurs helping to shape the beverage landscape worldwide.

Exciting highlights for Hawaiian OLA Noni:

• A great “state of the market” address where leaders from the investment and incubation community explored some exciting trends with drink buyers continuing to move towards natural drinks containing less sugar, less caffeine, and more great ingredients for lasting health.
• Hearing stories about consumers caring about many of the core values important to the Hawaiian OLA tribe; simple things like authenticity, transparency, and a commitment to making great products were themes throughout the entire event.
• Real success stories from entrepreneurs making natural drinks and loving it! Some names were familiar like Mamma Chia and Sweetleaf, but a few new and exciting brands were there too, like Honeydrop Teas and beverage showdown award winner, Coco Cafe.

Hawaiian OLA looks forward to attending the next Bevnet Live event in New York in 2012. We’re sending wishes for a great holiday season to everyone at Bevnet Live who made this event a warm welcome for Hawaiian Noni.

Thank you!

This new soil offers many physical benefits to budding life. The dark igneous lava rock (also responsible for Hawaii’s iconic black sands) breaks down into a warm porous substrate which absorbs and holds heat and water, providing an ideal habitat for growth. The rough volcanic material on the grounds surface is also a natural deterrent for harmful insects. Its dense weight helps to prevent soil erosion, protecting the islands vital hummus.

Warm, hydrated, vitamin-rich soil – naturally protected from insect predators and erosion has helped make Hawaii the agricultural hub it is today. For nearly two thousand years islanders have learned to work with the lands local resources to provide for themselves in their isolated habitat in the South Pacific. Hawaiian OLA sees the beauty in this way of life and is working to preserve its essence. All natural Hawaiian OLA is made from organic Hawaiian super-fruits, grown locally and fairly to be shared with the world. To learn more, check out Learning about Hawaiian Noni.

In traditional Polynesian use as a medicine, Noni fruit has been used to treat many health conditions, such as upset stomach, skin inflammation, infection, and even treating cuts and wounds topically with its leaves. It has a ‘unique’ odor and taste when taken raw, so it is believed to be a last resort food source by many cultures. Today, OLA Noni juice is carefully blended with other natural super fruits and juices to bring out its best hidden flavors while still preserving its powerful health benefits.

Noni juice, like the juice of many other fruits, is a great a source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The antioxidants may help to prevent certain diseases and even slow age-related changes in the body. To learn more about the powerful health benefits of Noni check out Dr Oz on Noni.

The twenty-four-hundred mile journey to the Hawaiian islands spanned over one third of the earths surface and was only completed after many attempts and over many generations. The guide and inspiration for these ancient mariners was migrating sea birds making a seasonal journey towards what would one day be the Hawaiian Islands.

Each fall travelers followed the birds out to sea using the stars and ocean currents to mark their position along the way; moving closer towards an unknown destination in the endless blue of the south pacific with each attempt.

By passing on navigational knowledge from tribal elders to new youth, each generations’ sojourn reached out further from home and closer to Hawaii. Long distance sailing brought many new challenges to the Polynesians. Food, water and other life necessities had to be refashioned for travel as did the basic goods needed to rebuild a new life once they had arrived.

Eventually fleets of better vessels were made with floating gardens allowing them to grow food as they sailed, and while still limited to the essentials, also now carried live plants (known as canoe plants) and seeds for native fruits and vegetables, building tools and materials, and a single cherished fruit for medicine.

The medicinal fruit was Noni and was known as the “queen” of all canoe plants for its healthful properties and its essential role in establishing new villages. So in 400 A.D., Hawaii Loa, a Polynesian chief brought Noni as one of the canoe plants on the 2,400 mile journey from Tahiti to a new island chain that eventually took on his name, Hawaii.

Today Dragon Noni is working to continue this inspiring tradition by bringing the benefits of Noni to new parts of the world through a line of refreshing drinks that taste great and keep you energized for your long journey. Organic Hawaiian OLA is made without any unnecessary sugars or stimulants, and is fair trade, GMO-free and here to support the local farmers of Hawaii.