Trails Day Volunteers Fueled by Organic Fruit Bars

PR Newswire, June 1, 2005. SAN FRANCISCO, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Bear Fruit Bars from Mountain Organic Foods will be among the gifts distributed to volunteers this Saturday (June 4) at two National Trails Day events in the Bay Area. In honor of National Trails Day, Mountain Organic Foods is offering a $2 discount off bars purchased at www.morfoods.com and will donate $1 to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for each box sold during the week-long special through June 11. Since 1993, National Trails Day has been celebrated to promote and maintain community trails, which are often heavily used but minimally funded. The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is coordinating events at various locations, including Crissy Field in San Francisco and Tennessee Valley in the Marin Headlands. Mountain Organic Foods will provide samples of their new health and environment-friendly bars, made from organic apples and organic fruit concentrates, at both events. Two longtime friends, Ken Newman, an organic fruit farmer in Oregon, and Craig Gass, a Bay Area backpacker/climber/attorney, created Mountain Organic Foods. Their goal was to find new markets for organic fruit. Newman and Gass acquired the rights to a patent on a process that combines organic fruit and fruit concentrate in a way that eliminates the need for preservatives. Bear Fruit Bars offer organic fruit in a convenient, unadulterated form with great taste, texture and shelf life. Each bar contains most of the antioxidants and fiber found in fresh apples, with no added sugar. Apples' soluble fiber is a major nutrition asset, making them heart-healthy, low on the glycemic index (i.e., smaller effect on blood sugar) and high in satiety (good for staving off hunger). "When climbing, I wanted something a little sweet, but with staying power, easy to digest and free of junk," says co-owner Craig Gass. "This is the un-candy bar, for those who prefer real-food nutrition with their energy boost." The bar is finding a diverse group of fans. In addition to hikers, bikers and runners, it's becoming popular with equestrians, vegans, dieters, and school districts searching for healthier snacks. Bear Fruit Bars are sold online and at select stores in California and Oregon. For more information, including links to National Trails Day events, visit http://www.morfoods.com.