Local Business Will Present at American Food Venture Forum
Posted by foodventureforum on September 22, 2010
Less than an hour away fr
om this year’s American Food Venture Forum is Energique Herbal one of the 2010 presenters. Energique, located in Woodbine, Iowa has been around longer than any other presenting company at this year’s conference. It is also probably the latest stage company in terms stage of development. Read an article about them here.
Energique was established in 1987 to provide natural remedies to health care professionals. Jesse Rettig and his wife Kathy Simon are the third owners of the company and much has changed since their purchase in 2005. They have made several acquisitions and expanded the line of products developed internally, as well. Energique’s campus covers ten acres of land and includes seven buildings.
The company currently has four distinct lines of products, herbal or botanical extracts; homeopathic singles and combinations; medicinal quality essential oils; and specialized nutritional supplements. It carries an inventory of 3500 different products including 600 herbal extracts. Products are labeled under several brands. The company is also a contract manufacturer for other natural remedy companies.
Energique has its own FDA regulated homeopathic lab and an extraction laboratory for its flagship line of herbal extractions and tinctures. The lab uses a unique extraction process developed by Jesse Rettig. The company currently employs approximately 110 people, many of them highly paid scientists and professionals – A significant, positive impact on a community of 1,500 people.
One of its newest products is an aronia berry supplement. Aronia berries are native to the United States and have
the highest level of antioxidant of any fruit. Aronia berries have been produced and consumed in many countries in Europe for years but are only beginning to get traction in the United States. The largest concentration of aronia berry production in the United States is in the Loess Hills region of Western Iowa, near Council Bluffs.
