Loma Linda-Worthington Brand Given New Life by Atlantic Natural Foods Company
By AT News Team, Jan. 7, 2015: Two classic brands of vegetarian meat substitutes that were created by Adventists were recently acquired by Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF), a small company located in the suburbs of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. ANF purchased the brands from the giant Kellogg food company for which it has manufactured these products since soon after Worthington Foods was acquired by Kellogg in late 1999.
One of the first steps by the new owner was to invite three Adventist pastors to dedicate its manufacturing facility. The pastors were more than happy to participate, the Adventist Review quoted Rebecca Carpenter, communication director for the Adventist denomination’s Carolina Conference. “They invited our participation as a way of inviting the Lord’s blessing on the new venture.”
Atlantic Natural Foods is a privately held company that does private label manufacturing of soy products. It already produces Meatless Select and Caroline’s brands. Meatless Select meets high standards for healthy nutrition and Caroline’s is a non-GMO product using only soy beans imported from non-GMO nations. They are distributed by Whole Foods, a health foods chain with 360 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as three regional grocery chains in the southern U.S.; Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter and Ingles.
None of the principals in ANF have a background with the Adventist faith but one of the sales staff is an Adventist, Luci Sheehan, a spokeswoman for the company, told Adventist Today. “We are working to understand, appreciate and value the Adventist heritage connected with these foods,” she said.
Loma Linda Foods was owned by the denomination until it was sold to Worthington Foods around 1980. The profit from the sale provided an endowment that continues to fund global missions. Worthington Foods was one of the largest enterprises to be a member of Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI) for many years.
ANF has created a single brand from the combined line of products, the Worthington-Loma Linda brand. It continues to provide many of the well-known products widely used by Adventists in North America. It will bring out a number of new products starting in the spring.
Working with food scientists to craft products that uphold the values of health and a sustainable natural environment, ANF will likely address some of the nutrition concerns that have been expressed by Adventists over the years about traditional vegetarian meat substitutes. At the same time it has launched a Web site which already provides many recipes for dishes that have longed been loved by Adventists and served at church potlucks as well as private family meals.
Adventists are asked to submit recipes and find out where to obtain these products at this new Web site: www.lomalindabrand.com
Old Adventist favorites like FriChik and Big Franks and Kaffree Roma, continue to be sold at Adventist Book Centers and campus markets at major Adventist institutions. They can be purchased online through Amazon.com with free shipping if the customer joins Amazon Prime. ANF is also stocking them at Stater Brothers markets in southern California and three Walmarts in the suburbs north of Orlando, Florida.
“We plan to grow the traditional stable of Loma Linda/Worthington Foods canned products, reintroduce some iconic items that have been discontinued over the years, and create new and exciting items that will address changing consumer preferences,” said an ANF statement.
Douglas Hines is chairman of AFT Holdings, an international investment and management group that is the principal owner of Atlantic Natural Foods and Kelly Krause is president of ANF. Hines announced that the Loma Linda brand would continue a tradition of supporting Adventist education by donating a portion of sales proceeds to Southern Adventist University and Loma Linda University.
If you are having difficulty finding access to these products or you have questions about the products, the Customer Care line at ANF is (252) 212-9000 or you can send an Email to Customer Care at info@atlanticnaturalfoods.com or write to it at 110 Industry Court, Nashville, NC 27856 in the United States.
One Loma Linda product I really liked was their fig juice. Companies, such as Heinke’s and Hansen’s made various fruit juices but there was only one fig juice.
Oh, I am going to write and beg for Nuteena to be made again! I was SO disappointed when it disappeared.
Maybe you would like Nutee Supreeme and Nutabella, from Cedar Lake, which by the way, is the only food company of this kind remaining that is owned 100% by SDA members.
I dearly loved Numeat, Tuno in the roll and Savory slices, the very best for making “hot beef” sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy.
And one from long ago……….Vegelona
This would make lots of Adventists happy to have these back.
Had lots of Vegelona smashed-up with pickle relish and Mayo in my school lunch bags.
Nuteena, I used to eat it right out of the can!
We would love to see the frozen roll of beef style and smoked beef style return!!
VEGELONA!
GLUTEN BURGERS!!! I loved them on Saturday dinners at the table.
Bring back Tuno and Meatless Salami!! The cases af Salami I hoarded in the freezer years ago right after they discontinued, are getting nasty !
A few years back, we were down to two cans of nuteena. After an extravagant ceremony, our oldest son (a democratic vote) had the last mouthful from can one. Can two is still on the shelf. If ANF is listening, please, please bring back nuteena.
Not being raised Adventist, I never really understood why so many SDA loved the various meat substitutes. Sure, properly prepared, they could be good. Some were good without preparation. Those Big Frank corn dogs with mustard were hard to beat.
I understood that they were a transition food to be used for a period of time until one was used to not eating meat. I was surprised to discover that people ate them for their entire lives.
In Asia, meat substitutes are very common. You can find 20 different meat substitutes for sale on a table at the market. Tofu, of course, of which there are several kinds. Then there are gluten products, products made from sweet potato starch, deep fried vegetable “balls,” fermented grain products, etc.
If you live near a Chinatown, check out the wide variety of “meat” substitutes made in Taiwan. They’ve got fake beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, squid, crab, lobster, duck, whatever. There’s usually a huge section of these things in the big Asian markets such as Ranch 99. Cheap too or used to be.
You are right about that Asian food.
I went to a popular Chinese restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC where they had a huge variety of popular Asian dishes, all made with meat substitutes. And all very tasty.
For those who don’t know the ANF Meatless Select brand. Their tuna substitute is far better tasting than any other I have tried especially Tuno. But yes, I would like to join the chorus to bring back NUTEENA.
Yuck! I always hated Nuteena. One of the worst “health foods” ever invented in my opinion. You had to be a true devotee of that genre to go for Nuteena.
I do agree about the corn dogs. Still like them though I seldom get to eat them.
Saviand was the most detested in my family, we hated it! My elder sister made a curry with it once, misread the instructions, and put in 1 tablespoon of curry powder, instead of 1 TEASPOON! It took the skin off our tongues! (Mind you, it was lovely cold, next day, in a sandwich!)
Another company that should be revived is Lassen out of Paradise, California. They made great granola, perhaps the best.
Back in those days, Adventists provided a valuable service for the community by opening health food stores and offering carrot juice, raw nuts,and many other things.
Foods for Life in Glendale, Full of Life in Burbank, and Jean Weidner’s store in Pasadena introduced many people to meat substitutes, deliciously prepared. You could get yourself a fake tuna sandwich, perhaps a dab of salad , and a carrot juice, and enjoy it at the counter. If you wanted more, top it off with some raw cashews. Hard to beat.
The PUC market was making a similar sandwich in the mid eighties. I would buy yesterday’s leftovers for half price, a bag of chips, maybe a drink, and sit under a tree outside the market wondering how my life became such a mess. Comfort food and it was good!
the person who wanted nuteena Cedar Lake’s nutabella is a dead ringer for nuteena
The Cedar Lake product that is most like Nuteena is Nuti-Loaf. In fact, my wife just used it to mix up a batch of sandwich spread to use while we’re traveling. Delicious!
Re: Not understanding why SdAs love these products.
I was raised vegetarian, so grew up with this stuff. I eat meat occasionally, but I still prefer the vegetarian stuff that Loma Linda made. I don’t believe there’s a better vegeburger out there than one made with LL vegeburger, if you know how to make it. (Use a packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix.)
B4 I retired two yrs ago, I bought Big Franks in the commercial-size large cans by the case when they were on sale and made myself 2-3 sandwiches on home made WW bread every day. Just mayo and mustard! That’s hard core BF lover!
People often forget just how much easier food preparation is using the vege-meats, no need to get to 160 degrees and last longer then meat in the Fridge. It amazes me that people don’t market pointing out that fact. But Yes please bring back Vegelona.
Am I the only one that misses PROTEENA ?? More texture than Nuteena, and could not be beat flour-egg-breadcrumb crusted in a skillet.
My family misses Proteena! I used to slice it and dip the slices in egg and cracker crumbs and fry them. Wonderful! Yes, we liked them much better than Nuteena, but I’d use Nuteena as well. Also — Redi-burger tacos, FriChik, Saucettes, Big Franks, and sometimes Tender Bits.
A person could walk into Trader Joe’s and find numerous meatless entrees, vegeburgers, and side dishes. Their vegetarian chili was far better than anything turned out by LLF or Worthington. TJs also had some good vegeburger patties. Garden Burgers were also delicious.
SDA health food enterprises apparently suffered under bad management. Rather than reach a wider audience, they seemed content to sell their foods to SDA, especially at camp meetings.
Take Silk soymilk , for example. Silk managed to introduce soymilk to the average consumer and get it placed in the dairy section at major supermarkets. They did more to promote soymilk in a few years than LLF did in decades.
Asian products blow anything off the shelf in US markets, except, perhaps Silk. Thailand markets a fantastic soy based drink flavored with sesame seeds that is remarkable [Vitasoy?]. Several grain based milk substitutes are available in small stores in northern Laos. Some of these type of drinks are also available in Asian markets in the US.
Maybe they got these ideas from SDA decades ago, maybe not.
As a mostly vegetarian with occasional chicken, Trader Joe’s is my very favorite store. Their packaged greens of all kinds at a lower price than the supermarkets; the Morningstar Scrambles are great in homemade chili; the many vegetarian entrees can’t be beat. I regularly use only soy milk and their cheeses and breads are great.
Big Franks were favorites, but with the only place at the SDA book store, it’s too inconvenient.
Elaine, If I’m ever in your neighborhood, I’ll pick you up a case of Big Franks and drop them at your door.
I see many folks are asking for the return of Nuteena,Vegelona and Proteena and I agree with those requests whole heartedly. I would implore you to bring back Sandwich Spread ~ Always a favorite…!
Yes!! I bought a case just before it was discontinued and have 1 can left, I have tried copycatting the recipe but can’t get it quite right…
It’s unfortunate that “tofu” is hardly more than a punchline in American society. American dietary habits have been driven by commercial interests for far too long. Poultry and red meat producers, dairy interests, have dominated American nutrition.
Oprah took a shot at beef producers and they would have liked to string her up for her remarks.
A farmer’s wife I knew from the Walla Walla area could make delicious gluten and soy milk from scratch. She made a kind of foam from soy beans which could be refrigerated and reconstituted into delicious milk. Her gluten was good too.
I guess those days are gone now.
Please make Proteena and Nuteena again!!!!
As I vegetarian traveler I enjoy stopping by self-supporting health food ministries/stores operated by Adventist entrepreneurs. I have learned that paradoxically one of the prime reasons they can survive economically is the custom and support received from New Age, Hindu, and Buddhist clientelle (this is the coastal West, folks!). Some years ago in the heyday of the Rajneesh-puram cult/collective in central Oregon, a Loma Linda/Worthington distributor told me the vegetarian commune was by far his largest customer—far exceeding the sales of any Adventist Book Center or supermarket chain. How interesting that taking a position on diet more than 100 years ago has been instrumental in creating greater ability for the Church to relate socially and commercially on matters of health and diet with both the Muslim and Easter religions—whose billions of adherents often seem otherwise totally resistant to interaction with Christians at a spiritual level.
I was doing unimportant work [security] at an art museum in the States many years ago. I wanted to share my faith so I gave a tract on the 2nd coming to one of the docents. She went ballistic and stormed off to the director’s office.
I was politely informed that giving religious literature to guests of the museum was inappropriate and sent back to work. A few weeks later, I left a vegetarian publication in the employee lounge. A couple of days later, in front of several other employees, one of the administrators called me by name and spoke highly of the magazine I had left in the lounge. I learned a lot right hand of the message that day.
Correction: I learned a lot about the “right hand of the message” that day.
Please bring back Savory Dinner Loaf. It was a canned powder that when tomato juice and oil were added could be formed into a “meatloaf” that was absolutely delicious either hot or cold. It could be used to make terrific sandwiches!
This has proven to be terrible news. When it was sold by Kellogs I could get Worthington Chili for about $35.00 on Amazon with free shipping. The most I ever paid was $42.00 a case w/shipping.
Now Atlantic Foods is selling it itself on Amazon and it costs $72.00 with shipping. So they have essentially doubled the price overnight.
And now that Kellogs isn’t there to keep an eye on quality control what happens? The stuff that they make under their own name tastes pretty awful for the most part.
And since Atlantic made Worthington canned products for Kellogs anyway, there should have been a smooth transition but my local grocery where I’ve bought Worthington for over 20 years tells me it’s been unavailable for months.
The same thing happened to me, then, exploring for other options, I found Cedar Lake products and I must confess, I was very surprised, not only they have good canned and awesome frozen products, but they are far cleaner than all the other names. And now they are also non-gmo. Maybe it’s time to try them, you may be also surprised, as I did.
Please bring back Vegelona!!
Please bring back the sandwich spread. My family really loves the stuff, and we all miss it very much.
We Agree on the LL Sandwich Spread. Many of us are Hopefully Waiting its return But we all need to Let Atlantic foods know we want it back. Also the Country stew & Sizzle Franks.
I live in Oklahoma City and our only ABC closed for good last year. There is a smaller adventist owned store in Harrah, OK that is well run by wonderful people who are trying mightily to fill the demand created by this center’s closing. I would love to see all these brands carried in more stores, especially here in cattle country. I would also love to have the Worthington canned “beef” stew back. Please consider. Thank you!!!
When will you bring back vegelona nutenna salami and sandwich spread. Please
I was so disappointed years ago when they stopped making PROTOSE. We loved to make sandwiches with it. Does anyone have a recipe or know of another product close to it. I also love the new Tuna products. I usually put chopped onion, chopped carrots, relish, minced olives etc. It is so good and will last a week in the refrigerator. Thanks for all the great information!!!
Does anyone have a simple recipe for a multi grain bread or zucchini bread, that I can use in my bread machine? Thanks
Is there somewhere in Salt Lake to buy Loma Linda? I have found linketts, at Winco, but really want some little links, And yes please bring back nuteena! Oh the memories from my childhood. We make our own gluten. So good.
What has happened to the texture of Choplets? Over the last few years they are like shoe leather. They are so dense that any gravy put on them won’t permeate the paddies. Very disappointed
Please bring back Proteena, Nuteena and Vegelona
Worthington, please bring back the beef stew! Finally found some canned diced chix on line but haven’t found the frozen Leanies for months.
The original Nuteena Rules
WHAM!!!! It was the best and only “ham” product on the market. I hope it comes back.
I’m in withdrawal from WHAM. PLEASE get it back on the shelf. My family lives on Leanies and Wham…..
There is a huge assortment of pseudo meat products in supermarket freezers today. Morningstar seems to be one of the most popular but many manufacturers have recognized a bigger market and began offering quite a variety. I’ve tried quite a few but a favorite is Morningstar Chik patties and bits.
Please bring back to Puerto Rico Meatless Corned Beef Salami. Its unbeatable.
My family and I are vegetarians, and because we are allergic to onions and Garlics it is really hard for us to find vegetarian products without garlic and onions. We were told that many of the Buddhists are like us, vegetarians that do not eat garlic and onions. We started to consult vegetarian Buddhasts. When a friend introduced wham’s products to us, we were unbelievably excited. I want to thank the company for producing such great products.
Unfortunately, I heard that wham is no longer produced. I couldn’t find it anywhere. There is a vast majority of people that I know consumed the wham roll that does not contain garlic and onion. Please help me to find it.