Green & Black's(R) Organic Chocolate to Sponsor 2008 James Beard Foundation Book Awards

PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The James Beard Foundation has announced that Green & Black's(R) organic chocolate, one of the best-selling chocolates in the natural food channel, will sponsor the James Beard Foundation Book Awards at the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards, a gala event commonly referred to as the "Oscars of the food world." The awards ceremony will take place June 8, 2008 at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall Lincoln Center.

The James Beard Foundation is the country's preeminent nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, nurturing and celebrating America's culinary heritage. The Foundation's awards are the country's most coveted honor for chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists, and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers. The diverse range of categories for this year's cookbook awards includes Asian Cooking, Baking and Dessert, and Wine and Spirits. Two of the most prestigious awards, The Cookbook of the Year and Cookbook Hall of Fame Winner, will be presented along with 13 other category winners at this year's Awards gala. In order to receive a nomination, books must be published in English and in the 2007 calendar year.

"The James Beard Foundation partners with only the finest products and producers in the culinary industry, so we're thrilled to enhance our already existing relationship with Green & Black's, a pioneer in organic chocolate," said James Beard Foundation President Susan Ungaro. "The Cookbook Awards are always highly anticipated, so we look forward to a great night celebrating excellence with Green & Black's and the world's leading culinary professionals."

The annual James Beard Foundation Awards are presented at the industry's biggest party, part of a weekend of activities that celebrate fine cuisine and the culinary arts. This year's theme salutes Artisanal America: The Craft of Cuisine. It culminates in a Gala Chefs reception featuring a tasting of the signature dishes of more than 30 of America's best artisanal chefs.

"We joined the James Beard Foundation this year as a purveyor and are honored to support the pursuit of culinary excellence which is synergistic with the values demonstrated in the crafting of our chocolate," said Elizabeth Cheng, Director of Marketing, Green & Black's. "The extra care and time we take in every step from bean to bar has garnered us great feedback from chefs who love using our product in their recipes, making the book awards a natural fit for us."

As a House Purveyor, Green & Black's supplies its intensely rich organic chocolate for events hosted by the Foundation throughout the year. Participating chefs have the opportunity to enhance their menus by incorporating Green & Black's chocolate into their recipes or by serving it as a delicious standalone treat.

Since its founding in 1991, Green & Black's has been a pioneer of organic chocolate; all Green & Black's products meet the National Organic Program (NOP) standards set by the USDA. In addition to their organic standards, Green & Black's has also developed sustainable relationships working directly with the farmers to secure the finest Trinitario cocoa beans. Every step from bean to bar is equally important -- whether it's using the finest organically grown Trinitario cocoa beans or taking that extra time and care to bring out the intense and indulgent flavor that has become Green & Black's trademark.

Today, Green & Black's produces 12 delicious organic chocolate bar varieties including: Dark 85%, Dark 70%, Milk, White, Almond, Hazelnut & Currant, Cherry, Mint, Caramel, Ginger, Maya Gold(R) and Espresso.

About Green & Black's

Launched in London in 1991 by Craig Sams and Josephine Fairley, Green & Black's entered the U.S. market in 2003 and has become one of the best-selling chocolates in the natural food channel. The name reveals Green & Black's key strengths -- Green for sustainable and Black to symbolize the deep, rich, dark brown (almost black) color of the chocolate. Green & Black's buys only the very best organic cocoa beans grown under the shade of indigenous rainforest trees and alongside other crops. All Green & Black's products meet the National Organic Program (NOP) standards set by the USDA, thus giving consumers of organic products an assurance that the product is from a trusted source and matches the high standards of production. For more information, visit www.greenandblacks.com.

About the James Beard Foundation

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the James Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs. For more information and membership details, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.