logo
Contact Our Team!
sales@imageteklabels.com
Call: 866-403-5223

Bioengineered Foods – Disclosure and Labeling Law

Food & Beverage, Label Compliance, News and Events, Non GMO

USDA bioengineered foods

Bioengineered Food & Label Compliance

Bioengineered foods will soon require disclosure and labeling compliance per the USDA. On December 20, 2018, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, passed by Congress in July of 2016, requires the USDA establish a national standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered.

Per the new standard, “bioengineered foods are those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature”. Foods that meet the new bioengineered definition must be clearly marked with the new bioengineered seal.

The new standard is effective as of January 1, 2020, with the exception of small food manufacturers whose implementation date is January 1, 2021. The mandatory compliance for all U.S. based food producers is January 1, 2022. Food producers are encouraged to voluntarily comply with the new standard prior to the deadlines.

Bioengineered Foods List

A list of Bioengineered foods has been developed by The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and can be used to identify the crops or foods that are available in a bioengineered form throughout the world.  Regulated entities must maintain records about the manufacture of bioengineered foods and disclose their production of bioengineered foods to such entities.

Several disclosure options are available for food manufacturers, importers, and certain retailers being required to appropriately disclose their bioengineered foods information. Regulated entities are accepting text, symbol, electronic or digital link, and/or text messages as part of the disclosure process. Additional options such as a phone number or web address are available to small food manufacturers or for small and very small packages.

To learn more about the Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standards, please visit the USDA website. Producers may download a copy of the USDA mandated Bioengineered Food Disclosure labels here.

Bioengineered Food Labels for Compliance

To order bioengineered food labels please contact ImageTek Labels by emailing sales@imageteklabels.com or call (866) 403-5223. Custom sizes and roll dimensions can be created to fit your product packaging and auto apply equipment. Our specialty label media is designed to withstand cold storage, freezing temperatures and a variety of food packaging surfaces.

Variable Designs – Perfect for Seasonal Label Printing

Uncategorized

Autumn is the Perfect Time for Variable Label Designs 

With ImageTek Labels state of the art digital printing technology, variable designs are a breeze. Don’t pay extra for custom plate charges, uses are limited only by the imagination.

Create inspired designs, play with color palettes, or print personalized labels to support your marketing efforts. Custom labels allow you to test products and markets cost effectively, and are are proven to boost sales and attract new customers.

No Tooling Charges with Variable Label Printing!

With ImageTek Labels state of the art digital printing technology, variable designs are a breeze. Don’t pay extra for custom plate charges, uses are limited only by the imagination. Create inspired designs, play with color palettes, or print personalized labels to support your marketing efforts. 

Custom labels allow you to test products and markets cost effectively, and are are proven to boost sales and attract new customers.

Working with ImageTek Labels Means:

  • No set up or tooling charges
  • No additional cost for color
  • Custom printed labels shipped in 5 days or less
  • Complimentary online label proofs
  • Personal Service – no cookie cutter label programs here

To save big on variable labels, contact us at sales@imageteklabels.com or call (866) 403-5223.

New England Made – Find ImageTek Labels at Booth 900

Custom Labels, Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, News and Events, Tradeshows

New England Made

New England Made Giftware & Specialty Food Show

This one of a kind show, curates some of the best that New England artisan have to offer.
Find us at Booth 900 on March 17-19 at the Portland Sports Complex in Portland, Maine.

ImageTek Labels will attend the New England Made Giftware & Specialty Food Show, March 17-19th at the Portland Sports Complex in Portland, Maine. This year, organizers celebrate the show’s 32nd consecutive year by inviting juried artisan to assemble in presenting the finest New England made giftware, specialty food and home furnishings to wholesalers from all across the country who gather in search of quality, locally manufactured products.

This annual event continues to attract authentic New England made crafters and is a true reflection of expertly crafted products that originate in the Eastern states. The show offers a venue for wholesale buyers to spend some one-on-one time with each artisan and learn more about their mission and unique talent. This event supports local business, encourages relationships between whole- sale buyers and the business owners and inevitably puts the best products in front of consumers. Each year, more than 250 producers will exhibit their products at The New England Made Giftware and Specialty Food Show. Absolutely no importers are allowed to attend the event, making it easy for wholesalers to source locally manufactured food, home furnishings, jewelry, apparel and art.

Visit Us at Booth 900 and Request Samples in Advance

ImageTek Labels looks forward to connecting with new and existing New England based businesses. Having partnered with a wide variety of consumable product manufacturers over the years, ImageTek understands the unique challenges associated with lean manufacturing; a huge benefit for the artisan producers tasked with managing time and production efficiencies. ImageTek continues to evolve with the newest digital print technology and the New England Made Giftware & Specialty Food Show is a wonderful opportunity to present these strides to New England producers.

For more information about The New England Made Giftware & Specialty Food Show please visit www.nemadeshows.com. Exhibitors may request sample media kits to be delivered in-hand on the during the event by contacting ImageTek Labels by emailing sales@imageteklabels.com or call (866) 403-5223.

Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival Celebrates 9 Years!

Food & Beverage, News and Events, Tradeshows, Vermont, VT Specialty Foods

VT cheese and dairy Join ImageTek Labels at the 9th Annual Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival hosted by the Vermont Cheese Council on Saturday, July 16th, 2017 at the Coach Barn on Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. This open market festival has been chosen by Fodor’s Travel as one of the “10 Best Summer Food Festivals in the United States.” The festival is designed as an open farmers market with 45 cheesemakers and over 90 Vermont and regional artisan food producers.

Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival Details

The Vermont Cheesemakers festival brings together cheese, wine, beer, cider, spirits, and specialty food producers for a day of tastings, demonstrations and educational workshops.

Vermont is the leading artisanal cheese state with the highest number of cheesemakers per capita. This event is an experience all its own where attendees can network with food and beverage producers who share a passion for the craft.  Event participants will taste a variety of fresh, local foods and wines, as well as to learn all about the process used in making these fan favorite products. Spend a beautiful summer day along the shores of Lake Champlain sampling, buying and learning! Come and celebrate the Vermont summer season.

Participating food and beverage producers will compete in the “Best of the Fest” Awards, where leading producers are crowned for their perfectly crafted artisan products. This year, MapleBrook Farm defends their Best of Cheese title, Laughing Moon Chocolates comes prepared to hold tight  to their Artisanal Food title, and Idletime Brewing Company competes to maintain their hard-earned craft brew crown.

Vermont Cheesemaker Event Tickets & Pricing

General Admission Tickets are now on sale through Eventbrite for $60.00 plus $4.29 in handling fees. Tickets include a wine glass and shopping bag.  Children under 3 are admitted free. VIP Tickets are available and include VIP Valet Parking, separate VIP Entry, official Vermont Cheesemakers Festival tote and glass, entry to the Lakeside Libations Celebration from 9-10:30 AM, and one reserve ticket to Educational Seminars (choose the seminar on the day of the festival- first come, first served.)

View a full Event Calendar by visiting http://vtcheesefest.com/

Craft Brewers Face Added Nutritional Testing Expenses

Blog, Craft Brewers, Custom Labels, Food & Beverage, Label Compliance, News and Events, Nutrition Labels

Craft Brewers May be Forced into Big Beer Business

craft brewersCraft Brewers are at risk of incurring added manufacturing expenses. The Beer Institute, a trade association based in Washington, D.C. that represents brewers both big and small, as well as importers and suppliers to the beer industry, has recently published what it calls “The Brewer’s Voluntary Disclosure Initiative.”  The idea is for craft brewers and importers to voluntarily agree to disclose certain information to consumers – calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol by volume or weight on the product label. The Initiative also calls for listing all ingredients and a freshness date on either the custom label or secondary packaging or through a website reference or bar code.  In theory, this will allow consumers to make better-informed decisions.  Some consumers may appreciate having the information available, but others probably would rather avoid it. Think about it – do you really want to know exactly how many calories are in that beer?

Many of the big beer companies like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors have already agreed to follow these guidelines. This is not a surprise, since the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Beer Institute are big shots with Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors, respectively. But the more pressing reason is that starting in May of 2018, the FDA is requiring restaurants with 20 or more locations nationwide to disclose calories and other nutrition information for standard menu items, including beverages.  Many chain restaurants have been providing most of this information for some time, as the compliance date initially was set to be earlier but has been extended several times.

If a new or existing craft brewery seeks to distribute its beer to restaurants, it may need to factor nutritional testing into startup or business costs. The cost of testing a batch of beer to gather this information is estimated to be between $300 and $1,000. Small craft brewers may not be able to bear these costs without increasing their prices. Although craft beer offers on large chain restaurant menus are relatively few and far between, if an enticing opportunity arose for a craft brewer to sell its beer at such a place, it would miss that chance if it could not provide the required information to the restaurant. It is not yet clear what liability a brewer may have for providing erroneous information in this regard, but to avoid unnecessary risks brewers  will need to ensure their data is accurate. And consumers of craft beer may end up eating (drinking?) the cost.

For more information about craft beer and nutrition labeling visit thebeerinstitute.com. This article was published by JPSupra.com,  a daily source of legal intelligence on all topics business and personal.

2017 VRGA Convention & Exposition

Blog, Custom Labels, Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, News and Events, Nutrition Labels, Tradeshows, Vermont, VRGA, VT Specialty Foods

2017 VRGA Convention & Exposition - Image Tek Digital Labels

ImageTek Labels is excited to announce that they will be exhibiting at the 2017 VRGA Convention & Expo exhibitor on April 28th at the Hilton Burlington, Vermont. This is a business-to-business event loaded with multiple networking opportunities over 2 days, with 8 information sessions and over 50 local and national exhibitors with quality goods and services at every price point for businesses of all sizes.

2-DAY CONVENTION & EXPO SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, APRIL 27 

  • 8:30 – 5:00 PM ServSafe® Certification Class & Exam – SOLD OUT
  • 6:00 PM Laughs at Vermont Comedy Club
  • 7:00 – 10:00 PM Brewery Hop: Switchback Brewery, Queen City Brewery, Zero Gravity Brewery, Citizen Cider & Foam Brewers
  • 9:00 PM Late Night at Nectar’s

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 

  • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Information sessions
  1. The Future of Healthcare in Vermont: Understanding the drivers of health costs & how it impacts you.
  2. How to Tackle Waste Regulation to be Compliant: What the Universal Recycling & Composting Law means for your business.
  3. Invest in Your Hiring Strategy: Learn how to recruit, hire and retain engaged and dedicated talent.
  4. Improving the Customer Experience: Creating unique experiences to increase customer growth and loyalty.
  5. Organized Retail Crime: Facts and Realities: What is the driving force of Organized Retail Crime & what tools and stories can help you prevent it from happening in your business.
  6. Smarter Energy Investing: Creative ways to save you money now while being an investment in your future.
  7. Maximizing Your Customer Base and Revenue in an Online World: Digital business strategies to attract customers to your website and your store.
  8. Social Media Strategies for Success: Quick tips for success at all experience levels.
  • 12:00 – 5:00 PM Tradeshow: Featuring 50+ exhibitors from local and national companies to answer your questions and provide quality solutions. Enjoy multiple raffle prize giveaways throughout the day and a GRAND PRIZE, product demonstrations, networking and so much more!Information Sessions & Tradeshow are FREE for members $10 for nonmembers or save 50% by registering online by April 21st.
  • 5:30 PM VIP Food & Beverage Pairing Workshop: Limited to 24 tickets. Presented by Farrell Distributing Cicerone Certified Beer Servers. This also includes your ticket to Vermonte Carlo afterwards.
  • 6:00 PM Vermonte Carlo: Network the night away with unlimited samples of local beer, cider, wine PLUS complimentary beverages, a cash bar, a buffet dinner and $250 of casino chips for a nigh of entertaining casino games.

Participating vendors will network with Retailers, Grocers, Specialty Food & Beverages Producers, Manufacturers and related Business Services Providers at this highly-anticipated annual event. Online registration is available at VRGA17.eventbrite.com. Follow Vermont Retail & Grocers Association on Facebook or #VRGA17 on twitter for the latest news.

Free Custom Samples on NEW Orders and 20% Off Your Purchase

Blog, Custom Labels, Design, Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, Nutrition Labels, Salad Dressings, Uncategorized, VT Specialty Foods

Spring into Savings! (1)

There are all kinds of ways to take advantage of ImageTek Label’s Spring Savings Promotion! Whether you have a new seasonal label design, you’re introducing new products to an existing line or you’ve simply never done business with us,
you can cash in on quality labels!

FREE custom label samples on all first-time label orders & new designs! That would be our first-time, not yours.
If we’ve never printed your label design, you qualify.

If you place your order within 14 days of receiving your custom label samples you get 20% off your purchase.

No catch – just a deadline. All sample requests must be placed by 5pm on Friday, March 17, 2017.

To order your custom label samples, contact us at sales@imageteklabels.com or call (866) 403-5223.

A Proud Sponsor of the VSFA Fall Meeting

Uncategorized

fall-meeting

ImageTek Labels is proud to sponsor the VSFA Fall Meeting held on Friday, November 1, 2016. VSFA is the nation’s oldest and most highly regarded specialty food association. The Annual Fall Meeting gives members and attendees the opportunity to connect with Vermont food producers who share the vision of promoting Vermont’s specialty foods.

Educational sessions will be hosted by Retail Insights, Lake Champlain Chocolates, City Market, SCORE – Free Small Business Counseling, Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing, Associated Buyers, Vermont Roots and Vermont Specialty Food Association.

The VSFA Fall Meeting itinerary is as follows:

  • 8:30 – REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
  • 9:00 – On the Trail to Find New Customers
  • 9:45 – Gen Shift and the Vermont Brand
  • 10:30 – NETWORKING BREAK
  • 11:00 – Marketing the State of Vermont
  • 11:45 – NEW VSFA Listserve
  • 12:00 – LUNCHEON / Featured Speaker: City Market
  • 1:00 – SCORE, Small Business Advice for Growing
  • 1:45 – Distributors & Brokers: Who, what, when, where and why (title subject to change).

For more information about attending the fall meeting, registering for workshops or becoming a VSFA member please visit http://www.vermontspecialtyfoods.org

Imagetek Labels Expands Digital Printing Capabilities

Blog, Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, News and Events, Salad Dressings, Vermont, VT Specialty Foods

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Loreen Billings

(802) 885-6208 ext. 222                                                                                                                                                                                  

Email: lbillings@imageteklabels.com

Website: www.imagetekdigitallabels.com

IMAGETEK LABELS ANNOUNCES DIGITAL PRINTING EXPANSION

THE JETRION 4900 Opens Doors to the Short Run, Digital Marketplace.

 

Springfield, VT – October 1, 2016 –ImageTek Labels has announced the addition of a Jetrion 4900M-330 at its production facility in Springfield, VT, USA. The new Jetrion press further advances ImageTek Label’s printing and converting capabilities. The press – with a web width of 13″ and the ability to prints labels at 720 x 720 dpi with 2 pt font text font capabilties – positions the company as a new player in the wider format digital printing market, serving the commercial and retail graphics markets at 3x faster run speeds.

Michael Hathaway, President of ImageTek Labels, says, “We’re excited to continue investing in the captial equipment necessary to meet our growing customer base around the world.”

The Jetrion 4900M-­‐330 will also have a positive impact on ImageTek Label’s environmental initiatives. The technology reduces waste associated with narrow web printing, eliminates landfill waste, and decreases the need for reserve inventory. ImageTek Labels is able to provide a more efficient, environmentally friendly service while decreasing costs to consumers.

ImageTek Labels is the OEM of the P5 printer laminator and the E-Shot printer applicator, as well as the Survivor Series line of label media. In 2012, ImageTek was selected by L&NW as a “Company to Watch.” The following year, ImageTek expanded significantly with the purchase of its first commercial digital printer, a Jetrion 4900.
About ImageTek Labels

ImageTek Labels, a PCM Company (imageteklabels.com), is a converter of printed and blank media stock, printer laminators, label printer / applicators, auto-apply, lamination supplies, print ribbon and custom printed labels. Established in 1994, ImageTek employs over 100 technical and engineering professionals in their 33,000 sq. ft. facility located in the center of the Precision Valley of VT.  ImageTek Labels received ISO certification 9001:2008 for their Quality Management System in 2012 and is ITAR certified.

Summer Labeling Woes: Beat the Heat & Humidity

Blog, Custom Labels, High Temperature, Uncategorized, Weatherproof

e4e759ed6112791acc31684d9dd7d998With the warmer months fast approaching, producers are gearing up for seasonal product labeling. Heat is an important factor to considering labeling warm weather products. High temperatures and humidity can adversely affect your product labels, causing them to fade, lift and curl. Keeping a few tips and tricks in mind will ensure your labels stand up to the summer months and last the life cycle of your product.

Label Adhesive:

  • Soft pressure adhesives can fail as temperatures increase, causing the binding to liquefy, smear or fail. Adhesives that react adversely to heat can also affect your printers and auto labeling equipment, leaving residue build up that will damage print heads and other components.

Some label stocks are better suited for printing and applying at cooler temperatures. Be sure to use a label stock that is approved for heat and humidity and has a wider application range for warm weather product labeling.

Labels Substrates & liners:

  • Quick changes to temperatures can cause label stock to curl and peel. This occurs because the liner absorbs more moisture than the substrate, making labels harder to apply and increasing the risk of label failure. Film substrates with paper liners are most susceptible to such problems. To avoid potential risks, try testing paper labels on polypropylene liners. The more resistant the liner is to moisture and humidity, the less likely your labels are to lift.

Label Transportation  & Storage

Labels can be exposed to extreme temperatures during shipping. Non-climate controlled shipping containers can often reach heights of over 170 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid receiving a shipment of labels that are destined for disaster, try sourcing climate controlled shipping methods that protect your labels while they are in route.  Lastly, store your labels in a controlled environment once they arrive at your facility. This ensures your labels will be ready for peak performance when it’s time to apply them to your products.

If climate-controlled transportation and storage are not available, follow these simple steps:

  • Place your product labels in plastic bags or shrink-wrap to protect them from temperature fluctuations.
  • Store your labels on low racks and shelves that are closest to the floor. Do not double stack your labels and make sure to leave a few inches of space between each container and pallet.
  • Acclimate your labels to your environment before applying them to your products. Generally, labels can acclimate within 24 hours. For best results, labels should be stored in locations that do not exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 50% humidity.

Labels with heavy coat weight adhesives and textured surfaces may require special care. If you are experiencing label failure commonly associated with high temperatures and humidity, please contact sales@imageteklabels.com for assistance.