San Francisco, Calif., November 12, 2008 – Small-to-medium sized food manufacturers searching for an economical label-generation solution need look no further than LabelCalc®, the only online nutrition analysis tool that instantly generates accurate, up-to-date United States FDA-compliant nutrition facts panels. 

LabelCalc offers an efficient and reasonably-priced alternative to the other options in the marketplace.  While prices for laboratory analysis, nutrition CD-ROMs and third-party consultants can run to thousands of dollars, LabelCalc successfully minimizes these costs by utilizing a database of 20,000+ ingredients primarily compiled from USDA Nutrient Laboratory data. 
“LabelCalc’s nutrition results are instant, accurate and conveniently accessible 24/7 from any online computer,” said founder and CEO Lucy Needham.  “The program is simple to use without any new software or specialized training.  Plus, we constantly advise our clients about compliance regulations, industry issues and food trends.  In contrast, most laboratories charge up to $500 per answer to individual support questions.”
During the past five years, LabelCalc has attracted the attention of numerous household names in the food industry.  The company’s roster of 400-plus clients includes international airline caterer Gate Gourmet, market-leading salad maker Fresh Express, award-winning specialty cheese manufacturer Cowgirl Creamery and soy yogurt manufacturer WholeSoy & Co.

“LabelCalc is far more economical than the laboratory we previously used,” said Maureen Cunnie, cheesemaker of Cowgirl Creamery.  “We get eight LabelCalc nutrition analyses for the price of one laboratory analysis, which is a huge savings for us.  Plus, the website is very easy to use, with great customer service.”

WholeSoy CEO Ted Nordquist says he appreciates LabelCalc’s help through a difficult crisis, when a leading national grocery retailer discovered an error in the nutritional data on the labels of WholeSoy’s raspberry soy yogurt.  On investigation, LabelCalc lead dietician Alyson Mar traced the discrepancy to the nutritional value for the raspberry fruit preparation provided by an ingredient supplier.  The supplier said the inaccuracy was generated by an old version of Genesis R&D nutrition software, provided by ESHA Research.   Mar then recorded the correct ingredient values in the LabelCalc system in order to successfully solve the problem.

As part of its goal of serving as a one-stop nutrition analysis resource for food manufacturers, LabelCalc recently launched its Professional Marketplace in collaboration with providers of other essential business solutions.  Now, when clients visit LabelCalc’s website, they can review the company’s partners such as Continental Packaging Solutions, Nashville Wraps, Label Technology, Inc., Gourmet Business Solutions, Natural Food Network, and Simply Barcodes.  Furthermore, Simply Barcodes offers LabelCalc clients a special discount of 10% off their UPC or EAN barcodes.

“It makes perfect sense for LabelCalc and Simply Barcodes to work together since nutrition analysis and barcodes are the last two hurdles food manufacturers need to cross in order to get their products to the retail marketplace,” said Stephan Bachmann, president of Simply Barcodes.  “Our partnership benefits our mutual customers by allowing them to obtain both in an easy and fluent transaction.”

LabelCalc’s home page features a voice demo and step-by-step tutorials to guide users through the label creation process.  One of the company’s most novel features is its Claims Calculator, which allows clients to quickly determine if they qualify for FDA-approved Nutrient Content Claims by displaying approved claim results for each nutrient.  There are 24 total claims, including low sodium, low-fat, reduced-calorie, etc.  Clients can also easily adjust their ingredients to fulfill official claim requirements.  Additionally, a unique Allergen Alerts feature flags potential ingredient allergens to help comply with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). 

In the five years since its inception, LabelCalc has acquired a reputation for being a powerhouse of food industry knowledge. The company’s expert staff of regulations experts and registered dietitians is available for technical support and compliance guidance throughout normal business hours (Pacific Standard Time).  Furthermore, Mar authors a popular monthly newsletter that highlights current news, emerging trends and hot topics.