On a Recent trip to Brazil Co Founders and Directors Andrew Cameron and Jeremy Liddle spent quality time visiting the harvesters and Acai Berry processing facilities in the city ofBelem which is the Acai Berry Capital of the World! Here Brazilians consume 400 tones of this incredible fruit a day!!

A very important part of this trip was visiting the ACAIMU School, which is independently supported through the Amazon Friendly initiative. RioLife donated $20,000 to the school which will keep it up and running for an entire year.

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What’s a superfood?

There’s no scientific definition of a superfood and the term itself is somewhat controversial.

In fact, some nutritionists and dietitians believe that the word shouldn’t be used at all. They argue that labelling some foods as ‘super’ will make other foods appear less appealing or worthwhile. Since variety is the key to a nutritious, balanced diet, they’re concerned that some people might favour ‘superfoods’ and exclude other foods from their diets altogether, leading to an excess of some nutrients and a shortfall of others. The term has even been banned on food packaging in some countries.

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Have you ever noticed what stunning skin Mediterranean women have? If you weren’t lucky enough to be born with those genes yourself, their glowing complexions have probably left you green with envy more than once in your life.

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In a night that recognised Australia’s high achievers in small business, it was clear that this country’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. The 2010 My Business Awards showcased a range of different industries from consumer technology to the food industry with a number of these companies operating solely online.

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Your skin is the barrier between your body and the outside world, and every day it is exposed to pollution, sunlight, cigarette smoke and other factors that impact its health and appearance. All of these, as well as many of the body’s normal physiological processes, can culminate in the production of free radicals.

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We ware very excited to see that Miranda Kerr and even her entire family has been enjoying eating the wonderful Acai Berry. Eating it daily and reeking the benefits of all the amazing nutrition that the Acai berry has to offer. We have seen a lot of hype in the states from celebrities on Acai, it is good to see some of our own favorouties are gertting healthy from Acai too!.

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After 4 years of hard work distributing the wonderful Acai Berry and growing distribution through health food stores and Pharmacies across the country, things are starting to ramp up. RioLife has made it into the top 3 finalists for the My Business Awards in  the “fastest growing small business” category. Entrants in this category must show sustainable growth over the past 2 financial years and managing its expansion strategically.

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One thing we love doing at RioLife is getting to share the amazing Acai Berry with as many people as we can. Over the past couple of weeks we were lucky enough to attend the Organic Expo and Green show in Darling Harbour and the Ultimate Health Event out at Homebush. Many people got to try our tasty Acai, mixed with a bit of apple and mango juice it was delicious.

As usual our Acai got great attention with many people trying the wonderful Acai Berry for the first time, it was great to see so many people impressed with our product and even some people knew how to pronounce it correctly:) We at RioLife love talking about the many great things Acai has to offer us for our energy and health it is great to see so many people interested in foods like this.

Thanks to all those who came to visit us at our RioLife stall was great to see so many people at both the events as well as getting to meet so many other great business owners and see so many great new products. The organic food industry is truly starting to take off, it is a very exciting time for this industry.

Please see our Facebook page to see some photos from the event  http://www.facebook.com/pages/RioLife/24853971395?ref=ts

RioLife – Acai Berry, Exotic Energy for Living.

At RioLife, we’re as passionate about the environment and communities our acai berries come from as we are about the berries themselves. (And since we famously can’t get through a single day without a delicious and energising RioLife acai bowl for breakfast, you know that means we’re pretty passionate!)

Unlike most other industries in the Amazon basin, the harvesting of acai berries doesn’t involve the destruction of the precious trees that make this region so unique, harbour a plethora of wildlife and act as the lungs of the earth, continuously converting carbon dioxide back into life-giving oxygen for all of us.

In fact, the harvesting of acai is one of only a handful of sustainable commercial initiatives identified by Greenpeace as having the capacity to make a meaningful difference to the deforestation of the region.

The main commercial activities in the Amazon are logging and farming, both of which involve the clearing of trees in an alarming, unsustainable, and often illegal manner.

In contrast, the harvesting of acai berries does not involve deforestation.

It’s a win-win-win situation. The jungle is protected from land clearing, the locals earn an income, and here in Australia we get to enjoy antioxidant-rich acai berries safe in the knowledge that we’re contributing to the health and sustainability of the Amazon.

Key to the environmental success of the acai industry has been the realisation among local communities of how valuable and financially viable it is for them to keep the açaí palms alive so the berries can be harvested over and over again.

Education obviously plays a major role here, both in terms of local awareness of the economic value of acai berries and the issues associated with deforestation, and also in providing employment opportunities outside of the mainstream farming and logging industries.

So, having a fair trade-based business relationship with the workers who gather and process our 100% wild harvested and certified organic acai berries is not enough for us. We also believe it’s important to help educate their kids.

Since RioLife opened its doors in 2005, we’ve been donating a percentage of all retail sales to help build and fund schools in this part of the Amazon.

With your support, we’re thrilled that RioLife and the registered charity ACAIMU are now providing schooling and medical and dental care for nearly 100 children, many of whom would otherwise be unable to go to school due to the remoteness of their homes.

The children are transported to the school by boat, fed a meal, and given lessons in reading, writing, maths, environmental studies, home economics and crafts and social living in the community.

We’re committed to creating a healthy, sustainable future for these children and the region they live in, and with every purchase of RioLife Freeze-Dried Acai berry Powder, you’re contributing to that goal.

As they say in Brazil, obrigado. Thanks!