LOS ANGELES — The 2024 Mindful Awards Program, an independent recognition platform highlighting conscious companies and products that mindfully make waves in the ever-expanding world of consumer-packaged goods, announced that Mooney Farms, a certified woman-owned family farm based in Chico, California and the premier producer of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil in the U.S., has received “Salad Dressing Product of the Year” for their line of Bella Sun Luci Olive Oil Vinaigrettes.
Mooney Farm’s Bella Sun Luci brand has launched a new line of 100% olive oil based salad vinaigrettes that are never blended with any inferior oils. Its flagship Bella Sun Luci line comes in five varieties: authentic Balsamic Vinaigrette with sweet and fragrant aged balsamic vinegar; Tuscan-style Sonoma Vinaigrette, rich with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; premium California Vinaigrette with sweet oranges and wildflower honey; Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette With Basil And Honey is crafted with lemons and aromatic basil; and Champagne Vinaigrette which offers a complex flavor profile of rich mustard and champagne vinegar made from grapes harvested from the Napa Valley.
The Meyer lemons in the vinaigrette are harvested from various California coasts where in the natural coolness they are slowly ripened until they reach the peak of sweetness. Mooney Farms uses the best portion of the lemon and never the pith to exclude any possible bitterness when the lemon oil is made. Mooney Farms trusts another family-owned business to craft this exceptional lemon oil since they have a shared commitment to ethics when it comes to food quality. The Meyer Lemon vinaigrette adds a zesty citrus taste to dishes, giving each meal a fresh twist on flavor.
Both the Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Champagne Vinaigrette are brand-new additions to the Mooney Farms line. All of the products are made with Mooney Farms’ own California Extra Virgin Olive Oil which is cold-pressed from fine Arbequina olives and selected specifically for the salad dressings from the family estate grove.
“With all ingredients sourced locally in Northern California, including the pure wildflower honey from a local family farm, these vinaigrettes, with their wholesome ingredients, are made from the heart, combining the authenticity of simple, high-quality Italian ingredients with innovative California flavors,” said Travis Grant, Managing Director, Mindful Awards. “There’s nothing artificial about the products from Mooney Farms. We’re thrilled to recognize them with ‘Salad Dressing Product of the Year’ for their line of high-quality olive oil vinaigrettes that provide nutritious and flavorful choices and promote healthy eating habits as well as agricultural sustainability.”
The mission of the Mindful Awards program is to honor conscious CPG companies and products that offer transparency to consumers, pay workers fair wages, ensure sustainable business practices, use recycled or recyclable materials, and create healthier products using natural or organic ingredients. This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from companies all over the world. The winning products and companies have been selected based on a variety of criteria that includes Impact, Credibility, Health, Transparency and more.
“At Mooney Farms, we’re committed to sustainable practices, harnessing the power of the sun to produce our products. By maintaining strong connections with our suppliers and other local growers, we also ensure a sustainable and consistent source of ingredients,” said Mary Mooney, founder of Mooney Farms. “The extra virgin olive oil sourced from the family estate gives the dressing an extra silky taste. We’re so pleased to receive this recognition from the Mindful Awards, with the new Meyer Lemon with Honey & Basil being a particularly exciting addition to our line!”
About Mindful Awards
The Mindful Awards organization is devoted to honoring mindful companies in the consumer-packaged goods industry that are setting the foundation for our future. Mindful Awards are devoted to providing a forum for public recognition around the achievements in categories Food, Beverage, Snacks, Supplements, Home, and Personal Care. Our mission is to bring awareness to the benefits of mindfulness and its impact on society as a whole. We believe that through mindfulness, we can create a more compassionate and sustainable world. For more information visit MindfulAwards.com.
About Mooney Farms & Bella Sun Luci
Founded in 1986, Mooney Farms is a third-generation, certified woman-owned, family company rooted in quality, integrity and family values that has grown to be the premier producer of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil in the United States. Based in Chico, California, Mooney Farms has a 100,000 square foot facility and 200-year-old olive trees planted among rows of lavender and rosemary, which reflects the family’s rich history of the Mediterranean. Its flagship product line, Bella Sun Luci, features premium California-grown and Mediterranean-inspired foods created from authentic family recipes. The Bella Sun Luci line is best known for Sun Dried Tomatoes and Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil—with a distinctively fresh and sweet flavor from being dried under the California sun, they add genuine Mediterranean flavor to homemade appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas and more. The Bella Sun Luci line also includes new 100% olive-oil Salad Dressings, deliciously sweet Plant-Based Tomato Jerky, Pasta Sauces, Bruschetta Spreads, Bottled Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Risotto and Marinades. Visit BellaSunLuci.com to learn more and follow on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
