October is National Seafood Month, and the Gulf Seafood Marketing Coalition is making it easier than ever to celebrate by enjoying Gulf of Mexico seafood favorites with its new Gulf Coast seafood finder mobile app. Whether it’s baked, broiled, blackened or grilled, finding flavorful wild-caught Gulf Coast seafood at a market, restaurant or wholesaler is […]
Category: National
Posted in, Beverage News, National
CBA Awards Retail Partners Safeway, Buffalo Wild Wings
Craft Brew Alliance Inc. (CBA), an independent craft brewing company, awarded Safeway, one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America, and Buffalo Wild Wings, a casual dining restaurant chain with more than 950 locations in the U.S. and Canada, during a beer conference in Las Vegas last week. Safeway took home the […]
Posted in, Executive News, National
Former Nestle Exec Takes Helm At Schwan
The Schwan Food Co. has named former Nestle executive Dimitrios Smyrnios as its CEO, succeeding Gregory Flack whose previously announced resignation became effective Oct. 4. “After a thorough and deliberate search process, the board of directors concluded that Dimitrios Smyrnios is the right leader to strengthen our company moving forward,” said Allan Schuman, board chairman […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, Store News
Aldi Expands Coffee Offerings With Exclusive Brand Of Single-Serve Cups
Aldi is introducing a new, exclusive brand line of single-serve coffee cups from Beaumont Coffee. The Beaumont single-serve coffee cups will be available in all Aldi store locations beginning this fall in a variety of flavors like Breakfast Blend, Dark Roast, Hazelnut, French Vanilla and Fair Trade Columbian. The SRP is $5.79 for a 12-count […]
Posted in, National
Mastronardi/Sunset To Roll Out New Products At PMA Fresh Summit
Mastronardi Produce is gearing up for this year’s PMA Fresh Summit. Taking place Oct. 19-20 in New Orleans, the company’s Sunset brand will be unveiling new innovative products and packaging. Sunset can be found at booth No. 2738. This area includes a full gourmet kitchen where Sunset executive chefs will create signature recipes and introduce […]
Posted in, Executive News, National
Sunsweet Growers Names New CEO
Sunsweet Growers Inc., the nation’s leading marketer of prunes, specialty dried fruit products and fruit juices, has appointed company President Dane Lance to the additional post of CEO. Arthur Driscoll II, CEO since 2004, has retired after a distinguished tenure with Sunsweet, during which time the company achieved record-setting revenue and grower-member crop returns. “Art’s […]
Posted in, National
SNAP, WIC Benefits Continue During Government Shutdown—For Now
A number of state grocery associations are reporting that there has been confusion over the contingency plans for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC during the government shutdown. There will be no change in the SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) benefits for October, though the future of issuances for November and beyond are […]
Posted in, Albertsons, National, West
Wash. Teamsters Pledge Support To Grocery Workers Should Strike Occur
The Joint Council of Teamsters No. 28, which represents more than 50,000 members across Washington, Alaska and Northern Idaho, says it will honor a grocery worker strike if one occurs. The strike could potentially affect the 2,600 members of Teamsters Local 38 in Everett, Wash., and the nearly 27,000 members of United Food and Commercial […]
Posted in, National
Store Brand Sales Now Surpass $110B
With store brands now surpassing $110 billion in sales, the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) reported that shoppers are reaching for a retailer’s brand for one out of every four products they buy at the supermarket. Mid-year market share was 23.3 percent in supermarkets. Across all channels, private label recorded sales gains of 4.6 percent […]
Posted in, National, New Products
CB Old Country Store To Launch Licensed Products At Retail
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. plans to launch CB Old Country Store licensed products, made available through a licensing agreement with John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods. Products will begin shipping this week. The CB Old Country Store brand products include maple and smoked bacon, spiral ham and four types of […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, New Products
Pronto Sparkling Coffee Hits Stores
12NtM (Noon to Midnight) Sparkling Beverages, producer of sparkling beverages crafted by chefs, has created Pronto, a sparkling coffee beverage. Pronto is based on premium Arabica coffee beans from Columbia with dashes of chicory and pineapple for smoothness, and an all-natural combination of more than 60 ingredients. The 187ml single-serve Pronto joins the already available […]
Posted in, Executive News, Independent Store News, National
NGA Appoints New Board Members
At its fall meeting in Chicago, the National Grocers Association’s (NGA) board of directors approved appointments to fill four unexpired terms recently left vacant. New board members include: Christine Curtis, SVP and account management, C&S Wholesale Grocers At Keene, N.H.-based C&S Wholesale Grocers, Curtis is responsible for new business development, account management, independent retail services […]
Posted in, National
Frieda’s Specialty Lemon Bags Named PMA Impact Award Finalist
Frieda’s Specialty Lemon Bags for 1 lb. Seedless Lemons and Meyer Lemons were selected as a finalist in the 2013 PMA Impact Award, which recognizes excellence in packaging, in September. The bags are among 30 finalists selected from a total of 86 entries this year. The PMA Impact Award recognizes trendsetters that create and deliver […]
Posted in, Grocery News, National
Walmart Rolls Out Great Value LED Lightbulbs For Less Than $10
Walmart has launched a Great Value line of LED lightbulbs for less than $10 in all of its U.S. stores, with the goal of making LED lightbulbs more accessible and affordable for consumers. The new line will be available exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide and Walmart.com. The energy-efficient LED, or light-emitting diode, technology provides the […]
Posted in, National
Study: Consumer Confidence In Food Safety Declines
Consumer confidence in the safety of foods and beverages sold in the U.S. has dropped over the past five years. according to Multi-sponsor Surveys’ study of “Clean Food & Beverage Labels.” In the survey conducted in May/June among a national sample of 2,100 adults, one in six express a “great deal” of confidence in food […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
The Hershey Co. Promotes Dark Chocolate As The New Dessert
A recent study by The Hartman Group on U.S. eating habits reveals that the percentage of Americans savoring dessert after dinner has increased 5 percent since 2009, and 78 percent of treats enjoyed after dinner include chocolates. At the same time, there has been a resurgence in consumers purchasing trade-up and premium dark chocolate since […]
Posted in, Industry News, National
Consumers Buying More Specialty Food, Survey Says
Consumers are choosing specialty foods over conventional foods at record levels, according to new research from the Specialty Food Association. Close to 75 percent of U.S. consumers report making specialty food purchases this year, a major increase since the economic downturn of 2009 when only 46 percent reported that they bought these high-quality products. Consumers […]
Posted in, Center Store, National
Caribou’s Amy’s Blend Brings Warmth To CancerCare
Caribou Coffee has kicked off its 18th annual Caribou Coffee Amy’s Blend program, which pays tribute to the company’s original roastmaster, Amy Erickson. Erickson lost her battle with breast cancer in 1995; the company hopes to address the common needs of those impacted by the disease with this year’s merchandise collection and social campaign. The […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Queso Dip Yellow Added To Gordo’s Cheese Dip Line
Kachwa Foods is launching Queso Dip Yellow to it’s No. 1-selling brand Gordo’s Cheese Dip line up. Made with 100 percent real cheese and wholesome ingredients, Gordo’s Queso Dip brings “The Real Taste of Old Mexico” home in six flavors—Original, Mild, Hot, Cheese ‘n Salsa, Chipotle and the newest variety, Queso Dip-Yellow. Gordo’s Cheese Dip […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Better4U Foods Introduces Gluten-Free Personal Pizzas
The Better4U Foods brand is introducing gluten-free consumers to the new personal version of its frozen Multigrain Gluten Free Pizzas. The Better4U gluten-free personal pizzas have a suggested retail price of $5.99-$6.99. Better4U Foods will offer a personal sized 7-inch version of each of the brand’s full sized Multigrain Gluten Free Pizzas. Now available in […]