The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has named the 25 finalists for the Supermarket Chef Showdown, the food retail industry’s unique competition for culinary talent. The finals will be held June 11 at FMI’s new annual FMI Connect show. That will determine five grand-prize winners and one overall champion. The 25 contestants entered their recipes in […]
Category: National
Posted in, National
Hillshire Brands To Buy Pinnacle Foods In $6.6B Deal
Hillshire Brands has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Pinnacle Foods Inc. in a $4.3 billion transaction to include cash and Hillshire common stock. The deal, including debt, is valued at $6.6 billion, according to reports. Under the terms of the agreement, Hillshire will acquire all outstanding shares of Pinnacle Foods. Pinnacle stockholders will […]
Posted in, National
Research: Fresh Pear Consumption Associated With Better Health
Pear Bureau Northwest, the Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit marketing association that promotes fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington, recently commissioned nutrition research examining fresh pear consumption and the associated nutrition and health benefits. The research, which was led by Dr. Victor Fulgoni III was presented at Experimental Biology in San Diego earlier this month and […]
Posted in, National, West
Unified’s Sales, Earnings Improve
Unified Grocers this week announced improved sales and earnings for the 26 and 13 weeks ended March 29, the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2014. For the 26-week period, the Los Angeles-based distributor reported gross billings of $1.898 billion, compared to gross billings of $1.838 billion for the 26 weeks ended March 30, 2013, a […]
Posted in, Center Store, National
Ancient Harvest Debuts New Look, Expands Gluten-Free Offerings
Ancient Harvest, the first brand to bring quinoa to the U.S. in the 1980s, is expanding with the launch of new Mac & Cheese and Culinary Ancient Grains lines. The new product lines are supported by the debut of refreshed packaging and a revamped website, which the brand first revealed earlier this year. The new […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Blue Bell Introduces Red, White & Blue Bell Ice Cream
Blue Bell is rolling out new Red, White & Blue Bell Ice Cream, a colorful dessert featuring a strawberry ice cream loaded with strawberries, a vanilla ice cream as well as a blueberry ice cream combined with real blueberries—all packaged side by side in one carton. “We started with three basic ice cream flavors, strawberry, […]
Posted in, National, Store News
FMI 2014 Store Manager Award Finalists Revealed
The Food Marketing Institute’s 15th annual Store Manager Award finalists have been revealed. Four grand prize winners will be selected from among the 10 finalists on Wednesday, June 11, during FMI Connect, the new annual FMI Show, in Chicago. The Store Manager Award finalists are recognized for their work to achieve positive sales growth and […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Whole Foods Announces Store Openings And Moves
Whole Foods Market this week announced several store openings and moves. The Austin, Texas-based grocer has signed a lease for a new store in Richmond, Va., plans to relocate a North Wales, Pa., store and has announced openings in New Jersey and Indiana. Richmond, Va. The approximately 40,000-s.f. store will be located on Broad Street […]