Food & Food Equipment News

French's Mustard Wins Gold Medal in National Mustard Competition

Every year, a world-wide mustard competition takes place, giving mustards from all around the globe a chance to compete for an award in one of 16 flavor categories!  The competition, sponsored by the National Mustard Museum, based in Midddleton, WI, spotlights a variety of flavor profiles from Sweet-Hot to Spirit-infused to Exotic, but perhaps the most competitive of categories is “American Yellow.” This year’s gold medal in the category went to French's Classic Yellow Mustard.   

“For over 100 years, French’s Mustard has been made from the highest quality natural ingredients including #1 grade, stone ground mustard seed,” said Ukonwa Ojo, Senior Brand Manager for French’s Mustard. “We’re excited to learn that our unrelenting commitment to making the very best mustard has resulted in gold medal recognition in the competition. French’s has been America’s favorite mustard for over 100 years, and we are glad to hear that it was the judges’ favorite, too!”  

The prestigious judging panel for the National Mustard Competition consisted of chefs, food professionals, and food writers who judged the entrants on the following criteria per category: mustard quality, category fidelity, and overall flavor and appearance. The ideal “American Yellow” mustard was described in competition literature as having the following profile: “a taste that is not too hot, with more spice on the tongue than in the nose.” All entries were tasted “blind,” meaning judges did not know the identity of the brands being tasted. French’s was a standout in this national competition that vetted nearly 300 different mustards.

French’s® Mustard, the 100-plus year-old iconic mustard brand, has helped bring people together for good food and good times ever since it was first introduced in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Despite all of the changes in corporate names and structures, the people behind French’s continue to expand the mustard category through an ongoing commitment to innovation and new product development. In 1974, French’s introduced the squeeze bottle, and soon after a family of other flavor varieties. Today, the French’s brand and pennant remain America’s Favorite® mustard.

FRENCH’S® Foods, a division of Reckitt Benckiser Inc., the maker of FRENCH’S®  mustards, is a leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of food and household products. Some other well known, trusted household names in the Reckitt Benckiser Inc. family of food products include FRANK’S^® REDHOT^® Cayenne Pepper Sauce, FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions and FRENCH’S® Worcestershire sauce.

Butterball Turkey Meat Snacks Hit Shelves in May

Monogram Food Solutions LLC, the Memphis-based manufacturer of value-added processed meats, has announced the launch of a new line of turkey meat snacks featuring turkey jerky, turkey bacon jerky, turkey nuggets and turkey snack sticks licensed under the Butterball brand. 

"We are excited about our partnership with Monogram, a leader in the meat snacks industry, who will be using Butterball turkey in a new, innovative meat snack offering," said Bill Klump, Senior Vice President of corporate marketing with Butterball, LLC. "We look forward to introducing these high-quality, delicious turkey meat snacks to customers and consumers."

Monogram is gearing up to add turkey protein to its already robust operation in Chandler, Minn., with the production of Butterball turkey meat snacks. Production begins in May for the following variety of innovative new turkey meat snacks:                                            

• Butterball Apple Turkey Nuggets – made with pieces of sweet dried apples
• Butterball Turkey Bacon Jerky – crisp, with smoky hickory notes
• Butterball Teriyaki Turkey Jerky – sweet with savory soy sauce
• Butterball Oven Roasted Turkey Jerky – full of Thanksgiving flavor

"Butterball is an iconic national brand with a tremendous heritage," said Wes Jackson, President of Monogram Food Solutions.  "We are honored to be working hand in hand with the folks at Butterball to bring premium turkey into the meat snack section with these healthy, great tasting products."

New Butterball Turkey Meat Snacks offer customers a better-for-you, lean protein product in the meat snack category, currently dominated by beef jerky (95 percent). Butterball Turkey Meat Snacks have no added MSG, are low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb and high in lean turkey protein, and at 220 mg/ounce, Butterball Teriyaki Turkey Jerky has less than half the sodium found in most national brands of beef jerky (550-600mg). 

Monogram will round out the new Butterball Turkey Meat Snack line with Turkey Snack Bites and snappy Giant Smoked Turkey Snack Sticks, all made with lean nutritious Butterball turkey.

These products will hit retail and convenience store shelves nationwide this summer. 

 

Amoroso's Brings Philly to You

Can’t make it to Philly? Amoroso’s brings Philly to you.

Nothing says more about the quality of your restaurant or food service program than the quality of the bread you serve. That’s why Amoroso’s Baking Company is sure to enhance your restaurant’s reputation and help attract new customers.

For more than 100 years, beginning in 1904 in Philadelphia, Amoroso’s authentic Italian Hearth-Baked Bread and Rolls have been the stuff legendary Philly cheese steaks, hoagies, roast beef and roast pork sandwiches are made of. And in the past 40 years, that fame has spread across the country and around the world.

Amoroso’s is “Why Philly sandwiches are world-famous.”^TM

The family-owned and operated company has grown over the years through five major bakery expansions. The addition of state-of-the-art frozen facilities and a unique “Thaw & Serve” program for restaurants and food service companies have enabled customers in 50 states, as well as in Bermuda, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guam, The Phillippines, and Puerto Rico, to enjoy Amoroso’s products.

“Thaw & Serve” includes Amoroso’s Hearth-Baked Kaiser, Club and Italian rolls,

all made in strict adherence to the closely guarded family recipe. Using only the finest ingredients, Amoroso’s bread and rolls are baked from scratch 24 hours a day,

seven days a week and immediately flash-frozen for immediate shipping. The result is a superior product with a light, crisp crunch on the outside and a soft, yet firm bite on the inside.

Now the classic Philly sandwich roll, so ubiquitous in Philadelphia, is available anywhere in the United States or around the world. So high is the quality of Amoroso’s frozen products, Philadelphia expatriates immediately recognize that unique Amoroso’s taste.

With the resources and capacity to service both individual restaurants and large restaurant chains, stadiums, entertainment venues and food service programs—even design custom products tailored to specific company needs—Amoroso’s is the local Philly bakery that’s become an international resource.

Now the roll that made Philly sandwiches world-famous is available world-wide.

Visit Amoroso’s in booth 1821 during the NRA Show. For further information, contact Bob Rector at 267-295-0530 or brector@amorosobaking.com, or visit AmorosoBaking.com.

TourismOhio Launches "Discover Ohio To Go" Promotion with McDonald's

Today, the Office of TourismOhio, McDonald's restaurants of Ohio and Coca-Cola announced the launch of Discover Ohio To Go, a first-of-its-kind promotion designed to provide travelers with exclusive discounts at some of Ohio's most popular tourism attractions. Customers who purchase a large soft drink or iced tea beverage at participating Ohio McDonald's locations between April 29 and June 9 can redeem the cup at participating tourism attractions for discounts on admission, lodging and more. The discounts are available for redemption at more than a dozen tourism attractions throughout the spring and summer.

"McDonald's restaurants are a stop for many Ohio travelers, and working with McDonald's and Coca-Cola allows us to provide those travelers with exclusive deals to help them stretch their travel budgets and maybe stay an extra night," said Interim State Tourism Director Pat Barker. "This program also is launching at a perfect time of year to help stimulate some early Ohio travel planning."

Travelers can visit www.DiscoverOhioToGo.com to find a full list of discounts and deals, as well as a list of nearly 400 participating McDonald's locations. To receive the discount, travelers should follow directions on the website for each offer and present the clean, empty cup upon arrival at participating attraction.

Pennsylvania Grocers Fight for a Share of Alcohol Sales

By Lorrie Baumann

Pennsylvania grocers and convenience stores are fighting for privatization of the state's alcohol sales under a proposal that has passed the state House. The proposal to privatize alcohol sales has the support of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett but faces opposition from Democrats in the state Senate. 

Pennsylvania has some of the nation's strictest controls on liquor sales. Under current law, sales of packaged spirits are restricted to liquor stores controlled by the Pennsylvania liquor control board and to delis and restaurants that serve food as well. Wines are also sold in winery shops, and beer may only be purchased from a restaurant, bar, licensed beer store, or distributor. Beverage distributors may be licensed to sell beer and malt liquor, but not wine or hard liquor. Utah is the only other state in the country with such a state monopoly on liquor sales.  

Supermarkets are fighting for a share of that business, and the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, which represents them, is supporting a bill just passed by the Pennsylvania House that would expand liquor sales in the state from the state-controlled stores into the hands of privately-owned merchants. Under the bill being considered now by the Pennsylvania Senate, the state stores would be gradually phased out as new licensees began selling more of the liquor sold in each county. 

The state's existing beer distributors would have first crack at the new liquor licenses. After a year, new entrepreneurs would have a chance to purchase liquor licenses. The bill would also give grocery stores that have a restaurant license the ability to sell beer and wine. 

The PFMA argues that the few supermarkets that already have licenses to sell alcohol in restaurants or delis attached to their stores are doing an exemplary job of making sure that alcohol isn't getting into the hands of minors, and that they provide safe, clean and convenient places for adults to purchase alcoholic beverages. "These companies offer visually appealing displays, competitive prices and well-trained associates to assist shoppers," said David McCorkle, PFMA president and CEO.

The association recently polled members who currently have a license to sell alcohol in Pennsylvania and found those companies have policies in place to ensure the lawful sale of adult beverages. Procedures followed by these stores include the following:

• Cashiers and other store personnel receive training through the Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP), a training program created by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to help licensees and their employees sell alcohol responsibly. This training gives store associates knowledge on spotting fake ID's and acceptable forms of identification; spotting and dealing with intoxicated customers, and all aspects of the Pennsylvania liquor code.
• Many stores have a 100 percent age verification policy, so that they card every person who wants to make an adult beverage purchase.
• Identification is visually inspected and scanned through the register to verify the buyer's age.
• Store cafés and restaurants are under video surveillance.

Opponents of expanded liquor sales argue that the expansion of liquor sales into new venues will create more opportunities for underage consumption resulting from thefts of alcohol products from poorly monitored retail stores. They cite a National Institutes of Health study showing that four underage participants from a sample group of 47 had stolen alcohol and that about a dozen of the 47 study participants knew that their friends had stolen alcohol on some occasion. The study suggests that, "Theft of alcohol from commercial sources may be reduced by examining the weaknesses of existing theft prevention practices, and revising store policies."

"Theft for these products is not any more prevalent than any other product in the stores," McCorkle said. "Supermarket and convenience stores are very familiar with selling age-restricted products. They regularly sell them in other states where they comply with the law and shoppers enjoy the convenience of purchasing adult beverages along with their groceries."

Privatization of liquor sales could raise $800 million in new tax revenues for the state, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The governor wants to direct that money to public schools for early-childhood education, school safety, individual learning, and science, technology, engineering, and math programs. The bill is opposed by the union that represents the state liquor store clerks.

The Fuzzy Peach Begins National Expansion

The Fuzzy Peach, based out of Wilmington, NC, has begun a national expansion, signing franchise agreements for frozen dessert stores in South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and West Virginia.

The Fuzzy Peach business is founded on three principles: serving the best products in the industry, providing world-class customer service, and creating an atmosphere where customers can feel at home.

"The growth of the Fuzzy Peach has been right on track with our plans for expansion," says Director of Franchise Operations Jason Nista. "We wanted to first grow regionally by opening corporate and then franchise locations in order to build and test our systems. We now feel we are ready to expand beyond our region, and we are excited about all the future growth we have in the pipeline. This is just the beginning of our national expansion."

With the new agreements, the total Fuzzy Peach store count commitment will be 26 locations. The Fuzzy Peach recently celebrated the opening of its eleventh store in Boiling Springs, N.C.

New Line of Skinless All-Natural Chicken Sausage Offers World-Class Flavor

New from Dietz & Watson is a line of seven bold All Natural Chicken Sausage varieties that offer something to please just about every palate. Made from fresh, never frozen chicken and using old-world family recipes prepared in small batches, these fully cooked sausages contain no fillers, extenders or MSG and are certified gluten-free by the Celiac Sprue Association.

Bold and spicy flavors fused in this new all-natural line include Buffalo Style, Jamaican Jerk, Asiago & Spinach, Italian, Tomatillo Salsa Santa Fe Style, Andouille and Oktoberfest Black Forest Chicken Brats.

“We are very excited about this addition to our All Natural product mix,” said Louis Eni, President & CEO of Dietz & Watson, and grandson of company Founder Gottlieb Dietz. “We work hard to keep on top of consumer trends and we think this new line couldn’t be timed better.”

To go along with this robust new line comes bold new packaging too. The new items come in 12-ounce packages containing four sausages each.

For more than 70 years, Dietz & Watson has been run as a family business. It was founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, a talented young German sausage maker. His primary goal was to produce the most flavorful, highest-quality franks, sausages and deli meats in the marketplace to please even the most discriminating palate. His old-world recipes fused with today’s bold flavor offerings still to this day demand “Quality Above All Else.”

Visit www.DietzAndWatson.com for more information or try any or all of these exciting new All Natural Dietz & Watson Chicken Sausages at the NRA Show.

Mini Melts Ice Cream Scoops Up Nationwide Roll Out

Mini Melts USA, Inc.  Mini Melts Ice Cream will soon be available through automated retail kiosks manufactured exclusively by Fastcorp LLC in most Walmart stores nationwide.  "Our Automated Kiosks provide superior merchandising and they are the most energy efficient and reliable kiosks on the market.  We are thrilled to be part of this program with two exceptional companies, Walmart and Mini Melts," said Todd Piatnik, President of Fastcorp LLC.  

"We plan to continue sharing this opportunity with our growing operator network," said Shawn Kilcoyne , CEO of Mini Melts USA, Inc.  "We have chosen to remain an alternative to franchising in our industry, which we believe will keep a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit among our network and keep our operators focused on growing opportunities while minimizing start-up costs.  My brother and I have been in this industry for 15 years and we are happy to share our knowledge of running a profitable beaded ice cream operation."

Mini Melts has raised the bar in the beaded ice cream category, by using a 14 percent butterfat and the highest quality ingredients available. Mini Melts is the Premium choice in beaded ice cream.  Mini Melts is manufactured through a patented process that uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze the ice cream and lock in its flavor while keeping out air and ice which would dilute the flavor. Its novelty and delicious taste keeps kids and adults alike coming back again and again. Mini Melts is offered through automated retail kiosks, carts and serving freezers in thousands of venues such as theme parks, entertainment centers, retail stores, shopping malls, zoos and anywhere people, particularly children, congregate.  For more information, visit www.MiniMeltsVending.com.

 

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. Expands Its Line of Keurig Vue Brewers

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers, announces the expansion of its Keurig® Vue® Brewing System with the addition of the Keurig Vue V600 brewer. Offering an interactive black and white touchscreen and a lower price point (SRP of $209.99), the new Vue V600 delivers the popular customizable features of the Vue brewing system to an even broader range of consumers.

First launched in February 2012, the premium Vue platform is designed with customizable technology to brew stronger, bigger and hotter. Paired with a variety of more than 50 coffee, tea and specialty beverage Vue packs, Vue maintains the simplicity and convenience of Keurig's K-Cup single cup platform with added customizable features for the strength, size and temperature control of beverages. Key attributes include:

• Brew Stronger: With Custom Brew Technology™, the Vue brewer adjusts water pressure, timing, and airflow so consumers can brew to better suit their taste preference.

• Brew Bigger: Consumers can brew a larger travel mug with new Vue packs specially formulated to brew a bigger cup up to 18 oz.

• Brew Hotter: Vue offers a brewing temperature range between 187 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit so consumers have more ways to customize the perfect cup.

“We remain focused on the expansion of our Vue series so that even more consumers may experience the enhanced benefits of Vue,” says Michelle Stacy, president of GMCR’s Keurig business unit. “The Keurig system continues to offer the most advanced brewing options designed to satisfy consumers’ desire for a great cup of coffee and the choice of other beverages the way they love it. With the new Vue V600, even more consumers will now be able to enjoy customizable beverages at home.”

The Vue V600 brewer is the second addition to the Keurig Vue at-home models, joining the Keurig Vue V700 brewer (recently lowered to SRP $229.99). The Vue V600 is currently available for purchase on www.keurig.com and will be available in more channels this fall. Additional at-home Vue models with lower price points will be introduced next year.

The Vue V600 offers:

• Fully programmable black and white touchscreen featuring auto on/off, temperature and strength control, energy saver mode and size selection

• Eight brew sizes — from 4 oz. to 18 oz. travel mug

• Removable 74 oz. water reservoir

• Removable drip tray with adjustable plate

• Brews in under one minute

The Vue brewer line initially expanded in early September with the introduction of the Keurig Vue V1200 brewer, targeted for commercial use with the ability to brew stronger, bigger, hotter, and smarter with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. Recently named coffee maker "Brand of the Year" in the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Equity Study, Keurig continues its quest to revolutionize the way beverages are brewed and enjoyed at home and in the workplace.

Newly-Crowned Women's Gymnastics All-Around Champion Gabby Douglas To Be Featured On Special-Edition Boxes of Kellogg's® Corn Flakes®

To celebrate U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas' gold medal in the women's all-around at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Kellogg's announced today that she will be featured on special-edition boxes of Kellogg's® Corn Flakes® which will be on shelves this fall. Kellogg Company is an official sponsor of the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics.

"I'm so proud to be part of this gold-medal winning team and I'm thrilled I was able to bring home the all-around gold for Team USA as well," said Douglas. "The support from fans around the country has been amazing, and it's a huge honor to see ourselves on a cereal box that our fans can all own and enjoy!"

"We are proud to support the potential of our young athletes and our amazing team of U.S. gymnasts," said Doug VanDeVelde, senior vice president of Morning Foods, Kellogg Company. "Over the course of the past week, we have all shared in the thrilling moments and passion of USA Gymnastics, and we are excited to bring that into the homes of families across the country."

"Gabby Douglas has helped Team USA make history this week. The team gold was the first since the 1996 Olympic Games and this is the first time that USA Gymnastics has captured both the team gold and the individual all-around gold medal," said USA Gymnastics President, Steve Penny. "She also became the third consecutive American gymnast to win the all-around gold medal, making this an even more significant accomplishment."

The cereal company will not only bring your favorite gymnasts to your breakfast table, they are the title sponsor of the 2012 Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions, a 40-city national tour featuring Team USA's top performing gymnasts which will kick off in San Jose, California on September 8, 2012.  For tickets go to www.kelloggstour.com.

About Kellogg Company

Driven to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter, Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) is the world's leading producer of cereal, second largest producer of cookies and crackers and―through the May 2012 acquisition of the iconic Pringles® business―the world's second largest savory snacks company. In addition, Kellogg is a leading producer of frozen foods. Every day, our well-loved brands - produced in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries―nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. With 2011 sales of more than $13 billion, these brands include Cheez-It®, Coco Pops®, Corn Flakes®, Eggo®, Frosted Flakes®, Kashi®, Keebler®, Kellogg's®, Mini-Wheats®, Pop-Tarts®, Pringles®, Rice Krispies®, Special K®, and many more. To learn more about Kellogg Company, including our corporate responsibility initiatives and rich heritage, please visit www.kelloggcompany.com.

About USA Gymnastics

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States.  Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics.  For more information, log  onto www.usagym.org.

SOURCE Kellogg Company