Content about Food and drink

May 23, 2013

Campbell Soup Company has entered into an agreement to acquire Plum Organics, a provider of premium, organic foods and snacks that serve the nutritional needs of babies, toddlers and children.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Campbell Soup Company has entered into an agreement to acquire Plum Organics, a provider of premium, organic foods and snacks that serve the nutritional needs of babies, toddlers and children.

The company is based in Emeryville, Calif. Plum is the No. 2 brand of organic baby food in the U.S. and is currently the No. 4 baby food brand overall. Baby food is an approximately $2 billion category in the United States. From 2010 to 2012, the premium and organic segments grew at an average annual rate of 43%.

May 22, 2013

Dannon capitalizes on cloud tech for #1 spot

Dannon is leveraging IBM's cloud-based predictive analytics in an attempt claim the number one spot, currently held by Chobani, in the $7 billion U.S. yogurt market.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Dannon is leveraging IBM's cloud-based predictive analytics in an attempt claim the number one spot, currently held by Chobani, in the $7 billion U.S. yogurt market.

May 22, 2013

Kohl’s adds Starbucks’ Gass to branding team

Kohl’s has appointed Starbucks executive Michelle Gass to the newly created position of chief customer officer. She will report directly to Kohl’s chairman, president and CEO Kevin Mansell.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s has appointed Starbucks executive Michelle Gass to the newly created position of chief customer officer. She will report directly to Kohl’s chairman, president and CEO Kevin Mansell.

Gass, who joins Kohl’s on June 17, will have leadership responsibility for Kohl’s branding across all channels. She will oversee all marketing efforts, the company’s high growth e-commerce business on Kohls.com and the customer’s total omnichannel experience.

May 17, 2013

Campbell, Pepperidge Farm honored for thinking outside the box

Campbell Soup Company and its Pepperidge Farm division were among those honored for consumer-driven innovation in product packaging at the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Campbell Soup Company and its Pepperidge Farm division were among those honored for consumer-driven innovation in product packaging at the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

May 16, 2013

Walmart, Starbucks execs named to PCI board

PCI Security Standards Council has appointed representatives from retail merchants such as Walmart, Woolworths Limited and Starbucks, as well as from the Retail Solution Providers Association, to its board of advisors.

WAKEFIELD, Mass. — PCI Security Standards Council has appointed representatives from retail merchants such as Walmart, Woolworths Limited and Starbucks, as well as from the Retail Solution Providers Association, to its board of advisors.

The open, global forum for the development of payment card security standards is looking to its board to provide counsel to SSC leadership.

May 14, 2013

Former Mars exec to sit on beauty brand board

Olivier Goudet, partner and CEO of the Joh. A. Benckiser Group and former CFO of Mars Inc., has been appointed global beauty brand Coty’s board of directors. Goudet replaces Bernd Beetz, who stepped down from Coty's board to pursue other interests.

NEW YORK — Olivier Goudet, partner and CEO of the Joh. A. Benckiser Group and former CFO of Mars Inc., has been appointed global beauty brand Coty’s board of directors. Goudet replaces Bernd Beetz, who stepped down from Coty's board to pursue other interests.

JAB is a privately held group that owns and invests in premium brands; it is also Coty's majority shareholder.

May 13, 2013

Former PepsiCo exec to head TCC Americas

TCC, a global leader in retail marketing programs, has appointed former PepsiCo executive Van B. Sapp as president of TCC Americas. In his new role, Sapp will be responsible for TCC's operations in North and South America.

WESTPORT, Conn. — TCC, a global leader in retail marketing programs, has appointed former PepsiCo executive Van B. Sapp as president of TCC Americas. In his new role, Sapp will be responsible for TCC's operations in North and South America, adding capabilities with licensed properties and integrating digital components to current customer initiatives.

May 8, 2013

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf goes wireless

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a leading specialty coffee and tea retailer, is leveraging wireless technology to retain existing customers and encourage new ones to come into their stores.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a leading specialty coffee and tea retailer, is leveraging wireless technology to retain existing customers and encourage new ones to come into their stores.

The company will test wireless charging with Power Matters Alliance at select Los Angeles locations and plans to deploy wireless charging with PMA in dozens of California stores this quarter, with the aim of expanding nationally and internationally shortly thereafter.

May 7, 2013

Chico's names new board member

Chico's FAS, a women's specialty retailer of private-branded apparel, intimates and accessories, has appointed McDonald’s executive Janice L. Fields to its board of directors.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Chico's FAS, a women's specialty retailer of private-branded apparel, intimates and accessories, has appointed McDonald’s executive Janice L. Fields to its board of directors.

Her appointment brings the total number of board seats to nine. Fields was also appointed to the board's corporate governance and nominating committee.

May 6, 2013

Monster Energy sued by San Fran for marketing to kids

San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera has launched a lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corporation for violating California law with its marketing of highly caffeinated energy drinks to children as young as six years old.

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera has launched a lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corporation for violating California law with its marketing of highly caffeinated energy drinks to children as young as six years old, despite scientific findings that such products may cause "significant morbidity in adolescents" from elevated blood pressure, brain seizures and severe cardiac events.

May 6, 2013

Ruffles launches grindhouse ad campaign for new chip

Ruffles potato chips, one of the flagship brand's from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, has launched a new Ultimate Tangy Honey Mustard flavor potato chip alongside a comical marketing campaign in television, cinema and digital inspired by 1970s grindhouse-style action movies.

PLANO, Texas — Ruffles potato chips, one of the flagship brand's from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, has launched a new Ultimate Tangy Honey Mustard flavor potato chip alongside a comical marketing campaign in television, cinema and digital inspired by 1970s grindhouse-style action movies.

May 2, 2013

Former ConAgra exec heads to Dick’s, ConAgra fills empty slot

Dick's Sporting Goods has named former ConAgra executive Andre J. Hawaux as its new EVP of finance and administration and CFO. Hawaux will oversee Finance, Legal, Strategic Planning and Risk and Compliance. He succeeds Timothy Kullman, who is retiring, in June.

Hawaux has more than 30 years of experience, most recently as president of consumer foods at ConAgra, one of North America's leading packaged food companies. Previously, he served as ConAgra Foods' EVP and CFO and was responsible for the company's finance and information system and services organizations.

May 2, 2013

Jones Soda goes natural in Cali

Jones Soda Co., a beverage company known for its colorful sodas and customer-designed packaging, announced the launch of Natural Jones Soda.

SEATTLE — Jones Soda Co., a beverage company known for its colorful sodas and customer-designed packaging, announced the launch of Natural Jones Soda.

The Natural Jones Soda product line is sweetened with a proprietary blend of natural sweeteners including pure cane sugar, organic agave syrup and stevia. Each 12-ounce glass bottle contains 30 calories, five grams of fiber and five grams of sugar and comes in four fruit flavors: Green Apple, Orange Mango, Cherry and Lemon Lime.

May 2, 2013

Starbucks beefs up leadership team

Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz announced changes to the company’s senior leadership team, aimed to further accelerate the company’s global growth plans.

May 1, 2013

Pearson Candy scores Bit-O-Honey from Nestle

Brynwood Partners’ portfolio company, Pearson Candy Company, has acquired the Bit-O-Honey confectionery brand from Nestle. The acquisition marks the fifth brand Brynwood Partners has acquired from Nestle. Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.

GREENWICH, Conn. — Brynwood Partners’ portfolio company, Pearson Candy Company, has acquired the Bit-O-Honey confectionery brand from Nestle. The acquisition marks the fifth brand Brynwood Partners has acquired from Nestle. Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Bit-O-Honey national brand has been around for more than 90 years and is available in a variety of formats, which are widely distributed in the U.S. through leading retailers in the food, drug, mass and dollar channels.

May 1, 2013

Smucker & Life Is Good brew up new coffee line

A collaboration between Life is good Company and J.M. Smucker Company will bring a line of coffee products to retail shelves throughout North America.

BOSTON & ORRVILLE, Ohio — A collaboration between Life is good Company and J.M. Smucker Company will bring a line of coffee products to retail shelves throughout North America.

May 1, 2013

Union derides Target as ‘Walmart junior’ following NLRB ruling

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 representing the greater New York area claimed victory over Target this week and offered some harsh words following a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board.

May 1, 2013

Weather Trends: May 2013

Following the second warmest retail May in 2012, this year will trend colder, especially across the Eastern half of the nation. Colder temperatures in the East will cause a dip in year-over-year demand for seasonal products like apparel, sun care, cold beverages, lawn and garden supplies, ice cream and fans/air conditioners. May 2013 is setting up to be a more active month for severe weather than last year with the highest risk periods in early May and again during retail week three. Localized demand for chainsaws and other clean-up products will be needed in the South and Midwest.

April 29, 2013

Anheuser-Busch brews up new ad campaign

Anheuser-Busch is launching a new advertising campaign that lets Budweiser drinkers track where their beer comes from and how it's made.

ST. LOUIS — Anheuser-Busch is launching a new advertising campaign that lets Budweiser drinkers track where their beer comes from and how it's made.

April 29, 2013

Crystal Light dives into e-commerce waters

Crystal Light, a leading beverage mix brand, is launching an e-commerce platform, Shop.CrystalLight.com.

GLENVIEW, Ill. — Crystal Light, a leading beverage mix brand, is launching an e-commerce platform, Shop.CrystalLight.com.

"For years we have heard from some of our most loyal fans that they want easier access to the flavors they love, especially Crystal Light Pure," said Adam Butler, senior brand manager for Crystal Light. "This new e-commerce platform enables us to make a wide variety of unique flavors and varieties readily available to fans anywhere in the country."

April 29, 2013

Sesame Street packaging gets a refresh

Sesame Street has tapped Parham Santana, The Brand Extension Agency, to help it refresh its licensed consumer products packaging worldwide.

Sesame Street has tapped Parham Santana, The Brand Extension Agency, to help it refresh its licensed consumer products packaging worldwide.

Parham Santana developed unified packaging designs that focus exclusively on the iconic Sesame Street characters. The branding agency said it recognized the instant, emotional connections to the characters that people across countries, cultures and channels have with them, and chose to emphasize them, eliminating what it described as the marketing clutter prevalent in existing packaging.

April 26, 2013

Americas, Asia bolster Starbucks Q2 profits

Starbucks reported that its second-quarter profit rose 26% to $390.4 million, up from $309.9 million last year, amid sales increases in the Americas and Asia regions.

SEATTLE — Starbucks reported that its second-quarter profit rose 26% to $390.4 million, up from $309.9 million last year, amid sales increases in the Americas and Asia regions.

Total net revenue for the quarter ended March 31 rose 11% to $3.56 billion, not quite the $3.58 billion Wall Street expected. Global same-store store sales grew 6%, driven by a 4% increase in traffic and a 2% increase in average ticket, marking the 13th consecutive quarter of global comp growth greater than 5%.

April 25, 2013

Coca-Cola names former Ernst & Young exec VP

Coca-Cola’s board of directors has elected Robin Moore as one of the company’s VPs.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola’s board of directors has elected Robin Moore as one of the company’s VPs.

Moore, 47, was recently named chief of internal audit, effective May 1, replacing Connie McDaniel who is retiring after 24 years with the company. Moore is currently global director of finance operations in global business services. She began her career with the company in 1995 and has assumed roles of increasing responsibility including senior audit manager in corporate audit and director of financial reporting in the controller’s group.

April 25, 2013

Hershey’s posts sweet results in Q1

The Hershey reported a net sales increase of nearly 6%, driven by core brand volume. Consolidated net sales were $1.8 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with $1.7 billion for the same period last year.

HERSHEY, Pa. — The Hershey reported a net sales increase of nearly 6%, driven by core brand volume. Consolidated net sales were $1.8 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with $1.7 billion for the same period last year.

Reported net income for the first quarter of 2013 was $242 million compared with $199 million for the same period last year.

April 22, 2013

Snyder’s celebrates National Pretzel Day

Synder’s of Hanover is using the 30th anniversary of National Pretzel Day to create a series of nationwide events to engage with consumers.

HANOVER, Pa. — Synder’s of Hanover is using the 30th anniversary of National Pretzel Day to create a series of nationwide events to engage with consumers.