Progressive Grocer - September 2014 by ensembleiq

September 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 93 Number 9 $10 â&#x20AC;˘ www.progressivegrocer.com

Quick and Healthy Turkey Chili

ÂŠ2014 Goya Foods, Inc.

Your shoppers ďŹ nd this and other great recipes at goya.com

*Nielsen Strategic Planner, Total US (unit sales), 52 weeks ending 4/12/14

DRIVES TRAFFIC •250 Brands •42 Categories

ACROSS THE STORE •80,000 participating K–8 schools

September 2014

grocery

Volume 93, Issue 9

cover story

frozen/ refrigerated 123 iNdustry eveNts: 2014 Nfra CoNveNtioN

The Cold Facts Annual meeting to focus on maximizing success in frozen and refrigerated categories.

128

iNdustry eveNts

What’s Hot in Cold New frozen and refrigerated products refect industry trends, future.

114

CommerCial Baked Goods

Loafing Around Innovative products and promotions add interest to the packaged bread and baked goods category.

fresh food 138

104

iNdustry eveNts

store of the moNth

Blount Summit Serves Up Retail Trends, Solutions Retail execs gather to learn, share and respond to consumer needs.

Taking Root Starting with its frst Chicago-area store, Fresh Tyme aims to make produce even more attractive.

features 25 119 Natural/orGaNiC ProduCts

What’s in a Name? Plenty, it turns out, as grocers and manufacturers consider how to redefne ‘natural’ in center store — or whether to dispense with the term altogether.

ProGressive GroCer ’s editors’ PiCks

Moveable Feast Tis year’s best new products keep pace with multiple consumer trends.

153 ProduCe

Growing Up Local Supermarkets get savvy about sourcing homegrown greens and herbs.

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

160

570 Lake Cook Rd, Suite 310, Deerfield, IL 60015 224 632-8200 • www.progressivegrocer.com

Produce

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Joan Driggs 224-632-8211 jdriggs@stagnitomail.com Chief Content Editor Meg Major 724-453-3545 mmajor@stagnitomail.com Editor-in-Chief James Dudlicek 224-632-8238 jdudlicek@stagnitomail.com Managing Editor Bridget Goldschmidt 201-855-7603 bgoldschmidt@stagnitomail.com Senior Editor Katie Martin 224-632-8172 kmartin@stagnitomail.com Senior Editor Anna Wolfe 207-773-1154 awolfe@stagnitomail.com Digital Editor Kyle Shamorian 224-632-8252 kshamorian@stagnitomail.com Art Director Bill Antkowiak bantkowiak@stagnitomail.com Contributing Editors Bob Ingram, Lynn Petrak and Jennifer Strailey

Core Values New apple varieties, promotions and contests create excitement and sales opportunities.

164

PMA PersPectives

Attitudes and Lifestyles of Millennials Teir maturing mindset toward health creates a match for produce marketing.

equipment & design 168 Point-of-PurchAse MAteriAls

Look Who’s Talking Today’s POP solutions are working harder than ever to entice customers — and electronic oferings may not be too far of.

178

WArehouse MAnAgeMent

Warehouse Wizardry Increased sophistication and efciency are answering new supply chain challenges.

departments 13 EDITOR’S NOTE: PICKING AND CHOOSING 14 BRAIN FOOD 16 IN-STORE EVENTS CALENDAR: NOVEMBER 2014 18 NIELSEN’S SHELF STOPPERS/SPOTLIGHT: TOBACCO AND TOBACCO ALTERNATIVES/E-CIGARETTES 20 MINTEL GLOBAL NEW PRODUCTS: COFFEE 22 ALL’S WELLNESS: INSPIRING HEALTHy HABITS 182 WHAT’S NExT: EDITORS’ PICKS FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS 184 THE SUPPLIER SIDE 186 THE LAST WORD: NATURAL FACT

September 2014 • Volume 93 Number 9 $10 • www.progressivegrocer.com

ON THE COVER (From left) Danielle Boyd, VP of human resources; Dave Bernier, VP of operations; Chris Sherrell, president and CEO; Bruce VanOverloop, Mount Prospect store director; and Sage Horner, SVP of merchandising and marketing. Photo by Vito Palmisano

| Progressive Grocer | September 2014

ADVERTISING SALES & BUSINESS VP, Group Publisher Jeff Friedman 201-855-7621 jfriedman@stagnitomail.com Midwest Marketing Manager John Huff 224-632-8174 jhuff@stagnitomail.com Western Regional Sales Manager Elizabeth Cherry 310-546-3815 echerry@stagnitomail.com Eastern Marketing Manager Maggie Kaeppel 630-364-2150 • Mobile: 708-565-5350 mkaeppel@stagnitomail.com Northeast Marketing Manager Mike Shaw 201-855-7631 • Mobile: 201-281-9100 mshaw@stagnitomail.com Marketing Manager Janet Blaney (AZ, CO, ID, MD, MN, MT, NM, NV, OH, TX, UT, WY) jblaney@stagnitomail.com 630-364-1601 Account Executive/ Classified Advertising Terry Kanganis 201-855-7615 • Fax: 201-855-7373 tkanganis@stagnitomail.com Advertising/Production Manager Courtney Warnimont 224-632-8215 • Fax: 888-847-1791 cwarnimont@stagnitomail.com Classified Production Manager Mary Beth Medley 856-809-0050 marybeth@marybethmedley.com MARKETING & PROMOTION Director of Market Research Debra Chanil 201-855-7605 dchanil@stagnitomail.com Audience Development Manager Shelly Patton 215-301-0593 spatton@stagnitomail.com List Rental The Information Refinery 800-529-9020 Brian Clotworthy Reprints and Licensing Wright’s Media 877-652-5295 sales@wrightsmedia.com Subscriber Services/Single-copy Purchases 978-671-0449 or email at Stagnito@e-circ.net

President & CEO Harry Stagnito Chief Information Officer Kollin Stagnito SVP, Partner Ned Bardic Chief Brand Officer Korry Stagnito VP & CFO Kyle Stagnito VP/Custom Media Division Pierce Hollingsworth 224-632-8229 phollingsworth@stagnitomail.com Production Manager Anngail Norris Human Resources Manager Sandy Berndt Corporate Marketing Director Bruce Hendrickson 224-632-8214 bhendrickson@stagnitomail.com Promotion Director Robert Kuwada 201-855-7616 rkuwada@stagnitomail.com VP/Events John Failla 201-855-7634 jfailla@stagnitomail.com Director of Digital Media John Callanan 203-295-7058 jcallanan@stagnitomail.com Audience Development Director Cindy Cardinal

STAGNITO BUSINESS INFORMATION PUBLICATIONS

Progressive Grocer (ISSN 0033-0787, USPS 920-600) is published monthly by Stagnito Business Information, 570 Lake Cook Rd. Deerfeld IL 60015. Single copy price $10, except selected special issues. Subscription: $135 a year; Canada $164 (Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40031729. Foreign $270 (call for air mail rates). Periodicals postage paid at Deerfeld, IL 60015 and additional mailing offces. Printed in USA. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to Progressive Grocer, P.O. Box 1842 Lowell, MA 01853. Copyright ©2014 Stagnito Business Information All rights reserved, including the rights to reproduce in whole or in part. All letters to the editors of this magazine will be treated as having been submitted for publication. The magazine reserves the right to edit and abridge them. The publication is available in microform from University Microflms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations.

LET’S TALK SEASONS. HERSHEY BRANDS DRIVE THE SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS. With the Hershey portfolio, you have even more reasons to celebrate during Valentine’s Day, Easter, Summer, Halloween and the Holidays. Our iconic brands play a critical role in helping consumers celebrate the traditional rituals they hold dear. So if you want to own seasonal sales, let’s talk!

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Trion Cooler Merchandising ®

AMT Adjustable Merchandising Tray ™

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Optional plain-paper label, sign and ﬂag holder provides a protected home for product and price information and improves promotional opportunities. Proudly Made in the U.S.A.

Built-in Manual Feed Optional Label/Flag Holder

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Built-in Handles Built-in Ventilation

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©2014 Trion Industries, Inc. 297 Laird Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-6997 Phone 570-824-1000 l Fax 570-823-4080 Toll-Free In U.S.A. 800-444-4665 www.TrionOnline.com Patents and patents pending. Note: Product photography is a simulation of a retail environment and is not meant to imply endorsement by or for any brand or manufacturer.

editor’s note

by Jim Dudlicek

Picking and Choosing

t’s that time of year again, when PG’s editorial team emerges from underneath a mountain of packing crates, waving a white fag. We surrender, Editors’ Picks! We submit to your delicious and innovative wiles! See, all of you probably think I’m kidding. But I’m almost kind of not. It truly is a daunting task to catalog, store, process and evaluate the hundreds of entries to our Editors’ Picks contest that PG receives every summer, both food and nonfood products, from the industry’s top CPG manufacturers as well as a number of plucky upstarts. But with our staf’s combined years of talent and experience, we know what to look for that makes a new product a defnite winner. Allow me now to share a few behind-the-scenes thoughts about this contest and the kinds of things we’re thinking about as the products start rolling in, dozens at a time, for days and weeks on end during the entry period: Is this product truly innovative? Te best products are carving out new categories or jump-starting old ones, with new technologies, new favors or new packaging. Winners typically aren’t “me, too” products from brands reaching for a thread on a trend’s coattails. How much thought was put into the entry?

Te best products tend to come from companies that submit a handful of entries at most, or perhaps just one. Conversely, there are some companies that seem to enter everything they slapped their name on in the past year, with little regard to whether it’s truly new — it might be new for them, but old hat for the category. How much of the product do they think we can eat? We really need only one or two samples per

entry to make an accurate assessment. Or if, for example, a product comes in several favors, one sample of each variety is sufcient. We don’t need an entire case of product. We really don’t need an entire case of each favor, especially if the product is perishable. We’re a business ofce, not a cold-storage warehouse. I hope these insights into our thought process help regular entrants and future aspirants alike fne-tune their Editors’ Picks entries, and in turn, help us sing the praises of the best products our industry has to ofer. Read about this year’s picks, starting on page 25.

Yanking the Chain All of these new products have to get to supermarket shelves, and that requires an efective supply chain, one that’s being transformed as we speak, with the evolution of e-commerce. Rethinking the supply chain confguration for retailers and CPG companies was part of the digital discussion that dominated sessions at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Leadership Forum that I attended Aug. 23-24 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Particularly relevant were the fndings of “Te Digital Future: A Game Plan for Consumer Packaged Goods,” a joint report by GMA, Google, IRI and the Boston Consulting Group. As digital commerce gains steam, the report contends, “companies will need to participate in and serve multiple distribution models. Tey can start now to strengthen the core capabilities … while refraining from placing large capital bets in the near term, since the models will continue to evolve.” Retailers and manufacturers should collaborate on these key issues: Demand Forecasting. Learn to read demand signals more accurately and closer to the point of demand. Digital commerce generates forwardlooking demand signals before the sale. Response Time. Build fexibility to meet changing service-level expectations, like quick replenishment to meet delivery guarantees. Transparency. Develop the means and standards to share data across the supply chain. Other considerations: “e-friendly” packaging, inventory holding for slow-moving products, and how inventory ownership might shift between retailers and CPG companies. “In the long run, manufacturers and retailers will need to work together to determine the most consumer-centric and cost-efcient supply chain solutions,” the report concludes, “which one day many require sharing of physical assets.” It’s defnitely an issue PG is going to be looking at more closely in upcoming print issues and at Progressivegrocer.com. PG

Allow me to share a few behindthe-scenes thoughts about what happens when Editors’ Picks entries start rolling in, dozens at a time …

Jim Dudlicek Editor-in-Chief jdudlicek@stagnitomail.com Twitter @jimdudlicek

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

Accolades / Insights / Trends / Opportunities

Balls Food’s Pharmacist Honored for H&W

2014 RETAILER of the YEAR

Kudos to Nikki Schwartze of Balls Food Stores, in Kansas City, Kan., for being selected from thousands of local pharmacists to be featured at the Health on the National Mall event in Washington, D.C., this past July 23. The community wellness fair, sponsored by Cardinal Health and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), brings awareness to the integral role that pharmacists play in improving patient health. Schwartze received particular recognition for her steadfast commitment to health and wellness in her community. Well done!

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Applause for Ahold USA Hearty applause for Ahold USA, which has been selected as Progressive Grocer’s 2014 Retailer of the Year. “Foremost to our selection of Ahold USA this year is our heartfelt admiration for the vast and exceptional philanthropic contributions provided to the numerous communities served by the company’s four retail grocery divisions — Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle — and its online grocery division, Peapod,” says PG Chief Content Editor Meg Major. PG’s editors will profile the company’s caring culture and commitment to good corporate citizenship in its October 2014 issue, followed by a special celebratory event in mid-October recognizing the vital role Ahold USA’s family of stores and associates play as a responsible retailer in countless meaningful ways.

Marketing to Working Women Working women make frequent trips to grocery stores on personal time that bumps up right against the workday, according to marketing company WorkPlace Impact. Half (49 percent) of working females visit the supermarket millions of times between Monday and Friday, alongside 46 percent of WorkPlace Impact survey participants who reported that they regularly purchase groceries on their way to or from the office, or during lunch breaks. Accordingly, WorkPlace Impact advises CPG companies seeking to boost connections with working women to target promotional outreach closest to the time and the place they’re making those purchasing decisions — at work. —WorkPlace Impact’s “From Planning to Purchase: The Shopping Patterns of Working Women” report

What’s Trending on Progressivegrocer.com … Back-to-school Basics With back-to-school season now in full swing, PG ’s most recent poll question asked readers to which department/ category they expect to devote the most aggressive back-to-school merchandising activities. Here’s how the votes stacked up as we went to press with this issue:

2% 47%

4% 32%

11%

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

n Center Store n Produce n Deli/Prepared Foods n GM/Nonfoods n Beverages n Dairy

70% U.S. households that consume bagged/packaged salads, boosting the U.S. market for these products from $5.5 billion in 2013 to $7 billion by 2018.

—Packaged Facts

Give Shoppers A Heartfelt Way To Donate During the holidays, the need for milk at Feeding America® food banks is felt even more keenly. You can give your shoppers an easy way to help meet this need. It’s Right For Your Stores • Strengthen community presence • Increase customer base back to your stores • Invigorate milk sales without discounting It’s Easy To Activate Utilize customizable, holiday-focused messaging: POS, social media content, press releases and e-blasts for your stores.

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in-store

November 2014 is...

events S

American Diabetes Month National Pomegranate Month National Roasting Month Family Literacy Month Pet Adoption Month

1 All Saints’ Day. Have appropriate floral tributes available for those visiting the final resting places of their loved ones.

E-mail your calendar submissions to awolfe@stagnitomail.com.

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m.

National Sandwich Day, a.k.a. the birthday of John Montague, Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718) and inventor of the ubiquitous food item.

Election Day. Close the beer garden, get out the ballot boxes and post signs reminding people to vote.

Guy Fawkes Day (England). Display your English products today to commemorate the anniversary of the failure of the Gunpowder Plot.

National Nachos Day. What do your shoppers like on theirs?

National Tongue Twister Day. So where’s that peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Celebrate Cook Something Bold Day in style with several in-store demos. Flambé, anyone?

The Pursuit of Happiness Week and National Young Readers Day. Share the love of reading with an upbeat event.

Marine Corps Birthday (1775) and Vanilla Cupcake Day. Why not salute Marines past and present with a free treat from the instore bakery?

Veterans Day. Honor the troops with an across-the-board discount at checkout.

Pizza With Everything Day

Make sure that all Thanksgiving supplies are on the floor and well stocked.

National Pickle Day

For America Recycles Day, make sure your recycling bins are prominently located, and don’t be afraid to publicize all of your achievements in this area via informational signage and exhibits.

For Pomegranate Month, pin favorite recipes and crosspromote them in your in-store flyer.

American Education Week

For World Vegan Month, spotlight appropriate products through eye-catching displays.

International Men’s Day. Offer the male species sale prices on common personal care products.

Great American Smokeout. Encourage the smokers among your associates to quit with gift cards as an incentive.

Review Christmas supplies — decorations and merchandise.

Urge associates and customers to take the scenic route to the store for Go For a Ride Day.

National Espresso Day. Tweet a special Black Friday price.

31 shopping days left until Christmas. Ready your game plan for dealing with the holiday rush.

National Parfait Day. Have a tempting grab-and-go yogurtbased selection on hand for the breakfast and lunch crowd.

National Cake Day. Make sure you’ve got a mouthwatering display of your most popular creations.

Thanksgiving

Black Friday

Share some of the season’s most attractive chocolates on your Facebook page.

National Deviled Egg Day

30 National Mousse Day

Homemade Bread Day. Teach a class on yeast breads.

Feature chicken soup in prepared foods and also offer DIY kits for Chicken Soup for the Soul Day.

Advent begins

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

World Diabetes Day. Set up an informational kiosk about the disease and display sugarfree confections, mixes and more.

SHARE THE HEINEKEN

SPARK YOUR HOLIDAYS

INSPIRE A LEGENDARY SALES SEASON WITH THIS 360° CAMPAIGN BREAKTHROUGH BRAND MEDIA SUPPORT • Across TV, digital and PR • Makes Heineken top of mind all season long

COMPLETE PATH-TO-PURCHASE ACTIVATION DRIVES SALES • Digital shopper marketing media support • Holiday packaging, POS and displays • partnership and relevant offers • Increases traffc, conversion and basket rings

HOLIDAY-THEMED PACKAGING AVAILABLE IN: Heineken Lager 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-Packs, Heineken Light 12-Packs and the Heineken DraughtKegTM Gift Pack

PERSONALIZED CONSUMER REWARDS • Handwritten holiday letters, compliments of Heineken TIMING: November 1, 2014 – January 4, 2015 CONTACT YOUR HEINEKEN USA REPRESENTATIVE AND ASK FOR THE GIFT OF GREATER SALES SCALABLE MASS DISPLAY POLE TOPPER WITH STANDEE Brewed in Holland. Imported by HEINEKEN USA Inc., New York, NY. ©2014 HEINEKEN® Lager Beer. HEINEKEN® Light Lager Beer.

Celebrate ResponsiblyTM. ©2014 F. Korbel & Bros., Guerneville, Sonoma County, CA. Producers of fine California méthode champenoise champagnes for 132 years. KORBEL is a registered trademark used with permission.

Front End

Market Intelligence By The Numbers

GroCErY’S Top 10

Shelf Stoppers

Tobacco and Tobacco Alternatives Largest Sales Increases in Supermarkets by The Nielsen Co. (52 Weeks Ending July 5, 2014)

Sales % Change Dollars (Millions) 2014 2013 Electronic Cigars-Smoking

$0.12

Electronic Remaining Accessories-Smoking

2,242.2%

0.0%

1,249.1

1,084.6

1,446.2

16.0

90.2

213.6

99.0

229.2

7.7

9.7

14.8

7.5

10.4

83.1

1.7

3.6

0.6

0.9 -1.4

Lighter Fluid and Flints Lighters

0.0%

Units 2013

2,149.1

Electronic Cigarettes-Smoking

Tobacco-Chewing

2,239.6%

0.32

% Change 2014

278.3

1.3

-0.5

-0.7

Cigarette and Cigar Paper

9.8

-0.9

8.5

-6.3

1.0

Smoking Accessories

1.4

-1.2

-1.0

-8.6

-6.5

Cigarettes Cigars

Total Category

3,870.4

-3.6

-5.1

-3.5

-3.8

105.6

-4.2

-6.2

6.0

0.3

406.6%

133.4%

106.2%

151.3%

$4,408.6

NielseN’s Spotlight

Although there are pockets of higher-than-average use across several lifestyles and behavior stages, the biggest users of e-cigarettes by a wide margin are young transitionals residing in modest working towns. Factors in play here include the proportion of smokers in a given demographic who wish to quit or taper off, and their willingness to do so through electronic means.

CroSS-MErCh Candidates

Consumption Index: Electronic Cigarettes LIFESTYLE BehaviorStage

Cosmopolitan Affuent Centers Suburban Spreads

Comfortable Struggling Country Urban Cores

Modest Working Towns

Plain Rural Living

Total

wITh ChILDrEN: startup Families HHs with young children only <6

small-scale Families small HHs with older children 6+

Younger Bustling Families large HHs with Children (6+), HOH <40

Older Bustling Families large HHs with children (6+), HOH 40+

121

129

192

151

130

128

180

119

123

190

752

233

100

137

184

128

118

125

135

132

190

100

No ChILDrEN: Young Transitionals Any size HHs, no children, <35

independent singles 1-person HHs, no children, 35-64

senior singles 1-person HHs, no children, 65+

established Couples 2+-person HHs, no children, 35-54

empty-nest Couples 2+-person HHs, no children, 55-64

senior Couples 2+-person HHs, no children, 65+

Total n Very High Consumption (150+)

• Toys and Sporting • • • • • • •

Goods Beer Greeting Cards, Party Needs and Novelties Pet Food Pet Care Canning and Freezing Supplies Yeast Carbonated Beverages More oNLINE

n High Consumption (120-149)

Average Consumption=100

| progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Dig up actionable research and additional intelligence at Progressivegrocer.com

Mintel Global New Products Database Category Insights

Coffee

For more information, visit www.mintel.com or call 800-932-0400.

MarkeT Overview l The U.S. coffee market has remained robust throughout the prolonged economic downturn. Single-serve cups have so far been the main driver of growth. l

A pattern of annual growth is forecasted through 2018, primarily driven by interest in diversification.

key issues Diversification remains an important growth factor for major U.S. coffee players to create contemporary opportunities in the market. Major coffee sellers such as Green Mountain and Starbucks are seeking to diversify by entering different sales channels and through increased focus on non-coffee product innovations like the Keurig Green Mountain cold-brewing system.

Seasonal flavored coffee is steadily growing in North America. The positioning has become an important drive for U.S. coffeehouses but is underused in the retail sector: Only 3.2 percent of coffee innovations in U.S. retail used seasonal limited-edition flavors, although this is much higher than in the rest of the world. As U.S. coffee drinkers are now shifting toward single-serve coffee, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming an ideal format to innovate for seasonal flavors.

The rise of the single-serve coffee machine has had a huge impact on the in-home coffee market, with its combination of convenience and consistent quality.

What Does it Mean? l

Single-serve manufacturers have more scope to emphasize the variety of coffees and flavors.

Brands should focus on innovating in the seasonal flavored coffee field, as

American drinkers are seeking to take the coffee shop experience home with them. Single-serve formats are especially well suited to this strategy, being able to deliver a selection of flavors in one pack.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next | September 2014

Flavor offers a lot of opportunity in the industry. Brands should therefore consider selling coffee creamer and coffeeflavored syrups to promote easy preparation of trade-style coffee drinks made at home.

now the big cheese of blue cheese. Roth® Buttermilk Blue® is now the World’s Best Blue. Buttermilk Blue was recently named “Best of Class” in the Blue Veined Cheese category at the 2014 World Championship Cheese Contest. It’s not surprising. Our blue starts with raw milk from Holstein and Jersey cows that’s higher in butterfat, and cured for 60 days. It’s our fnest blue cheese—now the best of the best, the world over.

Adventure Awaits.

rothcheese.com

The single most powerful element in selling more healthy groceries to your customers starts with empowering your employees with good health.

All’s Wellness By Barbara Ruhs

Inspiring Healthy Habits Grocers can encourage employee wellness through competitive spirit.

s I dialed my mom’s phone number, I realized that it was after 10 p.m. on the East Coast. Surprisingly, she picked up the phone and reported that she had just come in from a 3.5-mile walk. When I asked why she’d been out so late, she explained that she needed to log some more “miles” on her Fitbit to maintain her lead in a group of walkers in the neighborhood, all engaged in a virtual walka-thon. A Fitbit is a tiny device that can be clasped to your waist or bra strap, or worn as a wristband, to conveniently track daily steps, distance, stairs climbed and calories burned. It syncs to your iPad or smartphone with the Fitbit app, while linking you to your contacts’ Fitbits. As her daughter and a dietitian, I wanted to be supportive, but this sounded crazy — walking in the dark to amass more steps? After a thorough interrogation, I came to the conclusion that she was simply in some sort of Fitbit “trance,” and while it lasted, I would support her walking mania. In fact, after our conversation, Mom e-mailed me a hilarious New Yorker article, “Stepping Out,” which chronicled humorist David Sedaris’ own Fitbit-fueled walking obsession. Not only did I go out and buy one of my own, but it got me thinking about how to inspire individuals to adopt healthy habits.

Employee Wellness Advocates When I was a corporate supermarket dietitian, each year around New Year’s, I’d kick of an eightweek walking challenge for employees. Te goal was two-fold: First, to help my colleagues take simple, healthy steps toward healthier behaviors, and second, to increase their awareness of my role as a health expert for the company. In my experience, folks that start moving more tend to feel better and make healthier food choices. As participants notice personal health improvements, including weight loss and lower blood pressure and blood sugar, they also become health advocates for the company and help with its mission

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

to promote health to customers. Planning for an annual health screening before or after (or both) such a program can be valuable by providing motivation and reinforcement to start and maintain healthy habits. Increasing awareness of potential health risks is also cost-efective in lowering employee health care costs in the long term. Participants were required to form teams of 10 (that could include up to fve spouses) and come up with creative team names. By doing this, employees and family members could motivate each other throughout the program. During and after the competition, employee parking lots and store aisles quickly become walking destinations during break times. Troughout the competition, steps were converted to miles each week so that teams could track the virtual distance walked between stores on a map of Arizona, using them as goal destinations and starting the competition from the Mexican border up to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Healthy competition was encouraged by providing incentives and prizes throughout the program, including VIP coupons, better-for-you product samples, T-shirts, and a grand prize of $100 worth of ftness gear from a local vendor, awarded to each member of the team that walked the most steps.

Reinforcing Healthy Habits In these types of initiatives, focusing on weight loss as the defnition of success often creates more disordered behaviors and fails to recognize that everyone, regardless of weight, can improve his or her health, whether it’s by increasing physical activity, eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake, or eating a healthier breakfast. All of these healthy behaviors can be reinforced by a well-organized employee wellness program without focusing solely on weight loss. Te single most powerful element in selling more healthy groceries to your customers starts with empowering your employees with good health. PG Barbara Ruhs is a registered dietitian and the founder of Phoenix-based Neighborhood Nutrition LLC (www.neighborhoodnutrition.com). Follow her on Twitter at @BarbRuhsRD.

Culinary ingenuity from

2014 Editors’ Picks

oveable

This year’s best new products keep pace with multiple consumer trends.

Feast

Reviews by the PG Staff / Introduction by Jim Dudlicek

ore than 600 individual products. Dozens of testers. Hundreds of opinions. Millions of taste buds. And we’re fnally done. Te response to Progressive Grocer’s annual Editors’ Picks contest has always been overwhelming, and this year was no exception. With our stomachs churning and our minds whirring, we wound up with 136 winning entries encompassing both food and nonfood products. Many of those entries include multiple individual products, grouped together as lines or into favor families for more efcient evaluation. After a year of separately judging food and nonfood products, we brought them back together this year into a single contest. Judged by PG’s editorial team, support staf and other personnel at Stagnito Business Information in our Deerfeld, Ill., and Jersey City, N.J., headquarters, as well as in home ofces, products were evaluated in three key areas: Innovation: Originality, ingredient enhancement, new

packaging application, ability to grow or develop a new or existing category, new favor/variety/portion size, etc. Taste/Functionality: How did the product live up to

taste/quality expectations, or functional attributes? Value: How did the product’s overall value proposition

deliver on price, time and convenience? We saw standouts in a number of key categories, among them: Produce Made Simple: Eating more fresh fruits and

vegetables is easier with products like Bolthouse Farms’ Stone Fruit Smoothie, Buddy Fruits’ FruitBreak, Crunch Pak Marvel Apple Snackers, Del Monte’s single-serve watermelon spears, Green Giant’s microwaveable corn on the cob and NatureSweet’s Cherriots. Sensible Snacking: Salty snacks are moving well beyond

the pretzels and potato chips of yore with new entries like Te Better Chip’s beet chips, Calbee’s pea and lentil snacks, Simply 7’s quinoa chips, and Party-Tizers Dippin’ Chips. The Power of Protein: Maximizing food value are products like PowerBar Protein Plus, Oscar Mayer’s P3 snack packs, Quaker’s IQO oatmeal and SunRidge Farms’ Power Chews. Still Shootin’ Gluten: Wheat avoiders continue to

have new tasty options like pizzas from Better4U, Freschetta and Smart Flour; granola from Bob’s Red Mill; Mediterranean Snacks’ Tapaz2Go; and Salem Baking’s chocolate chip cookies. Savory Solutions: Whether snack or meal or a little of

each, new products are making daypart eating smarter, simpler and more interesting, including Farmer John’s heat-and-eat tri tip, Ferrero’s Nutella & Go, InnovAsian’s Lemon Grass Kitchen entrées, Luvo’s nutritionally balanced oferings, Ready Pac’s Bistro Bowls, Tres Latin’s pupusas and Tree Bridges entrées from Valley Fine Foods. And there’s more! But you’ll have to read on to learn about them all.

Bon appétit!

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Al Fresco All Natural Gourmet Chicken Grillers

Among Friends GerryÕs Any Kind of Jam Jam Bar Mix

$9.99 www.alfrescoallnatural.com These flavorful chicken patties are a nice alternative to burgers for summer grilling or year-round eating. With half the fat of a traditional beef burger, they’re made with lean meat; have no artificial ingredients, nitrates, nitrites or MSG; and are glutenfree. They go directly from freezer to grill, making preparation simple. Caramelized Onion was a clear favorite variety, with Sweet Italian a close second; the grillers also come in Buffalo & Blue Cheese.

Aldi Moiselle Moscato $4.99 www.aldi.us Even Two-Buck Chuck isn’t $2 anymore, but hard discounter Aldi is making wine more accessible with its own line of California moscatos. Its take on the popular variety is crisp, fruity and easy to drink, pairing well with salads, fruits, cheeses and desserts. Moiselle Moscato comes in three varieties: White (with flavors of peach and apricot, and hints of citrus and orange blossom); Pink (nectarine and raspberry, with a sweet citrus finish); and Red (peach and dark cherries, with a bright-red berry finish).

Alouette Spreadable Cheeses $4.99 www.alouettecheese.com Alouette has added four bold flavors to its line of spreadable cheeses, which are conveniently ready for dipping and spreading right from the fridge. Each is made with 12-month-aged cheddar. The Wasabi Cheddar, with its nice horseradish bite, was PG’s favorite; the runner-up was Flame Roasted Red Peppers, which offered notes of garlic and smoke. Rounding out the new varieties are Buffalo Cheddar and Smoky Jalapeño.

$5.99 www.amongfriendsbakingmixes.com Among Friends wowed us last year with its line of clean-label baking mixes. Our favorite of their follow-ups this year is this oatmeal cookie bar mix, to which home users add the jam of their choice (we found strawberry and apricot worked well). A few minutes of prep for the mix and streusel topping, followed by a half-hour in the oven, produce a treat with 13 grams of whole grains per serving. The product is certified by the Whole Grains Council and the Non-GMO Project.

AnnieÕs Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese Cups $1.69-$1.99 www.annies.com Annie’s makes one of the better instant mac-‘n‘-cheese products we’ve tried. This one’s made with organic pasta, real cheese, whole grains and no artificial flavors, synthetic colors or preservatives. It’s designed for portability to school or office — just add water and microwave for two minutes. The item comes in White Cheddar, Real Aged Cheddar, and Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar varieties, in both single and twin-packs.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food B&G Foods PirateÕs Booty Shells & Cheese $1.79-$2.19 www.piratebrands.com Here’s a good example of cleaning the label of a kids’ favorite. Known for eschewing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, Pirate’s Booty scores with its take on macaroni and cheese. The shell-shaped organic wheat pasta cooks up tender, enhanced by real aged white cheddar cheese. Designed to be kid-friendly, the item is a good source of calcium and protein, and contains no trans fat.

Better 4 U Gluten Free Personal Pizza Backerhaus Veit Bagetzel 85 cents www.backerhausveit. com Pretzel breads are trendy yet seem to have some staying power, so we think Canadian bakery Backerhaus Veit, which markets its products through in-store bakeries, made the right move with this hybrid. Made from a modified soft-pretzel recipe for a less dense product, the Bagetzel is shaped into a bagel, making it easy to toast or slice; It also makes a fine base for a cold-cut sandwich. The item is available unsliced or pre-sliced for added convenience and easy recipe building.

The Better Chip Beet Chips $3.99 www.thebetterchip.com A chip made of what? Yes, that’s right. Following the growth in demand for veganfriendly products as well as better-foryou snacks, the folks at The Better Chip combined fresh beets with corn flour and came up with a unique, flavorful and colorful snack chip. Just fine on its own, it can also be paired with herbed goat cheese, hummus or Greek yogurt dip, as its makers suggest. Certified non-GMO and glutenfree, the product is the latest offering in a growing line that also includes chips made from spinach, kale and jalapeño peppers, as well as corn all by its lonesome.

$6.99 www.better4ufoods.com Following its sprouted-grain pizzas that earned our thumbs-up last year, Better4U has launched a line of gluten-free personal-size pizzas. The frozen pizzas purport to be rich in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, as well as being lower in fat, calories and sodium than comparable products. The Mediterranean variety cooked up crisp and flavorful, replete with colorful veggies; the product also comes in Four Cheese, Roasted Vegetable (regular and dairy-free vegan), and Pepperoni varieties.

BobÕs Red Mill Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola $5.49 www.bobsredmill.com With a long history of producing healthful, hearty flours and baking behind it, Bob’s Red Mill has a current hit with this ready-to-eat gluten-free honey oat granola. It’s a traditional combination featuring whole grain gluten-free rolled oats, honey and pure vanilla. The item is also dairy-free and a good source of fiber. Made with natural sweeteners, the granola is great right out of the bag, served as a hot or cold cereal, or as a yogurt topping.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Jel Sert’s Singles to go! sugar free stick pack brands sell almost 90 million boxes a year *…. • That’s 58% more units than the closest national competitor and 67% more unit sales than Private Label brands.* • Jel Sert also offers six of the top ten selling drink stick items and most of the growing brands in the drink mix category.*

Boost your stick pack sales with Jel Sert… learn more about our top selling brands and marketing plans for 2015!

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CRUSH, HAWAIIAN PUNCH, MOTT’S and SNAPPLE are registered trademarks of Dr Pepper/Snapple Group, Inc. and its affiliates. ©2014 Dr Pepper Snapple JOLLY RANCHER trademark and trade dress used under license. Margaritaville® is used under license.

*Source: Nielsen Answers Core XAOC Sales Data for 52 Weeks Ending 7/12/14. Private label sales are not included in “All Other Brands”. Claims based on scanned unit sales unless otherwise indicated. **Claims based on Dollar Sales.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avocado Yogurt Dressing $3.69 www.bolthouse.com Marketing materials for this buttermilk-based dressing promote its healthy profile: 40 calories per 2-tablespoon serving; ingredients including yogurt, cotija cheese, avocado and cilantro; and no artificial flavors, preservatives or MSG. But PG editors think Bolthouse should play up applications beyond the salad bowl, including as an accompanying sauce for Mediterranean foods or wraps.

Bolthouse Farms Stone Fruit Smoothie $2.89 www.bolthouse.com Anyone who enjoys summer seasonal stone fruits like peaches and nectarines should enjoy this hearty yet refreshing smoothie from Bolthouse Farms. ItÕs made with apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines, plus ground chia seeds. Created from various fruit

juices and purŽes, the item is one of three new additions to BolthouseÕs line of fruit smoothies. ItÕs free of high-fructose corn syrup, dairy and gluten, and is high in vitamins A, C and E.

Buddy Fruits FruitBreak SuperFruit $1.59 www.buddyfruits.com Buddy Fruits has kept busy making fun, squeezable treats to get kids to eat more fruit, but its latest offering is designed to appeal to a more mature audience. FruitBreak SuperFruit high-antioxidant fruit blends were designed to deliver an energy boost or post-workout recovery. The varieties, Blueberry & Blackcurrant and Raspberry & Cranberry, contain only fruit Ñ no water, preservatives or sugar Ñ to provide one full serving of fruits and 3 grams of fiber, at 80 to 90 calories. TheyÕre gluten-free, kosher and vegetarian, and the squeeze packaging is BPA-free and recyclable.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of WhatÕs Next | September 2014

Nature Sweeeeet.

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ÂŠ 2014 NatureSweet Tomatoes

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabot Creamery Legacy Collection $3 www.cabotcheese.coop The 1,200 farm families who own Vermont-based Cabot Creamery present The Cabot Farmers’ Legacy Collection of three new cheddar flavors evocative of classic European sharp cheddars. Varieties include Farmhouse Reserve, rich-tasting and slightly crumbly; Alpine Cheddar, with a nutty flavor and “grana,” or tyrosine crunch; and PG’s personal favorite, White Oak Cheddar, inspired by award-winning Cabot Clothbound and featuring a slight sweetness that balances the sharpness for a beautifully balanced cheese.

$15 www.carnivorcabernet.com Carnivor 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is a product of E&J Gallo Winery. Its catchy name pays homage to Cabernet Sauvignon as the “king of reds,” and to carnivores, which reside at the top of the food chain. It’s a great, full-bodied red-wine blend still allowed to be considered Cabernet Sauvignon because of the dominance of the grape variety (cabernet sauvignon 75 percent, syrah 15 percent and merlot 10 percent). The wine features lots of dark-cherry and berry notes, but they’re mellowed out with some earthy and woody notes. The result is a fantastic food and drinking wine at an approachable price.

Charles & Alice Fruit Friends Ñ Apple/Mango $2.79 www.fruitfriends.com Charles & Alice brings some additional variety and competition to the growing squeezablepouch fruit segment. The Apple/Mango variety of its Fruit Friends line is unique among the products out there. The Fruit Friends offerings are 100 percent fruit with no sugar added; they contain no artificial flavors or preservatives, have no GMOs, and are free of gluten, dairy and BPA. The apples used are cold-crushed, not puréed, which allows the fruit to retain its natural texture. Also offered are Apple, Apple/Strawberry, Apple/Berry-Banana, and Apple/Grape.

Calbee Pea and Lentil Snacks $1.99 http://harvestsnaps.com There seems to be no stopping the innovation in the snack food world. Calbee is taking things in a cool new direction with its Harvest Snaps brand, which encompasses two lines: Snapea Crisps, made from 60 percent whole peas, and Lentil Snaps, likewise made predominantly from its namesake ingredient. The legumes are blended with rice flour to create a glutenfree salty snack that is high in dietary fiber and contains 5 grams of plant protein. Low in salt, fat, carbs and cholesterol, the baked snacks come in Caesar, Lightly Salted, Wasabi Ranch, Black Pepper, Onion Thyme and Tomato Basil flavors; a Holiday Snaps offering comes in Salted Caramel.

Christmas Milk Ice Cream $4.99 www.christmasmilk.com Known for its holiday eggnog, Christmas Milk has launched a year-round product, French vanilla eggnog ice cream in pints, which purports to be the only such item on the market. It offers a rich, creamy and unique taste; Original is best, but it’s also yummy in Chocolate Swirl and Sea Salt Caramel Swirl (more flavors are promised for 2015). The company donates a percentage of all sales to help children in foster care.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

8oz P∂M P∂Ms. Super-size your sales.

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Consumers are undeniably sweet on P∂M P∂MS Fresh Pomegranate Arils. But did you know our #1-selling 4.3oz and 8oz P∂M P∂MS sitting side-by-side on shelf could mean up to a 75% incremental sales boost to your Produce Department? Just to make sure, we’re supporting both products with an integrated marketing campaign including three full-circulation FSIs, in-store point-of-sale and the largest merchandising team in produce. Which is super. For both you and your sales. Plan for an early harvest and order P∂M P∂MS now at GetPOMPOMS@POMWonderful.com or contact your W∑nderful Brands sales representative at 877-328-7667.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Coca-Cola Dasani Sparkling Price varies www.dasani.com Coca-Cola came up with a great way to broaden its bottled water brand, as well as the whole category, by launching a sparkling version of its Dasani line. The crisp, refreshing zero-calorie, caffeine-free sparkling water is available 12-ounce cans and comes in lime, lemon, apple and berry flavors. This latest addition to Coke’s Dasani brand family was part of the My Coke Rewards program that launched this summer.

Clif Bar Mojo Fruit & Nut and Dark Chocolate $1.49 www.clifbar.com Count on Clif to come up with new tasty ways to delivery healthy, energy-packed, on-the-go snacks. Its new Mojo bars are made with roasted nuts, organic dark chocolate and fruits like organic wild blueberries. Featuring 70 percent organic ingredients, Clif’s Mojo Fruit & Nut and Dark Chocolate bars are gluten-free and contain no more than 200 calories each; additionally, they’re low-glycemic and a good source of fiber. The bars come in Cranberry Almond, Wild Blueberry Almond, Coconut Almond Peanut, Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond varieties.

Sparkling Beverages: Solutions for Consumers, Business for Retailers It has become evident that shoppers need help with meal solutons. Shoppers are under increasing stress. Moms are constantly mult-tasking. Fify-six percent of working moms find it very or somewhat difficult to balance work and family life responsibilites.1 Studies show that 57% of shoppers decide what’s for dinner one hour beforehand and 26% decide earlier that day.2 They are looking for quick solutons that save tme and bundled offers that save money. At home meals are expected to grow 14% by 2020 3, which further necessitates having a foodservice soluton in store. Coca-Cola brands are the perfect complement for all food types. Almost one-third of at-home snacks, lunch and dinner are consumed with sparkling beverages4, and Coke® is the #1 beverage consumed with food. 4 Coca-Cola beverages provide physical and emotonal refreshment with meals and snacks. Sparkling beverages that are consumed at home mean big business for retailers. Relevant and engaging occasion-based shopper messaging can drive increased basket size via bundling.

For more information, visit www.CokeSolutions.com/retail. (1) Pew

Research Center, Breadwinner Moms Report, 2013 NPD Group’s Natonal Eatng Trends 2012. (3) Moments Qualitatve Study, 2013. (4) Consumer Beverage Landscape, 2011 (2) The

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Crunch Pak Marvel Apple Snackers $1.99-$2.29 www.crunchpak.com Making kids’ snacks healthier and convenient — that’s the goal of Crunch Pak’s Marvel Apple Snackers, and the product succeeds in fine style. Marvel superhero characters are featured on peel-top plastic trays containing fresh sliced apples accompanied by other wholesome items, including grapes, cheese and pretzels. Through its partnership with Marvel (the first in the produce department), Crunch Pak is targeting boys age 6 to 10 with better snacking options and superheroes representing an active lifestyle and embodying aspirational attributes like responsibility and discipline.

CSM Bakery Products Fabulously Filled Cake Truffles $3.49 www.csmbakeryproducts.com Cake truffles are still special, but CSM’s Fabulously Filled products are another level of indulgence altogether. While gourmet in nature, the varieties of Lemon Drop, S’mores, and Salty Caramel Pecan are familiar enough to attract supermarket shoppers. These little gems, at 140 calories each in packs of four, are perfect as a small dessert or for entertaining. PG recommends mixing and matching when serving them to guests.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food DaveÕs Killer Bread Seeded Honey Wheat $5.79 www.daveskillerbread.com Does the world need another loaf of bread? Yes, since the bread is Dave’s Killer Bread Seeded Honey Wheat, the first USDA-certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified honey wheat bread on the market. Consumers who read labels will grasp the difference: “With nearly 4 tablespoons of pure organic honey packed into each loaf, the sweet taste and crunchy texture make Seeded Honey Wheat an instant favorite.” Little kids might take exception to the oats that coat the loaf, but this sandwich-friendly bread will appeal to the slightly older masses. Dave’s Killer Breads are currently available in 14 western states, but the company is expanding faster than yeast in an oven.

Dawn Red Devil Vortex Cake $12.99-$14.99 www.dawnfoods.com Dawn Food Products brings excitement and color to the in-store bakery with its line of Vortex dessert cakes, and the Red Devil variety is a stunner both to the eye and the palate. This exceedingly rich and decadent confection offers moist red velvet cake atop a fudgy chocolate brownie, separated and encased by red buttercreme icing, and studded with chocolate shavings. Topping it all off is a waterfall of chocolate truffle down the sides and a “vortex” swirl of chocolate truffle on the top. Dawn’s line of Vortex Dessert Cakes addresses current trends for hybrid foods and gourmet indulgence.

DELIGHT THEM WITH

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Del Monte Fresh Produce Watermelon Spear Multipack $4.99 www.freshdelmonte.com The 5-pack price makes these single-serve slices unapproachable for many, but the convenience is undeniable. This 100 percent fruit snack is perfect for brown-bag lunches or any on-the-go consumption occasion. Careful peeling means that consumers can eat right from the package. We’ve seen — and enjoyed — pre-cut watermelon, but this is an example where packaging innovation can make a good idea a great one.

Diamond of California Shelled Pistachios $9.99 www.diamondfoods.com Why didn’t anyone think of this before? That was our reaction to these shelled pistachios from Diamond — so simple, yet so perfectly logical. These 100 percent California-grown pistachios are the first raw, unsalted and pre-shelled nuts to be offered in the baking aisle. They make cooking and baking a snap, since other pistachios must be shelled by hand. And for all of you pistachio nut snackers out there, say goodbye to chipped teeth and red lips.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Dietz & Watson Grilled Honey Chicken Breast $8.99/pound www.dietzandwatson.com This whole-muscle chicken breast is delicious and certainly a unique addition to the in-store service deli. With grilled flavor and sweet honey notes, the product is great sliced in sandwiches and diced in salads. Part of Dietz & Watson’s Healthier Lifestyle line, the Grilled Honey Chicken Breast is 97 percent fatfree, provides an excellent source of protein, and has no artificial colors, flavors, fillers, extenders or MSG.

Duda Farm Dandy Celery Sticks $1.99 www.dudafresh.com This is another one of those “Duh!” products — so simple, yet just coming to market amid incessant demand for convenience products. Dandy brand celery is presented in the form of washed and ready-to-eat 8-inch sticks packaged in a 1-pound bag with a resealable zipper closure. It’s great to have on hand for snacking or meal prep, home cooks can remove what they need and then reseal the bag, and the celery retains its freshness until opened again. This product just makes sense.

Farmer John LucilleÕs Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Beef Tri Tip $17.99 www.farmerjohn.com Low-and-slow taste from heat-and-eat meat? Crazy but true, and this succulent beef tri-tip from Farmer John, cobranded with the California-based Lucille’s Smokehouse restaurant chain, delivers on barbecue taste with the bonus of convenient prep. The fully cooked USDA Choice beef tri-tip is seasoned and reputedly smoked for hours, for a tender, moist and flavorful pre-sliced product.

Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels $4.99 www.enjoylifefoods.com As the “free-from” category continues to expand its reach, one of the latest breakthroughs comes from Enjoy Life Foods, which has launched these dark chocolate morsels as part of its top-selling allergy-friendly line of baking products. Featuring 69 percent cacao and clean ingredients of unsweetened chocolate and natural cane sugar, the item is the only gluten-free dark chocolate morsel on the market that’s also dairy-, nut- and soy-free. These morsels are also free from the top eight commonest food allergens, certified kosher, made in a dedicated nut-free facility, Non-GMO Project Verified, and made with no artificial ingredients.

Ferrero USA Nutella & Go! $1.59 www.nutellausa.com Ferrero USA has taken its popular chocolate-hazelnut spread a step further with on-thego packaging. The format opens up new lunch and snacking options for adults and kids alike, and creates an additional product for front end merchandising. Answering consumers’ call for portability, this portioncontrolled serving of Nutella comes with mini breadsticks for dipping, in a pack that’s perfect for lunchbox, backpack or briefcase.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food FGF Brands Stonefire Naan Crisps $3.49 www.fgfbrands.com These tasty chips help further boost the ethnic diversity of the grocery store snack aisle. Stonefire Naan Crisps are a light, versatile treat that’s “flame baked” for a delicious crunch. At 120 calories per serving, the crisps are made without artificial preservatives, additives, artificial colors, trans fat or hydrogenated oils. Of the four varieties available, we particularly enjoyed Everything (like the bagel of the same name) and Tandoori Spice; the crisps also come in Original and Garlic Parmesan.

GimMe Health Teriyaki Roasted Seaweed $1.19-$1.99 www.gimmehealth.com We’re not all enamored of the wonders of roasted seaweed, but this latest entry from GimMe Health earned fans on PG’s staff, and the product is sure to meet growing demand for vegan and non-GMO foods. The Teriyaki variety joins Sea Salt and Sesame in the lineup of snacks and crumbles delivering just 25 calories per serving. We found the snacks work particularly well as a layer on a turkey sandwich, while the crumbles add crunch to salads. The price point also makes it a winner among comparable products.

Growers Express Green Giant Fresh Herbs $1.59-$3.99 www.greengiantfresh.com Growers Express is taking fresh herbs mainstream with its line of Green Giant Fresh herbs in clamshell and pouch packaging. Packaging graphics include a mobilefriendly QR code that leads consumers to a quick link to additional product information, recipes and usage tips. Better still, the suggestions allow home cooks to use most, if not all, of their purchase in one go. The resealable top helps extend freshness, and modified-atmosphere packaging helps reduce shrink and labor while boosting dollar ring for grocers.

Good2Grow V-Blend $2.49 www.good2grow.com Healthy, convenient and cute: that pretty much sums up V-Blend juice drinks from Good2Grow. They come in flavors that appeal to kids — Tropical Fruit Medley and Strawberry Kiwi — but sneak the nutrition of vegetables into these 71 percent fruit juices. Made with carrot, beet and apple juice, each variety contains one cup of fruit and veggies, and offers more than 20 percent less sugar than 100 percent juice. The BPA-free, spill-proof collectable bottle toppers, including Hello Kitty, Marvel and Disney characters, are reusable, interchangeable and dishwasher-safe.

Growers Marketing Green Giant Fresh Super Sweet Grab n’ Go Microwaveable Corn $6.99 www.greengiantfresh.com We really enjoyed the convenience and fresh sweet flavor of this steam-in-bag microwaveable corn on the cob from Green Giant Fresh. The first of its kind in the marketplace, this product offers a resealable stand-up pouch with three individual bags each containing four cobs of corn that can be easily steamed in a microwave oven for 3.5 to 4.5 minutes. An on-pack QR code leads consumers to a quick link to additional product information, recipes and usage tips.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Irresistible Insights. Sweet Solutions. Delight that Delivers.

2014 Editors’ Picks Heineken USA Amstel Radler $13.99 www.heinekenusa.com Amstel Radler is one of the most refreshing alcohol beverages we’ve had in a long time. A 2 percent ABV blend of beer and lemon juice, it goes down lighter and easier than shandy or hard lemonade. On a hot summer day, it truly hits the spot. Available from early spring through summer, Amstel Radler comes in 6-packs of 12-ounce bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans.

Stock our delicious Triple Chocolate Fudge, Strawberry and Lemon cakes today and you’ll be helping Café Valley Bakery make a donation of $15,000 to City of Hope Breast Cancer Research.

T hat ’s pretty sweet.

Heineken USA Dos Equis Dos-A-Rita $12.99 www.heinekenusa.com The World’s Most Interesting Man doesn’t often drink ready-to-serve lager margaritas, but when he does, he chooses Dos Equis Dos-ARita. A natural extension of a quintessentially Mexican beer brand, the beverage is a blend of Dos Equis lager, classic margarita flavors and 100 percent agave nectar. Billed as the first imported, authentic product of its type on the market, it contains 7.2 percent ABV and comes in 24-ounce single-serve cans and 12-packs of 8-ounce cans.

Herr Foods Old Bay Cheese Curls $3.49 www.herrfoods.com Old Bay seasoning is showing up in a variety of food products, and one of our favorites is these cheese curls from the snack doctors at Herr Foods. The savory herbs in Old Bay marry well with the real cheese flavor, and the gluten-free curls offer a satisfying crunch. The snacks also have zero trans fat.

To participate contact Brett Morrison brettmorrison@cafevalley.com (972) 523-4220 From all of us at Café Valley Bakery, we thank you!

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Hershey Lancaster Soft Cremes $2.49-$3.89 www.hershey.com Reviving the brand that Milton Hershey sold to finance his legendary chocolate empire, Lancaster Soft Cremes are lusciously soft, rich and creamy. Also, it’s great to eat a caramel that you don’t have to pick out of your teeth. This upscale yet accessible treat comes in three flavors: Caramel, Vanilla and Caramel, and Vanilla and Raspberry.

crackers or pretzels, Hershey’s Spreads come in chocolate, chocolate and almond, and chocolate with hazelnut varieties. (Hershey has at least one other spread in the offing, which we can’t wait to hit store shelves later this year.)

Hidden Villa Ranch NestFresh Non-GMO Free Range Eggs $4.99 www.hiddenvillaranch.com The demand for non-GMO food products has been steadily increasing, so these new free-range eggs from Hidden Villa Ranch should be welcome in the kitchens of like-minded consumers. NestFresh’s line of eggs is produced on family farms that use sustainable farming methods and humane animal welfare practices. Available in white and brown, the eggs are verified by the Non-GMO Project.

HersheyÕs Spreads $3.89 www.hershey.com The chocolate spread segment has started to attract competition, and Hershey’s entry is a natural winner, since it delivers the sweet, rich taste for which the brand is famous. Great when teamed with fruit, bread,

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Cuties® and Mighties are registered trademarks of Sun Paciﬁc.

a s a h Cuties Mightie new buddy. From the growers of Cuties comes Mighties, the Ripe and Easy to eat kiwi. These California treats will be coming on—and quickly of—your shelves this November. So stock up and get ready for your sales to be Mightie.

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Olga Osminkina-Jones Vice President Marketing Danone Waters of America Progressive Grocer: Sales of bottled water are on the rise, with per capita consumption reaching a record 32 gallons. With so many products on the market today, how does evian set itself apart? How is evian different from other bottled waters in the way it is collected, ﬁltered and processed? Olga Osminkina-Jones: The biggest difference between evian and other ﬁltered waters is that evian is 100% natural, 0% processed. Every drop of evian takes a 15 year journey through a natural aquifer before it ends in the bottle. All directly at the single source — — the spring in Evian-Les-Bains in the French Alps.

PG: evian has a unique flavor profile. What is different about evian's taste and how does it get that unique flavor? Osminkina-Jones: evian’s unmatched composition than sets our water’s taste apart: evian contains from 2x to 17x more electrolytes than other leading pure and purified premium waters, and that is why its taste is distinct and perfectly smooth. evian’s composition is impacted by its 15 year natural filtration journey through the mineral aquifer in Evian-les-Bains.

PG: The long history of evian includes recognition of certain benefits. Can you explain what those benefits are? Osminkina-Jones: evian has been recognized as having certain benefits since the 1780’s. In 178 , the Marquis de Lessert discovered the Cachat

Spring in Evian-les-Bains, and he claimed that his kidney stones had been cured after drinking from the spring due to its mineral content. In 1824, “thermal treatments” began at the source, where the water was used for drinking and bathing purposes to promote a youthful body and mind, and by 1 26, the Cachat Spring, the source of evian Natural Spring Water was declared a “public interest” and the ﬁrst protective area was set up around the spring. Essentially evian’s Live Young promise is rooted in its functional beneﬁts and lighthearted, playful mindset of the brand.

PG: Why should retailers consider stocking evian? How can that help them boost sales and profits in the bottled water category? Osminkina-Jones: In the midst of the obesity crisis impacting shoppers’ behaviors and motivations to make healthier choices, we are seeing a shift in consumer preferences away from sugary drinks and toward increased bottled water consumption. This puts retailers in a tough financial situation as they are seeing declines in top categories in store. With the recent growth of bottled water, they have an opportunity to make up these sales through the premium segment, which is the fastest growing segment of bottled water, a trade-up from the rest of still water and, importantly, more profitable than CSD.

www.evian.com

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Hope Foods Sriracha Hummus $4.59 www.hopefoods.com Sriracha is all the rage right now, and we loved this bold twist on the trendy snack dip. Hope Foods hits several hot selling points with this product: non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, kosher and, according to the company, the only 100 percent USDA-certified organic sriracha on the market. The kick of the pepper sauce, mellowed by the cool smoothness of hummus, makes for a great taste experience.

Hormel Skippy Singles $2.49 www.peanutbutter.com Putting a consumer favorite in a more convenient format makes this product a winner for us. These Skippy single-serve cups are great for on-the-go snacking, portion control, and easy dipping or spreading. The product comes in clear resealable canisters of six individually sealed 1.5-ounce cups. Skippy Singles are available in two varieties: Creamy Peanut Butter and Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Spread, the latter of which is 100 percent natural and free of preservatives, artificial flavors or colors.

House-Autry Mills Stone Ground Dinner Grits $2.29 www.house-autry.com This traditional Southern side dish is easy to prepare, and being stone-ground makes it unique (and arguably healthier) among its peers. We especially liked the Creole flavor, which we had for breakfast with bacon and eggs — great taste and pleasing aroma. These grits also come in Broccoli and Cheddar and Parmesan and Herb varieties. House-Autry Mills recommends adding chicken, shrimp or scallops for a complete meal in 20 minutes.

InnovAsian Cuisine Lemon Grass Kitchen Entrées $7.99 www.innovasiancuisine.com We were impressed by the quality and freshness of the ingredients in these microwaveable Asian multiserve entrées in InnovAsian’s Lemon Grass Kitchen line. They were developed in cooperation with Mai Pham, chef/ owner of the Lemon Grass and Star Ginger restaurants in Sacramento, Calif., considered one of the United States’ leading experts in Southeast Asian cuisine. The Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice is simple but well executed. Other varieties include Beef & Broccoli Noodles, Chicken Pad Thai, Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry, Red Curry Sauce with Chicken, and Shrimp Pad Thai.

Inventure Foods Boulder Canyon Arise Cereal — Dark Chocolate $5.99 www.bouldercanyonfoods.com Adults and kids alike on PG’s tasting panel loved this yummy cereal, both as a snack right out of the box or in a bowl with milk. These whole grain baked squares feature a delicious dark chocolate center filling. At 130 calories per serving, they are minimally processed and deliver 9 grams of fiber. Arise also comes in a Greek Yogurt variety. September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Italian Rose Old El Paso Salsas and Dips $3.99 www.italian-rose.com Fresh ingredients make all the difference in delivering a fresh taste, and freshness is the hallmark of this Old El Paso branded line of salsas and dips from Italian Rose. They’re so simple, yet so delicious. The products are made from fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeños, and never heat-processed. Varieties include Chorizo Chipotle Queso, Bacon Chipotle Queso, Guacamole with Salsa, and Chunky Tomato Cilantro.

Just Born Peeps Minis $3.99 www.marshmallowpeeps.com Peeps Minis are definitely a break for Just Born’s Peeps marshmallow treats, as they’re the first in the venerable line to be positioned as a year-round treat. Miniature versions of treats are ubiquitous, but this is a brand extension that really makes sense, given the strong holiday focus of traditional Peeps. Minis varieties include Strawberry Crème, Chocolate Crème and Sour Watermelon chicks, all of which weigh in at barely 14 calories each.

Jack LinkÕs Small Batch Handcrafted Beef Jerky $5.99 www.jacklinks.com We have jerky connoisseurs on our staff — make that jerky junkies — so this latest release from jerky giant Jack Link’s was an absolute treat. Taking the c-store snack upscale, this jerky is made with hand-cut slices of tender beef, slow-cooked in small batches and smoked in a traditional smokehouse. Peppered No. 15 offers a nice black-pepper bite, while Original No. 11 and Teriyaki No. 17 also delivers on quality and flavor.

KelloggÕs Eggo Pancake Bites Ñ Chocolatey Chip

Jel Sert Almond Joy and Mounds Pudding Dessert Mixes $1-$1.29 www.jelsert.com This item reminded us of the instant chocolate pudding that Mom used to make for a quick fridge-based treat on school nights. Co-branding with two popular candy bar brands, Jel Sert faithfully delivers their flavor profiles in pudding form. The Almond Joy contains real coconut and almond bits, while Mounds offers dark chocolate pudding paired with real coconut. They’re quick, simple and convenient to prepare. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t — and we’re nuts about these puddings.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

$2.99 www.kelloggs.com Eggo is a fun brand, and The Kellogg Co. continues to bring excitement and innovation to the breakfast category. Exhibit A: Eggo Pancake Bites, tasty treats studded with chocolatey chips. These easy-to-eat portable pancakes are designed to be eaten away from the table during the hectic morning rush. The’re heated in a microwaveable pouch for easy prep with minimal cleanup. Watch the cooking time — our samples were still cold after being heated for the recommended duration, so users may need to experiment with the best time for their own ovens.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Kelllogg’s Eggo Thick & Fluffy Minis — Chocolate Delight $2.99 www.kelloggs.com Exhibit B (see page 54) is Eggo Thick & Fluffy Mini waffles. Young and old testers alike enjoyed this playful take on the time-honored Eggo waffle. Made with real chocolate, these tiny waffles can be eaten without syrup. They’re great for breakfast as well as snacking. As with the pancake bites profiled on page 54, watch the cooking time — they got slightly burned when we let them go the full duration in our toaster.

Kettle Brand Sriracha Potato Chips $2.69-$3.49 www.kettlebrand.com One of our other favorite srirachalaced entries this year was this welcome addition to Kettle Brand’s collection of super-spicy flavors. Fans of the trendy blood-red sauce should love these — Kettle’s uber-crunchy chips enveloped with bold chili-garlicvinegar flavor. Like all Kettle Brand chips, these are made with natural ingredients, feature no artificial flavors or preservatives, and are verified by the Non-GMO Project.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food LaCroix Cœrate Beverages $3.99 www.lacroixwater.com LaCroix has upped its game in the flavor department with the new Cúrate (pronounced “coo-RAH-tay”) line of sparkling water beverages. Packaged in tall cans, Cúrate has an enhanced flavor profile over its core line while retaining LaCroix’s calorie-, sweetener-, sodium- and sugarfree qualities. The new line offers two flavor combinations: Cerise Limón (Cherry Lemon) and Pomme Bayá (Apple Berry). Cúrate means “to cure yourself,” and if you’re out to cure your thirst from less-cleanlabeled soft drinks, this one’s for you.

La Pasta Inc. Ravioli $5.99 www.lapastainc.com Colorful, tasty La Pasta Ravioli deliver as promised: delightful, delicious, distinctive pastas, and with a clean label to boot. PG editors were particularly taken with the Roasted Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella & Arugula Ravioli, in part because arugula isn’t commonly featured in prepared ravioli, and the tomatoes, roasted in-house, are flavorful. The way the pastas are presented gives the pastas “plate appeal” — the different colors lend elegance and uniqueness.

Now It’s Personal The 2014-2015 Editors’ Choice Award Goes To...

Better4U Personal Size Gluten Free Pizzas!

Vacuum Marinating Enhances Taste and Adds Value

Md. VTS-46

Md. VTS-44

Md. VTS-42

7-inch pizzas are available in 5 varieties! Biro Manufacturing Company Marblehead, oH 43440-2099 USA 419-798-4451 Fax 419-798-9106

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

www.birosaw.com

224RB-6-13

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Lark Fine Foods Mighty Gingers $6 www.larkfinefoods.com These Òcookies for grownupsÓ are worth squirreling away from the kids. Appreciate them for the small-batch, high-quality treats they are, not as crispy as a gingersnap, but with a heartier bite than gingerbread Ñ and oh, can you taste the ginger! The price tag puts them in the specialty category, but we see these as a good supermarket fit because of the great taste and attractive paperboard ÒbagÓ overwrap on cellophane packaging.

Litehouse Foods Instantly Fresh Herbs $4.99 www.litehousefoods.com We were thoroughly impressed by the Instantly Fresh line of freeze-dried herbs from Litehouse Foods. The itemsÕ sim-

plicity and longevity makes them more convenient, and a great way for home cooks previously intimidated by using fresh herbs to get their feet wet. Just rehydrate them with water, and youÕre good to go for any recipe. In LitehouseÕs delicate freeze -drying process, the herbsÕ shape, color, nutrients and flavor are naturally preserved. We loved using these herbs in the kitchen. The latest varieties are Sage and Thyme; there are also Garlic and an Italian blend, among others.

Wake up to the good stuff. What better way to start your day than with one of our new organic White English Muffns? rudisbakery.com

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of WhatÕs Next | September 2014

ONE SMALL CHANGE FOR SPECIALTY CHEESE.

ONE GI AN T L EA P I N SA LE S.

America’s #1 specialty cheese –– Jarlsberg ® cheese –– is now available in a convenient, s n a c ka b l e s i ze. D r i ve i m m e d i a te i n c re m e n t a l g row t h w i t h a 30-count, display-ready case with individually UPC’d premium product. Also available in a UPC’d or non UPC’d 50-count bulk case.

For more information, call 1-800-326-5620, email info@norseland.com or visit us at www.jarlsbergusa.com & www.norseland.com.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Live Kombucha Soda $2.49 www.livesodakombucha.com ItÕs hard to differentiate in the CSD category, but Live Soda LLC does so with its line of Live Kombucha Soda. It might still be too early for kombucha, a lightly effervescent fermented sweetened black or green tea beverage, to attract mainstream CSD consumers, but the companyÕs taking the right steps. Culture Cola, Sparkling Ginger, Pure Doctor, Living Limon, Revive Root Beer and Dreamy Orange are varieties that follow mainstream favorites, but the similarity ends there. These sodas are made with raw and organic kombucha with naturally occurring and measured probiotics, flavored by spices, extracts and essential oils. The sodas are tasty, but not in a traditional CSD way, and offer health benefits along with refreshment.

Luvo Entrées, Flatbread and Frittata $3.99-$4.99 www.luvoinc.com The Luvo line is the result of a mission to make healthful, nutritionally balanced food available everywhere, and with these microwaveable meals available in grocery stores, on Delta flights and, eventually, in planned Luvo cafes, the brand is well on its way toward that goal. The entrŽes are cooked using a steamin-bag process. Our favorite was the Orange Mango Chicken: roasted chicken breast with a tangy orange-mango sauce, green tea-infused whole grains, and steamed kale and broccoli. The Chicken Chili Verde offers Southwest spiciness; the Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella Flatbread features a flaxseed crust; and the FarmerÕs Market Frittata includes cage-free low-yolk eggs and poblano chiles. Products tested ranged from 210 to 420 calories.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of WhatÕs Next | September 2014

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food

Made In Nature Ancient Grain Fusion $3.99 www.madeinnature.com Ancient grains are popular on restaurant menus, but most consumers are too intimidated to cook with them at home. Enter Made in Nature and its Ancient Grain Fusion meals, interesting, flavorful microwaveable (ready in 60 seconds) pouch meals chock-full of organic grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, spices and herbs. The six meal- or side dish-sized varieties are Thai Coconut, Moroccan Bazaar, Cuban Mojo, Tuscan Garlic & Tomato, Mediterranean Feta, and Southwestern. Stunningly, the meals don’t rely on sodium for amazing flavor; most are Non-GMO Project Verified, and contain no added sugars, preservatives or artificial colors.

Mann Packing Co. Veggies & Hummus Tray $4.99 www.veggiesmadeeasy.com We like anything that makes it easier for folks to consume more fresh vegetables, and this Veggie & Hummus tray from Mann Packing certainly delivers. The all-in-one serving solution features a mix of fresh-cut vegetables and Sabra classic hummus. Mann says that its lidless tray reduces landfill waste by 2 million pounds annually — another bonus.

regular M&Ms, in both milk chocolate and peanut varieties (the nut is bigger in the Mega size, too). Mars says its focus groups have been asking for larger M&M’s, and the Mega line is expected to bring 50 percent incremental growth to the brand. Just remember: A little indulgence is OK when enjoyed in moderation.

Mars Snickers RockinÕ Nut Road $1.09 www.mars.com What happens when one of America’s favorite candy bars collides with a time-honored ice cream flavor? You get Snickers Rockin’ Nut Road, which melds the flavor profile of rocky road with Snickers in this new permanent addition to the Mars candy lineup. The item is packed with marshmallow-flavored nougat covered with crunchy almonds and smothered in dark chocolate. Hard to go wrong here, really.

Mars M&MÕs Mega Chocolate Candies $1.09-$3.29 www.mars.com Even amid a push for portion control, sometimes bigger can still be better, and for a fun brand like M&M’s, it’s pretty cool as well. With larger pieces, M&M’s Mega Candies boast three times more chocolate than

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Mars Starburst Sorbet Bars $2.99 www.mars.com Starburst Sorbet Bars are a fruity and refreshing addition to the frozen novelty segment, as well as a fun way to strategically extend the popular chewy candy brand, which enjoys a devoted fan base. Available in a 4-count multipack, these sorbet bars deliver a burst of strawberry flavor in a light, delicious sorbet bar.

It’s P∂M Time!

It’s the most W∑nderful time of the year! Especially if you’re fully stocked with P∂M P∂MS, P∂M Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice and P∂M Wonderful fresh pomegranates. All three will be supported with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign—in-store POS, promotional support, public relations and the largest FSI program in P∂M history! Not to mention, the biggest merchandising team in produce. Get ready. It’s gonna be P∂M time all the time. Plan for an early harvest and order your P∂M P∂MS and pomegranate display bins now at GetBins@POMWonderful.com or contact your local W∑nderful Brands sales representative at 877.328.7667.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food McCormick Lawry’s Marinades

McCormick Slow Cookers

$2.99 www.mccormick.com Bold flavors abound in these marinades that offer home cooks a great seasoning option while allowing McCormick to leverage its Lawry’s and Zatarain’s brands. Sweet Southern BBQ delivers sweet, smoky flavors with a blend of tomato, molasses, garlic and Lawry’s Original Seasoned Salt. The Cajun variety is a New Orleansinspired marinade that includes chili pepper, cumin and oregano. Just watch out if you’re flame-grilling your marinated proteins, as sugars in the sauce have a tendency to burn, making these sauces a better option for indooroven cooking, or for applying toward the end of grilling.

$1.99 www.mccormick.com We at PG love meal solutions, and these Slow Cookers seasoning blends from McCormick offer consumers plenty of options for easy-to-prepare, richly flavored meals. These seasoning mixes infuse slow-cooked meals with flavor while you’re away, making it easier than ever to come home to delicious meals any night of the week. Fiesta Chicken adds a Mexican twist with chili pepper and cumin; French Dip offers garlic, thyme and black pepper; a blend of red wine, thyme, black pepper and garlic makes up Red Wine Braised Roast; and Sweet & Smoky Pulled Chicken delivers paprika, chipotle chile pepper, garlic and molasses.

A GREAT TASTING PIZZA that happens to be Gluten Free Our award winning Gluten Free pizza is made with 100% REAL cheeses and vine-ripened tomatoes in a size that the whole family can enjoy. The Celiac Sprue Association seal of approval makes it offcially gluten free.

Thank you Progressive Grocer for recognizing us with the Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pick, Best New Product award again. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to continue our dedication to bringing convenient and wholesome olive goodness to the category.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food McCormick Perfect Pinch $2.99 www.mccormick.com McCormick has a knack for developing herbs and spices for every level of cooking skill. The latest additions to its Perfect Pinch line are sure to inspire the imagination and creativity of home chefs, and for those needing a little inspiration, there are recipes on every peel-back label. The Asian blend contains sesame seed, garlic, ginger and chile pepper; Bacon and Chive also contains garlic, onion and paprika. The Mexican blend, meanwhile, has chili pepper, garlic, onion and cumin.

MOM Brands Better Oats Oat Revolution Steel Cut Oatmeal $3.49 www.mombrands.com Steel-cut oatmeal is just about the best oatmeal you can eat, and MOM Brands (formerly MaltO-Meal) has made it easier to prepare and more accessible to consumers as part of its instant Oat Revolution line. We really loved this product, especially the steel-cut oatmeal devotee on our staff. It delivers the taste, flavor and health attributes of steel-cut oats after just 2½ minutes in the microwave. With a built-in measuring-cup pouch, the three varieties (Classic, Maple & Brown Sugar, and Apples & Cinnamon) contain flaxseed, carry the 100% Whole Grain Stamp from the Whole Grains Council, and are a good source of fiber and ALA-omega 3.

Mr. DeeÕs Old Bay Seasoned Fries

Mediterranean Snacks Tapaz2Go $2.99 www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com A multipack seems like a logical next step for Tapaz2Go, a healthy mini meal or snack solution. Sea salt-flavored, protein-rich lentil crackers are packaged alongside hummus, which comes in Classic, Roasted Garlic, and Red Pepper varieties. The hummus is a tad sweet, but that’s easily overlooked, given that the solution is gluten-free, 250 calories, a good source of protein and portable.

MegaMex Foods Herdez Bowls $3.99 www.megamexfoods.com MegaMex brings authentic Latin flavor profiles to its Herdez-branded line of meal bowls, a fresh take on frozen microwavable meals. They’re simple and quick to prepare for lunch or dinner. We particularly liked the Carnitas & Charro Beans and the Pork Chile Colorado. Also available are Beef Barbacoa, Chicken Chipotle with Spanish Rice, Chicken Mole with Cilantro Rice, Chicken Tinga with Spanish Rice, Pork Al Pastor, and Pork Chile Verde.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

$3.29-$3.69 www.mr-dees.com The frozen potato segment is seeing a little excitement with these zesty fries dusted with Old Bay seasoning blend, which is licensed from McCormick. This marriage is common on the East Coast, where Old Bay is the default seasoning for many crab boils, and is now being shared with the rest of the country. The natural-cut fries bake up crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and their flavorful coating makes dipping unnecessary.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food These specially grown long-stem strawberries are packed in a unique clamshell designed to mimic a box of roses. The pack’s unique shape, color and clear window impart a sense of “something special” inside, making them a healthy and tasty alternative for special-occasion gift-giving. These berries will enhance produce displays while offering grocers an effective merchandising tool to promote a higher-margin item.

Musco Pearls Olives to Go $3.99 www.olives.com Olives for on-the-go eating are a great innovation, offering an ideal brown-bag lunch garnish without the mess and inconvenience of glass jars and brine. These easy-to-open cups stay fresh and tightly sealed until consumers are ready to use them. The four-packs of plastic cups come in three new flavors: Kalamata, Pimiento-Stuffed Spanish Green and Sliced Black Ripe. Great taste, shelf-stability and convenience make these a winner.

Nestlé PowerBar Protein Plus $1.99 www.powerbar.com Protein is king, and Nestlé’s PowerBar ProteinPlus is chockfull of it — 20 grams in each 270-calorie bar. It provides densely packed nourishment that will definitely stave off hunger. Meal replacement bars are trending high, and this one is well positioned for success. The bar is available in two flavors: Chocolate Mint Cookie and Peanut Butter Cookie.

NatureSweet Cherriots Tomatoes $2.99 www.naturesweet.com Mini tomatoes in portable snack packs? Brilliant! NatureSweet Cherriots Tomatoes are flavorful, specially grown microproduce meeting the growing demand for healthy snacking on the go, and sold in convenient, innovative pull-apart three-packs. Each pack contains about dozen red mini tomatoes, the perfect amount to satisfy most snackers. Cherriots represent a huge innovation in better-for-you snacking.

Naturipe Farms Bouquet Pack Long-Stem Strawberries $6.99 www.naturipefarms.com This one earned points for style and giving fresh fruit a premium boost.

Noosa Coconut Yoghurt $2.49 www.noosayoghurt.com In a sea of Greek yogurt — which has its benefits and its fans — Noosa is a refreshing change of pace. This Australian-style yogurt has a dessert-like richness, but still contains all of the health benefits of protein-packed probiotics. The new coconut variety, not common among other brands, is particularly delicious. Yes, we’re fans of Noosa, and even though we don’t mind eating the whole 8-ounce tub in one sitting, a smaller cup size would be a welcome addition to the line.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

WE THINK

Challenged to optimize how a leading CSD brand creates meaningful experiences with consumers, Rehrig Paciﬁc leveraged technologies such as Near Field Communication (NFC) an

R codes to enable mobile engagement inside

retail locations. We developed a Retail Ready Merchandiser that enhances the consumer’s experience, improves productivity, lowers operating costs, and maximizes sustainability within the client’s supply chain.

Continually challenge the status quo in order to optimize logistics within the retail supply chain

READ OUR CASE STUDY

KEGRACK for Beer Distribution

PUBKEG for Beer and Wine

Intelligent Tracking for Pallets and Containers

We think of solutions that deliver measurable savings, maximize driver productivity and minimize workplace injury.

We think of ways to do more than reduce bottling and distribution costs with more sustainable, profitable, and OSHA friendly solutions.

We think of turnkey solutions that increase profitability, improve asset utilization and visibility, while measuring what matters.

Phone: (800) 421-6244 or (323) 262-5145 Email: info@rehrigpacific.com Web: www.rehrigpacific.com

rehrigpacific.com/Pepsi-Case-Study Find out how Pepsi is utilizing Rehrig Paciﬁc’s Mobile Engagement Platform.

A FAMILY TRADITION OF GROWTH, SERVICE AND INNOVATION

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Norseland Jarlsberg Minis $4.99 www.norseland.com Jarsberg cheese is a longtime consumer favorite, and this mini version is a welcome addition to the market. Jarlsberg Minis elevate grab-and-go snacking to gourmet level with their premium quality and distinctively mild, mellow and nutty flavor. Five 20-gram minis — dipped in wax and wrapped in cellophane to replicate the familiar Jarlsberg wheel — come packed in 100-gram bags for easy deli merchandising. All-natural and 70 calories apiece, Jarlsberg Minis are a good source of calcium and protein.

Oscar Mayer P3 Portable Protein Pack $1.79-$4.99 www.oscarmayer.com Snacks are the new meals, and protein gives snacks more value. To that end, the P3 Portable Protein Pack has it

going on. Made up of four combinations of Oscar Mayer Selects Meat, Kraft Natural Cheeses and Planters Nuts, P3 was designed for active people looking for a protein-packed snack to help keep them going strong all day. Each pack contains at least 13 grams of protein, in four varieties: Applewood Smoked Turkey, Marbled Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese, and Dry Roasted Almonds; Applewood Smoked Ham, Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Dry Roasted Almonds; Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken, Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese and Dry Roasted Peanuts; and Slow Roasted Turkey Breast, Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese and Dry Roasted Peanuts.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

They’re sure you’ll lose customers by changing the mix in your cereal aisle.

That’s bass-ackwards. Sorry, but we’re not buying what the other guys are selling. The truth is you won’t lose customers if you have what they want: family favorites that taste great and offer great value. Today, consumers are watching their spending like never before. Yet, it’s not all about saving money. Quality and great taste must be part of the equation. We’re growing (and your proﬁts can too) because

consumers have discovered the superb taste and excellent value of MOM Brands® cereals. Fact is MOM Brands is the only cereal company that has increased household penetration over the past four years.* And by continually giving consumers what they want, brand loyalty remains strong. Is it too risky to change your cereal aisle mix? It’s too risky not to. Be forward thinking. And think about that.

Find out more at MOMbrands.com/bull * Source: Nielsen Homescan, EOY Market Summary 52 week ending 10/26/13.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Quaker’s new IQO Protein Oatmeal contains 10 grams of protein per 240-calorie serving, along with 40 grams of whole grains. Instant prep makes it easier to eat a betterfor-you breakfast.

PepsiCo Quaker Real Medleys Cereal

Pacific Foods Organic Hummus $3.39-$4.29 www.pacificfoods.com Hummus is fast becoming a snacking staple, and this product from Pacific Foods makes it easier to keep on hand for healthy snacking or last-minute party hosting. Available in Classic, Garlic and Roasted Red Pepper flavors, these handy new dips are shelf-stable in BPA-free cartons, contain a third fewer calories and 40 percent less fat than the leading refrigerated brand, and feature organic ingredients. Grab them straight out of the pantry or chill them in the fridge before stirring and serving.

PB Crave Cookie Nookie Natural Peanut Butter $5.49 www.pbcrave.com PB Crave puts a cool new twist on traditional peanut butter, and our favorite of the bunch is Cookie Nookie. The natural peanut butter is twisted with natural cookie dough flavor, milk chocolate chips and real honey. Made in small batches, PB Crave peanut butters contain no hydrogenated oil, artificial flavors, syrups or high-fructose corn syrup, and are free of gluten and cholesterol.

$3.99 www.quakeroats.com We appreciated the bits of real fruit, along with the crunchy nuts, in this new cereal from Quaker, which was apparently busy innovating around the morning daypart this past year. Available in Cherry Almond Pecan and Peach Apple Walnut varieties, Real Medleys is a hearty multigrain cereal line in which the clusters and inclusions enjoyably outnumber the flakes by more than two to one. This is a great addition to the RTE cereal aisle.

PepsiCo Quaker Warm and Crunchy Granola $3.99 www.quakeroats.com Granola usually gets soft when you heat it, but Quaker has overcome that hurdle for lovers of crunch with its new Warm and Crunchy Granola, great for breakfast or an anytime snack. Containing the same amount of fiber and whole grains as oatmeal, the item is made with a new technology that allows the oat clusters to stay crunchy in milk, even when heated. PepsiCo reports that the product is already driving strong incremental growth to the category, and we think consumers will continue to enjoy this new taste and texture experience.

PepsiCo Quaker IQO Protein Oatmeal $3.99 www.quakeroats.com Boosting the protein profile of an already healthful product makes this one a winner.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food PepsiCo Starbucks Refreshers — Blueberry Açai

Perdue Pretzel and Waffle Chicken Styx

$1.99 www.starbucksrefreshers.com Starbucks “revitalized and relaunched” its sparkling Refreshers line with the introduction of Blueberry Açaí. Made with 25 percent real fruit juice, B vitamins, ginseng, and caffeine from green coffee extract — but featuring no coffee flavor — Blueberry Açaí is a light, more-tangy-than-sweet refreshing carbonated beverage. The Refreshers line marks a welcome departure for the beverage category, featuring a clean label, subtle energy and a healthy halo.

$2.99/pound www.perdue.com Jumping on multiple trends relating to waffles, pretzels and the pairing of sweet with savory, Perdue has a foodservice deli winner with its Pretzel and Waffle Chicken Styx. Also available in a Bites format, these breaded morsels come par-fried, quick-frozen and ready to cook by your service deli team. Made from premium breast meat that’s marinated and lightly breaded in either a waffle or pretzel coating, the product makes for a delicious, highprotein, on-the-go snack. We found both options delectable, especially when dipped in a little real maple syrup.

Made with only the finest, natural peanut butter, honey and mouthwatering flavor favorites, PB Crave spreads excitement with every bite. We use high-quality ingredients, proven processes and cutting-edge innovation to craft dizzying blends of unique flavors that transform everyday taste into a tantalizing, healthy treat. PB Crave offers four mouthwatering, natural peanut butter blends — each mixing many of your favorite flavors with premium peanut butter — for a new twist on an old classic.

Choco Choco • CoCo Bananas • Razzle Dazzle • Cookie Nookie

www.pbcrave.com • For more information on our line please contact Joel Rengel at jrengel@sweetharvestfoods.com or 507-263-8599.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Phillips Seafood Skillets $6.99 www.phillipsfoods.com Phillips has extended the brand equity of its Baltimore-based restaurants to the grocers’ freezers with this line of restaurantquality Seafood Skillet entrées. They were developed by restaurant chefs aiming to provide home users with a near-effortless meal in minutes. We enjoyed the New Orleans Style Shrimp for its Cajun kick, and the fresh, crisp veggies of the Mediterranean Style Shrimp. Also available are Parmesan Crab & Shrimp Ravioli, Creamy Parmesan Shrimp Alfredo, Garlic & White Wine Shrimp, and Asian Style Crispy Orange Shrimp.

Rana Tortellini and Tortelloni $7.99-$8.99 www.giovannirana.com “Solutions” is the key naming element of Rana Meals Solutions Chicken Mozzarella Tortelloni. The 12-ounce package is the right size for a family of three or four. The standup pouch is unique, employing paper as an overwrap to plastic, but leaving a window to see the product. It does a nice job of conveying simply made quality. The callouts on the package also sum up the product: “made with white meat chicken only” and “thin pasta.” We also enjoyed the Pesto Cheese Tortellini offering. This one earned all forks up as a firm family favorite.

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Ready Pac Bistro Bowl Wrap Kits $3.99 www.readypac.com The fresh produce in Ready Pac Bistro Bowls delivers a level of health to brown-bag lunches. One editor lamented that they weren’t available when she was in school, dwelling on all of those missed lunch opportunities. Each kit contains enough fixings for two wraps or a hearty salad: greens, shredded carrots, red cabbage, protein, a packet of sauce/ dressing, and tortillas. Varieties include Turkey Avocado Ranch, Chicken Caesar, Thai Peanut Crunch, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Style Chicken, and Garlic & Herb Caesar with Roasted Chicken. A fork is included, but an added napkin or wipe would complete the package.

Reser’s Stonemill Kitchens Spinach Artichoke Bread Bowl $7.99 www.resers.com Reser’s has made it easier to enjoy a favorite restaurant appetizer at home with the Spinach Artichoke Bread Bowl from its Stonemill Kitchens line. You heat the rich, creamy spinach-and-artichoke dip in the microwave while warming the hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl in the oven. Pour the hot, savory dip into the toasty loaf, and start ripping and dipping. We think folks will find this, as we did, to be a fast party favorite.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

• GLUTEN FREE • WHEAT FREE • PEANUT FREE • TREE NUT FREE • DAIRY FREE • SOY FREE • EGG FREE • FISH FREE • GMO FREE •

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EAT FREELY, ENJOY FULLY Learn more about our complete line of delicious Free-From products at

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• E G G F R E E • F I S H F R E E • S H E L L F I S H F R E E • G M O F R E E • G L U T E N F R E E • W H E AT F R E E • P E A N U T F R E E • T R E E N U T F R E E •

DAIRY FREE • TREE NUT FREE • GMO FREE • FREE FROM • EGG FREE • GLUTEN FREE • WHEAT FREE

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Salem Baking Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

RudiÕs White English Muffins $4.59 www.rudisbakery.com What’s so special about white English muffins? Rudi’s are the only nationally available products of their type on the market carrying the USDA organic seal. Additionally, they’re made with non-GMO ingredients, so they fill multiple voids in a market facing increasing demand for both product qualifiers. With no artificial preservatives, these muffins deliver 120 calories and 4 grams of protein apiece.

$4.99 www.salembaking.com We admit to an affinity for most of the goodies coming out of the ovens at Salem Baking Co., so we were confident that when its bakers ventured into gluten-free territory, they’d have a winner — and we were right. These “delightfully thin and crispy cookies” are made with all-natural ingredients, including milk and semisweet chocolate chips. Their price tag is a bit higher than most store-bought cookies, but they stand a tier above most as well. The cookies also come in Caramel Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Macadamia with Toasted Coconut, both of which we hope to try soon.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

• National Distribution, Advertising and Merchandising Support • Slim, Spring-Loaded Rechargeable Pack • Multiple Charging Options Contact Your Lorillard Representative.

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Simply 7 Snacks Quinoa Chips

Sandridge Layered Selections $5.99-$7.99 www.sandridge.com These entrées and salads from Sandridge Food Corp. help bridge the gap between scratch cooking and deli prepared foods or restaurant takeout. Handmade-quality Layered Selections are fresh, minimally processed and designed for time-starved consumers who still want to take part in meal prep. Produced in small batches with superior ingredients, they are as easy as opening the BPA-free pouch, pouring into a bowl, and serving either cold or after a few minutes in the microwave. Our hands-down favorite was the Southern Style Three Bean Salad; Black Eyed Pea Salad and Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad are the other cold varieties. The hot entrées are Grilled White Chicken Pasta Alfredo, Cheesy Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatballs.

$2.99-$3.49 www.simply7snacks.com Simply 7 Snacks addresses a lot of hot-button food trends with its Quinoa Chips, which are extruded snacks similar in appearance to multigrain snack chips such as SunChips. Aside from the familiar shape, though, these chips are singularly their own, boasting the highest protein count in the chip aisle, at 8 to 9 grams per serving. Varieties include Sea Salt, Cheddar, Barbecue, and Sour Cream & Onion. The first ingredient listed on all varieties is quinoa flour, and the chips are additionally gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified and vegetarian.

Smart Flour Uncured Pepperoni Pizza $7.99-$8.99 www.smartflourfoods.com We were impressed by this gluten-free pizza from Smart Flour, whose namesake innovation is a blend of the ancient grains amaranth, sorghum and teff. The maker claims this flour makes a better crust than the rice or potato blends of rival products, and we’d be hard-pressed to dispute that. This pizza’s clean label includes cheese made with milk from rGBH-free cows and pork from vegetarian, antibioticfree hogs. The box says two servings, but unless you’re a really light eater, you’re going to eat the whole thing. Smart Flour makes doing that a little less guilt-inducing.

SunRidge Farms Peanut Butter Power Chews

Schwan’s Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza $9.99 www.theschwanfoodcompany.com Some of the best frozen pizzas available today are made by Schwan’s under its Freschetta brand, so we were hopeful they’d do a good job with their gluten-free version, and we were amply rewarded. The 4 Cheese Medley and Signature Pepperoni varieties sit atop a light, airy and crispy glutenfree crust comparable in taste and texture to ones that those of us without such dietary restrictions usually enjoy. The product is certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. We recommend baking it on a pizza stone for extra crunch.

$7.49/pound www.sunridgefarms.com SunRidge Farms makes lots of tasty treats, and our favorite this year was its Peanut Butter Power Chews. Made from all-natural, wholesome, energy-packed ingredients such as crunchy peanut butter, real honey and brown rice crisps, these convenient bite-size cubes are great for a boost of energy while on the go. We enjoyed their peanutty taste and chewy texture. They’re non-GMO, KSA kosher dairy, cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, as well as offering 5 grams of protein and nearly 12 grams of whole grains per serving.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

better. We’re not saying our olive oil is better than any other on the supermarket shelf. That’s for you to decide. For us, this little word is a challenge. It’s what inspires us to never stop looking for ways to improve. Better is the reason we harvest our olives so that they never touch the ground. Better is why we replaced the typical dribbly pourer top with a more precise Pop-Up Pourer. These innovations may seem like little things. But sometimes, it’s the little things that make all the difference.

the little things are everything.®

Our latest little innovation:

OLIVARI AUDIO COOKBOOK Hear it in your kitchen today.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food freezer case by Tres Latin. Its pupusas are produced with organic, non-GMO corn masa and come in four varieties: Spinach and Cheese (our favorite), Pinto Bean and Cheese, Green Chile and Cheese, and Black Bean and Sweet Corn. They’re naturally gluten-free and a tasty change of pace from other Latin cuisines that have already gone mainstream.

How We Roll Party-Tizers Dippin’ Chips $3.99 www.dippinchips.com At first glance, we didn’t think these Party-Tizers Dippin’ Chips were innovative or unique, but we were soon proved wrong. For one, Potato Sea Salt Dippin’ Chips are the first potato crisp designed for dipping, as demonstrated by their deep scoop shape. And while there have long been scoopshaped tortilla chips, we haven’t seen many made from ingredients like kale, carrots, spinach, quinoa, amaranth or adzuki beans. All varieties — Potato Sea Salt, Veggie, Super Grain and Fiesta Bean — are certified non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan, with “no artificial anything.” We really enjoyed the flavor and rustic texture of the bean and grain chips, which are actually good enough not to dip.

Toufayan Pita Chips $2.99 www.toufayan.com Not another pita chip, you say? Well, not so fast — while most pita chips are shards of full-size pita bread, Toufayan’s chips are individual mini pitas, each perfectly scoopshaped for dipping in your favorite tzatziki or hummus. Standouts were unique flavors like Feta & Olive and Za’atar, along with the healthy Multigrain; Sea Salt and Sugar & Cinnamon round out the line.

Tres Latin Pupusas $5.99 www.trespupusas.com Authentic ethnic food is trending strong, and El Salvadoran cuisine is gradually making the move from food carts to neighborhood storefronts to restaurants and — next stop — grocery stores. A cornerstore of the cuisine is the pupusa, a stuffed corn (or flour) tortilla, brought to the supermarket

Truly Good Dip & Devour Peanut Butter Melts $2.99 www.trulygoodfoods.com The latest addition to Truly Good’s Dip & Devour line helps make snacking fun while encouraging consumption of fruit and veggies with just a smidgeon of indulgence. Packaged in a resealable and microwaveable container, this dip melts, cools and hardens like chocolate. Thirty seconds in the microwave, and it’s ready for celery sticks, apples, bananas or other snacks to be dipped in it. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated later.

Unilever Breyers Gelato Endulgences $4.99 www.breyers.com Ice cream, sauce and toppings all in one container — that’s Breyers Gelato Endulgences, a rich and decadent frozen dessert. We particularly enjoyed the Vanilla Caramel and Tiramisu; the line also comes in Raspberry Cheesecake and Triple Chocolate. This multifaceted treat is a terrific addition to the grocery store ice cream freezer.

Valley Fine Foods Three Bridges Entrées $8.99 www.threebridges.com We had a few favorites from among the new Three Bridges line of microwaveable entrées. The Chicken and Yellow Rice variety is a Latin-inspired dish that delivers on trend and with exceptional quality. Chicken, black beans, roasted red peppers and Cuban-style yellow rice are combined with seasonings — a nice clean label — to create a tasty dish. Sausage and Jalapeño Mac & Cheese is a fine balance of spicy and creamy, while the Sausage and Basil Lasagna with Zucchini and Mozzarella is hearty and authentic. At 20 ounces, the entrées are large enough to feed three hearty eaters, making the price palatable as well. Also available are Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Chicken Paella with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Hand me one, Jack! Uncle Si’s Iced Tea is making noise with four delicious flavors – Sweet, Un-Sweet, Peach and Half & Half (half tea & half lemonade). Based on the Robertson Family’s traditional recipe, Uncle Si’s Iced Tea is naturally brewed from premium, hand-selected teas and real fruit juices. Learn more about Uncle Si’s Iced Tea; call us at (502) 883-4252 or e-mail info@chinookusa.com DrinkUncleSi

and DrinkUncleSi

2014 Editors’ Picks — Food Vintage Italia Pasta Chips $3.99 http://pastachips.com Tasty, satisfyingly crunchy and well seasoned, these innovative oven-baked chips have 60 percent less fat than regular potato chips and 30 percent less fat than pita chips. Our favorite? Hmmm … that’s a toughie. We really liked the Alfredo, a flavor you’re not going to find in other chips, but Garlic Olive Oil packs a nice garlic punch; Spicy Tomato Herb offers a pleasant kick, a notch up from the savory Marinara variety; and the Sea Salt, with a simple flavor profile, is great for dipping. Made from durum wheat semolina flour, Pasta Chips are kosher and non-GMO.

Wynn’s Seasoning Spices $12.99 http://wynnsgrainandspice.com These spice blends come in large 18.5-ounce bottles for home use, or for grocers to make available to deli customers looking to add punch to their hot-bar orders. The line offers a great variety of flavor profiles that are great for recipes. The BBQ Blend did an admirable job as a dry rub for smoked pork shoulder, while the Garlic & Herb Blend worked well on pasta and garlic bread. Other flavors are Lemon & Pepper, Cajun, Chipotle and Tuscan Herb.

Yuengling’s Vanilla Fudge Chunk with Pretzels Ice Cream $4.99-$5.99 www.yuenglingsicecream.com Yuengling, the nation’s oldest still-operating brewery, made ice cream during Prohibition. Family descendents have since revived the ice cream line in grand fashion

with a host of premium quart flavors. Our favorite is the brand’s newest, Vanilla Fudge Chunk with Pretzels. We love sweet and salty, and this ice cream flavor delivers on that promise: classic vanilla married with rich fudge, enhanced by the crunch of salty pretzel pieces. We look forward to the opportunity to try as many of the other flavors as possible.

Zilks Artichoke & Parmesan Greek Yogurt Dip $5.99 www.zilksfoods.com Greek yogurt is still the rage, and it’s likely because of products like Zilks Artichoke & Parmesan Greek Yogurt dip. Zilks serves up a healthy alternative to mayonnaise-/sour cream-/ cream cheese-based artichoke-andparmesan dips. The $5.99 SRP is fair for this quality product, but the premium message will have to be communicated to consumers. Our only disappointment is that, at press time, the product wasn’t mentioned on the company’s website.

Zilks Hatch Green Chili Tzatziki $4.99 www.zilksfoods.com Zilks Hatch Green Chili Tzatziki is a smooth and creamy Greek yogurt-based dip with generous chunks of cucumber, dill, garlic and Southwestern Hatch green chilies, the last of which deliver a satisfying bite cooled by the yogurt. It’s a great dip for veggies and pita chips; Zilks suggests it as a baked-potato topping.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Nonfood HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Our Favorite Things The nonfoods EditorsÕ Picks brought some great products to PGÕs attention.

As always, innovation, functionality and value played big roles in our decisionmaking. (Read our further observations at Progressivegrocer.com/EdPicksNonfoods). CPG companies have a standing invitation to send us the products that are destined to become our next new favorites. We can’t wait to experience them. —Bridget Goldschmidt

ll right, so it wasn’t exactly raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, but there were plenty of brown paper packages (few tied up with string, of course) received by Progressive Grocer for the nonfoods division of its annual Editors’ Picks competition, and many of them turned out to contain our favorite new products of the year.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH American Greetings Blown Away $8.99 www.americangreetings.com Each card in this innovative collection features a three-tiered pop-up cake with layers of festive decorations. When the recipient makes a wish by blowing on the illuminated Òcandle,Ó he or she is treated to a dazzling light and sound show. If anything can lure consumers away from e-cards, itÕs this.

Blu eCigs Rechargeable Kit $34.99 www.bluecigs.com The Blu eCigs Rechargeable Kit occupies a unique niche between disposable singles and premium rechargeable packs. Once its Rechargeable Pack, which does double duty as a carrying case and as an anywhere charger, is fully charged, it can recharge the included batteries two to three times before it needs to be plugged back in. It can hold three replaceable flavor cartridges, and is available in tobacco, menthol or a variety

pack of flavors. And all of this functionality comes in a super-portable design as tall a cigarette pack and as slim as a smartphone.

CDN Economy Timer/Clock $9.99 www.cdnw.com Offering high durability, accuracy and ease of use, this dual-function timer counts up or down, up to 100 minutes by seconds, with stop and restart controls and lastcount recall. The large digits and long alarm keep the home chef informed, while the magnet, stand and hang mounting options provide versatile placement. As its name implies, the timer also functions as a clock. Particularly noteworthy is the combination of sleek design and affordability.

Healthy Mama Boost It Up! $3.49 www.healthymamabrand.com Exhausted expectant moms can get an all-natural lift with Boost It Up!, an expert-developed energy and antinausea drink rich in protein, B vitamins, ginger, fiber and electrolytes. The hydrating beverage is lightly sweetened to be refreshing. A pregnant PG staffer (now a new mom) confirmed that the price is pretty sweet, too.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of WhatÕs Next | September 2014

Proud Category Leader! We are proud of our brands Degree®, Dove® and St. Ives® for winning the Editors’ Pick award. Unilever remains committed to helping our consumers look good, feel good and get more out of life.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Nonfood Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. Six Star Pro Nutrition 100% Whey Isolate Protein Gel $1.97 www.iovate.com Despite a heavy-duty name that sounds more at home in a vitamin and supplement store, Six Star 100% Whey Isolate Protein Gel boasts packaging that wouldn’t look out of place in the fruit purée snack aisle, while still delivering the purest form of whey protein isolates on the market. The fastabsorbing, easy-to-take, great-tasting gel contains 20 grams of whey protein with zero carbs and zero fat per serving, plus no artificial colors.

Kuhn Rikon Dual Graters $15 www.us.kuhnrikon.com The handy, efficient Dual Grater Fine/Medium and Dual Grater Coarse/Ribbon enable home

chefs to prepare food more quickly and easily. Both dishwasher-safe implements feature two ultra-sharp stainless steel graters, textured handles for a secure grip, and blades that slide into the base of the handle for compact and safe storage. The choice of cheery red or green for either tool is a nice touch as well.

Loving Pets Bella Spill-Proof Dog Mats $10.99-$13.99 www.lovingpetsproducts.com Designed to contain spills and splashes, this generously sized, bone-shaped, undeniably cute food and water dish mat can accommodate two bowls up to 8 inches in diameter. Available in two sizes (small and large) and two colors (tan and black), the nontoxic, BPA-free mat includes raised edges for maximum spill capacity, a slipresistant surface to keep feeding dishes steady and an anti-skid feed to keep the mat in place. And when it gets dirty, just rinse it with water and it’s good to go.

2014 Editors’ Picks — Nonfood Loving Pets Milano Bowls

savory taste and chewy bite, the pork treats also provide long-lasting mental stimulation and effective teeth and gum maintenance. PG’s resident pup, Têtou, couldn’t get enough of the ham bone.

$7.49-$14.99 www.lovingpetsproducts.com Each bowl in the Milano Collection has a BPA-free ABS plastic shell with a removable bacteria-resistant stainless steel bowl interior for dishwasher-safe cleaning, while a removable skid-free rubber base resists slips and spills. The bowls come in small, medium and large sizes, and a growing variety of distinctive designs. Owners of pampered pets won’t be able to pass these by.

Natracare Organic Cleansing Make-Up Removal Wipes $7.66 www.natracare.com Natracare’s COSMOS-certified (developed by five of Europe’s biggest standard bodies) organic wipes proved to be a great hit with one of PG’s editors, who found them gentle — they’re formulated for sensitive skin — effective, attractively packaged and overall a great value for everything that they offer. Your shoppers will, too.

Loving Pets Pure Piggy Dog Treats $5.99 www.lovingpetsproducts.com Loving Pets’ all-natural Pure Piggy Dog Chews satisfy a dog’s natural desire to chew. Selected for their

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Nonfood Nivea A Kiss of Care & Color $4.99 www.niveausa.com A Kiss of Care & Color combines Nivea’s moisture benefits with sheer color. The product deploys exclusive vitamin-enhanced Nivea Moisture Core Technology, formulated with shea butter, in a choice of five shades to do battle against chapped lips and flaky lip color, resulting in a smooth, soft — dare we say kissable? — kisser.

Nivea Crème Moisture Body Wash $5.99 www.niveausa.com Nivea Crème Moisture Body Wash was developed with the brand’s exclusive Hydra IQ Skin Technology to give skin intense, long-lasting moisturization with no greasiness. Even vigorous towel drying won’t roughen skin after a shower or bath using this product.

Nivea Men Sensitive Face Wash $5.99 www.niveausa.com A new formula designed to thoroughly cleanse skin without drying it out, soap-, dye- and alcohol-free Nivea Men Sensitive Face Wash gently removes impurities, dirt and excess oils, leaving skin clean and healthy-looking. Containing natural, soothing chamomile and witch hazel extracts, the product even offers a light fragrance to bring out the softer side of just about any guy.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

FROM A SINGLE SOURCE TO YOUR GLOBAL RESOURCE For decades, Daymon has been retailers’ go-to resource for great products— traversing the globe to ﬁnd the perfect partners for our clients. But that experience has also made us experts in the very things that will turn those great products into great brands. So whether it’s strategic insights, product sourcing, retail merchandising, or consumer engagement, Daymon has the skills you need because we’ve created a unique company to deliver an unparalleled level of expertise and innovation—and integration—across six continents for you. The kind of expertise that transforms great products into great brands and great ideas into global success stories. Did the lightbulb go on for you yet?

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2014 Editors’ Picks Ñ Nonfood Pharmavite Nature Made VitaMelts Hair, Skin and Nails (100 Tablets) $8.99 www.pharmavite.net Nature Made VitaMelts Hair, Skin and Nails is formulated with biotin, which may help support healthy hair, skin and nails, and antioxidant vitamin C to support collagen production. It also dissolves smoothly in the mouth without water, so it can be taken anytime, anywhere. The pleasant strawberry lemonade flavor is an obvious bonus.

PIC Pest Free Living Citronella Plus Lanterns

Prophase Labs Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy Plus Natural Immune Support QuickMelts $11.99-$12.99 www.prophaselabs.com Formulated with zinc gluconate, the same active ingredient found in its Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy lozenges, Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy Plus Natural Immune Support QuickMelts also contain rose hips and echinacea. The unique formula aims to lessen the duration of the common cold, promote immune health and antioxidant support, and restore energy naturally. Further, the QuickMelts dissolve quickly in the mouth without water, making them easy to take on the go.

Rose America Hyper Squawkers

$5.99 www.pic-corp.com These DEET-free, U.S. laboratorytested, family-friendly lanterns feature an all-natural oilsinfused scent that lasts for up to 48 hours. They add a decorative touch to outdoor events, too.

$9.99 www.roseamericacorp.com From Hyper Pet, a division of Rose America Corp., Hyper Squawkers are durable multitexture toys that make fun noises and occupy dogs for hours, as PG’s favorite furry friend amply demonstrated when given one to play with. The patent-pending toys come in three designs: Bone, Ball and Jack.

PIC Pest Free Living Homeplus Ant Killer 6 Pack Metal Cans $5.99 www.pic-corp.com Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, Homeplus Ant Killer uses four food sources to kill a wide variety of ants. The product is formulated with the insecticide Abamectin, as well as proteins, oils and carbs. What’s more, the bait stations are child-resistant, to which we say “Bravo.”

Smith’s Consumer Products Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener $5.99 www.smithsproducts.com Lightweight, portable, and easy to use on either a flat surface or the edge of countertop or table, The Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener has carbide blades and crossed ceramic rods with pre-set sharpening angles that provide the proper sharpening angle every time. The item comes with nonslip rubber feet and a soft-grip rubber handle for comfort and steadiness when sharpening, and a patented V-Grip bottom permits additional stability and comfort when using the sharpener on a countertop or table edge. PG’s verdict: This one’s really cutting-edge.

Pic Pest Free Living Mosquito Killer $9.99 www.pic-corp.com The first device on the retail market to specifically target Chikungunya virus-carrying mosquitoes, PIC’s Mosquito Killer also traps and kills mosquitos that may carry West Nile virus or dengue fever. The disposable, child-resistant, outdoor-only product makes use of advanced U.S. military technology to lure female mosquitoes, and remains effective for up to 45 days. What could be cooler?

100

St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon and Mandarin Orange Body Wash and Scrub $2.99/body wash; $3.99/scrub www.stives.com Both of these paraben-free products feature exfoliates to help even skin tone. The dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic body wash polishes away small imperfections for radiant skin, while the medium-strength scrub goes to work on dry patches and dark surface cells. By the way, the scent isn’t there just to delight users’ olfactory sense — pink lemon and mandarin orange are both sources of vitamin C, a known skin tone evener.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

20.6 Lift

Dos Equis Masquerade program drives huge lift in your retail volume1

Top 10 Occasion Halloween is the year’s #6 beer-selling occasion1 and falls on a Friday2

$8 Billion In 2013, Halloween sales reached $8B, with consumers spending $80 per person3

Over 50% More than half of adults will attend or host a Halloween party featuring alcohol3 The Dos Equis Masquerade rallies your shoppers to make more of their Halloween with limited-edition bottles and packaging, premium POS, and relevant offers (where legal) on Sauza®, Sauza® 901®, and Hornitos® tequilas, fresh or frozen foods and Halloween party supplies. This proven program also features a sweepstakes for a chance to attend the thrilling New Orleans Masquerade!

Contact your HEINEKEN USA representative for more information! 1. Nielsen FDCM+ 4 Weeks Ending 11/9/13

2. Nielsen 2011

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2014 Editors’ Picks — Nonfood St. Ives Fresh Hydration Lotions $5.99-$7.99 www.stives.com These fragrant lotions restore tired skin. Naturally Energizing Citrus & Vitamin C leaves skin feeling energized and refreshed, Naturally Indulgent Coconut Milk & Orchid results in silky smooth skin, and Naturally Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter is formulated specifically for dry skin. Add all of that to a kicky, light-as-a-feather spray-on delivery system, and you’ve got a winner on your hands — not to mention any other area of skin.

Unilever Degree Men Adrenaline Series with Motionsense Overtime $4.29 www.unilever.com Triggered by even the slightest body movement, Degree’s Motionsense technology allows microcapsules to break on the surface of skin, releasing extra bursts of freshness for 48 hours of sweat and odor protection. Further, the brand’s recent limited-edition U.S. Soccer-themed Adrenaline Series Overtime cannily leveraged American interest in the World Cup, while promoting its product for active males. In response, PG can only shout: “Gooool!”

Unilever Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant/Deodorant $4.99-$6.49 www.unilever.com The only antiperspirant/deodorant formulated with NutriumMoisture, Dove Advanced Care moisturizes underarm skin, promising to provide softer, smoother armpits in just three days. The product also offers 48-hour odor and wetness protection in a wide variety of signature fragrances. This choice was no sweat — literally.

Unilever Dove Men+Care Fresh Awake $3.99-$4.99 www.unilever.com Part of the Dove Men+Care line — billed as the first antiperspirant and deodorant collection specifically designed for men that provides powerful protection while caring for skin — Fresh Awake offers an energizing scent, along with 48-hour odor and wetness protection and moisturizing technology in a nonirritating formula. As a kind of male counterpart to Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant/Deodorant (see above), this product definitely delivers the goods.

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Unilever Dove Purely Pampering Pistachio Cream With Magnolia Body Wash $6.49 www.unilever.com Its name may be something of a mouthful to pronounce, but the relaxing spell cast by Dove Purely Pampering Pistachio Cream with Magnolia Body Wash, the newest addition to the brand’s Purely Pampering product line, couldn’t be simpler in its appeal to consumers. The body wash replenishes lipids lost during cleansing and helps skin remain hydrated, strengthening its moisture barrier.

Welcome Home Brands Party Collection Oven-Safe Paper Bakeware $3.99-$7.99 www.welcomehomebrands.com With its recent gingham and polka dot patterns, and a trendy 2-inch Mini Ruffled Baking Cup great for sweet or savory recipes, Welcome Home Brands’ oven- and freezer-safe Party Paper Bakeware Collection drives year-round sales through convenience, color and style. The decorative disposable molds can bake, serve and store baked goods in one form, without pre-greasing or messy cleanup. Home bakers just pour batter into the molds and place them directly in the oven. Let’s face it: Everything looks brighter when you’re presented with treats in cheerfully colored bakeware.

Zoku LLC Slush & Shake Maker $19.99 www.zokuhome.com Homemade slushies and milkshakes just became easier with the BPA- and phthalate-free, easy-clean Slush & Shake Maker, which enables users to make customized frozen beverages in as little as seven minutes, without electricity. All they need to do place the frozen inner core into the outer sleeve, pour in the ingredients, and mix and scrape the cup with the included spoon every few minutes; the slushy will start to freeze as soon as the mixing starts. The attractive design and vibrant color palette are further incentives to join this slush pile.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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Store of the Month

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mount Prospect, Ill.

FreSh TeaM (From left) Danielle Boyd, VP of human resources; Dave Bernier, VP of operations; Chris Sherrell, president and CeO; Bruce VanOverloop, Mount Prospect store director; and Sage horner, SVP of merchandising and marketing.

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next | September 2014

Photos by Vito Palmisano (except where noted)

september 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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Store of the Month

We’ll have the cheapest organic produce prices in the market. But more than just pricing and products, it’s the overall experience.” —Chris Sherrell, CEO

OVEN FRESH PG Editor-in-Chief Jim Dudlicek checks out Fresh Thyme’s signature baked goods.

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Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mount Prospect, Ill.

“Compared to conventional markets, we ofer natural and organic products they don’t carry,” Sherrell declares.

Produce at Center Stage “Produce is our backbone,” Sherrell continues, and there can be no doubt about that when entering a Fresh Tyme Farmers Market. Te center of the store is dominated by the produce department, with what’s typically known as “center store” pushed of to the side. Meanwhile, a richly populated fresh perimeter includes extensive meat and seafood oferings, an in-store bakery, and prepared foods — including made-to-order pizza, a salad bar and a specialty sandwich bar — to take home or eat in the store’s front end dining area. “Twenty-fve percent of our store is produce; 25 percent of our sales are produce,” Sherrell stresses. “We will not be beat on produce pricing. But not just produce — we’ve got a tremendous meat and seafood variety, natural products all the way around. We like to say we’re as cheap as or cheaper than a conventional market with natural and organic products.” Fresh Tyme is employing what Colein Whicher, director of marketing strategy, calls “crazy pricing” in its mission to get shoppers to buy and consume more fresh produce. “We’re trying to get folks back in the kitchen preparing their meals,” she says. “We have our organic table right in the middle, and we dedicate half our wet rack to organic.” Te section also features fresh salsas, pre-shredded vegetables for recipes, and a fresh juice selection designed to be a destination department. Close by produce is the extensive bulk food section, including one of Sherrell’s personal projects: bulk liquids such as olive oil, honey and syrup. “He loves the idea of

coming in to get olive oil in a reusable container,” Whicher notes. Te Fresh Tyme team does acknowledge, however, that bulk liquids have been slow to take of as consumers get used to the concept; they say that some shoppers have mistaken them for cofee at frst glance, but some simple signage has clarifed the message.

Fresh Specialties Signage in the bakery highlights the store’s specialties: cakes, mufns and artisan breads, including a sea salt caramel pecan loaf, a bourbonsoaked cherry loaf, and a signature carrot-and-fax bread. Te retailer partners with a Chicago-area commissary to make brownies, 8x8 cakes and some deli foods to Fresh Tyme specifcations. Te bakery also ofers a special-recipe artisan granola, which, according to Whicher, “has a cult following — you don’t expect to fnd it in the bakery department.” A gluten-free bakery case features refrigerated breads, cakes, cookies and pastries, many from local vendors; they’re among more than

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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Store of the Month

DELI DELIGHTS Prepared foods, made-to-order sandwiches and grab-andgo items are highlights of the Fresh Thyme Kitchen.

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Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mount Prospect, Ill.

1,100 gluten-free items available throughout the store. Made-to-order pizzas include toppings such as Bufalo chicken and pulled pork. A salad and soup bar is supplemented by clamshell salads and heat-and-eat soups for take-home consumption. Te deli, ofering Boar’s Head alongside Fresh Tyme’s own house-brand natural meats and cheeses, makes custom sandwiches, while pre-made Boar’s Head-branded sandwiches are available for those in a hurry. Hot grab-and-go meal selections include stufed tomatoes, chicken Florentine, roasted potatoes, meatloaf, pot roast, pot pies, quiche and spring rolls. “We set up the décor to make it feel like every department is its own booth at a farmers’ market,” Whicher explains. “We call the meat department the Butcher Shop to create that feel of going to a butcher.” Te meat and seafood department is “a test for us,” she continues, ofering “everything, from marinated to stufed, that you can take

home and cook,” including items like stufed burgers and peppers, peppercorn tuna, and crusted tilapia, all aimed at providing shoppers with new and unique dinner options. Fresh sausage is “all made fresh in store every morning with natural meats and natural seasonings — no MSG,” Whicher boasts. “Tis becomes a destination category for us.”

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Sell 15,000 bushels of peaches. Or switch to LED lighting. Same results, your choice.

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$15,000 in annual energy savings* Cash incentives from Duke Energy for installation Longer shelf life for produce, ﬁsh and meat Life span: 5-plus years Dimmable and controllable *Based on average store size and electric rates.

Store of the Month

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mount Prospect, Ill.

Case-ready meats include products from Nieman Ranch and Coleman, including organic beef and chicken; grass-fed beef, both fresh grinds and steaks; and all-natural pork and lamb.

One-stop Shop While the inclusion of the words “Farmers Market” in the grocer’s name might suggest to some a selection limited to fresh food, it’s one of Fresh Tyme’s goals to be “a one-stop shop” for folks who want that experience, Whicher says. Among the items rounding out the store’s whole shopping experience: craft beers, including mixed 6-packs; wines starting at $2.99, with occasional 3-for-$10 sales; natural pet foods; and health and body care. Te last of these has become a major focus, Whicher says, as shoppers have started to be as concerned with what they apply to their bodies as with what they put inside them. Te store ofers more than 7,000 vitamin and body care products, including a travel shelf set of mini items, sun care products with the highest SPFs, and a destination set for makeup that Whicher attests is “less expensive than department store cosmetics, and so much better.”

Inviting Space With its corporate roots in Arizona, Fresh Tyme’s Midwestern stores ofer some unique attributes not shared by their Southwestern sister locations. For one, produce displays in the entrance vestibules; these spaces aren’t needed in the Western stores because of the warm climate, Whicher notes. But they’re used to full marketing advantage here in Chicagoland, ofering shoppers a “frst shot of fresh produce when folks walk in,” she says. Also in the entryway are posted sales fiers, chalkboards heralding store events, and social media info. Te fiers include “double-ad Wednesdays,” a new strategy unique to the Midwestern stores and one that sets Fresh Tyme apart from other grocers that drop circulars in the Wednesday paper. “It quickly became one of our busiest days of the week — shifting from Saturday to Wednesday, which is an interesting dynamic,” Whicher says. Te front end café is a “big new change for us,” Whicher says of the dedicated space featuring dining tables and

Photo by LouiS herNANdez

free wi-f. Because of a new emphasis on prepared foods, she explains, “we wanted to create a space that was inviting.”

ÔHiring the SmileÕ Dave Bernier, VP of operations, says one of the most signifcant challenges for the new store was familiarizing local shoppers with the concept. “You say ‘Farmers Market,’ and a lot of people think you’re open on Saturday from 8 to noon with tents in the parking lot,” Bernier says. “We get over that hurdle relatively easily when we open the doors and people come in and see what we do.” What was relatively simple, he notes, was tapping the local work force to staf the store. “Tere’s a few diferent levels of the process. It starts with a really good job fair, which we fnd is the best vehicle for us to bring the best

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Photo by LouiS herNANdez

local candidates in,” he explains (the store was taking applications on the day of PG’s visit). “We always talk about ‘hiring the smile.’ It’s not necessarily someone who’s been in the industry their whole life. Sometimes we fnd those folks who just have the ability to engage customers and ft who we are as a company, what we believe in …they understand who our customer is and what our customer is looking for. Tat interaction is very important for us.”

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market 211 W. Rand Road Mount Prospect, IL 60056 Grand opening: April 23, 2014 Total selling area: 23,000 square feet SKUs: 24,000 Employees: 102 Checkouts: 8 Store hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Store designer: api(+), Tampa, Fla.

+) PhoTo couRTesy oF api(

Store of the Month

Bernier acknowledges that the process can actually be a great way to cultivate new industry leaders. “It’s not necessarily the experience. It’s coming in, getting to know our team. We’re a pretty dynamic team, we have a lot of experience, a lot of great personalities in the retail world, and when they get in and get around us, they realize that this could be a great option to grow in their career,” he says. “Some folks are short-term with us — they’re going to college or high school, and they need a part-time job. But after that, they realize, we can sell groceries and make a pretty good living.” Te overall experience at Fresh Tyme, according to Store Director Bruce VanOverloop, is “the culture that we exhibit and the smiles that we hire.” Van Overloop concurs with Bernier on the personality-over-experience factor. “I think if we can build that culture internally,” he says, “we can provide an experience second to nobody for our customers.” What’s the message Fresh Tyme wants to leave

Photo by Louis hernandez

IN GOOD SPIRITS Fresh Thyme offers an extensive selection of local and craft beers, in addition to a diverse wine department.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Mount Prospect, Ill.

customers with when they come to shop? Says VanOverloop: “Leave happy, leave satisfed, and we’re havin’ fun to get you to that point.” PG For video interviews with Fresh Thyme Farmers Market executives and more information about the chain’s Chicago-area launch, visit Progressivegrocer.com/FreshThyme.

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Grocery

Commercial Baked Goods

A New opportunities in the grain-based categories with proteins and flavors will allow consumers to rethink how bread impacts a meal.” —Scott Preston, United Supermarkets

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Loafing

ny way you slice it, packaged bread and other commercial baked goods, staples though they may be, are hardly the most exciting items on grocery shelves — Innovative products and promotions but some retailers and manufacturers add interest to the packaged bread are seeking to change that perception by letting shoppers lead the way. and baked goods category. “Consumers are asking for more varieties with dietary fber and nuBy Bridget Goldschmidt trient-dense oferings,” says Scott Preston, director of center store As for what types of merchandising work best management for Lubbock, Texas-based United for commercial bread and baked goods, Preston Supermarkets, which operates 50 grocery stores recommends “of-shelf outposts that are placed in under the United, Market Street and Amigos high-trafc locations — dairy, frozen, produce and banners. “Te grain breads are popular — whole meat aisles. With prominent signs and attractive regrain, sprouted grain and breads with added tails, incremental sales can be achieved in the bread ancient grains,” he continues. “A second level of category. Consistent service and monitoring retail consumer interest/demand is gluten-free breads as by bakery company reps during peak day/hour sales major bakery manufacturers make forays into this timeframes is crucial to maximize sales potential. sector. … Consumers are focused on nutritious Expanding the bread rack facings to billboard the ‘better-for-you’ products tailored to their dietary promotional product is a merchandising strategy needs and expectations.” that returns sales dividends.” Along with all of this health-motivated purchasing in the category, however, Preston observes, “Tere is still a consumer segment that demands Paving the Way value — cost ratios that meet their budget con“We’re fortunate that breads, as well as buns and straints — and consume in the white bread space.” rolls, fll a lot of the checkboxes on consumers’ want In terms of promotions, United has seen success lists: good value, quality, freshness, good nutrition “with price promotions; buy one, get one free (B1G1); and convenience,” says Keith Aldredge, VP of marvalue-added; bundling; and multiple prodketing/breads and rolls at Tomasville, Ga.-based uct oferings,” asserts Preston. “Our Flowers Foods, whose oferings now include the recent successes have been achieved Wonder, Home Pride, Merita and Butternut lines, with B1G1 free ofers, and we see which were formerly part of the portfolio of the 100 percent lift on these weekly defunct Hostess Brands Inc. promotions. Consumers are Flowers’ bread sales saw double-digit sales growth driven by price, value and in dollars and units in the past 52 weeks, compared nutrition equations with overall category growth of 1.2 percent in dollars in today’s retail and 0.4 percent in units, notes Aldredge, citing IRI world.” fgures. “We think this speaks to the strength of our Nature’s Own brand, which is now the best-selling bread brand in the U.S.,” he notes. What’s more, the company has recently expanded its already impressive lineup. “In July, after a successful test market, we introduced a new brand called Cobblestone Bread Co., which features 11 restaurant-style breads and rolls with bold, rich favors, throughout our direct-store-delivery market,” says Aldredge. “Every Cobblestone Bread Co. package features a recipe on the bag and a tag that allows shoppers to use their

Ar und

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Grocery

Branded bread and bun displays in other parts of the store are very effective in building sales.” —Keith Aldredge, Flowers Foods

Commercial Baked Goods

smartphones to connect to more recipes and shopping lists. Tey can even fnd videos with easy tips for making great-tasting sandwiches.” To support the rollout, as well as focusing on social and digital media, the company kicked of a summer food truck tour that made stops in such cities as Memphis, Dallas, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to ofer sandwiches made using the bread, with highlights posted on the brand’s Facebook page. Flowers also plans several fall tailgate tours to further familiarize consumers with the line. Continues Aldredge: “We see Cobblestone Bread Co. as an example of our ongoing investment in the future. We designed the line to have special appeal to Millennials, but we’re fnding that it has a much broader appeal.” When it comes to displaying product, he asserts, there’s “defnitely a science to merchandising bread correctly, especially in the bread aisle, and where you place loaf breads, buns and rolls, and breakfast bakery items is important. All these bakery categories are planned purchase segments, but breakfast items tend to be more impulsive. Our team works closely with our retail customers to ensure the best possible placement of products in the bread aisle.” He adds that “branded bread and bun displays in other parts of the store are very efective in building sales,” describing them as “fexible and easy to execute.” For Cobblestone in particular, Flowers has developed special of-rack in-store displays to help create awareness of the new brand, notes Aldredge.

Beyond the Bread Aisle For commercial packaged breads usually merchandised beyond the bread aisle, things are also looking up. “In general, sales in the fresh bread segment have declined slightly, while fatbreads have grown signifcantly over the past year,” attests Perry Abbenante, general manager of Concord, Ontario-based Stonefre, whose products are generally carried in supermarkets’ deli sections. “In fact, Stonefre has the highest year-over-year sales increase of any fatbread brand, and Stonefre Original Naan is currently the No. 1 fatbread SKU, while Stonefre pizza

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crusts are one of the fastestgrowing ready-to-bake pizza crusts,” according to IRI data. Abbenate attributes this rise in consumer interest to the products’ uniqueness, as well as the fact that shoppers “are also seeing fatbreads on menus when they go to restaurants and want to recreate those when they’re cooking at home.” He promises “some exciting items launching soon in the fatbread segment in the next 12 months,” joining such innovative brand extensions as the company’s recently introduced Naan Crisps snack line. Another ethnic product merchandised outside the bread aisle, Bauli, Italy’s No. 1 producer of holiday cakes, is working to gain a foothold in the United States with such authentic items as panettone and pandoro, in addition to ready-to-eat flled croissants and mini croissants. “Over the past year, we have projected increasing sales, especially in our croissant segment,” says Luca Nava, president and general manager of New York-based Bauli USA. “Our croissants are packaged individually and therefore convenient as a quick snack on the go, in between” meals or even as an easy breakfast treat. Since the product line is still so new to American retailers and consumers, the company’s “primary focus is on product demos and sampling events,” explains Nava. “In-store and OOH [out-of-home] sampling/ advertising are fantastic ways to increase knowledge of brand, build equity and drive sales, as well as quarterly pricing strategies that are connected to backto-school, winter holidays and spring.” He adds that Bauli’s merchandising plans include “a self-shipper for grocery in order to run in/out activities.”

Suitable for Eating What’s ahead for bread? Noting such current category trends as ethnic products, handheld breakfast options, grain-based dense nutrients, sprouted grain, whole grain, ancient grain and gluten-free, United’s Preston foresees continuing emphasis on positive tailored messages like those embodied in “suitable for” items, which he defnes as “products more suited to consumer needs, like gluten-free, vegetarian and specifc fours.” Adds Preston, “New opportunities in the grainbased categories with proteins and favors will allow consumers to rethink how bread impacts a meal.” PG

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

For more information on commercial baked goods, visit Progressivegrocer.com/ commercialbakedgoods.

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Natural/Organic Products

Grocery

What’s in a

Name?

Plenty, it turns out, as grocers and manufacturers consider how to redefine ‘natural’ in center store — or whether to dispense with the term altogether. By Bridget Goldschmidt

sk consumers what their idea of a “natural” food item is, and chances are they won’t name a product from center store. Tat may not be the case for much longer, however, as supermarkets and the companies that supply them push the natural envelope beyond massively hyped perishable items. “Retailers are breaking natural out of quarantined aisles and moving toward full integration of natural product throughout the nonperishable departments,” afrms Peter Gialantzis, VP of purchasing at Boulder, Colo.-based Lucky’s Market, a 13-store independent operator. “Natural is being seen less and less as a niche segment and more of a fundamental building block of each nonperishable category.” Adds Gialantzis, “‘Natural’ is perceived as much more accessible, afordable and less pretentious than organic by many customers,” so the opportunity exists for retailers to boost center store sales “by focusing on quality of ingredients, local producer stories, health benefts, and value proposition to the customer.”

Lucky’s Break Since Lucky’s began its rapid expansion in 2013, the grocer’s center store sales have surpassed expectations — all the more surprising, according to Gialantzis, because under the company’s business model, which evolved from a produce-driven “farmers’ market” concept, “we would typically expect to see center store sales percentage well below 30 percent of sales, but we have actually exceeded this distribution in each of our stores.” How has the grocer bucked this trend? “Simplicity and focus of message [are] key,” explains Gialantzis.

“Our stores have tens of thousands of SKUs for the customers to choose from, [so] we need to keep our merchandising focused and easy to understand. Every end cap, foor display and feature needs to have a very distinct purpose for being in our stores. Te customer needs to understand that purpose from 30 feet away at frst glance. If they aren’t sold on the value proposition in the frst few seconds, the window of opportunity is usually closed. To execute this, we generally keep our displays as big, bold and simple as possible, usually with fewer than three SKUs per display.” Te company’s overall promotional strategy “is to drive customer count with aggressive perishable

GET LUCKY’S Lucky’s Market, a rapidly expanding natural food retailer, keeps its center store product displays simple and focused.

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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Grocery

Natural/Organic Products

promotions and grow basket size with our center store categories,” he says. “As customers become more and more familiar with the value proposition that we ofer with natural, local product, we have seen that basket size grow steadily.” Gialantzis adds that “great pricing and selection” in center store serve to boost loyalty, creating regular customers who don’t just shop the perimeter.

‘Natural’ is perceived as much more accessible, affordable and less pretentious than organic by many customers.” —Peter Gialantzis, Lucky’s Market

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Natural Versus Organic Complicating the issue is the fact that “natural” as a term, unlike “organic,” has no U.S. legal defnition, meaning that its use in labeling can be open to interpretation, although most people assume that a product marketed as “natural” is minimally processed and contains no artifcial ingredients. “‘Natural’ is not a movement, is not based on any production standards and ofers customers no guarantee,” cautions Karen Draper, category manager at Richmond, British Columbia-based Nature’s Path, which produces a range of organic hot and cold cereals, granola, toaster pastries and other products. “Savvy consumers are questioning products labeled ‘natural’ as awareness grows that the term is not regulated and has no standards to meet.” With more defnitive regulations on what can and cannot be called “natural” and “organic,” notes Blake Waltripp, CEO of Boulder-based Ancient Harvest, a marketer of organic quinoa and ancient grain-based products, “we will ultimately see clean, minimalistic packages and labels touting the benefts of a product’s ingredients, rather than what the product does not contain. With these shifts, ideally, it will be easier for consumers to understand the value and benefts of products with higher-quality ingredients that likely come at a higher price point than some of their competitors.” In the meantime, the vagueness surrounding the term “natural” has caused some food makers to ratchet up their production of organic oferings. “Given ‘organic’ is regulated by the USDA while ‘natural’ is not … we strive to develop products with more and more organic ingredients,” asserts Amanda Steele, SVP of marketing at Berkeley, Calif.-based Annie’s, which has recently introduced convenient, portable resealable snack packaging, as well as Animal Cookies, Cheddar Crackers, Fruit Snacks and a Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese Cup as part of the Bernie’s Farm line.

“In fact, organic products now represent 86 percent of Annie’s total sales, up one percentage point from last year. And consumer demand for organic is also growing.” According to Steele, the company has “seen success in the use of high-impact displays to drive awareness and trial for our diferent product categories. For example, our shoppable half-pallets are eye-level displays which feature multiple product categories … Retailers placed these pallets in untraditional store locations which allow the consumer to discover new Annie’s products and shop multiple categories in a single store location.” Other manufacturers, like Oakmont, Pa.-based NuGo Nutrition, a provider of healthy snacks, nutrition bars and protein bars, have discarded the term “natural” completely. “Since the term ‘allnatural’ is not regulated by the FDA, it has become ubiquitous, less meaningful and often marginalized by retailers,” contends NuGo CEO David Levine. “We have positioned ourselves to have an abundance of non-GMO oferings. Non-GMO is the really natural term and might have as much clout as organic for certain product segments.”

Natural Wins Despite its imprecision as a term, there are still companies that recognize the strong drawing power exerted by “natural” on consumers and retailers alike. “I think the best retailers are vetting the products they place and, even though it’s not codifed, applying a defnition of what they defne as ‘natural,’’ observes Shane Emmett, CEO of Richmond, Va.-based Health Warrior, which produces chia seeds and extruded bars, the latter of which have been successfully merchandised at checkout. “Te retailers have huge infuence over what new brands succeed, and I think they are taking that responsibility seriously.” “‘Mass natural’ is a trend I see in the near future — brands that keep it simple and easy to grasp,” says Nicole Cheifetz, trade promotions manager at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based LaCroix Beverages Group, which has made efective use of co-branded end caps with similar nutritionals, and a recent onpack contest/IRC promotion with Special K Pop Chips. “Items that taste great and are approachable, while maintaining healthy benefts, will win.” PG

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

For more on natural items in center store, visit Progressivegrocer.com/naturalcenterstore.

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Q&A A Conversation with Todd Blount and Bob Sewall of Blount Fine Foods

Blount: But each year, our soup business became a larger and more sustainable piece of the company’s revenues and proﬁts – “our litle corner” was growing and changing the company as it did. Our goal was to be engaged in a business that had lots of growth opportunity and creatvity for our customers, which our legacy seafood business lacked.

It sure sounds like those early years were about giving credibility to Blount as a maker of good soups while also establishing yourselves in the company and industry. What were the keys to success? Blount: That is exactly right. For the product line to succeed, Bob and I needed to be credible, not only with the customer, but back at home as well. On sales calls, we were asking customers to trust us…

Todd Blount President and Co-owner Blount Fine Foods

Bob Sewall

Executve Vice President of Sales & Marketng Blount Fine Foods

Blount Fine Foods has been growing at double-digits for the last 20 years, during which tme you have evolved from a regional seafood supplier to a sought afer manufacturer of premium food products, including soups and side dishes for restaurants and retail. How did you get here? Sewall: Collaboraton, leadership and innovaton lead to longevity in customer relatonships. All customers want that, but it is hard to come by. Todd and I started working together back in 1994 when I was a salesman and he a product manager. I was hungry, but not seasoned. My approach to selling was to talk myself into any meetng so I could simply listen to what the customer had to say. If a customer wanted to accomplish something – anything – I believed we could and would figure out how to make his or her vision a reality. I lef the “how” to Todd. Blount: In those first few years, we didn’t have a ton of experience, and had plenty of challenges, but Bob was out there working relentlessly to bring back opportunites to sell soup. I owed it to him; and we owed it to the customer to figure it out beter than anyone else in the marketplace. In the book “Outliers,” author Malcolm Gladwell talks about the 10,000 hours of unwavering dedicaton it takes to become world-class at something. I think Bob and I probably put our 10,000 hours in within the first 18 months.

What were you trying to accomplish? Sewall: The ﬁrst ten years for us was about establishing ourselves and building some momentum for our litle corner of the company. We were empowered by Ted Blount, who is Todd’s father, and whom I think saw determinaton in the two of us that he liked. When we got started, Blount was less than $20 million in sales and soup was a rounding error on the P&L.

Sewall: …and back home, we were coming out of those meetngs and asking every department in the company to go the extra mile for those customers. And we were talking about new customers to Blount, where there wasn’t a track record. We were taking risks, but we were not going to fail, because one of the most valuable lessons I learned back then is to invest in winners and never be afraid to cut your losses. If you can do the later, you make more tme and resources for the former.

What else came out of those crazy early days? Blount: The partnership between Bob and I certainly endured, and that paved the way for much of the success we have enjoyed since then. With my background in product management and Bob’s in knowing what the customer wants, we built a world-class, go-to-market product development company. In the book “Good to Great” the author talks about the critcal ﬂy-wheel that accelerates the company into the future. Blount’s R&D team is our ﬂywheel!

Sewall: For me, I see the fruits of those early years take the form of enduring customer relatonships forged though years of success through innovaton and leadership. We make products chefs are proud to serve in their restaurants, and which consumers are excited to bring home from the grocery or club store.

What does the future hold for Blount Fine Foods? Blount: I believe any of our top customers would tell you that we have mastered the art of measured risk-taking, and chartng a shared course forward. When Bob and I got our start at Blount, many of our best customers were also getng their starts. The folks we called upon back then hold executve positons just like we do. Sewall: What that tells me is that Blount will sustain our momentum because while we groom our next generaton of leaders to collaborate and innovate, I know our customers, for whom I would go to hell and back, are doing the same thing inside their organizatons. Blount: We will contnue to advance our category, because we do business with people who expect that from us and embrace it. ADVERTORIAL

Industry Events

Refrigerated & Frozen

2014 NFRA Convention:

The Cold Facts Annual meeting to focus on maximizing success in frozen and refrigerated categories. By Lynn Petrak

here may be cold on their minds, but there certainly won’t be a chill in the air at the annual National Refrigerated Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention, slated for Oct. 11-14 in Orlando, Fla. Despite the sultry locale, the meeting allows those in the frozen and refrigerated food industries to meet personally and talk about ideas that maximize innovation and success across relevant categories. Te National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) bills the event as such, nothing that it “isn’t your typical industry meeting.” Major industry players are on hand for four days of one-on-one and larger meetings, with participants including manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, sales teams and retailers.

1,300-plus Executives to Attend “Te NFRA Convention ofers a unique opportunity for frozen and refrigerated industry executives

KEY INSIGHTS Convention speakers include business leaders, celebrities and sports figures like San Francisco 49er Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, shown here addressing last year’s attendees. This year’s speakers include former White House press secretary Dana Perino and former Disney executive Dennis Snow.

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Industry Events

to come together to conduct faceto-face business meetings with multiple trading partners over a three-day period. Tere is no other event like this for our industry,” says Jef Rumachik, EVP and COO of the Harrisburg, Pa.based trade organization, noting that interest in such interactions is particularly high. “We are excited about this year’s NFRA Convention, as our registration numbers are heading toward record territory. Tis year, we will have over 100 meeting rooms and expect more than 1,300 executives from the frozen and refrigerated industry to be in attendance.” Such personal and often back-to-back business meetings between industry parties get right to the point of issues facing those who produce, deliver and sell frozen and refrigerated foods. Tat’s pivotal in today’s climate, given increased competition for

the consumer food dollar and current sales and consumption trends. “Meeting face to face is the most efective way to build relationships in our industry. However, it can be a very expensive way to conduct business when done in a traditional way,” notes Rumachik, who emphasizes the appointments’ multifaceted

2014 NFRA Convention at a Glance Schedule of Events Saturday, Oct. 11 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Registration

Sunday, Oct. 12 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Registration 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Business appointments Appointments, prearranged by convention registrants, provide opportunities for face-to-face business meetings. Attendees must be registered and wear a badge to participate in these meetings. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Café NFRA open This central break location will serve as an informal meeting area where delegates can network. Snacks and beverages are provided by sponsoring companies. 5 to 6 p.m.: Taste of Excellence Retailer Preview 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Taste of Excellence Reception This unique event offers delegates the opportunity to sample the frozen and refrigerated food industry’s finest products while networking with colleagues.

Monday, Oct. 13 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Registration 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.: Breakfast speaker Dana Perino, former White House press secretary and current political commentator and co-host of Fox’s “The Five,” discusses politics.

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10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Business appointments; Café NFRA open Noon to 1:30 p.m.: NFRA Annual Membership Luncheon Land O’Lakes’ Scott Haws, NFRA chairman, will give the State of the Association address and introduce the newest elected officers and directors. 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer and Food Industry Serving Heroes Foundation Retail Patriots Awards Reception This reception will honor retailers that have gone beyond the call of duty in support of U.S. men and women in uniform.

Tuesday, Oct. 14 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Registration 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.: Breakfast speaker Dennis Snow, former executive with the Walt Disney Co., shares how Disney achieves customer service excellence, and how that can apply to the frozen and refrigerated food industry. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Café NFRA open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Business appointments 5:30 to 9 p.m.: Grand Awards Reception and Banquet This special awards banquet will recognize the frozen and refrigerated Golden Penguin winners for March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, and the June/July Summer Favorites Ice Cream and Novelties promotion.

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Refrigerated & Frozen

NETWORKING NEXUS Café NFRA offers attendees an informal meeting area.

Industry Events

value. “In today’s business environment, where companies are cutting back on travel and every expense is scrutinized, the NFRA Convention ofers the opportunity to conduct business in a more efcient manner that saves everybody time and money.”

Growth Trends Indeed, money and time are top of mind for many in the industry right now. Recent research shows that sales of some types of frozen foods are fat, declining or only minimally growing. For example, sales of frozen meals in the United States were down 3 percent between 2009 and last year, according to research from London-based Euromonitor International. In its most recent report on frozen meals, Mintel predicted that the category will continue to experience annual declines through 2016, a trend that the Chicago-based market research frm attributes to consumers’ dining out more frequently and tight competition in the large frozen meal category.

Meanwhile, burgeoning consumer interest in fresh foods may be helping siphon sales from frozen into other fresh food categories. A report in Te Wall Street Journal this past summer attributed declines in frozen foods to shoppers’ interest in buying and preparing more fresh foods. All that aside, there are some brighter spots within the frozen sector. Sales of frozen snacks, appetizers and snack rolls are close to $2 billion a year, according to Mintel, which also found that frozen snacks are popular among younger consumers, who seek innovation, convenience and value. Frozen breakfast is

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TASTE OF EXCELLENCE Attendees can sample the wares of many convention exhibitors.

Industry Events

another area of opportunity: Chicagobased market researcher IRI reported that overall sales of frozen breakfast foods reached nearly $3 billion, up 6.7 percent from the previous year. Even within frozen meals, some frozen food manufacturers have found success by tapping into consumers’ penchant for bold favors, gourmet ingredients and perceived freshness. Frozen ethnic food brands like Saffron Road, for example, are growing in sales and portfolios, as are organic brands like Kashi and Amy’s Kitchen. Refrigerated foods, meanwhile, encompass a broad variety of products, ranging from dairy products to packaged meats to juices and scores of other items. Tose involved in refrigerated foods can beneft as well from business meetings at the NFRA Convention to increase their respective sales, efciencies and innovations.

Core Sales Drivers As they evaluate demand, challenges and opportunities, NFRA Convention attendees can bear in

mind that the current drivers of sales remain, at the core, straightforward. According to a 2014 food and health survey from the Washington, D.C.-based International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC), taste has a signifcant impact on 90 percent of food and beverage purchases. Behind the overriding taste factor, other important drivers include price (73 percent), healthfulness (71 percent), convenience (51 percent) and sustainability. Rumachik observes that frozen and refrigerated Continued on page 130

Sample Showcase: The Taste of Excellence Bring your eye for innovation and your appetite to the NFRA Convention’s Taste of Excellence on Sunday, Oct. 12. Retailers get a sneak peek from 5 to 6 p.m., and the event opens to all attendees from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Taste of Excellence, considered by many to be a highlight of the show, “gives the industry the opportunity to showcase its latest products to an expected audience of

This year’s NFRA Convention Taste of Excellence participants include: AdvancePierre Foods Ajinomoto North America Inc. Alexia Foods American Halal Ateeco Inc. (Mrs. T’s Pierogies) Athens Foods Inc. Atkins Nutritionals Bays Corp. Bob Evans Farms Boboli International Boulder Brands Inc. Crystal Farms Daisy Brand Day-Lee Foods Deep Foods Inc. Dole Packaged Foods LLC

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over 1,000,” explains Jeff Rumachik, NFRA’s SVP and COO. As its name denotes, the event showcases an array of products from manufacturers and brands around the country, chosen as their finest examples of taste and innovation. Before or during the time they browse, bite and imbibe, guests can refer to a special product guide provided to them in advance of the event.

Eggland’s Best/Specialty Eggs Freiberger USA Inc. Garden Protein International GoodBelly by Next Foods Graeter’s Ice Cream Harvest Food Group Hillshire Brands InnovAsian Cuisine Inventure Foods J&J Snack Foods Corp. Jane’s Dough Foods Kahiki Foods Kellogg Co. Kraft Foods Land O’Lakes Luna Pops LLC Lyfe Kitchen Retail (dba Luvo) Maia Yogurt (dba Healthy Mom LLC)

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

MegaMex Foods/Hormel Foods Corp. Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods Inc. Momma B’s Mac and Cheese Palermo Villa Inc. The Pictsweet Co. Pinnacle Foods Inc. Raybern Foods LLC Rich’s Consumer Brands Rosina Food Products Inc. Rudi’s Organic & Gluten-Free Bakeries S.A. Piazza & Associates LLC Sargento Foods Inc. Schreiber Foods So Delicious Dairy Free T. Marzetti Co. Tyson Foods Inc. WhiteWave Foods Co. Zatarain’s Brands Inc.

Too Cool for School NFRA youth outreach efforts include education program during October. As known by anyone whoÕs been shopping with children Ñ and, for that matter, anyone who remembers shopping with their own parents Ñ kids wield considerable influence over what goes in the family shopping cart. According to a 2013 survey from Vernon Hills, Ill.-based packaging supplier Tetra Pak, children influence 80 percent of all grocery purchases. Meantime, dovetailing with another demographic trend Ñ the growth in Hispanic consumers Ñ young Hispanic children have even greater influence on their familyÕs food purchases, according to findings from Schaumburg, Ill.-based market research firm Nielsen. Recognizing the influence of youngsters on purchase decisions, NFRA is gearing up for its annual Cool Food for Kids promotion. The effort takes place in October, the same month as the NFRA Convention. Skip Shaw, president and CEO of Harrisburg, Pa.-based NFRA, agrees that highlighting the appeal of frozen and refrigerated foods to a future segment of buyers Ñ which also happens to be

a current segment of influencers Ñ is a goal shared by many in the industry. ÒWeÕre educating the next generation about the benefits of frozen and refrigerated foods. These kids are our future shoppers, and theyÕre already invested in learning to cook,Ó he notes. According to Shaw, theCool Food for Kids promotion focuses on showing youths how frozen food is indeed real food, using a farmto-table approach. A core part of the initiative is an education program for consumer science teachers and students in grades 6-12, created by NFRA with curriculum specialists Young Minds Inspired. The Cool Food for Kids program, which will go out to more than 20,000 middle and high schools around the country this fall, includes classroom materials and activities that tell the farm-to-fork story of frozen food. The educational effort will be supported by instore retailer promotions, such as a Cool Food for Kids consumer sweepstakes and NFRAÕs public relations tactics.

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Industry Events

NFRA to Present Penguin Awards

Waste Not, Want Not

Honor recognizes top Frozen Food Month promotions.

NFR, industry team up for new initiative to reduce food waste.

Among their colleagues and in a setting where excellence and innovation are top of mind and on display, several industry professionals will be recognized for their distinctive work and achievements in the past year during the NFRA Convention. On Thursday, Oct. 14, NFRA will hand out 20 Gold Penguin awards at the annual banquet honoring the best promotions during the 31st annual March Frozen Food Month. Two Amber Penguin awards will be bestowed as well. This honor is given to organizations that have won three consecutive Gold awards in the same category.

As delegates gather and meet in one place at the NFRA Convention to put their imprint on the state and future of frozen and refrigerated foods, many will also be thinking about their footprint. Given statistics showing that 40 billion pounds of discarded food ends up in U.S. landfills, improving the environmental footprint of food production, distribution and consumption can have a real and lasting impact. To that end, NFRA recently joined the U.S. Food Waste Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to demonstrate the industry’s commitment to reducing food waste. The NFRA initiative, Raising Awareness to Reduce Food Waste, is guided by a plan to encourage leadership opportunities and communicate to consumers how they can minimize food waste with frozen and refrigerated food products. The program will also include participation in various conferences, and demonstrating and sharing best practices within the industry.

Gold Penguin Awards Co-Op Wholesaler: Associated Wholesalers Inc., Robesonia, Pa. Corporate Wholesaler: Associated Grocers, Baton Rouge, La. Local Frozen Food Association Over 50 Members: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, Hollister, Calif. Military Commissary Best Department Display: Nellis AFB, Las Vegas (Assisting Company: Webco GP, Aldie, Va.) Military Commissary Best Endcap Display: Fort Stewart Commissary, Fort Stewart, Ga. (Assisting Company: Nestlé USA, Hinesville, Ga.) Military Commissary Overall Store Promotion: Nellis AFB, Las Vegas (Assisting Company: Webco GP, Aldie, Va.) Retail Corporate Chain or Division 10-50 Stores: Harmons Grocery, West Valley, Utah

Retail Corporate Chain or Division Over 50 Stores: Acme Markets, Malvern, Pa. (Assisting Company: Activiation Sports Marketing, Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) Albertsons Southwest, Tolleson, Ariz. Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh Save Mart Supermarkets, Modesto, Calif.

Continued from page 128

foods play right into such product attributes and consumer demands. As he notes: “Frozen foods are made from real ingredients prepared by chefs and then frozen to keep them at their quality, nutrition and taste peak. Te industry is ofering exotic favors, choices for every lifestyle, and innovative packaging that provides a home-cooked experience.”

Retail Supermarket Best Department Display: Tops Markets LLC, Elmira, N.Y. Retail Supermarket Best Endcap Display: Albertson’s #881, Northglenn, Colo. (Assisting Company: Co-Sales Co., Greenwood Village, Colo.) Retail Supermarket Overall Store Promotion: Chris’ Food Center, Sandstone, Minn. (Assisting Company: Dean Foods, Esko, Minn.)

Online registration for the 2014 NFRA Convention is available at www.nfraweb.org/ RegistrationForm.aspx. Forms can be sent to Sarah Thompson at the NFRA office via email (sarah@nfraweb.org) or fax (717-657-9862).

Amber Penguin Awards

A mobile app is available to help convention guests keep track of their appointments and stay on schedule. The NFRA 2014 app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.

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For any other inquires, email nfra@nfraweb.org or call 717-657-8601.

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of WhatÕs Next | September 2014

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Refrigerated & Frozen

Industry Events

What’s Hot in Cold

New frozen and refrigerated products reflect industry trends, future. By Lynn Petrak

uests at the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association’s (NFRA) 2014 convention in Orlando, Fla., next month can spend some time with companies one on one as well as at the Taste of Excellence Reception to learn about how manufacturers are providing shoppers with foods and beverages that satisfy their tastes and lifestyles. Te lion’s share of the products are new, underscoring the forward-thinking strategies of many industry leaders. According to Jef Rumachik, SVP and COO of Harrisburg, Pa.-based NFRA, new product introductions are key to unlocking more interest in, and sales of, frozen and refrigerated foods and beverages, especially at a time when “fresh” has become such a buzzword and preference. “Te frozen department in a supermarket is comprised of over 3,700 items,” he says. “New items are the lifeblood of any

category, and manufacturers realize how important it is to address the needs of today’s consumers.” To that point, many new products refect the evolving tastes and backgrounds of shoppers. Rumachik cites some examples: “You are seeing more vegetarian, organic and gluten-free products. You’ll also notice more culturally inspired foods, as consumers are looking for variety and have a desire to try new favors. And there continues to be innovation in packaging, such as steam-in-bag vegetables.” Several new frozen and refrigerated products have been unveiled this year and are in stores now or getting ready to hit shelves soon. In addition to those that have been chosen as Editors’ Picks in this issue, along with those featured in the What’s Next new products section this month, PG has observed the following new releases:

Made in the USA

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

RefRigeRated Blount fine foods Organic Soups Blount Fine Foods has introduced 16-ounce organic soups under the Blount brand name. Varieties include Organic Vegetable Chili, Minestrone Soup, Tomato Bisque, and Lentil and Chick Pea; the soups have a 50-day shelf life and are shipped refrigerated in cases of six. In addition, Blount is also unveiling 4-cub bulk packs for the club store channel. ehrmann’s Mixim greek Yogurt Tings are looking sweet for Ehrmann’s line of Mixim nonfat Greek yogurt, sold in signature heart-shaped containers. Te brand

has added two new favors: Maple Syrup with Wafe Pieces and Blueberry with Chocolate Chip Cookie Pieces. Like the line’s other favors, the new yogurts are made from natural ingredients, with no artifcial colors or favorings, and are available in select stores in the western United States.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spreads Philadelphia Cream Cheese brand has added more real fruits and vegetables to its sweet and savory spreads, including Strawberry, Garden Vegetable, Blueberry, and Chive & Onion. In addition to the product enhancements, all 8-ounce containers of

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread have a new look and stackable shape that prevents the product from shifting on store shelves, making it easier for consumers to fnd their favorite varieties.

Président Butter Te top-selling imported butter in France is coming Stateside. Made from 100 percent cream with no added oils, Président Butter is available in Salted and Unsalted varieties in a 7-ounce bar, Light in a 7-ounce bar, Sea Salt in a 8.8-ounce

A fresh idea to keep food from getting stale 61% of consumers found store-bought cookies to be fresher in Robbie’s Fresh N Tasty® pouch than rigid clamshells. That’s the kind of number to keep sales from getting stale, too. But don’t just take our word for it...

Put Robbie to the test. Call 1-800-4-Robbie or visit RobbieFlexibles.com.

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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Industry Events

bar, and also in spreadable form.

Weight Watchers Fresh Meals Complementing the brand’s line of frozen meals, Weight Watchers has introduced a line of Fresh Meals. Te chilled, portion-controlled prepared meals are made in partnership with

fresh prepared food manufacturer Greencore USA, which allows Weight Watchers to leverage its brand recognition in the fresh sector while using an already existing fresh food supply chain. Weight Watchers Fresh Meals are available at grocery stores in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

FRozen BaskinRobbins Ice Cream and Bars Te BaskinRobbins brand is now available to retail grocers, thanks to a partnership between the venerable ice cream brand and Boardwalk Frozen Treats. Te launch includes 16 favors of ice cream in 14-ounce containers and several varieties of chocolate-covered ice cream bars.

Breyers Gluten-Free Ice Cream Tose following gluten-free diets can indulge their ice cream cravings with new gluten-free ice cream from Breyers. Te brand’s gluten-free line features 36 varieties of ice cream in favors like Natural Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, and some Breyers Blasts! favors such as Cherry Vanilla, Butter Pecan, and Fat-Free Chocolate and Strawberry. Following FDA guidelines, packages feature a gluten-free logo for quick and easy identifcation. Dannon oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt Te Greek yogurt trend has moved from the refrigerated yogurt section to the freezer case with Dannon’s new Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt, available in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Café Latte, Black Cherry and

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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Refrigerated & Frozen

Industry Events

Key Lime favors. Ofering the thick, creamy texture of Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt, the product is available in pint containers.

Front Porch Carolina Churned Ice Cream Refecting consumer interest in indulgent favors, Front Porch Carolina Churned Ice Cream has added two new varieties to its Southern-inspired ice cream line. Pint-sized Charleston Sea Salt Caramel and Caroline’s Coffee & Caramel are made with milk from a local dairy and sold in select grocers’ freezers.

Jimmy Dean Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick Jimmy Dean has added two new favors to its line of Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick products: Apple Cinnamon Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick and Very Berry Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick. Sold in 5-count packages, the items contain 230 calories and 6 grams of protein per serving. Red Baron Deep Dish Minis Schwan Food Co. has introduced an innovative type of pizza: Red Baron Deep Dish Minis. Available in cheese and pepperoni favors in a package featuring eight 2.5-inch

pizzas, the items are sold in an easy-to-share option, with full-size favor.

Tony’s Little Italy Pizzeria What’s old is new: Schwan Food Co. has rolled out a pizza claiming to ofer original, authentic pizzeria taste. Featuring real cheese, a signature old-school sauce and a crunchy crust, the 10-inch pizzas are available in several varieties, including pepperoni, sausage, cheese, sausage and pepperoni, supreme, half pepperoni and half cheese, bacon cheeseburger, and MeatTrio. Te launch will be supported by in-store product samplings and other promotions.

A DV E RTO R I A L

Matt Prescott

Food Policy Director, The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection charity, and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

January. To avoid this, grocers can begin convertng to 100% cage-free eggs in California now – to shore up the supply needed to keep eggs on their shelves.

Progressive Grocer: California’s cage-free egg law takes eﬀect January 1. How will it impact grocers?

MP: More and more food companies and experts are startng to realize that it’s simply unsustainable to be raising animals for food in such vast quanttes. Bill Gates, for example, has said the world’s growing demand for protein cannot be met with meat alone, and that we must begin exploring plant proteins more vigorously. Industry ttans like Twiter founder Biz Stone and PayPal billionaire Peter Thiel are now investng in plant-based food producton. Burger King oﬀers a veggie burger. Nestle and Walmart are promotng Meatless Mondays. Grocers can play a role by oﬀering plant-based meat substtutes in their meat sectons by more heavily promotng and marketng their plant-based optons, and by incorporatng more of those foods into their delis and prepared foods sectons.

Mat Prescot: In 2008, California voters passed “Propositon 2,” giving the state’s egg industry untl 2015 to stop conﬁning hens in tny barren cages. In the lead-up to the vote, the egg industry and the humane organizatons agreed the law would mean a move to non-cage egg producton. California then passed a law requiring that all shell eggs sold statewide, regardless of where they’re produced, be Propositon 2-compliant. But rather than using the seven year phase-in to convert to cage-free producton, the egg industry challenged the laws’ meaning in one unsuccessful lawsuit afer another. Because of the foot-dragging, California supermarkets may ﬁnd themselves short on eggs come

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PG: What other issues are coming down the pipeline that grocers may want to consider?

MATT PRESCOTT

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Target is committed to working with our vendors on the elimination of sow gestation crates.

s goal to have a gestation stallfr

We want all of the hogs throughout our be housed in groups.

Dr. Temple Grandin says, “We’ve got to treat animals right and gestation stalls have got to go.” An American e than 80 percent of Farm Bur consumers don’t fnd gestation crates to be humane. And a recent cent of pork producers National Pork Boar do not use gestation crates or have plans to phase them out. fers sincere thanks to the more than 60 leading food companies that have committed to eliminate gestation crate confnement of pigs fr chains. Your work addressing this important social concern is creating a more humane society.

Fresh Food

Industry Events

Blount Summit Serves Up Retail Trends, Solutions Retail execs gather to learn, share and respond to consumer needs.

he Blount Culinary Summit, held in picturesque Newport, R.I., July 23-24, 2014, brought together about 50 industry retail executives, foodservice buyers and industry thought leaders to exchange viewpoints and perspectives on culinary trends, product development and packaged goods. Hosted by Fall River, Mass.-based Blount Fine Foods, maker of soups, sauces and side dishes, this frst-of-its-kind event was considered a huge success.

“This event was important, as it brought together Blount’s deep bench of culinary resources with the country’s top retailers,” says Todd Blount, president of Blount Fine Foods. “This ‘think tank,’ and the discussion that ensued, was not only important to those in attendance, but valuable to the marketplace nationally as we work to bring on-trend products to consumers and solve retailers’ issues.”

Fifty retail executives and foodservice buyers attended the first Blount Foods Summit, in Newport, R.I., in July.

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Fresh Food

Industry Events

Progressive Grocer Editorial Director Joan Driggs presented “Trends in Fresh Prepared.” A major incentive for grocery retailers to promote fresh prepared offerings is the narrowing gap between grocery and restaurant expenditures. Since 2000, the gap has narrowed from $50 billion more on at-home consumption to just $15 billion. The threat is compounded when weekly visits, 1.7 for supermarkets, and more than four for restaurants, is considered. There’s lots of opportunity in fresh prepared, according to Driggs, by simplifying the lives of grocery customers, particularly the 57 percent of the population living in one- and two-person households who are less incentivized to cook from scratch; making use of in-store nutritionists and developing healthy meal plans; tapping into breakfast as a daypart opportunity; differentiating offerings enough to be unique, while remaining familiar; and taking advantage of store personnel to make connections with customers. In addition to Driggs’ presentation, Legal Sea Foods Executive Chef and EVP Richard Vellante presented “Sustainability in Seafood,” and Chris Warsow, corporate executive chef at Bell Flavors & Fragrances, presented “Trends and Innovations in Flavors/Spices.” Other topics included marketing to Millennials, changes in CPG, and healthy restaurant trends.

Progressive Grocer VP/Brand Director Jeff Friedman emceed the day’s events. Bob Sewall, EVP of sales and marketing at Blount Fine Foods, welcomed attendees.

Newport, R.I., proved an exquisite setting for retailers to learn, exchange ideas and socialize.

140

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

NO. 15

SMALL POTATOES,

2 U.S. overall 4 Northeast region metro areas Midwest region metro areas 8 South region metro areas 10 West region metro areas

Hot potatoes: The latest fngerling potato sales and volume trends NO. 15

All sales data are from Information Resources Inc. (IRI). This report looks at U.S. metro markets, which generally consist of major metropolitan areas and surrounding counties. Data were collected for 52 weeks ending May 18, 2014, from traditional grocery stores with sales of $2 million or more, plus multioutlet retailers including Walmart, Target and Sam’s Club. “Metro Total” numbers for each region include 16-ounce, 24-ounce, 28-ounce, 3-pound and 5-pound packages and bulk sales. In cases where data are unavailable for specifc package sizes, markets are not reported.

Northeast 24-Ounce Package

New York

Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

22.9%

New York

Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

Albany

All Other Package Sizes Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

All Other Package Sizes Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

27.8%

Albany

Pittsburgh

Detroit

Omaha

$2.61

Harrisburg/Scranton

Bulk Boston

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

$2.01

Chicago

Cleveland

$6.06

45.0%

0.1%

55.1%

0.4% Philadelphia

Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

Chicago

Cleveland

New York

Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

$2.40

$1.19

47.3%

0.5%

Bulk

25.4%

0.1%

Omaha

Philadelphia

$2.06

25.7%

Milwaukee

$1.25

Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

$3.31

0.1%

30.6%

0.7%

Bulk

Detroit

Omaha

New York

Pittsburgh

Kansas City

Cincinnati/Dayton

0.6%

All Other Package Sizes

22.5%

0.5%

$3.13

$1.71 New York

Pittsburgh

Milwaukee

22.4%

0.6% Detroit

1.3%

Buffalo/Rochester

Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

Milwaukee

23.8%

Hartford/Springfield

24-Ounce Package

Detroit

1.0%

Hartford/Springfield

24-Ounce Package

Midwest

0.1% Omaha

Chicago

$3.19

$1.63

58.2%

From red to yellow to purple, cute and colorful fngerling potatoes have migrated from trendy restaurants to more and more home kitchens. But shopper preferences for fngerling potato package sizes and price differentials vary widely in major metro areas nationwide, based on exclusive new calculations using Information Resources Inc. sales data. Some metro areas cash in on highvolume fngerling potato sales at top prices per pound, while others move much lower volumes despite rock bottom prices. NO. 15

By comparing your storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fngerling potato trends with those in other regional metro areas, you can see where you may be missing out on important opportunities to offer different package sizes and execute better-targeted price promotions. Use this valuable market information to make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re maximizing your share of local fngerling potato sales at every proftable price point.

South 24-Ounce Package

Baltimore/Washington

Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

Baltimore/Washington

Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

Louisville

Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

Charlotte

All Other Package Sizes Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

Atlanta

0.2%

Portland

0.2%

Los Angeles

Seattle

0.2% Atlanta

$3.62

Dallas/Fort Worth

$2.07

43.2%

0.5%

42.6%

Los Angeles

Seattle

$3.92

$1.13

34.8%

Dallas/Fort Worth

Charlotte

38.5%

West Texas/New Mexico

$1.19

Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

36.1%

0.1%

$2.12

Bulk

$1.97

Denver

San Diego

Dallas/Fort Worth

Charlotte

$3.01

Denver

54.6%

<0.1%

Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

Highest Price/Pound Lowest Price/Pound

49.0% San Diego

31.3%

0.2%

Salt Lake City

<0.1%

Tampa

0.1%

Seattle

Baltimore/Washington

Atlanta

30.0%

Los Angeles

Salt Lake City

Baltimore/Washington

Bulk

23.2%

$2.02

All Other Package Sizes Highest Share of Pounds Lowest Share of Pounds

Salt Lake City

$3.07

All Other Package Sizes Highest Share of Dollars Lowest Share of Dollars

Los Angeles

1.2%

New Orleans/Mobile

24-Ounce Package

24.1%

1.2%

New Orleans/Mobile

24-Ounce Package

West

44.6%

0.5% Salt Lake City

Sacramento

$4.56

$2.56

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

NO. 15

Northeast Metro Area Fingerling Potato Trends With total sales of nearly $5 million for 2.9 million pounds, the Northeast is the national leader for fngerling potato purchases. Bulk and 24-ounce package sales, however, fall far short of the whopping 2 million pounds sold in all other package sizes at an average price of $1.46 per pound. Average regional bulk prices are a sky-high $3.68 per pound, due largely to Philadelphia’s astronomical $6.06 average

24-Ounce Package $37.03

Albany

$213.79

$209.53

Harrisburg/Scranton

89.23

Harrisburg/Scranton

$18.14

Hartford/Springﬁeld

96.16 60.32

Buﬀalo/Rochester

$414.00

New York

Boston

$2.22

Buﬀalo/Rochester

$3.13

189.50

New York Northern New England

110.21

Northern New England

Philadelphia

$380.63

Philadelphia

169.68

Philadelphia

$132.81 0

100

200

300

400

500

50.19

$1,811.03 TOTAL

$2.18

New York

$216.39

Pittsburgh

$1.74

Hartford/Springﬁeld

Northern New England

Pittsburgh

$2.35

Harrisburg/Scranton

10.43

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$1.71

Albany

Boston

$188.70

Buﬀalo/Rochester

21.67

Albany

Boston

$1.96 $2.24 $2.65

Pittsburgh

100

150

200

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.27 AVG.

797.39 TOTAL

All Other Package Sizes $64.58

Albany

Albany $365.68

Boston

Buﬀalo/Rochester $393.37

Harrisburg/Scranton

$317.41

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$379.00

Northern New England

$532.00

Philadelphia

200

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

$1.33

600

800

1000

$2.35

Northern New England

Pittsburgh 13.22 400

$2,933.89 TOTAL 4

$1.29

New York

384.06

Philadelphia

$16.56

Pittsburgh

Hartford/Springﬁeld

614.31 161.54

$1.42

Harrisburg/Scranton

245.39

New York Northern New England

$1.63

Buﬀalo/Rochester 277.00

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$815.18

New York

$1.43

Boston

30.82

Harrisburg/Scranton

$2.61

Albany 255.08

Boston

$50.13

Buﬀalo/Rochester

24.70

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

2,006.11 TOTAL

$1.39

Philadelphia

$1.25

Pittsburgh 0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

$1.46 AVG.

3.0

NO. 15

NORTHEAST

Metro Areas

price per pound for bulk fngerlings. Among Northeast metro totals, Buffalo/Rochester commands the highest average total price per pound at $2.62, although the upstate New York metro area is a regional laggard for total dollar and pound sales. The Northern New England metro area, however, pulls in a hefty $2.19 average total price per pound and still holds its own with total dollar and pound sales in the middle of the pack.

Northern New England

Rochester Buﬀalo

Springﬁeld Hartford Scranton Harrisburg

New York City

Note: The Northern New England metro area includes Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Bulk Albany N/A

Albany N/A

Boston $1.19

Boston 0.59

Boston

Buﬀalo/Rochester $2.07

Buﬀalo/Rochester 0.84

Buﬀalo/Rochester

Harrisburg/Scranton $1.07

Harrisburg/Scranton 0.24

Harrisburg/Scranton

$14.04

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$85.08

New York Northern New England N/A

29.91

New York

$94.40

15.58

100

$199.36 TOTAL

$2.16 $2.84

New York

$6.06

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh 0.58 40

$4.51

Northern New England N/A

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh $1.51

$2.46

Hartford/Springﬁeld

Northern New England N/A

Philadelphia

6.49

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$2.01

$2.59

Pittsburgh 10

54.24 TOTAL

$3.68 AVG.

Metro Total $101.60

Albany

$580.65

Boston

$603.97

Harrisburg/Scranton

$1,314.27

New York

$595.39

Northern New England

$1,007.03

Philadelphia

$150.88

Pittsburgh 0

300

600

271.75

1200

1500

$4,944.28 TOTAL

200

$2.19 $1.77

Philadelphia

63.99

Pittsburgh 900

$1.58

New York Northern New England

569.32

Philadelphia

$1.33

Hartford/Springﬁeld 833.73

New York

$1.65

Harrisburg/Scranton

262.31

Northern New England

$2.62

Buﬀalo/Rochester 366.47

Hartford/Springﬁeld

$1.65

Boston

91.98

Harrisburg/Scranton

$349.60

Hartford/Springﬁeld

351.83

Buﬀalo/Rochester

$2.19

Albany

Boston

$240.90

Buﬀalo/Rochester

46.37

Albany

$2.36

Pittsburgh 400

600

800

1000

2,857.74 TOTAL

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

$1.73 AVG.

3.0

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

NO. 15

Midwest Metro Area Fingerling Potato Trends The Midwest sees the lowest sales of fngerlings in the country, at just 1 million pounds for total volume, but bulk purchases are big in the heartland. That’s primarily because of Chicagoans’ overwhelming affnity for bulk fngerling buys at an average price of $1.63 per pound, well below the regional bulk average of $2.11 per pound. Detroit is tops by far in dollar and pound sales for both 24-ounce packages and all other package sizes, with perpound prices that hover near the regional average for both categories.

24-Ounce Package $160.66

Chicago

$199.66

Detroit

Milwaukee 1.91

$14.22

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$64.63 0

100

150

200

$889.53 TOTAL

Detroit

$2.49

Grand Rapids

$2.50

Indianapolis

$2.47

Kansas City

$3.31

Milwaukee

$2.67

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$2.61 $3.01 $2.51 $2.64

St. Louis

11.36

Toledo

$2.49

Peoria/Springﬁeld

24.49

St. Louis

Columbus

Omaha

14.50

Peoria/Springﬁeld

$27.38

Toledo

8.64

Omaha

$36.32

St. Louis

5.44

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$25.98

Omaha Peoria/Springﬁeld

6.72

Kansas City

$5.09

Milwaukee

13.41

Indianapolis

$22.21

Kansas City

46.45

Grand Rapids

$33.12

Indianapolis

80.23

Detroit

$116.04

Grand Rapids

$2.64

Cleveland

18.85

Columbus

$2.06

Cincinnati/Dayton

26.10

Cleveland

$46.94

$2.49

Chicago

33.28

Cincinnati/Dayton

$68.85

Cleveland Columbus

64.52

Chicago

$68.42

Cincinnati/Dayton

$2.41

Toledo 40

100

355.91TOTAL

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.50 AVG.

All Other Package Sizes $42.98

Chicago

$20.98

Milwaukee Minneapolis/St. Paul

Kansas City 0.85

$17.48

Minneapolis/St. Paul

7.40

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Omaha 0.29

7.33

St. Louis 60

100

$384.98 TOTAL

$2.36 $1.19 $1.35

Peoria/Springﬁeld

$2.34

St. Louis 21.84

Toledo

$1.98 $2.40

Omaha 17.61

Peoria/Springﬁeld

$32.58

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

$1.45

Kansas City Milwaukee

Toledo

Indianapolis

7.04

$23.72

$1.40

Milwaukee

$17.17

$1.58

Detroit Grand Rapids

$16.86

Peoria/Springﬁeld St. Louis

14.49

Indianapolis

$0.34

Omaha

32.22

Grand Rapids

$1.68

Kansas City

$1.79 $1.54

Columbus 62.34

Detroit

$45.16

$1.31

Cleveland 24.90

Columbus $98.79

Detroit Grand Rapids

$1.59

Chicago Cincinnati/Dayton

Cleveland 0.58 $38.38

Indianapolis

21.18

Cincinnati/Dayton

$1.05

Cleveland Columbus

27.05

Chicago

$27.81

Cincinnati/Dayton

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

245.13 TOTAL

$1.49

Toledo 0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

$1.57 AVG.

2.5

MIDWEST

Metro Areas

NO. 15

Fingerling prices per pound hold fairly steady across all of the Midwest’s metro regions, ranging from an average $1.57 per pound for all other package sizes to $2.50 per pound for 24-ounce packages. Kansas City boasts the highest average total price per pound at $3.15, but also lays claim to the lowest regional dollar and pound sales totals.

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Grand Rapids Milwaukee

Detroit

Chicago

Cleveland

Toledo Omaha

Indianapolis

Peoria

Columbus Dayton Cincinnati

Springﬁeld

Kansas City St. Louis

Bulk $394.10

Chicago Cincinnati/Dayton $11.98

241.97

Chicago

Cincinnati/Dayton

Cleveland $0.83

Cleveland 0.32

Cleveland

Columbus $6.21

Columbus 2.49

Columbus

6.12

Detroit

$17.95

Detroit

$1.63

Chicago

Cincinnati/Dayton 4.09

$2.93 $2.59 $2.50 $2.93

Grand Rapids N/A

Indianapolis $3.62

Indianapolis 1.21

Indianapolis

Kansas City $4.33

Kansas City 1.38

Kansas City

$276.10

Milwaukee

$80.51

Minneapolis/St. Paul

94.44

Milwaukee Omaha 3.12

Omaha

Peoria/Springﬁeld $9.84

Peoria/Springﬁeld 4.32

Peoria/Springﬁeld

$55.87

28.12

St. Louis

Toledo $3.88

Toledo 1.55

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

$875.20 TOTAL

St. Louis Toledo

$3.07

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Omaha $9.97 St. Louis

$3.13 $2.92

Milwaukee

26.27

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$2.99

100

150

200

250

$3.19 $2.28 $1.99 $2.50 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.11 AVG.

415.41 TOTAL

Metro Total $597.74

Chicago $108.21

Cincinnati/Dayton

$70.72

Cleveland

$316.40

$298.06

$137.66

St. Louis 0

100

200

39.11 36.43

300

400

500

600

$2,149.72 TOTAL

Indianapolis

$1.98 $3.15

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$2.87

50 100 150 200 250 300 350

$3.01

Omaha Peoria/Springﬁeld

34.76

Toledo

$2.05

$2.88

59.95

St. Louis

$63.84

Toledo

$2.13

Grand Rapids

Milwaukee

12.05

Peoria/Springﬁeld

$2.62 $1.98

Kansas City 103.38

Omaha

$69.89

Peoria/Springﬁeld

29.11

Minneapolis/St. Paul

$36.29

Omaha

Detroit

8.95

Milwaukee

$112.22

Minneapolis/St. Paul

148.70

Kansas City

Milwaukee

Columbus

78.68

Indianapolis

$28.22

Kansas City

$1.85

46.24

Grand Rapids

$57.72

Indianapolis

$1.79

Cleveland

Detroit

$161.22

Chicago Cincinnati/Dayton

27.00

Columbus

Detroit Grand Rapids

58.55

Cleveland

$91.52

Columbus

333.54

Chicago Cincinnati/Dayton

1,016.44 TOTAL

St. Louis Toledo

$1.92 $2.30 $1.84 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.11 AVG.

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

NO. 15

South Metro Area Fingerling Potato Trends In a handful of Southern major metro areas, total fngerling sales tend to be much lower than for comparable cities in other regions, including Atlanta (72,000 pounds), Houston (76,000 pounds) and Dallas/Fort Worth (96,000 pounds). Dallas/Forth Worth shoppers, however, do top the charts for regional bulk dollar and pound sales, buying 25,000 pounds of bulk fngerlings annually at an average price of $2.07 per pound. The Baltimore/Washington, D.C., metro area takes the (crab)cake for regional sales with its 662,000 pounds

24-Ounce Package $173.56

Atlanta Baltimore/Washington Birmingham/Montgomery Charlotte Dallas/Ft. Worth Houston Jacksonville Louisville Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Nashville New Orleans/Mobile Orlando Raleigh/Greensboro Richmond/Norfolk Roanoke South Carolina Tampa

$551.49 $94.41 $35.02 $140.78 $183.76 $80.81 $52.71 $254.85 $67.73 $27.38 $139.66 $46.01 $84.14 $69.30 $121.16 $170.23 0

100

200

300

400

500

64.53

$2,292.97 TOTAL

212.28 38.46 17.30 54.29 72.98 34.02 17.14 103.59 24.34 11.24 59.21 21.68 36.23 28.23 48.82 72.10 0

100

150

200

$2.69 $2.60 $2.45 $2.02 $2.59 $2.52 $2.38 $3.07 $2.46 $2.78 $2.44 $2.36 $2.12 $2.32 $2.45 $2.48 $2.36

916.44 TOTAL

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.50 AVG.

All Other Package Sizes Atlanta Baltimore/Washington Birmingham/Montgomery Charlotte Dallas/Ft. Worth Houston Jacksonville Louisville Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Nashville New Orleans/Mobile Orlando Raleigh/Greensboro Richmond/Norfolk Roanoke South Carolina Tampa

$0.44 $654.99 $3.73 $85.52 $34.94 $2.71 $1.31 $8.88 $0.73 $9.68 $1.70 $0.74 $126.89 $208.97 $97.65 $79.48 $17.19

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

$1,335.54 TOTAL 8

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

0.37

449.75 2.19 43.82 16.97 1.41 0.74 6.02 0.62 4.69 1.06 0.56 65.49 122.50 56.94 42.12 8.10 0

100

200

300

400

$1.19 $1.46 $1.70 $1.95 $2.06 $1.93 $1.78 $1.48 $1.19 $2.06 $1.61 $1.31 $1.94 $1.71 $1.71 $1.89 $2.12

823.33 TOTAL

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

$1.62 AVG.

2.5

NO. 15

Baltimore SOUTH

Washington, D.C.

Metro Areas

Richmond Norfolk Louisville Roanoke Raleigh Greensboro Nashville Charlotte South Carolina

Atlanta

Birmingham Fort Worth

accounting for more than a third of the Southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total volume. The vast majority of the D.C. metro areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fngerling purchases are packaged; just under 1,000 pounds of Baltimore/Washington, D.C., fngerling buys came from bulk bins. Fingerling prices in this metro area tend to be above the regional average for bulk ($3.47 per pound) and 24-ounce packages ($2.60 per pound), and below average for all other package sizes ($1.46 per pound) and metro totals ($1.82 per pound).

Montgomery

Dallas Mobile Houston

Jacksonville

New Orleans

Tampa

Orlando

Fort Lauderdale Miami

Bulk Atlanta Baltimore/Washington Birmingham/Montgomery Charlotte Dallas/Ft. Worth Houston Jacksonville Louisville Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Nashville New Orleans/Mobile Orlando Raleigh/Greensboro Richmond/Norfolk Roanoke South Carolina Tampa

$27.14 $2.85 $6.78 $0.23 $52.11 $5.59 $1.37 $7.07 $10.47 $8.66 $16.43 $3.00 N/A N/A N/A $6.30 $1.42 0

$149.57 TOTAL

7.50

25.21 1.88 0.42 3.33 3.45 4.08 6.98 1.05 N/A N/A N/A 1.75 0.54 0

59.14 TOTAL

$3.62 $3.47 $3.44 $2.29 $2.07 $2.98 $3.28 $2.13 $3.03 $2.12 $2.35 $2.85

0.82 1.97 0.10

$3.61 $2.65

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

$2.53 AVG.

Metro Total $201.14 $1,209.34 $104.92 $120.77 $227.82 $192.06 $83.48 $68.66 $266.05 $86.06 $45.50 $143.40 $173.06 $293.11 $166.95 $206.94 $188.84

300

600

900

1200

$3,778.09 TOTAL

72.40 662.85 42.62 61.22 96.46 76.27 35.18 26.48 107.66 33.11 19.27 60.83 87.24 158.73 85.17 92.68 80.74

$2.78 $1.82 $2.46 $1.97 $2.36 $2.52 $2.37 $2.59 $2.47 $2.60 $2.36 $2.36 $1.98 $1.85 $1.96 $2.23 $2.34

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

1,798.91 TOTAL

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

$2.10 AVG.

3.0

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

NO. 15

West Metro Area Fingerling Potato Trends The West is second only to the Northeast in fngerling volume, led by Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Seattle for a metro total of almost 2 million pounds with 24-ounce package sales in the No. 1 position. Westerners also are prepared to pay handsomely for their fngerling fx, spending $2.45 per pound on the averageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the highest metro total average price in the nation.

24-Ounce Package $265.91

Denver

$1,045.39

Los Angeles

Salt Lake City $5.04

200

400

800 1000 1200

$3,488.61 TOTAL

$2.44 $1.97 $2.27 $2.55 $3.01

Seattle

41.40

West Tex/New Mexico 600

$2.33

San Francisco

141.85

Seattle

$109.43 0

$2.72

San Diego

247.76

San Francisco

$427.62

Seattle

$2.39

Salt Lake City 145.17

San Diego

$631.53

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Sacramento

Salt Lake City 2.56 $330.06

San Diego

$2.38

Portland

57.75

Sacramento

Denver

Phoenix/Tucson

111.75

Portland

$140.83

West Tex/New Mexico

100.18

Phoenix/Tucson

$260.10

Portland Sacramento

437.02

Los Angeles

$272.71

Phoenix/Tucson

111.57

Denver

$2.64

West Tex/New Mexico

100

200

300

400

500

1,396.99 TOTAL

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

$2.50 AVG.

All Other Package Sizes $204.58

Denver $3.31

Los Angeles

$25.38

Portland

$24.31

$45.56

Seattle

100

200

250

$567.40 TOTAL 10

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

San Francisco

33.42

Seattle

13.29

West Tex/New Mexico 150

San Diego 32.87

Seattle

$52.03

$1.67 $2.11 $1.13 $1.82 $3.90

Salt Lake City

0.47

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Sacramento

8.53

San Diego $57.83

$1.72

Portland 66.20

Salt Lake City

$0.79

West Tex/New Mexico

21.49

Portland

Denver

Phoenix/Tucson

Sacramento

$33.32

San Diego

12.05

Phoenix/Tucson

$120.31

Sacramento

San Francisco

1.98

Los Angeles

Phoenix/Tucson

Salt Lake City

118.94

Denver

West Tex/New Mexico 60

100

120

309.23 TOTAL

$1.70 $1.76 $1.36 $3.92

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

$1.83 AVG.

WEST

Metro Areas

Seattle

NO. 15

Portland

Sacramento

Denver hits the heights in dollar and pound sales for all other package sizes at a below-average price of $1.72 per pound. Los Angeles pulls in the highest sales for all other categories but barely registers in all other package size sales despite a belowaverage price of $1.67 per pound. Salt Lake City, just a blip on the regional radar with only 13,000 total pounds sold, commands higher prices overall, topping out at an average $3.64 per pound total.

Salt Lake City

San Francisco

Denver

Los Angeles

Phoenix Tucson

San Diego

Bulk

West Texas/New Mexico

$24.97

Denver

$273.50

Los Angeles

$10.68

Salt Lake City

$9.75

$40.27

100

13.78 1.01 11.49

West Tex/New Mexico 150

200

250

300

$633.10 TOTAL

$2.90 $3.55 $2.90 $2.56 $4.56

Salt Lake City 37.28

Seattle

$33.76

West Tex/New Mexico

2.14

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Sacramento

San Diego

$3.01

Seattle

$2.95

Portland

4.17

Salt Lake City $110.18

Denver

Phoenix/Tucson

16.35

Portland Sacramento

San Diego San Francisco

22.44

Phoenix/Tucson

$47.38

Portland Sacramento

94.38

Los Angeles

$79.61

Phoenix/Tucson

8.47

Denver

San Diego

$2.96

San Francisco

$2.92

Seattle

$2.97 $2.94

West Tex/New Mexico 40

100

$2.99 AVG.

211.50 TOTAL

Metro Total $495.46

Denver

$1,322.20

Los Angeles

300

600

900

1200

1500

$4,689.11 TOTAL

100

Sacramento

$2.12

Seattle

66.17

West Tex/New Mexico

$2.80 $2.22

San Francisco

176.28

Seattle

$195.22

$2.48

Portland

San Diego

294.41

San Francisco

$476.18

Seattle

$2.07

$3.64

Salt Lake City 182.91

San Diego

$729.62

San Francisco

West Tex/New Mexico

13.23

Salt Lake City $441.03

San Diego

128.12

Sacramento

$48.10

Phoenix/Tucson

149.58

Portland

$271.82

Sacramento Salt Lake City

Los Angeles

134.67

Phoenix/Tucson

$331.79

Portland

Denver

533.38

Los Angeles

$377.69

Phoenix/Tucson

238.97

Denver

200

West Tex/New Mexico 300

400

500

600

1,917.72 TOTAL

$2.41 $2.48 $2.70 $2.95

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

$2.45 AVG.

P O TAT O R E TA I L I N G T O D AY

OES T A T O P O H A ? D L I U G F N I S K ES OC C T C S U D S L COU U TOO ®

YO E K A M

You could become so popular with your store’s customers that the other category managers become jealous. Or get a bonus so big that it puts you into a higher tax bracket. Or receive so many high fves from your boss that you dislocate your shoulder. There are any number of pitfalls of success that may befall you when you stock America’s #1-selling potato. But we’re sure you’ll manage to deal with them somehow.

IDAHOPOTATO.COM/RETAIL

Produce

Fresh Food

Growing Up

Local Supermarkets get savvy about sourcing homegrown greens and herbs.

GrOwinG PrOFitS BrightFarms’ greenhouse in Bucks County, Pa., supplies area McCaffrey’s and A&P stores.

By Jennifer Strailey

s demand for local produce remains sky-high 365 days a year, progressive grocers are fnding increasingly innovative ways to satisfy their customers’ appetite for greens and herbs grown close to home. Some, like Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets and Ahold USA’s Landover, Md.based Giant Food division, are partnering with local farmers to keep stores stocked with the freshest seasonal local fare. Weis Markets launched its annual Your Neighbor’s Our Farmer local produce program in late July. Te campaign celebrated the contributions of 13 local farmers who provide produce to some of its 163 stores. As part of the promotion, banners featuring photographs of the farmers were displayed in Weis’ produce departments by region, as well as in weekly circulars. Weis has said that it will purchase more than 25 million pounds of locally grown produce from nearly 150 farms in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and New York in 2014. Tis past summer, Giant Food revealed a partnership with more than 63 local farmers to bring a bounty of fresh produce to its customers. To promote these local oferings, the 169-store chain features a map on its website that lets customers know where the produce is grown. Te site also posts videos of local farmers. Tese eforts convey a farm-to-table progression that has customers coming back for more.

On-site Greenhouses While many supermarkets have become pros at summertime sourcing of local produce, maintaining a year-round supply of certain local fare is simply impossible — or is it? In December 2013, Whole Foods Market opened the doors of its Gowanus store in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, which features the nation’s frst commercial-scale greenhouse farm integrated within a retail grocery space. Te Austin, Texas-based natural food retailer partnered with Gotham Greens, of New York, to build a 20,000-square-foot, pesticide-free greenhouse on the roof of the store. Gotham Greens CEO Viraj Puri recently told Bloomberg news that the hydroponically grown lettuces, arugula and basil planted in the Whole Foods greenhouse are growing at a rate 20 times per unit area, compared with conventional farming. Te greens and herbs can be sold in the produce department the same day they’re harvested. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants that involves re-circulating nutrient solutions in September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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Fresh Food

As the world’s population continues to increase and climate change becomes more of a problem, hydroponics and indoor growing allow you to grow more in a lot more areas.” —Toby Tiktinsky, BrightFarms Inc.

Produce

water instead of using soil, to achieve faster, more reliable yields than conventional farming. Hydroponics also uses far less water — as much as 90 percent less — than commercial agriculture. Whole Foods is one of Gotham Greens’ 50 retail partners. Puri also told Bloomberg that Gotham is projecting 100 percent growth this year, and 300 percent growth by 2015. Te company, according to the CEO, has been proftable from day one.

Hydroponics for Hire “Local is the fastest-growing category in the produce aisle. It’s essentially the hottest trend in the industry, and it’s eclipsed organic in terms of what customers look for in a supermarket,” asserts Toby Tiktinsky, director of business development for BrightFarms Inc., also based in New York. Te company, whose mission is to reduce the environmental impact of growing produce and increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables to consumers, designs, fnances, builds and operates hydroponic greenhouse farms near an increasing number of supermarkets, providing them with locally grown produce year-round. “Tere’s no upfront cost to our retail partners,”

explains Tiktinsky. “Tey do not invest in building the farm; rather, they commit to purchasing our produce upon delivery.” He further notes that a sophisticated greenhouse farm costs between $3 million and $4 million. BrightFarms, which launched in 2011, made history when it signed the grocery industry’s frst long-term produce purchase agreement (PPA) with McCafrey’s Market, a grocer with four locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A 56,000-square-foot greenhouse in Bucks County, Pa., supplies McCafrey’s, as well as Montvale, N.J.-based A&P, with such greens as spring mix, baby kale and arugula. Te produce is packed by BrightFarms in clamshells that feature both its logo and that of the respective retailers. As supermarkets look to diversify their produce supply and satisfy the rising demand for locally grown products, companies like BrightFarms are experiencing exponential growth. Tis month, the greenhouse guru is breaking ground on a farm in Washington,

Call our sales team for more information Jessica Peri Cindy Elrod Mindy VanVleck 775-463-6326 775-463-6318 775-463-6313

154

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Monique Blajos 775-463-6325

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Fresh Food

COMMUNITY HUB Leafy greens proliferate at The GrowHaus, a nonprofit indoor urban farm that supplies markets and restaurants in Denver.

Produce

D.C., that will supply Ahold USA’s Giant Food stores. Another BrightFarms greenhouse, slated for St. Louis, will grow fresh greens for the 99-store Schnucks chain. Homeland Grocery, of Oklahoma City, is awaiting a BrightFarms greenhouse, and Milwaukee-based Roundy’s has also signed on for a facility to supply its Mariano’s Fresh Market stores in the Chicago area. Additionally, BrightFarms is working with an as-yet-unnamed retailer in Kansas City, Mo., and Minnesota-based Supervalu has committed to a greenhouse in the Twin Cities area. All of the greenhouses will be completed in the next three years, according to Tiktinsky, who adds that BrightFarms is moving to a new standardized 120,000-square-foot greenhouse model that can be replicated efciently. When the six new greenhouses are complete, the company will operate 776,000 square feet of hydroponically grown produce. BrightFarms is currently growing greens and

herbs, but plans are underway to implement a vine system for growing tomatoes. Tiktinsky contends that the advantages of growing hydroponically are many. “It’s more productive and efcient per acre than feld farms. All of the water is recirculated, and we capture rainwater as well. Plus there’s no environmental impact from runof,” he explains. While BrightFarms has supplemental lighting that’s primarily used in the winter, the sun is its main source of light for the plants. “I think hydroponics will play a much greater role in agriculture,” predicts Tiktinsky. “As the world’s population continues to increase and climate change becomes more of a problem, hydroponics and indoor growing allow you to grow more in a lot more areas. I think you’ll see more and more crops grown this way.”

DIY Greens At Te GrowHaus, a nonproft indoor urban farm, marketplace and education center in Denver, greens and herbs are cultivated using both hydroponics and aquaponics in a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse. Te facility features a 5,000-squarefoot commercial hydrofarm that grows fresh leafy greens for distribution throughout its neighborhood, local restaurants and markets, including Whole Foods. “We can’t produce enough,” says Coby Gould, executive director of Te GrowHaus. “If we can grow it, we can sell it.” Te hydrofarm, fully operational since October 2012, produces an average yield of 1,500 heads of Bibb lettuce per week. Te GrowHaus will add an additional 2,000 square feet of hydrofarm to its operation next year, along

156

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

P R E T T Y LA DY ’ S P RO P R I E TA RY

Fall 2014

grapes

Are Making an Appearance at Stores Everywhere Dulcich & Sons’ new Green Emerald Seedless Grapes are in the limelight this season, and they're turning customers’ heads everywhere! These extra-large, incredibly crunchy and extraordinarily favorful grapes are the latest addition to the Sunlight International Pretty Lady Family.

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Fresh Food

Eating local and knowing where your food comes from shouldn’t be a trend. It should be, and is becoming, the norm.” —Coby Gould, The GrowHaus

Produce

with 400 square feet devoted to mushrooms. Aquaponics combines aquaculture, or the cultivation of fsh, with hydroponics in a recirculating system. Te GrowHaus’ 3,200-square-foot aquaponics system produces fresh fsh, including tilapia and bass, as well as salad and cooking greens, culinary herbs, and fruits and vegetables year-round. Te nutrient-rich water from the fsh tanks provides constant fertilizer for the plants, while they in turn clean and flter the water that returns to the fsh tank. When it comes to cultivating a hydroponic farm, “do it right the frst time,” advises Gould, who says partnering with experts in the feld is essential. “Generally, you can expect that it will take at least six months from the start to when you are actually at production rates, so you also need to allow for that in the budget.” While costs depend upon the scale and type of hydroponic greenhouse farm, Te GrowHaus got up and running for $150,000, including labor and materials. It started with hydroponics in 2011, add-

ed aquaponics the following year and opened its small on-site market, which primarily serves the local community, last year. “Our mission is to create a communitydriven system for a local food economy by creating a hub where we are a supplier, aggregator, distributor and educator of local food,” explains Gould. Selling its local greens to Whole Foods, upscale local markets and some of Denver’s most popular restaurants helps to ofset the costs associated with supplying its foodinsecure neighborhood with afordable fresh produce. “I think that it’s pretty clear that our agricultural system needs to change, and it is changing,” asserts Gould. “It’s not just about providing people with food, it’s about providing people with good food.” While he sees hydroponics and aquaponics as “interesting alternatives” to traditional agriculture, he doesn’t envision them as primary food resources. “What is needed is to diversify the way we are growing food,” he says. As for the future of the local movement, Gould believes it’s here to stay. “Eating local and knowing where your food comes from shouldn’t be a trend,” he says. “It should be, and is becoming, the norm.” PG

A DV E RTO R I A L

Tim Byrne President, Next Big Thing (NBT) Cooperative Progressive Grocer: Next Big Thing (NBT) is a cooperatve of dedicated growers at orchards in carefully selected locatons. Can you explain how NBT started? Tim Byrne: Pepin Heights Orchards, the company I was working for, submited a proposal to the University of Minnesota for the exclusive license to market the University’s new SweeTango apple. The vision was to bring together the best growers in the country— growers we had worked with, as well as our compettors—to build a cooperatve to commercialize the SweeTango brand apple. We visited Michigan, New York State and Washington, and in 2006 invited 50 growers to Minneapolis and made our presentaton. The coop was legally formed on July 31, 2006. The ﬁrst trees were planted in 2007, and we currently have 800,000 trees that produce SweeTango apples. NBT is a vertcally integrated company made up of the best growers in the country that grow, pack, sell and ship SweeTango apples. Because we have growing, packing and shipping facilites in Washington, the Midwest and in New York, we can deliver the apples in a tmely fashion country wide so retailers have the best quality product for consumers.

PG: What makes SweeTango apples superior to other apples? Byrne: They are visually very interestng—they are bicolor with prominent white lentls (breathing mechanisms in an apple’s skin)—

158

so they stand out on retailers’ shelves. They have an explosive, crisp bite (which I call fracturability) similar to that of a Honeycrisp apple. And they have a sweet, juicy, complex flavor profile with a litle acidity on the back end that gives a bright finish. The flavor profile is probably the #1 thing that gets people coming back for SweeTango apples!

PG: Why should retailers stock apples from NBT this Fall? Byrne: Retailers only have so much space to merchandise apples— so we have to earn our space. We have to provide velocity and margin. We’re engaged in social outreach through Facebook, Twiter and Instagram, and have regional bloggers [who will be blogging about the apples]. As part of our marketng campaign, we’re working with Andrew Zimmern, the popular television personality, who is a big fan of the SweeTango apple. And we have an interactve Sweet Spot campaign that features a map of the U.S. We’ll ask people to tell us where they bought SweeTango apples, then drop that locaton onto the map on our website, www.sweetango.com, which will help drive customers into the store. SweeTango apples are at their best early in the season, and we want to sell them within a three-month period. The season is short and sweet, so customers have to get them at their peak while they can. Scarcity is good motvaton!

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

This EARLY-FALL VARIETY will have SHOPPERS This EARLY-FALL VARIETY will have SHOPPERS DANCING in your PRODUCE AISLE DANCING in your PRODUCE AISLE

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U.S. West Region U.S. East Region U.S. West Region U.S. EastFarms Region Stemilt Growers Fowler Stemilt Growers Fowler Farms (509) 662-9667 (315) 594-8068 (509) 662-9667 (315) 594-8068 Roger.Pepperl@stemilt.com LeePeters@fowlerfarms.com Roger.Pepperl@stemilt.com LeePeters@fowlerfarms.com U.S. Midwest Region Canada U.S. Midwest Canada Scotian Gold Pepin HeightsRegion Orchards Scotian Gold Pepin Heights Orchards (651) 633-2600 (902) 679-6795 (651) 633-2600 (902) 679-6795 sales@pepinheights.com Franco.Diliberatore@scotiangold.com sales@pepinheights.com Franco.Diliberatore@scotiangold.com Visit SweeTango.com for additional information. Visit SweeTango.com for additional information.

ET YOU YOU R R TA TA ST ST E E BU BU DS DS DA DA N N CE! CE! LL ET SweeTango® is a registered trademark of Regents of the University of Minnesota. SweeTango® is a registered trademark of Regents of the University of Minnesota.

Fresh Food

Produce

New apple varieties, promotions and contests create excitement and sales opportunities. By Jennifer Strailey

ext month is Apple Month, and to honor the occasion and drive sales of everything from Honeycrisps to Granny Smiths, U.S. Apples is bringing back its successful Appletize Me interactive social mediabased campaign. As part of the promotion, the Vienna, Va.-based organization is relaunching an expanded version of its www.appeltizeme.com website, which invites consumers to choose their personality type and then get paired with an apple variety based on that persona. For example, social butterfies are matched with Gala apples, while ftness fanatics are paired with Fujis. Last year’s campaign, which ran through October and into November, garnered 74 million media impressions. U.S. Apples hopes to top that this year. Radio spots will plug the Appletize Me site featuring additional personality types and apple pairings, along with recipes, usage suggestions and pairings designed to increase apple purchases. Marzetti and California Walnuts are partnering with U.S. Apples to include pairings of dips and nuts. “We are always trying to drive the category and increase sales on behalf of our members across the U.S.,” says Wendy Brannen, director, consumer health and public relations for U.S. Apples. Consumer education on the health benefts and versatility of the fruit is critical to this mission. “We are seeing that more people are using apples in recipes and not just eating them as a snack,” observes Brannen, who adds that heightened awareness of the importance of eating healthfully and maintaining an active lifestyle has created new opportunities in the category. “We’re seeing apples used as a healthy ingredient in salads, chutneys, relishes, as a topping on pizza and fatbread, and even in soups,” she notes. Te availability of new varieties of apples is also generating consumer excitement. “Tere’s a lot of consumer curiosity about diferent apple varieties,” says Brannen. New York state recently

160

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Fresh Food

Produce

introduced two new varieties: SnapDragon, an extra-sweet and juicy apple, and RubyFrost, a sweet and tart crisp apple.

We are seeing that more people are using apples in recipes and not just eating them as a snack.Ó ÑWendy Brannen, U.S. Apples

LOVE AT FIRST BITE SweeTango aims to hit the ÒSweet Spot of the Apple Season.Ó

162

Building Sales, One Bite at a Time SweeTango, a cross between the Honeycrisp and Zestar! varieties, is another new apple that has captured consumer interest. Te apple crop, which is available from early September into November, sold out in just 60 days last year. To encourage a repeat performance this fall, the growers who produce SweeTango apples are launching a retail campaign featuring an interactive map populated by shoppers’ tweets, posts and texts. In-store, on-pack and online messaging will encourage customers to tweet, Instagram or text a picture of an in-store SweeTango display, using the hashtag #SweeTangoSpot. Shoppers will be entered to win a year’s supply of apples, while retail locations will automatically be added to SweeTango’s map and shared socially. Te campaign also includes demos in select stores around the country, along with pairing cards. “We believe this is an underserved area. We’re trying to build more use occasions by suggesting diferent pairings with cheeses and things like Marcona almonds, which really complement SweeTango apples,” says Tim Byrne, executive director of Next Big Ting (NBT), a Lake City, Minn.-based growers’ cooperative. “SweeTangos have that wonderful bite, crispness and chunky way the apple comes of the core. Its large cell structure allows for that explosion on biting. It also has a complex favor that is sweet and juicy, but with some residual acidity,” says Byrne, describing the apple’s distinctive appeal. NBT has also partnered with several food bloggers around the country to get the word out about the apple’s many use occasions. According to Byrne, while sliced apples continue to grow at a reasonable pace, bulk apples aren’t seeing the same lift. “Te quality of apples that the industry is bringing to market has never been better,” observes Byrne. “Even still, we’re having trouble jerking the needle up on consumption. As an industry, we need to work better to get across our message of favor, freshness and health attributes.” At the retail level, Byrne recommends emphasizing the new crop and regionally grown apples from Labor Day through Tanksgiving. “I would also suggest taking any oppor-

tunity to put a face with the food. Use the farmer’s picture with a little bio. Let customers know, this could be your neighbor. Tose kinds of stories build an empathic consumer base and brand the apple category,” he notes. SweeTango apples are grown in Washington state, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Back to School Stemilt Growers, in Wenatchee, Wash., shipped the frst of the season’s SweeTango apples in late August. “It’s a fun apple,” says Roger Pepperl, Stemilt marketing director. He sees tremendous potential in merchandising SweeTangos alongside a host of diferent varieties to create sales-boosting fall “apple-ramas.” It’s not only apple season, it’s also time to head back to school, which means parents will be shopping for healthful lunchbox fllers and after-school snacks. “We’re emphasizing kid-friendly appleramas with kid-size fruit,” says Pepperl, who points to Stemilt’s Lil Snappers line of smaller fruit in 3-pound stand-up pouches. “Data has shown that apple-rama displays increase the apple category not only in sales units, but also in sales dollars. We see both go up, so the impulse to buy is there,” he notes. Pepperl believes that one of the produce industry’s oldest marketing concepts — the produce manager display contest — is still one of the most efective. “If the produce manager builds a nice display, the store makes more money and consumers eat more apples,” he asserts. Stemilt will run apple display contests through October. New Website Promotes Apples In conjunction with New York state’s 2014 apple harvest, which kicked of Aug. 15, the New York Apple Association, based in the town of Fishers, launched an all-new consumer website dedicated to New York apples. Te website, www.nyapplecountry.com, includes profles of dozens of New York state apple varieties, and nearly 100 recipes. Also featured are locator maps on the home page that connect consumers with local orchards and farm markets in and around New York. In late July, growers from across the state predicted a 2014 crop of 30 million bushels, slightly smaller than last year’s 32 million bushels, but still above New York’s fve-year average of 29.5 million bushels. PG

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

As supermarket retailers increasingly consider health and wellness as an image-building platform, Millennials represent an important consumer segment that’s ripe for increasing basket share with healthy, high-margin items like fresh fruits and vegetables.

PMA (Fresh) Perspectives By Eileen O’Leary

Attitudes and Lifestyles of

Millennials

Their maturing mindset toward health creates a match for produce marketing.

rue or false? Te Millennial generation takes its youth and physical health for granted. I hope you answered “false,” or else you could be overlooking a valuable target for the produce department. Te truth is, Millennials are becoming more aware of the importance of taking care of their bodies and are fnding ways to do so proactively. Tey’re using exercise to boost energy, be more alert and manage stress. Tey’re also making a conscious efort to eat better. As supermarket retailers increasingly consider health and wellness as an image-building platform, Millennials represent an important consumer segment that’s not only responsive to this strategy, but also ripe for increasing basket share for healthy, high-margin items like fresh fruits and vegetables. Findings from “Outlook on the Millennial Consumer 2014,” a syndicated study from Te Hartman Group commissioned by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and also discussed in this column in PG’s August 2014 issue, demonstrates that Millennials’ approaches to food are maturing. In fact, 59 percent of Millennials surveyed say they’re starting to develop healthy eating habits, and 51 percent report actively managing their physical appearance through diet.

Influencing Food Choices Compared with Bellevue, Wash.-based Hartman’s 2011 research on Millennials, the 2014 report fnds this generation making more careful food choices and trying to avoid unnecessary additives. Tirty percent say they select foods and beverages with as few additives as possible, up seven points from three years ago. Choosing fresh food over canned, frozen or packaged as much as possible is the preference of 37 percent of Millennials surveyed, and 33 percent report reading labels when shopping to make the healthiest choices. Despite being label readers, fewer Millennials’

164

purchases are infuenced by the health information on product packaging as compared with older generations. Tey instead rely more on intuition and common sense when determining what to eat. “I’m not a fat and calories person. I’m a vegetable person. I eat vegetables at every meal,” said Desirée, a 30-year-old who participated in the study. Tis practical approach to eating falls in line with Millennials’ tendency to practice balance in many aspects of their lives. Tey relate less to the idea of dieting to lose weight and are instead looking for convenient opportunities to integrate nutritious ingredients and whole foods into their everyday eating. Tis outlook aligns beautifully with the wholesome qualities of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Healthy Kitchen Millennials tend to embrace a do-it-yourself approach to many facets of life, including cooking. Te Hartman study also shows one of the greatest infuences on Millennials’ current eating habits is cooking and learning to cook, a sentiment shared by 36 percent of those surveyed, representing a sevenpoint increase over 2011. Forty-three percent say that as much as practically possible,

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

The Giant Never Looked So Good cajun-lime grilled corn 4 ears Green Giant™ Fresh Super Sweet Corn 1 lime, quartered Cajun seasoning Handful of fresh Green Giant™ Fresh Cilantro, chopped Preheat grill to medium high (350-450°F) Remove husks and silk from corn Rinse corn thoroughly with cold running water Grill corn for about 10 minutes, turning frequently to be sure all sides get slightly charred Remove from grill and let cool 20 minutes Carefully remove kernels from cob into a bowl Squeeze juice from lime over the corn Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and mix together Top with fresh cilantro

831-751-3800 www.greengiantfresh.com Box Tops for Education, Green Giant and associated words and designs are trademarks of General Mills−used under license. ©General Mills

PMA (Fresh) Perspectives they have home-cooked meals. Millennials are more likely to buy fresh ingredients the same day they cook them, as reported by 18 percent of Millennials, versus only 6 percent of Baby Boomers. Te fact that Millennials grew up with celebrity chefs and cooking shows likely contributes to their willingness to experiment in the kitchen, with 37 percent saying they experiment with new cuisines at home. With hundreds of items, the produce department is fertile ground for Millennials to expand their culinary boundaries, while also delivering on the healthy, delicious ingredients they seek. Tis is also a generation that instinctively consults online resources for help on how to prepare anything. Produce suppliers can capitalize on Millennials’ sense of adventure by ensuring that product, preparation and company information are easy to fnd and reach them via all things mobile, social and digital. Highlighting recipes using fresh produce to help Millennials explore new cuisines in their own kitchens also stands to be well received.

Eating Out, Eating Well It appears that fast food and QSR will continue to be part of Millennials’ daily routines, and the research shows many express a desire for healthier options in these foodservice segments that are still budgetfriendly. What fast-food and QSR establishments lack represents an opportunity for grocery retailers. Healthier alternatives with afordable, grab-and-go fresh fruit and vegetable options from the supermarket prepared food section can help Millennials make better everyday choices away from home. Even if health and wellness isn’t a focused strategy for your store(s), supermarket retailers are in a position to be a tremendous resource for this generation — answering its calls for afordability, convenience and healthy alternatives when it comes to food choices. Tis is especially important, as, according to Nielsen, Millennials represent a $200 billion opportunity and will hold even more spending power in the coming years. PG Eileen O’Leary is the market research manager for Produce Marketing Association. With nine years of experience in research and development, O’Leary leads consumer-based research for the association.

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Equipment & Design

Point-of-purchase Materials

Look Who’s

Talking

Today’s POP solutions are working harder than ever to entice customers — and electronic offerings may not be too far off. By Bob Ingram

There is no need for retailers to invest in digital signage that will be obsolete before itÕs rolled out Ñ the customer has already done that.Ó ÑJeff Weidauer, Vestcom International Inc.

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oint-of-purchase (POP) materials are one of the last opportunities to capture the attention of the consumer in the purchase cycle. Shelf talkers are timeless marketing tools, ubiquitous features of nearly every grocery store. What’s changed, according to John Spitaletta, chief business ofcer at Clip Strip Corp., in Hackensack, N.J., is that the marketing is “louder and bolder than ever before, even extending to the foor of the aisle. Of course, retailers give you more when you sell more.” To stand out among the ferce competition at retail, marketers are pushing the limits of size by

going bigger and longer, Spitaletta notes. Video for the shelf edge has gained some traction, too, he says, and although obstacles such as power and noise have limited their reach so far, “stay tuned on that evolution.” Te Clip Strip, invented by Spitaletta’s father in 1980, has evolved to include molded plastic, fat die-cut and metal strips, and the Sticky Strip, the company’s latest innovation. It has adhesivebased mounting positions to which packages are stuck, but can be easily removed by the consumer. “Tis product eliminates the need to purchase hang tabs to hang impulse products on Clip Strip merchandisers,” explains Spitaletta. Clip Strip has also added to its EG-Series of plastic shelf-edge sign holders, which create fush- or fag-style shelf-talking vehicles, Spitaletta says, as well as rolling out a take-one coupon book shelf talker. Te company is also about to launch a POP printing division to create signage

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Environmental programs that work around the clock. Just like you. There’s never been a better time to call the experts at Waste Management. With the largest environmental solutions network in the nation, 24/7 customer support, and consolidated billing, we can help you save both time and money. From corner stores to superstores, we’ll work with you to control costs, reduce risk, and boost recycling and diversion rates. And we’ll do it on your schedule. To learn more, go to wm.com/grocerysolutions, or call us at 888 495 7853.

Equipment & Design

Point-of-purchase Materials

for use with its array of sign holder products, while its magnetic Boot System is for gondola shelving. Te company is in the early research stages of adding electronic shelf talkers and is currently in discussion with Boca Raton, Fla.-based 30 Second Ads, which Spitaletta believes will be a leading player in atretail video commercial spot distribution; its business model combines quality content for the retailer, free of charge, running throughout the day with relevant 30-second commercials.

As price comes down, electronic shelf talkers will take the place of traditional shelf talkers, but as with many electronic replacements, the soul will be lost.” —Gary Frank, ShelfWiz

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Enhanced Shopper Engagement At Vestcom International Inc., in Little Rock, Ark., Jef Weidauer, VP, marketing and strategy, says that the goal for shelf talkers and other in-store POP materials haven’t evolved much over time, although the retail environment certainly has. “Shelf talkers are intended to grab a shopper’s attention,” he explains, “by standing out — literally sticking out from the shelf, as well as with eyecatching creativity — and pointing her to a specifc item or event. What’s changed is the store itself, with more POP, more color and more signage, all vying for that shopper’s attention.” Vestcom ofers a suite of solutions that Weidauer says are designed to help retailers drive sales, reduce costs and more efectively engage the shopper. Among them: ShelfStrips, which are shelf-edge molding strips that put the planogram, item description and even marketing messages right on the shelf edge, ensuring planogram integrity and preventing temporary out-of-stocks from becoming permanent. Weidauer says they reduce shelf set time by 50 percent or more, and are great for what he calls “category color blocking,” as well as marketing messages. Vestcom also ofers BannerStrips, which Weidauer says are expanded ShelfStrips that “maximize the billboard power of the shelf edge, grabbing the shopper’s attention and providing relevant information and education right at the point of decision.” Vestcom’s newest shelfedge innovation is SnapTalker, which combines the price label, bib tag and shelf talker all in one unit, saving time and money with fewer parts and less labor to hang, while allowing a SKU-specifc

message to draw attention and infuence purchase behavior. In regard to electronic shelf talkers, Weidauer says: “Te appeal of electronic signage at the shelf edge has been taunting retailers for a generation, but so far none have provided the requisite ROI to make them viable. Tat’s more true today than ever, as virtually every shopper already has a digital display device with them, and is interested in being able to use them to help shop.” Te future of electronic shelf communication is quite literally in the hands of shoppers, Weidauer says, because they want to get information on their phones, and the shelf edge should make that information readily available via the use of bar codes, digital watermarks or iBeacon technology. His caveat: “Tere is no need for retailers to invest in digital signage that will be obsolete before it’s rolled out — the customer has already done that.” John Tompson, VP of retail strategy and development at Minneapolis-based in-store media company Insignia, says that electronic shelf talkers will play a role in the future, but that they need to serve the needs of the retailer, the brand and the shopper. “Some solutions today are not very intuitive for the shopper to use,” he asserts. “In lower-engagement categories, shoppers are on a mission and don’t have time to try to fgure out something complicated. Ten on the retailer side, the electronic solutions tend to require expensive and complicated upfront/ setup costs, which is a barrier for adoption.” Gary Frank, owner of San Francisco-based shelf talker provider Shelf Wiz, adds, “Electronic shelf talkers currently present a very costly alternative to traditional shelf talkers. As price comes down, they’ll take the place of traditional shelf talkers, but as with many electronic replacements, the soul will be lost. More technical difculties will disable some electronic systems, and creativity to make interesting, artful shelf talkers may be limited.” Julia Schmidt, Insignia’s VP of marketing, sums up: “We believe the revolution is coming to translate out-of-store social/engagement behaviors to an in-store shopper experience. Te industry has yet to crack the code on how to do this in a way that is intuitive and easy for shoppers, and efective for retailers and brands, but it’s on the way.” PG

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

ISSUE TWO, VOLUME THREE

Left to right: Missouri-based Save-A-Lot co-owners Paul Schnettgoecke, Matt Sauer and Wayne Sauer

All in the family

Advertorial

How Wayne Sauer builds profitable partnerships with his son and brother-in-law

PHOTOS BY JERRY NAUNHEIM

MATT SAUER (LEFT), WAY SAUER A PAUL S ETTGOECKE

ILLINOIS

MISSOURI

OPERATORS: NUMBER OF STORES: LOCATIONS: FIRST STORE OPENING:

Advertorial

ALL IN THE FAMILY Wayne Sauer builds proftable partnerships in Missouri with his son and brother-in-law. At age 15, Wayne Sauer was sorting soda bottles and pushing grocery carts for the Del Monte Foods store in Florissant, Mo. Although he didn’t know it at the time, the ambitious teen—who grew up in nearby Hazelwood—was embarking on a grocery career that would find him at the helm of nine successful Save-A-Lot stores some 48 years later.

ISSUE 2, VOL. 3

WWW.SAVE-A-LOT.COM/OW

“I was drafted in 1971 and served in Vietnam for one year, then came back to the grocery business,” Sauer recalls. “I could have gone in my father’s contracting business; however, that work wasn’t for me.”

Location is another important consideration, says Schnettgoecke, who is involved in the Cedar Hill, St. Clair, Neosho and Paciﬁc stores. “I prefer to ﬁnd niches in the market that do not provide a low-cost grocery option for the people in these communities,” he explains. “People really appreciate a friendly, clean and low-cost option that gives them the small town feeling they used to have before the mega-store concept took over.”

Instead, Sauer worked while attending college on the GI Bill, ﬁrst back at Del Monte, then at the local Shop ‘n Save. “I moved up the ladder to store manager at Shop ‘n Save. But I always wanted to own my own business,” he says. That opportunity came in 1981, when Sauer invested in a Save-A-Lot in Camdenton, Mo. “Back then Save-A-Lot was a new company,” he says. “I bought that store with a business partner, who ended up dying prematurely, and I just kept buying stores here and there.”

Model operations Besides being ideal for the small store footprints that Sauer likes, Save-A-Lot delivers beneﬁts such as low overhead so the store can make a proﬁt on lower volume, he says. Being able to order almost all of the products their stores stock from Save-A-Lot distribution centers is an added plus.

Today, that “here and there” includes nine towns—Camdenton, Laurie, Cedar Hill, St. Clair, Neosho, Pleasant Hill, Sedalia and Paciﬁc, Mo., and Pinckneyville, Ill. “I have nine stores with nine partners,” Sauer explains. “My brother-in-law, Paul Schnettgoecke, is a business partner and co-owner of four stores; my son, Matt Sauer, has three stores with me; and Dale Holzer is also a partner in Wayne ﬁve of the stores.” The other six business partners own minority stakes in various stores, he adds. “All of the businesses are partnerships—that is just what works for me.”

“Save-A-Lot provides 90 percent of our inventory, which keeps the back door closed more than opened. If we get most of the inventory in one or two trucks, it saves on labor and lets us run a more efﬁcient operation,” says Sauer. “And the quality of products we purchase from Save-ASauer: Lot is outstanding.”

"I always wanted to own my own business."

A matter of size and location

Schnettgoecke concurs. “Having to deal with Save-A-Lot only, for the most part, makes it much easier on my business organizationally and [allows me] to utilize Save-A-Lot’s buying power,” he says. With nine stores in nine different cities, Sauer and his business partners have plenty to keep them busy, putting any talk of future expansion on the back burner for now.

Sauer’s newest store, which opened in June 2014 in Paciﬁc, was a build-from-scratch undertaking, as was the St. Clair store, which debuted in 2010. The remaining seven locations were existing stores that the business partners renovated.

“My attitude is one at a time,” Schnettgoecke says. “There is a maturation process with each store opened—to let the dust settle, if you will, to see what you have and to staff the stores effectively. We never stop looking for opportunities, but our new Paciﬁc location is focus No. 1 right now.”

“There are pros and cons with each,” says Schnettgoecke. “Obviously, there is more of a ﬁnancial commitment going ground up over leasing … if there is a viable, existing building available that meets our cost model, I’m not against going this route. Our latest project just didn’t have existing property to our liking.”

If they do eventually expand again, the partners are committed to the Save-A-Lot program. “Some owners have a tendency to ‘chase’ their competition in regards to gimmicks and products, and they stray from the basic premise,” says Schnettgoecke, who advises owners to instead “follow the program, run a clean and organized store, and let your competition chase you.” GE

Whether improving an existing store or building from the ground up, Sauer and his business partners follow a similar format. “All of the stores are between 11,000 and 15,000 square feet, and most are 12,000 square feet,” says Sauer, who prefers small to mid-size markets.

ISSUE 2, VOL. 3

WWW.SAVE-A-LOT.COM/OW

Advertorial

BECOME A

SAVE-A-LOT OWNER! With a proven hard discount, carefully selected-assortment business model, Save-A-Lot offers entrepreneurs the ability to compete effectively in today’s everchanging grocery industry. And there’s never been a better time to be a Save-A-Lot licensee: Save-A-Lot is now offering a Licensed Store Incentive Program for all new and converted licensed stores. The amount of the incentive for each store will depend on the specific terms and financial considerations of each project, but will be a minimum of $200,000 per new store. If you have a proven track record of successful experience in grocery or other industry management, Save-A-Lot would like to talk to you about becoming a store owner. Here’s how you can take the next step toward a rewarding entrepreneurial opportunity as a Save-A-Lot licensee: ✱ Contact Eric Hunn, Save-A-Lot License Development, at eric.v.hunn@savealot.com or at (314) 592-9446. ✱ Visit the Save-A-Lot website at www.save-a-lot.com/own for more detailed information about becoming a Save-A-Lot owner.

The Save-A-Lot support advantage

Save-A-Lot by the numbers ✱ More than 1,300 stores nationwide ✱ 70% of locations owned and operated by independent licensed retailers ✱ Target neighborhoods with annual household income under $45,000 ✱ Average store size: 15,000 square feet ✱ Fewer than 2,500 SKUs per store ✱ 16 distribution centers across the country ✱ Prices up to 40% lower than conventional supermarkets

Advertorial

ISSUE 2, VOL. 3

✱ Market and consumer research ✱ Site selection and development assistance ✱ Owner, manager and associate training programs ✱ Advertising, public relations and information technology programs ✱ Store opening assistance and ongoing operations support ✱ Integrated distribution center system

WWW.SAVE-A-LOT.COM/OW

The Intelligent Checkout

Combining recent advances in front-end automation to drive speed, service, and sales Automaton has given us an opportunity to redeﬁne the checkout process, enabling faster throughput and enhanced service, in a more eﬃcient footprint that frees up space for additonal front end sales revenue. This automaton is the result of a steady evoluton of front end systems since scanning began over 40 years ago.

Here’s how it works

In the beginning The checkout process used to be much simpler than it is today. There were fewer weekly ads, many grocers did not accept credit cards, there were few loyalty programs, and fewer items that required PLUs. There were more employees working the front end and each lane had both a cashier and a bagger. As competton grew, however, so did the complexity at the front end. More products, more promotons, loyalty programs, and the reducton of headcount resulted in an increase of transacton tme, and with the cashier also busy bagging products, there was less tme with which to engage shoppers. Over the years, new front end technologies have been developed to address some of these issues. The additon of self-checkout systems helped ease the burden on cashiers by transferring the checkout tasks to the shopper with the introducton of customer-facing cash equipment – equipment that some retailers have even added to manned checkouts to add an element of cash control. Scanning technology has improved dramatcally over the years, new belt conﬁguratons enhance the physical movement of products along the checkout, and botom-of-the basket scanners aid loss preventon eﬀorts and add speed to the transacton.

But what if all of these advances were integrated into one modular system that can be tailored to a store’s unique layout and traffic?

Enhancing the checkout experience In order to enhance the checkout experience and provide customers with a positve final impression of the store, three key areas of the front end must be addressed: • Checkout transacton tme: This is a perennial issue that is always among the top complaints among shoppers, yet is one that can be addressed with the right automaton. Initatves to speed up the process will quickly result in a positve view of the store’s service levels. • Customer engagement: Today’s cashiers are so busy scanning items – and in many cases bagging them, as well – that they have litle tme to engage the shopper at the front end. Automaton and a smarter configuraton of the checkstand can free up the cashier to interact with the shopper, and even perform some suggestve selling of impulse items at the front end. • Checkstand configuraton: Traditonal front-end checkstand configuratons do not have many optons, and are an inefficient use of space. A more modular system that works with the store’s format and volume can free up more floor space, increasing the comfort of shoppers in line while adding more merchandising opportunites.

1. The shopper places items on the belt one at a tme. The belt takes the product through the portal scanner, which uses 360degree imaging technology to scan the barcode, regardless of what directon the barcode is facing. The belt is specially designed so that all items, including eggs, glass jars, gravy packets and even deli soup containers will move effortlessly through the scanner without spilling or breaking. 2. The system identfies a free bagging area to which the scanned products flow. An atendant at the bagging area begins bagging the items as they arrive. If there are any items that are not scanned – for example, due to a faulty bar code, or produce that was not weighed and labeled – an excepton is sent to the cashier with an image identfying the item, so that she can pull that product from the belt and enter it manually. It is then placed back on the belt for transport to the appropriate bagging area. 3. When the customer is finished unloading her items, she places a divider on the belt, which, when scanned by the portal scanner, signals the system that the next customer is ready to start, and diverts the next shopper’s items to a second bagging area. 4. The first customer finalizes her transacton at the cashier staton while the bagger at the first staton loads that customer’s bags into her shopping cart. At the same tme, the next customer’s scanned items are being bagged at the second bagging staton. 5. And so on… While this is all happening, the cashier is free to engage the customers, make them aware of store events, and perhaps even suggest items at the front end that may complement their order. The Fast Lane X3 is a modular system, and can be configured with additonal cashier statons, bagging areas, and belts according to the store layout and shopper traffic. It can replace up to six conventonal checkout lanes in half the space, freeing up to 50 percent more sales floor space at the front end for impulse merchandising to drive additonal front end sales.

The result: More speed, more service, and more sales. To schedule a visit to Pan-Oston's facility to see this revolutonary new lane, call (800) 210-2302, or experience it online at UtopiaTechnologyGroup.com.

Pan-Oston’s Utopia Technology Group has developed a revolutonary way of meetng these front-end challenges with its Fast Lane X3, which combines a unique portal scanning system and sortaton technology to boost checkout speed, increase cashier engagement, and free up ﬂoor space for additonal merchandising. ADVERTORIAL

Te secret to increased customer satisfaction, lower overhead and higher profts is here!

Pictured is the Utopia FastLane X3 Right and FastLane X3 Lef. Features include DataLogic Portal Scanner and SpanTech Sortation Technology.

Te number one complaint by customers today is the front-end checkout experience. We have all been there, a few lanes open with the majority of lanes closed, resulting in long lines and aggravation. Tat is why we developed the revolutionary Utopia FastLane X3. It is the frst and only checkout that incorporates PortalSorting, a record-breaking combination of high-speed portal scanning with contactless sorting in fexible modular confgurations.

• One lane does the work of multiple lanes. • It requires fewer employees while delivering improved customer service.

• Te FastLane X3 delivers a faster and better shopping experience. • According to DataLogic, the Portal Scan can handle up to 160 items a minute. • SpanTech Sortation Technology is included, which directs items to the specifed bagging area to assist customer fow. • Multiple customer service style options are available, including assisted cart unloading and bagging service, or customers unload and bag. • Tere are fexible payment options for your customers’ convenience. • Te FastLane X3 integrates with your existing POS system. • A dedicated employee is always present to assist customers.

A division of Pan-Oston Schedule a visit at 1.800.210.2302 or visit us online at www.utopiatechnologygroup.com

Equipment & Design Warehouse Management

WaRehouse

Wiardry Increased sophistication and efficiency are answering new supply chain challenges. By Bob Ingram

etail food marketing is changing at a pace that demands warehouse management systems include adaptable technology that can evolve along with retailers’ businesses. “Customer demand for omnichannel options has been one of the most signifcant trends we’ve seen,” afrms Chuck Fuerst, director of product strategy at HighJump Software, in Minneapolis. “Now customers want to order merchandise however they want, whenever they want, and have it delivered wherever they want.”

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Grocers are currently trying to balance the growth in e-commerce with traditional store shopping, and adaptability tools can transform the supply chain into a competitive advantage by replacing the traditional one-size-fts-all approach with a tailored one, according to Fuerst. “HighJump Software has an extremely fexible and adaptable WMS [warehouse management system] that includes rapid upgrades that the customer can perform,” he notes. “Some have been completed in less than a day. Tis helps customers stay current on the latest technology and industry features. HighJump also ofers quick and easy incorporation

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

of change orders: New technology is easily leveraged without business disruption, avoiding the obsolescence that occurs with many traditional systems.” Fuerst says that HighJump’s in-store fulfllment capabilities also address the shift to an omni-channel marketplace. “For instance,” he points out, “our WMS has expanded out from the warehouse and a store’s back ofce onto the retail foor, and is even integrated with POS systems. Tis enables real-time control and greater visibility of all inventory, allowing grocers to source products from nontraditional locations.” Regarding next-generation WMS tools for the supermarket industry, Fuerst says those that provide a seamless experience will be key. Grocers must be able to grow their online strategies while maintaining and growing their brick-and-mortar businesses. HighJump is readying itself for these changes, observes Fuerst, in a number of ways: automatic control and prioritization of store replenishment processes to minimize stock-outs and better manage the workforce; store receipt processing with support for ASN (advanced ship notice) and PO receipt processes with directed put-away for streamlined work fow; cycle counting and inventory adjustment con-

trols to maintain inventory accuracy, work queue, labor and productivity management to support store associate management; and real-time inventory visibility to support more timely supply chain decisions and supplier visibility. “We are also exploring how augmented reality can be leveraged within the supply chain,” he says. “Tere are defnitely some obvious benefts that could come from leveraging this type of technology, especially the hands-free operations, as well as the use of product images for efcient product recognition and error reduction.” HighJump is “also focused on ensuring the mo-

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Equipment & Design

Warehouse Management

DO IT YOURSELF HighJump Software features upgrades that the customer can perform.

bility of our solutions, including support for a wider variety of devices and user experiences, and being able to leverage consumer-grade devices within the store that can support store execution tasks, as well as maintain the shopping experience,” he continues.

In todayÕs increasingly complex sales and supply chain environment, the single most important function for a warehouse management system is full network visibility and traceability.Ó ÑSimon Sterling, Snapfulfill

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Cash Flow is King According to Simon Sterling, marketing executive at Chicago-based Snapfulfll: “Te evolution from a single sales channel to multiple channels and now to an omni-channel scenario has created increasingly multifaceted work processes and decisions involving allocation and segregation of inventory. In today’s increasingly complex sales and supply chain environment, the single most important function for a warehouse management system is full network visibility and traceability.” Sterling believes that establishing processes to ensure inventory is synchronized across diferent systems is one of the primary factors that a modern WMS must achieve. “At Snapfulfll, we are ever cognizant of the fact that our e-commerce customers operate in a very price-sensitive market and need to keep their distribution costs to a minimum,” he notes. Cash fow being king for most online retailers, Snapfulfll has adopted a SaaS (software as a service) business model to replace upfront hardware and software costs with a pay-as-you-go/monthly installment model, says Sterling. “Tis way,” he explains, “food retail companies are not locked into an infexible three-to-fve-year payback period, which is frequent-

ly the case with conventional software solutions. As SaaS costs are crucially dictated by the level of usage, they can be scaled easily and quickly according to nuances and fuctuations in the marketplace.” Further, a SaaS system like Snapfulfll’s signifcantly reduces training needs, while upgrades are automated, notes Sterling. Tis is key because labor costs in non-automated warehouses account for about 50 percent of total warehouse costs. “Snapfulfll unusually ofers a ‘no cap ex’ [capital expenditure] scheme,” he says, “so not only do companies make ongoing cost reductions through improved efciency, visibility and accuracy, but they are also guaranteed the high level of customer service that is always delivered with a managed SaaS model.” A new product at Snapfulfll, according to Sterling, is Snap-To-Light, which was designed to enhance the power of the SaaS WMS with a Pick to Light (PTL) cart that not only drives the warehouse material handlers/operatives on the shortest walk sequence, picking multiple orders in a single pass, but also, through the use of a robust lighting harness, indicates which orders/totes the items need to be picked into, lowering the number of visits to a pick face while also increasing accuracy. With Snap-To-Light, concludes Sterling, “there is no longer a trade-of between shipping accuracy and a hands-free picking environment.” Tus, warehouse management, critical to food marketing evolution, is obviously anticipating and meeting the real-time challenges of a constantly evolving industry. PG

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

what s next Food, Beverage & Nonfood Products

Salad Express In addition to the highlighted ingredients, Fresh Express Shredded Broccoli & Cauliflower salad includes carrots and chopped red cabbage with a red butter lettuce and spinach base. According to the Chiquita Brands LLC subsidiary, including on-trend broccoli and cauliflower as part of a salad eliminates the need for consumers to purchase and prep vegetables separately, saving them time and money, Further the vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C, a good source of fiber, and low in calories. The SRP is $3.29 for a 5-ounce bag. www.freshexpress.com

Optimal Fruit Inventure Foods’ Rader Farms Fruit Plus Vitamins bills itself as the first-ever fortified whole frozen-fruit product. Employing proprietary technology and nutrients sourced from whole fruits and vegetables, the product raises the nutrition level of already healthful strawberries, blueberries and blackberries with five additional vitamins — B1, B6, D, E and K — extracted naturally from a blend of cranberries, orange, shitake mushrooms, pomegranates and other fruits and topically applied to the berries, which results in higher nutritional value without an altered appearance, according to the company. The kosher, gluten-free, 80-calorie-per-serving item retails for a suggested $7.99 per 21-ounce package. www.inventurefoods.com

Grains Reign Supreme Sweetheart Deal Norbest Inc., an association of independent western state turkey growers and allied industries, now provides an extensive line of lean and tender Sweetheart Turkey Breast Roasts to spur the creation of additional hearthealthy menu choices. Featuring no extra fats, oils or sugars, and no MSG, the Certified USDA Grade A roasts also offer better sliceability, minimal waste and cook-in-bag convenience with many products, allowing high-volume foodservice venues to realize higher yields and lower operating costs. www.norbest.com

Suddenly Grain Salad mixes, from General Mills, are a blend of whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, wheat berries and quinoa, paired with herbs and spices in a boil-in-bag format for fast and easy prep. Also included are dried fruit, vegetables and/ or nut mix-ins and a flavored dressing packet for a combination of flavors and textures. Further, in an innovative twist, all three varieties — Harvest, Tuscan and Southwest Grain — can be served either cold or warm. Each 5.5- to 6.7-ounce package yielding four servings retails for a suggested $2.69. www.suddenlysalad.com; www.generalmills.com

Affordable Gourmet Featuring cheeses prepared in open-air vats in small batches and then handcrafted and hand-salted, Litehouse Foods’ Simply Artisan Reserve Line consists of 10 ready-to-serve rBST- and gluten-free, single-source milk products. The cheeses currently available are Blue, Feta and Gorgonzola; Litehouse anticipates introducing additional SKUs and flavors as demand increases. Wheels are cut and priced per store, while SRPs for the line’s other items are as follows: Crumble Cups, $4.99; Center Cuts, $5.99, 6-ounce pouches, $4.99; and 8-ounce pouches, $5.99. www.litehousefoods.com; www.simplyartisanreserve.com

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

Instant.ly Shelf Score™ — July 2014 PurchaSe INteNt Score

New Product

1 2 3 4 4 6 7 8 9 10

Chewy Chips Ahoy! with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Cheerios Protein Oats & Honey Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Oreos Lay’s Air Pops Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter Fudge Core Pringles Tortillas Chechil Cheese Bites Kellogg’s Eggo Thick & Fluffy Minis Waffles, Chocolate Delight Tombstone Original Chicken Fiesta Pizza Summer Berry Pebbles

82% 75 74 71 71 66 60 57 54 51

Source: Instant.ly Shelf Score

about Instant.ly Shelf Score

BFY Tortillas

Instant.ly Shelf Score is an index that ranks the latest CPG products by consumer purchase intent. The purchase intent scores are derived from the Instant.ly Concept Test platform, a cutting-edge tool that helps brands rapidly collect early-stage feedback on their latest product concepts. The inaugural index, released in late July, revealed Chewy Chips Ahoy! with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the No. 1 spot, with a score of 82 percent, followed by Cheerios Protein Oats & Honey, with a score of 74 percent.

Customizable Coffee Starbucks Iced Coffee — Brewed to Personalize beverages enable shoppers to enjoy the ubiquitous chain’s iced coffee at home just the way they like it. Made from 100 percent Starbucks arabica coffee beans and containing from 10 to 60 calories per 8-fluid-ounce serving, the product line is available in Lightly Sweetened, Unsweetened and Caramel varieties. Starbucks Iced Coffee — Brewed to Personalize retails for a suggested $4.99 per 48-fluid-ounce bottle, each yielding about six servings. www.starbucks.com

Azteca Foods Inc. has launched a healthier refrigerated tortilla assortment, anchored by four No Preservative flour items in fajita, taco and burrito sizes, as well as a mini snack size suitable for portion control and kids. None of the flour SKUs contains high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors. The overall line’s options include tortillas with added calcium and vitamin D, in addition to organic, whole wheat and low-carb versions, and the SRP range is $1.99-$3.79. www.aztecafoods.com

Several Steps Beyond Created by a team of in-house pet nutritionists, Purina Beyond uses real, recognizable, natural ingredients, in addition to essential nutrients, to give dog and cat owners a variety of high-quality natural food options for their furry friends. All of the line’s items must meet stringent quality standards that include tracking every raw ingredient that goes into the food from the time it’s received through its inclusion in the finished recipe. SRPs range from $9.99 to $42.99 for the dog food and $1.09 to $30.99 for the cat food. www.BeyondPetFood.com; www.purina.com

seasonal spotlight Free for the Holidays With the winter holidays soon to descend upon us, grocers may wish to stock up on products that can be enjoyed by the growing number of consumers with dietary restrictions. Enter additive- and allergen-free Pascha Chocolate, which offers chips that can be incorporated into festive recipes without worry. Available in 55% Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate, 85% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate and 100% Unsweetened Dark Chocolate varieties, the certified-organic, Fair Trade, kosher, vegan, Non-GMO, chips are made in a facility free of peanuts, nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, corn, sesame and rice. The SRP range for an 8.8-ounce bag is $6.95-$7.95. www. paschachocolate.com

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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the

supplier side Wisdom Natural Brands Unveils Leadership Team

Camber Pharmaceuticals Adds 2 Key Executives

Wisdom Natural Brands, the Gilbert, Ariz.based parent company of SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener and Wisdom of the Ancients herbal teas, has revealed a new leadership team comprising key executives responsible for implementing innovative, high-growth strategies. “Tese executives bring an impressive wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be instrumental in meeting the demands of the global marketplace, customers and our company’s aggressive goals,” notes Carol May, president of Wisdom Natural. Sai Prakash Chaturvedula, chief scientifc ofcer, has more than 20 years of experience in research and development of natural ingredients, dietary supplements and health-andwellness products. Chaturvedula has worked for SelectX Pharmaceuticals, the Coca-Cola Co. and Blue California. Michael May, VP of business development, will lead eforts in international business development, government relations, international distribution and sales of consumer product goods, ingredient sales to manufacturers, international foodservice, and strategic growth opportunities. Gurudhan Khalsa, VP of sales, will lead the multiproduct brand sales of Wisdom Natural Brands, including SweetLeaf and Wisdom of the Ancients. Khalsa has more than a decade of experience with Yogi Tea and cereal sales, and as a successful food broker in the natural food category, representing product manufacturers. Jorge Perez, supply chain director, is responsible for securing U.S. and international raw materials, planning and production for fnished goods, managing South American operations, directing quality control assurance, and overseeing warehouse operations. Dan Simonson, CFO, has extensive experience in fnance, accounting and information systems. He comes to Wisdom with nearly a decade of experience from consulting engagements. Over the course of his career, he worked at Coca-Cola Enterprises as a fnancial analyst and at Micro Component Technology as its corporate controller. Michael Jamison, controller, has more than 20 years of experience in fnancial services, including manufacturing and processing allocations, cost savings through loss identifcation, and internal control tracking and documentation. He has worked for Dean Foods, US Foods and Shamrock Foods. www.SweetLeaf.com

Piscataway, N.J.-based generic drug supplier Camber Pharmaceuticals has added two key executives to its rapidly growing organization. Amanda Rebnicky, director of sales operations, brings more than 10 years of generics industry experience to her new role, including positions of increasing responsibility at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Fougera Pharmaceuticals. Kirk Hessels, director of marketing, was most recently VP of Vision Creative Group, and previously owned and operated his own integrated marketing agency, KH Advertising, for more than 20 years. http://

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camberpharma.com/

Robot Coupe Introduces New Vegetable Prep Machine Ridgeland, Miss.-based Robot Coupe U.S.A. Inc. has introduced the CL55E Vegetable Prep Machine with an ergonomic lever-ftted feed head to process 1,000 servings per hour for foodservice operations. Its new handle requires less operator efort to use and makes loading and unloading easier. Te CL55E is a continuous-feed unit with two hoppers in a single head that allow processing of extra-bulky vegetables and a cylindrical feed tube for uniform cutting of long, thin vegetables. www.robotcoupeusa.com

Sunrain Varieties Makes Major Land Investment Potato seed developer Sunrain Varieties LLC has purchased a 1,600-acre farm in the Victor-Driggs, Idaho, area, to be used primarily for early-generation seed production. Te Idaho Falls, Idaho-based company also plans to construct a storage and grading facility on the property. “With on-site sorting and sizing, Sunrain will be able to ofer the trade pre-sized seed lots,” says Aron Derbidge, Sunrain’s business manager. “Sunrain is continually striving to help our customers save time and money in the planting process, so this addition makes good sense.” http://sunrainseed.com/

| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

advertiser index 13 Foods Anco Fine Cheese Anheuser-Busch Atkins Nutritionals Inc. Better 4U Foods Biro Manufacturing Blount Fine Foods Bolthouse Farms Brands of Britain LLC Café Valley Bakery Calbee North America Category Management Association Charles & Alice Chinook USA Coca-Cola CSM Bakery Products Daymon Worldwide Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. Diamond Wipes International Dietz & Watson Inc. Domino Foods Duda Fresh Fram, Inc. Duke Energy E&J Gallo ECR Software Corporation Emmi Roth USA Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC General Mills Inc. Gold Medal Products Good2Grow Goya Foods, Inc. Green Giant Fresh Harry’s Fresh Foods Heineken USA Inc. House-Autry Mills, Inc. Idaho Potato Commission Imageworks Display & Marketing Group InnovAsian Iovate Health Sciences International, Inc. LOEC, Inc. Loving Pets Products LUVO Majestic Drug Corporation Mann Packing Co., Inc. Mars Chocolate N.A. Mars Ice Cream Mason Vitamins Inc. MilkPEP MillerCoors MOM Brands Musco Family Olive Co. Namaste Foods, LLC National Beverage Corp. NATRACARE Nature Sweet Nature’s Path Foods NBT Cooperative NEPA Carton & Carrier Company New Hope Natural Media NJOY Norseland Inc. Ocean Mist Ole Mexican Foods Pan-Oston Paramount Farms Peri & Sons Farms Pharmavite LLC Phillips Foods Inc. Private Label Manufacturing Association Progressive Grocer Rehrig Pacific Company Robbie Flexibles Robot Coupe USA, Inc. Roland Foods Inc. Roth Cheese Rudi’s Organic Bakery Ruiz Foods Products, Inc. Sandridge Food Corporation Save-A-Lot Schwan Food Company Sealed Air Sovena USA Stefano Foods Stemilt Growers, Inc. Sticky Fingers Bakeries Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads Store Brands Collaboration Summit Sun Pacific Sunsweet Bakery Sweet Harvest Foods Sunlight International TableTops Unlimited The Dannon Company The Happy Egg Company The Hershey Company The Humane Society The J.M. Smucker Company The Jel Sert Company Toufayan Bakeries Trion Industries Inc. Truly Good Foods Turbana Corp. Unilever North America USA Pears Vintage Italia Viva Tierra Organic, Inc. Waste Management Wynn’s Grain and Spice

48 108 Inside Front Cover 128 58 58 122, Inside Back Cover 75 107 47 56 139 37 87 34, 35 46 99 155 175 63 117 38 109 (Regional) 39, 79 181 131 81 4-5 82 43 3 165 129 17, 101 57 152 167 98 96 83 77 135 27 78 59 19 97 15 55 73 67 72 45 95 31 121 158, 159 94 118 90-91 61 36 80 176-177 33, 65 154 103 40 23 109 (Regional) 71 132-133 179 62 21 60 125 24 171-174 66 Back Cover 85 126 156 112 30 89 (Regional) 49 115 76 157 113 50-52 134 9 136, 137 10-11 29 6 12 166 89 (Regional) 93 163 41 161 169 69

www.13foods.com www.ancofinecheese.com www.anheuser-busch.com www.atkins.com www.better4ufoods.com www.birosaw.com www.blountfinefoods.com www.bolthouse.com www.fever-tree.com www.cafevalley.com www.harvestsnaps.com www.2014categorymanagementconference.com david.goldberg@charles-alice.com www.drinkunclesi.com www.cokesolutions.com www.csmbakeryproducts.com www.daymon.com www.freshdelmonte.com www.diamondwipes.com www.dietzandwatson.com www.dominosugar.com www.dudafresh.com www.duke-energy.com/eegrocer www.gallo.com www.ercs.com us.emmi.com www.enjoylifefoods.com www.generalmills.com www.gmpopcorn.com www.good2grow.com www.goya.com www.greengiantfresh.com www.harrysfresh.com www.heinekenusa.com www.house-autry.com www.idahopotato.com/retail www.imageworksdisplay.com www.innovasiancuisine.com www.sixstarpro.com www.bluecigs.com www.lovingpetsproducts.com www.luvoinc.com www.dentistoncall.com www.veggiesmadeeasy.com www.mars.com www.mars.com www.masonvitamins.com www.gotmilksales.org www.millercoors.com www.mombrands.com/bull www.olives.com www.namastefoods.com www.lacroixwater.com www.natracare.com www.naturesweet.com us.naturespath.com www.sweetango.com www.nepacartons.com www.expoeast.com www.njoy.com www.norseland.com www.oceanmist.com www.olemexicanfoods.com www.utopiatechnologygroup.com www.pomwonderful.com www.periandsons.com/giving_back www.pharmavite.com www.phillipsfoods.com www.plma.com www.progressivegrocer.com/awards-events www.rehrigpacific.com www.robbieflexibles.com www.robotcoupeusa.com www.rolandfood.com www.rothcheese.com www.rudisbakery.com www.elmonterey.com www.sandridge.com www.save-a-lot.com www.freschetta.com www.gripandtear.com www.olivarioliveoil.com www.stefanofoods.com www.stemilt.com www.stickeyfingersbakeries.com www.stonefire.com collaborationsummit.storebrands.info www.sunpacific.com www.sunsweetingredients.com www.pbcrave.com www.dulcich.com www.ttustore.com www.evian.com www.thehappyeggco.com www.hersheys.com www.humanesociety.org www.smuckers.com www.jelsert.com www.toufayan.com www.triononline.com www.trulygoodfoods.com www.turbana.com www.unilever.com www.usapears.org/experts www.pastachips.com www.vivatierra.com www.wm.com www.wynnsgrainandspice.com

570 Lake Cook Rd, Suite 310, Deerfeld, IL 60015 Phone: 224 632-8200 Fax: 224 632-8266 www.stagnitobusinessinformation.com STAGNITO BUSINESS INFORMATION ALSO PRODUCES:

Harry Stagnito President and CEO 224-632-8217 hstagnito@stagnitomail.com Kollin Stagnito Chief Operating Offcer 224-632-8226 kollinstagnito@stagnitomail.com Ned Bardic Senior Vice President/Partner 224-632-8224 nbardic@stagnitomail.com Korry Stagnito Chief Brand Offcer 224-632-8171 korrystagnito@stagnitomail.com Jeff Friedman Vice President/Group Publisher 201-855-7621 jfriedman@stagnitomail.com John Huff Midwest Regional Sales Manager 224-632-8174 jhuff@stagnitomail.com Elizabeth Cherry Western Regional Sales Manager 310-546-3815 • Cell 310-990-9597 echerry@stagnitomail.com Maggie Kaeppel Eastern Marketing Manager 630-364-2150 • Cell 708-565-5350 mkaeppel@stagnitomail.com Mike Shaw Northeast, Marketing Manager 201-855-7631 • Cell 201-281-9100 mshaw@stagnitomail.com Janet Blaney Marketing Manager (AZ, CO, ID, MD, MN, MT, NM, NV, OH, TX, UT, WY) 630-364-1601 jblaney@stagnitomail.com Courtney Warnimont Advertising Manager 224-632-8215 cwarnimont@stagnitomail.com

September 2014 | progressivegrocer.com |

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the last word by Meg Major

Natural Fact

atural and organic product sales are at an all-time high, as is the quantity of merchants selling them. Te once obscure retailing segment — whose present sizzling trail was brilliantly blazed by the mighty Whole Foods Market, with able assists by a handful of early acolytes like Akron, Ohio’s Mustard Seed Market, Santa Cruz, Calif.’s New Leaf Community Markets (which was acquired last year by Portland, Ore.-based New Seasons Market) and Los Angeles-based Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods Markets (which was sold to Whole Foods in 1993) — is exploding with a swarm of competitive activity. Telltale signs of natural foods’ retail revolution abound across the industry, including in this issue, which ofers up a healthy menu of related features, not the least of which are many of the products earning an Editors’ Picks nod, alongside Managing Editor Bridget Goldschmidt’s “What’s In a Name?” (page 119), which takes a keen look at how grocers and manufacturers are redefning “natural” in center store. Ten there’s Editor-in-Chief Jim Dudlicek’s frst-rate Store of the Month profle (page 104) on natural and organic upand-comer Fresh Tyme Farmers Market, whose store in the northwest Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect serves as the frst of at least two dozen planned to spring up throughout the Midwest in the foreseeable future. “We’ve got aggressive plans, no doubt about it,” afrms Chris Sherrell, CEO of Phoenix-based Fresh Tyme, which is poised to add a total of 60 new stores by 2019. Some of the funds fueling Fresh Tyme’s rapid expansion are generated by Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer, which has an “investment interest only” in the specialty grocer as a completely separate business and completely separate operations. Pondering the supercenter pioneer’s present position and future growth opportunities, I can’t help but wonder how long that “separate business” model will last. In view of predictions calling for a 64 percent expansion of natural foods, from $153 billion in 2013 to $252 billion by 2019, per NEXT: Natural Products Industry Forecast, the skids are clearly greased for Meijer to take a larger stake in its specialty-format investment — whose innovative concept places an oversized produce department in the nucleus of the

store, with traditional center store products situated in a newfangled perimeter. “Tere’s a huge surge in the demand for natural products — people are demanding natural everywhere they go,” Adam Andersen, show director for Natural Product Expos, recently told Anna Wolfe, editor-in-chief of PG sister publication Te Gourmet Retailer, in advance of this month’s Expo East in Baltimore. While the springtime California Expo West attracts attendees from all over the United States and the world, Expo East has become more of a regional show. Nevertheless, Andersen says attendance among exhibitors and attendees is up at both confabs, attributable to consumers’ insatiable demand for natural foods, whose compound average growth rate of 8.6 percent is more than double the projected growth rate of mainstream consumer packaged goods. Accordingly, growth opportunities for natural products among conventional CPG companies are profoundly robust, as noted by Peter Gialantzis, VP of purchasing at Boulder, Colo.-based Lucky’s Market. Increasingly viewed “less and less as a niche segment and more of a fundamental building block” of each category, natural products ofer ripe opportunities for progressive grocers to boost center store sales. Speaking of Lucky’s, I also can’t help contemplating the company’s geographic checkerboard expansion playbook, which calls for six new locations to open in Michigan, Indiana, Florida, Iowa, Wyoming and Missouri. Indeed, when juxtaposed against the conventional wisdom of retail expansion predicated on economies of scale via logistics, marketing and operations, Lucky’s is clearly navigating the road less followed. But as we’re learning with the surging natural segment, traditional retailing rules are being upended in favor of a “build it and they will come” mentality, which mirrors what one industry executive who requested anonymity likens to “casinos sprouting up all across the country. In the same vein, the new breed of natural food retailers are gambling on consumers’ heightened awareness of, and appreciation and inclination for, all-natural and organic products, which are priced at an ever more afordable premium.” Te cards of the natural retail boom are being dealt; the ultimate payof remains to be seen. PG

Pondering Meijer’s present position and future growth opportunities, I can’t help wondering how long the separate Fresh Thyme business model will last.

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| Progressive Grocer | Ahead of What’s Next | September 2014

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