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| 1. Heinz enters deal for $23B buyout |
| Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital have agreed to pay $72.50 per share in cash to acquire H.J. Heinz, in a deal unanimously approved by the packaged-food brand's board of directors. "The Heinz brand is one of the most respected brands in the global food industry, and this historic transaction provides tremendous value to Heinz shareholders," CEO William Johnson said. Wall Street Journal, The (02/14) New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (02/14) |
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| 2. More adults eat from pouch, but not in public |
| Companies including Happy Family, Buddy Fruits and GoGo squeeZ are developing food that is packaged in a pouch, for adult snacking on the go. While pouched food is popular with babies and children, the challenge with adults is getting them to eat it without embarrassment. "They feel silly doing it in front of people," said Jeannette Cornell of GoGo squeeZ. Wall Street Journal, The (02/12) |
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| 3. Edible packaging and fermented food are among culinary trends |
| The Hartman Group has outlined several food and drink trends, including ethical food production, fresh juice and food treated with high-pressure processing, edible packaging, premium private-label products and snacks that are more flavorful and nutritious. The research group says consumers are also embracing protein and turning away from sugar. FoodNavigator (02/06) |
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| 4. Behind the scenes of a cereal launch |
| It took only six months for Post Foods to develop and launch Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch after Target and Wal-Mart Stores expressed interest. As the technical difficulty of creating dried clumps of Greek yogurt was solved, marketers created packaging, and ad agency Upshot developed a television ad. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (02/11) |
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| 5. Growth continues for probiotic and prebiotic yogurt |
| Global sales of yogurt with probiotic or prebiotic cultures are expected to increase $1.7 billion this year, up 4% compared with 2012, even though the EU has not approved the health claim. Chobani Greek yogurt is leading U.S. growth; Yakult is the top brand in Asia-Pacific; and Danone Group's Activia is most popular in Latin America. NutraIngredients (02/08) |
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| 6. Mountain Dew takes a seat at the breakfast table |
| PepsiCo has introduced Kickstart, a Mountain Dew-flavored breakfast drink with caffeine, vitamins B and C, and 5% juice. The drink has 92 milligrams of caffeine per 16-ounce can, less than coffee or most energy drinks. Bloomberg Businessweek (02/11) |
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| 7. Crystal Light debuts liquid drink mixes |
| Kraft Foods introduced zero-calorie Crystal Light Liquid drink mixes this week, following the success of its MiO brand, to which it recently added a fitness-focused line. BevNet.com (02/12) |
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| 8. Shoppers say they would pay more for local food |
| In a report from A.T. Kearney, 70% of shoppers say they would pay more for food that is locally sourced, and 30% said they might switch stores to get local food. "Clearly, local food cannot be ignored as a growing segment for the grocery industry, and we've learned that larger-format food retailers still have much work to do to earn the trust of consumers in providing quality local food products," said James Rushing, a partner at A.T. Kearney. FoodBusinessNews.net (free registration) (02/11) |
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| 9. Popcorn, Indiana signs on with "Biggest Loser" |
| Popcorn-maker Popcorn, Indiana is marketing its FIT popcorn line in a one-year agreement with the NBC television show "The Biggest Loser." The snacks are approved by the show as part of a healthy lifestyle. Progressive Grocer (02/08) |
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| 10. Gum companies look to bounce back with less-is-more strategy |
| Gum sales have been declining since 2010, partly because gum-makers have given customers too many choices, says Wrigley's Casey Keller, who points out that his company can have as many as 50 options available at convenience stores. To reverse the trend, gum-makers are trimming the number of varieties they offer, and Wrigley is researching the connection between gum-chewing and increased concentration in attempt to tie it in with popular activities. Wall Street Journal, The (02/11) |
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