Mars VP: Portions, seasonal candies are trends to watch The biggest trend in chocolate right now involves bite-sized versions of popular products, said Hank Izzo, Mars Chocolate North America's vice president of research and development, who cites Snickers Bites and Milky Way bites as standout successes. In addition, he sees seasonal-themed offerings, limited-edition flavors and healthy additives, including fruit, as the hot trends to watch. CandyIndustry.com (8/6)  | Welcome Aboard: A Guide to Small Business Hiring
Small Business Owners are powered by their people. To be successful, small businesses need to act thoughtfully when it comes to finding good candidates. They need to carefully review their labor needs, navigate the interview process to hire the best and recognize and reward employees' achievements. In this white paper sponsored by American Express OPEN, learn how to hire smart. Download the free white paper now. |
 | Consumers eat more meals alone, report says Eating alone is becoming a more common occurrence, as single-person households hit an all-time high and consumers dine solo for more than half of their eating occasions, according to The NPD Group. About 60% of people eat breakfast alone and 55% eat lunch alone, while dinner is more of a group affair, with less than a third of people eating alone, NPD reported. BakingBusiness.com (8/7) Coffee, kombucha, cold-pressed juice lead cold beverage innovations Viewed by many consumers as artisanal and healthy, three types of refrigerated drinks are leading innovations in the beverage category. Despite its high price point and short shelf life, cold-pressed juice has made a significant impact; cold-brewed coffee boasts a less bitter flavor than its hot counterpart; and kombucha is growing in popularity, although it faces hurdles because certain alcoholic varieties of the fermented tea are not properly labeled. BevNet.com (7/30) | Budweiser promotes secrecy with "Whatever" campaign Budweiser has created its "Up for Whatever" campaign around a secret event requiring auditions to gain entry for branded partying, said Bud Light Brand Director David Daniels. Daniels said secrecy is fundamentally harder to promote, but that millennials are responding to the idea of embracing the unexpected. "This is content marketing on steroids," he said. Adweek (8/6)  | 5 Ways to Use Analytics to Boost Customer Engagement
In today's competitive retail marketplace, merchants have to respond to pricing, promotional and merchandising changes in near-real time. This e-book describes how retailers are seeing impressive results from forecasting solutions - determining the time to change prices, update promotions and improve inventory - while making shoppers happier and more loyal. |
 | Nielsen exec: Retail is still seeing slow growth Retail sales growth in the year ended June 7 was slow, following the pattern of the last five years, as consumers dealt with issues such as a decrease in government assistance, increase in natural gas prices and small pay raises, according to Todd Hale, senior vice president of consumer and shopping insights for North America for Nielsen. During that period, convenience stores had the most growth with a 2% rise, while drugstores saw 0.9% growth and supermarkets saw 0.8% growth, he said. FoodBusinessNews.net (free registration) (8/6)  | The key to growing your book of business is waiting in the wings
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 | Kraft files patent to substitute fat in chocolate with juice Mondelez International's Kraft Foods Research and Development applied for a patent to adjust its chocolate manufacturing technique to switch out cocoa butter and milk fat in exchange for small quantities of fruit juices. The adjustment could cut fat in products by 50% and create a stabilized colloidal system that stabilizes the product's composition, improving shelf life. ConfectioneryNews.com (France) (8/7) | September Food Labeling Workshop now sold out Due to popular demand, the September session of the Food Labeling Workshops is now sold out. There is still the opportunity to attend the second session Nov. 11-13 in Washington, D.C. This comprehensive two-day workshop is the industry's top training program for food labeling. Make sure your organization takes part in this expert-led, interactive workshop. Register today. |  | Patience often gets the credit that belongs to fatigue." -- Franklin Jones, American journalist | | | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.
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