Maass is named new president of ConAgra food business

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October 18, 2010 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry     Company Watch    Sunkist Growers launches mobile marketing efforts Shoppers can now text Sunkist by following directions on packages and from in-store signage to get information on sweepstakes, recipes, storage tips and nutritional information, in an effort to connect with consumers. Tagga Media has been retained to help launch the mobile marketing platform. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (10/15) Mountain Dew uses Facebook "like" feature in new ads Mountain Dew is launching a new online campaign, allowing fans of the soft drink to post a "like" icon on banner ads. This functionality is the first time Facebook has allowed the use of their technology to appear in online advertising on other websites such as Break.com. Mediaweek (10/15) Maass is named new president of ConAgra food business Robert F. Sharpe Jr., president of ConAgra's commercial food business, is set to retire in 2011; Paul T. Maass has been named president of the group. Upon retirement, Sharpe will serve as senior adviser to ConAgra CEO Gary Rodkin. Bloomberg Businessweek/The Associated Press (10/15) , Omaha World-Herald (Neb.) (10/16) New 2010 Enterprise VoIP Buyer's Guide This updated Buyer's Guide from Focus will help you fully understand both your business phone system needs as well as the purchase process. Compare features and read advice from other buyers. Click Here to learn more.   Trends    Retailers, alcohol and coffee rank high in brand loyalty Wal-Mart made the top 10 in the Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders, an annual survey gauging consumer loyalty. Several vodka brands, McDonald's coffee and Domino's Pizza also showed significant customer loyalty. The Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders comprises 501 brands in 70 categories. Progressive Grocer (10/17) You Can't Buy Trust. Build It. Consumers are increasingly aware of the quality, hygiene and safety issues surrounding what they eat or drink. They scrutinize nutritional value and look for characteristics that make the product safe. In addition to this increased consumer consciousness, recent episodes have sparked consumer alarm, creating difficulties for many in the food industry. Read more.   Advertising & Marketing    Report measures growth of "mommy bloggers" More U.S. moms are taking to the blogosphere, according to a report from eMarketer. The number of "mommy bloggers" will increase to about 3.9 million this year, an increase from 3.7 million in 2009. However, the growth rate is expected to slow as more women communicate via sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Adweek (10/15) This report provides a review and assessment of the strategic innovation options that CPG companies should examine. It also covers the need to develop a coherent innovation strategy across categories and platforms and for alignment with overall corporate strategy: Click here to find out more.   Retail Spotlight  Kroger, Nestle Purina partner to award pet grants Kroger and Nestle Purina's pet-care division awarded 18 grants totaling $150,000 to community groups dedicated to helping pets. The San Diego Humane Society submitted the winning story about helping homeless pets. Supermarket News (10/15)   Hot Topics  Top five news stories selected by GMA SmartBrief readers in the past week. P&G chief gives shareholders encouraging news (Google) Coffee pod companies vie to stand out (The Wall Street Journal) 2 more Cadbury execs to depart (Bloomberg) Oreo ads dunk into playfulness (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model)) Sargento debuts reduced-sodium cheeses (Drug Store News) Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   Featured Content    How to Avoid Being a Disaster Client Josh Catone Never Too Old to Be a Virgin Employee Richard Branson Hiring Plans Show Signs That the Worst May Be Over American Express OPEN How to Refresh Your Strategy Tim Berry How Small Businesses Measure and Build Brand Equity Katie Morell   Science & Technology  High-tech lasers to print info on fruits, vegetables Spanish technology firm Laser Food uses lasers to "tattoo" the prices, sell-by dates and other information onto the skins of fruits and vegetables. The high-tech labels are poised to replace traditional, sticky labels at more major retailers in the U.K. Telegraph (London) (10/17) The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Digital couponing is growing at a fast pace. Are you ready for the added complexity? Arm yourself with the information you'll need by signing up for the NCH Resource Center — your free, online knowledge source for best practices, thought leadership and topical news about coupon redemption. Interested in learning more about advertising in GMA SmartBrief? Contact Chris Warne at (212) 450-7970 or cwarne@smartbrief.com.     GMA News  What do Nestle Waters and Tesco Fresh and Easy Have to Say About Sustainability? The Sustainability Summit, Dec. 6 to 9, will feature not only retail, manufacturer and government leaders from Ahold, Publix, General Mills, Kraft, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, but it will also give manufacturer and retail executives the opportunity to strengthen their grasp on a diverse portfolio of emerging issues with 5 separate session tracks. Don't miss this session from the Value Chain Collaboration Track featuring Tesco Fresh and Easy and Nestle Waters. The Water Imperative: Blue is the New Green Since 1950 our world population has doubled, but water use has tripled. This session will focus on what leading edge businesses are doing to address water issues -- from innovation to conservation and new technology. Speakers include: Steve Hagen, director, procurement, Tesco Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market Dennis Nelson, president and CEO, Project WET Kevin Mathews, director health and environmental affairs, Nestle Waters North America Go to www.tpasustainabilitysummit.org to learn more and register . Learn more about GMA -> Home  |  Join GMA  |  Public Policy  |  Industry Affairs  |  Publications  |  Events   International  New Alpro soy milks boost calcium, lower cholesterol Alpro will unveil two soy-milk products next year, each with a nutritional benefit. The Dean Foods company is based in Belgium. Australian Food News/Just-Food.com (10/18) Food Scientist--Meats ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Manager Sensory ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Manager Research & Development ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Business Development for Fair Trade Certified Fair Trade USA US - CA - Oakland   SmartQuote  It has been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. 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