Tofu products help vegans gobble on Thanksgiving

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November 8, 2010 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry     Company Watch    Silent since 1916, Mr. Peanut opens up Kraft Foods is updating the Mr. Peanut icon for its Planters brand, changing it from the silent drawing introduced in 1916 to an animated character voiced by actor Robert Downey Jr., but retaining the nostalgic touches. An ad with the character will show Mr. Peanut throwing a party in his home and saying, "At Planters, we know how to throw a remarkable holiday party." The New York Times (free registration) (11/7) Sources: Grupo Bimbo emerges as likely buyer for Sara Lee bakery unit Sara Lee may sell its North American bakery unit to Grupo Bimbo as early as this week, sources say. Sara Lee originally wanted $1.5 billion and then was hoping for $1 billion for the unit, but appears ready to take $900 million after Wonder Bread maker Interstate Bakeries lost interest. Bloomberg (11/8) New World Pasta brings new campaigns to the table New World Pasta has launched campaigns for its Ronzoni Healthy Harvest pasta and its Quick Cook Pasta, which is sold under the San Giorgio, Ronzoni, Creamette, Skinner and American Beauty brands. Ads for Quick Cook Pasta show noodles falling through an hourglass with the headline, "3 Minutes to Dinner," while the all-digital Healthy Harvest campaign focuses on pasta-themed cartoons. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (11/5) Other News Amazon reportedly will acquire Diapers.com, Soap.com The Wall Street Journal (11/8) Four golden rings. This holiday season, Emerald® Nuts, Kettle Brand® Potato Chips, Pop Secret® and Diamond of California® Nuts have the momentum to make your registers ring. If you're looking forward to a holiday season bright with sales, look to the top of the category. Diamond Foods. Feeding profits with innovation.   Trends    Tofu products help vegans gobble on Thanksgiving At least two companies are offering tofu-based vegan products for Thanksgiving. Turtle Island Foods is teaming with Amy's Kitchen on a meal that includes its Tofurkey loaf, stuffing, gravy and a vegan organic chocolate cake; Fresh Tofu is selling tofu molded in the shape of a turkey, with a gravy mix. The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.)/The Associated Press (11/8) Introducing SearchManager from American Express Open. • Save time by managing your clients' search campaigns all in one place. • Help improve results with actionable, objective recommendations prioritized daily. • Customize reporting so it is tailored to each of your clients' needs. Try SearchManager and get full access FREE for 30 days.   Advertising & Marketing    Marketing gives grocery stores a hand in selling healthy food Grocery stores are taking cues from restaurants and large food companies when it comes to marketing. Retailers such as Wegmans and a small urban market in Connecticut are designing locations with produce up front and using signs to appeal to consumers. National Public Radio (text and audio) (11/8)   You're out of the office, meeting with clients and vendors, all while balancing work and life. Sometimes even a laptop just isn't practical. The RUN Powered by ADP® mobile payroll app helps you manage payroll anytime — quickly and easily — from any location. Choose ADP® and get a $300 Apple® Gift Card.   Retail Spotlight    California expansion is planned for Fresh & Easy Fresh & Easy expects to have 10 more stores in Southern California by April, and is accepting applications for jobs at the new locations. "We're thrilled we're able to create even more good paying jobs with competitive pay and comprehensive benefits every time we open another store," said CEO Tim Mason. Convenience Store News (11/7) Reshaping Enterprise Workforce Management Software Download this white paper to discover how Kronos has defined an entirely new generation of workforce management tools for today's tech-savvy "business consumer". Learn more about three breakthrough technologies: Instant Engagement, Guided Decisions, and Mobile Management — and how they will change the way you manage the workforce.   Hot Topics  Top five news stories selected by GMA SmartBrief readers in the past week. Kraft chief is "delighted" by digital media (Forbes) Mintel looks at 2011 CPG trends (MediaPost Communications) Distribution deal between Starbucks, Kraft to end (Reuters) Convenience is seen as long-term food trend (Progressive Grocer) Unilever retirees hear of insurance changes (The Record (Hackensack, N.J.)) Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   Featured Content    The Applications I Use Daily Chris Brogan How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand Susan Kuchinskas Ways a Small Business Can Capitalize on the Growing Social Deals Trend Janet Meiners Thaeler Powerful Women on the Web Yvonne DiVita How to Choose the Right Accountant Bianca Male   Science & Technology  Fat-to-diesel factory could close without incentives, executives say Tyson Foods and Syntroleum said they have opened a plant in Geismar, La., that converts chicken fat, beef tallow and other food grease into a diesel fuel. However, the companies are concerned that the project might have to end unless Congress restores the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive that expired last year. The Wall Street Journal (11/8) The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Agribusiness Seminar at Harvard Business School, January 9-12, 2011 For more than 50 years, this renowned Seminar has explored the business, economic, political, environmental, and societal issues that impact the agribusiness industry, providing executives with new knowledge and an essential full-chain, cross-industry, global perspective. Apply now. Interested in learning more about advertising in GMA SmartBrief? Contact Chris Warne at (212) 450-7970 or cwarne@smartbrief.com.     Health & Wellness  Organic produce is not nutritionally superior A study comparing organically grown carrots, potatoes and onions with conventionally grown ones found no statistical difference in the amount of certain polyphenol antioxidants they contained. Scientists were seeking to determine whether soil conditions and growth systems would result in different amounts of flavonoids and phenolic acids, but commentators have noted there that are still reasons to choose organic foods. FoodNavigator (11/5)     GMA News  Plan ahead for the Food Claims and Litigation Conference: Feb. 22 to 24 The robust conference agenda focuses on practical, "how-to" litigation management strategies and it is the only industry event exclusively dedicated to food and consumer product litigation management for food, beverage and consumer packaged goods companies. Register today! The early bird gets the knowledge -- Register today for the GMA Food Labeling Workshop It is never too early to register for the popular Food Labeling: Complying with Regulatory Requirements for the Labeling of Packaged Foods Workshop, Dec. 7 and 8, in Washington, D.C. GMA staff experts in food labeling and nutrition will teach food company personnel the food labeling skills they need, whether they are responsible for labeling compliance, food product marketing or product development. Register Today! Learn more about GMA -> Home  |  Join GMA  |  Public Policy  |  Industry Affairs  |  Publications  |  Events   Government & Food Safety  Cheese is linked to rare form of E. coli, 25 illnesses The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a rare strain of E. coli is responsible for 25 illnesses linked to cheese sold or given as samples in Costco stores. Costco has recalled the Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda following the outbreak, with cases reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. FoodSafetyNews.com (11/7) USDA organization promotes cheese The Department of Agriculture has established Dairy Management, a marketing group that aims to help farmers by promoting and boosting the sales of cheese and other dairy products. The creation of the organization comes as the USDA pushes an anti-obesity campaign that aims to discourage Americans from over-consuming products high in saturated fat. The New York Times (free registration) (11/6) Report recommends best practices for agriculture, manufacturers An American Academy of Microbiology report suggests that a plate of food might contain ingredients from different countries and might have been handled several times, leading to higher risks of foodborne diseases. The report offers recommendations on new tools and policies for improving agricultural and manufacturing practices to minimize gaps in food safety and allow easier monitoring when a problem arises. United Press International (11/6) MANAGER, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS The Dannon Company US - NY - WHITE PLAINS Category Manager - Own Brands (Food & Consumables) Sears Hoffman Estates, IL   SmartQuote  The past cannot be changed. 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