Jimmy Dean introduces first non-breakfast items Hillshire Brands' Jimmy Dean is introducing 16 lunch and dinner microwavable meals; the first time the brand has moved out of the breakfast day part. The line extension, with products like the pulled pork sandwich and grilled steak bowl, where meat is only one of several ingredients, is an attempt by the company to boost profit margins as meat costs continue to rise. The Associated Press (7/29)  | Olives get more snackable Musco Family Olive Co. is pleased to add three new flavors to its award-winning and innovative line of Pearls Olives to Go! ready-to-use olive cups: Kalamata, Pimiento-Stuffed Spanish Green, and Sliced Black Ripe. Each package of Pearls Olives to Go! contains four single-serving cups that are ideally portion-controlled and mess-free. | | Pecans offer versatility to confectionery market Pecans are full of antioxidants and offer a versatility that makes them ideal for use in confectionery products, according to Margaret Lisi, program director at the Center for Pecan Innovation. They can be used in nut form or ground into flour, and the strong flavor means less need for salt, sugar and other flavorings. "We're trying to get manufacturers and ingredient folks to think about them as something other than pie filling," Lisi said. BakeryAndSnacks.com (France) (7/29)  | Early Bird Pricing Ends August 7 for SupplySide West 2014 Attend the world's largest expo gathering ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers, Oct. 6-10 in Las Vegas to explore 1700+ booths, 10,000 ingredients and services and 35+ hours of education. Network with 13,000 influential professionals for a dynamic exchange of new ideas, scientific advancements and strategies. EXPO DETAILS | | How Kraft revitalized Tang When sales of Tang dropped off in 2007, parent company Kraft called upon executives to bring the drink back to prominence, no matter what the cost. In five years, Kraft was able to double Tang's international sales by focusing on the product's eco-friendliness and rolling out new single-serve pouches that proved popular with consumers. Bloomberg Businessweek (7/30) Are hashtags working for brands? Brand hashtags have made their way from the digital world to outdoor signage, TV ads, storefronts and packaging, but it's still not clear if consumers want to use them -- or even understand them. Contests centered on hashtags are a common way they're being used, and Twitter advises advertisers to use hashtags related to "organic trending topics." The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (7/29) Marketers' real-time efforts go beyond Facebook, Twitter Marketers such as Kraft and MTV are turning to social media other than Facebook and Twitter for their real-time messaging strategies, and are opting for more paid media in their real-time mix. "A massive amount of planning goes into creating branded executions. We are looking to activate real-time across every platform. It just looks different on each one," said MTV's Tom Fishman. Adweek (7/28)  | Download: Gartner Magic Quadrants There is an enormous opportunity for companies to reduce costs while improving service for customers. Download the free reports from Gartner to learn:
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| | Protein popularity continues to grow as consumers demand new formats Protein items constituted 85% of the sports nutrition category in 2013, according to Euromonitor, and consumers are demanding protein in different, more convenient forms. "With more and more mainstream consumers entering the category, convenient products like nutrition bars and ready-to-drink beverages have experienced significantly greater growth than the traditional powdered drinks," said Greg Paul of DuPont Nutrition and Health. FoodNavigator (7/29)  | Companies live and die by their employees
Businesses with fewer than 500 employees drive the economy, and represent about 55% of all jobs in the country. However, finding suitable employees can be tough. Small Business Owners with limited time and resources need to make every new hire count because the actions of each employee can go straight to the bottom line. Download your free white paper, Welcome Aboard: A Guide to Small Business Hiring and learn how to hire smarter. |
 | Are you missing out on a wealth of resources? If you're a supplier or solution-provider in the food, beverage or consumer product manufacturer industry but aren't a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, you're missing out on an abundance of resources and benefits! Our team of experts can provide valuable support and information in product safety, health and well-being, science, sustainability and much more. Learn more about membership requirements today. |  | To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." -- Thomas Edison, American inventor | | | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.
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