Demand for natural, organic bring record sales for Hain Celestial Hain Celestial Group posted record sales and earnings levels for the fiscal year ended June 30, as growing consumer demand for natural and organic products in the U.S. and the U.K. pushed sales up by 24% to more than $2.1 billion. "Our business continues to benefit from strong growth trends in the organic and natural, better-for-you segment of consumer packaged goods as more consumers and retailers seek out our products," Hain Celestial President and CEO Irwin Simon said. FoodBusinessNews.net (free registration) (8/20) Peanut butter drives Smucker growth Although sales were down for Pillsbury's flour and base cake products, the company watched overall operating income rise 19% during its most recent quarter, driven by demand for J.M. Smucker products including peanut butter, Uncrustables, gluten-free products, seasonal items and frosting. Snacking market sales are rising, and Smucker intends to capitalize on its acquisition of Sahale Snacks to drive sales in that category, said Paul Smucker Wagstaff, president of Smucker's U.S. Retail Consumer Foods. FoodBusinessNews.net (free registration) (8/20) Other News  | Is it time for you to switch food brokers? Find out by answering yes or no to the following questions. 1) Do you go on all the sales calls? 2) Does your broker also represent your competition? 3) Has your distribution remained the same or decreased over the past year? And 4) Do you prep all of your own materials? If you answered yes to two or more questions, it's time to make the switch to BeaconUnited. | |  | What percentage of consumers say they "avoid or are consuming less soda" vs. the percentage that actually buy? Find out the answer to these and other questions that reveal the difference between what consumers say vs. what they do in this fascinating online infographic. It's all part of the Sweetener360 research results you'll find on CornNaturally.com. | |  | Worried About Healthcare Reform? Oasis Can Help! Oasis Outsourcing, a leading PEO, offers expertise on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in addition to HR, Payroll and Benefits services. For a better understanding of ACA, download The 3 "Rs" of Managing Healthcare Reform white paper. As outlined in the white paper, Oasis can assist with ACA requirements your business is now facing. |
 | Bimbo Bakeries launches sandwich contest In a quest to find the tastiest sandwich in America, Bimbo Bakeries will award a $25,000 prize to the best recipe submitted during its "America's Better Sandwich" contest campaign. Consumers will be tasked with creating a recipe with fewer than five ingredients based on Bimbo's Arnold, Brownberry or Oroweat bread brands, and experts will choose winners in four categories, each of whom will receive $5,000 and go on to vie for the grand prize. MediaPost Communications/MAD blog (8/20)  | 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. |
 | Price is the name of the game for Sprouts, Whole Foods  | (Bloomberg via Getty Images) | The sales of organic foods increased by 12% to $29.5 billion in 2013, the sector's largest gain since 2008, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, and Sprouts Farmers Market is capitalizing on the trend, using low-priced organic items to sharpen its competitive edge against Whole Foods Market. Sprouts' prices are, on average, 13% lower than Whole Foods' prices, and Sprouts shoppers spend about $28 per trip, compared to $31 at other grocery stores, according to FMI. Bloomberg (8/20)  | Essential news for advertising & marketing executives Get a daily news summary written by SmartBrief's expert editors, compliments of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Get the news today. |
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