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AmericasMart Atlanta Posts Huge Gains, New Highs
When the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market’s closing bell sounded last week, the show had posted huge gains across all measures, with national and international attendance and first-to-market buyer totals. On-site registrations for the eight-day market in Atlanta showed healthy year-over-year gains with increases as high as 53 percent posted on key attendance days. Preliminary hotel occupancy reports indicated an increase in the average length of stay per attendee to 4.2 days, the highest recorded since 2006, according to show organizers. Growth posted in all national regions beyond the show’s principal Southeast base – including the Midwest and West ... |
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Specialty Food Association Picks Leadership Honorees
The Specialty Food Association announced the winners of its second annual Leadership Awards honoring influential and innovative entrepreneurs who are transforming the way the $86 billion specialty food industry does business. The winners by category are: Citizenship: Tyler Gage, co-founder and co-CEO, Runa Tea, Brooklyn, N.Y. (shown here); Business Leadership: Ron Rubin, minister of tea and CEO, The Republic of Tea, Novato, Calif.; and Vision: Caryl Levine, co-founder and co-owner, Lotus Foods, Richmond, Calif. The efforts of these leaders span the globe, from supporting indigenous tribes in Ecuador and establishing a progressive work environment in Northern California to initiating sustainable ... |
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2014 Housewares Show Sells Out
The 2014 International Home + Housewares Show sold out less than 10 weeks before opening day, according to the International Housewares Association (IHA), the show’s owner and operator. The show runs March 15 to 18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. “This is the earliest the show has been sold out on exhibit space and is a sign of how important this world-class marketplace is to IHA member suppliers,” said Phil Brandl, IHA president and CEO. “We look forward to bringing the industry together at the premier housewares trade event.” The show will host more than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world, ... |
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Better Bean Co. Achieves B Corp Status
The Better Bean Co., a pioneer of refrigerated beans, has become a Certified Benefit Corporation (B Corp). The designation is awarded to companies that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems, and meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. “From the beginning, we were committed to using the highest-quality natural and organic non-GMO ingredients sourced within our region,” said Better Bean’s founder, Keith Kullberg. “We create positive relationships with our employees, vendors and customers, and offer them a level of transparency that speaks to our common goal of creating social change and ... |
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Hy-Vee Strengthens Commitment to Sustainable Seafood
Hy-Vee Inc., an employee-owned company of 235 stores in eight Midwestern states, announced the addition of a Responsible Sourcing Commitment to its comprehensive Seafood Procurement Policy. The policy and commitment were developed in partnership with FishWise – a nonprofit organization focused on supporting sustainability through environmentally responsible business practices. To protect marine resources and ensure future seafood supplies, Hy-Vee has committed to sell responsibly sourced fresh and frozen seafood that is rated Green or Yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, certified to an environmental standard equivalent to these ratings, or is sourced from credible, time-bound improvement processes ... |
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The Kugel Co. Re-Brands as Locker Family Recipes
The Kugel Co. LLC announced the re-branding of the company to Locker Family Recipes. Kugel, the classic noodle dish passed down from generation to generation, has made its way from Aunt Nonie’s kitchen in Passaic, N.J., to the freezer aisle. The company created the first pre-baked homemade kugel that is ready to eat anytime, anywhere. The re-branding of the company focuses on CEO Michelle Locker’s vision to widely share her cherished family recipes. Each kugel flavor features a heartwarming story of one of Locker’s relatives – evoking memories of times when families slowed down to eat together and tell stories.Locker ... |
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Food Forecast: More Hybrids, Exotic Oils, Fermented Fare and Sea Veggies in 2014
While the Cronut stands out as 2013’s most popular food hybrid (a croissant-doughnut blend pictured right), culinary experts predict that other food mash-ups and more exotic foods will take center stage this year, all trends that stand to influence gourmet packaged food offerings. “Chefs will continue playing ‘mad scientist’ and dreaming up new food mash-ups in 2014. They might also ditch olive oil for more exotic oils like avocado, hazelnut and benne seed, and marine vegetables like sea beans and plankton might take kale’s crown,” according to an Andrew Freeman & Co., report quoted in a New York Daily News ... |
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Spain Unveils Stricter Bottled Olive Oil Rules
The informal olive oil cruet that sits on most restaurant tables in Spain will soon be replaced by labeled, sealed and non-reusable bottles under stricter oil bottling rules, which took effect last week. While improved hygiene is one objective of the new rules, The New York Times reports the ultimate goal of the world’s largest olive oil producer is to build stronger recognition for its brands and accelerate exports to markets such as the United States, where Italian olive oil reigns.Spain acted independently after several non-olive-oil-producing European nations put the kibosh on stronger bottling and label legislation across the 28-nation ... |
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The Cook’s Warehouse Store Wins Regional Display Contest
Atlanta-based The Cook’s Warehouse’s store in Ansley Mall in Midtown Atlanta has won the Southeastern Region’s award in the 2013 Le Creuset Doufeu Christmas Display Contest. The award is given to a retailer for Best Holiday Display. The display featured a gingerbread house made by the staff of the Ansley Mall store with the Le Creuset merchandised in front. The Cook’s Warehouse is a gourmet cookware store and cooking school with four stores in the Midtown, Decatur and Brookhaven areas of Atlanta, and the East Cobb County area of the suburbs. It offers more than 15,000 products for the kitchen and operates ... |
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Back to Nature Foods Acquires SnackWell’s Business
Back to Nature Foods Co. LLC has acquired the SnackWell’s cookies and snacks business from Mondelez Global LLC. Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.Back to Nature Foods is a portfolio company of Brynwood Partners VI L.P. Brynwood VI and Mondelez Global formed the Back to Nature joint venture in 2012 through an innovative structure, whereby Brynwood VI acquired operating control while Mondelez Global retained a minority position in the new company. Since the acquisition, Brynwood VI has effected a smooth transition of the business, accelerated new product introductions and increased marketing focus.SnackWell’s was originally launched by Nabisco ... |
