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Smith’s Consumer Products Acquires Fire Wire Grilling Tools
Smith’s Consumer Products Inc. has purchased the Fire Wire brand of grilling tools, including the top-selling FireWire Flexible Grilling Skewer.“We are pleased to announce the addition of the Fire Wire products to our product offering. These innovative grilling tools have earned a place in homes across the world,” said Dan Glidden, CEO of Smith’s Consumer Products, a market leader in innovative knife sharpeners and kitchen tools under the Smith’s and Edgeware brands. “As we continue to expand our business, we are always looking to add product lines that fit with our core business,” he said. “Fire Wire is a natural ... |
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Robert Rothschild Farm Expands to China
Robert Rothschild Farm, a gourmet food company based in Urbana, Ohio, has launched its product line in the Asian market, including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, with the assistance of EXIM Strategies Corp., an export management firm, and JC Foods, a Hong Kong-based food and beverage importer and distributor. Robert Rothschild Farm is continually recognized as one of the top gourmet food manufacturers in the United States and has been honored with numerous awards both nationally and internationally for its products that range from dips and sauces to mustards and fruit spreads. “The gourmet products that we create are so ... |
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Mary’s Gone Crackers Acquired by Kameda USA
Mary’s Gone Crackers, maker of award-winning organic, vegan and gluten-free foods, announced that Kameda USA, a subsidiary of Kameda Seika Co., Japan, has acquired 77.8 percent of the company. Under the agreement, the roles of co-founder and Chairman Mary Waldner and co-founder and CEO Dale Rodrigues will remain unchanged, and the two will continue to lead the creative vision, day-to-day operations, strategy and product innovation for the company. “We’re thrilled to join forces with the Kameda Seika family, and feel privileged that the team recognizes Mary’s Gone Crackers as a brand it believes has significant potential for continued expansion in ... |
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Fiesta Names Liz McIlvain New Company President
Elizabeth McIlvain, a fourth-generation owner of the Homer Laughlin Co. (HLC), was appointed president of the 142-year-old privately owned business that makes Fiesta dinnerware. She will succeed her brother, Joseph Wells III, who worked at Homer Laughlin for 50 years. Wells, who will now serve as chairman, said, “Liz has been at my side for many years helping me manage day-to-day operations; this move gives title to what she does every day at Homer Laughlin. Our father would have been proud to see the company leadership transitioning this way.” In her new position, McIlvain will oversee all operations ... |
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Housewares Charity Foundation Raises More Than $2 Million
For the fifth consecutive year, the Housewares Charity Foundation (HCF) has raised more than $2 million for charity, exceeding $2.1 million during its “Sweet 16” gala on March 4. Proceeds from the event benefited The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the HCF’s legacy charity, along with the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and Long Island Cares Inc. – The Harry Chapin Food Bank. Held annually in conjunction with the International Home + Housewares Show, this year’s gala honored Kathryn Bufano, president and chief merchandising officer of Belk, with the Lifetime Humanitarian Award, and Keith Jaffee of O2 Cool with the Humanitarian ... |
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Vermont Farmstead Cheese Selects Northwest Broker
Northwest specialty food brokerage Madison Lane will begin representing award-winning cheese manufacturer Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. in Oregon and Washington. Madison Lane recently signed with the company, which is based in South Woodstock, Vt. Madison Lane will be representing its wide array of artisanal and farmstead cheeses, all of which are made with Vermont milk. Vermont Farmstead Cheese products include Lillé (a soft-ripened Coulommiers-style cheese); farmstead and artisanal cheddars such as AleHouse Cheddar; medium-firm cheeses, including Tilsit and Edam; and several varieties of smoked cheeses. A flavored line of WindsorDale cheeses – based on an English Wensleydale recipe – features ... |
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Starbucks Initiates Grocery Brand Loyalty Program
Starbucks has launched a new loyalty program that will enable customers to earn rewards for grocery channel purchases that can be redeemed in Starbucks retail stores, a move that is expected to double the number of customers enrolled in the program in fiscal 2013.Beginning in May, customers will earn My Starbucks Rewards Stars for purchases of Starbucks packaged coffee in grocery channels. These Stars can then be redeemed for free food or beverages in Starbucks retail stores. The program will be expanded to include other Starbucks products sold through grocery channels this fall, according to Adam Brotman, chief digital officer ... |
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Sur La Table Implements New Software Solutions, Opens New Store
Sur La Table is deploying several retail merchandising and store operations software solutions from Island Pacific to help improve user performance and facilitate access to important business information in a more timely manner.The solutions include the SmartRetail browser-based User Interface and Data Warehouse, as well as the latest release of Island Pacific Merchandising System and Merchandise Planning solution. These “will enhance ease of use and navigation throughout the system and will provide a foundation for scalable future growth,” said Richard Gaetano, COO of Irvine, Calif.-based Island Pacific, a division of 3Q Holdings Limited.In other news, Sur La Table plans to ... |
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Lake Champlain Chocolates Named Merit Winner in International Design Contest
Lake Champlain Chocolates’ Organic Easter Bars were chosen as one of 242 award-winning designs in the most recent HOW International Design Awards. The Organic Easter Bars’ original illustrative designs feature Treasure the Bunny and his adorable accomplice, Tweet the Chick. While appealing mainly to a youthful audience, the bars also convey a sense of nostalgia for the adult purchaser.“We really wanted these bars to capture the optimism of spring and the magic of Easter. The packaging is whimsical and engaging, and the trio of gift-boxed bars offers a new way to build a coordinated chocolate Easter basket,” said Catherine Wisloski, ... |
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Ethnic Foods Appeal to Younger Americans and Households With Children
Young Americans and those with children like to spice things up in the kitchen, according to new research from Mintel on the ethnic foods market. Nine in 10 adults aged 25 to 34 say they prepared ethnic food at home in the past month versus only 68 percent of those older than 65. In addition, 91 percent of Americans with children under the age of 18 in the home cooked ethnic food compared to 78 percent of those without children. “The ethnic food category has had a very strong performance during the recession, followed by a still positive but slightly ... |
