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Caribou Coffee Marks 20-Year Anniversary
Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. has marked two decades of roasting coffee and offering meeting places for guests with the introduction of an Anniversary Blend and additional store openings. Brooklyn Center, Minn.-based Caribou Coffee was founded by Kim and John Puckett in 1992. While the first Caribou coffeehouse in Minneapolis is still welcoming customers, the company has since grown to more than 600 locations in 22 states, the District of Columbia and 10 international markets. Caribou’s 20th anniversary, which took place on Dec. 14, capped an exciting year for the company. Caribou increased its domestic and international footprint in 2012, opening ... |
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Winter Fancy Food Show Spotlights Food Personalities
The Winter Fancy Food Show, put on by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), has teamed up with Cooking Channel for a special session on how to connect with an audience on camera and beyond. “Chop, Chat and Charm: Connecting with Your Audience” will feature Melissa D’Arabian, host of “Ten Dollar Dinners” on Food Network and “Drop 5lbs.” on the Cooking Channel, and Sara Moulton, host of public TV’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals,” food editor of “Good Morning America” and author of the weekly AP column “Healthy Plate.” Joanne Weir, host of “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Confidence,” will participate ... |
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Vermont-Based Cheese, Cracker Companies Join Forces
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. (VFCC) of South Woodstock, Vt., announced its acquisition of Castleton Crackers and unveiled a business partnership for the two made-in-Vermont specialty food products. According to a press release from Vermont Farmstead, the cracker and cheese companies see endless potential in aligning their like-minded brands to expand their reach and further promote the high quality and character of Vermont’s ever-expanding specialty foods marketplace. “Vermont is currently home to hundreds of producers of specialty artisanal foods that illustrate the diversity and character of the state and region,” stated Valerie Traynor, VFCC senior vice president-specialty foods. “Our exciting venture ... |
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Vic Firth Sells Gourmet Division to Maine Wood Concepts
Vic Firth Inc. announced the sale of its Vic Firth Gourmet division based in Newport, Maine, to Maine Wood Concepts, a family-owned business based in New Vineyard, Maine. Maine Wood Concepts acquired Vic Firth Gourmet, which makes a variety of salt and pepper mills, rolling pins, and other kitchen items. “The acquisition of the gourmet line is a perfect fit and will create up to 20 additional jobs at the New Vineyard location,” Doug Fletcher, president of Maine Wood Concepts, said in a prepared release, according to the Bangor Daily News. “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to bring this ... |
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Tesco to Shutter, Sell U.S. Small-Format Grocery Stores
Tesco entered the U.S. market five years ago with confidence it had devised the right formula of fresh prepared foods, convenience and specialty offerings in a small-format store.Now, 200 stores later, the world’s third-largest retailer based in the U.K. is shuttering or plans to sell all stores in the U.S. market, all of which are in California, Nevada and Arizona.Tesco invested as much as $1.6 billion in its Fresh & Easy operations with only a few stores having reached break-even or profit, the company reported.While Fresh & Easy was never able to cut muster financially enough to satisfy shareholders and ... |
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Pantone Reveals 2013 Color of the Year
Deciphering worldwide trends and forecasting the style of tomorrow, the color Emerald has just been selected by Pantone as the 2013 Color of the Year. Every December, Pantone selects one color that will be the breakthrough color of the year to come.Pantone said it combs the world looking for color influences, including the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socioeconomic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.“Emerald, a vivid, ... |
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NPD Reports Black Friday Small-Appliance Winners
The small-appliance sector was a big winner during Black Friday week in terms of dollar sales, according to The NPD Group. Overall, home environment was the dollar winner with a 4 percent increase, with personal care appliances gaining 4 percent in unit sales, while small kitchen electrics’ dollar sales remained flat despite small unit declines, according to Debra Mednick, executive director of The NPD Group’s home business.The top-selling small appliances based on dollar sales during Black Friday week (Nov.18-24) were upright vacuums, single-serve brewing systems and slow cookers. In terms of unit sales, top-selling small appliances were slow cookers, electric ... |
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Forecast Reveals Global Flavor Trends Expected to Drive Food Innovation
McCormick & Company Inc. unveiled its flavor forecast for 2013, identifying five trends it believes will drive new product development and innovative menu additions over the coming years.“Through the Flavor Forecast, McCormick leads the way in identifying flavor trends that serve as catalysts for innovation in many favorite retail brands and restaurant menus, including our own products,” said Alan Wilson, chairman, president and CEO of McCormick. “With our global team of experts – spanning consumer and industrial segments in more than 100 countries – McCormick has a unique capability of identifying new and emerging trends on a global scale.”The five ... |
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Good Food Awards Finalists Announced
The Good Food Awards has announced this year’s 182 finalists from 31 states, chosen from among 1,366 entries in nine industries. This year’s finalists represent the leaders of a growing movement of conscientious, talented food producers in every part of the country, from the producer of Jalapeño Mint Pickles, created to reduce food waste at an Austin farmers’ market, to Tarentaise cheese, made at an educational farm in Vermont that hosts 700 children a year. The 100 winners will be announced in a 400-person black-tie ceremony at the San Francisco Ferry Building Jan. 18, 2013, followed by a 15,000-person Good ... |
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Finalists Named in 2013 Housewares Design Awards
Finalists have been named for the 10th annual Housewares Design Awards. Inspiring innovation for 10 years, this award competition showcases the industry’s dedication to investing in meaningful product design, where form and function meet to enrich daily life with innovation, ease of use and visual appeal. The 60 finalists represent the best of the hundreds of creatively designed products for the home. Twelve “Best in Category” winners will be chosen from the 60 finalists. And the “Best of the Best” gold, silver and bronze award recipients will be chosen from the 12 category winners. All awards will be announced on ... |
