What's Old is New Again

About a year ago, I wrote about the retro trend. From old school cereal packages to beverages returning to classic recipes, when it comes to foods in the supermarket, everything that was old is new again. We're seeing another resurgence of retro this year. Here are just a few of the announcements from food manufacturers in the past couple of weeks.

Be on the lookout for old-school cool from Hostess. The snack cake maker will be offering a variety of sweet treats encased in nostalgic packaging for a limited time, including Chocolate Cup Cakes, Ding Dongs, and Ho Hos. In addition, the company is temporarily bringing back the original banana-filled Twinkie recipe in boxes starring Twinkie the Kid.

Hostess isn't the only company turning back the clock. After last year's huge response to the throwback versions of Pepsi and Mountain Dew made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, PepsiCo announced the drinks would be a permanent addition to its portfolio.

Frito-Lay, another PepsiCo-owned brand, is also getting in on the act, offering classic taco-flavored Doritos in retro packaging.

After rumors that Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch (better known as Cap'n Crunch) was sailing into retirement, cereal maker Quaker Oats, yet another PepsiCo-owned brand, denied the report. Not only is the Captain here to stay, but he's also back with a new line of flashback 60's packaging, complete with collector cards on the back of every box. Find Peanut Butter, Crunch Berries, and Original Cap'n Crunch flavors at a grocery store near you.

Finally, expect to see Heinz Ketchup bottles of yesteryear lining store shelves this summer. The 14-ounce octagonal glass bottles are making a comeback after being replaced by squeezable plastic containers in the 1990s.

What vintage packaging have you recently found in stores?

Save the Date

Spring is upon us! It's time to get out your planner, find your frequent flyer mile numbers, and redeem your hotel points...it's conference season! If you're looking to learn more about the numerous aspects of food and beverage consumer packaged goods or retail, mark your calendars for these educational conferences, expos, and events.


March
20-23: Snack Food Association SNAXPO, the world's premier event for the snack food industry
23-24: Institute of Food Technologists Wellness11 Conference
26-30: 2011 American Bakers Association Convention
27-31: Food Industry Environmental Council 41st Annual Food and Beverage Environmental Conference
28-29: Western Michigan University Food/CPG Marketing Program Food Marketing Conference 2011
28-30: SymphonyIRI Group Summit 2011
31-April 1: Food & Beverage Marketing & Advertising

April
3-6: Food Engineering's Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference and Expo
5-7: Food Packaging Technologies Summit
10-12: National Retail Federation Global Supply Chain Summit
10-13: Juice Products Association Annual Meeting
11-13: Iconosphere 2011 presented by Iconoculture, a leading global consumer research and advisory company
11-13: Quality Conference
19-21: Food Safety Summit Expo & Conference

May
1-4: Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association Annual Convention
24-26: SWEETS & SNACKS EXPO® sponsored by the National Confectioners Association

June
11-14: Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo
21-24: National Restaurant Association Restaurant Show
22-23: International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event 2011 at the NRA Show
24-26: World Tea Expo

July
10-12: National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Summer Fancy Food Show

September
11-14: Prepared Foods' 2011 New Products Conference
12-14: Shop.org Annual Summit (the digital division of the National Retail Federation)
19-21: 2011 International Dairy Show hosted by the International Dairy Foods Association
20-22: Sustainable Packaging Forum
21-24: Natural Products Expo East
26-28: PACK EXPO - North America's proven show for packaging and processing innovations

October
6-7: Brand Packaging: Packaging that Sells Conference
16-19: National Beer Wholesalers Association Convention and Trade Show
18-20: Coffee Tea & Water Show, presented by the National Automatic Merchandising Association
22-25: National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association Convention

November
1-4: Food Processing Suppliers Association's Process Expo 2011

2012
January 8-14: Penn State Ice Cream Short Course
January 15-18: Retail's Big Show, the National Retail Federation's 101st Annual Convention & EXPO
February 12-15: National Grocers Association's Annual Convention & Supermarket Synergy Showcase
February 18-22: The American Frozen Food Institute Frozen Food Convention

In addition, be on the lookout for programming and special events from St. Joseph's University Center for Food Marketing and the Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota throughout the year.

Will you be attending any of these events, or have you been to these conferences in the past? Please leave a message; I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Even those who aren't Irish are on St. Patrick's Day! Everyone wants to take part in St. Patty's Day celebrations, and tomorrow is the one day of the year to celebrate in style. Consider these recipes from top food and beverage CPG companies to add to your fun!

• Campbell's Irish Soda Bread
  
• Betty Crocker's Tangy Cabbage Slaw
  
• Kraft's Irish Beef Stew
  
• Pillsbury's Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
  
• Hershey's Blarney Stone-KISSed Cookies
  
• Kellogg's Lucky Shamrock Treats
  
• Nestlé USA's "Lucky You" Mint Pie featuring Carnation Milks
  
• Tootsie Roll's Andes Frosty Mint Glacier

Of course, you can always enjoy a big bowl of General Mills' Lucky Charms at any point during your day!

Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day, and tell me, what special foods will you eat to celebrate this Irish holiday?

Winner Take All

Last weekend, stars took center stage at the Oscars, but award season has only just begun! Recently, several media outlets announced honors for a number of retail companies and food and beverage consumer packaged goods manufacturers in a variety of prestigious categories.

Last week, Working Mother Magazine unveiled its first-ever list of Best Companies for Women's Advancement. According to the publication, the companies named "are dedicated to helping women secure the mentoring, networking, and training they need to make it to the highest levels." General Mills topped the list for its commitment to women, with more than 12 mentoring groups and women's networks from which employees can choose. Women also lead 71 percent of the company's major retail divisions.

Corporate Responsibility Magazine also revealed its 12th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, acknowledging the world's top corporate responsibility programs. The list, based on publicly-available information and recognized by PR Week as one of America's top three most-important business rankings, incorporates a wide variety of inputs and viewpoints to compile its rankings.

Among food and beverage CPG companies, Campbell Soup leads the pack this year, coming in at number two. Landing at number 12, General Mills made CRM's list as well. Coca-Cola entered the standings at number 14, while snack maker PepsiCo came in at number 25. Sara Lee, the company behind such brands as Ball Park and Jimmy Dean secured the number 27 spot on the list.

Also making the top 100: Hormel Foods – #30; Heinz – #31; Coca-Cola Enterprises – #49; and ConAgra Foods, makers of Healthy Choice, Reddi-wip, and Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn – #70.

Among retailers on the list, Target entered the list at number 42, while Wal-Mart and The TJX Companies, Inc. earned spot numbers 95 and 96, respectively. Food services companies were also recognized for their corporate social responsibility efforts. Starbucks landed at number 39 on the list, and Red Lobster/Olive Garden operator Darden Restaurants came in at number 75.

Finally, Fortune Magazine published its list of the World's Most Admired Companies, with many familiar names gracing the register. To create the standings, Fortune administered a survey to businesspeople, asking them to vote for the companies they admired most from any industry. The top 50 have been identified, and include CPG, retail, and food service companies, including:

• Coca-Cola – #6
  
• McDonald's – #10
  
• Wal-Mart Stores – #11
  
• Starbucks – #16
  
• Nordstrom – #21
  
• Target – #22
  
• PepsiCo – #26
  
• Costco Wholesale – #29
  
• Nestlé – #31
  
• Best Buy – #36
  
• Yum Brands – #44
  
• General Mills – #47
  
• Lowe's – #49

Congratulations to all the recognized companies, and be sure to check back in the coming months for additional award winners!

Ice Age

March is here, and while spring and warm weather is on most people's minds, the frozen food industry is focused on the cold; March is National Frozen Food Month!

In 1984, Congress declared March 6 "Frozen Food Day" by Senate Joint Resolution 193, and authorized and requested President Reagan issue a proclamation upon the occasion. More recently, the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association made a commitment to frozen food companies and manufacturers to promote frozen foods during the month of March and increase year-round sales by:

• Educating consumers on the attributes, benefits, and value in frozen foods
  
• Encouraging family mealtime and healthy lifestyles by providing recipes and solutions for every meal occasion
  
• Promoting convenience, quality, variety, and taste of frozen foods
  
• Promoting new and innovative products within the industry

In 2010, Americans spent $56 billion on frozen food, up $13 billion since 2005. Today, 23 percent of home dinners are frozen entrées. With ever-growing profit, the industry has responded to consumer demand, developing better manufacturing processes, offering more ethnic choices, and creating healthier options.

While the freezer is certainly a hero this month, so is Clarence Birdseye, who is credited with inventing the flash-freeze method for foods in 1924 that we still use today. Birdseye's quick-freezing process led to the creation of 168 patents that included not only the freezing technique, but also packaging and related innovations. The process also led to the creation of Birds Eye, the Pinnacle Foods-owned maker of vegetables and frozen meals.

When you're eating a frozen waffle for breakfast, enjoying a frozen meal for lunch, or microwaving a frozen pizza for dinner this month, say thanks to frozen foods! Throughout March, learn more about the frozen food industry from the American Frozen Food Institute and read all about freezing and food safety.

Leave a comment and tell me: What are your favorite frozen foods?

And the Winner Is...

Every year, consumers come across innovative products that we didn't even know we needed! Yet, they are such a fantastic addition to the marketplace that they not only thrive, but are also recognized for their contribution to society.

Just weeks ago, the 2011 Product of the Year Awards were announced in New York City, where the Product of the Year committee honored the year's best consumer packaged goods products in a variety of categories.

How are the winners chosen? The Product of the Year committee accepts entries every year from consumer packaged goods that were launched within the previous 12 months and demonstrate extreme originality. Entered products are placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care, household care, and so on, with an item then chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study of 60,000 consumers conducted by global market research company TNS. Products are judged on elements of innovation such as ingredients, form, function and design.

Without further ado, say hello to the 2011 Product of the Year Award winners in the food and beverage categories!

Candy & Snacks: M&M'S Pretzel Chocolate Candies, Mars Chocolate North America

Frozen Food: Lean Cuisine Market Creations, Nestlé USA

Specialty Foods: Buitoni Riserva Frozen Complete Meals for Two, Nestlé USA

Cooking Spices: Recipe Inspirations, McCormick & Co. Inc.

Beverage: Lipton Brisk, Pepsi-Lipton Partnership

Breakfast: Jimmy Dean Hearty Sausage Crumbles, Sara Lee

Cooking: Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil, Sovena USA

Established 25 years ago in France and now present in 28 countries, Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation in consumer packaged goods. 2011 marks the third annual round of the program in the United States.

The Product of the Year seal serves as a shortcut for shoppers, helping them find the best of the best in the supermarket. Winning products are announced in February of each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year seal in marketing communications for one year.

Tell me, have you tried any of these winning products? Leave a message with your thoughts, or share what products you’ve already seen that you hope thrive at next year's awards!

Nibble on This: It's National Snack Food Month!

If you've been in the mood for a bite to eat in between meals lately, take full advantage this month! February is National Snack Food Month, a chance to celebrate potato chips, pretzels, popcorn, nuts, fruit snacks, cookies, and everything in between for a full 28 days.

In February 1989, the Snack Food Association joined forces with the National Potato Promotion Board to increase snack food consumption and build awareness of snacks during a month when snack food consumption was traditionally low.

According to The Food Channel, chips and dip topped the top ten snack trends of 2010. From Frito-Lay to all-natural popchips, named one of America's hottest brands by Advertising Age, potato chips are always the perfect way to snack.

Of course, nuts are also a popular salty choice as consumers look for healthier ways to snack. Emerald Nuts offers a line of breakfast pouches to enjoy on the go, while Planters introduced its Flavor Grove varieties last year in taste sensations like Chili Lime and Cracked Pepper with Onion and Garlic.

For sweet eaters, yogurt has gained in popularity as Greek yogurts like Chobani, FAGE, and Yoplait have become more prominent in stores. Probiotic yogurts for those seeking to improve their digestive health have also become more prevalent with brands like Activia and Yo-Plus lining grocery shelves.

And finally, no discussion of snack foods would be complete without paying homage to snack cake legends like Hostess (now with Strawberry CupCakes!), Little Debbie, and Tastykake.

Every year, the Snack Food Association hosts SNAXPO, the world's largest, most comprehensive trade show devoted exclusively to the international snack food industry. This year's event will take place March 20-23. Be on the lookout next month for articles and information regarding new snacks and innovative flavors that will hit grocery stores in the coming year.

How will you honor National Snack Food Month? Drop me a line and tell me about your favorite snack!