Sampling

NORFOLK, Va. -- Supervalu-owned regional retailer Farm Fresh is sponsoring a Great American Steak-out promotion for Certified Angus Beef on May 13 at Shula's 347 in the Norfolk Marriott Waterside here. The free event is designed to educate consumers about beef quality -- just in time for grilling season.

PITTSBURGH -- Giant Eagle has begun baiting customers two-weeks in advance of the pending arrival of its Copper River salmon selling season, set to begin here on May 20.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. ¿ The May 8 episode of ABC's hit show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will have special meaning for Price Chopper, based here: The regional 43-store grocer with locations in Kansas and Missouri was closely involved in helping a local family's dream of a better place to live come true.

Food writers do a lot more than write recipes, and their coverage of local retailers can help stores get their own messages out to influential consumers.

WASHINGTON -- The United States exported its first shipment of boneless beef to Taiwan on April 24, ending the 18-month ban on U.S. beef.

WASHINGTON -- The United States exported its first shipment of boneless beef to Taiwan on April 24, ending the 18-month ban on U.S. beef.

CHICAGO -- The votes are in and counted, and IGA yesterday named the winners of its 2005 National Hometown Holidays Recipe Challenge. A panel of culinary chefs from the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago's Culinary Arts program chose the seven finalists' recipes, which were culled from more than 500 original submissions from shoppers to IGA stores across the United States during the annual marketing event, held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13 last year.

GREENWICH, Conn. -- Skoal Long Cut Peach, made by Greenwich, Conn.-based U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, blends premium 100 percent, hand-selected tobacco with the flavor of fresh peaches, for a unique taste in moist smokeless tobacco. The item, the latest in the line, will be available at retail in June. It will be supported by advertising, adult sampling, direct mail, and high-impact point-of-sales materials, as well as print advertising in a full array of men's magazines, and prepack retail displays that will offer adult consumers an introductory $1 off per can. The wholesale price per 1.2-ounce can is $2.91. Long Cut Peach is available only in long-cut form. Skoal also offers smokeless tobaccos in such flavors as Wintergreen, Mint, Cherry, and Spearmint, in fine-cut, long-cut, and pouch forms. Find out more by calling (203) 661-1100.