Deli / Prepared Foods

A visit to the recent 55th Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York late last month left me in no doubt that there are more types of center store products than ever to tickle consumers’ fancies making it all the more important that smart retailers edit their assortments and product mixes judiciously, to avoid sensory (not to mention wallet) overload.

Their products have already joined the mainstream, but natural/organic baby food manufacturers keep upping the ante for consumers by introducing exciting new items to the segment.

Sales in the long-established carbonated drinks segment have been flat to slightly down over the past five years, according to Mintel, a leading market research company. During 2003-08, Mintel estimates the regular soda segment lost 15.6 million consumers aged 18 and over, and the diet soda segment only added half as many, or 7.8 million adult consumers.

In a bid to encourage pride in homegrown goods, Spartan Stores, Inc. this weekend will host a Michigan’s Best Sample Fest as part of the kick-off of its “Michigan’s Best” campaign highlighting more than 2,400 products that are grown or produced in the state.

At a ceremony held Monday at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade’s (NASFT) 55th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York and hosted by celebrity chef Ming Tsai, the 37th sofi (“specialty outstanding food innovation”) awards were revealed.

Tasty Brand, Inc., maker of Tastybaby® frozen organic purées, has grown the pioneering product line with Organic Infant Cereals, as well expanding the brand beyond baby food with Organic Fruit Snacks.

A line of high-fiber soups from Progresso, a division of Minneapolis-based General Mills, is slated to hit supermarkets this fall, in response to shoppers like the almost 80 million baby boomers who say they want to incorporate more fiber into their diets.

To promote the expansion of its product lineup, Kroger’s exclusive Comforts brand of baby and toddler items is inviting parents to enter a contest for the chance to win a $10,000 scholarship for their little one’s college fund.