Nonfoods

Rather than offer its products in one-quart cartons that often spoil before consumers can finish using them, San Mateo, Calif.-based Savory Creations International offers convenient, individually pre-measured concentrate pouches that make an 8-ounce cup of broth, thereby eliminating waste entirely

Even in these tough times, quality trumps price for American shoppers, new research has found. According to a new study by IBM, 72 percent of respondents are more concerned with the quality of the food they’re buying than the price. Additionally, nine out of 10 say that value as well as nutrition will be of equal or greater importance after the recession.

It’s not news for grocers that consumers are looking for deals and more bang for their buck. But this year’s “What’s in Store 2010,: the trends report from the International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association™ (IDDBA), confirms that many consumers have changed their spending habits, with more than half of shoppers saying they’re buying less in the deli and prepared foods areas.

In a bid to steam things up in the fresh produce aisle this fall and keep shoppers away from the frozen foods cases, Mann Packing Co. is offering its annual on-pack offer for the Mann’s steam-in-bag vegetable line. As of Oct. 5, shoppers will save 55 cents when they buy two packages of Mann’s Broccoli & Carrots, Broccoli & Cauliflower or Vegetable Medley.

Although it’s been carried in pet specialty stores since 2006, Castor & Pollux Pet Works’® Natural Ultramix® premium pet foods and treats are now available in the grocery channel, augmenting the Clackamas, Ore.-based company’s ORGANIX® product line.

The natural sweetener stevia looks set to become the next big thing, according to a report from consumer research firm Mintel. Since December 2008, when the FDA approved use of rebaudioside A (an active ingredient of stevia) in U.S. foods and beverages, the stevia market has undergone tremendous growth: by mid-July 2009, sales topped $95 million, in contrast to the $21 million racked up for all of 2008. The report forecasts that the stevia market could surpass $2 billion by the end of 2011.

Jamba Juice is seeking to get Costco customers juiced up for the holiday season. The two companies have rolled out an exclusive holiday promotion in which Costco will sell Jamba gift cards at store locations.

The State of New York has awarded $296,000 to the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) to manage, promote and expand the city’s only wholesale farmers’ market, which operates at the New Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point in the borough of the Bronx. The market, where mid-sized farmers sell directly to wholesale buyers, will join the Big Apple’s 50 other CENYC-managed Greenmarkets in providing farm-fresh products to New York City residents and businesses.