Nonfoods

Two more new executives have come aboard the Weis Markets team. Brian Holt has joined the Sunbury, Pa.-based grocery chain as its new director of marketing, while Steve Davis has joined the company as director of GM/HBC sales and merchandising.

There’s a pretty large market out there for kosher-certified products, similar to the growing market for organic products. With this in mind, Long Branch, N.J.-based Blackwell’s Organic has taken the necessary steps to ensure that its gelatos and sorbettos has received Star-K Kosher Certification, thereby enabling the products to join an emerging category called “kosher organic.”

After nearly 20 years of working mightily to increase fresh produce consumption on a relative shoestring budget, industry leaders have an important question to square off with: has the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) come as far as it can go?

Kraft’s Sensible Solution product line contains items that have limited amounts of calories, fat, sodium and sugar.

Midwest supercenter pioneer Meijer, Inc. has rolled out the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System in all 185 of its locations in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which has released the results from its 2009 Organic Industry Survey, U.S. sales of organic products, both food and nonfood, reached $24.6 billion by the end of 2008, growing an impressive 17.1 percent over 2007 sales, despite tough economic times. While the overall economy has been losing ground, sales of organic products reflect very strong growth during 2008.

Walmart unveiled its first Supermercado de Walmart this week in Houston, featuring a new layout and product assortment designed to make it more relevant to local Hispanic customers.

Tualatin, Ore.-based Pacific Natural Foods has now jumped headfirst into the organic drink category with a lineup of 12 ready-to-drink beverages. The aseptic prism packaging also makes the items stand out.