Nonfoods

Among the many educational and inspirational events at the just-finished New York Fancy Food Show was an eye-opening look at the state of that industry, based on research carried out by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), Mintel International, and SPINS.

:Baby food is on real roll these days, helped along by collaboration between suppliers and retailers, according to Dianne Jacobs, s.v.p. U.S. infant nutrition at Nestlé/Gerber.

Like many other manufacturers-and retailers, too, for that matter-Unilever wants to know how to best serve the ever-growing Hispanic community. That's why the company recently surveyed Latino consumers in the United States about what they are eating.

Ring Bros. Marketplace said it will offer free beginner cooking classes starting July 17 for shoppers who would like to learn the fundamentals of cooking or brush up on basic cooking techniques in a relaxed setting.

This summer, for the second year in a row, participating A&P, Dominion, Ultra Food & Drug, the Barn, Loeb, and Food Basics in Ontario are dimming store lights by as much as 50 percent as a way to lower power consumption and relieve pressure on the province’s power grid.

Three major U.S. grocery chains, as yet unnamed, are gearing up for the launch the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System – heretofore known as the Overall Nutritional Quality Index, or ONQI -- in their stores in September, said the system’s co-originator Topco Associates, LLC.

Robert Mariano, a.k.a. Chairman Bob, will be hanging out in Madison, Wis., today to host a barbecue event for shoppers at the Mineral Point Copps store, and will serve up $1 lunches featuring Roundy’s own brand products.

Fifty-four 300-square-foot Chevy Chase Bank mini-branches within Giant-Landover locations throughout the D.C. area are closing following the expiration of a 10-year contract, according to a published account.