Produce / Floral

With a larger percentage of U.S. consumers increasingly aware of the link between diet and heart disease, more than half are routinely reading food labels when purchasing products for the first time, according to key findings of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) latest Health and Diet Survey released earlier this week.

Jamba Juice Co., the Emeryville, Calif.-based company that owns and franchises 742 Jamba Juice stores across the United States.

Manufacturers of foodservice equipment are keeping pace with the growth of dining away from home and the increasing takeout segment by producing products that allow operators to prepare food faster, more efficiently, cheaper and with an increasing commitment to the environment.

Genesis Today, a manufacturer of 100 percent pure superfruit juices, supplements and ready-to-drink beverages, has developed a line of nutrient-packed ready-to-eat puddings.

Challenged by some of the toughest economic times on record, foodservice operators — from restaurateurs to supermarketeers alike — are employing menu innovations to entice recession-weary diners.

Big Y Foods’ proposed 45,000-square-foot World Class Market and pharmacy in the Berkshire County town of Lee, Mass., will represent a new prototype for the New England grocery chain.

A&P’s The Food Emporium stores last week debuted “A Taste of France,” an event providing New York metro-area shoppers with over 30 new and exclusive items of French delicacies, from popular gourmet brands such as Emmanuelle Baillard, Des Lis Chocolat, Barral, Apidis and more.

During the National Grocers Association’s (NGA) Convention last week, health and wellness took center stage with consumers as the results of the NGA’s 2010 Consumer Survey Report showed nutrition jumped six percentage points as a “very important” store trait for nearly four out of 10 consumers (37 percent).