J & J Snack Foods Corp. of California, has acquired the assets of California Churros, a premium manufacturer of churros located in Colton, Calif. California Churros had sales of approximately $11 million in 2009. The founding Martinez family will be staying on to serve with the company, which will remain in Colton. “We are pleased…
Breakfast of Champions Bar
General Mills brings the iconic 85-year-old Breakfast of Champions brand to the bar category with the introduction of Wheaties FUEL energy bars. Developed specifically for c-stores and co-created with five of today’s elite athletes and a leading sports nutritionist, each 2.26-ounce bar delivers 15 grams protein and 100% of the daily value of five B…
Raising the Bar on Snack Sales
Energy bars are most often associated with top athletes and endurance sports. But as consumers have found themselves pressed for time—and energy—the category has morphed into an array of tasty, low-cost products that provide a quick meal solution across multiple dayparts. More importantly, the category has evolved to include a multitude of variations from healthy…
Slim Jim To Sponsor Wrestlemania XXVI
Slim Jim, a ConAgra Foods brand, has signed on to be the Official Meat Snack of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and is the presenting sponsor of WWE’s WrestleMania XXVI, in Glendale, Ariz. on March 28 and SummerSlam, in Los Angeles on Aug. 15. As part of the deal, WWE Superstar Edge will serve as a…
Raising the Bar on Energy Sales
The first sports and energy bars in the U.S. were marketed primarily to serious athletes, through alternative channels such as health food stores. These bars did not have wide appeal or distribution as recently as 1990, but over the past two decades these products have since gained mass appeal and distribution after greatly improving flavor…
Fruit Snacks Go Tropica
Promotion In Motion Companies Inc. is ramping up sales of Welch’s Fruit Snacks Island Fruits variety. Island Fruits is a combination of on-trend tropical flavors, including Strawberry-Banana, Mango, Guava-Kiwi, Pomegranate-Passion Fruit, Pink Grapefruit and Tropical Punch. Like all Welch’s Fruit Snacks, new Island Fruits is made with real fruit and fruit juices and is fat…
New Beef Jerky
Matador by Jack Link’s expands its meat snack line with the introduction of new Matador beef jerky. Available nationwide in four flavors—Sizzling Sweet, Smokin’ BBQ, Original and Teriyaki—new Matador beef jerky combines a bold taste with a tender bite to deliver a satisfying new snacking experience. Jack Link’s launched the Matador brand in spring 2009…
Baked Goodness
TOP PERFORMERS Oreo (Nabisco/Kraft) Kellogg’s/Keebler Chips Ahoy (Nabisco/Kraft) HONORABLE MENTIONS Bon Appetit Mrs. Freshley’s (Flowers Foods) Prairie City Bakery Sweet snacks purchases are on the rise at convenience stores creating new sales opportunities across all dayparts. Packaged sweets accounted for 2.6% of the $114,010 stores acquired through average monthly sales in 2008, according to the…
Healthy Options Push Salty Snacks
TOP PERFORMERS Frito Lay Cheez-It (Kellogg’s) Chex Mix (General Mills) HONORABLE MENTIONS Combos (Mars) Cape Cod (Lance) Pringles (P&G) The down economy has inspired a consumer trend toward eating in and choosing less expensive home-entertainment options, which has been a boost to the salty snacks category. Customers are likely to choose snacks they perceive as…
A Functional Boost to Confections
You know the truism about Americans wanting more of everything is, indeed, true when we begin demanding more from our candy, gum and mint products than just good taste. As with beverages over the last decade or so, so-called functional snacks are slowly gaining respect in the convenience store channel, as major manufacturers roll products…