Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/769179
trends & happenings Girl Scouts Cookie Cereal Debuts People who wait all year for their order of Girl Scouts Cookies have a new outlet for their obsession: In early 2017 General Mills is introducing two Girl Scouts Cookie cere- als that honor the best-selling favorite flavors—Thin Mint, and Caramel Crunch (also known as Samoas). PHOTO: HFACTOR PHOTO: GENERAL MILLS 16 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com HARVESTER STREAMLINES FOOD WASTE FOR RETAILERS Eliminating food waste is getting easier for retailers with the introduction of WISErg's Harvester machine, which turns food scraps into a nutrient-rich liquid—ideal for businesses with hot food bars and prepared food sections. "Anything you can eat, drink, or cook—excluding cardboard, soil, and compostable products—can go in the Harvester," says Robin Sweere, national account executive. Sold back to a network of farmers, the broth, or liquid, is also available in retail sizes for retailers to educate and involve their shoppers. "The broth has benefited growers immensely," says Sweere. "Where farmers typically hope for a 2 to 5 percent increase in yield from organic fertilizers, ours are seeing a 20 to 25 percent increase." Retailers also benefit from captured, analyzed data they input into the system, explaining what items they've discarded and why, allowing WISErg "to help retailers reduce waste, show where food donation opportunities exist, and offer training opportunities for better handling of foods to create less waste from the beginning," she adds. The Harvester, which is the size of an industrial refrigerator "also solves the problem of rotting waste through a process that keeps material alive, so it doesn't stink," she adds. Water's Revolution Water has evolved from thirst quench- er to a super drink. Cactus, maple, and artichoke waters are trending, as is the children's bottled water seg- ment, designed for little hands and estimated to grow 7 percent over the next five years, according to Zenith International. But waters that promise improved health are shifting the seg- ment from beverage to supplement. Take HFactor, a hydrogen-enriched water made using a reverse osmosis filtration process that has scientifically proven benefits as an anti-inflamma- tory and antioxidant. The chemical- and magnesium-free process keeps the benefits available to the body, whereas other waters don't, and pat- ent-pending packaging preserves its contents and prevents the hydro- gen outgassing from the water. "Our patent-pending system infuses pure hydrogen into pure water, providing the body with all the well-documented benefits of molecular hydrogen. This method of hydrogen infusion has not been introduced to the U.S. market until now," says Gail Levy, HFactor's CEO, who first encountered hydrogen water in Asia. Suggested retail price for an individual 11-ounce pouch is $2.99. GAME OF THRONES: WINE IS COMING Raise your goblets: HBO has partnered with Vintage Wine Estates in California to introduce a "Game of Thrones" wine series in anticipation of the show's sev- enth season that will premiere in July 2017. The expansion into wine follows a "Game of Thrones" beer that was released during the show's second sea- son. According to Jeff Peters, director of licensing and retail for HBO, it just makes sense to offer wine, given its prominent role in the show. The "Game of Thrones" wine series will premiere in the spring and includes a Chardonnay and a red blend, each priced at $19.99, as well as a $39.99 Cabernet Sauvignon.