Frozen Food Guy Available For Marketing, Editorial Consumer and B2B Support

The Frozen Food Guy is no longer actively posting news to this blog, The Frozen Food Guy. He (Alan Robinson) is, however, available to companies in the frozen food industry as a consultant for media management, marketing, public relations, and a wide range of writing support (press releases, white papers, speeches, blogs, social media posts and more).

All archival content on The Frozen Food Guy is still available to search. Just use the search function at the top of the page. Contact The Frozen Food Guy at: TheFrozenFoodGuy@gmail.com

The Frozen Food Guy’s resume:

ALAN E. ROBINSON

Grand Junction, Iowa 50107

eyeongj@gmail.com

SUMMARY

Experienced journalist with successful track record in writing, editing, and publication/website management. Print and online development proficiencies: InDesign, Photoshop, MS Word, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Management System (CMS), Blogspot, Twitter, BASE, Question Pro, ReachMail, Microsoft Office, Excel.

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Content Unlimited, New York, NY, and Grand Junction, IA, 2009-Present
Owner/Developer
Launched start-up company to serve as umbrella for freelance writing and research work in media, cultural arts, fitness/sports, and food/health/nutrition. Projects/assignments include:
• Developed blog covering Grand Junction, Iowa: www.eyeongrandjunction.blogspot.com (2009-12)
• Launched blog serving frozen foods, TheFrozenFoodGuy.blogspot.com (2009-12)
• Wrote three-part sports feature on West Central Conference for Ogden Reporter (2011)
• Editing, research support to Vice President of Extension, Iowa State University (2011)
• Contributing writer to eHow.com, Demand Media Studios (2011)
• Provide research and administrative support to Regina Resnik Presents and Remi Arts, a cultural arts educational and performance group in New York (2010-11)
• Wrote about food and beverages for dealnews.com (2010)
• Contributed features and columns for Grocery Headquarters Magazine (2009)

Frozen Food Age, Melville, NY, and New York, NY, 2005-2008
Editor
Editor of monthly business magazine targeted to buyers and merchandisers in the $75 billion frozen and refrigerated food industries. Work with staff writers and freelancers to conceive and originate editorial copy for monthly publication of 20,000 readers; handle all editorial duties of www.frozenfoodage.com website.
• Developed and presented industry’s first webinar with Kraft and Birds Eye sponsorships
• Worked on launch team to redesign www.frozenfooodage.com
• Launched industry’s first e-newsletter

Weight Watchers, New York, NY, 2002-2005
Leader and Center Coordinator
Mid-level management position with one of the world’s leading consumer-based service companies. Conducted on-site meetings for Weight Watchers members at high-volume centers in Manhattan and at leading corporations such as Time Warner, Gruner + Jahr, Lehman Brothers, U.S. Trust, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley.

Food Logistics Magazine, New York, NY, 1998-2001 1998 - 2001
News/Online Editor
Report, write and edit for monthly business magazine, website and email newsletter targeted to logistics professionals in the $600 billion food industry. Covered trends and developments in warehousing, transportation, information technology and third-party logistics (3PLs). Helped launch Food Logistics eNews, a weekly email newsletter, and Food Logistics website.

Frozen Food Age, Stamford, CT, 1996-1997 1996 - 1997
Senior Editor
News and feature writer for monthly retail food industry magazine; direct editorial content, art, copy flow and production for quarterly Seafood Marketing supplement.

Travel Agent Magazine, New York, NY, 1990-1995 1990 - 1995
Senior Editor
Edited two sections of weekly retail travel magazine. Wrote and reported on travel industry issues with particular emphasis on airlines, car rentals, cruises, technology and Alaska tourism.

Coastal Observer, Pawleys Island, SC, 1988-1990
Staff Writer
Wrote, reported and handled photography assignments for weekly newspaper in fast-growing South Carolina resort area. Beat areas included high school sports, education, area history and local real estate development/public utilities commission.

North Myrtle Beach Times, North Myrtle Beach, SC, 1987-1988
News Editor
Managed news staff; wrote editorials, columns, sports/recreation, news stories and feature articles for tri-weekly resort area newspaper.

Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC, 1985-1987
Director of Public Information and Publications
Handled media relations and external publications for regional liberal arts college; served as student newspaper and yearbook advisor.

Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA, 1983-1985
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Developed news and press release content; coordinated production of admissions and development materials for regional liberal arts college.

Pilot-Tribune and Register, Storm Lake, IA, 1983-1984
Staff Writer

N’West Iowa Review, Sheldon, IA, 1981-1983
Staff Writer

EDUCATION

New York University, Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, 2006
Drake University, School of Journalism, Magazine Major

Jolly Llama Squeezups Add New Flavors

‘O’ MAGAZINE GIVES THUMBS UP TO PEACH, COCONUT

Jolly Llama Sorbet Squeezups are now available in two new flavors—Peach and Coconut Banana. The new flavors join the existing lineup of Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry and Mango.

Jolly Llama’s Sorbet Squeezups are packaged in easy-to-use individual “squeeze up” paper containers. They are made from whole fruit and then pureed and processed into a whole fruit sorbet. Squeezups are sold four to a package with a suggested retail price of $4.99 per package.

Officials with Santa Monica, Calif.-based Jolly Llama say Squeezups are “a good source of fiber—10% recommended daily intake (RDI) or greater—and contain 50% RDI of vitamins A and C. They’re all dairy-free, fat-free, gluten-free and a great, portion-controlled 70 or 80 calories, except Banana Coconut which has 100 calories and 3 grams of fat.”

Squeezups are available at natural grocery stores nationwide; Whole Foods in the West, North Atlantic and Southern regions; and online at foodzie.com.

The editors of O, The Oprah Magazine gave Squeezups a try and wrote, “replacing fruit puree concentrates with real whole fruit is what makes these sorbet push-ups taste like actual fresh fruit—only so much cooler.”

Jolly Llama founder Scott Jacobson parlayed his training and experience as a chef to fill a void he saw for restaurant-quality frozen treats. With friend Rich Ellefson, an ice cream industry veteran, he set up a test lab in a corner of his parent’s sugar cone manufacturing company. Three months later, Squeezups were born.

Jacobson takes the name of the company from his childhood in Wisconsin where he grew up around llama farms. He was always amused by their funny appearance, but found something peaceful about the way they quietly munched their vegetables and softly brushed against each other. One day when the Dalai Lama was visiting California, Jacobson says the image of a happy, smiling llama popped into his head and became the name of his new company.

Weight Watchers Helps Beat the Heat

FOUR NEW PRODUCTS IN FUDGE, FRUIT & OTHER FLAVORS

Has the heat wave got you down? Creating havoc with your pledge to eat healthy and exercise in the summer months?

Fear not, Weight Watchers has rolled out four new products to help beat the summer heat. New this “ice cream season” are Weight Watchers Dessert Bars in three flavors; Weight Watchers Strawberry Fruit Bar; Weight Watchers Snack Size Chocolate Fudge Bar; and Weight Watchers Snack Size Variety Pack Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Weight Watchers and Wells’ Dairy, the Iowa-based ice cream company that makes the products for the popular weight management program, say the Dessert Bars are “a highly indulgent ice cream bar” available in three “decadent” flavors. The flavors are Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Bar, Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bar, and Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché Bar.

Each bar is 3 “points plus” in the Weight Watchers PointsPlus system and they retail from a suggested $4.69 to $5.49 for a box of six bars.

Strawberry Fruit Bar is made with real fruit and has vitamin C, making it a healthier snack option for adults and kids. It has 15% fewer calories and 30% less sugar than other national leading brands of fruit bars. Suggested retail price is $4.69 to $5.49. Each fruit bar has a value of 2 on the PointsPlus system.

Snack Size Chocolate Fudge Bar is just that—a “delightful chocolate-y snack-sized treat” that Weight Watchers and Wells’ point out is “just a dream with only 45 calories per bar and less than 1 gram of fat.” PointsPlus value is 1 per bar and the suggested price for a box of 12 is $4.69 to $5.49.

Snack Size Variety Pack Ice Cream Sandwiches feature a pack of four sandwiches with two flavors, Vanilla Bean and Dutch Chocolate. Each sandwich has a PointsPlus value of 2. Each box of four sandwiches retails for a suggested $4.69 to $5.49.

TFFG SAYS: The Frozen Food Guy has gone right to the source (almost) as he has relocated to central Iowa this spring, which is not all that far away from northwest Iowa, where the Weight Watchers ice cream goodies are made at the HQ and main plant of Wells’ Dairy in Le Mars. TFFT is greatly enjoying his return to his hometown of Grand Junction, Iowa, and is enjoying the magnificently verdant green Iowa landscape this summer. He is also enjoying the open spaces, deep horizon and incredible views (7 miles from his back yard on the edge of town and up to 10 miles or more in some places just a few blocks away) and all the wonderful wildlife of his backyard (a quarter size city block) which goes from small town lawn-to-rural Iowa, and features an array of squirrels, rabbits, a variety of birds, and last week a big ‘ole possum perched on an old piece of wood in the neighbor’s back yard. (Stay over there, Mr. Possum!) Life is “grand” in the country! Who knew corn and soybean fields could look so beautiful!

Check out TFFG’s other online endeavor Eye on Grand Junction which covers what’s happening at “the junction,”--no! not Petticoat Junction, but GRAND JUNCTION. Go to: Eye on Grand Junction, URL is www.eyeongrandjunction.blogspot.com.

Drop him a line if you get a free moment at eyeongj@gmail.com or TheFrozenFoodGuy@gmail.com.

Saffron Road Introduces Halal Indian Meals

FOUR FLAVORS FEATURE LAMB AND CHICKEN

A new “entry” in the entrees (and dinners) section of the freezer case is Saffron Road with four all-natural Halal certified Indian meals.

The company says Halal “is a tradition that has nourished billions of people over the last 1,400 years. Halal promotes the sacred practices of respect for the land, fair treatment for farmers, humane treatment of livestock and clean, wholesome food to eat.”

Saffron Road says its Halal Indian meals feature antibiotic-free lamb and chicken in authentic recipes. Ingredients in the four flavors are all-natural. The meat is pasture-raised and 100% vegetarian fed.

The flavors are Chicken Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice, Lamb Saag with Basmati Rice, Chicken Biryani, and Lamb Vindaloo with Basmati Rice.

Jack Acree, who was previously in charge of marketing for Alexia Foods and its upscale frozen potatoes line, heads up marketing efforts for Saffron Road, which is based on Connecticut. For more information, go to www.saffronroadfood.com.

TFFG Says: Lamb is one of the most unheralded proteins but certainly as flavorful as the big three of “beef, pork and poultry.” These recipes do a wonderful job of blending the flavors of lamb and chicken with just the right touch of spices to remain authentic to Halal cuisine but not too overpowering to the American palate.

Blue Bunny Partners With Chef Goldman

PART OF NEW PRODUCT ROLLOUTS FOR SUMMER

Summer is just around the corner and Blue Bunny Ice Cream is ready with a variety of new products and flavors for ice cream season. Among the new products are Naturally Bars and Sandwiches, Chef Duff Goldman ice cream flavors, and Sweet Freedom snack products.

Blue Bunny’s Naturally Bars and Sandwiches are made of 100% natural ingredients. The bars are available in Vanilla Bean and Strawberry flavors and the sandwiches are available in Vanilla Bean and Chocolate. Each package of six bars or sandwiches sells for a suggested retail price of $3.69.
Blue Bunny has also added two new All Natural Frozen Yogurt flavors—Chocolate Vanilla Swirl and Vanilla Bean. Suggested retail price for each is $4.99.

Celebrity Chef Duff Goldman has partnered with Blue Bunny to create four ice cream-and-cake combinations. “The new flavors channel creativity into ice cream like never before,” says Goldman. “Much like my cakes, every last detail has been carefully crafted to create four ice cream flavor masterpieces.”

The four flavors are Red Carpet Velvet Cake—red velvet cake flavored ice cream with cream cheese frosting flavored ice cream and red velvet cake pieces; Chocolate Lovers Triple Chocolate Cake—chocolate ice cream with fudgy chocolate cake pieces; I Do! I Do! Wedding Cake—sweet buttercream frosting ice cream and white cake pieces wrapped in ribbons of raspberry sauce; and Strawberries Are Forever Shortcake—strawberry ice cream and strawberries mixed with pound cake pieces and whipped cream frosting.

SRP for each carton of Chef Goldman Ice Cream is $4.99.

New Personals single-serve ice cream flavors are Chocolate & Salted Caramel, Cocoa Pistachio, and Birthday Party. Each 5.5-ounce single-serve sells for 99 cents.

Blue Bunny has also added three new flavors to its Champs! Mini Swirls line—Birthday Party, Vanilla, and Chocolate—and a new Ice Cream Sandwich Mini Variety Pack with 16 mini sandwiches per carton—eight vanilla minis and eight chocolate minis. A box of 10 Champs! Mini Swirls cones sells for $4.99 and box of 16 mini ice cream sandwiches is $4.79.

New in the Sweet Freedom snack size line are Vanilla and a Variety Pack (Vanilla and Chocolate). SRP for each is $3.69

Blue Bunny has not overlook its premium ice cream customers, introducing two new flavors: Sweet & Salty Pretzel—vanilla ice cream with chocolate-coated pretzels and a salty caramel ribbon; and Dulce de Leche—caramel ice cream with a buttery caramel ribbon. Premium flavors sell for $4.99.

Food Producers' Prices Highest Since 1974

WHOLESALE FOOD PRICES SURGE IN FEBRUARY

February 2011 marked the largest one-month increase in 37 years for wholesale food prices, climbing by 3.9%.

An analysis of the latest Producer Price Index Report by The Food Institute, Upper Saddle River, N.J., indicates that wholesale prices have not experienced an increase this great in many years. This number was only exceeded in November 1974 when spiraling oil prices resulted in sharp food price increases amounting to 4.2%.

"Food retailers in the U.S. have been very adept at holding price increases at a minimum for the past 18 months but the February surge will make that task more difficult in future months," says Brain Todd, President and CEO of the non-profit trade association that has been providing information about the food industry since 1928.

This latest increase in the Producer Price Index for finished consumer foods is driven by a 49% jump in fresh vegetable prices due to freezes and other crop issues in many farming areas. Price increases of 4% or more during the month for beef and pork also added to the surge in the overall index.

Of the 17 categories the Food Institute tracks on a regular basis, 13 posted increases during February, led by fresh vegetables, and followed by a nearly 10% jump in shortening and cooking oil, a 7.6% jump in egg prices, a 4.1% gain in dairy prices and a 3.2% jump in coffee prices.

A Vegetarian ‘Balancing’ Act

TANDOOR CHEF DEBUTS LINE OF INDIAN ENTREES

Balanced Vegetarian is a new line of vegetarian Indian entrees from Tandoor Chef now available in supermarket freezer cases.

The vegetarian Indian meals were created “to provide vegetarian consumers with smarter and healthier at-home dining options,” say officials with Tandoor Chef, a brand manufactured and marketed by Deep Foods, Union, N.J.



Palak Paneer is one of five varieties in the

Tandoor Chef Balanced Vegetarian line.

 Balanced Vegetarian offers complete Indian meals with lower sodium, higher protein and fiber, and no trans fats, says the company. All five of the Balanced Vegetarian Meals are made with olive oil and select dishes are also vegan and gluten-free. Each item sells for $3.99.

The five Balanced Vegetarian meals are: Kofta Curry with Channa Masala & Spinach Basmati Pilaf, Mutter Paneer with Dal Palak & Cumin-Infused Basmati Rice, Palak Paneer with Dal Makhani & Tumeric-Infused Basmati Rice, Paneer Tikka Musala with Rajma Dal & Onion Basmati Rice, and Vegetable Korma with Dal Rajasthani & Cumin-Infused Basmati Rice.
Each dish offers multiple nutrients that are particularly beneficial for those following a meatless diet.
“Vegetarian consumers make up a large percentage of both the Indian and American population, yet truly healthy vegetarian dining options remain limited—especially when it comes to eating at home,” says Mike Ryan, vice president of sales and marketing, Tandoor Chef.

“That’s why we we’ve introduced Balanced Vegeterian, a better-for-you initiative and an industry first,” says Ryan. “We’re proud to share this with the vegetarian community as a way of letting them know that we have their best health and interests at heart.”

TFFG SAYS: Tandoor Chef has indeed struck a balance here, as these Indian entrees are flavorful—encapsulating the spices of Indian that identify a dish as “Indian”—but not overly spicy or pungent, which could easily put off the less “spice aware” American consumer.

TFFG Exclusive: Editor’s Picks!

BLUE RIBBONS TO BAKED ZITI, EGGPLANT BURGERS

Every now and then The Frozen Food Guy happens across a frozen food product that merits extra-special accolades. Much of the information written and posted here on TFFG by TFFG comes from press releases directly from the companies (my “A” list of sources) and information gleaned indirectly from various websites, news distribution agencies, and print magazines.

So, it seems appropriate that when I stumble across a product that really “punches all my buttons,” it should be duly noted.

I’ve recently discovered two such products—a baked ziti from Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt and an eggplant veggie burger from Dominex.


The Frozen Food Guy in action:
    Getting his ziti fix at Trader Joe's

Let’s start with Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt. I am a newcomer to the Trader’s Joe’s shopping experience. There is much to like in the new store that opened this fall in my neighborhood (Upper West Side of Manhattan). The prices are good, aisles are spacious, and the staff incredibly friendly based on New York standards. I especially like the way products are merchandised and the upbeat, catchy signage.

I found the baked ziti quite by accident as I had wandered in the store in the middle of the afternoon as more of a “site inspection” than a shopping trip on opening day, but I was soon swept up in the vibe this new store presented. It seems that Trader Joe’s key demographic is on the young-ish side (single 20-somethings) and the store reflects that, although on this particular visit there was a good turnout of seniors and retirees. Looking back, I think most of them came out of curiosity, as I have not seen many since.

Anyway, I was particularly drawn to the open freezer cases, known in industry parlance as “coffins.” I was also intrigued by the hand-written signage throughout the store. TJ’s really pulls this off, as hand-written could come off looking cutesy or worse, cheap, but these signs were both fun and informative. Most stores where I shop don’t offer much in the way of signage at all, yet alone legible pricing on or near the products, so this was a plus.

Also intriguing was TJ’s cross-merchandising. Just above these open freezer cases were shelves, built at about eye level, stocked with shelf-stable products—interesting cookies and crackers. Traditional grocers talk a lot about cross-merchandsing, but they just never do it. Especially in the frozen foods section. I ended up buying the baked ziti mostly on price—$1.99. But I was so impressed by the above-the-case merchandising (and the related signage), I ended up making an impulse buy of a package of cookies.

Comparatively, the Dominex Eggplant Burgers are sold in the freezer cases of the extensive natural and organic section (second floor) of my primary grocery store—Fairway at 74th and Broadway. This is a natural/organic frozen foods department that features a wide array of Amy’s products and specialty ice creams and sorbets, along with a good selection of frozen organic vegetables and several brands of meat alternative products. It’s probably the largest such section in Manhattan other than the Whole Foods at Columbus Circle. Shopping at Fairway, however, is an extension of life on the streets of the Upper West Side—busy, bustling and crowded. In contrast to the new Trader Joe’s (just two blocks away), Fairway does not offer spacious aisles, nor is there an upbeat vibe. Mostly it’s a lot of shoppers all jockeying and maneuvering through very crowded aisles and some very aggressive employees stocking shelves and pushing carts laded with merchandise up and down these same aisles (and they have some sort of pre-determined right of way.) But, Fairway has the magic formula— lots of very good food products at very good prices.

Just to clarify, the new Trader Joe’s opened in the fall. And it’s now February, and I have made several trips into the store specifically to buy that Reduced Guilt Baked Ziti. That’s the kind of repeat purchase food marketers dream about. I really like the Eggplant Burgers but they are primarily purchased as part of a typical shopping trip and are included on my list. I rarely make impulse purchases when food shopping, at least not in these economic times.

So much for how I got to the products the first time. Let’s take a look at their taste and presentation—the attributes that spurred additional purchases—and overall value:

TRADER JOE’S REDUCED GUILT BAKED ZITI: The product is actually billed as “Baked Ziti with Mozzarella and Grana Cheese.” I am not familiar with Grana cheese but it must be a secret ingredient or something, because this product really works. First off, it tastes good. But more than that, it’s satisfying, as in filling, which is just as important as tasting good. And there are no sleight of hand tricks where the single container is actually two serving sizes (a major pet peeve of The Frozen Food Guy). This one serving of baked ziti makes you feel like you’ve really eaten something; unlike far too many “diet” food presentations that are really appetizer-sized but passed off as an “entrée.” “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me…” and all that. Or as I like to think of it, ill-conceived product development idea that consumers will wise up to much faster than the time spent by food corporation executives trotting out that new (yet slightly dishonest) presentation—such as the duplicitous and devious “one serving tray presented as 2 servings” to make the nutritional information of each serving more palatable. Who heats just half of a single-size serving tray?

Granted, the baked ziti’s sodium level is high (590 mg or 25% of the recommended daily value) but I don’t ingest a lot of salt overall, so the high sodium is balanced against reasonable calories (320) and a manageable fat content (7 grams) and a good amount of fiber (3 grams). In the old Weight Watchers “Points” system, this product used to be 6 points but since they retooled the program a few months ago and rebranded “Points” as “Points Plus” the revised points assessment is 9 points. Not so bad when considering WW’s daily points targets and weekly extra points “allowance” were also increased. (Go to http://www.weightwatchers.com/plan/index.aspx for more on the upgraded WW program.)

A product that fares well on the nutritional score card; tastes good; and is actually satisfying—well, that’s clearly a win-win-win. This product works especially well when paired with a nice green salad and a glass of red wine. A perfect—and easy to prepare—winter-time evening meal.

Oh, and I almost forget—all this for $1.99. You got it: ka-ching, ka-ching and ka-ching again. Yes, that’s the sound of repeat purchases by Mr. TFFG himself.

DOMINEX EGGLPLANT BURGER: Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, “eggplant burgers…yuk.” But au contrare, mon frère! These “meat sub(stitute)” patties are flavorful, filling, and they even have the texture and aroma when cooked just like real meat. I don’t know how the folks at Dominex pulled it all off, but one key factor is the moistness to the product. When they come out of the microwave there is, well, juice or something—like you get when cooking real meat/protein (beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc.) in a pan or baking dish—on the dish or plate used for heating them.

Eggplant Burgers retail for $3.99, which seems like a lot when you compare them with the Baked Ziti at TJ’s above for half that, but the ziti is just one and done—a single serving. The eggplant burgers offer four patties to a package—so that’s just a buck per burger. Taste, convenience, value—yes, we have another ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching triple winner. Hint: look in the natural foods section freezer of your food store if you don’t find them in the mix with the regular frozen foods (pizza, ice cream, waffles, etc.).

And Points-wise, in case you’re counting? Each Eggplant Burger was 1 point and now “weighs” in at 2 points.

Top Product Honors to Buitoni, Lean Cuisine

AMONG 22 AWARDS PRESENTED TUESDAY IN NEW YORK

Buitoni Riserva Frozen Complete Meals for Two and Lean Cuisine Market Creations were among 22 products across several CPG categories honored at the Product of the Year USA awards ceremony this week in New York.

Buitoni Riserva took top honors in Specialty Foods and Lean Cuisine Market Creations was the winner in Frozen Foods.

Both of the winning brands are from Nestle USA, Solon, Ohio.

Jimmy Dean, a frozen breakfast food brand from Sara Lee, was honored in the Breakfast category for its new refrigerated rollout, Jimmy Dean Hearty Sausage Crumbles.

Other products honored in key food and beverage categories were: Cooking Spices—Recipe Inspirations, McCormick and Company Inc.; Cooking—Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil, Sovena USA; Candy and Snacks—M&M’s Pretzel Chocolate Candies, Mars Chocolate North America; and Beverage—Lipton Brisk, Pepsi-Lipton Partnership.

Product of the Year awards were also presented in pet food, pet health, air care, male grooming, baby care, personal hygiene, insecticide, cosmetics, at-home beauty treatment, hair care, toothpaste, mouthwash, feminine products, personal care, and hair styling categories.

The winners represented a cross-section of major CPG companies, including Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithCline, Kimberly-Clark, and Reckitt Benckiser.

All of the winning product development teams and their public relations and advertising partners were honored at special awards reception and dinner at the Edison Ballroom in New York on Tuesday night.

Chicago Improv comedians Kate James and Greg Mills served as hosts for the awards dinner, along with special presentations from Phil Lempert, the “Supermarket Guru,” and Herb Sorenson, scientific advisor for global retail and shopper practices with TNS.

“Consumers are smarter than ever and watching what they spend more intelligently,” says Lempert. “Even though mobile devices and social networks offer just about every product review possible, it is still the ‘human’ social network that is the most powerful.”

Sorenson noted that “even though modern-day consumers are tasked with deciding which products to use on a regular basis, shoppers are willing to trust their peers when it comes to trying new products that provide greater value. The Product of the Year seal is a giant recommendation to consumers, by consumers.”

TNS worked with the Product of the Year (POY) organization to survey 60,000 shoppers nationwide to determine the POY winners. Results of the surveys indicate that 80% of consumers are willing to try new products while 68% of shoppers say a consumer-voted award means more for a new product than an expert’s opinion. Recommendations from friends or family positively impacts purchase interest of close to half the population.

Hosted in 28 countries, POY is the world’s largest consumer-voted program that recognizes CPG innovation. This is the third year POY has presented awards in the United States.

TFFG SAYS: This is the second year TFFG has attended the POY awards dinner. Last year there were no frozen food winners, but there was so much valuable information shared about food, beverage and CPG products sold at retail—TFFG’s bailiwick—that it made for time well spent. So having two products honored this year made the event even more special. The comedy duo was very good and it is always great to be in the presence of Phil Lempert, who is by far the most high profile person in the CPG grocery/retail universe. Guru of “supermarketing,” indeed!

TFFG was fortunate to be assigned to the same table as the fine folks from Nestle USA and to be part of their special night as the teams from Buitoni and Lean Cuisine were honored for their exemplary efforts in product development and marketing. Nestle USA is also the maker of Stouffer’s, Jenny Craig and Hot Pockets frozen foods and last year acquired the pizza brands from Kraft—DiGiorno, Tombstone, Jack’s, and California Pizza Kitchen (licensed from the restaurant company of that name).

Lean Cuisine Gets Snackin’

DEBUTS NEW LINE OF SPRING ROLLS

Lean Cuisine, which made its mark in the “better for you” frozen meals segment, has branched out to frozen snacks with its new Lean Cuisine Spring Rolls. Nestle, which makes and markets the Lean Cuisine products, has even created a new tag line for the rollout—“keep snacking delicious.”

Nestle says that a recent survey shows that 74% of women snack in between lunch and dinner, but often they make bad choices which, in turn, lead to bad feelings. But these new Spring Rolls are each less than 200 calories per serving, so they offer a more healthful snack option

“We all have cravings at snack time, but there are so many boring choices out there,” says Christine Dahm, vice president of marketing, Lean Cuisine. “Snacking should be enjoyable and something we look forward to. And that’s why we’re introducing new Lean Cuisine Spring Rolls. They’re crispy, crunchy and they taste great—people will never believe snacking can be this delicious without the guilt.”

Lean Cuisine Spring Rolls sell for a suggested retail price of $3.59 and are available in three flavors: Garlic Chicken—white meat chicken, garlic, spinach, caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese; Thai-Style Chicken—white meat chicken, shredded cabbage, julienne yellow carrots and spicy red coconut curry; and Fajita-Style Chicken—white meat chipotle, corn, black beans, bell peppers and onions.

TFFG SAYS: This is a good fusion of two key trends: 1. The move toward healthier choices, in this case a product with a healthy protein (chicken) flavored with vegetables; and 2. The growing popularity of Asian foods, noted by the continued growth of restaurants featuring Asian cuisine and the popularity of such foods first made popular in Asian cultures, like sushi and soy products.

Lean Cuisine is also making some key information available on its LeanCusine.com website. In addition to a “Where To Buy” feature which helps shoppers locate Spring Rolls and other Lean Cuisine products in the nearest supermarket, the site offers wellness resources, including meal planning, lifestyle tips and advice.

Amy’s Kitchen 'Lightens Up'

NEW LIGHT AND LEAN MEALS CUT SODIUM, FAT LEVELS

Amy’s Kitchen has introduced a new line of “Light and Lean Meals.” Each of the four meals has fewer than 300 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 590 mg of sodium. Each meal is 8 ounces and sells for a suggested price of $4.89.

Amy’s says the Light and Lean Meals were created in response to consumer requests for meals that would fit their diet plans. Light and Lean Meals are organic, vegetarian, and made without use of trans fats or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The four Light and Lean Meals flavors are:



Light and Lean Spinach Lasagna has

just 250 calories and 5 grams of fat.

 Spinach Lasagna—Lasagna layered with ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and organic spinach, then covered with Amy’s special tomato pasta sauce. Nutritional values are 250 calories, 5 g fat and 540 mg sodium.


Pasta & Veggies—Rotina pasta tossed in a light tomato sauce and tender shallots, organic asparagus, and broccoli florets. Nutritional values are 210 calories, 5 g fat and 470 mg sodium.

Soft Taco Fiesta—Two soft corn tortillas layered with brown rice, shredded vegetables, sweet corn, black beans and cheese, flavored with a blend of tomatillo and ranchero sauces. Nutritional values are 220 calories, 4.5 g fat, 560 mg sodium, and gluten-free.



Black Bean & Cheese Enchilada has

just 240 calories and is gluten-free.



Black Bean & Cheese Enchilada—A mixture of organic black beans, tofu, brown rice, vegetables and cheese tucked into a tortilla covered with tomatillo and ranchero sauces. Organic brown rice with carrots and sweet corn complete the meal. Nutritional values are 240 calories, 4.5 g fat, 480 mg sodium, and gluten-free.

TFFG SAYS: Credit to Amy’s Kitchen for tackling that old bugaboo of frozen foods—too much sodium. Amy’s has also kept the calorie and fat levels in check with these products without compromising taste and texture. A frozen meal for almost $5 is a bit high, but reasonable nutritional values and the bonus of being gluten-free make these products a solid value.

One Up, One Down in Organic Baby Foods

YUMMY SPOONFULS EXPANDS, PETITE PALATE FOLDS

The emerging organic frozen baby food market lost one player and gained another in 2010. Yummy Spoonfuls, launched a few years ago in Marietta, Ga., by Agatha Achindu, has expanded from the South to several key markets in the Northeast. Sadly, Petite Palate, an early player in the category, has gone out of business.

Yummy Spoonfuls is now available in the New York area in Dean & Deluca food stores and Food Emporium supermarkets and through Haddon House, a New Jersey food distributor. Yummy Spoonfuls also exhibited for the first time at the Natural Products Expo East in Boston in October.



Butternut Squash is one of the

Stage 1 "Creamy Yummy"

products from Yummy Spoonfulls.



Achindu says 2010 was “an incredible year for Yummy Spoonfuls. Going to Boston in October for Expo East took us to a whole new level. The product is really catching on in the Northeast, and that’s a huge market for us. My hope is that Yummy Spoonfuls can support parents in giving children the best start in life.”

Achindu started the company in 2006 when she was expecting her first child. She began to explore healthy baby food options and found that baby foods labeled “organic” had expiration dates of up to two years. She notes this meant that in many cases, babies were eating food items that were older than they were.

So she created the Yummy Spoonfuls line of 23 all-organic products. The products are divided into three phases: Creamy Yummy (Stage 1), Mushy Yummy (Stage 2) and Chunky Yummy (Stage 3).

Creamy Yummy is designed for babies age 6 to 9 months. The consistency of the Creamy Yummy products is soft in texture and gentle on babies’ immature digestive systems. Product offerings include peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, papaya, broccoli and pears. Mushy Yummy is for infants age 9 to 12 months and features a more eclectic pairing of foods for a baby’s developing palate. The combinations include potato and broccoli, carrot and parsnip, sweet potato and broccoli, and blueberry and millet cereal, among others. Chunky Yummy is for children age 12 months and older and includes flavors like lentil and carrot porridge and a rice medley.


Sweet Potato Broccoli is a "Mushy Yummy"

(Stage 2) item for infants 9 to 12 months.


Petite Palate was also launched in 2006 by Lisa Beels, a personal chef, and Christine Naylor, a cookbook publicist. The business did well for the first two years and was just one of a handful of frozen food products to get space in Zabar’s on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Its distribution included Amazon.com and about 100 food stores and supermarkets in the Northeast and Midwest. However, plans for expansion—they were hoping to raise $2.5 million to $5 million—were thwarted when the economy when sour and potential investors backed off.

Petite Palate folded in October 2010. Beels told the New York Times in a story about start-up companies that have gone out of business that she and Naylor should have been more open to producing shelf-stable products along with their frozen organic line of baby foods. “It took us a long time to acknowledge that and by then we were in debt and couldn’t support the company,” she told the Times.

Beels has since launched Haute Palate, a personal chef business.

TFFG SAYS: I have fond memories of working with Lisa and Christine when I was editor of Frozen Food Age. I was invited to an event held in Lisa’s high-rise condo tower on the West Side of Manhattan where she and Christine were gathering potential investors. The event was originally planned for the rooftop garden of the building, but high winds forced the event to be moved to her apartment on a very high floor, which commanded amazing views of the Hudson River to the west and Manhattan to the north. It was great to see this trained chef and young mom in action. It was quite an event with her two kids, husband and the family cat all on hand along with Christine and her husband and the potential investors, other guests and press (me).

She was right about the need to expand the product line as two of the early players in the frozen organic baby food category, Happy Baby and Tasty Baby, have done just that, and another start-up, Plum Organics, was acquired by the Nest Collective which, according to Nutrition Business Journal, plans to amass a suite of healthy, organic and nutritional products for kids.

Sharing the Love with evol Burritos

NATURAL FROZEN BURRITO IS BOFFO IN BOSTON

A new frozen burrito, evol, from Phil’s Fresh Foods, Boulder, Colo., was a big hit at the recent Natural Products Expo East event at the Boston Convention Center. The natural and organic evol (love spelled backwards) burrito is available in four sizes—7 oz. premium burrito, 7 oz. premium wrap, 3 oz. mini burrito and 8 oz. burrito.

The folks at Phil’s have dubbed the mini burrito as the “energy bar of the frozen food section.” The mini is available in five flavors: chicken, bean and rice; chicken and black bean; bean and cheddar; shredded beef; and veggie fajita.

The premium burrito is available in three flavors: fire grilled chicken fajita; fire grilled steak fajita; and pork canitas. The three premium wraps are all dairy-free: teriyaki chicken; veggie curry; and Mediterranean couscous.

The 8 oz. burrito is available in the following flavors: chicken, bean and rice; shredded beef; egg and potato; pinto bean, rice and cheese; cilantro lime chicken; veggie fajita; basic bean and cheese; tofu and spinach sauté; egg and sausage; egg and green chile; and pork and green chile.

Officials with evol say the products are made with locally sourced ingredients, certified humane cage-free eggs, free-range chicken, humanely-raised and sustainably sourced meat and RBST-free cheese.

TFFG Says: It was while chatting up another frozen food vendor in his booth at the natural products show that The Frozen Food Guy spotted one of the mini burritos. It was upside down and lying not far from the vendor’s packages (a seafood company), so TFFG was mildly curious but not wanting to interrupt the vendor’s presentation with a “what’s that on the table?” since it clearly wasn’t part of the product line under discussion. He was “on message” and I didn’t want to derail him and have him go “off message,” so to speak.

Later, the TFFG was perusing all the various products on display in the new product section at the front of the exhibition floor area when he spotted the “evol” burrito. While jotting down notes about the product, another convention attendee shared—totally unsolicited—with TFFG how very good these frozen burritos truly are. So, TFFG made a personal visit to the evol booth and got the pertinent info and gave the mini burrito a test run (or two) himself. Thumbs up, evol!

And ya gotta love the “e-v-o-l” (backwards) right?

Smith Rolls Out Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

PLUS A BONUS: ICED MOCHA MILKSHAKE RECIPE

Smith Dairy of Orrville, Ohio, clearly has the right idea about fall and ice cream. Smith has just introduced its seasonal ice cream flavor for fall, Ruggles Pumpkin Pie ice cream.


Ruggles Pumpkin Pie features premium pumpkin

pie ice cream and pieces of pie crust.



Ruggles Pumpkin Pie features premium pumpkin pie flavored ice cream and pie crust pieces.

“We always look forward to the autumn appearance of our Ruggles Pumpkin Pie ice cream as the kickoff of our holiday season,” says Penny Baker, director of marketing, Smith Dairy. “Our customers enjoy our Pumpkin Pie flavor throughout the fall season, and shortly after that, our winter holiday flavors are available.”

Smith doesn’t just stop with rolling out a pumpkin pin flavored ice cream, it also puts out a recipe, in this case, Ruggles Pumpkin Pie Iced Mocha Milkshake, which is a lighter, less-sweet milkshake that makes great use of that extra coffee that just gets poured down the drain. Here is the recipe which serves two:

1 cup cold strong coffee—frozen into about 10 cubes
2 cups Ruggles Pumpkin Pie ice cream
¼ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Freeze leftover coffee in ice cube tray to use in your milkshakes. One cup liquid equals about 10 cubes.
Crush the coffee ice cubes in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients with enough milk for desired consistency. 2% reduced fat, 1% low fat or fat-free skim milk may be substituted.

Pumpkin Pie ice cream is available during October while supplies last in the market area served by Smith Dairy, which is Ohio and parts of Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Suggested retail price for a 1.75-quart is $5.29 to $5.99.

TFFG SAYS: Too bad more ice cream companies don’t issue seasonal flavors. The best we seem to get is a baseball-themed ice cream, which usually means they just gussy up the packaging and call it the “ice cream of the New York Yankees” or something along those lines. Big deal. Show me an authentic Yankee blue pinstripes and premium ice cream and we’ll talk.

Smith and its Ruggles brand are spot-on with their terrific line of seasonal ice creams and this is just a run-up to all the great ice creams and dairy products (eggnog among them) that they roll out for the Christmas holidays.

A neat twist on this milkshake recipe might be a shot of brandy or rum, which then makes it a Super Duper Rum Pumpkin Pleaser! What better way to stave off the first frost of the year while basking under a bright, full “harvest moon.” It could be just the thing that a harried hostess needs after a long, hard Thanksgiving day of turkey roasting, mashed potato making, pie baking, dish washing——and a houseful of (gasp) in-laws!!

Prevention.com Launches Grocery Server

OFFERS DEALS, INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY RECIPES

Prevention.com, the website of Prevention magazine, has launched a Grocery Server tool to help shoppers search for money-saving deals at grocery stores within their area.

Located in Prevention.com’s Healthy Recipe Finder section, the tool lets users plug in their zip code, as well as search by store, product and product category to receive deals. They can also use the tool to see if local stores carry the ingredients suggested by recipes in the site’s Healthy Recipe Finder.

Prevention’s Grocery Server is offered by Grocery Server, a joint venture between Qponix and MyGroceryDeals.com.

TFFG Says: This is a pretty nifty component to Prevention.com. The announcement from Rodale, publisher of Prevention and Prevention.com, makes note of the “Healthy Recipe Finder” section the website, but the actual button the on the site’s navigation bar is under “Recipes” and there are two different links marked “Recipe Finder” that take you to the recipe finder page, and this being Prevention magazine, all the recipes are pretty much healthy.

The grocery shopper tool is neat. Just click on the “Find Grocery Deals” link which is just above “Recipe Finder” link on the left side of the page. Shoppers can search through various food categories and find the prices on each item in the individual food stores in a particular area. For example, in New York (TFFG’s area), it offers the option of searching “all stores” or breaking it down to one of 18 stores listed, including D’Agostino, Food Emporium, Wegmans, Whole Foods and others. It then lists what’s available under types of products and the cost of each.

6-Pack: Trends Influencing Grocery Shoppers

VALUE, PRIVATE LABEL AND ‘HOME COOKING’

The August Dairy-Deli-Bake Digest newsletter from the International Dairy, Deli, Bakery Association (IDDBA) includes information from California Grocer magazine that identifies six trends this year that are changing the grocery shopping environment:

1. Value is King: Private label will gain market share at branded products expense. Consumer will continue to increase their shopping occasions with discounters. Promotions and hot deals will drive traffic to those stores (via the discounter’s low pricing format).

2. Ad Spending Improves and Goes Digital: Brands will be forced to increase their ad and consumer promotion spending to drive sales volume and add value. Consumer advertising budgets will be up 15-25% on average with increased emphasis on internet and social media spending.

3. Health Drives the Consumer: Consumers are buying more healthful products (increased fibers, reduced sugar/salt, improved nutrition). Consumers will renew their love affair with natural and organic products.

4. Pricing Remains Stable: Commodity prices should not be a problem. Pricing will be stable and somewhat boring compared to previous price swings.

5. Mergers and Competition Intensify: Look for increased consolidation and acquisitions. There will be heavy activity for smaller private food manufacturers with strong sales in branded or private label manufacturing.

6. Home Cooking But Not Really: Consumers will continue with focus on home over restaurants for family food consumption. Consumers want to eat at home but they really don’t want to cook, just have it look like it. Restaurant activity will pick up but only if the economy improves to include job creation. Should be a good environment for branded and private label food manufacturers. Food retailers will have it a little tougher with a greater amount of pressure on margins.

TFFG Says: Some really good stuff here. Although “health drives the consumer” and “not cooking at home” are pretty much at odds with each other. It’s more a case of “lots of emphasis on words on the packaging like ‘healthy’ and ‘health benefits’ will attract shoppers.” I’m not sure shoppers with one hand pushing a grocery cart and another reaching for the products on the shelves are really going to have the time or inclination to deal with a hand-held device. It’s challenging enough for most shoppers just to deal with a paper grocery list (making, keeping, finding as in not losing it before getting to the store) which can be pretty much kept in hand while pushing the cart and holding and handling the products.

Editors Swoon Over Naan Pizza

GETS HIGH MARKS FROM REAL SIMPLE, COOKING LIGHT

Accolades are pouring in for the new Naan pizza line launched by Tandoor Chef. Real Simple magazine included the Roasted Eggplant flavor of Tandoor Chef’s Original Naan Pizza as one of 10 frozen pizzas that it “road tested” in its September issue.

As the subdeck in the article asked, “pizza guy can’t come soon enough?” and answering itself, “then try one of these store-bought shortcuts. Real Simple baked up 79 pies* and found 10 that delivered.” The asterisk is explained on the page, “that all pizzas tested were free of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats.”

The 10 pizzas each fall under a category with Tandoor Chef listed under “Best Eggplant.”

The editors at Cooking Light magazine are also ga-ga over Tandoor Chef’s Naan, as they named the Margherita flavor as Grand Prize Winner in the Pizza Category in its first Taste Test Awards.

Cooking Light conducted a blind test of 200 products in 32 categories to find the best tasting products on grocery store shelves.  The winners were included in the October issue of Cooking Light which hit the newsstands on Sept. 17.

Tandoor Chef, produced by Deep Foods, Union, N.J., is a maker of all-natural frozen Indian foods. The all-natural, vegetarian Naan pizza is hand-stretched and then fired in a clay Tandoor oven at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

In addition to Roasted Eggplant and Margherita, the other flavors in the four-flavor line are Cilantro Pesto, and Spinach & Paneer Cheese.

TFFG Says: Those headline writers at Real Simple are pretty clever with their word play (pizza guy coming and 10 “that delivered”). I like that.

This Naan pizza is very tasty, as I sampled a few bites at the Fancy Food Show in New York a few months ago while having a nice chat Mike Ryan, vice president of advertising, for Tandoor Chef and Deep Foods. Looks like some of these New York magazine editors might have also been sampling at the Tandoor Chef booth!

Tainted Fruit Bars, Nuggets Get Yanked

EGGS, CHICKENS, MAMEY—OH MY!

Recent mega food recalls of contaminated ground beef and eggs (half a billion!) have overshadowed the recall of two frozen food items.

The Associated Press reports that Paleta California Co. of Santa Springs, Calif., recalled its mamey (mah-MAY) frozen fruit bars because of a possible link to a rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever and Perdue Farms Inc., Perry, Ga., recalled thousands of pounds of frozen chicken nugget products that officials say could contain foreign materials.

First, let’s look at the frozen fruit bars. Paleta California says the Mamey Supreme Cream Bars were distributed only in Southern California.

The company says the frozen fruit bars were sold in retail stores and have the following UPC number: 636418002000.

The company says the frozen fruit bars were made from contaminated mamey pulp that Goya Foods Inc. voluntarily recalled on Aug. 12, after it was linked to a typhoid fever outbreak in California and Nevada. So far no illnesses have been reported from the mamey fruit bars.

Mamey, or zapote (zah-POH-teh), is a fruit popular in Latin America and the Caribbean.

AP reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that the Perdue Farms chicken products include 1-pound, 13-ounce bags of Great Value Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets.

Officials are recalling approximately 91,872 pounds of the nuggets after the privately held company discovered small pieces of blue plastic, following consumer complaints.

Agriculture authorities have not gotten any reports of injuries.

Each bag bears the establishment number P-33944 as well as a case code of 80990A0160.

TFFG SAYS: Yikes! Imagine noshing on some chicken nuggets chock-a-block full of “foreign objects” (what the ---?) while you whip up a batch of meatloaf with both E. coli contaminated ground beef and eggs and then top it all off with a tasty, cool typhoid fever-inducing mamey bar (“supreme,” no less). Talk about double/quadruple indemnity. It’s like “choose your poison”—four different ways! I still can’t get over that egg situation. And it’s really more than HALF A BILLION. The real tally is 550 million. That’s HALF A BILLION eggs plus another 50 million! A recall of 50 million would be completely over the top, but 5 – 5 – 0 million?! That’s just plain criminal.

A&P Down, Trader Joe’s Up

SELLING, CLOSING, OPENING: A CHANGED LANDSCAPE

The landscape for grocery shopping continues to shift in the Northeast, and especially in the New York area.

The venerable A&P chain is heading into near extinction while the upstart Trader Joe’s is set to open its third store in Manhattan. Meanwhile, Whole Foods continues to be a destination store for both urbanites and suburbanites.

A&P is actually one of seven store “banners” that come under the umbrella of its corporate parent, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. But the stores first started by the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. back in 1856 in New York have always been known just as A&P. In some communities, the stores were so well known, shoppers referred to them as “the A&P.”

A&P announced last month that it would close 25 stores. Today’s A&P corporation, based in Montvale, N.J., includes the A&P banner along with Waldbaum’s, Pathmark, Food Emporium, Super Fresh and Food Basics.

New President and CEO Sam Martin said in a statement that “as part of our turnaround, we have initiated a detailed review of our store footprint and have decided to close these 25 locations. While this was a very difficult decision that will unfortunately impact some of our customers, partners, communities and employees, these actions are absolutely necessary to strengthen A&P’s operating foundation and improve our performance going forward. We will help our affected colleagues pursue other positions across the company should other positions be available.”

A&P officials would not say which stores under which banners would be closed, but a TFFG follower in Greenwhich, Conn., tell us that the A&P Fresh, a sub-brand of A&P, was recently shuttered and has a “space for lease” sign in the window.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that A&P is planning to sell off the entire Food Emporium chain, and it was not included in the announcement of which of its seven banners would actually close. And now A&P has announced the sale of seven stores in northern Connecticut to Big Y Foods, a chain of 56 supermarkets and one liquor/wine store based in Springfield, Mass.

According to the Middletown Register in Middletown, Conn., the seven stores purchased by Big Y—a deal that will close by the end of next month—are A&P stores in Middletown, Mystic, Old Lyme, West Hartford, Branford, East Haven and Naugatuck.

TFFG SAYS: This is more sad news coming from what was once the nation’s preeminent grocery retailer. According to the Supermarket News Top 75, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (GAP on the New York Stock Exchange) is now just the 18th largest, surpassed long ago by national food retailing chains like Wal-Mart, Costco and B.J.s, and even discount retailer Dollar General. The [former] CEO of A&P doesn’t even rank among the top 50 leaders in the grocery industry as compiled by Supermarket News while John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, is 19th; Rick Dreiling, chairman and CEO of Dollar General, is 20th; and Dan Bane, chairman and CEO of Trader Joe’s, is 21st.

When I first moved to the New York area in 1990, A&P was the old reliable store you found on the main streets of the suburban communities and in the old neighborhoods in the city itself. Waldbaum’s and Pathmark were the glitzy “big stores” with huge parking lots. Over the years, “GAP” has acquired both Pathmark and Waldbaum’s yet these stores continue to lose market share in the New York/Northeast area where GAP stores operate. Current GAP tally: 429 stores in 8 states (Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) and the District of Columbia.

I remember the old A&P just off Plandome Road in downtown Manhasset and the nice, big Waldbaum’s next to the Americana shopping center on the iconic Miracle Mile of Northern Boulevard in Manhasset. Just down the road on Northern Boulevard toward Greenvale and Roslyn was the spacious and gleaming Pathmark.

Now folks out there make a beeline to Stop & Shop and Whole Foods.

When I moved to the Upper West Side a dozen years ago there was a nice, no-frills A&P on West End Avenue and a Food Emporium on Broadway at 73d. Location, location, location, indeed. As proof of how valuable a location for the A&P, the single-story building that housed the A&P came down, so of course the store closed, but the space was filled by a glitzy new condo tower. So what is there now, on the same site (in the new building)? A no-frills Rite Aid drugstore. What’s up with that, A&P? And the upstart Jubilee chain (threes stores in Manhattan only) opened in one of the new Trump-built 30-story towers that line the Hudson River on Riverside Park South just a block away.

The Food Emporium (with its sky high prices) closed but was replaced by a Gristede’s that was just short of awful (sullen checkers, dysfunctional technology, and a freezer door case that was frozen over solid for more than a month!!!). And today in that same location, location, location? A very successful Loehman’s ready-to-wear store.

This is case of having things literally slip between your fingers. I am sure that powers-that-be (an ongoing revolving-door collection) at A&P corporate headquarters in northern NJ justify all this as being done “for shareholder value” and all that claptrap.

Oh wait, here is what else CEO Martin said: “We are moving forward aggressively to advance our turnaround and position A&P for a strong future. Even as we reduce our store base and drive efficiencies across our company, A&P continues to remodel stores and take other important steps to enhance our customer’s experience across our store formats. To this end, we are set to reopen two newly remodeled stores in the coming months.”

Well, uh, he couldn’t say much about shareholder value now, could he, as the stock trades for a measly $3.74 a share (as of 3 p.m. today) on the New York Stock Exchange. Comparatively, Wal-Mart’s stock trades at $53 a share and the price on the Nasdaq at 3 p.m. today for Whole Foods was $35.

Whole Foods now has 21 stores in the key trading area of the original A&P and its corporate banners of New York/New Jersey/Connecticut. Eleven stores are in New Jersey; seven in Connecticut including the affluent suburbs of Darien, Greenwich and Westport; one in suburban Westchester County (White Plains); three on Long Island (Jericho and Long Grove along with Manhasset); and six in New York, all in high profile locations—Columbus Circle, Bowery, Chelsea, Tribeca, Union Square and the newest store on the Upper West Side on Columbus Avenue at West 100th Street, which opened last year.

Whole Foods plans to open a store on the Upper East Side in 2013—on East 57th Street between Second and Third Avenues.

[*A COMPLIMENT: One good thing to be said for Food Emporium is they are one chain to get things right in the frozen food section as it is the only store that I have seen using signage to mark the dinners and entrees area as “Meal Solutions,” which is something the frozen food industry has been endeavoring to promote for nearly 15 years. Get it? Your protein, vegetable, fruits, a side dish, maybe even a dessert? The whole frozen food section is a meal solution: Easy to buy; quick to prepare. (But can be a bit pricey, ahem.)*]

Meanwhile, the new Trader Joe’s store opening on the Upper West Side is about midway between the Whole Foods at Columbus Circle and the new Whole Foods store at 808 Columbus (West 100th). It's located in a brand new condo tower at the southwest corner of West 72nd where Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway intersect, and just across the street from the subway station serving the busy 1, 2 and 3 lines. Besides being in a neighborhood with mega-density and legions of affluent, young professionals, this prime corner spot will be a big draw for tourists as it is smack dab between Central Park and Riverside Park/Riverside South Park (the new southern extension of Riverside Park than runs along the Hudson down to 59th Street), as each are just two blocks away, along with the Beacon and other nearby hotels, Lincoln Center, the Museum of Natural History, the New-York Historical Society Museum, and the Beacon Theatre.

This will be Trader’s Joe’s 30th location in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area. It will be the third to crack the Manhattan grocery juggernaut (high rents, demanding customers, no space for logistics like deliveries, etc.) with one having opened a few years ago on East 14th Street near Union Square and another having opened this spring in Chelsea.

Trader Joe’s has been on such an updraft, even Fortune magazine has taken notice, featuring the company on the cover of this month’s issue. Fortune’s cover story is titled, “Inside Trader Joes: Check Out the Hottest—and Most Secretive—Retailer in America.” Check-out, indeed. Ca-ching, a-ching. So check it out ($4.99 at a news stand near you).

Cedarlane Rolls Out Three New Products

ALL-NATURAL ENTREES ARE FILLING AND TASTY

Cedarlane Natural Foods has introduced three new frozen entrees that are made with all natural ingredients.

Pesto & Four Cheese Baked Stacked Eggplant features baked eggplant smothered in a creamy pesto sauce, layered with ricotta, Monterey jack, Parmesan and feta cheeses drenched in a chunky tomato sauce.

Spinach and Three-Cheese Stuffed Manicotti offers Manicotti pasta shells loaded with spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses covered in a sweet Italian tomato sauce.

Turkey Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya is a fragrant Basmati rice tossed with spicy turkey sausage, shrimp and a medley of vegetables.

Suggested retail price for the entrees is between $3.99 and $4.49.

Cedarlane products are available in grocery and natural food stores, including major chains such as Whole Foods, Kroger, Safeway and Publix.

TFFG Says: Cedarlane has really hit the spot with these new items. At the onset, it seems an entrée of eggplant could not possibly be filling, but this Pesto & Four Cheese Baked Stacked Eggplant really fills the bill. Not only are these products all-natural, but they are very tasty. Any of the three paired with a side salad makes for a terrific dinner.