Content about American cuisine

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola reportedly is gearing up to roll out mid-calorie beverages in select markets.

Scott Williamson, a Coca-Cola spokesman, was quoted as saying that the beverages, which will be marketed under the Sprite and Fanta brands, is "a limited test of new formulations to see if they might appeal to consumers."

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A frozen pizza brand has reformulated the sauce used in its Brick Oven pizza varieties.

Freschetta said the sauce used on its pizzas now feature sea salt and olive oil. In the brand's Brick Oven line, the five Italian cheese, pepperoni and Italian style cheese, zesty Italian style supreme, spinach and mushroom, and three meat medley varieties now feature sea salt and olive oil. The sea salt and olive oil sauce will be incorporated into the Naturally Rising line of Freschetta pizzas later this year, the company noted.

NEW YORK — A gourmet pizza chain is bringing its gluten-free pizza line to the frozen food aisle of stores nationwide.

Garlic Jim’s, a restaurant chain based in Washington, initially began rolling out its 12-in. frozen pizzas in supermarkets in the Puget Sound, Wash., area this spring.

Garlic Jim's frozen gluten-free pizza is available in the following varieties: "The King of Pizza Toppings" pepperoni pizza, gourmet garlic pizza, "Don't Have a Cow Literally" veggie pizza and "The Big Cheese" three-cheese pizza.

NEW YORK — A new machine from a company based in Wando, S.C., gives retailers a new way to sell ice cream, according to published reports.

RetailWire reported that Robofusion, founded by Allan Jones, had developed an eponymous robot that allows customers to create their own ice cream desserts.

According to the company's website, customers walk up to the machine, choose 1-of-4 "Robot Characters" that program the robot movements and effects and then design a five-layer ice cream and candy treat.

NOTTINGHAM, Pa. — Herr's is turning up the heat with its newest potato chips, co-created by T.W. Garner.

New Herr's hot-sauce-flavored ripple kettle cooked potato chips combine the taste of Herr's ripple kettle cooked potato chips with the zing of Texas Pete hot sauce, the companies said. This is the second potato chip creation developed in the companies' partnership.

The new Herr’s hot-sauce-flavored potato chips now are available in stores and vending machines across the United States.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is launching new flavors of its private-label Thrifty Ice Cream in California stores, the retail pharmacy chain said Wednesday.

The launch comes ahead of National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, which President Ronald Reagan launched in 1984.

VERNON, Calif. — Van's Natural Foods has rolled out two frozen breakfast items that aim to please the whole family.

Van's muffin crowns and waffle sticks offer families a nutritious alternative to processed frozen breakfast items, the company said. The muffin crowns, which are 120 calories or less per serving, provide 6 g of fiber and 3 g of protein. Van's muffin crowns are available in Triple Chocolate and Wild Blueberry flavors.

MINONG, Wis. — Jack Link's is paying tribute to the past with a new line of beef sticks and tender strips.

Jack Link's Classics line is pre-priced and includes a 1.02-oz. original beef stick for 99 cents, two-for-$1 beef sticks in a 0.45-oz. size and a 2.5-oz. package of tender beef jerky strips for $2.99. The line also will feature vintage-inspired red, black and white packaging.

Jack Link's Classics will be available at retailers nationwide.

ORRVILLE, Ohio — J.M. Smucker officially has increased the list price for several of its coffee products.

As previously reported by Drug Store News in February, the company announced that the price boost was driven by sustained increases in green coffee costs. Coffee products sold under the Folgers, Dunkin' Donuts, Millstone and Folgers Gourmet Selections brand names were impacted by an average of 11%.

ORRVILLE, Ohio — J.M. Smucker said it has completed its acquisition of the coffee brands and business operations of Rowland Coffee Roasters, a privately owned, Miami-based company.

The company completed the $360 million transaction with cash on hand and borrowings under its existing credit facility. The transaction is expected to contribute approximately 5 cents per diluted common share to fiscal 2012 earnings, excluding one-time costs of the transaction, J.M. Smucker said.

MINONG, Wis. — A beef jerky brand is expanding its Sasquatch snacks line with a large beef steak product.

Jack Link's Beefy Jerky said its new Sasquatch Big Steak boasts more than 16 in. in length and is available in Angry (original) and Zen (teriyaki) flavors.

The Sasquatch Big Steaks are available for $2.99 per 2.4-oz. steak. The Sasquatch Big Sticks, which launched last year, are available for $2.49 per 2.2-oz. stick.

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Pharmavite on Monday named Bill Tullis as its new EVP sales.

Tullis comes to Pharmavite with more than 25 years of experience within the consumer packaged goods industry, most recently as area VP for alternate channels at Del Monte Foods. Prior to his work at Del Monte Foods, Tullis held sales and marketing positions at Nabisco and Nestle USA.