Content about Consumables

BETHESDA, Md. — Coca-Cola's Honest Tea brand is expanding its initial launch of Honest Fizz, a line of naturally sweetened zero calorie sodas. Honest Fizz comes in four varieties: Lemon Limey, Orange Pop, Professor Fizz, and USDA Organic Root Beer — the only organic zero-calorie root beer on the market. Honest Tea is sweetened with a blend of stevia leaf extract and erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol. Low- and no calorie sodas are a fast-growing segment of the carbonated beverage market. Honest Fizz is available in 12-oz. single cans and six-packs.

SALINAS, Calif. — Taylor Farms Retail this week debuted a new Italian Chopped Salad Kit with salami and cheese, expanding on the company's chopped salad line. The new "Italian Chopped Salad Kit" is a blend of romaine lettuce, broccoli, red cabbage, celery, Italian cheese blend, green onions, salami and parsley.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A campaign run by Midwestern mass-merchandise chain Meijer to raise money for food banks has netted more than half a million dollars, the company said.

Meijer said customers donated $184,230 during Simply Give Double Match Days to help food pantries around the Midwest stock shelves, and Meijer double-matched the donations for a total of $552,690.

ST. LOUIS — Stella Artois is introducing Stella Artois Cidre to the surging U.S. cider market, Anheuser-Busch announced today.

Stella Artois Cidre is a crisp, distinctive European-style cider made with apples hand-picked from wine growing regions, the brewer stated. Initially it will be available in 26 U.S. states, with further expansion possible in 2014. Sales to retailers begin on May 13.

SEATTLE —  Sparkling Ice, part of the TalkingRain portfolio of beverages, announced today the expansion of its lemonade brand with a new zero calorie lemonade product line. Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Lemonade with Tea now complement the Classic Lemonade flavor successfully launched in 2012, the company stated.

ST. LOUIS — Starting this Sunday, May 5, for every Budweiser sold through July 4, the company will donate a portion of proceeds to the Folds of Honor Foundation to support military families.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Cereal maker Kellogg Co. is hoping to appeal to adult customers with new breakfast food lines, the company said in announcing its first quarter 2013 earnings.

In a conference call with financial analysts, CEO John Bryant said the company plans to launch Raisin Bran with omega-3, multi-grain Special K and new additions to the Kashi brand later this year, citing lagging sales in the adult-products segment compared with products aimed at children.

SEATTLE — Jones Soda Co., a beverage company known for its colorful sodas and customer-designed packaging, announced the launch of Natural Jones Soda.

The Natural Jones Soda product line is sweetened with a proprietary blend of natural sweeteners including pure cane sugar, organic agave syrup and stevia. Each 12-ounce glass bottle contains 30 calories, five grams of fiber and five grams of sugar and comes in four fruit flavors: Green Apple, Orange Mango, Cherry and Lemon Lime.

BOSTON & ORRVILLE, Ohio — A collaboration between Life is good Co. and J.M. Smucker Co. will bring a line of coffee products to retail shelves throughout North America.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Mars Chocolate, the makers of Snickers brand candy, announced today that the company is teaming up with jockey Rosie Napravnik as she attempts to make history in this weekend's Kentucky Derby race.

Mars Chocolate North America officially partnered with Rosie by announcing Snickers will give away 1 million Snickers Bites — which are unwrapped, bite-sized versions of the candy bar — if she wins the famous race on May 4.

CHICAGO — A new energy drink made from natural yerba mate is hitting retail shelves now.

Fuga is a healthy energy drink made from the natural energy resource yerba mate which is said to offer the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea and the euphoria of chocolate. Fuga's array of herbal ingredients also includes prickly pear cactus, ginkgo biloba, guarana, milk thistle and acai, as well as essential vitamins and amino acids to support overall health and well-being.

NEW YORK — Planters Peanuts has launched a new snack mix with the aim to provide a sustaining boost of energy.

New Planters NUT-rition Sustaining Energy Mix is designed to provide wholesome fuel and is a good source of protein, fiber and four vitamins and minerals, according to the company.

Planters NUT-rition is available in three varieties: