Content about Food industry

PLANO, Texas — Lay's is celebrating its 75-year anniversary by launching the "Do Us A Flavor" contest, which invites fans to submit their potato chip flavor ideas for the chance to win a grand prize of $1 million or 1% of their flavor's 2013 net sales, whichever is higher.

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — Jel Sert has acquired three functional beverage brand names from Solis Brands.

 MODESTO, Calif. — Save Mart Supermarkets announced the hiring of Brett Wing as VP of FoodMaxx operations. Wing comes from Cub Foods/Supervalu in Hudson, Wis., and brings 35 years of grocery store and senior management experience, the grocer stated.

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Kashi has launched a new initiative that will boost the company's availability of organic and non-GMO foods affirmed by the Non-GMO Project, a leading independent verifier of non-GMO foods.

By the end of 2014, all existing Kashi GoLean cereals and Kashi Chewy granola bars — representing Kashi's biggest offerings — will be verified by the Non-GMO Project, the company said. Beginning in 2015, all new Kashi foods introduced into the market will contain at least 70% organic ingredients and also will be Non-GMO Project verified.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday announced three new executive appointments following the departure of Sue Klug, president of its Albertsons Southern California division.

Dan Sanders has been tapped to head Albertsons Southern California, Keith Wyche will lead Acme and Brian Audette has been named president at Cub Foods.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Less than two months after resigning as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, Brian Cornell has landed at Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo where he will serve as CEO of the company’s North American food division reporting to chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi.

Cornell will be responsible for Frito-Lay North America, Quaker Foods & Snacks North America, PepsiCo Mexico, South America Foods, PepsiCo customer teams and all of PepsiCo’s Power of One activities within the Americas. 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Pharmacy and identical-store sales were identified as positives for Safeway, which discussed its fourth-quarter results with analysts on Thursday.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway and Kraft Foods on Thursday announced that their Help Us End Hunger (Every Bag Counts) food drive yielded nearly 362,000 bags of groceries for food banks and other hunger-relief centers throughout the United States.

In addition to helping provide products for the food drive, Kraft Foods donated $420,000 to local food banks in Safeway's U.S. operating divisions.

HERSHEY, Pa. — The Academy of Food Marketing at Saint Joseph's University — which provides education for those interested in entering the retail food industry — and the Food Marketing Educational Foundation will honor Weis Markets at their 44th annual citation award dinner.

The citation award will be presented on April 14, 2012, at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa. This year marks Weis' 100th year in business and the academy's 50th anniversary.

NEW YORK — The maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Irving, Texas-based Hostess Brands carried $860 million in debt and also faced high labor costs and rising prices for sugar and other ingredients that exceeded its annual sales of about $2.5 billion, according to published reports. Hostess previously filed for bankruptcy protection in 2004 and emerged in 2009.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets on Tuesday named Joseph Douglas the grocer's VP pharmacy.

Douglas will oversee the day-to-day merchandising, operation and management of Weis Markets’ 122 pharmacies and also will direct the company’s lifestyle initiatives’ team, which focuses on health-and-wellness issues. Douglas will report to Kurt Schertle, SVP sales and merchandising.

Douglas was a 27-year Walgreens veteran, where he was VP transforming community practice.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola on Thursday announced that Geoffrey Kelly will be retiring from his post as SVP and general counsel.

Kelly, who joined the company in 1970, will retire in February 2012. He has served in the role of SVP and general counsel since 2005.

Succeeding Kelly is Bernhard Goepelt, who will take on the role of SVP general counsel and chief legal counsel, effective immediately. Kelly will remain SVP during a transition period, Coca-Cola noted.