Content about food

NEW YORK — Two Hy-Vee stores in Iowa will start composting food waste, produce and floral trimmings, according to published reports.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gazette reported that Hy-Vee stores in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids had partnered with Des Moines, Iowa-based organics recycler Green RU, which will pick up the waste from the stores and haul it to nearby compost centers. The newspaper reported that the company was considering whether to expand the pilot program throughout the chain.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy recently took "extreme couponing" to a new level, not to save money for customers, but to collect items for charity.

Diplomat sponsored a contest in which 12 employees competed to see who could buy the most food items and toiletries for local charities using only $25 and coupons. With $300, employees bought $2,160 worth of groceries, which will be donated to Flint, Mich.-based Carriage Town Ministries and St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. will renovate libraries at more than two dozen schools in need across the country this year under a program that will also include book donations and technology upgrades, as well as the option to have a Target-supported food pantry built, the mass merchandise retailer said Wednesday.

If fat, sodium and partially hydrogenated oils were yesterday's undesirable ingredients, the substance many Americans are currently looking to avoid is gluten. A recent NPD survey found that about a third of U.S. adults say they want to cut down or be free of gluten in their diets. More people are being diagnosed with Celiac disease, but even consumers who have no gluten intolerance are opting to eat foods that are free of gluten because they perceive them as healthier.

Drug chains looking to the future of the food category are likely to be putting more effort behind fresh products.

Shelf-stable foods, while still a part of the mix, are shrinking in importance to reflect changing consumer shopping habits. "The need to stock the pantry is lessening since food is everywhere," said June Jo Lee, VP strategic insights at the Hartman Group. "At the same time, customers say they want quicker in-and-out shopping experiences."

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — A new product from Apothecary Products that has been featured on "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The Today Show" is hoping to remove the guesswork of proper food portions when cooking a meal at home.

CHICAGO — Hispanics often tick to their own traditions when it comes to selecting protein-rich foods, according to a new study.

Hispanics consume disproportionately high amounts of legumes, eggs, chicken and seafood compared with non-Hispanics, and the level of importance of these foods remains relatively unchanged from five years ago, and tradition and heritage drive meal choices among both Spanish- and English-speaking Hispanics, according to the NPD Group's "NET Hispanic" study. NET stands for "national eating trends."

WASHINGTON — Nestlé USA today unveiled its new "Balance Your Plate with Nestlé" education campaign to help consumers build nutritious, convenient meals and offer a toolkit to healthcare professionals in guiding their customers to make healthier meals. The announcement was made during a luncheon presentation at the Consumer Federation of America's 36th Annual National Food Policy Conference.

NEW YORK — A majority of surveyed adults in the United States regards organic as an excuse to charge more for food, according to a new study.

The March Harris Poll of 2,276 adults found that those expressing concern for the environment grew from 31% last year to 38% this year, but 59% of respondents saw labeling foods and other products as organic was an excuse to charge more.

MIAMI — Seafood brand Bumble Bee Foods has hired Hispanic celebrity chef Doreen Colondres in order to connect with the growing Hispanic market in the United States, the company said Wednesday.

GLENVIEW, Ill. — Philadelphia Cream Cheese is looking to broaden its appeal with the launch of new cream cheese products this spring.

Spicy Jalapeno is the newest flavor of cream cheese spread from the Philadelphia company. This new cream cheese flavor is made with real jalapenos and adds a hint of heat to a bagel, sandwiches, flatbreads and dips.

NEW YORK — Happy Family, an organic food brand privately owned and operated by moms, has introduced a line of organic Greek yogurt, fruit and veggie combination pouches for babies and toddlers, the company announced this week.