Food Business News - April 23, 2013 - 11

Tesco exiting U.S., to sell
Fresh & Easy banner

LONDON — Retailer Tesco PLC plans to
exit the U.S. market and sell its Fresh &
Easy retail chain. The company made the
announcement while reporting its preliminary earnings for fiscal year 2013.
“Based on our progress so far with our
strategic review of Fresh & Easy, including
the indications of interest received from
third parties, we have confirmed that the
outcome of the review will be an exit from
the United States,” the company said.
In its earnings statement Tesco reported its U.S. results as discontinued operations and said the total impact to profit
after taxes would be £1.2 billion ($1.83
billion), including £169 million in trading

losses and £1 billion in non-cash items
related to impairment of fixed assets and
lease provisions.
In December 2012, Tesco said it was
conducting a strategic review of the
Fresh & Easy format, because the chain
was not delivering an acceptable shareholder return. In October, Tesco also said
it would limit new capital investment in
the chain to reducing costs and improving the profitability of existing stores.
Tesco launched the Fresh & Easy concept in 2007. The company’s goal was to
introduce a retail format in the United
States that was smaller, easier to navigate than the stores of larger retailers
and able to deliver fresh foods to consumers at an affordable price. The company currently operates 200 stores in
Arizona, California and Nevada.
For the 52 weeks ended Feb. 23, Tesco
had a trading profit of £3,453 million, a
13% decline when compared to the same
period of the previous year when the retailer recorded a trading profit of £3,969
million. Sales for the year were £72,363
million, a 1% increase compared to the
previous year when the retailer had sales
of £71,402 million. FBN

Westin Foods acquires
majority interest
in Dominex
OMAHA — Westin Foods, an
Omaha-based packaged foods business, has expanded its health and
wellness division by acquiring a
majority interest in St. Augustine,
Fla.-based Dominex, L.C., to create
Dominex Natural Foods. Financial terms of
the transaction
were not disclosed.
Westin’s health and wellness
brands include Superberries, which
are aroniaberry-based (also known
as chokeberry) products. Dominex
produces frozen eggplant-based appetizers and entrees for retail and
food service.
“Dominex has a very loyal customer base who appreciates the
gourmet, all-natural, convenience
of our product line,” said John G.
McGarvey, president of Dominex
and Dominex Natural Foods. “In
the months ahead, we will be
launching an innovative line extension that will join our brand’s
legacy with the expertise of Westin
Foods to deliver delicious products
that will incorporate vegetables beyond eggplant.” FBN

Nestle USA debuts nutrition education toolkit

WASHINGTON — Nestle USA is introducing “Balance Your Plate with
Nestle,” a campaign the company said
will help consumers develop nutritious, convenient meal s. The program
is centered on frozen entrees, a market
where Nestle has a strong presence,
but will encourage the consumption of
more fruits and vegetables.
Consumers may use menu models

April 23, 2013

included in Nestle’s Balance Your
Plate toolkit and find suggestions on
how to add to each frozen entree with
vegetables, fruits, whole grains and
low-fat dairy products to create a balanced meal. Each daily meal plan included in the Balance Your Plate system meets energy and nutrient goals
for a standard 2,000-calorie diet, based
on recommendations from the 2010
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The
program also provides suggestions to
reach 1,800- and 1,500-calorie diets.
The Balance Your Plate program is
the result of consumer insights developed by Nestle USA. For example, a
survey by the company revealed that
consumers only supplement one-third
of their frozen meal eating occasions
with other foods like fruits, vegetables,
whole grains or dairy. In addition, 77%
of frozen food consumers said they believe the entrees represent a balanced
meal providing several food groups.

“A key benefit of the Balance Your
Plate program is that it promotes
greater nutrient density with every
meal,” said Chavanne Hanson, a registered dietitian who works with
Nestle USA. “Our aim is to show the
public how easy it can be to add more
fresh fruits and vegetables into their
daily diet.”
Ms. Hanson added that new products such as Nestle’s Lean Cuisine Salad Additions, which was introduced in
January, were created to increase the
consumption of vegetables.
“Maintaining a healthy diet and
lifestyle requires commitment, but it
doesn’t need to feel like a chore,” said
Frank Higgins, president and chief executive officer of the Nestle Prepared
Foods Co. “We believe that a resource
like Balance Your Plate gives Americans what they want — easy steps for
managing portions and calorie intake
that still include their favorite foods.” FBN

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Food Business News - April 23, 2013

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