Progressive Grocer - January/February 2009 - (Page 8)

On demand ONLINE Front end Retail news and trends analysis The top stories people were reading in recent weeks on Progressivegrocer.com: 1. Hannaford Eliminating HQ Jobs 2. Save-A-Lot Infuses Manage- Nutrition ment Team With New Hires, Promotions 3. Supervalu to Declassify Board Aldi’s private label showing its fitness ldi is equipping its exclusive Fit & Active line of better-for-you products with GDA “Fit Facts” on the bottom right-hand corner of each package. The discount limited-assortment format operator is billing itself as the first U.S. grocer to showcase guideline daily amounts (GDAs) on its private label products. Fit Facts include four standard nutritional facts based on the USDA’s recommended daily allowances of calories, fat, sodium, and sugar. The Fit & Active line will also feature supplemental benefits, such as products that are good sources of vitamins and minerals, good sources of fiber, are free of caffeine, have low cholesterol, and contain no trans fats. “Since 2004, Aldi’s Fit & Active line has offered healthy alternatives for smart shoppers on the go,” says Joan Kavanaugh, v.p. of corporate purchasing for the Batavia, Ill.-based grocery chain. “Consumers’ growing demand for healthier choices is a significant opportunity for us.” Company spokeswoman Martha Swaney notes that Aldi’s aim is to “take the guesswork out” of consumers’ quest for healthier foods, by “clearly highlighting nutritional benMore ONLINE A efits as an added convenience.” Consumer demand for Fit & Active products continues to grow exponentially, says Kavanaugh, adding that Fit & Active sales increased about 30 percent in 2007 compared with the previous year, and are projected to grow another 30 percent in 2008. There are 121 varieties of 58 core Fit & Active items offered daily, and more than 20 additional products are set to be featured as special purchase items throughout the year. Among the products offered under the brand are 100 percent fat-free chicken broth, an assortment of dried fruit, egg substitute, nonfat trail mix, lean ground chicken burgers, frozen pizza, and light mayonnaise. The products aren’t only better for shoppers’ health, but for their wallets as well: The average retail price for Fit & Active items is $1.99, with the chicken broth going for just 39 cents. All new Fit & Active products with GDA packaging rolled out in stores Jan. 1, 2009, according to the chain. Millville, Aldi’s exclusive cereal brand, also now features GDAs on its product labeling, effective Jan. 1. Aldi operates nearly 1,000 U.S. stores in 29 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. Continued on page 16 CONSUMER TRENDS McCormick reveals 2009’s top flavor combos SPICE PROVIDER McCormick & Co. has come out with its latest annual list of the top 10 flavor pairings of the coming year—and many of them are startlingly unique. “Our passion for flavor is the inspiration behind the Flavor Forecast,” explained Kevan Vetter, executive chef at Hunt Valley, Md.-based McCormick. “Whether it’s a mix of culturally diverse tastes—like smoked paprika and agave nectar—or a discovery of pure ingredients—like mint and [whole grain] quinoa—this year we see excitement in the blending of the new and the familiar.” That’s certainly the best way to describe the current list, which predicts the tastes that will excite America’s taste buds in 2009. Besides the two mentioned by Vetter, which come in at Nos. 10 and 9, respectively, the rest are as follows: toasted sesame and root beer (pictured), cayenne and tart cherry, tarragon and beetroot, peppercorn mélange and sake, Chinese five spice and artisan-cured pork, dill and avocado oil, rosemary and fruit preserves, and garam masala (a spice blend from India) and pepitas (a Latin American seed). For almost a decade, McCormick has offered a Flavor Forecast, based on the assessments of sensory analysts, chefs, trend experts, food technologists, restaurant chefs, cookbook authors, and TV food personalities. A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com For the latest industry news, go to Progressivegrocer.com 8 • Progressive Grocer • January/February 2009 http://www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - January/February 2009

Progressive Grocer - January/February 2009
Front End: Aldi’s Private Label Showing its Fitness
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Prepared Foods-DryMixes/Rice Mixes
Market Snapshot: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
Outstanding Independents Awards: Up with People
Current Events: Retail Newsmakers
Contents
Lempert Report: The Phoenix Format Face-Off
Independents Report: Making your Workplace Family-Friendly
Multicultural Marketing: Where there’s Mystery, there’s Margin
Wake-Up Call: New Habits Die Hard
Beverage Alcohol: Wine 101
Soft Drinks: Creating a Buzz
Whole Grains: The Brown Version
Packaging: The Whole Package
Meat: Master Beef Backer
Pet Care: Financing Fido
Executive Insight Series: Technology and the Independent Grocer: Eye of the Gale
Equipment Case Studies: Food. Service. Equipment
Financial Insights: What the Yield Curve Shows
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - January/February 2009

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