Prepared Foods

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said last week in the wake of its annual meeting that it wouldn’t step up the trial of its Marketside small-footprint concept in the current economic climate, according to a published report.

Stonyfield Farm has added some new products to its Oikos Organic line of 0 percent fat, authentically strained Greek yogurt: 4-ounce four-packs in Plain and Vanilla flavors, and a Strawberry fruit-on-the-bottom variety.

Tribeca Oven, an artisan bakery founded on Old World bread-making traditions, has launched a new foodservice line of petite sandwich rolls, petite table breads and slider buns.

Cub Foods will play host to a Midwest qualifying event this weekend for the 2009 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest. The 13 contestants included three Cub customers alongside 10 of “some of the nation’s best competitive eaters.” Whoever crams the most hot dogs down in 10 minutes will advance to the Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY.

As Dickens wrote of the French Revolution, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The same can be said of the average in-store deli department, whose gains as a result of the uptick in at-home eating during the past 12-month period have been largely blunted by consumer belt-tightening and higher wholesale and retail costs, according to findings revealed in Progressive Grocer’s annual “state of the deli department” report.

In tandem with the 20th anniversary of its central commissary, Ukrop’s Super Market has introduced a new signature line of entrees, sides, and desserts under the Ukrop’s Bakes brand. Designed to be quick solutions for everyday meal planning, Ukrop’s Bakes are “oven to table-ready” in about 30 minutes.

After several consecutive years of flat sales and stale performance, in-store bakery department performance is on the rise, but there still remains ample room for continued improvement, according to the latest insights revealed in Progressive Grocer’s 2009 annual Bakery Operations Review.

The Curry Love line of organic curry sauces blends curries and spices from various Asian cultures and traditions. Created by Swiss-born, Los Angeles-based chef and entrepreneur Michael Buechi, the premium line consists of Blissful Banana Curry, Passion Red Thai Curry and Luscious Yellow Thai Curry.