New Product Launches

Acirca Inc., maker of Walnut Acres ready-to-eat organic soup, announced on Thursday it has acquired ShariAnn's Organics, the second largest ready-to-eat certified organic soup company in the United States.

Acirca Inc. announced on Wednesday it has acquired Mountain Sun, the number one brand of certified organic juice in the United States.

General Mills (NYSE:GIS - news) today reported record results for its fiscal 2002 first quarter. Sales for the 13 weeks ended Aug. 26, 2001, grew 6 percent to $1.77 billion, fueled by 5 percent growth in the company's worldwide unit volume.

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT - news), a global leader in branded foods and beverages, today announcedthat it has purchased the It's Pasta Anytime! convenient meal business and certain assets from Borden Foods Corporation. The brand was introduced in April 2000, andyear one retail revenues were about $36 million.

Bread & Circus Whole Foods Market, the world's largest natural and organic foods supermarket, will open its third store in Cambridge on Aug. 22. Located at 340 River Street (just off Memorial Drive), the state-of-the-art natural foods supermarket is the company's largest in Massachusetts.

William F. Christ, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Hershey Foods Corporation, today announced that Hershey do Brasil, Hershey Foods' Brazilian subsidiary, has acquired the chocolate and confectionery business of Visagis.

VoiceFlash Networks Inc. announced today that the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with VeriFone Inc., to explore the viability of cooperating in the development of retail mobile commerce products.

(Reuters) - Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., the world's largest chewing gum maker, said on Tuesday that second-quarter earnings rose 8.6 percent, as growth in shipments and better margins offset higher marketing costs and pressure from weak European currencies.