Produce / Floral

Retail discounts are still influencing consumer pricing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As a way to increase awareness that healthier food and lifestyle choices can reduce the rise of chronic health conditions such as obesity and diabetes among Hispanics, Boston-based Oldways nonprofit food issues think tank and the Latino Nutrition Coalition (LNC) will roll out Latino Nutrition Month from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, to coincide with National Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Chilean Blueberry Committee has revealed plans for an aggressive winter promotion program aimed at boosting consumer awareness of Chile’s fresh blueberries, which are available from mid-October through March.

Visual merchandising (VM) is an indispensable retail discipline, consisting of a series of practical selling tools that are used to influence what and how much consumers buy. Successful retailers -- supermarkets in particular -- can employ effective and integrated VM practices as part of the retail experience and overall brand delivery, to successfully maximize sales and profits in-store -- essentially, it’s a silent selling service of sales-driving levers and tools.

Gluten Free Café™ from The Hain Celestial Group has expanded its offering with the launch of two new frozen entrées.

The recently launched “Smart Choices” food labeling program, which has been adopted so far by 10 consumer packaged goods companies, including Kraft, Unilever and Kellogg, has become controversial as some nutritionists object to the designation of such items as Froot Loops and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as “better-for-you” items worthy of the program’s prominent green checkmark logo.

One of the most common mistakes made by American grocers and other retailers is when they assume that Hispanic (Latino) consumers are downscale shoppers.

Against a backdrop of sodas and fruit punches redeployed as “energy drinks” and “vitamin waters,” San Francisco-based Hint, Inc. plans to expand distribution of its health message and Hint Water throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.