Frozen Foods

NEW YORK -- A report released yesterday by market research publisher Packaged Facts has found that just under one-fifth of U.S. adults can be classified as gourmet food consumers, and their purchases are driving a $41.2 billion industry.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- As fall approaches and families get back to hectic school schedules, the frozen and refrigerated foods industry will offer convenient solutions to fuel busy school days. The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) here and its partnering manufacturers will promote October "Fuel for School" Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Festival with a sweepstakes and retail merchandising contest to build excitement with consumers.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Select Whole Foods Market stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island will now feature fully cooked, prepackaged Ted's Montana Grill Bison Chili in the frozen food section. The chili is already on sale in the Southeast, at Whole Foods and Harry's Farmers Markets in Atlanta, as well as in Whole Foods stores in North Carolina and South Carolina.

PHILADELPHIA -- Shoppers here logging on to the newly launched Genardis.com will now be able to specify how ripe they prefer certain fruits, or how thick they like their steaks, thanks to a revamp of the Safeway-owned chain's online offering that brings it in line with that of other Safeway operating units.

SAN ANTONIO -- Central Market, the successful gourmet spinoff of H.E. Butt Grocery Co. here, continues to build a distinctive own-brand franchise for its seven Texas stores. The retailer last week brought shoppers up to date in its e-mail newsletter, touting an armload of products bearing the CM private label.

While snacks, beer, and soft drinks score biggest for Super Bowl, retailers can gain yardage with many nontraditional products, too.

MCLEAN, Va. -- The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), based here, yesterday issued a heartfelt tribute to one of its own -- Gerald E. "Gerry" Thomas, inventor of the TV dinner, who died in Paradise Valley, Ariz. this week of cancer at the age of 83.

CONCORD, Calif. -- San Francisco-based Del Monte Foods has tapped Pacer International, Inc., a logistics and freight transportation provider here, to provide comprehensive logistics services for the producer, distributor, and marketer of branded and private label food and pet products.