Frozen Foods

Hussmann Corp., a St. Louis-based manufacturer of refrigerated and frozen food merchandising equipment, added its new Q3 meat and bakery cases to its Q line of flexible, upscale specialty display cases for supermarkets.

Consumers are continuing to purchase private label products at an increasing rate, per new research from The Nielsen Co.

In the latest example of the food industry’s close attention to health-and-wellness issues affecting consumers, the “Smart Choices Program” made its official debut last week, its green check mark symbol now appearing on of hundreds of products in supermarkets and other retailers across the United States.

Celebrity chef Paula Deen is introducing a new line of frozen seafood products expected to hit retail in the fall of 2009.

Meal planning is much on the minds of those involved with the store core. From the rollout of the “Smart Choices Program” -- envisioned as a comprehensive, consistent nutrition-labeling system across CPG brands and even stores – to the planned theme of “Pasta Meals on Every Family Table” for the upcoming World Pasta Day 2009 event, the grocery industry is working hard to persuade U.S. consumers, who are eating at home more often during the recession, to choose center store products when whipping up their own creations.

Classics by Palermo’s™ Rising Crust pizzas from Milwaukee-based Palermo’s Pizza feature a pizzeria-style crust that rises as it bakes. The frozen pies come in five varieties: Cheese, Pepperoni, Sausage (Italian sausage), Combination (pepperoni and Italian sausage), and Supreme (pepperoni, Italian sausage, green pepper, onions, red pepper and black olives).

Whole Foods Market and Chef Ann Cooper, America’s “Renegade Lunch Lady,” have teamed up to remake school lunches with the “School Lunch Revolution” campaign.

The often novel snacking choices of children are a big concern for parents, who want to make sure their offspring nosh more nutritiously between meals, according to a survey commission by Saint Simons Island, Ga.-based frozen snack manufacturer Farm Rich, a Rich Products Corp. brand.