Gourmet News

Bell Flavors & Fragrances Takes Citrus Collection on the Road

Published October 26, 2022

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. is hitting the road to exhibit its citrus collection at the Institute of Food Technologists’ 2022-2023 Regional Section Suppliers’ Events spanning coast-to-coast. IFT’s Regional Sections offer a way for networking with professionals steeped in the science of food to make strategic connections at a local level. These engaging events provide the opportunity for networking and education, and allow suppliers to debut their latest products and services supporting the science of food community.

Bell recently exhibited at the Minnesota Section IFT Annual Suppliers’ Expo and the Intermountain Section IFT Symposium and Suppliers Night, showcasing menu items with bold fruit and spice flavor blends, including Urfa Chili Meyer Lemon Snack Mix, Caviar Lime Nimbu Soda, Ponzu Togarashi Popcorn, Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Bites and Caviar Lime and Dragonfruit Taffy. Following recent events, the Bell team will be heading to upcoming 2022 IFT Regional Section Suppliers’ Events to debut their new citrus-infused menu:

Nov. 1: Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT) Annual Suppliers Expo and Symposium (booth #308)
Nov. 16-17: Longhorn Section IFT Suppliers Expo (booth #242)

“The Bell team is excited to embark on our Regional IFT Roadshow to connect with fellow industry colleagues and release our new menu featuring citrus flavors, like Ruby Red Grapefruit and Calamansi. Consumers continue to gravitate toward food and beverage items that contain natural flavors given a rising interest in clean label. And, with the stress of current events, they’re gravitating toward comfort and products that provide an uplifting mood boost. Given their vibrant colors and sweet-tart tastes, citrus is typically associated with feelings of joy, and we’re delivering a bit of happiness and a boost of flavor bite by bite, said Benjamin Stanley, CRC, corporate chef – sweet applications manager.

Bell will be joining exhibitors on the Expo floor to showcase a new citrus collection, educational resources and a team of culinary experts. Across the globe, consumers continue to lean into citrus, with 52% of U.S. consumers indicating that they like or love it and one-quarter (25.7%) of U.S. menus featuring it. Citrus flavors resonate particularly well among those looking to support their immune systems and increase their vitamin C intake. Bell offers iconic, natural flavors in its citrus collection, such as Grapefruit, Mandarin Orange and Meyer Lemon in addition to specialty citrus flavors, like Buddha’s Hand and Meiwa Kumquat. These flavors can be added to a multitude of applications, including confectionery, sauces and dips, beverages, snacks, sweet goods and more.

Inspired by consumer preferences and marketing data, Bell will showcase the following refreshing, citrus-flavored menu items:

Sudachi Snack Mix

This snack mix features Bell’s Sudachi flavor to lend tart and fresh notes of a Japanese Sudachi lime. Sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit and is a specialty of the Tokushima Prefecture in Japan. Given its natural sourness, it’s not typically eaten as a fruit, but rather used as a flavor in place of lemon or lime.

This delicious mix also features Bell’s Wasabi flavor to impart a heat-driven spice while Bell’s Kokumi technology makes the snack mix more rich and complex.

Citrus Slice Gummy Medley: Buddha’s Hand, Calamansi and Blood Orange

Buddha’s Hand: Bell’s Buddha’s Hand flavor has a distinct flavor profile, boasting notes of lemon and yuzu with a sweet, lemon blossom aroma and offering a unique spin on the classic fruit slice candy.

Calamansi: Bell’s Calamansi flavor displays blended notes of tart lemon, lime and orange. This citrus fruit is commonly used in Filipino and Southeastern Asian cuisines and can range from green to yellow to orange in color.

Blood Orange: Bell’s Blood Orange Citrus flavor has notes of navel orange with hints of tartness and floral fruits and is usually less acidic than a traditional orange.

Pink Limoncello Champagne Spritz Mocktail

Whether savored on a hot, summer day or enjoyed during a cozy dinner party with friends, this mocktail is sure to be refreshing and provide a mood boosting pick-me-up. The mashup of Bell’s natural Champagne Type flavor, Pink Lemon Type flavor extract and Lemon flavor (Sorrento type) deliver sweet-tart citrus notes with a hint of bubbly.

Ruby Red Grapefruit IPA Popcorn

This seasoned popcorn features Bell’s natural Ruby Red Grapefruit, IPA, and Hop flavors, which blend together to impart notes of fresh squeezed grapefruit and hoppy IPA beer. A refreshing spin on an everyday snack, this popcorn will inspire memories of sweet summertime and sipping on a cold beer.

Kumquat Madeleine

These mini madeleines are a condensed version of a traditional French madeleine. They’re flavored with Bell’s Kumquat and Vanilla flavors, giving them a distinct citrus note that is sweet with notes of sour and tang. Vanilla rounds out this sweet treat to elevate the cookie.

Bell’s presence at IFT’s Regional Section Suppliers’ Events will foster strong brand awareness and spark interest in delivering food and beverage products that spotlight its citrus collection. In tandem with citrus-infused samples, discussions around Bell’s proprietary technology capabilities and annual Spark trends will drive successful commercial connections among prospects and customers.

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Albertsons to Offer Cost-Saving Solutions for Pet Care, Meds

Published October 26, 2022

Albertsons Companies, Inc. is introducing pet care time and money-saving solutions for customers who are struggling to afford the cost of medications and veterinary services. With more than 1,700 pharmacies located nationwide inside neighborhood grocery stores such as Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, United Supermarkets and more, shoppers can have their pet prescriptions conveniently transferred and filled at an Albertsons Cos. pharmacy and pay less than what vet offices normally charge.

“Nearly 30 percent of pet owners are grappling with the rising costs of pet ownership amid inflation and most consumers don’t realize that our pharmacies offer prescriptions and over-the-counter medications for people and pets,” said Omer Gajial, chief digital officer and EVP health at Albertsons Cos. “Whether it’s delivering medication to their home, offering additional discounts through our Pet Health Savings Card, or partnering with innovative companies to provide convenient veterinary care, our commitment to our customers’ health and well-being applies to every family member, including the four-legged kind.”

Albertsons Cos. pharmacies carry a variety of affordable pet medications including OTC tick, flea and heartworm preventatives.
The Pet Health Savings Card, available at any Albertsons Cos. pharmacy or the grocery store mobile app, can save customers nearly 80 percent off the monthly cost of pet medications.
When customers transfer a pet prescription to an Albertsons Cos. pharmacy, they will receive up to $75 in grocery gift cards after filling their fifth prescription.
Pet medications are available for shipping and delivery and will soon be available via mail order.

To complement its pharmacy services, nearly all Albertsons Cos. banner stores offer a pet care aisle complete with an array of dog and cat food from leading brands such as Purina, Iams, Fancy Feast, Cesar and Racheal Ray Nutrish, along with treats, toys, grooming products and accessories.

In an effort to enhance convenience, the company is piloting two pet health service programs in Texas and California to help make routine veterinary care more accessible to pet owners.

Penny Paws mobile vaccine clinic visits towns throughout the state of Texas to offer communities low-cost, basic healthcare such as vaccinations, heartworm testing, heartworm prevention and microchipping. Currently, 15 Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores across the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex host Penny Paws to provide neighbors with low-cost exams and vaccinations for dogs and cats. The company is exploring additional sites for the Penny Paws mobile vaccine clinic to include its Randalls supermarket locations in Austin and Houston.

“Our staff of licensed veterinarians is dedicated to helping pets live a long and healthy life, which is why our community outreach program is so important in protecting canines and felines against devastating and life-threatening diseases,” said Dr. Rob Franklin, DVM DACVIM and Penny Paws Veterinary Community Outreach lead. “Offering convenient vet appointments in the parking lots of their neighborhood grocers make this partnership a win-win for pet parents and their fur babies.”

Fuzzy offers unlimited access to a team of veterinarians who are available via video or virtual chat 24/7 to address common pet concerns such as digestion, dental hygiene, stress management and prescription medication. Launching exclusively this month at all California Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores, loyalty members can sign up for an annual Fuzzy household membership at a reduced rate of $59 for the entire pet family. Additionally, customers who sign up for Fuzzy using the grocer’s loyalty app will receive a $10 monthly credit that can be used to buy any pet care or food item in participating banner stores for up to one year.

Once a Fuzzy member, pet owners can track their pets’ medical history, prescriptions and vaccination dates, receive training and wellness tips and speak to a veterinarian at any time, resulting in less trips to a vet or emergency room clinic.

“We believe every person should have the opportunity to experience the joy of pet parenthood. To accomplish that, each day we are working to make pet care more accessible and affordable through personalized telehealth solutions. This unique partnership with Albertsons Companies is another step towards fulfilling that goal,” said Zubin Bhettay, co-founder and CEO of Fuzzy. “Albertsons is a company that cares deeply about its customers and understands the important role pets play in their lives. This partnership will empower pet parents with personalized, expert recommendations right from the store aisle.”

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8,000 More Stores Thirsty for Alkaline Water

Published October 26, 2022

Arizona-based The Alkaline Water Company Inc., the country’s largest independent alkaline water company and the Clean Beverage company, has received orders for the 2 Liter, available as an individual unit or in the 6-pack Shaq Paq, from more than 8,000 stores since the beginning of the year.

“Alkaline88 drinkers love the 2-Liter bottle and it has quickly become one of our best-selling products,” said Frank Lazaran, president and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company. “In addition to being a perfect fit for the fridge or gym bag, our product collaboration with Alkaline88 brand ambassador Shaquille O’Neal has helped generate interest in this great product.

“The Alkaline88 Shaq Paq will soon hit Stater Bros. shelves in Southern California, accompanied by 7-foot-tall in-store displays featuring our smiling brand ambassador. Their stores are just the latest of over 8,000 to order the 2-liter bottle since January of this year. Additional regional and national chains are still in the pipeline to add the product over the next 12 months. Alkaline88’s return on trial is strong, so having another great product with strong shelf appeal should help us convert even more water drinkers across the country to deliciously smooth Alkaline88.”

Founded in 2012, the company is headquartered in Scottsdale. Its flagship product, Alkaline88, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88 delivers perfect 8.8 pH alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label “Clean Beverage.” 2021, The company was pleased to welcome Shaquille O’Neal to its board of advisors and to serve as the celebrity brand ambassador for the Alkaline88.

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