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Catalina Crunch Taps Behrens as CEO, Co-Founder Warady Leaves

Catalina Crunch, the pioneering brand in healthier snacks, has appointed Doug Behrens as chief executive officer. Behrens will be responsible for bringing Catalina Crunch into its next phase of growth and expanding the brand’s retail footprint at a time when the company’s demand is at an all-time high. This  announcement builds on Catalina Crunch’s recent growth as the company continues to make ongoing investment in hiring the best talent to join the executive team.

“I am thrilled to welcome Doug Behrens to the Catalina Crunch team. Hiring him is instrumental to get us to the next level as our needs as a company have changed. We are very excited about the future and look forward to building on the success that has defined the brand to date,” said Krishna Kaliannan, Catalina Crunch’s founder.

“I’ve been very impressed with the explosive growth of Catalina Crunch and excited to join the team for the next chapter. The better-for-you food and snacking space is incredibly dynamic and Catalina is well positioned to be a disruptive leader,” Behrens said.

Behrens brings a wealth of experience in the food and health space coupled with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. He has held leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson, Danone, Amplify Snack Brands and most recently served as the president and chief customer officer for KIND. His strategic vision aligns seamlessly with Catalina Crunch’s commitment to providing wholesome, delicious, and innovative products to our valued customers.

Kaliannan remains very involved in the day to day operations of the business as founder while Joel Warady, president of Catalina Crunch, will transition to another opportunity after an impressive tenure under which the company experienced significant growth. The transition is seen as a positive step forward, reinforcing the company’s dedication to continuous improvement and sustained growth.

This important announcement follows the recent launch of the brand’s newest product, Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars and its exciting collaboration with NBA player Jalen Brunson. Catalina Crunch is well-positioned to continue to expand its product offerings, explore new markets, and reinforce its position as a trailblazer in the health food industry. The brand’s commitment to quality, transparency, and customer satisfaction remains unwavering and this hire will be key to continue that success.

For more information on Catalina Crunch visit us.catalinacrunch.com and follow on Instagram (@CatalinaCrunch), Facebook (@CatalinaCrunch) and TikTok (@CatalinaCrunch). For sales inquiries, please email sales@catalinasnacks.com.

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Crave Brothers Offers ‘Udderly in Love’ Gift Box

You’ve heard of a candy-gram, but what about a cheese-gram? Now until the end of February, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese will offer cheese-grams to send to a sweetheart, friends or family. After all, who wouldn’t want to spread the love with the gift of fresh, sustainably made Wisconsin cheese?

The Udderly in Love Gift Box will put you in the MOO-d for the month of love with Crave’s handcrafted Heart-Shaped Mozzarella and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone. Each gift box comes with your choice of one of three customizable Valentine’s Day notes featuring real cows from the Crave Brothers Farm. Meet Gracious, Luna, Susie and Lola, and select the best personality match for your favorite Valentine.

Card choices contain greetings including:

  • “I’m Over the MOO-n for You!”
  • “Our Friendship is A-MOO-Zing”
  • “Someone Loves Moo!”

During checkout, shoppers can write a message for their card, which Crave will hand-write and include with the box upon sending. Each box retails for $12 and can be purchased online.

To celebrate the month of love and hearts, Crave Brothers will donate 5 percent of all proceeds from its online store during February to the American Heart Association.

Heart-Shaped Mozzarella is the perfect addition to your next get-together charcuterie board, and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone is a hit in date night desserts and on dessert boards with fruit or cookies. Find more recipes on the Crave Brothers website and order your Udderly in Love Gift Box today!

The Crave family farms 3,000 acres of productive land in south-central Wisconsin, growing corn, alfalfa, wheat, soybeans, grass hay and pasture to use as nutritious feed for their herd of Holstein cattle. From the biodigester to water recovery and recycling, sustainability is top-of-mind on the farm and cheese factory. The Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produce and use green power as part of their sustainable dairy production model.

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese produces Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Chocolate Mascarpone, Part-skim Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Farmer’s Rope String Cheese and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curds.

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Winn-Dixie Lets Mardi Gras Good Times Roll

Let the good times roll with Winn-Dixie during Carnival season this year. The grocer is now offering freshly baked king cakes in more than 50 different varieties, including traditional cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry and chocolate – as well as two new flavors, cannoli and Chantilly. (Photo: Business Wire)

Let the good times roll with Winn-Dixie during Carnival season this year. The grocer is honoring its long-standing heritage by celebrating time-honored traditions and flavors locals know and love. From king cakes to parades, Winn-Dixie has all the classic food and fun to make this year’s Mardi Gras memorable.

Jennifer Robertson, regional vice president, said, “We are incredibly proud to serve the unique communities in Louisiana for nearly 70 years. It is a privilege to honor the long-standing local traditions that make our home truly special, and we are excited to join hands with our neighbors to revel in the spirit of Mardi Gras again this year. This Carnival season, Winn-Dixie continues to celebrate the fun-filled culture and decadent flavors that connect us all to the heart of the Gulf Coast. Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

A Carnival season staple, Winn-Dixie is now offering freshly baked king cakes in more than 50 different varieties, including traditional cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry and chocolate – as well as two new flavors, cannoli and Chantilly. To pair with its tasty and unique king cakes, Winn-Dixie also offers a variety of party-ready foods, including a selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches and delicious assorted wings. Customers can conveniently shop for Mardi Gras themed décor and apparel, plus award-winning beer, wine and liquor options at their neighborhood stores.

Winn-Dixie is proud to infuse local stores with the spirit of Mardi Gras and celebrate with customers throughout the season by hosting several free events across the Gulf Coast. Local community members can enjoy fun-filled revelry to celebrate while they shop at their neighborhood stores. Festivities will include:

  • King Cake Sampling in LouisianaTo give locals a taste of the season and energize their Carnival spirit, Winn-Dixie stores across Louisiana will host free king cake sampling events every Friday (Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9) from 5 to 7 p.m. leading up to Mardi Gras.
  • Long Beach Winn-Dixie Pre-Parade Party: Ahead of the Carnival Association of Long Beach’s annual Mardi Gras night parade, the Winn-Dixie store, located at 109 N. Cleveland Ave. in Long Beach, Miss., will host a family friendly community party on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 3 to 6 p.m.with music and delicious food for pre-parade snacking.
  • King Cake Decorating Parties in Greater New Orleans and Pensacola areasSelect Winn-Dixie stores in the greater New Orleans and Pensacola areas will host free king cake decorating parties on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to  3 p.m. for families to revel in the season together.
    • Airline Drive Winn-Dixie: 5901 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70003
    • Luling Winn-Dixie: 12125 U.S. Highway 90, Luling, LA 70070
    • Covington Winn-Dixie: 2100 Collins Blvd., Suite 132, Covington, LA 70433
    • Gramercy Winn-Dixie: 1803 LA Highway 3125, Gramercy, LA 70052
    • Eastgate Winn-Dixie: 7135 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola, FL 32504
    • Cantonment Marketplace Winn-Dixie: 1550 S. U.S. Highway 29, Cantonment, FL 32533
  • Meet-and-Greet with Local Artist, Becky FosIn partnership with Coca-Cola, Winn-Dixie will host four meet-and-greet events for customers to receive a free signed print from popular local artist Becky Fos in select Louisiana and Mississippi stores:
    • Wednesday, Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Kenner Winn-Dixie, located at 2104 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062
    • Wednesday, Jan. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Mandeville Winn-Dixie, located at 4100 LA Highway 59, Mandeville, LA 70471
    • Thursday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Gause Blvd. Winn-Dixie, located at 2985 Gause Blvd., Slidell, LA 70461
    • Thursday, Feb. 1 from 4 to 6 p.m.at the Gulfport Winn-Dixie, located at 11312 U.S. Highway 49, Gulfport, MS 39503

On Feb. 13, Mardi Gras day, Winn-Dixie will join two krewes in Louisiana to celebrate with parade-goers. Neighbors are encouraged to look for the Winn-Dixie float at the Krewe of Bogue Falaya in Covington and the Krewe of Argus in Metairie. Riders will throw the grocer’s signature items including specialty beads and cups, SE Grocers snacks, Winn-Dixie swag items and coupons. Local stores will remain open during normal business hours on Fat Tuesday to serve customers as they partake in the merrymaking.

With nearly 100 years of experience serving southeastern communities, Winn-Dixie remains steadfast in its goal to provide customers with a localized experience focused on superior value and convenience. The grocer is committed to providing extensive selections of local favorites and everyday brands with winning prices to make every “making groceries” experience easy and convenient. For more information, customers are encouraged to visit www.winndixie.com.

Founded in 1925, Winn-Dixie grocery stores and liquor stores serve communities throughout five southeastern states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. is a subsidiary of Southeastern Grocers, an omnichannel retailer and one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S., serving customers in brick-and-mortar grocery stores and liquor stores as well as online with convenient grocery delivery and curbside pickup throughout the Southeast.

Southeastern Grocers Inc. parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is an omnichannel retailer and one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S., serving customers in brick-and-mortar grocery stores and liquor stores as well as online with convenient grocery delivery and curbside pickup throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and a strong commitment to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.frescoymas.comwww.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.

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