Gourmet News

Giant Food Urges Communities to ‘Find Your Local’

Published January 4, 2023

Giant Food, the leading greater Washington D.C. regional grocery chain, has launched a brand campaign, “Find Your Local.” Dedicated to all things local, the campaign theme calls attention to Giant’s longtime commitment to the communities it serves across areas of educational programs, partnerships, and product offerings.

Running through the end of the year and featuring four vignettes from real Giant shoppers —Marcellus, Isabelle, Diane, and Courtney, the spots highlight the connections Giant forms with customers through benefits including its Healthy Living programs and its commitment to sourcing local. Giant Food offers over 1,000 items from more than 100 local vendors. All commercials were shot locally and produced using local businesses and a workforce that was over 85 percent from the DMV region.

“We are proud of the community we serve, and it is always a pleasure to work directly with our local businesses and customers,” said Kathryn Kowalzik, director of marketing, strategy and media at Giant Food. “We are continuously pushing to find new opportunities to expand our reach to our community and neighbors, and these commercials highlight some of those efforts and the relationships created through them.”

Working with local DC-Metro area creative shop RP3 Agency, Giant’s agency of record since May 2018, the Find Your Local campaign consists of TV, radio, social media, mobile, digital, in-store and out-of-home.

“Few retailers can claim to be as truly local as Giant. The chain started 86 years ago in downtown D.C. and grew to what it is today—a staple in every neighborhood. No other grocer knows the local unique tastes and traditions as well as Giant and this campaign is a perfect reflection of that,” said RP3 Founder-CEO Beth Johnson.

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Kona Gold La Lemin Lemonades to Be Distributed in Minnesota

Published January 4, 2023

Kona Gold Beverage, Inc., a holding company focused on product development in the better-for-you and functional beverage sector has signed distribution agreements with Dahlheimer Beverage and Michaud Distributing in Minnesota. Dahlheimer and Michaud will be distributing the company’s quickly growing 12-ounce sparkling and 16-ounce non-sparkling Ooh La Lemin Lemonades across Minnesota.

Dahlheimer is a third-generation family-owned business, started over 60 years ago, and it has since grown into a full beverage distributor. Dahlheimer services approximately 4,800 customers across 54 counties in Minnesota, reaching from the northern tip to the southern border.

Michaud Distributing is a fourth-generation family-owned company. Michaud, also started 60 years ago and prides itself on superior customer service and cover both Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin.

“I’m pleased to announce that in our efforts to distribute our Ooh La Lemin Lemonades across the entire state of Minnesota, we have partnered with two top distributors, Dahlheimer and Michaud,” stated Robert Clark, CEO of Kona Gold Beverage, Inc. “Our team is excited to be expanding our footprint in the great state of Minnesota with our Ooh La Lemin Lemonade beverage line. Dahlheimer and Michaud will be key in facilitating growth and give us the coverage we need in their markets as we look forward to growing the partnerships in 2023.”

Kona Gold Beverage recently announced it closed out 2022 with a record revenue month in December compared to all previous Decembers in Company history with approximate revenues of just over $400,000. This is a display of strength in sales as December is generally the slowest month in the beverage industry. Kona Gold Beverage also finished the quarter with approximately $1,190,000 in revenue, its second strongest quarter in Company history.

Kona Gold Beverage, Inc., a Delaware corporation, has created wholly owned subsidiaries, Kona Gold LLC, HighDrate, LLC, and Gold Leaf Distribution, LLC. Kona Gold, LLC has developed a premium hemp-Infused energy drink line.

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Back to Nature Brand Sold to Barilla Group

Published January 4, 2023

B&G Foods, Inc. has completed the sale of the Back to Nature brand to BA Brussels, LLC, a subsidiary of Barilla America, Inc.

B&G Foods intends to use the proceeds from the sale for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of long-term debt and the purchase of assets useful in B&G Foods’ business, and to pay taxes, fees and expenses related to the sale.

Back to Nature features a portfolio of plant-based, non-GMO products that compete in the United States cookies, crackers, granola and nuts & trail mix categories. Founded in 1960, the brand is mainly distributed in the U.S. natural and specialty channels and is committed to providing people with good food made with nature-inspired recipes.

Barilla, a fourth-generation family-owned company founded in 1877 is an international food company, leading in pasta and bakery products, and present in more than 100 countries. It has a strong bond with the United States, where it has operated since 1996, and is currently the #1 pasta brand. The acquisition of Back to Nature is consistent with Barilla’s long-term strategy to build a strong multi-brand bakery platform in the United States, where the Group is already market leader in the crispbread category with the Wasa brand.

Barilla is a leader in the European bakery products sector and has expertise in, and a reputation for, healthy, good-for-you snacking products. The acquisition of Back to Nature provides Barilla with a strong platform from which to build and grow in the dynamic North American bakery marketplace.

“At Barilla, we aspire to build a long-term and significant presence in the U.S. baking industry and this operation reminds me of when we first started our journey with pasta over 25 years ago and we are now the market leader. The acquisition of Back to Nature is a key step for this exciting journey”, said Guido Barilla, chairman of the Barilla Group. “We focus all our business activities and products on health and indulgence and hence Back to Nature was a natural choice. We are excited to see how our efforts will evolve in the future”.

Barilla confirms its commitment to ensure people have access to good, sustainable food with consistent improvements in its nutritional profile. The Italian based family company, founded 145 years ago, brings together 8,700 people around the world, and a supply chain that shares its values and passion for quality.

Barilla is a family business chaired by the brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. It was founded by their great-grandfather Pietro Barilla, who opened a bakery in Parma in 1877. Barilla is renowned in Italy and around the world for the excellence of its food products. With its brands – Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Gran Cereale, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina and Vesta, Misko, Voiello, Academia Barilla, First, Catelli, Lancia, Splendor, Tolerant and Pasta Evangelists – it advocates tasty, hearty and wholesome nutrition, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and the Italian lifestyle.

Based in Parsippany, N.J., B&G Foods and its subsidiaries manufacture, sell and distribute high-quality, branded shelf-stable and frozen foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. B&G Foods’ portfolio of more than 50 brands includes B&G, B&M, Bear Creek, Cream of Wheat, Crisco, Dash, Green Giant, Las Palmas, Le Sueur, Mama Mary’s, Maple Grove Farms, New York Style, Ortega, Polaner, Spice Islands and Victoria.

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