News on Chips and Snacks from Northern America

January 14, 2008

ConAgra signals shift in restructuring plan: three plants scheduled for shutdown will stay open

ConAgra Foods Inc. won't close three production plants that had been slated for shutdown in a multiyear reorganization effort, signaling a shift in emphasis from cutting costs to growing sales. "We've had good success with sales of new products, a...

Auction potato chips production lines and packaging machines

January 08, 2008

Auction of former Jays Potato Chips production Lines and Packaging Machines

On January 24, 2008 Rabin is organizing an auction of production lines of bankrupt Jays Foods in Chicago. The auction includes 4 potato chips processing lines and 18 Hayssen Ishida packaging machines and much more. Background: On January 24th, 200...

January 07, 2008

Frito-lay looking towards adults to boost Cheetos brand

After successfully growing its Doritos and Sun Chips brands, Frito-Lay is setting its sights on cranking up Cheetos’ flat sales with a new adult and Hispanic focus. The initiative, which includes boosting the brand’s ad spend by more than 50%, follo...

January 04, 2008

Jays wins Chicago potato chip test

Are all potato chips created Equal? RedEye and Metromix staffers attempted to answer the question by tasting 10 brands of chips. All were original flavor and bought at grocery stores in Chicago. Chips were served on nondescript plates so testers did n...

Corazonas existing line of heart healthy tortilla chips

January 03, 2008

Corazonas launches first and only cholesterol reducing potato chips

Corazonas Foods Inc., creators of great-tasting, heart-healthy snack foods, transforms the all-American classic potato chip into a heart-healthy culinary delight with the launch of Corazonas Heart-Healthy Potato Chips. Patented technology infusing pla...

December 23, 2007

Water savings at Frito-Lay San Antonio Plant

The cooperative water conservation effort by the San Antonio Water System and the city's business community is a true success story. Frito-Lay is an excellent example. Through its partnership with SAWS, the company's San Antonio plant has reduced i...

December 20, 2007

Conagra reports stronger than expected EPS.

ConAgra Foods, Inc., today reported results for the fiscal 2008 second quarter ended Nov. 25, 2007. Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.50, which includes $0.03 per diluted share of costs related to the recent pot pie recall. Gary Rodkin, C...

December 18, 2007

Orville Redenbacher's and Act II microwave popcorn brands now free of diacetyl

ConAgra Foods today announced that it has reformulated its Orville Redenbacher’s and ACT II microwave popcorn brands with a new butter flavoring that has no added diacetyl. These newly reformulated products are arriving on store shelves now. “Microwav...

December 17, 2007

Frito-lay lays off 25 in Mission Plant

Frito-Lay cut 25 employees from its Mission production plant, after “Nutritas” — a healthy baked potato-and-vegetable stick — struck out in the Mexican snack market. The plant, which produces chips for Mexican consumers, closed down a production line a...

December 17, 2007

Kettle Foods Encourages Habitat Restoration with New Backyard Barbeque Potato Chips

Kettle Foods, a company that welcomes friends of the feathery sort into its own “backyard,” is joining forces with National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to launch its newest flavor – Backyard Barbeque.

December 14, 2007

Lance invests in Late July Snacks LLC (organic crackers and cookies)

Lance, Inc. (Nasdaq-GS: LNCE) today announced that in an effort to increase its presence in the organic food sector, it has purchased a non-controlling minority equity interest in Late July Snacks LLC, a privately held organic snack food company. Found...

December 14, 2007

Snyder's of Hanover Adds Two MultiGrain Items To 100 Calorie Pack Offerings

Snyder's of Hanover announced the addition of two new MultiGrain items to its 100 Calorie pack offerings. Health-conscious consumers can enjoy our new Sunflower Chips which are all-natural with 0 grams of trans fat, contain 6 grams per serving of Wh...

December 13, 2007

NRA Predicts 2008 To Be a Year of Snacks

In its 2008 Industry Forecast, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Wednesday pointed to the snack industry to post the highest sales increase in 2008 with an expected 3.2 percent real sales increase in the upcoming year. The quick-service segmen...

Low fat chips Kettle bakes now in 100-calorie pack

December 11, 2007

Kettle™ Brand Bakes now available in 100-Calorie Pack

Kettle Foods is giving potato chips, America’s number one salty snack, a makeover with new 100-calorie bags of its award-winning Kettle™ brand Bakes Lightly Salted Potato Chips. Named “Best Chips” in Health Magazine’s May 2006 Best New Foods for Busy...

Ballreich's chocolate covered potato chips and pretzels

December 10, 2007

Ballreich's: Potato chips and pretzels covered in chocolate

I had heard of chocolate coverered potato chips and chocolate covered pretzels, but I'd never seen a picture until I received this image in a newsletter of Ballreich's. Sure looks tempting! Unfortunately they only ship to the US. I heard back from ...

December 10, 2007

Texas: Frito-Lay recalls mispackaged chips

Frito-Lay announced on Monday a voluntary recall of 41 cases of mispackaged potato chips that could pose a risk to people with milk allergies.

December 10, 2007

Frito-Lay plant in Wisconsin honored for safety record

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) again has recertified Beloit, Wis.-based Frito-Lay Inc. as a "Star"site in its prestigious Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)."Frito-Lay has sustained a...

December 07, 2007

Jays: Yes, we CAN stop eating 'em

Don't know how many of you remember this, but Jays potato chips used to be sold in these giant, white, cardboard boxes with a huge blue circle in the front, a huge white "J"in the circle, and the words "can't stop eating 'em"script...