News on Chips and Snacks from Northern America

December 05, 2011

Frito-Lay seeks $585,000 break on water bills

Frito-Lay is asking Vancouver for $585,000 in water bill credits over three years, which the company says will help it make $15 million to $25 million in investments at its Fruit Valley plant. [This is Vancouver in Washington, US, not in British Columb...

December 04, 2011

Cargill announces reduction in company workforce

Cargill today announced it will reduce its workforce by up to 2,000 of its 138,000 employees globally, a change of about 1.5 percent. The majority of the reduction will take place over the next six months worldwide. Cargill is providing affected employ...

December 02, 2011

Frito-Lay Electric Delivery Trucks Hit the “Green” Streets of Orlando

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America announces ten new electric trucks will be rolling out in Orlando. These electric delivery trucks will ultimately be part of the largest planned fleet of commercial all-electric trucks in North America.

December 01, 2011

Potato chips marketing exposed

I just came across a very interesting piece of research, that was also very nicely described in a blog post by one of the authors. A must read for marketers of potato chips - especially if you want to sell your chips expensive...

November 30, 2011

Five Food Trends for 2012 and Beyond

On the food front, Americans may be finally accepting that we are what we eat and start walking the walk. Even our new taste for Nordic cuisine is fueled, perhaps, by images of the lean, robust, and outdoorsy. But what other things are trending on the ...

November 30, 2011

Enticing words printed on bags of potato chips have a lot to say about social class, Stanford researchers find

Like politicians who adopt regional accents to appeal to local audiences, the manufacturers of potato chips vary the wording on their bags to convey their products' authenticity in different ways to different buyers. Stanford researchers have analyzed...

November 30, 2011

Las palabras impresas en las bolsas de las papas fritas tienen mucho que decir acerca de la clase social, según investigadores de la Universidad de Stanford

Al igual que los políticos que adoptan acentos regionales para atraer al público local, los fabricantes de papas fritas varían la redacción de sus etiquetas para transmitir la autenticidad de sus productos. Un grupo de investigación de la Universidad...

November 29, 2011

Mister Bee Potato Chip Company Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Potato chip-maker Mister Bee Potato Chip Company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on November 21. Doug Klein, president of Mister Bee, says the company is looking to reorganize and take on a new investor. The filing comes a month after the company pub...

November 29, 2011

ConAgra Foods Increases Ownership Share of Indian Company Agro Tech Foods Ltd.;Becomes Majority Owner

ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) one of North America’s leading food makers, announced today that it has become the majority owner of Indian food company Agro Tech Foods Limited (ATFL), increasing its ownership of shares to more than 50 percent.

November 17, 2011

Andrew Ross Joins ConAgra Foods as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced today that Andrew George Ross joined the company on Nov. 15 as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, reporting to Gary Rodkin, CEO. Ross will lead the company’s strategic planning process, with s...

November 12, 2011

ConAgra Foods to Acquire Private Label Pretzel Manufacturer National Pretzel Company

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced today that it has agreed to acquire National Pretzel Company, based in Lancaster, Pa., from Brookstone Holdings. National Pretzel makes private label pretzels in a variety of forms, including rods, sticks, bra...

November 01, 2011

Diamond Foods pringles acquisition pushed back to next year due to accounting questions

Diamond Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq:DMND) today announced that its previously announced acquisition of the Pringles snack business from The Procter &Gamble Company ("P&G") is now expected to close in the first half of calendar 2012. Diamond a...

October 31, 2011

Farm Frites receives top honour as supplier of Pringles ingredients

Last week the Procter & Gamble Company recognized its top performing external business partners during an awards ceremony at its Business Partner Recognition Dinner. Potato Dehy supplier Farm Frites was among those receiving a top honour.

October 26, 2011

Inventure Foods reports increased revenue, loss in Q3

Inventure Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAK), a leading specialty food maker and marketer, today reported financial results for the third quarter ending Sept. 24, 2011, highlighted by net revenue growth of 10.1% and continued sales momentum and trade support f...

October 19, 2011

Consumer Groups target Frito-Lay for deceptive marketing

Consumer and privacy organizations filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today, calling on the agency to investigate and bring an action against PepsiCo and its subsidiary Frito-Lay for "engaging in deceptive and unfair digital...

October 19, 2011

Wachusett Potato Chip Co. sold to Utz Quality Foods

The Wachusett Potato Chip Co., the last independent potato chip company in New England, has been purchased by a Pennsylvania-based snack food company. Utz Quality Foods Inc. of Hanover, Pa., purchased the Wachusett Potato Chip Co.'s Water Street faci...

October 18, 2011

Kettle Brand Campaign: 'Nobody Likes Kettle Chips. They Love Them'

Diamond Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq:DMND) recently launched a new marketing campaign to expand national awareness for Kettle Brand, a pioneer in the batch-cooked, all natural potato chip category. The campaign marks the first national television campaign in th...

October 17, 2011

University of Wisconsin to lead research effort to reduce acrylamide in potato products

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have been selected to lead a national, multi-institution effort to improve the quality and safety of processed potatoes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) ...