Produce / Floral

NEW YORK - Tasty Baking Co., maker of Tastykake doughnuts, fruit pies and cookies, has named as its new CFO David S. Marberger, the former VP of finance for Campbell Soup Co.'s food and beverage division.

WASHINGTON - The backers of the 5 A Day for Better Health program, which advocates produce consumption, is at odds with the dairy industry over a new 3-A-Day for Stronger Bones campaign the diary group is launching this month, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reports.

LOS ANGELES - By working with multiple local food companies, leading convenience retailer 7-Eleven Inc.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Hain Celestial Group Inc., the maker of natural foods such as Terra Chips vegetable snacks, said on Monday it has acquired privately held non-dairy beverage company Imagine Foods Inc.

November 22, 2002 - WASHINGTON -- Half of Americans (51 percent) say they will serve at least one organic dish this Thanksgiving holiday, according to a survey conducted for the Grocery Manufacturers of America by the polling company.

Luxury-starved citizens of the land of Castro desire American rice, eggs, and pears, but lack the cash to pay for them.

BOSTON - Robert Hawthorne unexpectedly resigned as chief executive of Ocean Spray on Wednesday after three years spent struggling to get better prices for the growers who own the cooperative and to compete with beverage giants Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola and Cadbury Schweppes, the Associated Press reports

A slow economy, growing national chains, and a dire need for differentiation have retail executives looking favorably on store brands.

NEW YORK - More than 130,000 visitors from across the globe embarked upon Paris last week to attend SIAL 2002, a biennial trade show for food industry executives.

WASHINGTON - The Food Marketing Institute and the American Meat Institute separately released statements opposing new country-of-origin guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

LONDON/ZURICH - Associated British Foods Plc has agreed to buy Novartis AG's food and beverage business for 272.5 million euros ($267.2 million), including the drink brands Ovomaltime and Ovaltine, Reuters reports.

Despite the myriad challenges of last year, supermarket sales rose 3.5 percent from 2000, when the economy was in decidedly better shape. All departments shared in the advance.