Snack Food Today

Abstract

"Football fans are among the most passionate of any sport so we're excited to launch an Oreo product just for them," says Eva Press, director of marketing for Kraft Foods, the Oreo brand, Northfield, Ill. [...] we're proud to support those in need and hope the Huddle to Fight Hunger campaign inspires our millions of fans to join us in this important fight.

Frito-Lay Lowers the Decibels on Noisy SunChips Bag

Frito-Lay is preparing to quietly "bag" its renewable, sustainable, "green" but noisy SunChips package, about 18 months after its introduction. The biodegradable bag was billed as 100%-compostable, but the Plano, Texas, company is pulling the noisy material from the packages of five of its six SunChips varieties, replacing the bags with the former bag material, which isn't recyclable, while it tries to develop a quieter eco-friendly bag.

The noisy bio-bag has been the center of attention-and bone of contention-because of its molecular structure and composition, which makes it stiff and more rigid and creates a crackly, noisy sound when being handled or opened. Consumers even created a Facebook group titled "Sorry But I Can't Hear You Over This SunChips Bag," which has garnered more than 44,000 friends.

"Clearly, we'd received consumer feedback that it was noisy," says Aurora Gonzalez, a Frito- Lay spokeswoman. "We recognized from the beginning that the bag felt, looked and sounded different."

ConAgra Moves Snack Production to Chicago

In an attempt to jumpstart popular brands that have been a bit lackluster in the snack lineup, ConAgra Foods Inc., Omaha, Neb., moved management responsibilities of Orville Redenbacher, Slim Jim, Swiss Miss and Crunch N' Munch brands to Naperville, Ill. The new Chicago-area headquarters also will encompass vice presidents and general managers as well as associate brand managers.

There are 150 jobs associated with the snack brand team, says David Palfenier, snacks president. The Naperville office now totals 500 employees - still small compared with 3,300 in Omaha.

"Chicago offers an outstanding work force," Palfenier says, adding that ConAgra does a lot of recruiting at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "It's an incredibly diverse work force, and you know that's got to be at the forefront of any company's agenda."

Jack Link's Purchases Meat Snack Facility from JBS S.A.

Jack Link's Beef Jerky, Minong, Wis., acquired a packaged meat snack products manufacturing facility located in Mankato, Minn., from JBS S.A. The move allows Jack Link's to boost its fastgrowing production capacity of meat snacks, which has blossomed by 4.4% in 2010 year-to-date, the company reports.

Oreos, Tostitos Hit the Football Field

Oreo cookies are kicking off this year's football season with the launch of a limited-edition football-shape cookie, and proceeds go to Feeding America.

The football-shaped cookie is a part of Kraft Foods' "Huddle to Fight Hunger" campaign, which helps donate 500,000 meals to Feeding America, a Chicago-based hunger-relief charity.

Fans can enter for a chance to win a trip to the "Fight Hunger" Bowl Game in San Francisco on Jan. 9, 2011, featuring college football teams from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Pacific-10 (PAC-10). Go to www.kraftrecipes.com/huddleforhunger and upload a photo of your family or friends enjoying an Oreo cookie to be added to the "All-Star Gallery" on the Oreo Facebook fan page.

"Football fans are among the most passionate of any sport so we're excited to launch an Oreo product just for them," says Eva Press, director of marketing for Kraft Foods, the Oreo brand, Northfield, Ill. "Moreover, we're proud to support those in need and hope the Huddle to Fight Hunger campaign inspires our millions of fans to join us in this important fight."

In celebration of the college football season, Frito-Lay kicked off a limited-edition football-shaped version of Tostitos. The new chips come in 12-oz. bags for a suggested retail price of $3.99, the company says.

"For the Tostitos brand, college football is all about the chance to bring people together to share fun, memorable experiences," says Justin Lambeth, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay North America, the Plano, Texas, convenience food business unit of PepsiCo. "Whether you are prepping for a pre-game tailgate or hosting a group of friends to watch the game at home, these football-inspired tortilla chips will help set the stage for a truly one-of-a-kind gathering."

The chips can be found on special college football-themed displays at retailers nationwide. In dozens of markets across the country, the displays are co-branded with local team logos and colors as part of the Tostitos brand's sponsorship of 37 college teams. The sponsorships are another way the Tostitos brand - a longtime supporter of college football and the title sponsor of the annual Fiesta Bowl - is celebrating the game and local teams this year.