Consumables

NEW YORK — Midwestern supermarket chain Hy-Vee will renovate 50 of its stores to include casual dining and cocktails, according to published reports.

The Kansas City, Mo., Star reported that locally based engineering and construction firm Burns & McDonnell had received a $20 million contract from the West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain to build Market Grille and Market Café restaurants in the stores.

GLENDALE, Calif. — For peanut butter cup lovers, the New Year will mark not only a fresh start but also a chance to dig into Butterfinger's newest confection. The new Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups, which offers a fresh spin on the classic peanut butter and chocolate combo, are now shipping to stores nationwide and will be available beginning in January.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Blue Diamond Growers, an almond processing and marketing company, announced the results of a recent national survey by Harris Interactive which provided a closer look at Americans' New Year's resolutions.

Nearly 75% of Americans will focus on healthier eating and improving fitness, according to the survey. The results also revealed that almost a quarter of Americans will ultimately fail to keep those resolutions for more than three months.

CHICAGO — To help CPG manufacturers and retailers identify and leverage the varying shopper beliefs about health and nutrition, IRI has released the first NutriLink segmentation study, which classifies U.S. consumers into six groups based on their behavior and attitudes toward health, diet and nutrition, as well as their demographics, the firm announced Tuesday. 

CHICAGO — IRI on Tuesday released SilverLink, a new report that segments the U.S. population ages 50 years and older based on demographics; attitudes toward aging, health and wellness; shopping behavior; and lifestyle habits.

“The next generation of retirees will be the healthiest, longest lived, most educated and most affluent in history,” stated Robert Tomei, president of consumer and shopper marketing for IRI. 

BOULDER, Colo. — Small and craft brewers contributed nearly $34 billion to the U.S. economy last year, according to a new analysis by a beer-brewing trade group.

The Brewers Association released the analysis Monday, showing that the total economic effect of beer brewed by craft brewers as it moved through breweries, wholesalers and finally retailers, as well as non-beer products sold by brewpub restaurants, was $33.9 billion.

NEW YORK — More Americans now say they are loosening the purse strings in advance of the holiday season, and fewer say they are tightening their belts, according to a recent Citi national survey released Monday. Only 35% said they would be spending less than last year, reflecting the lowest level of holiday budget cutbacks since the financial crisis. As many as 63% of Americans plan to spend more (11%) or the same (52%) on holiday shopping this year.

CAMDEN, N.J. — A newly appointed executive at Campbell Soup will be responsible for establishing the company's strategic direction for advertising, media, global design, digital marketing and social media.