Consumables

WASHINGTON — Global perspectives on scientific, regulatory and technical developments in product safety, health and well-being will be the feature as hundreds of experts from the consumer packaged goods industry meet Wednesday at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Science Forum.

PHILADELPHIA — Walmart customers will enjoy a cool reason to shop at the mass merchandise company this summer as Mini Melts ice cream automated kiosks rollout nationwide.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to serve Walmart customers throughout the United States, by not only providing a premium ice cream product, but by doing so consistently with Walmart's low-price philosophy," said Dan Kilcoyne, president of Mini Melts USA.

PHOENIX — Vitamin Squeeze announced today the release of a full line of powdered water enhancers available in supermarkets nationwide.

Vitamin Squeeze Powder Water Enhancers come in eight flavors and three varieties:

• Multi-Vitamin (Fruit Punch, Acai Grape Pomegranate, Strawberry Watermelon and Lemonade);

• Energy (Black Cherry, Blood Orange and Blueberry Pomegranate Acai); and

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Walmart and Target are ramping up offerings of private-label products directed at multicultural and health-conscious consumers, according to a new study.

The findings were part of a study by market research firm Packaged Facts on mass merchandisers, "The Supercenter Grocery Shopper: U.S. Consumer Patterns at Walmart, Target, Meijer and Fred Meyer." The report noted that mass merchandisers in recent years have marketed private-label food and beverage products that rival those of national brands in price, value and quality.

NEW YORK — Parsippany, N.J.-based Pinnacle Foods — manufacturer and distributor of such food brands as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Vlasic, Mrs. Butterworth’s and others — opened for trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “PF” after its initial public offering.

CEO Bob Gamgort, along with members of Pinnacle Foods’ leadership team, celebrated the company’s first day of trading by ringing the NYSE Opening Bell and visiting the trading floor to observe the stock opening.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola has filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a new sugar-free beverage with added fiber, according to a report from the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold USA's Giant-Carlisle banner raised nearly $600,000 for a hunger relief program in February and March, the supermarket chain said.

Giant-Carlisle said customers at Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets donated $587,545 as part of the Bag Hunger campaign between Feb. 24 and March 9. Another campaign will take place in September.

SAN DIEGO — Bumble Bee Foods has introduced a quarterly e-book on health and wellness, the company said Wednesday.

"BeeWell for Live — A Living Guide" offers wellness advice, tips and recipes created in collaboration with Bumble Bee registered dietitians Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, as well as fitness coach Jennifer Grayeb and celebrity chef Scott Leibfried.