According to Buitoni, pasta is enjoyed weekly by more than 50 percent of Americans, and more than 75 percent agree that they are interested in trying new varieties. The new Pepperoni & Cheese Ravioli and Chicken Parmesan Ravioli varieties will offer consumers more choices.

The raviolis are ready in six minutes and filled with flavors inspired by classic pizza toppings and Italian restaurant favorites, such as pepperoni and cheese and chicken parmesan with additional varieties launching soon.

“We’re excited to bring consumers a fresh take on Italian-inspired dishes that reflect the tastes and preferences of consumers here in the U.S.,” said Graham Corneck, president and CEO of Buitoni Food Co.

“Perfect for serving any time – from Sunday game day to a weeknight meal in a pinch after a busy day at work or school – these new flavors combine the ease and quality consumers expect from Buitoni with the flavors of their favorite meals, all available from the comfort of their own kitchen.”

The ravioli line is found in the refrigerated aisle. With 13 grams of protein per serving, each 20-ounce package feeds a family of four. The new items are available at Kroger, Mariano’s, Dillons, King Soopers, Fry’s, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, QFC, Smith’s, Food 4 Less, Albertson’s and Safeway stores with expanded distribution slated for 2023.  

Other recent innovations by the company include Ravioli with Impossible Beef Made From Plants and Ravioli with Impossible Italian Sausage Made From Plants, and new pesto varieties including Spinach and Artichoke Pesto, Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Spicy Red Pepper Pesto.

Learn more about the company’s refrigerated pastas and sauces at buitoni.com.

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“For 25 years, 505 Southwestern has been committed to creating the highest quality products using the best and most simple ingredients from the Hatch Valley, New Mexico. Now we are excited to bring this level of quality to our queso,” said Sam Carson, president of 505 Southwestern. 

“Why settle for less? You deserve 505 Southwestern Queso, because it’s the only national brand made with authentic Hatch Valley Green Chile. 505 Southwestern Queso is an amazing cheese sauce and it’s evident in the flavor, texture and quality of the product.”

Additional ingredients in the queso include Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeños and tomatoes. The new line of queso is sold in 12-ounce glass jars and will be available throughout the Western U.S. and select markets nationwide in a variety of grocers including Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons, Bashas’ and Kroger.

505 Southwestern started in 1997 when Albuquerque resident Roy Solomon began bottling and selling his recipes for green chile sauce and salsa. Honoring his local area code to develop the brand, Solomon’s “magic ingredient” was fire-roasted, Hatch Valley green chiles. With beginnings as a local favorite, the brand has grown to become a nationally distributed jarred green chile sauce brand. 505 Southwestern is sold in every U.S. state and internationally.

505 Southwestern’s parent company, Flagship Food Group, operates multiple facilities in New Mexico and created the 505 Southwestern – New Mexico True Scholars program in 2017 to support local high school students interested in studying agriculture in college.

For more information, visit 505southwestern.com.

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As consumers prepare traditional recipes and ofrendas for Día de los Muertos, Manzanita Sol wants to help fans with $100 gift cards across five major cities. Consumers who seek out and share photos of the limited-edition bottles of Manzanita Sol, Pepsi Real Sugar or Crush available at select retailers can enter to win one of 250 gift cards to support their festivities.

“Manzanita Sol represents a taste of home for so many and this year, we wanted to support fans’ Día de los Muertos celebrations with our limited-edition packaging spotlighting the culture and significance of this iconic holiday,” said Esperanza Teasdale, multicultural VP and general manager, PepsiCo.

“Día de los Muertos is all about traditions and by covering groceries for our fans, we want to make it even easier for them to make their favorite family recipes for the day.”

The brand tapped Mexican artist Totoi Semerena to design the limited-edition packaging for Manzanita Sol, Pepsi Real Sugar and Crush. The Yucatán-born illustrator captured the holiday with three new designs featuring celebrated Día de los Muertos icons including Xoloitzcuintli, revered as the spirit guide to the kingdom of the dead; La Catrina, one of the strongest and most recognizable symbols representing the relationship Mexicans have with death; and La Calavera, or skeleton, a playful symbol of life after death.

Consumers in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston and Dallas have until Nov. 3 to enter the contest by posting a photo of a limited-edition Manzanita Sol, Pepsi Real Sugar or Crush on Twitter with #ManzanitaSol #Sweepstakes and by tagging @ManzanitaSolUS, or by submitting their photo through ManzanitaSolDDLM.Fooji.com, to win a $100 gift card to a local grocery retailer.

Participating retailers based on city, include:

• Los Angeles – El Super and Superior;
• Chicago – Cermak Fresh;
• Phoenix – Fry’s; and
• Houston/Dallas – H-E-B.

The limited-edition packaging is available at select stores in 20 ounce, 2 liter bottles and 12 pack 12 ounce cans across Manzanita Sol, Pepsi Real Sugar and Crush Orange, Grapefruit and Strawberry products.

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The grocer asked its Hispanic employee and allies resource group, Pa’lante, to help plan festivities focused at its store support center and stores.

“At Southeastern Grocers, we celebrate our diverse employees and customers who are the fabric of our local communities,” said Raymond Rhee, chief people officer. 

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to commemorate the histories and cultures of our Hispanic neighbors and acknowledge their accomplishments through education and immersion. We’re excited to celebrate Hispanic heritage with our customers and associates and elevate those with Hispanic backgrounds, all while developing a deeper understanding of the cultures that make our local communities unique.”

The planned events include:

• Virtual cooking demonstrations to prepare turkey and mushroom empanadas de picadillo with MasterChef Latino winner Lauren Arboleda.
• Fireside chat on “Reinventing Allyship: Understanding the Hispanic Culture to Transform our Workplace” with author Valeria Aloe and Southeastern Grocers’ CIO Todd Renaud.
• Open house for employees and their families to experience Hispanic cultures through traditional food and activities.
• Spanish 101 classes to learn conversational Spanish.

Customers in Miami are invited to two live cooking demonstration events where chefs will create traditional Latin American dishes, including ropa vieja, shrimp mofongo, mojo chicken and roast pork. The first 50 customers at each event will receive a reusable grocery bag filled with Southeastern Grocers’ dry ingredients and a $25 gift card for fresh items to recreate the meals at home.

Additionally, Southeastern Grocers, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is accepting applications from nonprofits for its Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant program. Organizations supporting underserved populations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi may apply online at seggives.com/grantapp through Sept. 30 to be considered for a Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity grant ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

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After selling door to door, they bought a little gas station in Jeannette and converted it into a store. More than 60 years later, DeLallo remains a family-owned and -operated business that focuses on the import, production and distribution of Italian and Mediterranean specialty foods.

When the DeLallo’s son wanted to take things bigger, it started with the company’s olives and antipasti bar, according to Jeff Beavers, a company spokesman.

He said after selling to supermarkets around the Pittsburgh area, sales grew. “We have olives and antipasti as our mainstay, but then we also have a full line of grocery – pasta, pasta sauces, pesto, potato gnocchi. And we just keep growing in a lot of different ways,” Beavers said.

DeLallo is the country’s largest importer of olives and antipasti, importing from all over the world, according to Beavers.

The gourmet company has three divisions: olives and antipasti, Italian grocery and cookies. A new, popular item is its shelf-stable grab-and-go charcuterie tray, Beavers said. It comes with a single-use board made from cardboard, which is recyclable. 

DeLallo is always looking to innovate, he said, and is a leader in the industry. Julianna Pena, marketing director, also is in charge of developing new recipes.

“We’re a big company but we act small,” Beavers said. “Everyone has a lot of hats. She’s [Pena] developing recipes for the olives and antipasti, tasting new items, figuring out which direction we should go.”

He noted another new item, chickpea gnocchi, which has joined the company’s gnocchi line. DeLallo is known for its potato gnocchi and also is “growing that line.”

About 10 years ago, the company bought a bakery when it wanted to offer a cookie bar. The retailers and customers wanted more packaged offerings, so DeLallo went more in that direction, Beavers said.

It offers a line of pizzelles, which are Italian cookies, along with a line of biscotti. Flavors include lemon and blueberry and pumpkin spice, among others.

“One thing our company relies on is eye appeal,” he said. “If you look at our olives, they’re very beautiful, how we present them. And the same with the cookies. We try to show you the product. We’re not hiding anything. We use nice, clear packaging with a minimal label, but the label is also very nice, well designed by our graphic designers.”

For more information, visit delallo.com.

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Old El Paso is celebrating taco night with “Bachelorette” and mom Ali Fedotowsky-Manno to share her family’s taco fixings and how she keeps mealtimes mess-free.

“At my house we call our weekly taco night ‘The Feast.’ My kids love seeing little bowls on the table full of delicious ingredients like beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa and more, and they love making their own taco creations, but of course it can get a little messy,” Fedotowsky-Manno said. “Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets have a sealed bottom that make taco night even more enjoyable by containing all of your fillings. Now my kids get to be more adventurous and involved during dinner.”

Leaning into families’ love of tacos and a desire for mess-free meals, Tortilla Pockets are created with a sealed bottom and are portable, making them easy to hold onto.

“The inspiration behind our products is always rooted in how we help families spend more time together and create fun mealtime memories, which is why we’re so excited to introduce Tortilla Pockets,” said Emiko Brook, senior brand manager. “Tortilla Pockets are a new way for families to come together during a busy week and spend more time having fun around the dinner table.”

Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets are now available at retailers nationwide in an eight-pack or as part of a Tortilla Pockets Kit, which also includes Old El Paso’s Taco Seasoning and Original Taco Sauce, for even more convenience. Old El Paso offers a variety of products for delicious Tex-Mex-inspired meals.

To explore all the offerings and to learn more, visit OldElPaso.com.

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Whole Foods will carry Afia’s best-selling frozen falafel flavors, Afia’s Traditional Falafel and Afia Garlic and Herb Falafel, at 400 stores.

Whole Foods marks the second national retailer with whom the company has partnered, following Sprouts in 2021. This will allow Afia to reach more customers in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Midwest, Rocky Mountain and West Coast.

“Afia’s products are perfectly positioned to meet consumers’ demand for both Mediterranean cuisine, which is surging in popularity throughout the U.S. with shoppers drawn to its healthy properties, and the demand for affordable nutritious frozen food,” said Farrah Moussallati Sibai, co-founder and president.

“The care we take in producing our all natural frozen falafel free of any preservatives and additives, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, will really speak to the Whole Foods customer.”

Afia has been focused on increasing availability and awareness over the last year, fueled by their first round of investment in 2020. In 2021, Afia grew retail distribution by 250 percent. Adding Whole Foods to their distribution puts Afia on track to double retail distribution again this year.

In May, the company announced that Harris Teeter and Giant Landover will soon carry two of its falafel products. 

“Afia is family-run and the products are a tribute to our journey,” Moussallati Sibai said. “The saying ‘Afia” is a toast “to one’s health and well-being” and a reminder to brighten up your table while uplifting those around it.”

Using her mother-in-law’s Syrian family recipes, Moussallati Sibai began selling its frozen falafel and kibbeh at one farmers’ market in 2017. Today, the company is in more than 2,300 stores nationwide and is moving to a bigger 21,000-square-feet facility in the fall. The company offers six different SKUs at more than 2,300 retail locations nationwide and online. 

In 2019, Afia became one of H-E-B’s Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year award recipients and a Chobani’s Incubator brand. The brand was also recognized by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce with the Greater Austin Business Award for Best Consumer Product in 2021.

For more information about the company, visit afiafoods.com.

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“LALA Licuados are the perfect way to start your morning,” said Matt Okeson, head of marketing, research and development for LALA U.S. “With the goodness of oats, real milk and a blend of real fruits, LALA Licuados are a Hispanic breakfast standard in a convenient ready-to-drink format.”

Licuados are a Mexican beverage, serving as a quick breakfast at home or at juice and licuado stands. Licuados are blended like smoothies but not as thick.

The Licuados are sold in three flavors – Papaya, Mango-Carrot and Vanilla Honey. Each bottle features 8 grams of protein and is a good source of fiber and vitamins.

“Our focus is to create a traditional breakfast offering with LALA Licuados,” Okeson said. “Consumers are increasingly seeking nutritious and high-quality products that maintain the customs of their families.”

The Mango-Carrot flavor was honored as the “Most Innovative Cultured Dairy Prototype Flavor” during the International Dairy Foods Association’s Innovative Cultured Dairy Product competitions earlier this year.

The launch of the LALA Licuados is the latest in a series of new cheese and dairy products offered by LALA, each featuring the authentic taste of Mexican kitchens. Recent new additions include dessert yogurt smoothies and fruit and crema desserts.

Within the last year, the company added three traditional Mexican cheeses to its line-up of yogurt smoothies, yogurts, Mexican crema and milk.

The company produces and distributes a wide variety of dairy-based products throughout the U.S. It is a subsidiary of Grupo LALA, an international foods company, with operations in Mexico, Brazil, U.S. and Central America.

For more information, visit lala-us.com.

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Upon completion of the transaction, Apollo Funds will combine Tony’s Fresh Market, a Chicago-based portfolio company, with Cardenas Markets, which operates across California, Nevada and Arizona, to create a leading Hispanic- and ethnic-focused grocer. Both companies will continue to operate under their respective brands and local leadership, while benefitting from greater scale, complementary capabilities and an expanded operating footprint.

Founded in 1981, Cardenas is one of the largest Hispanic grocery chains in the country with a differentiated store concept providing high-quality, specialty groceries at affordable prices. The company, led by CEO Doug Sanders, operates 59 stores and sources products from more than 500 vendors.

“Since joining Cardenas, we have made great progress in growing and enhancing our operations with KKR’s support, and I am thrilled by the opportunity for our team to now partner with Frank and the Tony’s team, leveraging our collective strengths. Together, as two of the highest quality Hispanic and ethnic grocers, we can deliver even greater value to the communities we serve,” Sanders said.

“Apollo private equity has an extensive best-in-class track record of success in food retail, and I am thrilled to partner with Andy Jhawar and the Apollo team again in this exciting next chapter for Cardenas. I would also like to thank KKR, which has been a tremendous strategic partner over the past six years, helping us grow and professionalize the business.”

The combined Cardenas-Tony’s footprint will span 80 stores across the U.S. with $1.8 billion in combined revenues. Sanders will serve as CEO of the combined company and Cardenas chain, while Frank Ingraffia will continue to serve as the CEO of the Tony’s chain.

Andrew Jhawar and Joanna Reiss, Apollo private equity partners, said: “Cardenas has grown significantly over the last several years under Doug’s leadership, and we are excited to accelerate its growth in combination with Tony’s in this next phase. We are excited to once again partner with Doug following our highly successful investment in Sprouts Farmers Market, which Doug led as CEO under Apollo funds’ ownership.

“Cardenas and Tony’s have robust positions in the ethnic grocer space, and together can leverage best practices across their complementary go-to-market strategies, merchandising and customer loyalty programs. This transaction will combine the best of both retailers and provide greater opportunities and scale for the respective brands and teams as they continue to bring quality, affordable groceries to diverse communities.”

In 2016, KKR acquired Cardenas Markets from the Cardenas family with the thesis of transforming the business into a growth platform. Under KKR’s ownership, Cardenas doubled in size through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Vishal Patel, a managing director at KKR, said: “We are immensely appreciative of everything Doug and the management team have done to build a great company dedicated to bringing fresh and affordable groceries to the communities that it serves, consistent with the values that the Cardenas family instilled in the business. We are confident that Apollo and Tony’s Fresh Market are the right partners for Cardenas as it enters its next chapter of growth.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2022. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For more information, visit cardenasmarkets.com.

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Marukai Corp. President Koichi Toyo said customer response has been impressive for Next Meats. “The consumer demand for this innovative and delicious new plant-based food has exceeded our expectations,” Toyo said. “We are fulfilling new orders with eager anticipation of future market value.”  

The Next Meats’ product-line is Next Short Rib, Next Skirt Steak and Next Beef Bowl. The main ingredient is soybeans and there is one serving per package at 160-180 calories. The suggested retail price for each 4.23 oz. package is $5.99. Products are also sold online via the Next Meats website in a 3-pack through 24-pack sizes. 

Koki Terui, Next Meats USA CEO, said it is an exciting and perfect time for expansion in America. “A fast growing number of consumers are adopting flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan diets for reasons ranging from proven health benefits to reducing the impact on our shared planet,” Terui said. “Next Meats’ healthy, plant based products are a delicious addition to any diet, and we are thrilled to expand this journey in the United States and into Canada.” 

Prior to entering Tokyo Central markets in January, Next Meats were sold at retailers in New York,  Connecticut and Massachusetts. Restaurant chefs are also discovering the versatility of Next Meats and products are now served by Michelin star Chef Josef Centeno’s Tex-Mex Bar Ama in Los Angeles, Ramen Shack in San Juan Capistrano, J-Spec in New York City and Tsuchi Café in Toronto. 

Next Meats Co. was founded in 2017 by Ryo Shirai and Hideyuki Sasaki and premiered its products, which include the world’s first plant-based short rib and skirt steak, in Japan in 2020 after years of research and development. In December 2021, subsidiary Next Meats USA Inc., was formed and began selling its products in America. The company will soon open a U.S. production facility in Hayward, California.

For information, visit nextmeats.us.  

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