Oser Communications Group

9 April 2019 SNACKING NEWS Distributor Acquisition Aims to Grow American Market for Dutch Cheeses BY LORRIE BAUMANN Dutch dairy giant FrieslandCampina al- tered the distribution landscape for Euro- pean cheeses last December with its purchase of both Jana Foods and Best Cheese Cor- poration USA. The acquisitions were part of a strategy to expand distribution of the dairy coopera- tive's portfolio of Dutch cheeses in the American market and to provide a larger market for the milk produced on Dutch dairy farms, so FrieslandCampina is not currently planning to acquire any American cheese producers, said Gert Jan Poort, President of FrieslandCampina Dairy U.S. FrieslandCampina originated as a local farmers cooperative in the Netherlands, and through several mergers has become the largest dairy cooperative in the world, with more than 18,000 dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and an average farm size with less than 200 cows, Poort said. "If it has 200 cows, it's a big farm," he said. "We have a fantastic sustainability policy – it's a normal way of working." The FrieslandCampina cows are on pas- ture at least 120 days a year, Poort said. "Cows have the same habits as humans looking at the weather. When it's snowing or raining, they want to be in the barn," he said. "It's always a very festive event when they go outside in the spring." "What we do with our customers from all over the world is to advise them to come to the Netherlands and see the farms, see the creamery," he added. "They love it, and they want to buy. They love seeing the cows in the meadow, having the transparency and sourcing from the origin that is the most important thing. Buyers of the biggest retailers in the country are demanding this transparency, and we can deliver it." Delivering Dutch Cheeses to the American Market FrieslandCampina acquired Jana Foods after working with Jana as an American importer and mar- keting partner for more than 20 years, and with the acqui- sition, the company is planning to build on the strength of its brands, A Dutch Masterpiece and Kroon, and to grow the Gouda segment in the United States. In its acqui- sition of Best Cheese Corporation, FrieslandCampina assumes American dis- tribution of brands including Parrano, De- Waag, Melkbus and its expansive portfolio of Gouda styles made from cow, goat and sheep milk. "As a part of our transforma- tive strategy, we continue to focus on de- livering the best product to serve consumer needs," said Roel van Neerbos, President of FrieslandCampina Consumer Dairy, in the company's announcement of the Best Cheese acquisition. "The Americas is a strategic growth market for us. By acquiring Best Cheese and Jana Foods, we will be able to grow our cheese business in the re- gion further." In addition, the company will focus on educating the American market about other Dutch cheeses, in- cluding the classic Edam and other Dutch cow milk and goat milk cheeses, Poort said. "We want to expand and edu- cate Americans about the cheeses them- selves and also expand the occasions." New Products Launching Under Frico Brand This year, FrieslandCampina is launching new convenient snack cheeses under its Frico brand, in- cluding Gouda Snack, packaged in eight 20gram por- tions per reseal- able bag that will retail for $3.99 to $4.99 as well as a line of Cracker Cuts featuring cracker-sized Gouda, Mediterranean Herb and Goat Cheese. The Cracker Cuts will be merchandised in a display-ready case holding eight 7.05- ounce easy-peel and resealable trays. They'll retail for $4.99 to $5.99. "We are going to make great progress in the snack- ing segment," Poort said. In addition to providing convenient snacking formats for consumers, the Frico brand is considering convenience in the merchandising options it pro- vides to retailers, according to Debbie Seife, Marketing Di- rector at FrieslandCampina. The new Frico Cheese Slices will be offered in easy-peel resealable trays sold in dis- play-ready cases of 12 pack- ages. "It's a little different from what some of the other groups are doing," Seife said. "It's easy to stock and easy for consumers to shop." The Frico Cheese Slices line includes Gouda Mild, Edam, Emmental and Goat Cheese. The packages will retail for $3.99 to $4.99. Frico will also be offering its Goat Cheese in a 5-ounce cup of freshly shaved cheese for consumers to add to salads, soups or flatbreads. The slightly crumbly cheese is made from 100 percent pasteur- ized goat milk naturally matured for 20 weeks. The cup will retail for $5.99 to $6.99. The expanded Frico line will also include Cheese Loaves to slice behind the counter in Gouda, Maas- dam, Emmental and Goat Cheese. The Gouda and Goat Cheese are both mild and creamy versions of the cheeses, while Maasdam and Emmental are Swiss-style cheeses with a firm bite and nutty flavors. n Conagra Brands showcased its expanded better-for-you food portfolio, including in- novation from iconic and emerging brands within the company's frozen and snacking businesses, at the Natural Products Expo West 2019 show. Show attendees who visited Conagra Brands experienced 10 brands offering mod- ern health-focused attributes to retailers and consumers. The brands, including Angie's ® BOOMCHICKPOP ® , Duke's ® , Frontera ® , Gardein ® and Glutino ® , represent Conagra's ongoing commitment to transforming and contemporizing its portfolio. "We've broadened our health and well- ness credentials to meet the evolving needs of consumers and customers," said Dale Clemiss, President, Grocery and Snacks for Conagra Brands. "Conagra Brands of- fers up-and-coming new brands, as well as iconic brands, with modern health attrib- utes across dayparts and occasions, pro- viding greater scale to retailers and great-tasting, on-trend food to consumers." Conagra brands and innovations on dis- play at Expo West 2019 included Alexia ® : Mexican-Style Street Corn, Loaded Cau- liflower and Angie's BOOMCHICKPOP Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn Popcorn, Sea Salt Popcorn, Air-Popped Popcorn, White Cheddar Puffs, Berries & Cream Popcorn, Trail Mix as well as Blake's ® Organic Cer- tified Meals and All Natural Meals. Duke's Smoked Shorty Sausages, Tall- boy Sausage, Shorty & Cheese, from an- other Conagra brand; Earth Balance ® European Style Buttery Spread; and evol ® Fusion Burritos, Modern Nutrition Bowls and Morning Bowls were also featured at the show, as were Frontera Gourmet Mex- ican Bowls, Gourmet Mexican Skillets and Especial Salsas. Rounding out the offerings from Cona- gra Brands' better-for-you portfolio in- cluded Gardein ® Breakfast Saus'age, Breakfast Bowls, Sliced Italian Saus'age, Alternative Protein – Nuggets and Wings and Skillet Meals; Glutino Super Stuffed Cookies, Covered Pretzels, Pretzel Sticks and Pretzel Twists; and Udi's ® Mug Cakes, Grain Free Muffins, Veggie Crust Pizza and Hearty Artisan Bread. Conagra Brands, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's lead- ing branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innova- tion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. n Conagra Brands Highlights Expanded Better-For-You Food Portfolio

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