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P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y 6 9 S u n d a y, O c t o b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 3 100 percent organic sprang from discus- sions with two very important audiences: moms and natural foods retailers. It is clear that parents and retailers alike want Crunchies' new line for children from ages one and up to be pesticide-free, and USDA certified-organic. As always, Crunchies listens to its customers! Being introduced this fall, the Little Organic Crunchies line will feature four freeze-dried fruit flavors - Strawberries, Strawberries & Bananas, Apples & Bananas, and Strawberries & Mangoes – each featuring a distinct Looney Tunes character, including Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Daffy Duck and Taz. A fun, tasty and irresistible way to introduce nutritious fruits into a young person's diet, Little Organic Crunchies live up to their name by featuring little pieces, perfectly sized for the small hands and mouths of kids. While children will invariably be drawn to Little Organic Crunchies' colorful and creative packag- ing featuring their favorite Looney Tunes characters, parents will appreciate the new line's powerhouse nutrients, 100- percent organic fruit, and convenient re- sealable 1-ounce packages – perfect for lunch boxes, family outings and after- noon snacks. Like all Crunchies products, Little Organic Crunchies' freeze-dried fruits are all-natural with no added sugars or preser- vatives. Gluten free, Kosher, vegan and non-GMO, Crunchies' products provide an incomparable blend of taste and nutrition. Commenting on the partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Crunchies' President and CEO Jim Lacey said, "We are thrilled to join with such beloved and timeless Looney Tunes char- acters to help young people discover the fun and appeal of healthier eating. Given Crunchies (Cont'd. from p. 1) the widespread popularity of Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes family, we feel con- fident Little Organic Crunchies will quick- ly become one of the most successful prod- uct launches in Crunchies' history." "Whether it's the classic Looney Tunes shorts that moms and dads know and love or today's popular The Looney Tunes Show on Cartoon Network, which is introducing a new generation to the antics of Bugs Bunny and his gang, we know these characters are relevant to the entire family. We are proud to be partner- ing with Crunchies to bring the ingredi- ent of fun to these healthier snacks," said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Domestic Licensing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. About Crunchies Food Company, LLC Founded in 2006, Crunchies Food Company, LLC has created a nationally distributed line of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables that are redefining healthy snacking for the 21st century. Free of additives, chemicals, preservatives or unhealthy ingredients, Crunchies are truly "Nature's Ultimate Snack Food." About Warner Bros. Consumer Products Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. LOONEY TUNES and all related charac- ters and elements are trademarks of and copyrighted by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. For more information, visit www.crunchiesfood.com or call 888-997- 1866. At Fresh Summit, visit Crunchies in booth 4423. snacks, mixes and dried fruits to some of the most demanding "best of class" food retailers in the country. Commodities are received and processed in our climate-controlled facility in Boerne, Texas, just outside of San Antonio. New innovative mixes, flavoring and roasting techniques create a broad range of unique items appealing to the ever-expanding consumer taste buds. Nature's Eats puts food safety first, and is a Level 2 SQF certified company. Food safety, service, integrity, continuous improvement and partner- ships are the most important ingredients for our clients and company's success. PSD: You talk about partnering with "best of class" retailers. How has this impacted the way you do business? JT: We are fortunate to have some of the most respected and demanding retailers as our clients and customers. Our clients and consumers expect high quality and value. By listening to our clients and aligning to their needs, our clients have made us a great company. Being just out- side of San Antonio, we have the oppor- tunity to partner with one of the finest grocery companies in the world: H-E-B. They have a history of partnering with Texas-based companies and helping them grow with them. This partnership has been very instrumental in our compa- ny's product innovation, purchasing power and growth. PSD: What challenges do you see facing your industry? JT: The impact of global purchasing on commodity prices and supply affecting Nature's Eats (Cont'd. from p. 1) core items. China alone has had a signif- icant impact on the prices of pecans, wal- nuts and almonds. PSD: Why are you at PMA? JT: We are at PMA to share this very suc- cessful program in other markets and see if there are partners who desire the Nature's Eats program. Our program offers variety, rack displays, flexibility, unsurpassed speed to market, pack-out, profit and minimizes shrink. Incremental sales of nuts, snacks, dried fruits and mixes are huge, and are seasonally some the best dollar and profit items in the entire category. The produce section is the natural place to get good, wholesome food items like Nature's Eats. PSD: What makes your company dif- ferent? JT: Clients make the company different. We truly are client and consumer driven. With buying power, source of supply, speed to market and expertise to deliver a full line of nuts, mixes and dried fruit items, we are hands-on, "high-touch," and will continue to be accessible to our clients. We have been selective and delib- erate in building a high quality client partner base. Focusing on client needs and mutual benefits ensure alignment of goals, ultimately producing a very suc- cessful program. Our culture is one of continuous improvement staffed by dedi- cated and loyal employees who put their heart and soul into everything we do. Visit Nature's Eats/Texas Star Nut and Food Company at booth 1304. For more information, visit www.nature- seats.com, call 866-455-8300 or email info@natureseats.com. JV: Flagstone Foods is the proud parent of Amport Foods and Ann's House of Nuts. Together, they create one of the largest wholesome snack companies in the United States. These operating com- panies are two highly complementary companies that purchase, prepare, pack- age, distribute and sell more than 750 varieties of wholesome snacks across North America and abroad. PSD: What distinguishes Flagstone Foods product lines from the competition? JV: Flagstone Foods offers a broad range of high quality products with an empha- sis on "Better-for-You" snacking. We are a recognized leader in both product and packaging innovation, offering best-in- class customer service and value-added consumer insights and analytics. Product categories include dried fruits, freeze- dried fruits, nuts, seeds, trail mixes, gra- nolas, and chocolate/yogurt-enrobed, natural and organic wholesome snacks. Packaging options include stand-up zip- per pouches, laydown standard and zip- per bags, fresh-pack tubs, PET contain- ers, $1 value line promotional programs, to-go/single serve, and bulk packaging options. Private label and branded pro- grams are available in all product cate- gories and packaging types. PSD: What new products have been introduced in 2013? Flagstone Foods (Cont'd. from p. 1) JV: This year we are excited to feature our recently-launched Ann's House of Nuts line designed specifically for pro- duce departments. Also featured at this year's show will be our assortment of more than 60 Amport fresh pack prod- ucts. Our fresh pack line features reseal- able clear tubs for that fresh, in-store packaged look. PSD: Does your company offer mer- chandising vehicles? JV: We offer merchandising options for nearly all types of retail formats from custom, permanent rack configurations to promotional options featured on full pallet displays, half pallet mods, and shipper displays. PSD: To what do you attribute your com- pany's successes? JV: We attribute our success to creating great partnerships with our retailer cus- tomers. We listen to their needs and strive to offer best-in-class recommendations supported by strong analytics. We under- stand that each produce customer has a proven go-to-market strategy that requires specific products, packaging, merchandising and promotional pro- grams that align with their market strate- gies. Our flexibility and speed-to-market give our customers an edge. Visit Flagstone Foods, Amport Foods and Ann's House of Nuts in booth 5039 during the Fresh Summit. featured events. Highlights include: Tasting Menu with Celebrity Chef Andrew Zimmern Join this celebrity chef for cooking tips and an enchanting trip down memory lane as Andrew looks back on his experi- ences while creating tasty dishes that include Driscoll's berries. Authentic Tasting Seminars hosted by Tina Ruggiero M.S., R.D., L.D. Learn about the best flavor pairings with each berry (strawberries, blue- berries, raspberries and blackberries) with these interactive, hands-on demonstrations. Culinary Demonstrations with Dr. Wendy Bazilian, R.D. and Disney Park Chefs Collect a hearty list of useful culinary tips and learn about the health benefits of berries. Then, dive into the appealing range of berry flavors being demonstrat- ed while sampling each dish. Driscoll's (Cont'd. from p. 1) Very Berry Cocktails Hosted by Mixologist Kim Haasarud Head over for happy hour where skilled mixologists demonstrate the art of mix- ing a berry cocktail. Sipping on a sequence of berry concoctions is part of the experience. Plus, as part of the 25 unique global mar- ketplaces, Driscoll's berries will be fea- tured in two pavilions; Belgian waffles with berry compote at the Belgium pavil- ion, and a pavlova (a crispy meringue shell with fresh Driscoll's ® berries and vanilla custard) at the Australian pavilion. As the market leader in fresh berries, Driscoll's is a proud sponsor of this exciting culinary event where visitors come from all around the world. Family-owned for over 100 years, Driscoll's is a trusted, recognized brand for consumers, leading chefs and culinary institutions around the world. To learn more, visit Driscoll's at booth 3339 during Fresh Summit. You can also go online at www.driscolls.com, call 831-763-3259 or email frances .dillard@driscolls.com.