Oser Communications Group

SNACKING NEWS SaVoRy SEE PAGES 12-13 n Service for One? Single Portion Packs Take Off for Meat and Cheese Snacks n Meat Snacks Made from Grass-fed Beef www.snackingnews.com October 2017 Issue 1 • Volume 1 By RoBin MaThER Jason Cohen, CEO and co-Founder of Halen Brands, an operating company fo- cusing on the management of consumer packaged goods, with an emphasis in the food segment, has some insights about how retailers can capture a greater share of the burgeoning market for snack foods. Cohen has experience both as a snack manufacturer and as a retailer. He founded Mamma Says, Inc., in 1999, a food manu- facturing company that made biscotti, and grew that business by gaining distribution at retail giants, including Costco, BJ's and Trader Joe's, doubling sales volume year- over-year. After selling Mamma Says to Nonnis Inc. in 2005, he co-founded World Gourmet Marketing, creating healthy snacks under the brand Sensible Portions. In 2010, the brand was sold to The Hain Celestial Group, and Cohen became Hain's President of Club and Snack Divi- sion. He didn't stop there. After leaving Hain's, Cohen founded Rickland Orchards, the first shelf stable Greek yogurt brand, and sold it in 2013 for $57 million to B&G Foods. He next part- nered with SkinnyPop, which went public in 2015 with $1.4 billion in shareholder value. He co-founded Halen Brands in 2015. Today, Halen Brands works to "build and sell a number of successful snack food brands," Cohen says. "We saw that our employees didn't necessarily sign up to go with the brands when we sold Chicago Snack Icon Remains a Family Affair as it Heads into Third Generation By RoBin MaThER A romantic gesture of support from a hus- band to his wife has left a surprising legacy for a Chicago family now entering its third generation as a nationally known snacks retailer. When Herbert Kenney, a real estate salesman, bought the building at 3830 N. Clark Street, in 1980, the neighborhood was not yet gentrified, as it is today. Still, Kenney thought, the 10,000-square foot building would make a good studio for his wife, Estelle, an artist and sculptor. "We bought that building so I could do my art work," says Estelle. "I was an ex- hibiting artist — paintings, dreamy stuff and sculpture. I needed space then but now my whole life is Nuts on Clark." Indeed, Estelle, now the President of Nuts on Clark, can be cred- ited with the company name. "My father came up with the vision to go into the nut Continued on Page 6 Snack Sales by Subscription Seize Market Share By RoBin MaThER Subscription boxes of all types have cap- tured consumer hearts and, perhaps more importantly, dollars over the last several years. While subscription services have been around for decades, the latest fasci- nation began around 2011, according to SubscriptionCommerceInsider.com, a website that tracks subscription-box sales. In the beginning, subscription boxes of- fered fash- ion, jewelry and beauty products, but it didn't take long for clever marketers to extend the concept to other niches, from pet supplies and treats to kids' treats and gardening gizmos. The subscription box industry has Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 7 Continued on Page 7 Perhaps best known for his role as James T. Kirk in the TV series "Star Trek," William Shatner brings a lifetime of sto- ries to the NACS Show at McCormick Place, October 17-20, in Chicago. He will speak at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 20, joined by Joe Sheetz of the Sheetz Inc. chain of convenience stores in Pennsyl- vania. Sheetz is also a member of the NACS Re- search Commit- tee. NACS is the Association for Convenience & Fuel Re- tailing. Shatner, an accomplished horseman and breeder, has a long list of accomplish- ments that span his 85 years. He also starred in the TV series "T.J. Hooker" and "Boston Legal," appeared in several "Star Trek" movies and has also worked as a musician, author, director and celebrity pitchman. He has received a People's Choice award, an Emmy and a Golden Globe award. Other general-session speakers for this year's NACS Show include award-win- ning author and speaker Eric Chester, who will talk about how convenience stores can stand out by making their stores great places to work; hospitality expert and au- thor Chip Conley, who will speak on how to keep employees motivated; and Henry Armour, who will bring his Ideas 2 Go video that shows successful entrepreneurs offering quick ideas as well as longer-term William Shatner Speaks at NACS Show Snack Industry Pro Offers Retail Tips for Higher Sales SWEET SEE PAGES 15-17 n Inspired Handcrafted Chocolates from the "Soon to be Famous" n Sweet Shop USA Debuts New FIT Candy Bars and Everyday Boxes Photo by Manfred Baumann

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