Oser Communications Group

1 3 February 2018 SNACKING NEWS Your Favorite Perogies from Pelmen Foods Pelmen Foods has redesigned the packag- ing for its U.S. line of high-quality, all-nat- ural perogies to ensure that your customers will notice them in your freezer case. "Our beautiful and attention-grabbing stand-up packaging makes the initial sale, and the awesome taste of the perogies en- sures consumers coming back for more," says Tony Rabinovitch, Pelmen Foods Vice President. "We are proud of the fact that we manufacture the most authentic 100 percent natural perogies on the mar- ket. We are one of the only companies using real fresh potatoes instead of potato flakes in our manufacturing." Pelmen Foods makes its perogies in its USDA-licensed meat processing facility operating under FSSC:22000 guidelines. The facility's new top-of-the-line equip- ment means that family-owned and oper- ated Pelmen Foods is now capable of producing greater volumes of products to accommodate growing demand. In addition to the new packaging, Pel- men Foods is introducing a new flavor, Po- tato with Mushrooms Perogies, to a line that already includes Potato with Cheddar & Jalapeño, Potato with Cheddar and Bacon and Potato with Spinach & Feta, along with the more traditional flavors of Sauerkraut, Potato with Fried Onions and Cherry Perogies as well as others. "Our goal is to provide a range of wholesome and nutritious products that are quick and easy to prepare yet still maintain that homemade taste," Rabi- novitch said. "We believe that food that tastes like homemade should be made with ingredients that could be found in any kitchen. At Pelmen, we are very proud to use 100 per- cent natural ingredients in our products." "Our commitment to superior quality, product authenticity and most importantly, incredible taste, has been at the core of our success," he con- tinued. "We put strong emphasis on using only the top ingredients available on the market in all of our products, and our com- mitment to using only the freshest natural ingredients results in superb taste and quality." On top of retail and foodservice divisions, Pelmen Foods' R&D de- partment works closely with its pri- vate label customers, creating new flavors and recipes. Pelmen Foods was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All of its products are screened by both the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agricul- ture. The plant's Food Safety System Certification 22000 is certified under the Global Food Safety Initiative. For more information, call 416.661.9600 or visit www.pelmen.com. n Authentic Taste from Italian Foods With all the gluten-free products hitting the market in recent years, it has been easy to miss the fact that pasta is trending up- ward again. Google's 2016 Food Trends report noted that growth for interest in pasta was slow from 2011 through 2014, but that changed in 2015 as demand rose and has continued to rise in 2016. Italian Foods Corporation, which has been importing regional Italian delicacies since 1999, has also seen similar interest, not only in its pasta line, particularly its best-selling shelf-stable stuffed pastas, but also in its other gourmet products as con- sumers explore new Italian recipes they can cook at home, said Francesca Lapiana- Krause, Italian Foods' General Manager. That interest has fueled recent new product introductions into the U.S. market, such as the Romantica Happy Apple Condiment, a versatile apple cider vinegar-based product imported from the Emilia-Romagna region near Modena, Italy. It is making its debut at the 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show. "Consumers are most interested in mak- ing pasta dishes at home on the weekends. They're experimenting with new recipes and sauces that can be prepared at home or picked up at the grocery store. There's in- terest in understanding the differences be- tween certain types of pasta and their accompanying sauces," according to Google's 2016 Food Trends report. "It's time for marketers to refocus their atten- tion on pasta. There's growing interest for a variety of pasta recipes, and consumers are seeking new ideas for their weekend adventures." This quest for adventure can be seen in the demand for Italian Foods' La Piana brand ravioli, tortellini and mezzaluna stuffed pastas. "Consumers tell us they like the convenience and authentic taste of our stuffed pastas, which are produced by a family-owned business near Milan, Italy, that has been making stuffed pastas for three generations," Lapiana-Krause said. "Our customers like the gourmet fillings, which include squash, Gorgonzola cheese, sundried tomato and oregano, basil pesto and Parmesan cheese." These pastas also fit consumers' search for ingredients to keep on hand for speed scratch meals be- cause they stay fresh on pantry shelves for 15 months. They are available in 8-ounce pouches and 16-ounce boxes. Italian Foods also offers imported pasta sauces along with basil and sundried tomato pestos, bruschetta toppings, bronze die-cut pastas, shelf stable gnocchi, a line of aged balsamic vinegars of Modena, white and black balsamic pearls and grilled Italian vegetables, including arti- chokes, cipolline onions and sundried tomatoes. Italian Foods also offers its ex- pertise for private labeling, including help- ing customers create or find new products to sell under their own label, Lapiana- Krause said. "Italian Foods Corporation is a family owned company. It started with my father, Giancarlo Lapiana, who began providing Italian specialties requested by customers of his trucking company in the 1960s, which launched Alimentitalia, our Euro- pean food distribution business," she said. "Today, we still hand-select every item, and we only carry products that we love." For more information, call 888.516.7262 or go to www.italianfoods.com. n Snack Happy and Healthy with KAMEDA USA KAMEDA USA, INC. is a leading manu- facturer of rice crackers, safely producing unique and delicious snacks that captivate evolving consumer tastes. Since 2008, Southern California-based KAMEDA USA has delivered healthy, great-tasting snack products that are energizing retail- ers' rice cake and salty snack sections across North America. KAMEDA USA's three signature prod- ucts – Kameda Frosted Rice Snacks, Rice Goes Crispy and Kameda Crisps – are per- fect for consumers looking for a satisfying, healthy snack throughout their day. Kameda Frosted Rice Snacks, known as the rice cake that isn't a rice cake, are lighter in texture than a cookie and more satisfying than a cracker. They melt in your mouth, delivering an incredible sweet and salty flavor experience. Available in three delicious flavors – Original, Ginger and Maple – Kameda Frosted Rice Snacks are baked, not fried, gluten free, include no trans fat, no preser- vatives and no arti- ficial flavors or colors. Rice Goes Crispy rice snacks offer big and bold tastes in a light, bite-size cake. Per- fect for any snack occasion, Rice Goes Crispy rice snacks are available in three consumer-preferred fla- vors: Sea Salt, Black Pepper and Chili & Tomato (a spicy ketchup taste). The eye- catching graphics reinforce the bold fla- vors and convenience of the bite-size snacks. Kameda Crisps are known for a tasty crunch that always hits the spot! They're certified gluten free, baked, not fried, contain no trans fats, no preservatives and no artificial flavors, making them an easy healthy choice for all snacking oc- casions. Kameda Crisps are available in a range of consumer-endorsed flavors, some with and without peanuts: Sweet Chili with and without Peanuts, Wasabi with and without Peanuts and Black Pepper with Peanuts. Here's what consumers are saying about Kameda Crisps: "I like the shape, easy to bite and chew. The wasabi flavor is bursting with flavor. It's the perfect snack. I think it is light and delicious." "I like that they are baked and low in fat. The combination of the rice cracker and peanuts provides a unique and delicious flavor and texture." "Consistently good taste and very crispy. Clean packaging. Great snack!" Be a game changer in your rice cake and salty snack sections – carry Kameda rice snacks and deliver a happy alternative. For more information, go to www.kamedausa.com or email info@kamedausa.com. n

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