Oser Communications Group

SWEETS & TREATS SHOW EXTRA www.gourmetnews.com n MAY 2018 n GOURMET NEWS S T 1 2 Carefully Selected Flavor Profiles from Funky Chunky In a world of factory formed bite-sized in- dulgences, the palate (and your customers) can grow weary of the same combination of flavors over and over again. Indulging in a treat should be a delight, an adventure, an ex- perience. How then, can you offer a product reliable in flavor and quality, but still hint at that promise of adventure for the palate? Funky Chunky is more than a gourmet popcorn, more than a confectionery indulgence; it's a one-of-a-kind personality in every bite. Each batch of Funky Chunky is hand- crafted in Eden Prairie, Minnesota to show- case an array of flavors and textures to delight any confectionery enthusiast. Its carefully selected flavor profiles cater to snackers and indulgers alike with flavors like Chip-Zel-Pop, an incredible marriage of fla- vors that will leave your customers wanting more. Made with crisp potato chips, pretzel sticks and buttery caramel popcorn, mixed together and driz- zled with thick caramel and dark, milk and white chocolatey good- ness. Funky Chunky was born from a love of high-quality gourmet pop- corn confections crafted to delight gift recipients for over 20 years. In recent years, Funky Chunky has ex- panded to meet the demand of its loyal gifting customers to offer its gourmet popcorn in snack friendly contain- ers. Visit the Funky Chunky booth to learn about the ways in which the company has expanded to meet the growing demand of customers across the nation with its 11.2 ounce canisters, its updated and at- tractive shippers which can accom- modate its snack bags as well as canisters, which help drive trial for a product your customers will be sure to ask for again and again. Visit Funky Chunky at booth #1295. For more information, go to www.funky chunkyinc.com or call 952.938.6663. Sharing Aloha with Hawaiian Host, Inc. Renowned for providing an unrivaled choco- late and macadamia nut experience, Hawai- ian Host, Inc. will be sampling its most popular products at this year's Sweets and Snacks Expo. Producing a large variety of high-quality products, from confectionery gifts to premium snacks, Hawaiian Host, Inc. is the parent company to Hawaiian Host ® , a world-leading producer of chocolate covered macadamia nuts, and Mauna Loa ® , the No. 1 macadamia nut brand in North America. Hawaiian Host, Inc. has been delivering con- sistently delicious products for nearly a cen- tury and is a favorite among chocolate and macadamia nut fans across the globe. Head- quartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, and sold in over 25 countries, Hawaiian Host, Inc. pro- duces more than 40 delicious candies and snacks for gifting and anytime indulgence. Crafted with the finest, hand-selected macadamia nuts covered in a rich and creamy original chocolate recipe that's been passed down through generations, Hawaiian Host's decadent confections are made for in- dulging no matter where you are. The au- thentic Hawaiian brand has been a timeless and trusted treat for over 90 years, and along with being perfect for the everyday occasion, its beautifully packaged products have be- come a popular gift for chocolate lovers around the world. With a proprietary dry roast- ing process that's been mas- tered over the past 40 years, Mauna Loa macadamia nuts deliver a signature crunch and rich, buttery flavor that's meant to be shared and sa- vored. As the hardest nut to crack (literally), the cultivation process of this exotic nut requires careful at- tention and years of expertise to ensure every macadamia nut meets Mauna Loa's high- quality standards. To enhance the natural fla- vor of the macadamia nut, Mauna Loa has applied that same meticulous detail into per- fecting its signature dry roasting process. To ensure consistency and quality, 100 percent of the nut processing and roasting takes place at the brand's Hilo, Hawaii facil- ity. Hawaiian Host and Mauna Loa products are avail- able through all major trade channels in the United States and select international markets. Visit Hawaiian Host, Inc. at booth #1429. For more information, go to www.hawaiian host.com or www.maunaloa.com, call 888.414.4678 or email info@hawaiian host.com. Introducing Coconut Island, Innovative Coconut Confections Anastasia Confections ® introduces its new line of innovative coconut confections, Co- conut Island ® , featuring 2017 Most Innova- tive New Product Award Winner, Coconut Cashew Crunch. Tapping into consumers' obsession for all things coconut, Anastasia leveraged its 30 years of coconut expertise to create Coconut Island's two new product lines: multi-award-winning Coconut Cashew Crunch and Coco Bites™. Both lines are gluten free. Coconut Cashew Crunch is a deli- ciously addictive tropical twist on a clas- sic brittle, handmade in copper kettles with premium cashews, shredded co- conut, butter, brown sugar, sea salt and a hint of island breeze. This thin, crunchy, sweet snack is on-trend with consumers' demand for thin treats. "Thinning has been winning in the candy and snack aisles, as consumers seek both indulgent and better-for-you options," said Krisztina Toth, Brand Manager of Anas- tasia Confections. Coconut Cashew Crunch with Dark Chocolate Drizzle has already won three prestigious industry awards since its trade debut in 2017: Most Innovative New Product Award in the Gourmet/Premium Category at the NCA's 2017 Sweets & Snacks Expo, where product submissions are rated on taste, pack- aging, innovation and go-to-market feasibil- ity, by a panel of judges including leading candy and snack buyers and other food in- dustry experts. sofi™ Product of the Year Award at the Specialty Food Association's 2017 Summer Fancy Food Show, where it was selected from 3,000 entries across 39 categories by a national panel of 62 specialty food experts to win the competition's highest honor and the first ever Product of the Year Award. Gold sofi Award in the Sweet Snacks Cate- gory in the Specialty Food Association's 2017 sofi Awards competition, where prod- ucts were judged in a blind tasting based on flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, as well as ingredient quality. Coconut Cashew Crunch comes in three delicious flavors: Original Recipe, Dark Chocolate Drizzle and Key Lime, and is available in 5-ounce and 2.5-ounce stand-up pouches at MSRPs of $4.49 and $2.99 re- spectively. Coco Bites is the other delicious new product line from Coconut Island. Based on Anastasia's world-famous Coconut Pattie recipe, Coco Bites features moist shredded coconut drenched in rich, dark chocolate, topped with toasted coconut. It comes in three delicious flavors: Original Recipe, Key Lime and Pina Colada, and is available in 5-ounce and 2.5-ounce stand-up pouches at MSRPs of $4.49 and $2.99 respec- tively. About Anastasia Confections Anastasia Confections, maker of world-fa- mous Coconut Patties, has been committed to creating innovative tropical confections since 1984. Its products, made in an SQF Level 2 facility in Orlando, Florida, include Coconut Patties, Salt Water Taffy, Choc-O- Gators, Key Lime Cookies and now Coconut Cashew Crunch and Coco Bites. Anastasia is a Las Olas Confections & Snacks brand. Visit Anastasia at the Las Olas booth #769. For more information, contact Phil DeWester, Vice President of Marketing, at 407.816.9944 x204 or pdewester@lasolas brands.com. Pine River Maker of Award-Winning Gourmet Cold Pack Cheese Spread By Mary Lindemann, Marketing Director, Pine River Pre-Pack Building from five generations in the dairy industry, Pine River Pre-Pack, Inc. has been crafting nationally-recognized, gourmet cold pack cheese spreads for more than 50 years. Every batch of Pine River Cold Pack Cheese Spread is hand crafted with natural aged, Wisconsin Grade A Cheddar, real dairy ingredients like butter, and other unique fla- vors to create a creamy, flavorful spread. Per its name, Pine River Cold Pack Cheese Spread is never heated, helping to maintain the cheese flavor, making it a great alterna- tive to natural cuts of cheese for everyday cooking. Pine River offers 16 flavors with Port Wine, Sharp Cheddar, Garlic & Herb and Hot Habanero also available in a clean label variety made with no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. Beginning in Spring 2019, the clean label line will also be rBST Free. In addition to the flavors available under the Pine River label, the company is regu- larly contracted to create unique fla- vors under private label. Wineries, breweries and others work with Pine River, utilizing their experience to create a variety of indi- vidualized cold pack blends. With a recipe full of quality ingredients and a rich dairy history, it's no surprise that Pine River continues to be a leader in the cold pack cheese food category at every contest entered. In 2017, Pine River took home top spots at the United States Championship Cheese Competition, American Cheese Society Judging & Competition, Wis- consin State Fair Cheese & Butter Con- test, and the World Dairy Expo Dairy Products Contest. Pine River Cold Pack Cheese Spreads are available in a variety of retail sizes and food service containers and must be kept refriger- ated. See the list of retail outlets at www.pineriver.com/find-wisconsin-cheese. For more information, go to www.pine river.com, email pineriver@pineriver.com or call 920.726.4216.

• Cover