NEW PRODUCTS

Apple & Eve, one of the largest independently owned juice companies in the United States, has introduced a newly designed, 64-oz, easy-grip rectangular bottle for its Naturally Lights line of reduced-calorie cranberry juice blends. The new bottle design will make it easier for consumers to store the bottles in the side-door storage shelves of their refrigerators. More important, the company expects the new design to help retailers better stack the juice bottles on store shelves, increasing retail space by 20% in their juice aisles. The company, based in Port Washington, N.Y., plans to package and distribute its other juice lines in the new bottle to retailers around the country.

Chicago–based Penn Valley Farms, Ltd. introduced Hans’ Wrap™, a ready-to-eat, fully cooked wrap sandwich that combines the different flavors of the company’s cooked chicken sausage, Hans’ All Natural® Gourmet Chicken Sausages. The three varieties are Sonoma, a sun-dried tomato and fresh basil chicken sausage wrapped in tomato and basil bagel dough; Hell’s Kitchen, a spicy fresh cilantro and roasted garlic chicken sausage wrapped in pepper bagel dough; and Santorini, a roasted artichoke and kalamata olive chicken sausage wrapped in asiago cheese baguette dough. The chicken sausage does not contain nitrates, nitrites, or monosodium glutamate, and the chicken used in the sausage is antibiotic free and raised on a vegetarian diet; the wrap dough contains certified organic wheat flour and no artificial ingredients. Hans’ Wrap products come frozen one per 5.5-oz package.

For children who love French toast—and their parents who do not have much time to make it—Kellogg Co. has introduced its new Eggo® French Toaster Sticks. The product, which takes only a few minutes to prepare, is available in original and cinnamon flavors. It contains 30% less fat than competitive products, provides 220 kcal/serving, and contains several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, folic acid, calcium, and iron. Located next to other Eggo products in the frozen foods section, each package contains 32 sticks. Kellogg is based in Battle Creek, Mich.

Tropicana Products, Inc. launched Pure Premium Essentials ®, a new sub-line of fortified orange juice and juice beverage products. The new products, formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the individual consumer without compromising taste, are available in five varieties, including Light’n Healthy, which contains one-third less sugar than orange juice; Healthy Heart, which contains six vitamins and minerals to help decrease risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease; Immunity Defense, which contains vitamins C and E and selenium; Low Acid; and Healthy Kids, which contains calcium and immunity-supporting vitamins and has a specially developed flavor children are said to enjoy. The products are available in 64-oz cartons and cost the same as other Pure Premium 64-oz products. Tropicana is based in Bradenton, Fla.