NEW SKUs

Baby Food with DHA and Prebiotics
Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp., Latham, N.Y., has launched DHA plus+ baby foods—a line of jar baby foods, including fruit, vegetable, and dinner varieties, with DHA and prebiotics, and two dry cereals in consumer-friendly packaging. All products contain docosahexaenoic acid—an omega-3 fatty acid found naturally in breast milk that has been shown to support mental and visual development in infants. The products also contain inulin, a prebiotic that aids digestion and calcium absorption. To convey these benefits, the packaging bears an illustration of brain and stomach, along with the text “supports brain and eye development & digestive health.”

The dry cereal comes in two varieties—DHA plus+ Brown Rice with Bananas & Raspberries and Multigrain with Apples & Yogurt. The product is packaged in a 7-oz gable-top carton with a twist-off cap and spout. This closure reduces mess when pouring, keeps the product fresh, and enables greater portability than conventional cereal cartons. Varieties in 4-oz jars include Sweet Potatoes, Apple Delight, Macaroni & Cheese, Bananas Supreme, Carrots, Garden Vegetables, and Pasta Vegetable Medley.

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Beers
Seasonal beers help brewers refresh and grow their brands throughout the year. For example, Anheuser-Bush, St. Louis, Mo., markets Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale in the fall and Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale in the wintertime. For this holiday season, the brewer is rolling out Michelob Celebrate Cherry and Michelob Celebrate Chocolate lagers. The former is made with natural cherry juice and aged with dark cherries, giving it a deep garnet color and the flavor of black cherries. Michelob Celebrate Chocolate is brewed with caramel and roasted malts and aged with real cocoa beans, giving it a chocolate aroma and complex dark cocoa taste. Both lagers are 8.5% alcohol by volume. They come in 24-oz aluminum bottles as well as in a gift pack containing one bottle of each variety and two crystal snifters. The brewer recommends that the drinks be served at room temperature and paired with indulgent desserts.

Unusual Egg Roll
Adventurous consumers are always on the lookout for new cuisine. To satisfy these curious consumers, chefs sometimes combine different ethnic cuisines to create unique fusion foods. Menu Inspirations, Chicago, Ill., follows this tactic and combines an American campfire treat with a Chinese food staple. S’mores Crispy Roll from Dianne’s Gourmet Desserts contains marshmallow, Barry Callebaut chocolate, and a hint of Graham cracker in a crispy spring roll. The frozen thaw-and-serve product can be served by foodservice operators as a grab-and-go item or a plated dessert. In addition to unusual dessert items, the company manufactures trendy frozen appetizers such as miniature pot pies, hamburgers, and hot dogs.