Center Store

DALLAS — Dean Foods has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Morningstar Foods division to Saputo for $1.45 billion.

Morningstar Foods is a manufacturer of dairy and nondairy extended-shelf-life and cultured products, including creams and creamers, ice cream mixes, whipping cream, aerosol whipped toppings, iced coffee, half and half, value-added milks, sour cream and cottage cheese.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — “Eating on the go doesn’t have to be a struggle,” is the sentiment from Sabra’s brand manager, Janice Greenwald, as the company unveiled a salsa and tortilla chip pack, the latest addition to their popular Grab N Go line.

Comprising of Sabra’s Homestyle Medium Salsa and Tostitos Bite Size Rounds tortillas, Sabra hopes this new product will be as popular as its Grab N Go cups of classic, roasted garlic and roasted red pepper hummus paired with pretzels that they’ve offered since 2005.

SHAWNEE, Kan. — Bayer HealthCare's animal-health division has introduced a new spray for killing ticks in cats and dogs, the company said.

The company debuted Resultix at the opening of BarkWorld Expo, a pet social media conference in Atlanta that took place on Oct. 26.

The spray is designed to dissolve the outer wax layer that covers the tick's cuticle, its hard shell, resulting in the parasite's uncontrollable water loss and death within three hours.

By the time it had unveiled the latest evolution of its hot, new Wellness store concept this fall in Lemoyne, Pa., Rite Aid was coming off seven consecutive quarters of Adjusted EBITDA and same-store prescription count growth — the strongest growth period for the company in several years.

Sales of primary batteries used in consumer products should grow 2.4% each year, according to research from Freedonia Group.


That’s good news for a category that has seen a fair share of decline in recent years. Freedonia Group sees a shift in the product mix toward more expensive primary batteries, particularly superpremium alkaline and primary 
lithium products.


Alkaline batteries will continue to dominate the market, and should generate 84% of sales in 2015.

The economy continues to be the single largest influencer in the growth of the health, beauty and wellness industry. The annual inflation rate has averaged just more than 2% during the past five years. More than ever, consumers are focused on living well with less and are making every effort to save money. Manufacturers are struggling to manage the ever-increasing cost of goods sold, and retailers are under tremendous pressure to increase profits in a very competitive environment.


The success of Rite Aid’s Wellness store is in the experience. It’s welcoming. It’s engaging. And across various touchpoints throughout the store, it helps guide Rite Aid customers toward however it is they define “well.” That’s as much a function of design of the stores as it is the people and the products in those stores.


Mounting pressure to regulate energy drinks could hamper growth in a category that has been on an upward trajectory for years. But sales of energy drinks have so far been immune to controversy. Mintel forecasts that sales of the products could double from 2011 to 2016. In 2012, Mintel estimates dollar sales for the category will total $9.4 billion, an increase of nearly 11% over 2011 sales. New line extensions, like Red Bull’s Editions, will continue to drive the category.