Center Store

NEW YORK — An energy strips brand that recently hit the market was honored with the 2011 Best New Product Award at the Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing Diet, Vitamin and Sports Nutrition Show.

The award, presented by Drug Store News and ECRM, was voted on by the show's attending buyers and distributors. This year's event was held in Champions Gate, Fla., from July 17 through July 20.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Mars Chocolate North America introduced the Marathon Smart Stuff bar, a snacking solution that contains such healthful ingredients as dried fruits and nuts, and is fortified with a blend of eight essential vitamins and minerals. 


The bars contain 140 calories or less per serving and 5 g of whole grains. Marathon bars don’t contain high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners.


LOS ANGELES — A new workout DVD from fitness and lifestyle expert Tracey Mallett has hit retail.

New "Booty Barre Plus Abs & Arms" is an 80-minute fitness DVD that combines the toning benefits of yoga, pilates, ballet and dance to strengthen and stretch the body. In this DVD, Mallett shows viewers how to firm, tighten and tone their bodies, as well as streamline their arms and core muscles. Viewers will need a sturdy chair or ballet barre, in addition to a set of 3-lb. to 5-lb. dumbbells to get started.

NOTTINGHAM, Pa. — Herr's is turning up the heat with its newest potato chips, co-created by T.W. Garner.

New Herr's hot-sauce-flavored ripple kettle cooked potato chips combine the taste of Herr's ripple kettle cooked potato chips with the zing of Texas Pete hot sauce, the companies said. This is the second potato chip creation developed in the companies' partnership.

The new Herr’s hot-sauce-flavored potato chips now are available in stores and vending machines across the United States.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo has expanded its board of directors with a new member.

Bunge chairman and CEO Alberto Weisser will join Pepsi's board, effective Sept. 14. Bunge is a global food, commodity and agribusiness company.

Weisser's election brings the total number of directors to 13 and the total number of independent outside directors to 12. PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi serves as the company's inside director.

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Baby care brand Nuk has expanded its line of spill-proof cups that will be sold exclusively at Target under the Gerber Graduates brand.

The company said that its new Grow Frog Grow and Fun-Filled Fireworks cup designs both feature a unique spout structure that encourages a baby's mouth to transform from accommodating an O-shaped nipple to a U-shaped cup, as well as support proper lip placement for drinking from an adult cup.

NOVATO, Calif. — Navitas Naturals has introduced a new line of snacks that combines nutrient-dense superfoods and organic seeds, fruits and nuts.

The company recently introduced Navitas Power Snacks — chewy, bite-sized treats that tout certified organic and raw ingredients. The brand currently offers the snacks in cacao goji and cirtus chia varieties. An additional flavor, blueberry hemp, will be introduced later this year.

SEATTLE — Jones Soda has partnered with a lifestyle brand to create a collection of limited-edition glass bottles.

In their limited-edition collection, Jones Soda and So So Happy teamed up to roll out four 12-oz. glass bottles that are adorned with four So So Happy characters. The bottles will be sold as four-packs and include one bottle of each flavor with accompanying So So Happy images on the label.