USA Rice Federation names Healthy Rice Bowl winners. Also this week: DeMet’s Candy Co., TrueNorth, Frito-Lay North America, PepsiCo, King & Prince Seafood, Marriner Marketing Communications, Beaverton Foods, Pacific Farms, Haliburton International Foods Inc., and Marin French Cheese Co.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The USA Rice Federation has announced the winners of its annual “Healthy Rice Bowls” contest for K-12 school menu planners. Cynthia Ruffin, director of child nutrition for Saint Charles Parish Public Schools in southeast Louisiana, won grand prize for creating a “Build-A-Bowl” rice bar featuring three options: Sweet and Spicy Chicken Rice Bowl, Thai Curry Rice Bowl and California Sushi Rice Bowl. Ruffin was awarded $500 for her school’s education fund.
The two runners-up are:
• Cathy Getz, foodservice director, and Michael Williams, café worker for Kayenta Unified School district in Arizona for Calabaza con Pollo con Arroz and K-Town Rice Bowls.
• Donna Miller, cook manager for Chicopee School district in Massachusetts, for her custom rice bowl bar featuring Asian and Caribbean flavors.
STAMFORD, Conn. — DeMet’s Candy Co. completed the purchase of the TrueNorth nut snack brand from Frito-Lay North America, a division of PepsiCo, Inc. DeMet’s, which is owned by Brynwood Partners, a private-equity firm based in Greenwich, Conn., said it will merge TrueNorth into its current portfolio of confectionary products. The portfolio includes DeMet’s Turtles, DeMet’s Flipz, DeMet’s Treasures and DeMet’s Stix.
COLUMBIA, Md. — Seafood provider King & Prince Seafood in Brunswick, Ga., and Marriner Marketing Communications have introduced a new brand initiative and integrated communications campaign. The seafood company said its new positioning — “Seafood. Without a Catch” — reinforces its commitment to delivering consistent quality products to operators and patrons. “In order to ensure we continue to deliver relevant products and perfect customer service, it was important we undertake this bold and ambitious initiative and do it right,” said Volker Kuntzsch, president of King & Prince Seafood.
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Beaverton Foods, a producer of nonrefrigerated horseradish and mustards, has acquired Florence, Ore.-based Pacific Farms. The acquisition will allow the 81-year-old company to expand its presence in the wasabi food products category. Pacific Farms started growing wasabi in 1992.
ONTARIO, Calif. — Haliburton International Foods Inc., the food products manufacturer based here, has appointed two to executive positions. Haliburton named Jayne Price director of national accounts in the company’s foodservice sales and marketing group. Price, who has previous experience at such companies as Martin Gillet & Co., T. Marzetti Co., and Michael Foods, will work with research chefs and food technologist to develop and present innovative solutions. Haliburton also named Stanley Prawiradjaja senior food technologist for the research and development group. Prawiradjaja, who previously worked for MicroSoy Corp., and Cargill, has experience in the field of food product design, among others.
PETALUMA, Calif. — Marin French Cheese Co. named Maxx Sherman president. In his new role, Sherman will oversee sales, marketing, new product development and all operational activities. Sherman, who has 30 years of experience in the specialty foods industry, joined Marin in 2004, where he created the national sales and marketing department.
