Lordi Cola

Lordi is apparently the name of a popular hard-rock group in Finland. Now they have their own brand of cola.

I suppose in the United States this might be the equivalent of "KISS Cola" if there were such a thing. Or "Eminem M&M's", or "Snoop Dogg Decaffeinated Roast".

It's manufactured by Olvi Oyj, a maker of Finnish beer.

The BBC has an article announcing the group's new soft drink, which comes in regular and diet varieties. They also have photo of the group, which looks like Kiss with their faces were burned off.

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Choklat Crunch Bars

Choklat Crunch Protein in Belgian Chocolate is the newest product from Bionutritional Research Group, a manufacturer of nutritional supplements in Santa Ana, CA.

The company specializes in a product called "Proto Whey", which they describe as "the planet's most advanced protein delivery system". The protein in Proto Whey is supposed have an absortion rate of 100%, as compared to 30% for traditional sources of protein.

Each Choklat Crunch bar contains Proto Whey, giving consumers a delicious way to absorb high amounts of protein fast.

They're available in the USA in Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate varieties, presented in a 3.1 oz bar. Choklat Crunch contain 20 grams of protein per serving, and contains no inferior soy or collagen proteins, and no sugar alcohols.

Visit Bionutritional Research Group at: http://www.bnrg.com/

Note: as of this writing, Choklat Crunch is not yet mentioned on their website.

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Kik Ginseng Chewing Gum

The latest product from Wisconsin's Finest Ginseng is "Kik Energy Balance Ginseng Gum".

It basically gives you all the benefits of ginseng in a chewing gum. Comes in two flavors, peppermint and spearmint.

The package text reads, "Kik-a healthy fresh sensation - Ginseng Kik may increase alertness. Traditionally, ginseng has been used to increase an overall sense of well-being. Tests have shown that ginseng's adaptogen effect helps all-around resistance and strengthens the entire body by boosting the immune system, fighting fatigue, reducing stress, and increasing stamina."

It comes with a suggested retail price of $1.25 per box, and each box has 12 pieces. You can also order it online in bulk shipments of 12 boxes for $15.00.

Visit the website: http://www.wisfinest.com/

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KFC Changes Cooking Oil

Yum Brands Inc., which owns the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain, announced today that it will start cooking its famous fried chicken with a new type of cooking oil called "low-linolenic soybean oil"

The oil is produced by a company called Qualisoy, who last year, struck a deal with Kellogg's to provide the same oil for many of its products.

The new oil will eliminate the presence of trans-fat from KFC's chicken.

Qualisoy went on to say that this deal could raise the current market value of soybean commodities by an additional $100 million.

The move by KFC comes after a new law was passed in New York City banning the use of trans-fat in restaurant food. Many other NYC restaurants complained that the switch from trans-fat would not be easy.

KFC has also been under heavy assault from animal rights groups, including celebrities, for "chicken atrocities", which probably factors into their quick move towards seeking popular approval.

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Heinz Mean Beanz in Australia

Heinz is launching the Mean Beanz line in Australia.

Mean Beanz are the spicy varieties of baked beans originally launched in the UK. They're not available in the USA. However, the Australian-edition is comprised of varieties not seen in the UK...

• Mexican Jackal


• Boston Bull


• Indian Snatch

Apparently the people "down under" don't understand that that "snatch" is an American derogatory for a woman's genitals. But then again, these are "mean beanz".

Mexican Jackal is described as being a blend of jalapeno peppers and chili. I don't know what the other two varieties are supposed to be.

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Sierra Valley Whole Grain Chips

Sierra Valley has a couple of new "Whole Grain Chips" on store shelves now.

Billed as a "healthy lifestyle snack", they're a baked concoction of corn, oat, and rice. But they're also allergen-friendly, made with no wheat, no soy, and no dairy. They're also free of any saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. The company claims they offer 60% less fat than standard potato chips.

You can get them in original, and apple-cinnamon flavors. They come in a 3oz bag for $1.89, and a 6oz bag for $2.89.

Visit online: http://www.sierranaturals.com

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Boulder Canyon Spinach & Artichoke Potato Chips

Poore Brothers Inc., which owns the Boulder Canyon brand of snack foods, launched a new flavor called "Spinach & Artichoke" under their line of kettle potato chips.

The brand, which has historically touted its use of natural ingredients, perhaps seeks greater association with health-consciousness by making this new variety lower in sodium, and using the dreaded "spinach & artichoke" words.

If you can think of two vegetables that you hated as a child, and that your mother always touted the nutritional benefits of, it would have to be spinach and artichoke.

Just mentioning those two words alone seem to make these potato chips healthier.

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Brach's Sports Edge

The Brach's brand of candies now includes new "Sports Edge", an entrant into the evolving line of energy-boosting fruit chews.

Targeted toward kids, new energizing fruit snacks with electrolytes contain a variety of flavors including strawberry, grape, lemon, cherry, orange, and green apple. They come in shapes of baseballs, footballs, tennis rackets, helmets, basketballs and soccer balls.

They're fortified with vitamins B-6, B-12 & C, and are made with real fruit juice. They have a suggested retail price of $3.62.

With so many snacks, candies, and drinks designed to boost our energy, you wonder if teachers and schools are going to push more Ritalin.

Click here for product website.

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New Coffee Smoothies at Planet Smoothie

Planet Smoothie today announced it partnered with NESCAFE to develop some new coffee concoctions for the planet's smoothie-loving population.

Beginning this month, every Planet Smoothie location will offer these four unique coffee flavored smoothies:

• Java the Nut (mocha and peanut butter)


• Choctane (mocha)


• Love Ya Latte (blended latte)


• Liquid Alarm Clock (the coffee-est of the four)

Planet Smoothie collaborated with Deep Advertising, a Nestle Food Services agency, to create a media blitz, even offering t-shirts with the new caffeine-laden smoothies. The company is trying to market the positive health benefits of drinking coffee...

"We recognize that recent medical studies have linked coffee with a number of significant health benefits," explains Chris Morocco, president of Planet Smoothie. "As a health-aware brand, it is important to us that Planet Smoothie continues to offer innovative, healthier options to consumers - good-for-you snacks, nutrient-rich smoothies...and now, coffee smoothies. All of our offerings are meant to provide nourishing fuel for people
on the go."

Since when did coffee become such a health food?

Just as with their other smoothies, Planet Smoothie provides consumers the option to add stuff to it, like nutritional supplements, fat burners, and all that other bohemian "holistic healing" stuff.

Suggested retail pricing for new blends are $4.95 for the 22oz; $5.99 for the 32oz; and $6.99 for the 44oz.

Visit the company's store locator here.

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Wienerschnitzel Goes Philly Cheese Steak

Wienerschnitzel added three new menu items based on the Philly Cheese Steak...

• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ($4.49) - Grilled Philly steak topped with sliced white American cheese, roasted peppers & onions and served on a French roll.



• Philly Burger ($3.99) - A beef hamburger patty topped with Philly Steak, sliced white American cheese, roasted grilled peppers & onions served on a French roll.



• Philly Dog ($3.49) - An Italian sausage topped with Philly steak, sliced American cheese, grilled peppers & onions and served on a French roll.

The company collectively refers to the three as the Philly Cheese Steak Trio.

While the trio is available at all Wienerschnitzel locations, you can only indulge in this offering of brotherly love for a limited time.

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Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Shaped Donuts

Stop by Krispy Kreme this month to pick up a dozen of their new Pumpkin Shaped Doughnuts.

They're the classic yeast-raised doughnuts that Krispy Kreme is known for, but are cut into pumpkin shapes near the beginning of the doughnut making process. Finally they're coated with creamy orange icing and stamped with a jack-o-lantern face.

If you purchase a dozen of their doughnuts, any doughnuts, they'll thrown in threee Halloween Cards. Each Halloween card features four glow-in-the-dark stickers on the front with a free doughnut offer on the back. Halloween cards will be available at participating stores between October 2 and October 31.

Pumpkin-shaped doughnuts can also be filled with one of their signature fillings for an additional charge of $1.00 per dozen, but you have to order the filling in advance by calling your local Krispy Kreme.

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Del Monte Zingers Hot & Spicy Dill Babies

Del Monte recently announced two new pickles to its line up:

Zingers Hot & Spicy Dill Babies
Zingers Hot & Sweet Chips

Notice that the product image is actually the "Gedney" brand, not Del Monte. This is because I wrote to the people handling the marketing for these new pickles, and asked them for a product image. They refused saying the company is trying to leverage their pickles as a healthy alternative to junk food, and didn't think it would be appropriate for this blog.

But I happened to know that ALL Del Monte pickles are made by Gedney, and that Gedney simply licenses the Del Monte label. So, here's sticking it to ya!

Supposedly these pickles are really hot. One blogger had this to say...

I bought some Gedney Zingers pickles last night...those things are HOT. Holy shit. They need to have a warning label. I like spicy and I love pickles, but DANG.

Del Monte is associating its two new Zingers pickles as something for the football season, reminding us that pickles are great for snacking and great as garnishments on hamburgers and hotdogs.

So what about this effort by Del Monte (er, Gedney) trying to push pickles as a healthy alternative? Well, when the marketing people wrote back to me, they had this to say...

Pickles have no fat and are low in both calories and carbohydrates - making them a very healthy food. Lately our key messages have been focused on the healthy benefits of pickles - encouraging parents to incorporate pickles into their children's after-school snacking.

Yeah. Exactly what football fans want to hear.

But for all you moms, the company has made available a pickle poster that you're supposed to hang on your refrigerator, reminding kids to reach for a pickle.

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Hershey's Kiss Stamp

The U.S. Postal Service today unveiled its new "With Love and Kisses" postage stamp. It won't be released until January 2007.

On hand at the unveiling was Michele Buck, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Commercial Group, The Hershey Company.

The new stamp marks the first time that a piece of chocolate was featured on a U.S. postage stamp, and it comes timely, because 2007 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Hershey's Kisses.

Hershey's Kisses haven't changed since The Hershey Company introduced it in 1907. Wrapped by hand until the process was automated in 1921, Kisses chocolates have been available year round for 100 years with only one exception. Production ceased from 1942 to 1949, when silver foil was rationed as a result of the war effort. Kisses chocolates wrapped in red and silver foil were introduced in 1986 in honor of Valentine's Day.

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Round Table's Pepperoni Artisan Pizza

Round Table Pizza announced today the launch of its new Pepperoni Artisan Pizza, claiming it ushers in several "firsts" among major pizza chains...

Round Table Pizza is proud to be the first major pizza chain (with over
500 units) to offer:
-- Cornmeal dusted crust
-- 100% certified organic tomato sauce
-- Creamy, fresh mozzarella
-- Garden fresh basil

The company claims the pizza was inspired by Artisan chefs with ties to local farmers markets. The Pepperoni Artisan is said to be a classic handcrafted execution of select organic and high quality ingredients from respected growers.

Describing it as "groundbreaking", Round Table begins with a thin, crispy cornmeal dusted crust, a new sweet 100% certified organic tomato sauce, lean Primo pepperoni, marinated roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, and Roma tomatoes. Then they add slices of creamy, fresh mozzarella and top it with garden fresh basil. Finally they cut the pizza into extra large slices for increased effect.

It's available now at all Round Table locations, but for a limited time.

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Harley Davidson Beef Jerky

ConAgra Foods announced yesterday that it signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Harley-Davidson to produce a new brand of beef jerky, dubbed "Harley-Davidson Beef Jerky".

"Tough jerky for tough bikers", I imagine.

Tom Parsons, Harley-Davidson's acting general manager of general merchandise, said that...

Harley riders live for the time they spend on their motorcycles, and beef jerky is a convenient food for the open road. It's a great way for riders to grab a snack and keep on rolling, and we look forward to working with ConAgra Foods to bring this road food to market.

I wonder why Harley-Davidson didn't opt to use "hog" meat instead?

Harley-Davidson Beef Jerky will be available in three flavors, Original, Teriyaki and Pepper, and sold in 3.25-ounce packages. Shipping is expected to begin in January 2007 to convenience stores and authorized Harley-Davidson dealerships.

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What's Your Pizza Sign?

The fine folks at Uno Chicago Grill reminded me that October is National Pizza Month, and that they've got a pizza celebration going on.

They launched a promotion called, "Pizza-nality" urging pizza-eaters to discover their unique pizza-personality by visiting a special website at http://www.unopizzamonth.com.

At the website, you go through a series of questions with multiple-choice answers, and in the end it tells you specifically which Uno pizza best fits your personality.

I went through the questions, and it seems the "Chicago Classic" is my best pizza. Apparently, I'm in an exclusive category with 10% of other respondents sharing the same pizza sign. It goes on to tell me that...

"You're a true original and a born leader. You can make it on your own because you have all the tools you need - innovation, enthusiasm, and ambition."

Yeah, I guess that's me!

Uno is also offering each respondent a coupon for a free pizza, by signing up for the Uno Insider's Club, a free membership that sends you an e-newsletter.

Visit their restaurant locator for a location near you.

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Anheuser-Busch Launches 180 Blue With Acai

Anheuser-Busch announced today the launch of their newest energy drink, "180 Blue".

Flavored with the Acai berry (pronouned ah-sigh-ee), the company is targeting energy drinkers "open to discovery" as their press release describes. AB says they're the first major beverage maker to offer an energy drink based on this berry.

The Acai berry itself is a small, dark, purple fruit from the palmberry tree. It usually grows in the Amazon jungle in Brazil, is rich in B vitamins, minerals (particularly iron), fiber, proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and anthocyanin.

Andy Goeler, vice president of Import, Craft and Alliance with Anheuser-Busch says...

"With 180 Blue we didn't set out to create just another energy drink. We set out to give energy drinkers something unique, something unexpected and something they've never had before. We've taken today's energy drink a step further with 180 Blue by creating something that has the best of both worlds -- a great-tasting energy drink with a boost."

I guess AB can finally rest on its laurels that they now have THE ONLY energy drink that tastes good.

Like many other energy drinks, 180 Blue relies on a familiar combination of guarana and B vitamins to provide its energy kick.

180 Blue is the third product in the 180 family. Other varieties include Orange Citrus Blast (introduced in 2001) and 180 Energy X-3 Lemon-Lime Citrus Blast (introduced in 2004). It will be available at convenience and grocery stores in
addition to bars and clubs nationwide and is available in 8-ounce and 16-ounce cans.

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Dunkin' Donuts' Fresh Baked Cookies

Dunkin' Donuts new jumbo-sized cookies, are now available at locations nationwide. The cookies are offered in three varieties: Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter Cup. Dunkin' Donuts Cookies are freshly baked daily and are jumbo-sized at 4.5 ounces each.

The signature Chocolate Chunk Cookies are filled with delicious chocolate chunks while the Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are decked with peanut butter chips inside the cookie and a heap of chocolate peanut butter cups layered on top of the cookie. The Oatmeal Raisin Cookies offer the perfect pairing of oatmeal flavor with an abundance of raisins.

"We know our customers are looking for snack items that taste great and are made with quality ingredients and the new Dunkin' Donuts Cookies continue this tradition while offering the ideal complement to our beverages." states Dunkin Donuts' Chief Creative and Innovation Officer, Joe Scafido.

For more information on the new Cookies and other delicious Dunkin' Donuts treats, please visit www.dunkindonuts.com.

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Kettle Bakes Pita Chips

Kettle Foods of Salem, OR jumped into the Pita Chip bandwagon with their announcement of Bakes Pita Chips.

Made from organic wheat flour, the "alternative" chip comes in two flavors, "Salt & Pepper" and "Salt Kissed", which apparently mimics two of Kettle's most popular potato chip flavors. The company recommends using the Salt & Pepper variety with dips and spreads, while using the Salt Kissed variety with hummus or cheese spreads.

They're baked with a smidgeon of canola oil, contain no trans fats, and just 120 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per serving.

Kettle brand Bakes Pita Chips hit supermarket and natural food store shelves in 6-ounce bags this fall, retailing for $3.29.

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Ben & Jerry's Ritz Cracker Ice Cream

The folks at Ben & Jerry's announced the winner of their "Do us a Flavor" contest, where people submit their ice cream flavor ideas.

The winner is Tasha Callister of Jacksonville, Florida who submitted her flavor called, "Puttin' On The Ritz", described as a mouth-watering blend of Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel and Ritz Cracker Swirl with Chunks of Chocolate Covered Sandwiches.

She claims it's based on something her grandmother did, by roasting cubes of caramel on sticks over a campfire, then smushing the soft stick stuff between a couple of Ritz crackers.

Runners up were...

• "Mojito" by Timothy Link of Troy, ID -- a blend of lime ice cream with a light swirl of brown sugar, a touch of white rum and sprinkled with mint.



• "Wackie Chan" by Kerstin Karlhuber of Brighton, MA -- a mouth-watering blend of sweet cream and ginger flavored ice cream, chocolate-covered fortune cookie bits and a fudge swirl



• "Apricotabra!" by Reina Chilton of Tempe, AZ -- a magical mix of creamy vanilla bean ice cream, juicy chunks of apricot and extra dark chocolate, swirled with a tart apricot preserve drizzle



• "Italian Renaissance" by Robin Thorneycroft of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada -- an invigorating mix of amaretto liqueur ice cream with cherry chunks and sliced almonds

The worst ideas of the bunch were...

• "Gorgonzilla" - pear sorbet, Gorgonzola cheese nuggets, walnuts and grapes - described as "something you would have after a steak meal"



• "Lemon/Cayenne" - vanilla/lemon swirl with lemon cream and cayenne pepper



• "The Armand" - sauteed pears with reduced balsamic vinegar in a cream cheese flavored ice cream



• "Whatz Up Black Olive" - chunks of black olive in vanilla ice cream



• "Curious Avocado Experiment" - avocado ice cream with lemon creme swirl, macadamia nuts and white chocolate chunks

I'm not sure why "Lemon/Cayenne" was considered to be among the worst, that actually sounds kinda good. I don't know about black olive ice cream though.

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