Gourmet News

Pillsbury, Miami Chef Create Doughboy’s Simply Sweet Brunch Bouquets

Published May 8, 2023

This Mother’s Day, Pillsbury wants families to skip the long waits at restaurants and give mom what she really wants — a bouquet of her favorite brunch bites courtesy of the Doughboy. Pillsbury is making this Mother’s Day special, easy and sweet by releasing edible Brunch Bouquets featuring its iconic Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Biscuits and Crescent Rolls, arranged in a beautiful and visually stunning display that mimics a traditional floral bouquet.

Each Pillsbury Brunch Bouquet is made entirely of beloved Pillsbury brunch bites created in partnership with Miami-based chef Amaris Jones, owner of Chick’N Jones. The limited-edition bouquets will be available for purchase and delivery in Miami while supplies last. Anyone outside Miami who still wants to impress mom can follow easy instructions to recreate a Brunch Bouquet at home this Mother’s Day!

Pillsbury Brunch Bouquets are available in two options, perfect for indulging mom this Mother’s Day:

The Doughboy’s Simply Sweet Brunch Bouquet: This sweet bouquet was crafted for the sweetest moms and features Pillsbury’s most-loved baked goods — each bursting with flavors like cinnamon sugar and fresh fruit preserves.
Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll Roses with icing
Pillsbury Grands! Buttermilk Biscuits Blossoms covered in cinnamon sugar with a peach cobbler center
Pillsbury Crescent Roll Twists with strawberry preserves and cinnamon sugar
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls filled with guava and cream cheese
Fresh Strawberries

The Doughboy’s Chocolate Dipped Delights Brunch Bouquet: The perfect chocolate-filled assortment that’s sure to satisfy mom’s sweet tooth! This arrangement features Pillsbury products you know and love, transformed into delicious baked treats — all dipped and decorated in milk and white chocolate.
Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll Pops coated in white chocolate and sprinkles
Pillsbury Grands! Buttermilk Biscuit Doughnut Holes with coconut pineapple cream filling
Pillsbury Crescent Roll Pinwheels with bright pink chocolate ganache
Chocolate Covered Strawberries

These fresh baked bouquets smell just as good as flowers — and taste a whole lot better — but you need to act quickly because these won’t last long. Pillsbury Brunch Bouquets are available while supplies last for pre-order from Chick’N Jones via DoorDash starting May 10 for $20 each (not including applicable taxes or fees). The Miami delivery and pick-up orders will be fulfilled on Mother’s Day, May 14, from 12-8 p.m. EDT.

“Pillsbury and the Doughboy are synonymous with baking up family memories, so creating limited-edition Brunch Bouquets for Mother’s Day felt like the perfect way to celebrate mom, and all the beloved mother-figures in our lives, with the most delicious bouquet they’ll ever receive,” says Tiffany Seelen, senior manager, brand experience, Pillsbury.

You can replicate The Doughboy’s Simply Sweet Brunch Bouquet at home with easy DIY instructions from Jones available at Pillsbury.com/BrunchBouquet. With the DIY guide, brand fans can easily bake up their own Mother’s Day masterpiece bouquet in their kitchen using simple Pillsbury recipes and products. Even if you don’t make the full bouquet, these individual recipes, like the Cinnamon Roll Roses, are a great Mother’s Day treat!

For more information on Pillsbury products, recipes, and updates from the Doughboy, please visit Pillsbury.com and follow @Pillsbury on Instagram and Facebook.

General Millsis guided by its Accelerate strategy to drive shareholder value by boldly building its brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing its scale and standing for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, General Mills generated fiscal 2022 net sales of $19 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled $1.1 billion.

Chef Jones spent her life honing the perfect iteration of the modern soul food concept. Between her talents of fusing family recipes, her ability to throw a party, and always being the consummate hostess, you can find the chef curating guest chef dinners and catering events throughout South Florida and around the globe. In 2021, Chef Jones opened Chick’N Jones, a fast casual chef driven concept located inside Time Out Market Miami. She was also recently appointed Chef at Large by Marcus Samuelsson for Red Rooster Overtown. Throughout her career, she has landed catering gigs with the NFL, NBA, American Express, Chase Bank, Pérez Art Museum Miami, and Art Basel. Her cuisine has been featured in media outlets such as BET, CBS, Complex Media, First We Feast, Fuse Network, GQ Magazine, HuffPost, Miami Magazine, Miami Herald, W Magazine and many more.

For more news of interest to the food and beverage industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Florida Food Products Hires Neat as CFO

Published May 8, 2023

Florida Food Products, LLC, one of the world’s largest independent providers of natural ingredients, has named Kevin Neat, former chief financial officer of Johnson & Johnson’s North American Consumer Health business (now publicly listed as Kenvue), as chief financial officer. Neat will be a part of FFP’s executive leadership team and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of FFP’s financial and IT functions.

Neat boasts more than two decades of international experience leading high performance finance teams at companies across the consumer packaged goods, healthcare, aerospace and chemical manufacturing industries. He has successfully managed large organizations, collaborated in the development and implementation of effective business growth strategies, and developed and delivered profitability improvement initiatives. Most recently, as Neat oversaw the business responsible for some of the world’s best-known brands, including Band-Aid, Tylenol and Neutrogena, among others.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin – well-recognized for his track record in developing and leading best-in-class finance organizations – to FFP as we continue to strengthen our leadership team,” said Jim Holdrieth, chief executive officer. “Over the past 18 months. we have successfully and strategically scaled our business, completing four strategic acquisitions, and are confident that Kevin’s decades of experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow FFP.”

Neat added, “I am pleased to join FFP as we scale, diversify, and accelerate our growth. I look forward to working with the talented FFP team to help the Company continue on its successful path by providing natural, healthy, high-quality ingredients to leading consumer brands, manufacturers, and foodservice distributors.”

Neat has spent most of his career in progressively senior global finance leadership positions at J&J, including the medical devices and supply chain divisions. He also served in senior financial leadership roles at McNeil Nutritionals, the producer of SPLENDA sweeteners, VIACTIV Dietary Supplements, and LACTAID branded products, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Cordis Corporation, B/E Aerospace and International Paper. Neat earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration finance and an M.B.A. from Stetson University.

Founded in 1954, Florida Food Products is one of the world’s largest, independent provider of natural ingredients. FFP formulates and produces innovative clean label fruit, vegetable, and botanical based ingredients serving the food, beverage, and health end markets. The company’s products offer compelling alternatives to chemically derived ingredients and can enhance such things as taste, texture, shelf life, moisture and color. The company operates facilitates across the country and partners with some of the most respected consumer brands, manufacturers, and foodservice providers. For additional information, please visit Florida Food Products’ website.

For more news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

SEG Celebrates Leader for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Published May 5, 2023

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is commemorating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by celebrating the achievements and contributions of one of its leaders.

Raymond Rhee began his career with SEG nearly 35 years ago as a bagger at Winn-Dixie and has held various positions of increasing responsibility in retail operations, accounting, strategic planning and finance. Since he assumed the role of SEG’s chief people officer, Rhee has made significant contributions to the grocer’s people team, spearheading efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace, and implementing initiatives to support Asian American and Pacific Islander associates.

Anthony Hucker, president and CEO for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’re honored to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our Chief People Officer Raymond Rhee. Raymond personifies our people-first culture with his dedication to being a Reliable, Empathetic, Accountable Leader, along with his steadfast commitment to developing associates to be R.E.A.L., too. His leadership, diligence, unique perspective and unwavering efforts to support our associates and strengthen our company have been instrumental to the enrichment of our workplace culture.”

As chief people officer, Rhee leads SEG’s human resources strategy with proven results in building a winning culture that fosters belonging, inclusion and diversity. He oversees talent acquisition and management, organizational development, training, leadership development, associate relations, compensation and benefits. Rhee also serves as the president of SEG’s charitable arm, the SEG Gives Foundation. He is committed to driving SEG’s culture of giving back and supporting local communities within the grocer’s five-state footprint and beyond. Additionally, Rhee is the executive sponsor to the grocer’s associate resource group Asians and Pacific Islanders for Resource and Education (ASPIRE).

Rhee said, “As an Asian American, I am proud to be part of a company that celebrates diversity. As a people-first organization, we are committed to ensuring every associate feels seen, heard and supported in their professional journey. Our unique experiences and perspectives are valuable assets, and by embracing diversity and equity, we can create a more vibrant and dynamic workplace. It is an honor to work alongside a team that shares this vision and recognizes the importance of celebrating our differences.”

As a company committed to cultivating belonging, inclusion and diversity in its workplace, SEG is honored to observe Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by commemorating the rich cultures and traditions of these communities, while promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of their collective histories.

In addition to recognizing Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, SEG also annually observes and celebrates Black History Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth and Veterans Day. Many celebrations are led and organized by one of SEG’s eight associate resource groups which include: Women’s Development Network, Emerging Leaders, SEG Pride, Pa’lante, African Americans FOCUS, ASPIRE, Military Families and Working Parents Network.

Through Rhee’s leadership, guidance and commitment to belonging, inclusion and diversity, SEG’s people-first, inclusive culture earned recognition by top media outlets including: Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies for the second year in a row; Newsweek’s 2023 list of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity; Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Loved Workplaces; Fortune’s 2022 Best Workplaces in Retail; The Silicon Review^® as one of the 30 Fabulous Companies of the Year; and certification as a Great Place to Work^® for the third year in a row.

SEG believes its team should mirror the diversity of its unique customers and communities in order to provide exceptional service and promote inclusivity. Those interested in joining SEG’s award-winning workplace and family of more than 37,000 dedicated associates are encouraged to visit segrocers.com/careers or a local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie grocery store for more information.

For more news about the grocery industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.