Gourmet News

Publix Donates $5M to Support Housing Programs in Southeast

Published December 12, 2022

Publix Super Markets Charities is donating $5 million to support more than 240 nonprofit housing programs throughout the Southeast, including 126 Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Since 2014, PSMC has donated more than $33 million to housing programs, strengthening our communities and giving hope by building homes and supporting programs such as emergency shelters and transitional housing for individuals in need.

“We’re committed to helping people in our communities build hope by putting roofs over their heads,” said PSMC executive director Kelly Williams-Puccio. “Our founder, George Jenkins, believed that a home gives individuals and families safety, independence and hope. With this donation, we’re honored to continue his legacy by helping people facing housing insecurity.”

“We’re thankful for Publix Super Markets Charities’ continued support of Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout the Southeast,” said CEO and executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Broward Nancy Robin. “While many in our communities continue to struggle with access to affordable housing, the generosity of Publix Charities enables us to help provide individuals and families with the resources needed to become homeowners.”

PSMC began supporting housing programs and Habitat for Humanity affiliates more than 30 years ago, with the first contribution going to Habitat for Humanity of East Polk County (Winter Haven, Fla.). To learn more about PSMC’s efforts, please visit publixcharities.org/hope.

George Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets and affectionately known as Mr. George, believed in giving. From the day he opened his first Publix, he made sure his associates, customers and community were taken care of. In 1966, Mr. George established the foundation with the vision it would continue giving long after he was gone. Publix Super Markets Charities remains committed to serving the communities in which Publix operates.

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Food + Water Launches American Pasta Company

Published December 12, 2022

Flour + Water in San Francisco has launched Flour + Water Foods, a modern American pasta company born out of the award-winning restaurant known for blending Italian tradition with Northern California influences. Flour + Water Foods offers four boxed dried pastas developed by co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow to bring the craftsmanship of Flour + Water’s cuisine to the home table.

Led by veteran consumer packaged goods executive Dan Nestojko, the newly created division of the company marks the restaurant’s first consumer retail product.

“Flour + Water Foods represents extensive research and development to nail the perfect dried pasta for the home, elevated to the very high standards of one of the most celebrated pasta destinations in the country,” Nestojko said. “We’re thrilled to be debuting our launch line at Whole Foods Market, a collaboration that will allow us to introduce Flour + Water Foods to our entire Northern California community.”

“We’re very excited to be working with Flour + Water for the launch of Flour + Water Foods in our Northern California stores,” said Patrick Wyman, local forager at Whole Foods Market. “Flour + Water Foods is emblematic of the delicious products we love to champion and I can’t wait for our customers to find them on our shelves.”

Launch offerings include Spaghetti, Elbow Macaroni, Penne, and Campanelle, all crafted with certified organic, North American Semolina grains and artisanal bronze dies for incredible texture. The same method employed at Flour + Water, the bronze-die extruding process creates noodles with textured, porous exteriors perfect for soaking up sauce. We believe the end result is a better at-home bowl that emulates the flavor and precision of the restaurant experience.

“Simplicity is difficult to perfect, but it’s something we’ve been obsessed with since day one at Flour + Water,” McNaughton said. “Flour + Water Foods brings our time-tested techniques into your kitchen, and we’re proud to be introducing this line to make it easier to get dinner on the table.”

Home cooks can find further inspiration from McNaughton and Pollnow through demos accessible via QR codes on each box, along with recipes and easy-to-follow tips at flourandwaterfoods.com. Through Flour + Water’s relationship with Zero Foodprint, 1 percent of proceeds is used to directly team up with farms and ranches to implement regenerative agriculture practices. A foundational part of Flour + Water’s commitment to a future where regenerative farming is the norm, through Flour + Water Foods, the team aspires to help alter how wheat is grown in America.

Find Flour + Water Foods dried pasta at select Whole Foods Market stores throughout Northern California with nationwide shipping available via flourandwaterfoods.com. Future products showcasing Italian culinary traditions and local ingredients are currently under development to expand the brand’s portfolio in the months to come.

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AMCON Acquires Foodservice Distributor Henry’s Foods

Published December 12, 2022

AMCON Distributing Company, an Omaha, Neb.-based convenience distributor is pleased to announce the acquisition of foodservice distributor Henry’s Foods, Inc., of Alexandria, Minn.

“We are honored that Brian Eidsvold and the Eidsvold family have chosen AMCON to continue the legacy and stewardship of their family held business that was established by Henry Eidsvold in 1929,” said Christopher H. Atayan, AMCON’s chairman and chief executive officer.”

The Henry’s foodservice distributor business and name will continue in the marketplace and the business will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of AMCON. Kellie Janssen will continue to lead the business in her role as President of Henry’s.

“Henry’s is the preeminent provider of high-quality foodservice to the convenience distribution industry and will add important new offerings and expertise that we can bring to our customer base,” said Andrew C. Plummer, AMCON’s president and chief operating officer. “We also look forward to sharing the customer-centered suite of services that AMCON has developed to add value for Henry’s customers. Kellie Janssen’s unwavering commitment and dedication to customer service is a shared value between AMCON and Henry’s and is ultimately the foundation to build an exciting business for the future.”

“Our organization is excited about this transaction as together we will be able to add increased capabilities for Henry’s customers,” said Kellie Janssen, president of Henry’s. “We now have the enhanced facilities, capacity and geographic reach to serve our customers as they grow. AMCON shares our respect for a positive and collaborative work environment among colleagues which is another key element of our success. This made AMCON the ideal partner for the growth of our business.”

The transaction is expected to close in the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

AMCON is a leading convenience distributor of consumer products, including beverages, candy, tobacco, groceries, foodservice, frozen and refrigerated foods, automotive supplies and health and beauty care products with distribution centers in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia (operated by its Team Sledd, LLC subsidiary). AMCON, through its Healthy Edge Retail Group, also operates 19 health and natural product retail stores in the Midwest and Florida.

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