Gourmet News

Chip City, Kellanova Team on Blueberry Eggo Waffle Cookie

Published July 8, 2024

Photo of the Blueberry Eggo Waffle Cookie courtesy Chip City
Credit: Adrián Rivera Ferrán.

Chip City Cookies, NYC’s fastest-growing gourmet cookie chain known for oversized gooey cookies and innovative flavors, has formed a partnership with Kellanova to create a limited-edition, Blueberry Eggo Waffle Cookie. This special treat features a maple-flavored brown sugar cookie mixed with dried blueberries, topped with maple frosting and Eggo Grahams.

The Blueberry Eggo Waffle Cookie will be available for two weekends in July: Saturday, July 12 to Sunday, July 13, and again on Saturday, July 26 to Sunday, July 27, at all 41 Chip City locations (New York City and Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts and Illinois, for $7 per cookie.

“It’s always fun working on new flavors and creations, especially ones that evoke feelings of nostalgia. Cookies have a way of taking us back to our childhood and filling us with warm memories. This is how we feel about Eggo Waffles. They’re timeless, and the collaboration pairs perfectly with our Chip City gooey cookies,” said Theodore Gailas, co-founder and chief brand officer of Chip City Cookies.

Born in Astoria, Queens, in July 2017, Chip City began as a hobby between two childhood friends as they sought to recreate the simple taste of their childhood. What began as a fun challenge to see who could create the best cookie turned into the Chip City we know and love today.

The cookies are huge, clocking in at four inches across and nearly six ounces each. They’re buttery and ooey-gooey, made with just a handful of real ingredients that can be found in any pantry. From classic Chocolate Chip to Oatmeal Apple Pie and Cookies N’ Cream, these are the cookies that have taken New York by storm and they’re shipping nationwide.

Chip City has 41 locations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island with plans to have at least nine opening soon.

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

FDA Bans Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food Products

Published July 8, 2024

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revoking the regulation authorizing the use of brominated vegetable oil in food. Brominated vegetable oil is a vegetable oil that is modified with bromine. The agency concluded that the intended use of BVO in food is no longer considered safe after the results of studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health found the potential for adverse health effects in humans.

The FDA has regulated BVO as a food additive since the agency removed it from the codified list of Generally Recognized As Safe or GRAS substances in 1970. As authorized, it was used in small amounts to keep the citrus flavoring from floating to the top in some beverages, and manufacturers were required to list BVO, or the specific brominated vegetable oil such as brominated soybean oil, in the ingredients list if it was used. Few beverages in the U.S. contain BVO.

The FDA is taking this action as part of our regulatory authority over ingredients added to food, which includes reassessing previously evaluated food ingredients and addressing safety concerns. Reassessing the safety of food ingredients as new, relevant data become available, is a priority for the FDA and a key part of our food safety mission.

The rule is effective on Aug. 2. The compliance date for this rule is one year after the effective date, to provide the opportunity for companies to reformulate, relabel, and deplete the inventory of BVO-containing products before the FDA begins enforcing the final rule.

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

New Zealand’s Masthead Acquires Leading Manuka Honey Brand Wedderspoon

Published July 8, 2024

Masthead Limited, the Christchurch-based investment firm, has acquired the Wedderspoon Organic Group, a leading Manuka honey brand, and plans to consolidate its consumer brand portfolio into a new holding company called Florenz. Mike Tod will lead Florenz as chief executive officer.

“We believe in the ability of Kiwis to compete and win on the global stage and have installed an outstanding team at Florenz with deep global experience,” said Tod. “Through Florenz, we have started assembling and growing a complementary series of businesses. Florenz is actively looking at other investment opportunities as it seeks to grow a world-class export business to further strengthen the New Zealand economy.”

Establishing a base in the United States to accelerate the growth of Florenz products into North America is a key first step. With its presence in more than 23,000 retail stores including Walmart, Costco and Whole Foods, Wedderspoon provides a foundation on which to build momentum.

Wedderspoon Organic, the largest seller of New Zealand sourced and manufactured Manuka honey products in North America, has experienced impressive growth and success. Founded 19 years ago, its products range from bottled Manuka honey to Manuka honey lozenges, drops and apple cider vinegar, as well as Bee Propolis throat sprays. Under chief executive officer Rebecca Remley,
Wedderspoon has steadily grown a highly customer-focused business of scale in one of the most challenging markets for New Zealand products to flourish.

“We are privileged to become the new custodians of the Wedderspoon brand and to support the growth of the New Zealand Manuka honey industry by building more global awareness of this incredible natural product,” added Tod. “It is terrific to be able to support Rebecca and her team on this next chapter of the Wedderspoon journey as the company seeks to accelerate growth through online and bricks-and-mortar sales in the United States, Canada and Europe. Product innovation is a key enabler of this type of success, and the team has exciting customer-led product developments in the pipeline.”

Florenz also owns New Zealand-based vitamins and supplements exporter Xtend-Life Group, ingredients manufacturer Dry Food New Zealand and innovative blackcurrant-based sports performance supplement exporter, 2Before Performance Nutrition, which was purchased from Government-owned Plant and Food Research. In addition, Florenz is a cornerstone shareholder of iconic New Zealand herbal remedies company Harker Herbals Products, which was established more than 40 years ago.

Florenz is a subsidiary of Christchurch-based investment company Masthead Limited, a commercial arm of the Stewart family. Masthead Limited is an active corporate investor in New Zealand public and private equity markets. Its most recent divestment was the sale of premium petfood manufacturer Ziwi. Florenz is an active investor in wellness related companies with products backed by science and curated in New Zealand.

Founded in 2005, Wedderspoon is a passionate steward of Manuka Honey-based products that awaken energized living. Wedderspoon offers a dynamic collection of expertly crafted products that capture the lusciously rare and powerful nature of genuine Manuka Honey, which is exclusively produced by bees feeding off the Manuka bush on New Zealand’s North and South Islands. From its use in the kitchen, in beauty and active lifestyle self-care rituals and more, Wedderspoon Manuka Honey’s vibrant properties make it one of the most highly sought after holistic ingredients in the world.

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