
The story of Rachel’s yogurt began in the 1940’s on a small farm in Wales. Today, Rachel’s is a thriving U.K. brand built on decades of excellence in dairy craftsmanship. Rachel’s is now available in U.S. natural foods stores via Dallas-based Dean Foods Co.’s White Wave Foods division. Packaged in distinguishing black cups with reverse-type print, the yogurt flavors are also captivating. There are 10, all of which include probiotics to support digestive health, as well as the omega-3 fatty acid docohexaenoic acid (DHA) and short-chain fructooligosaccharide. Five of the flavors are described as being “blissfully blended mood-inspiring.” They are: Calm (Plum Honey Lavender), Glow (Berry Jasmine with Zinc), Relax (Vanilla Chai), Revive (Peach Green Tea with Ginseng) and Vitality (Pomegranate and Açai). The other five flavors are categorized as being Exotic, and include Cherry Black Currant, Kiwi Passion Fruit Lime, Mango Pineapple Passion Fruit, Orange Strawberry Mango and Pomegranate Blueberry.

The Joan of Arc Chèvre Brie, French for goat cheese brie, is an interesting culinary twist for cheese lovers who may be more familiar with brie that is made from cows milk. The goat cheese brie is a soft-ripened, white-bloomy cheese that has a soft milky interior and a firm rounded rind. The goat cheese logs come in four gourmet flavors that bring out the distinct sharp taste of the chèvre: Au Natural, Cranberry-Cinnamon, Fig, and Peppadew. The cheeses have a very robust flavor that is somewhat dry and crumbly in texture.
“We started off by offering the Joan of Arc goat cheese products to a few select markets across the country as we began to introduce the line to consumers,” says Seife. “We are enjoying a great response, so it’s time for us to start increasing our distribution to be more widespread across the country. Goat cheese is a growing market for U.S. consumers with more than an 11% increase nationwide (according to ACNielsen data).”


These 10-fl-oz frozen treats come in three varieties, and are sold in cases containing three packs of eight. Bananas Foster is a white cake crumb crust with banana- and rum-flavored ice cream, bananas foster sauce and brown betty mousse. Chocolate Soufflé is a chocolate fudge crumb crust, chocolate ice cream and rich butter fudge sauce that is topped with chocolate mousse. Lemon Berry starts with a graham cracker crumb crust, followed by lemon ice cream, wildberry sauce and lemon mousse. Both Bananas Foster and Chocolate Soufflé contain 690 calories and 39g fat per serving or unit. The Lemon Berry is a bit richer at 750 calories and 47g fat.

Noteworthy Introductions
BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Denmark, Wis., focuses on convenience for two of its most recent fresh cheese introductions: BelGioioso Perline (per-lee-nee)and BelGioioso Pre-Sliced Fresh Mozzarella. Perline consists of snack-size balls that are sold in 1-lb and 3-lb foodservice-size tubs. The petite, 2.5-g portions are ideal for appetizers paired with other ingredients such as fresh basil and bite-sized tomatoes. The pre-sliced product is a new version of the company’s fresh mozzarella that won Best of Class at the 2007 Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association contest.

International
Breakfast eating patterns are changing around the globe as more consumers usually eat breakfast outside the home. To appeal to this on-the-go consumer, Innocent in the United Kingdom introduces Innocent Breakfast Smoothie. Dubbed a “breakfast thickie,” the drink is a blend of yogurt, oats, raspberries and blueberries. It also contains calcium, probiotic cultures and is free of preservatives. For added innovation, the product is packaged in a 250ml bottle made from corn, a 100% renewable source.

Contributed by Felicia McClain, analyst, Global New Products Database (GNPD) Consulting Services, a division of Mintel International, a global research company. For more information call 312/932-0400, or visit www.gnpd.com.