In recent years, consumers have embraced superfruits, such as pomegranate, acai, blueberry and cranberry, for their antioxidant content. However, certain cherry varietals also rank alongside the more renowned superfruits in terms of antioxidant content. Although the fruit has long been favored as a pie filling and ice cream sundae topper, cherry is still establishing itself as a beverage ingredient, but suppliers say that’s ripe for a change.
Odwalla, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, introduced a new line of 150-calorie Smoothie Refreshers. Designed to complement meals, Odwalla Smoothie Refreshers are described by the company as having a refreshingly light texture and are available in Mango Lime Twist, Mixed Berry Shuffle and Pear Berry Jive flavors.
As restaurant operators continue to recover from the effects of the recession, fast-casual restaurants have received positive marks from analysts. According to Chicago-based Technomic Inc.’s 2011 Top Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, the foodservice segment outpaced the rest of the restaurant industry in 2010, with the top 100 chains growing 6 percent to nearly $18.9 billion. The total units grew 3.9 percent, which was slower than last year, but faster than other dining segments, according to the report.
