Ben & Jerry's Scoops up National Voter Registration Day

Angie Mar, Chopped "Grill Masters" Champion, NFL Homegating "Burger Maestro," and Chef and Owner of New York's celebrated Beatrice Inn, has created 32 diverse and delicious burger recipes, inspired by each NFL market, for fans ..Click Here to Learn More

Debra Lee, chairman and chief executive officer, BET Networks has been named honorary co-chair for the 30th Annual NAMIC Conference. Held as part of the cable industry's Diversity Week, the 30th Annual NAMIC Conference is scheduled for September 20-21, 2016 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. Presented by the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), the theme for this year's conference is Diversity 3.0—Innovation through Inclusion.

"Ms. Lee is one of our industry's true visionaries and we are thrilled to have her provide honorary leadership for this year's conference," said Eglon E. Simons, president and CEO, NAMIC. "BET Networks and Ms. Lee have established a legacy of advocating for diversity and inclusion. NAMIC is honored to have their continued support." Click Here For More Information



Awareness in the U.S. of UK's Vote to Leave European Union Extremely High, According to Decision Analyst's Nationwide Survey Click Here For the Full Report

13 Savor California companies showcased their products in the Savor California at the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. 10th Avenue Tea, Toluca Lake.Arawak Farm, Oakland, Endorfin Foods, Oakland, Hey Boo Coconut Caramels, San Francisco,Holly Baking, Rohnert Park,Just Jan’s,Calabasas,Laiki Rice Crackers, San Francisco,Little Red Dot Kitchen, San Jose, Marlo’s Bakeshop, Nona Lim, Emeryville, Pacific Pickle Works, Santa Barbara,San Francisco Cheesecake San Francisco and Sonoma Brinery, Healdsburg.

David Jobe, chief customer officer of Winsight Events (left), and Jeff Sinelli, founder, CEO and chief vibe officer of Which Wich, react to the Guinness monitor (center) announcing that the crowd had smashed the record.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches aren't just for kids. During a special Which Wich Spreading Party at Winsight's FARE Conference—held at the Gaylord Texan Resort, near Dallas—more than 750 attendees broke the record of most sandwiches made in one hour. The official count—verified by Guinness World Records—of 39,303 PB&J sandwiches bested the previous record of 37,558 achieved by King David Schools (South Africa) on May 12, 2016.

The Spreading Party event supported Project PB&J, an initiative of the Which Wich Cares Foundation, launched in 2014. Every sandwich was immediately wrapped, packaged and donated to 14 Dallas-area food banks, veterans organizations and schools with the help of the Folds of Honor Foundation.

"We believe that the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich can make the world a better place," said Jeff Sinelli, founder, CEO and chief vibe officer of Which Wich, who was one of the sandwich makers in attendance. "Peanut butter, jelly and bread come together to mean so much more. For the organizations we give to, and the people they help, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can be a reminder of home during a hard time and a meal for an empty belly." Click Here For Info

 Summer is peak season for dog bites – especially among children, who spend more time outdoors during July and August, increasing the potential for problem encounters.

An estimated 4.5 million people suffer dog bites each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control; more than half of the bites resulting in serious injury happen to children under age 14.  Dog bite prevention requires action by both human and pet parents.

"Whether a family has a dog in the household or not, parents must teach children how to behave safely around dogs," says Traci Simo, head of Manners dog obedience training for Canine Company. She says every child should know these four basic rules:

• Never pet a dog you don't know without first asking the owner. If given permission, let the dog sniff your hand before touching him.
• Don't grab a dog from behind or place your arms around his neck because he may feel threatened.
• Never disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• If a strange dog approaches you, stand still. In most cases, the dog will sniff you and go away once it decides you are not a threat. Don't run. Dogs love to chase, and may become excited and lunge. Walk slowly with your hands at your side.

Click Here For More Information



WomenHeart CEO Mary McGowan, Black Girls RUN! Co-Founder Ashley Hicks, WomenHeart Chair Kathy Webster, Dr. Nanette Wenger 

Devinci is proud to welcome Kirsten Sweetland to our team of athletes. The 27-year-old triathlete, from Nanaimo BC, has had a track record of success. As a high-performance athlete and a patriotic Canadian, establishing a partnership with a Canadian cycling company was a priority for her. FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

IMPORT_EXPORT NEWS

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has been actively engaging with U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the import community by participating on stakeholder panels at public meetings on implementation of import safety programs.

The meetings have been held this month in Costa Mesa, Calif., Rutherford, N.J. and Detroit under the title “Focus on Strategic Implementation of Prevention-Oriented Import Safety Programs.”

SFA has been addressing the complexity of the regulations and their effect on small importers and their foreign suppliers. As Shawn McBride, chair of SFA and vice president of Foah International, stated, “The uncertainty in these regulations and their implementation put small food companies at a disadvantage and—even more importantly—at risk.”

Speaking in Costa Mesa on June 7, McBride spoke about the difficulty for small businesses to understand the regulations. “We need simple, plain English instructions and practical guidance about foreign supplier verification. We want operational instructions, using diagrams, flow charts, graphics and easy-to-understand information that is not a summary of the regulations but a how-to primer,” she said.

At the New Jersey meeting on June 15, Arnim von Friedeburg, SFA board member and owner of CMA Global Partners/German Foods North America, addressed systems recognition and the voluntary qualified importer program (VQIP). He urged FDA to pursue systems recognition with the European Union but expressed doubt that would be accomplished in a timely manner. “It took seven years for us to recognize New Zealand. Will the European Union take 100 years?” he remarked.

Von Friedeburg also pointed out that VQIP, which provides expedited entry for approved importers at a proposed annual fee of $16,400, would favor large companies and discriminate against small businesses.

The third public meeting is scheduled for today, June 21, in Detroit. Trish Pohanka, SFA board member and director of merchandising and marketing for European Imports Ltd., will be speaking about how third party certification can assist with the foreign supplier verification process.

At its Summer Fancy Food Show, the Specialty Food Association is hosted a seminar to teach specialty food industry stakeholders about the implications of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act. Entitled “Getting Ready for the Food Safety Modernization Act: What Specialty Food Companies Need to Know” held during the Summer 2016 Fancy Food Show.