I thought of doing this myself, but I don’t have the technical expertise to really pull it off. Instead, go over to City Pulse and vote for this year’s “Top of the Town”
PETA Super Bowl Ad
28 01 2009I almost don’t want to post this because I hate PETA so much, but this is just funny. They’re message is way off and the idea that someone actually thought NBC would allow this ad shows what not eating meat does to your brain.
I’m putting the video after the “Read Rest of the Story” link because it’s probably not safe for work.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Banned Ad, NBC, PETA, Super Bowl
Categories : Food News
Press Release – Save-A-Lot Opens in Jackson
27 01 2009From a Save-A-Lot press release….
SAVE-A-LOT CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF JACKSON STORE
Edited Assortment Grocery Store Will Save Consumers Up to 40 Percent
St. Louis, Missouri – December 22, 2008 – Save-A-Lot, the nation’s largest edited assortment grocery chain, celebrated the grand opening of its store in Jackson, Michigan, located at 3525 O’Neil Drive on September 17. The company is committed to offering local shoppers high quality groceries at savings of up to 40 percent.
“Save-A-Lot’s edited-assortment retailing model and nationwide buying power allows us to offer the best quality groceries at a significant savings,” said Jaime Powers, company spokesperson. “We’ve had a tremendous success at our other stores in Michigan, and look forward to bringing another Save-A-Lot to the area.”
Save-A-Lot stores deliver savings of up to 40 percent over conventional grocery stores. The new stores will carry about 1,250 of the most frequently purchased grocery items, including fresh meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, canned goods and packaged items, frozen foods and more, plus non-food products like health and beauty care items. Save-A-Lot stores are open seven days a week and employ approximately 15 – 20 employees. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Food News, Jackson, Michigan, Press Release, Save-A-Lot
Categories : Food News, Grocery, Jackson, Michigan, Press Releases
Pepsi Max = Diet Cola for Men?
27 01 2009So, apparently, Pepsi is using one of the Super Bowl commercials to make a big push for Pepsi Max. They’re branding it as “The first diet cola for men.”
New ads that reposition Pepsi Max as the diet cola for men also will likely be a part of the Super Bowl. Execs debuted 30- and 15-second “I’m good” spots. The ads show men getting hurt — hit with a golf club or electrocuted, for example — and then saying “I’m good.” A voice-over at the end of the spot says, “Men can take anything except the taste of diet cola — until now. Pepsi Max the first diet cola for men.”
OK, here’s my problem with that. Coke Zero has been out for a few years. I am a lifelong Pepsi drinker. I crave the crap. J always thought it was the caffeine I crave, but it’s not. It’s Pepsi. It’s the sugar…it’s the taste. I’ve gotten myself to a can every other day as long as we don’t eat out. I don’t keep it in the house anymore. The way I’ve gotten off Pepsi is by drinking Coke Zero. It’s zero calorie and tastes enough like Coke that I learned to put up with it.
This weekend, we stopped in Howell to get gas. I went in the store to get something to drink. I was going to grab a Pepsi, but I stopped mid-reach when I saw Pepsi Max. I had been wondering if Pepsi Max was going to be as close to Pepsi as Coke Zero was to Coke. I took one drink and damn near threw it out the window. It was awful. It tasted exactly like a diet pop. Even worse, J said it tasted worse than Diet Pepsi which she actually prefers over Diet Coke.
Pepsi Max has been around since 1993 in the UK. Pepsi Co wasn’t able to introduce the product in the US because of the ingredient acesulfame potassium hadn’t been approved by the FDA. The drink is incredibly popular overseas outselling Pepsi in some countries. In 2007, the drink was finally introduced in the US as Diet Pepsi Max, but it wasn’t the drink that was so popular overseas. They reformulated it for the US launch.
I love Pepsi. Until recently, I had been a loyal Pepsi drinker and I still prefer it over Coke, but after tasting Pepsi Max, this ad campaign almost pisses me off. All I read is Pepsi Max is the first diet cola for men because women who already drink Diet Pepsi won’t drink it. I hope, someday, they come up with something that tastes as good as Pepsi does…..Pepsi Max isn’t it.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Food News, Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Super Bowl
Categories : Food News
Employees Work for No Pay to Help Restaurant
27 01 2009Here’s a neat story from Muskegon.
A week ago, 17 restaurant employees — servers, cooks, busboys, dishwashers, cashiers and hostesses — worked exclusively for tips, so owner Dave Barham could trim the payroll.
“Isn’t that something?” he asked.
When the last customer left on what employees dubbed “Donate A Day,” they’d saved the boss about $700 in wages. The restaurant employs 31 people.
Wow. How many of us would give our bosses a free day of work to help them out? Honestly, in an office setting, I don’t think I would. The deal here was everyone worked for tips. Once patrons got word of what they were doing, they started leaving bigger tips. By the end of the day, they had made over $800 in tips which was then split evenly between everyone.
Interesting story. I’ve never worked at a place where I liked or respected the company I worked for that much that I would consider that. I think this story not only says a lot about the employees but a lot about the owners as well.
On the Web: Mr. B’s Pancake House
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Food News, Michigan, Mr. B's Pancake House, Muskegon
Categories : Food News, Michigan
GM Cuts Could Close Don’s Windmill
27 01 2009I just noticed this story in my RSS feeds. The ripple effect of GM cutting employees trickles down to the businesses around the plant.
Don’s Windmill Restaurant is one of those establishments, and manager Alexis Millisor describes business as slowly dying.
“With an additional 1,200 people being laid off that’s another 1,200 that won’t be able to have money to go out to eat,” Millisor said.
Millisor says she’s worried about the future of the restaurant since much of her business comes from GM workers at the Delta plant along with truck drivers who supply parts to the factory.
They’ve been in business 55 years and it may be the end of the line. Don’s Windmill was one of the first restaurant recommendations we got from one of J’s co-workers. It was good, greasy diner food. Nothing great, but somehow comforting. Losing Don’s Windmill would be sad.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Dimondale, Don's Windmill, Food News, Michigan, Truckstop, WLAJ
Categories : Dimondale, Food News, Michigan
Press Release – Meijer joins Generation With Promise To Provide Tours
27 01 2009Got this from a press release…..
Meijer Teams Up With Generation With Promise to Provide Grocery Store
Tours
Program Aims To Educate Families about Making Healthy Food ChoicesNavigating the aisles of a grocery store can be an overwhelming
experience when families are confronted with the number of food choices,
let alone reading food labels. Michigan-based retailer Meijer wants to
take the fear factor out of grocery shopping for parents and their
children in underserved areas.Meijer, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is partnering with
“Generation With Promise” (GWP) by providing grocery store tours
as part of a nutrition education class called “Side by Side.” The
class, offered by the Share Our Strength Operation Frontline Program,
involves an educational field trip to Meijer that aims to empower and
educate families about making healthy food choices. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Food News, Meijer, Press Release
Categories : Food News, Press Releases
House Bill 4099 – The New Smoking Ban Bill
26 01 2009Doesn’t it figure? I just put a post up this afternoon about the smoking ban bill not being filed. A few hours later, I get a comment on that post with a link to a Flint Journal story. The bill was introduced last Thursday and sent to the Commerce Committee. Today, the bill was filed which is why it just showed up on the Legislature’s website.
HB 4099 differs from the bill introduced last year because it is a total ban on smoking…including casino’s and cigar bars. That was a big issue a few months ago. The Detroit legislators don’t want and probably won’t let the bill pass without an exemption for the casinos.
To me, a ban with the those two exemptions is acceptable. I don’t like it. I think if the casinos are exempted, then bars (not any place that serves any kind food) should be exempted as well and I don’t want to see that. Exemptions start a slippery slope and everyone thinks they should be an exemption. It’s not a matter of Big Brother telling you want to do as the tobacco lobby will try to tell you. I can’t think of any other thing that people are allowed to do that makes others physically uncomfortable. If smokers had an ounce of respect for people around them, this wouldn’t be an issue, but most smokers feel like it’s their god given right to make everyone around them uncomfortable.
I wouldn’t expect this to move pretty fast. In the overall scheme of things, this bill isn’t high priority. Michigan has bigger problems than a smoking ban and I would guess they will drag it out to the next election. You don’t want people to forget that you voted in favor of the ban. It’s one of those social issues that get people on both sides fired up.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Legislature, Michigan, Politics, Smoke, Smoke Free, Smoking Ban
Categories : Food News, Michigan, Politics
Press Release – Big Boy Names New CEO
26 01 2009From a Big Boy Restaurants Interntaional, LLC press release…..
WARREN, Mich. – Keith E. Sirois, a food service industry leader with 35 years of experience, was selected as chief executive officer of Big Boy Restaurants International, LLC. Sirois, 57, begins his new role Monday, Jan. 26, at company headquarters in Warren, Mich.
The appointment, announced today by chairman Robert Liggett Jr., completes a national search and four-month transition while board member Jim Jensen served as interim CEO.
Big Boy strategic planning and operating responsibilities now will be overseen by a business veteran whose career spans multiple restaurant concepts — including family dining and QSR. His most recent positions were at Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, where Sirois was president and CEO of the publicly owned franchisor and owner-operator of an 800-store dual brand system.
“We’re very fortunate to add Keith Sirois, a seasoned, successful restaurant chief executive to our leadership,” Liggett says. “He brings hands-on knowledge of franchise and company-owned restaurants, as well as a strategic vision and leadership for continuing our growth initiatives at Big Boy. Keith has an impressive record of sales growth, franchise development and team-building.”
Big Boy is an enduring icon of Americana with a widely recognized brand symbol holding a double-decker cheeseburger. The company is pursuing aggressive growth in new and existing markets. In California, where the first Bob’s Big Boy opened in 1936, a location with a drive-through lane is planned in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey — a prototype for a new customer service option. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Big Boy, Michigan, Press Release, Warren
Categories : Food News, Michigan, Press Releases
Kellogg Testing New Box Design
26 01 2009
The new boxes Kellogg's is testing in the Detroit market
I got an e-mail about a pilot program taking place in Detroit. Battle Creek based Kellogg is conducting a six month test with a redesigned box at Kroger’s and Walmart’s in the Detroit area designed to save shelf space.
Kellogg Co., the largest U.S. cereal maker, has reconfigured the size of its boxes in an effort to sell more Froot Loops and Special K at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Kroger Co. stores in Detroit.
Kellogg is replacing cereal at 40 Wal-Mart and Kroger stores with shorter, deeper containers that hold the same amount, Kim Miller, vice president of morning-foods marketing, said in a telephone interview. The six-month test starts today.
[snip]
After several years of research, Kellogg reduced packaging by 8 percent for the test, wagering that consumers who lack kitchen storage will buy cereal in smaller boxes, Miller said.
Consumers put cereal boxes “on top of refrigerators, on countertops, lying down and on their sides,” Miller, 43, said today from Battle Creek, Michigan, Kellogg’s hometown. “Retailers are taking a similar direction, trying to optimize shelf space.”
They’re not shrinking the amount of cereal you get, they’re just shrinking the box and getting rid of all that empty space. The interesting thing is Walmart is encouraging companies to come up with new packaging ideas that save space and are rewarding companies that do so with premier display space. The new packaging won’t cost you anything more…at least yet..
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Battle Creek, cereal, Food News, Kellogg, Kroger, Michigan, Walmart
Categories : Food News
Mid-Michigan Dining 
Recent Comments