Hello GZ,
You're correct - a return to growth is just around the corner.
Here's the first indication of new markets.
Vlasic Creates Giant Pickle
c The Associated Press
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) -- Vlasic Foods International plans to introduce a giant pickle that it claims is the world's largest: 10 times larger than an ordinary pickle.
The chip-shaped pickle measures 16 inches long and 3 inches in diameter and will cover an entire hamburger, guaranteeing a pickle piece in every bite, Vlasic said Monday.
The company spent the past four years developing the new pickle, ''Hamburger Stackers.'' The pickle is made from specially cultivated cucumbers grown by the Cherry-Hill based food giant.
Vlasic spokesman Kevin Lowery said cucumbers used for the pickles were specially grown for size, taste and crispness. Cucumbers that size grown with traditional methods would have the texture of a watermelon and would not be ideal for making pickles, he said.
The pickle was secretly developed under the code name, ''Project Frisbee.'' It was the brainchild of Frank Meczkowski, who created Vlasic's ''Sandwich Stackers,'' a broad flat pickle, in 1995.
Only 3 percent of the 35 billion sandwiches consumed at home each year have a pickle, Vlasic estimates. However, two-thirds of all pickles are consumed with a sandwich.
This time Vlasic is targeting hamburger consumers. The company estimates Americans eat 3.5 billion hamburgers annually.
The product has a ''peck of pickle profit potential,'' Lowery said. The company estimates it could generate at least $20 million in sales annually.
Hamburger Stackers will sell for $2.99 and will be available in two varieties: dill and bread and butter. The new pickles will hit retail shelves next week.
Vlasic was spun off from Campbell Soup Co. last March. It includes Swanson frozen dinners, a barbecue sauce business, an Argentina beef processor and a German gourmet food distributor.
AP-NY-10-05-98 2105EDT
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