Company Watch

• Chinese conglomerate sells stake back to Smithfield
  Cofco Corp. is selling back its 7 million shares in Smithfield Food. The Chinese food conglomerate purchased 5% of the U.S. pork processor in 2008 and was once considered a candidate to acquire the company. The Wall Street Journal (11/16)     

• Kellogg unwraps additional snacks
  Kellogg has introduced products including Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch granola bars, Special K Blondie Brownie Bites and a Berry Streusel variety of Special K Pastry Crisps. Other launches: Mixed Nut and Peanut varieties of FiberPlus Antioxidant Protein Chewy bars, Keebler Chips Deluxe Triple Chocolate cookies and Keebler Peanut Butter-filled Fudge-dipped pretzels. Food Business Review (11/16)     

• Coca-Cola sets sights on Chile growth
  Coca-Cola said it will invest $1.3 billion in Chile through 2016, including investment in a newly opened bottling plant in Renca. "For more than 66 years we have contributed to the progress of the country and will continue to do so with enthusiasm and conviction," said CEO Muhtar Kent. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (11/16)     

• Other News

• Hostess holds off on naming potential bidders, but says Bimbo is not among them
  Bloomberg Businessweek (11/19)     

Trends

• Holiday flavors move in new directions
  Restaurants and food-makers are introducing unusual limited-time items for the holidays, including Pringles chips in a White Chocolate Peppermint flavor and Jones Soda in Candy Cane, Gingerbread, Sugar Plum and Pear Tree varieties. A Gingerbread Cookie Sundae is available at Burger King, and a Gingerbread Shake, with or without Jim Beam, is sold at Red Robin restaurants. USA Today (11/18)     

• Can you turn canned food into a gourmet meal?
  Canning was invented in response to an 18th-century challenge by Napoleon Bonaparte, who was looking for a way to keep food safe and portable for his armies. Today, practical aspects of canned food keep it popular, while chefs increasingly are showing cash-strapped consumers how to create culinary masterpieces by opening a few cans. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage (11/19)     

	Pass it on. Cans are America's most recycled packaging. Go to Cancentral.com/sustainability to download our sustainability report.

Advertising & Marketing

• Sun-Maid marks centennial with sweepstakes
  Sun-Maid is marking 100 years since it was founded with a sweepstakes giving away more than 1,000 prizes, including Visa gift cards valued at $100 and Sun-Maid Monopoly board games. "We want to thank our customers and their families, who have been eating Sun-Maid raisins and raisin bread for the past 100 years," said Barry Kriebel, company president. "This sweepstakes is a big 'thank you' from Sun-Maid to all those families." Progressive Grocer (11/16)     

Retail Spotlight

• Wegmans chef will give Thanksgiving 411 with #Turkey911
  Mark Makovec, executive chef at Wegmans Food Markets, will use Twitter in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to answer questions on preparing dishes. "We know our customers are especially busy during the holidays, and this is a way to provide some on-the-go guidance in a way that some find most convenient," he said. The Gourmet Retailer (11/16)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by GMA SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Hostess' demise ends a golden era (CNNMoney)

• Campbell's "Go" soups appeal to young tastes (MediaPost Communications)

• Hostess strikes prompt bakery closings (Bloomberg Businessweek)

• Healthier consumers snack more often, study finds (QSRWeb.com)

• Brands' studies of millennials reveal hidden habits (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Health & Wellness

• CDC data show sharp increase in U.S. diabetes rates
  The number of diabetes cases increased by 50% or more in 42 U.S. states, and by 100% or more in 18 states, between 1995 and 2010, a study in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicated. Southern and Appalachian states showed the highest increases. Ann Albright of the CDC said rates will keep rising "until effective interventions and policies are implemented to prevent both diabetes and obesity." Reuters (11/15)     

GMA News

• One day left to submit your company for CPG Award
  Sponsored by the GMA Associate Member Council (AMC), the 2013 CPG Award for Innovation and Creativity is given annually to recognize the innovation that occurs every day at GMA member companies and will honor the creative and innovative programs of two manufacturing member-companies, emphasizing those who are moving the industry forward.
  
  Submissions will be judged by AMC members on creativity, willingness to take risks, achieving measurable results and creating a valuable knowledge base for the entire industry. The winners will be announced at the 2013 GMA Chairman’s Lecture in January.
  
  The deadline for submissions is tomorrow, Nov. 20. For more information, contact Jackie Lodge, or download the application.     

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SmartQuote

Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is too big to attempt." --William Cornelius Van Horne, Canadian railway executive