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Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

McDonald's Adds Chicken Wraps in Bid to Scratch-Up Sales

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By The Associated Press

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By CANDICE CHOI

McDonald’s is adding a permanent new offering to its menu: chicken McWraps.

The world’s biggest hamburger chain says the new sandwich wrap will come in three varieties — Chicken & Bacon, Sweet Chili Chicken and Chicken & Ranch. The company already offers similar wraps in other parts of the world, including Europe.

The Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain says the McWraps use the same type of flour tortillas and chicken as its snack wraps, which were introduced in 2006. But two of the new McWraps will come with cucumbers, which the company says will mark the first time the vegetable will be part of its core menu. The wraps range from 360 to 600 calories, depending on whether people pick grilled or deep-fried chicken.

McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) has been stepping up the pace of its new menu offerings as it struggles to grow sales in the challenging economy. Last year, the company ousted the head of its U.S. division after a monthly sales figure fell for the first time in nearly a decade.

By refreshing its menu, McDonald’s is hoping to hold onto customers as it faces a shifting industry and intensifying competition from the likes of Burger King and Wendy’s. Next week, for instance, The Wendy’s Co. (WEN) plans to roll out its “Flatbread Grilled Chicken Sandwiches” in two varieties; an Asiago Ranch flavor will have 530 calories and the Honey Mustard flavor will have 370 calories.

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The latest offerings also reflect the changing tastes of diners, who are increasingly looking for more premium ingredients with a healthier image — even at fast-food chains. McDonald’s, for example, is officially calling the new wraps “Premium McWraps.” It also plans to offer a version of its Egg McMuffin made with egg whites starting April 22. And this week, Burger King Worldwide Inc. (BKW) rolled out its first turkey burger following the success of turkey burgers at Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.

Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation of McDonald’s, says the wraps will be a new “platform” and that different varieties are already in the pipeline. These could include spicy or Cajun flavors, he said. In Europe, he noted, there is a shrimp McWrap.

“It’s the benefit of McDonald’s being a global system,” he said, noting that the company can take successful items from around the world and adapt them to other markets. The Sweet Chili Chicken McWrap, for instance, was first offered in Australia.

Although the chicken McWraps officially launch nationwide next week, the company says many restaurants already have them. The suggested price for a wrap is $3.99.

National advertising is set to start April 1.

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Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Hostess Sale OK'd by Court; Twinkies May Be Back by Summer

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By The Associated Press

court oks hostess sale

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(Brennan Linsley/AP)

By CANDICE CHOI

NEW YORK — A bankruptcy judge has approved the sale of Twinkies to a pair of investment firms, one of which has said it hopes to have the cakes back on shelves by summer.

Hostess Brands Inc. is selling Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and other brands, to Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. for $410 million. Evan Metropoulos, a principal of the latter firm, said in an interview that he wants to have the snack cakes back on shelves by June and that the brands could benefit from new flavors and other product extensions.

“There’s no mistake, we’ve got to move smartly, we’ve got to move quickly,” Metropoulos said.

He also said that comedians Will Farrell and Zack Galifianakis are at the top of his “wish list” for potential pitchmen. But he doesn’t plan on formally approaching anyone about marketing deals until after the sale closes in coming weeks.

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Metropoulos, which owns Pabst beer, has already used Farrell in its ads. Apollo’s investments include the fast-food chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., which is known for indulgent burgers and splashy ads starring scantily clad women.

Judge Robert Drain of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York also approved the sale of Wonder bread to Flowers Foods, which makes Tastykakes and other breads. Flowers, based in Thomasville, Ga., would also get Nature’s Pride, Butternut, Home Pride and Merita as part of the $360 million deal.

Hostess has said the Justice Department is reviewing that sale.

The sale of Beefsteak to Grupo Bimbo was also approved. Grupo Bimbo makes Entenmann’s cakes and Thomas’ English muffins and is paying $31.9 million for the regional bread brand.

A separate hearing is scheduled for April 9 to approve the sale of Drake’s cakes, which include Devil Dogs and Yodels. Hostess picked McKee Foods, the maker of Little Debbie snack cakes, as the buyer for those brands at $27.5 million.

Taken together, a Hostess spokesman said 29 of the bankrupt company’s 36 bakeries were sold as part of the transactions. It will be up to the new owners whether to hire back the thousands of workers who lost their jobs when the company went out of business.

In a statement, the company’s bakers union said it shared the enthusiasm exhibited by the new owners to bring Hostess brands back to shelves quickly.

The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union said it believed “our highly-motivated and skilled workforce will serve as indispensable partners in the seamless re-opening of factories.”

Hostess closed its factories in late November following a strike by the union. The company had been struggling financially for years.

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Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Carl's Jr.® and Hardee's® Toast Arrival of New Jim Beam® Bourbon Burger

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Carl’s Jr. ® and Hardee’s ® Toast Arrival of New Jim Beam ® Bourbon Burger

International supermodel and TV star Heidi Klum is stunning in The Graduate-inspired ad

CARPINTERIA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– In yet another fast food first, Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® will begin selling burgers with the distinctive taste of a branded, distilled spirit when they introduce the new Jim Beam® Bourbon Burger this week. A mature burger for mature tastes, the Jim Beam Bourbon Burger features rich and tangy sauce flavored with Jim Beam bourbon – the world’s No. 1-selling bourbon – crispy onion straws, two strips of bacon, pepper-Jack cheese, lettuce and tomato, all atop a charbroiled beef patty and served on a sesame seed bun. The Jim Beam Bourbon Burger is available now at all Hardee’s restaurants and at all Carl’s Jr. locations starting tomorrow.

The new Jim Beam Bourbon Burger, available at Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s this week, features a rich and tangy sauce flavored with Jim Beam bourbon. (Photo: Business Wire)

“Higher-end restaurants have long served menu items flavored with branded spirits but, until now, they had yet to find their way onto fast food menus and we considered it our mission to change that,” said Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. “The sweet, smoky flavors of Jim Beam bourbon go really well with the great taste of a charbroiled burger, and the folks at Jim Beam were just as excited about the pairing as we were. While there is no residual alcohol in the sauce, that wonderful bourbon taste remains and is enhanced by the smoky flavors of bacon, the spice of pepper-Jack cheese, the salty-crunch of crispy onion straws, and fresh lettuce and tomato. And, who better to help us promote this burger for grown-up tastes than the incomparable Heidi Klum?”

The Jim Beam Bourbon Burger is available as an entrée for $3.59 or as a combo meal with fries and a drink for $6.09 at Carl’s Jr. and $5.59 at Hardee’s. Prices may vary by location.

Supermodel Heidi Klum takes on the iconic role of Mrs. Robinson in the new commercial for the Jim Beam Bourbon Burger, inspired by the classic coming-of-age movie The Graduate. Created by Los Angeles– and Amsterdam-based creative agency 72andSunny, the commercial, titled “Mrs. Robinson,” depicts Heidi tempting a naive younger man with this indulgent burger. The commercial will begin airing nationally on March 25.

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Articles of Interest

Healthy Food ‘Not Our Personality,’ Says Fast Food CEO

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

Fast food can have a lot of calories and one CEO isn’t afraid to keep in that way.

Andy Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants which owns Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, told The Los Angeles Times that he isn’t interested in making his menus healthier. Selling 20 times more bacon cheeseburgers with 740 calories than barbecue chicken sandwiches with 390 calories, Puzder plans to continue to provide the foods that his customers want most.

“It’s not our personality and it won’t become our personality,” Puzder told The Los Angeles Times when asked about the healthy food craze. “All of our products are indulgent, decadent.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Hostess: No Bids to Buy Twinkies Except Apollo and Metropoulos &amp; Co.'s

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By The Associated Press

Hostess: no bids to buy Twinkies except Apollo and Metropoulos & Co.'s

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By CANDICE CHOI

NEW YORK (AP) – Hostess is moving ahead with plans to sell its Twinkies and other snack cakes after nobody stepped forward to top an offer made by two investment firms.

The bankrupt company had earlier picked a $410 million joint offer from Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management (APO) as the “stalking horse” bid to set the floor for an auction. Others were then given a chance to submit competing bids and Hostess CEO Greg Rayburn had predicted the process would be “wild and wooly.”

But in a document filed in U.S. bankruptcy court on Monday, Hostess Brands said no other qualified offers were submitted by the bid deadline. No auction will be held as a result for the cakes, which include CupCakes, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos.

A spokesman for Hostess said the company had no comment on the lack of competing bids. A representative for Apollo, whose investments include the fast-food chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, declined to comment on when Hostess cakes might return to shelves. A representative for Metropoulos, which owns Pabst beer, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hostess had also canceled an auction for its Wonder and other major bread brands after no competing offers were made. Those breads are being sold to Flowers Foods (FLO), which is based in Thomasville, Ga., and makes Tastykakes and Nature’s Own bread. The final sales of the breads and Hostess snack cakes are set to be approved in Bankruptcy Court on March 19.

McKee Foods, which makes Little Debbie snack cakes, was picked as the lead bidder for Drake’s cakes, which include Devil Dogs, Funny Bones and Yodels. The deadline to submit competing offers for the snack cakes is Tuesday, with an auction set for Friday.

Hostess stopped making its cakes and breads in late November after it announced it was going out of business and closing its plants following years of financial struggles.

Photo Credit: Brennan Linsley/AP

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Automobiles

Video: Kate Upton washes 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA in glorious slow motion for Super Bowl [w/poll]

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By Michael Harley

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Model Kate Upton in Mercedes-Benz CLA Super Bowl ad teaser - screencap

Mercedes-Benz made news in December when we learned that Kate Upton, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover model, would be pitching the automaker’s all-new 2014 CLA at the Super Bowl next month. With Mercedes determined to target a more youthful buyer for its stylish compact sedan, choosing a beautiful 20-year-old pinup seemed to make good sense.

In order to tease us before the big game, the German automaker has just released a 90-second video with the very seductive Upton interacting with soap suds and her blonde hair. The real Super Bowl ad, partially filmed in New Orleans (where the game will take place) will feature the bombshell along with R&B star Usher.

Scroll down to watch the German automaker’s uncharacteristic presentation, and let us know if this risqué Carl’s Jr.-like ad direction is a good way to shake up the company’s staid image, or if you think it demeans the brand. Be heard by voting in our poll and adding your thoughts in Comments below.

For the record, we’ve watched this video more than two dozen times and we still haven’t seen a Mercedes-Benz. Maybe one more time will do the trick…

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Continue reading Kate Upton washes 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA in glorious slow motion for Super Bowl [w/poll]

Kate Upton washes 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA in glorious slow motion for Super Bowl [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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