Top 100 Restaurant News Stories of 2011 Released by RestaurantNews.com

(Profitable.com)  RestaurantNews.com has released the Top 100 restaurant news stories read on its site in 2011.  Although RestaurantNews.com has been serving up restaurant news for over 12 years, this is the first time the site has revealed its Top 100 list.

100)  The Cheesecake Factory Serves National Cheesecake Day Deal
As National Cheesecake History Month came to a close in July, The Cheesecake Factory welcomed its newest cheesecake flavor, Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake, with layers of chocolate cheesecake, moist chocolate cake and ganache, topped with a creamy chocolate frosting and chocolate chips. The Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake debuted in all of its restaurant locations nationwide on National Cheesecake Day, July 30.

99)  Whataburger Launches New All-Time Favorites Menu
The Whataburger Patty Melt. The Chop House Cheddar Burger. The Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. The A.1. Thick & Hearty Burger. Whataburger’s most beloved menu items had never before shared the spotlight, each reigning supreme for a limited time only before taking a bow and letting the next shine on center stage. But on Oct. 10th, the four sandwiches became a permanent fixture on the restaurant chain’s new All-Time Favorites menu.

98)  Steak ‘n Shake: The History of Hamburger Restaurant Chains
Steak ‘n Shake has been serving up Steakburgers since 1934. The company was started by Gus Belt in Normal, Illinois when he realized his original idea of a gas station with a restaurant serving hot chicken and beer was nothing new. Normal, Illinois already had enough of that going around so Gus decided to do something different and, with help from some of his friends, opened the first Steak n’ Shake.

97)  Chipotle Unveils Details about New Asian Restaurant Concept
In April, Chipotle Mexican Grill unveiled additional details for its new restaurant concept, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, inspired by the traditional shophouses found throughout Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Shophouses are classical two or three-story buildings where families live upstairs and run restaurants or fresh markets on the ground level.

96)  California Tortilla Dishes Up Advice on Successfully Using Social Media
Restaurants across the country, along with many other types of businesses, are learning that social media is a quick route to building a customer base. California Tortilla, a quick-casual Mexican restaurant chain, is one of those companies taking advantage of what such new media has to offer. As a result, they enjoy the benefit of learning more about their customers, while also getting the word out about their food.

95)  Original BUBBA burger Grill Restaurants Under Development in Jacksonville, FL
In February, BUBBA burger, the number one selling branded burger in America, announced the development of its Original BUBBA burger Grill restaurants. Original BUBBA burger Grill is a fast casual restaurant chain featuring a menu centered around all varieties of the premium BUBBA burger.

94)  Red Robin’s Prime Chophouse Burger Returns
Also in February, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers announced the return of its Prime Chophouse Burger for a limited time. The Prime Chophouse Burger featured a fresh, never frozen, fire-grilled burger patty served on an onion bun with made-from-scratch Country Dijon spread and layered with fresh horseradish-sautéed mushrooms, gourmet steak sauce, melted Provolone cheese and piled high with hand-battered crispy onion straws.

93)  50 Best Brunches in the U.S. Chosen by OpenTable Diners
In April, OpenTable announced the 50 winners of its Diners’ Choice Awards for the Top Restaurants for Brunch in the United States. The list of winners was derived from more than seven million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

92)  Wingstop Opens First Location in Monterrey, Mexico
Wingstop continued to expand throughout Mexico, adding its first location in Monterrey and its seventh store in the country.  The Monterrey location is part of a five-store development agreement for the State of Nuevo Leon with Restaurantès RCJ SA de CV. The agreement includes the cities of Monterrey, Salinas Victoria, Escobedo, Apodaca, Guadalupe, Juarez, Santiago, Santa Catarina and Garcia.

91)  Furr’s Fresh Buffet to Open in Spring, Texas
Furr’s Fresh Buffet, the new restaurant concept developed by owners of the Furr’s restaurant chain based in Dallas, announced their Spring, Texas location which opened on May 11th.

90)  Successful Startup Restaurant Business Plans
The process of opening a restaurant from start to finish can be, and should be, an arduous one. It requires a tremendous amount of research and determination, and it can easily get overwhelming.  So, where do you start?

The complete list can be found here:
http://www.restaurantnews.com/top-100-restaurant-stories-of-2011/

About RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers restaurant marketing, press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to grow their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.

For more information about RestaurantNews.com, please visit http://www.RestaurantNews.com.

Small changes will be “in” when it comes to weight loss in the New Year

Atlanta, GA  (Profitable.com)  For many people, losing weight will become a high priority this January. Refrigerators will be stripped of holiday leftovers, gym memberships will increase and new weight loss goals will be made.  Fortunately, more than 186 million American adults – or eight out of ten men and women – say they already have been “weight conscious” during the past year, according to a national survey conducted by the Calorie Control Council (CCC).  More than five out of ten (54%) have been trying to reduce their weight, and noted that exercise, cutting back on sugar, using low calorie or reduced sugar products, and restricting the size of meal portions are the most common approaches.

With so many Americans focusing on controlling and losing weight, what trends will emerge in 2012? The CCC is making these predictions when it comes to weight loss and obesity for the coming year:

1. More focus on farm to table: Trying to buy local products and cook seasonally.
2. Branching out and trying more international types of foods:  food choices will be influenced more often by other countries and ethnic cuisines.
3. Trendy exercises: In terms of exercise, the “barre” exercises will become more popular – with an emphasis on strengthening and lengthening muscles, taking a cue from ballet and dancer type exercises.
4. Calories count: According to the CCC, eighty-two percent of American adults consume low-calorie and sugar-free foods and beverages, to reduce calories and cut back on added sugars in their diets. That number will increase as more low-calorie products and recipes are introduced to the public.
5. Family meals more in vogue: Due to the economy people are eating out less and there will be more of a focus on nutritious, easy recipes that can get to the table quickly, but still bring the family together on a budget.

“With life busier and more stressful than ever, rather than making a complete overhaul, people will be looking for small steps they can take to be healthier,” said Beth Hubrich, a registered dietitian and executive director of the CCC. “Simple lifestyle changes such as increasing fruit and veggies by one serving per day, cutting out 50-150 calories per day by eating fewer bites of a sandwich, choosing a diet soda or low-cal beverage in place of the regular versions, and exercising 10 minutes here or there, can make a big difference in 2012 – and hopefully for life.”

Overall, according to the CCC, 2012 will be a year of positive change when it comes to calorie control – both calories consumed, and calories burned. “Keep a daily exercise and food diary to really see how many calories you’re putting in and burning back off,” advises Hubrich. “And find a friend or family member to exercise with and compare healthy eating notes. A little friendly competition can help you stay focused on your goals. Also, just cutting 100 calories a day over the course of a year can make a major difference.  That small amount – which most people will never miss – can result in a 5-10 lb. weight loss.”

For more information, along with free online calorie and exercise calculators, visit: www.caloriecontrol.org.

About the Calorie Control Council

The Calorie Control Council, established in 1966, is an international non-profit association representing the low-calorie and sugar-free food and beverage industry.  Today it represents 60 manufacturers and suppliers of low-calorie, low-fat and light foods and beverages, including the manufacturers and suppliers of more than a dozen different dietary ingredients including aspartame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose.  For more information, visit www.caloriecontrol.org.

Restaurant Strategies for a Tough Economy

(Profitable.com)  In today’s economy it is more important than ever for restaurants to promote their services. Eating out is, after all, a luxury – and a battle rages for the almighty dining dollar.  This leaves restaurants in a sticky situation.

“Restaurants need to promote the benefits they offer, and they need to do it at little or no cost,” says Troy Brackett, owner of RestaurantNews.com.  “Fortunately, we’ve been helping independent restaurants and restaurant chains do exactly that for over 12 years.”

It doesn’t matter how big or small a restaurant is, each one can make good use of a press release to promote their restaurant news, gain exposure and grow their customer base.

But it isn’t enough to write a press release and tell everyone how great your restaurant is.  The most important thing for restaurant owners and operators to remember is to make sure their press release is newsworthy.

For example, if you are about to open a new restaurant, this would be a newsworthy event. If you just want to promote your restaurant even though nothing new is happening there, you need to find an angle.

The good news is that there are plenty of things you can easily promote to gain publicity for your restaurant. For example:

• New menu selections and product launches
• Facebook or Twitter promotions
• A restaurant remodel
• Community service events
• Charitable donations made
• Celebrating a restaurant’s anniversary
• Holiday and special events marketing
• Personnel promotions

RestaurantNews.com offers press release services for independent restaurants and restaurant chains.  Whether you’re looking for a one-time release or need multiple releases, RestaurantNews.com provides an affordable restaurant marketing option.

For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/

RestaurantNews.com also offers exposure for restaurant chains looking for potential franchisees.  Please contact troy@restaurantnews.com for more information.

About RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.

For more information about RestaurantNews.com, please contact troy@restaurantnews.com or visit http://www.RestaurantNews.com.

Russian Patent Further Bolsters NEXT Proteins’ Worldwide Patent Portfolio

NEXT Proteins, Inc. Adds To Its U.S. and International Patent Portfolio, Hires Partnership Capital Growth to Consider Strategic Partnerships

Carlsbad, CA  (Profitable.com)  NEXT Proteins, Inc. (NEXT Proteins), pioneers in the development of the nutrition industry’s top protein products, has been awarded a second patent in Russia for its carbonated protein beverage technology.  This patent is based on the subject matters of four of Next Proteins’ U.S. patents.  The patent further expands the broad aspects of Next Proteins’ revolutionary protein beverage technology including the use of a wide range of energy ingredients, juice based protein beverages and the ability to make carbonated protein drinks without the need for secondary tunnel pasteurization.  This patent is another addition to Next Proteins’ expanding worldwide patent portfolio consisting of six patents granted in the U.S., and patents issued across 33 additional countries including the EU, China, Japan, India, Australia, and Mexico.

The recognition of NEXT Proteins’ technology by another sovereign state with a substantial CSD market further enhances the broad scope of NEXT Proteins’ worldwide patent portfolio.  For more than nine years, NEXT Proteins has singularly researched, funded and developed its revolutionary carbonated protein technologies, which are embodied, in part, in the company’s proof of concept commercial product: the world’s first carbonated high protein fitness drink, XAPP®.

Given the noted strength and breadth of its interlocking patents, the Company has fielded strategic interest in its intellectual property and has begun considering strategic partnerships and opportunities for the sale of its patent portfolio by hiring Partnership Capital Growth, a leading merchant bank who’s previous experience includes well-known successes in the space such as CytoSport (makers of MuscleMilk); acai market-leader, Sambazon; EAS, and Naked Juice.

“Our innovative Intellectual Property Umbrella allows us to produce carbonated protein drinks at any concentration in nearly every soft drink plant around the world.” stated David Jenkins, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NEXT Proteins. “NEXT Proteins’ patent portfolio provides an unimpeded path to leadership in the explosive growth category of RTD protein and enhanced functional beverages.  This patented technology redefines the market by providing significant flexibility and cost reductions for all protein beverage manufacturers, whether carbonated or still, in the U.S. or abroad.”

About NEXT Proteins, Inc.

Founded in 1988, NEXT Proteins, Inc. has been the driving force behind innovative protein brands including nutrition bars, beverages, and powders, that help consumers live healthier lives.   In 1993, NEXT Proteins pioneered the development of one of the industry’s best selling protein powders, DESIGNER WHEY®, and ten years later launched the blockbuster DETOUR® protein bars.

As early as 2002, NEXT Proteins was creating the world’s first carbonated high protein drinks.  Today with six issued patents in the U.S. and multiple patents issued or pending in all the major beverage markets around the world, NEXT Proteins is continuing its leadership in the development of revolutionary products with the new XAPP Protein Fitness Drink.   www.XAPP.com.

BUSINESS INQUIRIES CONTACT:

Tex Prows
NEXT Proteins, Inc.
General Counsel & New Business Development
(760) 448-3572 direct
TProws@XAPP.com
www.XAPP.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Don Williams
Williams Group Public Relations
(760) 201-8961 direct
(760) 707-4589 mobile
don@williamsgrouppr.com
WilliamsGroupPR.com

Top Restaurant News of 2011

Athens, GA  (Profitable.com)  RestaurantNews.com has released a report detailing its Top 20 stories of 2011.

20) Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant Owners Receive 2011 Faces of Diversity Award
In April, the National Restaurant Association honored Ethiopian sisters Berekti and Akberet Mengistu, owner-operators of Mesob restaurant in Montclair, N.J., with its 2011 Faces of Diversity American Dream Award.  The Mengistu sisters have operated Mesob for over seven years with Berekti handling the business operations and Akberet serving as chef.

19) Seafood Specialties, Culinary Confections Ring In The New Year At The Grand Central Oyster Bar
Grand Central Oyster Bar made a surprising, last minute jump into our Top 20 with the annoucement of executive chef Sandy Ingber special New Year’s Eve menu of seafood delicacies available for lunch and dinner at the historic restaurant “below sea level” in Grand Central Terminal.

18) Outback Steakhouse Free Steak Dinner Deal a Restaurant Marketing Win
Outback Steakhouse made a move that dominated restaurant marketing news in August by giving away one million free steak dinners in its Great Aussie Steak Out promotion.  The promotion was designed to introduce Outback’s new wood-fire grill steak preparation and new menu options.  RestaurantNews.com served up a tasty review of the campaign.

The complete report can be found here:
http://www.restaurantnews.com/top-20-restaurant-news-stories-2011/

About RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to grow their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.

For more information about RestaurantNews.com, please visit http://www.RestaurantNews.com.

First-Ever Collaborative Online Network for Restaurants and Their Vendors

Minneapolis, MN (Profitable.com) Nitch, an online collaborative platform that allows restaurants to collaborate as well as the ability to find and manage vendors, launched last week. The free platform allows restaurants to exchange industry-specific information in order to collaborate and learn from one another’s experiences.

“Facebook builds communities of friends online,” says Nitch founder Michael Noble. “In a similar way, we are grouping together Restaurants with one another to give them a single location to manage their vendors, source new ones, engage in e-commerce, save money on deal offers, find software to run their business and more.”

The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to use.

“To create a bidding opportunity to source a new product or service, it is as simple as filling out two fields,” says Noble. “Vendors automatically get your email and can respond to the bid opportunity. Most restaurant owners and managers don’t have the time to call vendors and get multiple bids and offers. With Nitch, restaurants save time and money using our platform.”

Restaurants can build out their “Vendor Pods” on Nitch to carve out their vendor communication from their normal inbox, view vendor twitter feeds and see specials and deals. Vendors can also be reviewed by other businesses.

“Our goal is to help independent businesses save money and to give B2B vendors the ability to be more targeted in their marketing activities,” says Noble. “We’re excited about what we’re doing and believe we can truly build a platform to help small business owners thrive.

Nitch is free to join. Go to www.nitch.biz to learn more.

Contact

Michael Noble
45 University Ave SE, #705
Minneapolis, MN 55414
mnoble@nitch.biz
952.657.4743

Restaurant Marketing Tips for the Holiday Season

(Profitable.com)  The holiday season is the perfect time of year to promote your restaurant.  Shoppers are hungry for holiday deals and special dining experiences.  An online press release can be an affordable, effective restaurant marketing tool for owners and operators this time of year.

Here are some ideas that can help your restaurant make the most of the holidays with an online press release:

Community Involvement – Are you working in the community to make the season brighter for others?  If you’re collecting food or toys for those in need, donating time or resources to local charitable events or working a fundraiser, those are all noble and newsworthy events.

Holiday Promotions – Holiday shoppers are hungry for a great meal and deal.  If you’re preparing a special holiday menu, or running a limited time offer, let current and potential guests know about it.  This is also a good opportunity to remind people of your holiday hours.

New Products – Deep fried turkeys, party platters, eggnog shakes, pumpkin pies and other holiday treats are all the rage this time of year.  Tempt their taste buds with a mouthwatering press release.

Catering Options – Catering can be an excellent sales and profit builder.  Although feeling the economic pinch, many large companies and small businesses are still spending money to show appreciation for their staffs as the year winds down.

Gift Cards – One of the most popular gift items during past holiday seasons has been restaurant gift cards, and even more of them are expected to be sold this year.  The National Restaurant Association reports that 78 percent of adults say they would like to receive restaurant gift cards or certificates on gift occasions.  Your restaurant’s gift cards should be a press release priority.

Social Media Festivities -  Facebook, Twitter and other online networking sites should, of course, play a part in your overall restaurant marketing strategy.  During the holidays, however, you have the opportunity to provide interactive holiday fun with online contests and promotions.

RestaurantNews.com’s online press release service offers an affordable restaurant marketing solution for owners and operators.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/

For daily restaurant news updates, subscribe to the RestaurantNews.com email newsletter at http://www.restaurantnews.com/subscribe/.

About RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to grow their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.

Boston, MD  (Profitable.com)  Phillips Candy House, http://www.phillipschocolate.com, offers free shipping on online orders placed on Monday, November 28th. Select from a wide variety of holiday chocolate gifts, including handcrafted chocolates, chocolate turtles, gourmet fudge gifts, hot chocolate and hand-roasted premium nuts made by hand in small batches with only the freshest ingredients.

Best-selling Chocolate Turtle Basket

Phillips award-winning chocolate turtles are made exactly as they were 86 years ago. Rich, smooth caramel is combined with hand-roasted premium nuts and topped with luscious milk, deep dark, or white chocolate with pecans, cashews or almonds. Phillips popular Chocolate Turtle Basket makes a great gift for family, friends and co-workers. One-pound Chocolate Turtle Basket is available for $41.95. Order online at http://www.phillipsturtles.com.

Gourmet Fudge Gifts

A delightful holiday gift or stocking stuffer, Phillips Candy House offers old fashioned, handmade fudge in a variety of flavors for$12.50 per pound. Favorites include chocolate fudge, chocolate fudge with walnuts, penuche fudge, penuche fudge with walnuts, chocolate marshmallow fudge, chocolate turtle fudge with caramel and pecans, peanut butter fudge and chocolate peanut butter fudge.

Gourmet fudge makes a great business gift. Order online http://www.phillipsfudge.com/.

Phillips Signature Hot Chocolate

Sold in a 12 oz. tin for $7.00, or in a holiday gift package for $13.95 with mini-marshmallows, chocolate shavings and handmade peppermint sticks, Phillips signature hot cocoa can be prepared with any milk – even rice or soy – to create a nice, rich hot chocolate to be savored on a cold winter’s night. Order online at http://www.phillipschocolate.com.

Phillips Candy House

Since 1925, family-owned and operated, Phillips Candy House, has delighted generations with New England’s finest selection of hand-dipped milk and dark chocolates, sugar-free chocolates, old fashioned fudge, chocolate truffles and hand roasted premium nuts. Phillips Candy House has two Massachusetts locations – 818 Morrissey Blvd. in Boston and at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree. All products are available by ordering online at http://www.phillipschocolate.com or calling (800) 722-0905. Phillips Candy House ships to locations around the world.

Contact:

Lori Moretti or Mindy Valone
CM Communications
(617) 536-3400
mvalone@cmcommunications.com

Quality Chef Knives a Great Gift Idea for Professional Chefs

(Profitable.com)  Professional restaurant chefs know that you need a top quality set of chef’s knives to prepare the best food. Trying to cut meats or vegetables with a dull knife is frustrating, a waste of time and ruins the presentation of your dish. If you need to choose a new set of knives for your kitchen, you need the indispensable information displayed on Best Chef Knives. This website gathers all of the information you need about the most popular knife brands like Victorinox, Wusthof and Shun. Whether you prefer the light, springy and super sharp Japanese-made blades or the heavy and dependable European style, Best Chef Knives will help you choose the best set for your needs.

Your professional chef knife kit must begin with a basic 6 to 8 inch chef’s knife. This is the backbone of all knife sets and is the most versatile blade in the kitchen. Not all chef’s knives are created equally – some are made of poorly tempered steel and are prone to rusting or chipping during use. Others have weak handles that break if you accidentally drop them in the sink or on the cutting board. If you don’t want to end up with a poorly made knife that is a waste of money, you need to spend some time reading the reviews collected on Best Chef Knives.

A 3 or 5 piece knife set will outfit any kitchen with the right tools for every cutting job. You’ll also know that every knife you use is durable and sharp because all of them will be from the same reliable brand. Best Chef Knives tells you which sets are worth the hundreds of dollars a quality kit costs, and which are simply unworthy of your purchase. By visiting this website you’ll be a better prepared consumer.

For more information, please visit Best Chef Knives at http://www.bestchefknives.net.

Restaurant Gift Cards Expected to be Hot Holiday Gift Option

(Profitable.com)  The weather is becoming colder and the colors of autumn are fading, signaling the start of the holiday gift giving season. Each year millions of shoppers struggle to pick the perfect gift without going over their budget. Trying to juggle gift buying with the other responsibilities of life makes the process stressful and irritating instead of enjoyable. Picking out just the right gift that each person in your life would love makes the process repetitive as well. Instead of struggling this year, take the easy route to a perfect gift and choose a restaurant gift card.

Restaurant gift cards have been growing steadily each year in popularity for the winter holiday season. A gift card is a flexible present that honors the recipient’s ability to pick their own perfect item. This has made it one of the most given and most wanted items. While gift cards were once limited to relationships that weren’t very close, you can now give these cards or certificates to spouses and children. Instead of trying to guess what they need based on their interests, you can simply hand over a pre-paid card that allows them to make the choice.

According to the National Restaurant Association, about 32 percent of consumers received a gift card for a restaurant last year. Restaurant gift cards are one of the most popular types to give. Since the recession has had a freezing effect on the dining habits of many Americans, a restaurant gift card allows the recipient to enjoy a nice dinner without worrying about picking up the tab. This is part of a greater trend of interest in experience based gifts rather than giving goods. Experiences have a longer effect on your mood, and can be far less expensive than a new watch or television set for the buyer.

Almost all major chains offer a gift certificate or prepaid card option, including Red Lobster, T.G.I. Friday’s and Outback Steakhouse. Local, independent restaurants also offer these options because they know that it brings in guaranteed business. Many diners first experience their new favorite restaurant through a gift. They dine out at a place they would have never tried otherwise, but end up enjoying the experience.

With the online options for shopping for restaurant gift cards you don’t even have to leave your home to finish your shopping this season. Even if you do want to pick it up yourself, a restaurant is usually a lot less packed and hectic than a large retail store on Black Friday. Instead of buying your grandmother another knitted scarf, or trying to guess the gift preferences of a co-worker you hardly know, stick with a gift card. The thanks you get from the recipient will be far more authentic.

The best waffle has a crispy, golden brown exterior while remaining light and fluffy inside. Even though waffles use basically the same batter as pancakes or crepes, a special tool called a waffle iron produces the signature texture and shape of a waffle. If you buy the right waffle maker for use at home, you won’t have to go to a restaurant just to enjoy a perfect waffle. However, choosing the right waffle maker can be more difficult than you think. You need the important information and reviews that BestWaffleIrons.com can provide.

Not all waffle makers are created equal. Some don’t provide enough heat to the metal plates of the iron. This leaves you with a floppy, pale waffle that does not taste as good. Others blast the waffle with too much heat while it is cooking and burn it or make the interior tough. The Best Waffle Irons website will tell you which waffle irons provide just the right amount of heat to make your breakfast perfect. You also need an appliance that will hold up to years of regular use. Waffle irons feature a crucial hinge between the two heated plates that allows you to open the waffle maker when your waffle is done, and keeps it closed while the waffle is cooking. Inferior quality waffle makers will break at this hinge after just a few months of breakfast use.

BestWaffleIrons.com provides you with all the information you need to make an informed decision when buying a new waffle maker. With one visit, you can find out exactly which waffle makers will produce a crispy golden waffle, and which are not capable of doing the job. Don’t waste your time and money on inferior appliances or spend all day combing through hundreds of review sites.

For more information, please visit http://www.bestwaffleirons.com.

Restaurant Owners Can Benefit from Black Friday and Holiday Efforts

Athens, GA (Profitable.com) Black Friday has become a truly massive national event, with retailers pulling in millions of dollars in just one day. Shoppers have come to expect deep discounts and amazing deals in exchange for waking up in the early hours of the morning. With all of the money being spent on this one day, many restaurant chains are getting in on the business with Thanksgiving hours and special holiday menus.

IHOP is catching travelers and shoppers with their Thanksgiving Day hours, which vary by location. The chain is also serving up its festive Holiday Hotcakes throughout the season. The twin chains of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes are offering 15 new take-home dishes for diners who prefer to eat their delicious cobblers and salads instead of cooking. Popeyes is also appealing to the family looking for a way to make holiday dinners quicker by selling fully cooked Cajun Style Fried Turkeys. Other chains serving a special holiday meal or offering discounts include Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Cracker Barrel, Boston Market and many more.

The economy has hit the restaurant industry hard, with most of the burden falling on independent restaurant owners and operators, and rising food costs have eaten into the profit margins on almost every menu item.

RestaurantNews.com is offering a special holiday deal on press releases to help restaurants advertise like a national chain without the budget of one. For only $49.95, restaurant owners can advertise just like the large restaurant chains, and reel in those hungry shoppers with their tasty deals and savings.

The press release format is perfect for advertising your restaurant without spending a lot on direct mail, website ads or social media management. For those who haven’t taken advantage of the power of a press release in the past, it basically begins with a snappy, attention grabbing headline to hook viewers.  Next, include your location so the search engines and news sites can pick it up for locals looking for information in your city and state.  The opening paragraph sums up the press release so readers quickly understand what your restaurant has to offer and what makes it unique. The rest of the press release outlines your restaurant’s menu and special holiday offerings, your hours, any special promotions or deals you have going on and other important information. Your contact information, including any website or social media addresses you have, is included at the bottom of the release.

RestaurantNews.com wants to help you grow your restaurant’s business by taking advantage of the holiday spending season. As shoppers gather gifts and hunt down bargains they’ll get hungry, and they won’t be returning home just to get a sandwich. By offering press release services for only $49.95, RestaurantNews.com is helping restaurants make the holidays a success.

For more information, please contact:
Troy Brackett
troy@restaurantnews.com
http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/

SamsClub.com Reveals Incredible Savings for Cyber Week Shopping Event

Bentonville, AR  (Profitable.com)  Sam’s Club, the nation’s eighth largest retailer, today revealed its incredible deals for the annual Cyber Week shopping event. Sam’s Club members can stay home and “cybernate” while shopping from the comfort of their home at SamsClub.com — and via the Sam’s Club iPad® app and mobile app — for exclusive savings on top holiday gifts ranging from big screen HDTVs and electronics to stunning diamond jewelry and toys for kids. The shopping event begins at 10:00 p.m. CST on Sunday, Nov. 27 and runs through Friday, Dec. 2.

SamsClub.com will also offer free shipping on select items* during the week-long holiday savings event. Members can shop for those must-have items on their gift lists like the Vizio 37″ 1080p LED HDTV for an impressive value at $498, including free shipping.** Other select free-shipping items** include the Highlander Deluxe Cedar Play Set with Slide and Swings for $899.00, the Kobe Beef of Texas 14oz Strip Steaks 6-pack for $132.46 and the 10-Kt. Gold-Filled Cross Classic Century Pen Set for $79.68.

“With the holiday season upon us, Sam’s Club is proud to offer our members online-exclusive values for all their entertaining, gift-giving and decorating needs,” said Fred Quandt, vice president of eCommerce at Sam’s Club. “And just in time for Cyber Week deals, we’re excited to announce the launch of our brand-new iPad^® app that will revolutionize the Sam’s Club shopping experience with features like one-tap checkout, interactive recipe finder and customizable shopping lists.”

Holiday Savings Made Simple with Cyber Week Shopping Event:

Sam’s Club members can take advantage of numerous holiday savings from the comfort of their home with online-exclusive deals* starting Sunday night. Top items will include:

• Vizio 37″ LED 1080p HDTV – $498, including free shipping**
• Serta Mattress Set (King or Queen) & Cuisinart K-Cup Brewing System
• Diamond Heart Pendant with 1/2 Carat Diamond – $299
• Asus i5 Notebook – $479, including free shipping**
• Kobe Beef of Texas 14oz Strip Steaks (6-pack) – $132.46
• Skylanders with Exclusive Drill Sergeant Character Pack
• Dell Berry 4GB/640GB with AMD Processor and 15.6″ screen in choice of Pink, Red, Blue or Black – $429, including free shipping**
• eZip TrailZ Electric Bike
• 14′ Round Trampoline
• Magnavox 32″ LCD 720p HDTV – $248.88, including free shipping**
• Canon T2i Digital SLR Bundle – $849, including free shipping**

Simplifying the Season with New Sam’s Club iPad® App:

Just in time for the busiest shopping season of the year, Sam’s Club announced the launch of its brand new mobile app exclusively designed for the iPad®. For the first time, members will be able to shop Cyber Week deals from their iPad® tablet. The browse-friendly application will allow members to engage in a unique and interactive shopping experience and explore new areas of the club. Top features include:

• Create customized shopping lists that automatically sync with the Sam’s Club app on any iPhone®, Android or Blackberry and SamsClub.com
• Shop products available both in-Club and online
• Join, upgrade and renew memberships
• View personalized eValues for Plus Members
• Explore new recipes using Sam’s Club food brands and other gourmet offerings

As the only warehouse club that offers an iPad® app for both online and in-club items, Sam’s Club makes it even easier to shop for those last-minute holiday purchases. Additionally, members can sign up for the Sam’s Club daily “Holiday Value of the Day” — now through Dec. 24, 2011 — to receive online exclusives, gifts with free shipping and instant savings. Visit SamsClub.com/holiday or download the Sam’s Club mobile application to your iPad®, iPhone®, Android or BlackBerry.

* While supplies last

** Free shipping available while supplies last for select items purchased from 10:00 p.m. CST , Sunday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 2 

About Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million Members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 30 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple®, visit SamsClub.com and look for Sam’s Club on Twitter, Facebook and our mobile app.

New York, NY  (Profitable.com)  For the first time, a Pinot Noir from California has been named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. The Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009 was chosen from among the more than 16,000 wines reviewed by Wine Spectator in blind tastings in 2011, for its classic score, its reasonable price and the role the winery has played in the rapid rise of Pinot Noir in the pantheon of California wines.

“Part of Kosta Browne’s appeal is its unique history,” explains Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. “This small Sonoma winery was founded just over a decade ago by two waiters who pooled their tips so they could make wine. Since 2002, Dan Kosta and Michael Browne have made 66 wines that have earned 90 points or higher—though they don’t own a single vine and make wine in a rented warehouse. In 2009, the greatest vintage yet for California Pinot, the team made 11 outstanding Pinots, including our Wine of the Year for 2011, which scored 95 points and was released at $52.”

The full list of the Top 100 will be published in the Dec. 31, 2011-Jan. 15, 2012, issue of Wine Spectator, available on newsstands beginning on Dec. 6. It is also available at WineSpectator.com. The 2011 list includes wines from 12 countries, with an average score of 93 points and an average price of $44. The complete list of Top 10 wines is detailed below.

Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines of 2011

1. Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009 (95 points, $52, 5,818 cases made)
2. Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Kathryn Hall 2008 (96 points, $90, 2,450 cases made)
3. Domaine Huët Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Première Trie 2009 (96 points, $69, 760 cases made)
4. Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (96 points, $50, 7,000 cases made)
5. Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008 (95 points, $50, 1,050 cases made)
6. Baer Ursa Columbia Valley 2008 (95 points, $35, 1,095 cases made)
7. Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional Douro 2008 (95 points, $55, 2,188 cases made)
8. Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2006 (96 points, $90, 1,500 cases made)
9. Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude 2009 (94 points, $55, 650 cases made)
10. Château de St.-Cosme Gigondas Valbelle 2009 (94 points, $58, 1,175 cases made)

In 2011, Wine Spectator editors blind-tasted more than 16,000 new releases. To determine the Top 100, the editors apply four criteria: quality (as represented by score); value (as reflected by release price); availability (measured by case production, or, for international wines, the number of cases imported); and an X-factor the editors call excitement. No equation determines the final selections; these choices reflect the editors’ judgment and passion about the wines tasted by Wine Spectator in 2011.

For more information about Wine Spectator and its Top 100 wines of 2011, please contact Thomas Matthews, executive editor, at tmatthews@mshanken.com.

About Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a publication that reaches more than 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses a web portal (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms, and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 16,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Food Arts, Market Watch, Whisky Advocate and Impact Newsletter.

Chicago, IL  (Profitable.com)  Groupon Now!™ (http://www.groupon.com/now) partners with Feeding America, the nation’s largest organization dedicated to fighting domestic hunger through a network of food banks, to kick off the weekend this Friday, November 18 with $1 Lunch Day. This is the largest Groupon Now! promotion to date, featuring $1 lunch deals from thousands of the best merchants across all 25 Groupon Now! markets.

Beginning around 9 a.m. local time November 18, all 25 Groupon Now! markets will feature thousands of $1 lunch offers showcasing the best midday dining options in every city. From sushi, wraps and pizza to five-star restaurants, burger joints and bakeries, customers can find $1 deals from their favorite spots across town or spend their lunch hour discovering different eateries.

“We’ve been privileged to work with thousands of great merchants to bring deals to millions of Groupon Now! users since we launched just six months ago,” said Dan Roarty, VP, Groupon Now! “We’re excited to kick off the holiday season with this fun-filled promotion to thank our customers and merchants alike and provide much needed relief to families in need in the coming weeks.”

Unlike traditional Groupon deals that are purchased for future use, Groupon Now! deals are redeemed immediately and good for that day only*. It’s easy to explore $1 lunch options and the site’s everyday collection of real-time deals, including places to pamper, have fun or go shopping; just check out Groupon’s mobile app or visit http://www.groupon.com/now. Merchants use Groupon Now! to attract extra customers in the hours they need them most, managing the flow of business in real time.

$1 Now! Lunch Day will be available to subscribers across the 25 North American Groupon Now! markets including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland and Toronto. In partnership with Feeding America, a portion of the proceeds from $1 Lunch Day will help provide half-a-million meals to families in need. Customers already using the Groupon app can download the updated version for full access to Groupon Now! To download the free Groupon app featuring Groupon Now!, visit the iPhone App Store or the Android Marketplace. For more information on Groupon’s mobile services, visit www.groupon.com/mobile.

*$1 Now! Lunch Deals is a one-time promotion and does not represent the pricing of regular Groupon Now! deals, which are discounted but priced at various dollar amounts.

About Groupon:

Groupon, launched in November 2008 in Chicago, features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy in 45 countries around the world. Groupon uses collective buying power to offer huge discounts and provide a win-win for business and consumers, delivering more than 1,000 daily deals globally. To subscribe for the best deals in your city, visit http://www.groupon.com. To learn how to become a featured business, visit http://www.grouponworks.com.

Monte Vista, CO  (Profitable.com)  Boiled, mashed, roasted or scalloped, potatoes are a perennial favorite at dinner tables everywhere, especially during the holiday season. Most of us hold cherished memories of family dinners at holiday time, and those joyous, sumptuous meals almost certainly featured Mom’s fluffy mashed potatoes or crispy potato latkes.

But potatoes are much more than a holiday staple and comfort food. Colorado-grown potatoes pack a solid nutritional punch that makes them a year-round part of a healthy diet. For instance, a medium potato (about the size of a computer mouse) has:

• Just 110 calories
• Nearly half the recommended daily serving vitamin C
• More potassium than a banana for a healthy heart and muscles
• Vitamin B6 to boost mind and metabolism
• Dietary fiber and essential antioxidants
• ZERO fat
• ZERO sodium
• ZERO cholesterol
• ZERO gluten

Colorado-grown potatoes deliver all that and more. Because of the unique high-altitude growing environment in the San Luis Valley, Colorado’s potato central, the valley’s spring and summer are filled with warm, sunny days and cool nights, the ideal combination for perfect growing conditions.

“You can really taste the difference in a Colorado potato,” says Jim Ehrlich, executive director of Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (CPAC). “Our cooler weather and isolated growing conditions eliminate pests and disease and create a smoother skin, richer color, and deeper flavor.”

For those who think carbohydrates must be avoided to manage body weight, think again: mainstream science advises that excess calories are to blame for weight gain, regardless of what foods they come from. Calories come from three sources: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Fats contain the most — 9 calories per gram; protein and carbohydrates each contain 4 calories per gram. So avoiding carbohydrate from potatoes and other vegetables deprives your body of essential nutrients. And those who must be gluten-free can enjoy potatoes in abundance.

Rachael Flatt, the 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Champion and now CPAC spokesperson, is an enthusiastic potato promoter. “I love potatoes for their nutritional value and their taste,” Rachael says. “Colorado potatoes, with their extensive varieties, are the perfect complement to any meal, especially at holiday time.”

To learn more about CPAC and healthy potato recipes, visit www.coloradopotato.org or find them on Twitter and Facebook.

About CPAC

The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is a consortium of 22 major potato warehouses that pack and ship potatoes in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Using ultra-modern equipment, shippers can take potatoes from storage to warehouse to truck any day during the shipping season without exposure to the outdoors. About 95 percent of the crop is shipped to the nation’s fresh market, making Colorado the #2 fresh potato shipper in the U.S. CPAC is headquartered in Monte Vista, Colorado, at 1305 Park Ave., PO Box 348, Monte Vista, CO 81144. Contact CPAC at 719-852-3322 or www.coloradopotato.org.

Austin, TX  (Profitable.com)  HomeSecurityGuru.com, recently collaborated with security experts and organizations to create a comprehensive list of the top Thanksgiving safety tips to follow this holiday season. Fire safety precautions were high on the list due to the growing popularity of turkey fryers which cause an estimated $15 million in property damage each year according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Also of prime importance this year is taking precautions online to protect your home off-line, which are new safety measures people should take now that social media has become more commonplace and a popular way to communicate with groups of people.

Tech Related Tips

•     Do not share that you’re going to be out of town and away from home on an email autoresponder
•     Do not share your holiday travel plans on Facebook, blogs and other social sites
•     Don’t put vacation updates on social sites
•     Don’t include away from home messages on your cell phone or home answering machines
•     Consider investing in a home security camera that syncs with the internet so you can keep an eye on children that are off from school for the holidays or monitor your home while away

“In the digital age, home safety is about more than just locking the doors and turning off the oven,” says Matt Ivester author of lol.OMG!: What Every Student Needs to Know About Online Reputation Management, Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying. ” It’s also, for example, being careful what you share online and with whom about where you are going and how long you will be gone.”

Home Security & Safety Tips

Protection 1, the nation’s second largest electronic security company, suggests following holiday safety tips.

•     Remove objects that may allow access into your home, such as ladders.
•     Turn the volume down or off on your home phone ringer so anyone outside can’t hear it ringing.
•     Have a friend or neighbor pick up any mail or deliveries that are sent to your house.
•     Don’t leave keys outside, even if they are hidden.
•     Cut tree limbs back from second story windows.
•     Use lights that are on a timer and set them to turn on at nightfall.

One thing that home owners may not think about during the festive holiday season is how decorations can impede safety. Home security consultant Neil Huotari advices, “if putting up holiday lights, keep in mind to not cover your address number of your house so emergency personnel can correctly identify your home if needed.”

Cooking Safety Tips

•     Opt for the new type of “oil-less” turkey fryer instead of the traditional fryer
•     Clean your ovens and cook top range vents to clear them of all grease
•     If an oven or microwave fire occurs keep the door closed. Turn the power off and wait for the fire to die.
•     Never leave cooking unattended, it’s the #1 contributor to cooking fires according to the NFPA
•     Never throw water or flour on a grease fire
•     Never put frozen food in boiling oil, which can cause an explosion of grease

Authorities estimate that every year one out of eight households has a cooking fire. However, the NFPA reports that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. Many of which are caused by cooking equipment, especially turkey fryers.

Fire Safety

•     Buy a fire extinguisher and learn how to properly operate it
•     Change smoke detector batteries
•     Test smoke alarms to ensure they are operable
•     Make sure fire alarms are located on all levels of a house and outside of bedrooms
•     Limit the number of appliances used simultaneously
•     Never use frayed electric cords or run them through a doorway

Alexis A. Moore, a consumer safety expert and former firefighter, shares this advice, “invest in a fire extinguisher that is ABC rated you can purchase one at any big box store or hardware store. Learn how to use it and practice. Check with your local fire departments many are more than willing to help consumers and assist them with learning how to operate an extinguisher safely.”

For more information on protecting your home and family during the Thanksgiving holiday season, crime statistics and more please visit, HomeSecurityGuru.com

About HomeSecurityGuru.com

HomeSecurityGuru.com, the web’s largest and most comprehensive home security website, provides users with a wide variety of information pertaining to personal protection and home security. Information provided by HomeSecurityGuru.com includes geographic crime statistics, home security equipment reviews and home security tips and guides featuring the writing of home security expert and writer Joe Timbers, surveillance camera expert Robert Moskal, city planner Michael E. Bregman and Dr. Craig Mixon an educational psychologist and expert in behavior modifications who specializes in canine behavior.

Bloomfield Hills, MI  (Profitable.com)  That’s Biz, a leading online restaurant marketing firm, introduced their Facebook Like Us Love Us application for restaurant fan pages just thirty days ago and has already hit 2000 monthly active users. Designed exclusively for restaurants, Like Us Love Us is the only solution that puts the information restaurant customers want to know on one tab.

“We use the Like Us Love Us application on several of our resort pages,” said Loren Gray Director of eCommerce for Ocean Properties. “We have looked at a lot of tools and Like Us Love Us is unique in its ability to limit offers and track customer usage. Their practical use of QR codes allows us to redeem promotions with simply a smartphone at our resort restaurants.”

The Facebook Like Us Love Us application is the result of That’s Biz developers creating Facebook applications for restaurants over the past three years and observing what works with the customer. In addition, this past summer That’s Biz completed a survey of thousands of restaurant customers and asked them why they visit and like a restaurant fan page.

“We also like how we can give our customers access to our website information right from Facebook,” Gray continues. “Everything on one tab makes it more convenient for our customers and gets them to visit our page more often.”

That’s Biz offers two versions of Like Us Love Us. Restaurant owners are in full control over the number, level, and redemption of promotions in both versions. They decide whether they need to promote more likes for their page and whether the offers should be restricted. The enhanced version of Like Us Love Us leverages a restaurants website and makes the information one click away from their Facebook page.

Dave Gonynor CEO of That’s Biz concludes, “We know customers check the Like us Love Us tab often because according to Facebook Insights data customers visit the Like Us Love Us tab as much as they do the wall.”

Restaurant owners can watch the attached short video and see how it works. They can also visit the That’s Biz Facebook page which has links to restaurant pages across the country that are using the application.

That’s Biz has a special Introductory Offer that runs through December of 2011. Check it out by clicking on Like Us Love Us for Facebook.

About That’s Biz:

That’s Biz provides email marketing, Facebook marketing and online survey services for thousands of restaurant locations across North America. For more information visit http://www.thatsbiz.com

Seattle, WA  (Profitable.com)  Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is investigating claims that the Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX), also based in Seattle, misled consumers by charging hidden fees on bags of coffee beans.

According to published reports, Starbucks recently ended a policy of adding an additional charge to bags of coffee beans weighing less than one pound – including half-pound bags. The fee in some cases may have been as high as $1.50 per bag. The fee was not applied to bags weighing a pound or more.

The state of Massachusetts recently fined Starbucks for failing to adequately disclose the fee to consumers. The surcharge was reportedly tacked on without itemizing the charge on receipts or otherwise notifying customers. In some cases, the fee was listed on receipts but was not identified or explained.

Hagens Berman is investigating this issue to determine if Starbucks violated the law by failing to adequately disclose the fee to consumers.

The firm encourages consumers who purchased Starbucks Coffee and believe they may have been charged the fee unknowingly to contact the firm. The firm can be reached for a consultation by calling 206-623-7292 or by emailingstarbucksfee@hbsslaw.com.

More information can be found at www.hbsslaw.com/starbucksfee.

About Hagens Berman

Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP represents workers, whistleblowers, investors and consumers in complex litigation. The firm has offices in Boston, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1993, HBSS continues to successfully fight for investor rights in large, complex litigation. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Visit the firm’s class-action law blog at www.classactionlawtoday.com.

Contact: Mark Firmani, Firmani + Associates Inc., 206.443.9357 or mark@firmani.com.

Coffee Lovers Put Single Cup Brewers on Christmas List

(Profitable.com)  Coffee, the world would be a grouchy place without it. For some people, it is the only way that they can face the day. It is an eye opener that gives them a much needed jolt to start the morning, but not everyone wants to brew a whole pot of coffee. Most of the times, an entire pot of coffee is just too much, especially for the single people out there. They have all resorted to standing in line, or using a drive thru window to get their early morning coffee fix. It is time to change that habit with a single cup coffee brewer. These kitchen appliances will make just a single cup of coffee, not an entire pot. For some people this can be an absolute life saver. No more spending a couple of bucks to stand in line and be handed a cup of coffee.

Single Cup Brewers offer up a whole new world to coffee lovers. There are single cup coffee brewers that offer gourmet coffee creation at the touch of a button, and there are single cup coffee makers that can make a good old fashioned black cup of coffee any time of the day. Regardless of price, coffee lovers will be able to easily find a single cup coffee brewer that fits into any budget. Automatic single cups of coffee have never been easier.

Where can coffee lovers find the best selection of single cup brewers? SingleCupBrewers.net is the answer, and they currently offer the following selections:

Black & Decker DCM18 Brew ‘N Go Coffeemaker

Bosch Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Brewers

Breville BKC700XL Gourmet Single-Serve Coffeemaker

Bunn MC MyCafe Single Serve Pod Brewer

CBTL Kaldi S04 Single Cup Brewer

Hamilton Beach Personal Cup One Cup Pod Brewer

Keurig K-Cup Home Brewer

Mr. Coffee Single Serve with Keurig Brewing Technology

Senseo 7810 Single-Serve Gourmet Coffee Machine

Toastess TFC-326 Personal-Size 1-Cup Coffeemaker

Coffee lovers will be able to find detailed product descriptions, specifications on each and every single cup coffee brewer. Find out what other coffee lovers are saying by reading in depth customer reviews. Single cup brewers make excellent gifts, and with the holidays getting much closer, now is a good time to start shopping.

SingleCupBrewers.net makes picking out the perfect single cup brewer easy.

Grand Opening of Five Guys Burgers and Fries at The Point in Robinson Centre, Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh, PA  (Profitable.com)  Five Guys Burgers and Fries will open its newest store at 324 McHolme Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275 on Monday, November 21^st, 2011.

Started in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia, Five Guys has built a cult-like following and garnered accolades for its freshness and quality such as “Heaven on a Bun” by the Tampa Tribune and “Willy Wonkas of Burgercraft” by the Washington Post. Five Guy’s has been ZAGAT survey rated every year since 2001 and has been voted the Washingtonian Magazine’s “Readers’ Choice” #1 Burger every year since 1999!

Five Guys business philosophy has remained consistent from the beginning: Keep it simple, focus on “food,” not “fast,” and use honest-to-goodness fresh ingredients of the highest quality you can buy.

There are now over 850 Five Guys stores in operation throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chris Abell, General Manager of the new Robinson store says, “We are very excited to have a presence in Robinson. It is often difficult selecting a place to eat as there are so many options. Now that Five Guys is in the area, dining dilemmas just got a little more exciting. Our focus will be to deliver a great experience our guests have come to expect.”

Derek Stevens, Director of Training and New Store Design, adds, “What excites me about Five Guys is our upbeat atmosphere. We have assembled a great team of local employees who are talented, friendly, outgoing and energetic. We look forward to giving our Robinson area guests the total Five Guys experience.”

Five Guys is open daily 11am-10pm. Store Phone: 412-788-5777 Online orders: www.fiveguys.com

Five Guys FAQS

There really are 5 guys! The 5 Murrell sons are the owners and namesake of the restaurant company which has more than 850 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Almost 100% of the Five Guys marketing budget is used for crew bonuses. Five Guys will distribute nearly 14 million dollars in bonuses to crew this year!

Five Guys locations have no freezers; only coolers, because nothing is ever frozen.

Each burger is hand-pattied daily from fresh 80% lean ground beef and is cooked to order.

Five Guys rolls are baked fresh daily and shipped to each store.

Potatoes are cut daily, soaked in water, cooked boardwalk style in no-cholesterol peanut oil.

There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys!

Wholesome Burger is a franchisee of Five Guys with plans to develop 40+ stores across Northeast Ohio and Pittsburgh.

Detroit, MI  (Profitable.com)  Could you imagine a child without a decent winter coat? It happens. That’s why Happy’s Pizza and Greater Grace Temple have joined forces in “Happy’s Coats For Kids” Winter Coat Giveaway. They’ll provide 4,000 “FREE” brand new winter coats for Detroit-area youngsters on Saturday, November 26, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for families with special vouchers, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for those without vouchers while supplies last. The giveaway happens at the New Rogell Golf Course, 18601 Berg Road in Detroit.

“Happy’s Coats For Kids” is the pizza chain’s way of getting the holidays off to a great start, and meeting an important need in the community. This is the 3rd year that they have partnered with Greater Grace Temple and retired Detroit Lion Lomas Brown. This year more support from the Detroit Lions includes a special appearance by Maurice Morris. Volunteers from Bank of America and City Year will lend a helping hand as well.

“It is always a great feeling to assist people with some basic needs in life, and we are excited to provide thousands of kids this winter with a brand new coat,” says Greater Grace’s Senior Pastor Bishop Charles H. Ellis III.

After a 3 year effort, close to 12,000 young people have benefited from this outreach. The coats are for youngsters 3 – 13 years of age. Sizes (2T – 2X Large) based on availability. Here is the process:

• Financially struggling families may pick up a voucher at Happy’s Pizza locations in the Greater Detroit area beginning onMonday, November 21st.
• Parents MUST present the voucher between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the New Rogell Golf Course on Saturday, November 26th to pick up a coat. For each voucher a child MUST be present.
• Parents without vouchers may pick up coats while supplies last from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For each coat a child MUST be present.

For more information, just stop by any Detroit area Happy’s Pizza location, and ask about “Happy’s Coats For Kids.” You can also visit www.greatergrace.org.

About Happy’s Pizza

In just 15 short years, Happy’s Pizza has become one of Detroit’s major players. With new stores opening throughout Michigan,Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Las Vegas, California and beyond.

Happy’s Pizza was established in 1996 and since has become a tradition in the Metro Detroit area. Happy’s Pizza has an extremely high standard of quality, customer service and attention to detail. Their large menu variety and great value is what makes them stand out. There’s something for mom, dad, kid, even grandpa and grandma. There are many places that deliver pizza, but very few that deliver ribs, chicken, seafood and much more. The decor includes solid granite counter and tabletops, bright neon signage, ceramic tile and walls of Venetian plaster.

Happy Asker, now 34, was just 18 when he opened his first Happy’s Pizza. He’d been working at a video store at Seven Mileand Hoover and noted a lack of dining options in the area. His family owned a pizzeria in San Diego and he knew he could do the same in Michigan. Recently, Happy’s moved its 25 corporate employees into a new 12,500-square-foot headquarters inFarmington Hills, Michigan.

Happy’s Pizza is very proud to be able to do its part in making a contribution to each community in which we serve. With rapid expansion under way, they provide many new jobs, great investment potential and innovative employee profit-sharing opportunities. Happy’s Pizza also makes charity a major priority. Whether it’s Coats for Kids, turkey giveaways or school lunch programs, Happy is committed to giving something back to the community. As their stores continue to thrive, Happy’s Pizza will continue to expand market share throughout the United States.

About Greater Grace Temple

Greater Grace Temple is one of the largest churches in the Detroit area. The church was founded in 1927 with only three members. Today there are over 7,000.

Greater Grace has long been a spiritual pillar of the Motor City, as well as an influential part of the civic community with continued efforts and outreaches to make Detroit a better place. The church has served as host to many pivotal community events, including the funeral of Civil Rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Its state of the art 35-million dollar facility anchors the site known as “The City of David,” a 19-acre campus in NW Detroit. Ellis Manor, an 89-unit apartment complex for seniors built by the church, also sits on the site. In 2007, the church purchased the historic 18-hole New Rogell Golf Course which was featured in Golfweek and Golf World magazines.

GGT’s Senior Pastor Bishop Charles H. Ellis III is also the newly elected Presiding Bishop of the 1.3 million member Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. The PAW is the world’s oldest Pentecostal denomination. He is also Bishop over the diocese of Ghana, W. Africa where he oversees 100 churches.

Locally, he is a respected civic leader and is known as “a man with a heart for people.” This is evidenced by the church’s more than 250 ministries. He has also been appointed to numerous boards:

• Board member Sinai-Grace Hospital (Detroit)
• Board member Detroit Zoological Society
• Board member YMCA
• Chairman of the Mayor’s Strategic Framework Plan Task Force

Bishop Ellis is a Business Administration graduate of Wayne State University with a major in Accounting. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Aenon Bible College. He is married to Crisette Michelle, and is the proud father of three children: Kiera, Charles IV, and Kirsten who made her transition in 1994.

Chicago, IL  (Profitable.com)  Extra® gum announced today that Root Beer Float will join the popular Extra Dessert Delights lineup as selected by gum chewers nationwide in the brand’s Fan Flavorite Vote housed on Facebook.

The Fan Flavorite Vote began September 8, 2011 and was the first time Extra gum provided fans the unique opportunity to vote for  the next Dessert Delights flavor that they want to see on store shelves. Gum chewers chose between Lemon Square, Root Beer Float and Bananas Foster in the voting campaign which wrapped on November 12, 2011 with more than 1.3 million votes.  With 662,817 votes, Root Beer Float was the clear winner over Lemon Square and Bananas Foster, which had 363,389 and 360,731 votes respectively.

The winning flavor, inspired by an all-American classic, will be added to the mouth-watering Dessert Delights lineup of Orange Creme Pop, Apple Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Shortcake and Key Lime Pie. Extra Dessert Delights gum is available at retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $1.19 (single, 15-stick Slim Pack®) and $2.49 (multi-pack with three, 15-stick Slim Packs). The new flavor is expected on-shelf at retailers nationwide in the summer of 2012.

About Wrigley

The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate.  The Company has operations in more than 40 countries and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries.  Three of these brands – Wrigley’s Spearmint, Juicy Fruit, and Altoids – have heritages stretching back more than a century.  Other well-loved brands include Doublemint, Life Savers, Skittles, Big Red, Boomer, Pim Pom, Winterfresh, Extra, Starburst, Freedent, Hubba Bubba, Orbit, Excel, Creme Savers, Eclipse, Airwaves, Solano, Sugus, Lockets, P.K., Cool Air and 5.  Wrigley is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, based in McLean, Virginia.  Mars is a $30-billion, family-owned company that produces some of the world’s leading confectionery, food and petcare products and has growing beverage and health & nutrition businesses.

©2011 Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. All Rights Reserved. Extra, Dessert Delights and all affiliated designs are trademarks of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. No purchase necessary. *For full rules and details on how to submit a request for free gum, visit www.facebook.com/extragum.

Whiting, IN  (Profitable.com)  Hosting a Thanksgiving meal is an honor and a joy for many, but sometimes the price tag that goes along with it can be daunting. A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that 44 percent of those hosting Thanksgiving this year are at least somewhat overwhelmed with the cost. More women said they feel overwhelmed by the cost than men, at 51 percent and 36 percent, respectively. This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from October 24-26, 2011 among 2,132 adults aged 18 and older.

Between a turkey, side dishes, beverages and dessert, a Thanksgiving host’s grocery bill can cost a cornucopia of money. Nearly one-in-five (17 percent) Thanksgiving hosts said they plan to spend $250 or more on the meal this year, while half (52 percent) will spend between $100 and $249. Others are planning a more frugal Thanksgiving, as 31 percent said they will spend under $100.

“Don’t let the burden of the cost of Thanksgiving fall squarely on your own shoulders,” said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. “Since many people will be enjoying the meal with you, consider asking guests to chip in on the cost, or better yet, contribute with a dish of their own. Combine the sharing strategy with other money-saving tactics and you’ll be well on your way to a less expensive Turkey Day.”

Thanksgiving hosts that are feeling overwhelmed with the costs are employing a variety of money-trimming plans, including the following:

• Use coupons – 60 percent
• Shop early to get the best deals – 48 percent
• Buy items at a warehouse store – 37 percent
• Ask guests to bring a dish or dishes – 34 percent
• Wait until the last minute for deals as stores empty out their inventory – 10 percent
• Buy pre-made items at a grocery/specialty store – 7 percent

Savings expert Warrick offers the following tips on how to dress your turkey (and all the fixings) for less this year:

Scour the Web for coupons: Do your homework ahead of your shopping trips to get the best coupons. Check out CouponCabin.com’s newly re-launched grocery section for coupons on thousands of different items, for everything from tablecloths to canned soups to gravy mixes and more.

Create a signature drink: One of the most expensive parts of a holiday meal can be the cost of alcohol. Think about creating one signature drink that will appeal to all, as opposed to buying beer, wine and specific types of hard alcohol.

Decorating deals: If you don’t have your own already, buying new tablecloths, napkins and decorations can quickly add up. Check out a local dollar store for plain tablecloths and more, and spice up your tables up on your own with leaves from your yard, fruit displays and more.

Survey Methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from October 24-26, 2011 among 2,132 adults aged 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, anawoj@couponcabin.com.

About CouponCabin.com

CouponCabin.com is a leading online destination for coupons including online coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more. Shoppers have saved nearly $250 million since 2003 and with the largest selection of coupons guaranteed to work, CouponCabin is the best place to start searching for savings. The average user saves $19 in just 80 seconds on the site. With customized email newsletters, browser savings alerts, new coupon alerts and more, shoppers will never miss out on a great deal with CouponCabin. For more information, please visit http://www.CouponCabin.com.

Bread Makers Review Offers Gift Ideas for Holiday Bread Making

(Profitable.com)  Bread has been around since the very beginning. It was and has always been a staple food that everyone enjoys eating, but not everyone enjoys making fresh homemade bread. This job can be a rough tedious task, and most people leave the job of making fresh bread to the local bakery. They just simply wash their hands of the entire process. Nobody wants to spend all of that time kneading the dough only to watch their loaf of bread never rise to the occasion. The reward for most people is just not worth the effort until now. Anyone can enjoy their very own fresh homemade bread with a home breadmaker. These handy little kitchen appliances take all of the hard work out of making bread, and leave nothing but perfect mouth watering bread every single time.

Consumers will find that there are plenty of home breadmakers on the menu, and some of them will make more than just bread. The Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme takes things up a few levels and allows people to cook tasty meatloaf, a rich decadent chocolate cake that will make a chocolate lover drool, and homemade jam. There is a breadmaker on every price level, and once people see the entire menu, they will have no problem finding that perfect breadmaker that is within their budget.

• Breadman TR520 Programmable Bread Maker

• Breadman Ultimate Plus 2-Pound Stainless-Steel Convection Breadmaker

• Cuisinart CBK-100 Programmable Breadmaker

• Oster 5838 ExpressBake Breadmaker

• Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker

• Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker

• West Bend 41300 Hi-Rise Electronic Dual-Blade Breadmaker

• Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery Programmable Mini Breadmaker

BreadmakersReview.com gives people more than a choice. It gives them detailed product reviews, specifications, and a handy “What is in the box” for just about every breadmaker on the market. Shopping for a breadmaker has never been easier, and with the holiday season fast approaching, a breadmaker makes an excellent gift for anyone that enjoys cooking. The holiday season is a hot time for kitchen appliances, and sometimes breadmakers sell out. Plan ahead and do your shopping now.

Don’t be left holding stale bread, find that perfect breadmaker today at BreadmakersReview.com.

Dallas, TX  (Profitable.com)  Meals to Live, the first and only grocery store line of frozen meals created specifically for people living with diabetes, adds a new product to its line - Glucose Quick Sticks, an easy-to-carry, quick-dissolving flavored powder packet that provides a healthy boost of glucose for those with challenges.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is a complication that can affect anyone living with diabetes. Meals to Live’s Glucose Quick Sticks come in two tasty flavors, watermelon and sour apple, and can be taken on a moment’s notice without liquid to correct low blood sugar quickly and conveniently.

“For people living with diabetes, anything to simplify day-to-day low blood sugar struggles and replace flavorless oversized tabs, messy gel tubes and liquids is a huge win,” said Dr. Steve Edelman, professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego. “Meals to Live is making living with diabetes easier for millions of adults and children with products like Glucose Quick Sticks that offer a simple, tasty solution to treating low blood sugar, which is a common problem they face.”

The sticks can be easily stored in a purse, lunchbox, backpack, pocket or desk drawer until needed. Each stick provides 9-10 grams of sugar-based carbohydrates per serving.

Glucose Quick Sticks will be available in select Kroger, Fred Meyer and Ralph’s grocery stores beginning November 2011 and are currently available at www.mealstolive.com. Suggested retail price for Quick Sticks is $5.99 for a package of 12 sticks, which are each 9-10 grams per stick.

Meals to Live also offers a grocery store line of frozen entrees that are chef-created specifically for people living with diabetes. Its flavorful and convenient entrees feature Chicken Fajita with Santa Fe Rice, Shrimp Jambalaya, Chili Relleno with Chicken and Ranchero sauce and more. Many of the meals are 100 percent gluten-free, and all feature easy-to-read packaging that clearly displays important nutritional information on the front to help consumers make quick, healthy decisions.

For more information, go to www.mealstolive.com, Facebook and Twitter.

About Meals to Live

Founded in 2010, Meals to Live is the only line of frozen meals specifically designed for those living with diabetes. Available for purchase at more than 2,000 retail locations in the U.S., Meals to Live may also be purchased online through the company’s website www.mealstolive.com. In 2011, Meals to Live introduced its quick-dissolve Glucose Quick Sticks, expanding its line of diabetic-friendly products. Meals to Live is a proud sponsor of the Diabetes Friendly Foundation (DFF).

Website: http://mealstolive.com

For more information, contact:
Mary Kate Smither
SPM Communications
(817) 329-3257
marykate@spmcommunications.com

Bloomfield Hills, MI  (Profitable.com)  That’s Biz, a leading online restaurant marketing firm is Michigan-based and pleased to offer Michigan restaurants a 35 percent discount on its Email Marketing and Facebook Marketing monthly service fees.

“Restaurant owners are some of the hardest working people we know” said Dave Gonynor CEO of That’s Biz. “We work with thousands of restaurants across the US. Michigan restaurants have been hit particularly hard these past few years.”

That’s Biz has designed its services for busy restaurant owners that don’t have time to create email marketing messages and figure out how to take advantage of social media tools like Facebook.

“We hear it all the time from restaurant owners that they do not have the time create email messages or manage a Facebook page,” Gonynor continues. “They certainly want to save money but they just don’t know how to get started and how to get the most value from these services.”

That’s Biz works exclusively with restaurants. Dedicated account managers create the customer email messages for the restaurant owner. That’s Biz has been helping restaurants manage their Facebook pages for the past three years.

Dave concludes, “We have built some amazing industry first email marketing and Facebook tools that are low cost and take very little of the owner’s time. We’re hoping that this lower pricing will help Michigan restaurants lower their marketing costs and increase business.”

The That’s Biz website has some very short videos that show the services and how a restaurant can benefit from these services. The standard pricing, savings button, and order form is listed on the Pricing tab on website.

The That’s Biz special discount offer runs through December of 2011 and guarantees pricing for all of 2012.

About That’s Biz

That’s Biz provides email marketing, Facebook marketing and online survey services for thousands of restaurant locations across North America. For more information visit http://www.thatsbiz.com.

Watsonville, CA  (Profitable.com)  Nordic Naturals®, the industry leader in omega-3 fish oil, makes taking your daily fish oil easier than ever with Omega-3 Effervescent™. This innovative powder containing the omega-3s EPA and DHA mixes with water for a delicious orange-flavored beverage. The revolutionary delivery system is clean on the palate and offers all the amazing health benefits of omega-3s and vitamin D3, such as heart, brain, joint and bone support. Packaged in single-serving stick packs, the product offers unrivaled convenience and lets you Drink Your Omega-3s™ any time and anywhere. Each serving offers 500 mg of EPA and DHA as well as 1200 I.U. of vitamin D3.

Winner of a 2011 Best of Supplements Award from Better Nutrition magazine, Omega-3 Effervescent has clinically proven faster absorption than soft gels—nearly 25%. The effervescent technology allows omega-3s to enter the blood stream in as little as 15 minutes, an added plus for those with compromised digestion or a weakened ability to absorb nutrients.

Now in stick packs, Omega-3 Effervescent is available in 7 and 21 count boxes and is ideal for both children and adults alike. Omega-3 Effervescent contains cod liver oil made exclusively from wild Arctic cod sustainably sourced from the Norwegian Sea. Sweetened with stevia in creamy orange flavor, the product tastes so great you’ll never know you’re taking fish oil.

To learn more about the benefits of drinking your omega-3s, simply log on to www.drinkyouromegas.com. Plus, four times in the month of November, Nordic Naturals will give away a free 7 count box of Omega-3 Effervescent to the first 50 people that make a request on the page. Like Nordic Naturals on Facebook to learn about the promotional dates!  www.facebook.com/nordicnaturals

Since 1995, Nordic Naturals has been the industry leader in fish oil supplementation, setting standards of excellence in the areas of purity, freshness, taste, and sustainability. With their reputation for efficacy and potency, Nordic Naturals fish oils and EFA blends are regularly chosen for study by independent research institutions and universities. Fifteen published scientific studies have been completed and more than 30 are currently underway. Distributing to over 30 countries on 6 continents, Nordic Naturals offers over 150 products in a variety of flavors, concentrations, and delivery forms. Call 800.662.2544 or visit www.nordicnaturals.com.

Chicago, IL  (Profitable.com)  An Australian sparkling pink wine has captured the fancy of Chicagoans who have purchased more of it than residents of any other U.S. city.

Emeri De Bortoli’s Pink Moscato is selling up to 1,000 cases per week in Illinois, the majority inChicago, according to Craig Orchard, vice president of sales and operations, De Bortoli USA (www.emeri.us).

Emeri is now the leading pink Moscato in the U.S., buoyed by its reputation for lighter alcohol content of 8% compared to an average of 12% for other wines, and a price that will fit most budgets at$12.99/750ml bottle.

A closer look at Chicago reveals that a wide range of consumers are purchasing Emeri, from women who buy it by the bottle at upscale grocery stores to young hip-hop fans sipping it from slim Champagne flutes in local clubs.

Between Dec. 2011 and March 2012, De Bortoli Wines USA will promote Emeri Pink Moscato in select Chicago neighborhoods on billboards, posters, advertising in the city magazine, Chicago Reader and other media.

The popular, bubbly wine has taken on a life of its own beyond any type of planned marketing activities.  Fans have set up their own Facebook page with nearly 2,500 fans, while websites and bloggers are popping up to promote Moscato Nation, ”…an association for those who love America’s fastest-growing varietal.”

Even the media have jumped on the bandwagon with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s story, “Hip-hop finds a wine,” and Consumer Reports’ 2011 selection of Emeri Pink Moscato as its No. 1 pick for a Valentine’s Day toast based on price and taste. That was followed by an article in Consumer Reports’ sister magazine, Shop Smart, which also gave its 800,000 readers a thumbs-up on Emeri.

States, other than Illinois, where Emeri Pink Moscato has become a hit are South Carolina, New Jersey/New York, Tennessee,Indiana, Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Wisconsin. Also in the family of Emeri Sparkling Wines are Emeri Moscato, Emeri Sauvignon Blanc and Emeri Pinot Grigio.

In Chicago, Emeri is available at a number of grocery and drugstore retailers, big box stores, at some bars and nightclubs.

To learn more about Emeri Pink Moscato and its three sparkling sisters, visit www.emeri.us. For photos and more information, media may contact Olga Haley, olga@leoketel.com 503-860-0848.

Sexy Fit Chef Jennifer Nicole Lee Brings Sexy Back Into the Kitchen & Breaks the Laws of Healthy Cooking with Her Third Book Entitled “The Fun Fit Foodie Cookbook”

New York, NY  (Profitable.com)  Jennifer Nicole Lee is an internationally known wellness guru, motivating millions with her weight loss success story. Now with two bestselling books under her apron, she releases her first cook book “The Fun Fit Foodie”. Jennifer was frustrated by the typical healthy diet cookbooks on the market which promoted boring tasteless “card board” food, which for the most part resembled the same boring dishes, such as boiled chicken and broccoli or oatmeal and eggs. With a passion for all things healthy, JNL set out on a mission to create the most tantalizing gourmet fit foodie cookbook. Her original dishes are full of flavor, exotic spices, and interesting combinations. She is truly breaking the rules of healthy cooking.

The food industry is taking notice. JNL quotes, “We have had major interest from the big name food brands, who are seeking to link their own food brands to the Fun Fit Foodie brand. Being a mom, a wife, and a weight loss success story real every day women can relate to me, and the mega food brands see this. My voice represents the voice the hard working wives, and mothers who want more out of their food and meals for their family and friends.”

JNL’s media production team JNL World Wide Media Productions produced the Fun Fit Foodie TV series, which is also getting many key players in the food and gourmet fields to raise their eyebrows. With 12 complete Fun Fit Foodie Episodes that are all entertaining, enlightening, and also educational without making anyone feel bad about their current food choices, JNL shows the world she is bringing fit and sexy back to the kitchen.

When asked what the future holds for the Fun Fit Foodie brand, Jennifer replies, “We defiantly will branch out into kitchen and cooking appliances. My offices have had several cooking appliance companies approach us and show us current cooking accessories, utensils, and cook ware that make cooking healthier, more fun and easier. If George Forman can do it with the Foreman Grill, the Fun Fit Foodie brand can do it too. We look forward to getting these products into our fellow fun fit foodie’s hands.”

For more info, please visit http://www.TheFunFitFoodie.tv

Eagle, ID  (Profitable.com)  Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence is partnering with Alexia Foods, a line of premium, all-natural frozen potatoes, appetizers and side dishes, to help make everyday meals extraordinary and to kick-off the brand’s “Reinvent a Classic” campaign. Now through March 2012, consumers across the county are invited to have their culinary opinions heard by helping vote for the next great Alexia french fry flavor to be sold in stores.

Earlier this year, Alexia invited 22 of the country’s top food bloggers to showcase their culinary talents by submitting recipes for the next great french fry flavor. The submissions were narrowed down to the top four, which Florence helped unveil at the annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this past weekend. Fans can now view the top four finalists and select their favorite on the Alexia Foods Facebook page. In addition to voting, consumers can get a $1 off coupon for Alexia products, while supplies last, and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to San Francisco complete with dinner prepared by Tyler Florence.

“I’m constantly adding new ingredients and special touches to reinvent classic dishes and now consumers have the chance to help Alexia do the same,” said Florence. “From Bruschetta Waffle Fries with basil and oregano to Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with lime, ginger and red Thai curry, this year’s ‘Reinvent a Classic’ campaign has a flavor for everyone.”

How to Vote:

Now through March 30, 2012, consumers can visit www.Facebook.com/AlexiaFoods and click on the “Reinvent a Classic” tab to cast their vote for one of the following fry flavors:

• Bruschetta Waffle Fries (created by Farihah Ali of Spice’s Bites)
• Classic Dill Julienne Fries (created by Angela Williamson of Fab Find Foodie)
• Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Julienne Fries (created by Marla Meridith of Family Fresh Cooking)
• Herbes de Provence & Garlic Sweet Potato Julienne Fries (created by Chrystal Baker and Amir Thomas of The Duo Dishes)

This is the second year for Alexia’s “Reinvent a Classic” campaign. Thousands of votes were cast for last year’s winner – Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries, which will be available in stores beginning January 2012. To see Tyler Florence’s exclusive recipe pairing for the new Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries and to cast your vote for the next great french fry flavor, visit www.Facebook.com/AlexiaFoods.

More from Alexia

Alexia Foods has a wide variety of gourmet-inspired fries including Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Fries with Seasoned Salt, Julienne Fries with Sea Salt, Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries with Chipotle Seasoning and much more. In addition to all-natural, premium fries, Alexia offers a full line of gourmet-inspired frozen potatoes, appetizers and breads and side dishes that go from freezer to table in less than 30 minutes, including new Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs.

About Alexia

Alexia Foods was founded in 2002. Alexia products are available at natural, gourmet, club, grocery and mass retail stores. For more information, please visit us at www.AlexiaFoods.com or www.Facebook.com/AlexiaFoods.

London  (Profitable.com)  Fast-food chain YO! Sushi hopes never to buy a server again, according to its IT Manager Billy Waters, and is placing its bets on cloud computing to improve productivity.

Running Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office and other applications on 7 year old servers was a cause of concern to YO! Sushi. “The servers were reaching the end of their useful life and replacing them and upgrading our core office software would require substantial investment,” explained Waters. “We were convinced that there was a more elegant, cost-effective and efficient alternative.”

Determined to identify a flexible alternative that delivered the capabilities that YO! Sushi required – both today and for the future – and which delivered real value for money, Waters evaluated the options. “Broadly speaking, there were three options: Replace and upgrade our on-premise infrastructure, partner with an organisation that provided hosted data centre services, or the Cloud,” said Waters. Yo! Sushi worked with IMGROUP – Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner of the Year in Business Intelligence and Data Management for four consecutive years, who recommended that the business migrated its entire infrastructure over to Microsoft Office 365.

“Microsoft Office 365 takes the industry’s most recognised set of productivity and collaboration tools and delivers them as a subscription service,” explained IMGROUP’s Head of Online Services, Jeremy Neal. “With Office 365, YO! Sushi could lower overall costs and deliver the right set of tools for the right users, all with appropriate layers of security and compliance.”

“The more we looked into the benefits of Office 365, the more we realised that it could have been tailor-made for us – it was considerably cheaper than the other alternatives, far easier to manage and removed, at a stroke, all of our business continuity and disaster recovery concerns. It was, basically, a ‘no brainer,’” explained Waters.

According to Waters, the cloud set-up will save YO! Sushi about 40% over a five-year period compared to an on-premise exchange server. “In addition to the up-front and long term savings, we get the benefit of having tools such as SharePoint online, as well as not being in the position of replacing an Exchange server again in five years,” he explained. “And the solution is future-proof. If we went the traditional route, we would have to do the same thing again in 5 years time. This way, we never have to buy a server again!”