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NEWS ROUNDUP

Wholesome Buys Two Firmsolesome & Hearty Foods Inc., a manufacturer of frozen, meatless food products based here, has acquired Gorilla Foods and Whole Foods Marketing, both based in Ojai, Calif.Gorilla was acquired for Wholesome & Hearty common stock valued at a total of $1.65 million, $68,750 in cash and future stock options. Whole Foods Marketing was acquired for $350,000 in cash."The acquisition

Wholesome Buys Two Firms

olesome & Hearty Foods Inc., a manufacturer of frozen, meatless food products based here, has acquired Gorilla Foods and Whole Foods Marketing, both based in Ojai, Calif.

Gorilla was acquired for Wholesome & Hearty common stock valued at a total of $1.65 million, $68,750 in cash and future stock options. Whole Foods Marketing was acquired for $350,000 in cash.

"The acquisition of assets of these two companies and the associated technologies will enable Wholesome & Hearty to broaden our product line and maintain greater control over the meat analog product market," Paul Wenner, Wholesome & Hearty senior chairman and chief executive officer, said in a company statement.

Wholesome & Hearty Foods' Gardenburger and other GardenProducts are carried by more than 7,000 grocery and specialty food stores and more than 4,000 natural food stores.

Gorilla Foods marketed the Gardendog and was in the process of developing Gardenchicken, which Wholesome & Hearty is continuing, a company spokesman said. Whole Foods Marketing distributed Wholesome & Hearty Foods and Gorilla Foods products.

Barber Adds Chicken Minis

PORTLAND, Maine -- Barber Foods here has added Stuffed Chicken Minis to its line of frozen chicken-breast products.

The frozen, bite-sized chicken breasts come in two stuffed varieties: Pepperoni & Cheese and Ham & Cheese.

Each package contains nine 1.2-ounce pieces. The suggested retail price is $3.49 to $3.79. Barber Foods also manufactures 6-ounce and 7-ounce frozen stuffed chicken breasts, appetizers and Italian chicken fingers.

Ruiz Offers Entrees for One

DINUBA, Calif. -- Ruiz Food Products, a frozen Mexican food manufacturer based here, is rolling out a new line of authentic Mexican burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas.

Called El Monterey Mexican Grill, the line consists of eight single-serve, boxed entrees. Items include steak and chicken burritos, rolled in fresh-baked flour tortillas; corn tortilla enchiladas in beef, chicken and natural cheese varieties, and chicken, cheese, steak and Southwestern vegetable quesadillas.

Low-Fat Ice Cream Planned

ATHENS, Tenn. -- Mayfield Dairy Farms here plans to introduce a low-fat premium ice cream in Southeastern supermarkets in early spring.

Mayfield Lowfat Ice Cream will be available in eight flavors: Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Rocky Road, Black Forest Mocha, Candy Bar Swirl, Blackberry Crumble, Chocolate Malt, Dutch Chocolate and Vanilla.

The ice cream will be offered at retail only in half-gallons, with a suggested price range of $3.19 to $3.39.

New Superpretzel Rolls Out

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. -- J&J Snack Foods Corp. here has added Cinnamon Raisin Minis to its Superpretzel frozen snack line.

The microwavable, 1-ounce soft-pretzel minis, which contain Sun Maid raisins, come 12 to a package complete with squeeze-on icing packets. They have a suggested retail price of $2.49.

The Cinnamon Raisin Minis are being rolled out at supermarkets in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, central Pennsylvania and the Baltimore/ Washington area, with plans for wider distribution.