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Tom Thumb Goes 'Boxing'Food & Drugs here, a division of Houston-based Randalls Food Markets, is using empty boxes as an inducement for consumers by buy fried chicken from the deli.The merchandising tactic, spotted at a store here, employs a tableful of empty boxes in the aisle in front of the service deli, accompanied by a sign directing customers to grab a box and get it filled with chicken at the

Tom Thumb Goes 'Boxing'

Food & Drugs here, a division of Houston-based Randalls Food Markets, is using empty boxes as an inducement for consumers by buy fried chicken from the deli.

The merchandising tactic, spotted at a store here, employs a tableful of empty boxes in the aisle in front of the service deli, accompanied by a sign directing customers to grab a box and get it filled with chicken at the service counter.

The large sign, perched on the table, read, "Bring one of these empty boxes to our deli and we'll fill it up with 8 pieces of chicken for $3.49." Another sign at the display, referring to KFC's fried chicken, said, "If the Colonel's chicken was as good as ours, they would have made him a general."

Officials at Tom Thumb's corporate offices could not be reached for comment on the merchandising tactic. A phone call to the store here revealed that $3.49 is the everyday price for eight pieces of fried chicken.

A Kroger store just across the highway, meanwhile, was retailing eight pieces of fried chicken for $5.99.

Cobranded Salads Prepared

IRWINDALE, Calif. -- Ready Pac Produce here has signed an agreement with celebrity restaurateur Wolfgang Puck to launch a cobranded line of prepackaged salads.

Chris Nelson, executive vice president of Ready Pac, said the first phase of the line will be prepackaged salads without proteins. Once certain technical issues have been addressed, the second phase will include salads with meats and cheeses, Nelson said. "We're taking advantage of the move toward home meal replacement," he said, adding that the salads will be complete. Consumers will be able to eat the salads out of the packages, and utensils will be included.

Both companies are working to get the line on supermarket shelves as soon as possible, Nelson said. "We expect great trade interest."

Wolfgang Puck's company, Wolfgang Puck Foods, based in Santa Monica, Calif., currently markets a line of pizzas, pastas and other items under his name.

Food-Service Workshops Set

DAYTON, Ohio -- In-store deli food service has become the hottest topic in a workshop series offered by retail consultancy Solganik & Associates, said Howard Solganik, president of the company.

The firm runs a yearly series of hands-on training sessions at its facilities here. This year, Solganik & Associates has put together six workshops focusing on aspects of food production and operations in the supermarket deli.

The workshop called "Today's Deli" will be run twice, because it is proving to be the most popular, said Solganik. That workshop puts special emphasis on the chilled ready-to-heat, hot ready-to-eat and food court segments. Solganik said the participants learn essential aspects of food preparation, case merchandising and promotions.

Other workshops this year have already concentrated on recipe development and deli merchandising. The remaining scheduled sessions are "Focus on Fresh Prepared Foods," March 19 to 22; "Today's Deli," April 23 to 26; "Catering: Party Platters to Full Service," July 16 to 19; "Entrees, Soups and Sides," Aug. 20 to 23, and a repeat of "Today's Deli," Oct. 15 to 18.

Fat-Free Meats Served Up

MILWAUKEE -- Emmber Foods here has introduced a line of fat-free, ready-to-serve deli meats.

The line, called Lean N Tender Fat Free, includes roast beef, corned beef and pastrami. The products, the manufacturer said, are made from beef specifically intended for deli shaving.