CHEF BOYARDEE TO MAKE SESAME STREET PASTA

CHICAGO -- The fledgling little kids' specialty food category just got a little bigger.

et Sesame Street Pasta, a new dual line that includes canned items for preschoolers and microwavable items for toddlers.

American Home Food Products, Madison, N.J., the manufacturer of Chef Boyardee products, formally announced the line at the Food Marketing Institute's annual convention here. The company has begun presenting the two-pronged program to retailers and expects to start shipping in June.

This represents the first food licensing agreement for the Children's Television Workshop, now in its 25th year.

American Home Food will throw some marketing muscle behind it, including $11 million worth of television and magazine ads, three national FSIs and two targeted mailings to parents of preschool children. There will also be on-pack and under-lid couponing and marketing to health care personnel, executives said.

The product is prepared pasta in the shapes of Sesame Street characters. There are seven varieties: four in 15-ounce cans for the canned food section and three 6-ounce microwavable bowls for the baby food section.

Chef Boyardee officials said the new line has no MSG, one-fourth to one-half the sodium found in other canned pasta, no preservatives and less sodium than Gerber Graduates, the leader in microwavable baby food.

Barbara Pound, senior product manager for new products at American Home Food, said the microwavable baby food category accounts for $25 million in sales annually and is growing by 30%. She said she expects the Chef Boyardee entry to garner at least a 20% share, since it is the first in the category to offer shapes.

"We view the Sesame Street Pasta line as a major breakthrough," said Charles E. LaRosa, president of American Home Food. "Our research has confirmed the products appeal to young children, and parents like its nutritional profile. With the promotional support we intend to provide, we expect to capture a major share of this expanding market."

American Home Food Products is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Home Products Corp.