By the time you read this, the 2026 MLB season will be in full swing (pun intended); golf clubs will be cleaned and ready for the first tee off and flowers will bloom in gardens everywhere. After the harsh winter, we deserve sunshine and a reason to smile!
March is Women’s History Month. It began in 1978 in Santa Rosa, CA as Women’s History Week. Two years later, a consortium led by the National Women’s History Project, lobbied for national recognition. President Jimmy Carter then issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.
It became a month-long event 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” Without us, the human race would be extinct. So, you’re welcome.
My father taught me that necessity is the mother of invention, and throughout history, women have, through their own intuition, creativity and in some cases desperation, been part of many inventions we rarely hear about. The food sector is no exception. So, this year, the food industry focus is on one woman who changed the way we cook and another who invented one of the most beloved cookies in the USA. Fannie Farmer (b. 1857) was a New Englander who, after suffering a debilitating stroke at age 15, kept herself busy cooking and creating recipes at home. She overcame her paralysis and entered the Boston Cooking School at age 30 where she learned all aspects of the domestic science movement of the 1880s. The movement promoted public health and techniques of cooking and baking, among other things. It evolved to home economics and more recently family and consumer sciences education. Ms. Farmer remained at the school after graduation and over time became the principal. Her book, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, revolutionized American cooking, replacing a handful of this or a lump of that with standardized measurements in all her recipes, making her the “mother of level measurements.” I can attest to the value of her contribution to cooking. I have my grandmother’s handwritten recipes, and they say, a glass of sugar, or half a glass of oil. What size glass, grandmom?? Now known as the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, it remains in print some 100 years after its first publication. She also published Food and Cookery for the Sick and Convalescent, teaching proper nutrition to doctors and nurses. She continued to write, create recipes and lecture until she passed at the age of 57 from a stroke. Her impact on modern cooking was immeasurable.
Another New Englander, Ruth Graves Wakefield, was an American baking chef who invented the Toll House chocolate chip cookie. She held a degree from Framingham State School of Household Arts. She taught home economics at Brockton High School, in addition to working as a hospital dietitian. Together with her husband Donald Wakefield, a meat packing executive, they bought an historic building in Plymouth County and turned it into an inn. They named it The Toll House Inn because it was a toll house in its former life.
The inn’s reputation for good food spread quickly with the seating expanding from seven tables to 60. Ruth used her own recipes to create the menu. There are varying stories about how the Toll House Cookie came to be. In her own words, Ruth said, “We had been serving a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. Everybody seemed to love it, but I was trying to give them something different. So, I came up with Toll House cookie.” The cookie didn’t come without its trials and tribulations. Ultimately, she found the semi-sweet Nestle’s chocolate bars worked best with the cookie dough. During WWII, Toll House cookies gained popularity when they were sent to Massachusetts soldiers stationed overseas. It was mentioned in many publications, spreading the word of this delicious baked good all over the country.
Here’s the business deal: due to the massive popularity of her recipe, featured in her cookbook Toll House Tried and True Recipes, Nestlé saw a massive surge in sales for their chocolate bars. In 1939, Ruth sold the rights to the Toll House name and recipe to Nestlé for one dollar and a lifetime supply of Nestlé chocolate. In exchange for Wakefield offering Nestlé permission to print the recipe and market their semi-sweet chocolate as a key ingredient, Wakefield received a $1 payment for recipe rights, a lifetime supply of baking chocolate, and a consulting deal with Nestlé. In tribute to the original story, Nestlé branded the product “Toll House Cookies.” The chocolate chips premiered in 1940, and the original recipe remains on the package to this day. And now you know.
Our good friends at Redner’s premiered their new app earlier this month. The new app offers a completely new Redner’s mobile experience, with access to exclusive rewards and savings and the ability to collect and redeem gas and grocery points, plus access to grocery delivery and pickup and catering orders. To mark the launch of the app, Redner’s is hosting a five-store “Appiness Tour,” that kicked off at their Douglassville Fresh Market location. During the “Appiness Tour” Redner’s leaders are hitting the road and hosting special in-store celebrations stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. The five events feature giveaways, customer spotlights, app demos and more celebrating the people and technology that help make life more rewarding through Redner’s.
“For 56 years, Redner’s has taken pride in delivering on the needs of our shoppers and our communities,” said Redner’s President and CEO Ryan Redner. “This new app marks our increased focus on innovation as we continue that legacy. We’re giving busy shoppers the ability to shop in the ways that work best for their families, while offering our loyal customers access to exclusive rewards and savings. I can’t wait to show people everything this new app can do.”
Eric White, director of marketing and communications at Redner’s signed me up at the Audubon store and gave me a quick demo of how to use the new app. The new Redner’s app is a totally new mobile experience purpose-built to make life more rewarding for Redner’s customers, offering everything Redner’s has to offer with just a few taps. The app offers benefits and better experiences at all Redner’s locations, including Warehouse, Fresh Market, and Quick Stop locations. App users also earn 5¢ off per gallon of gas for every $50 spent at Redner’s stores. This perk can be redeemed at thousands of partner fuel stations such as Speedway and Sunoco. “We’re so excited for this new app, and we’re pulling out all the stops to celebrate,” said Redner’s chief operating officer Gary M. Redner. “These tour events will be fun celebrations showcasing everything this app can do. And for folks who need a little guidance downloading and using it, we’ll have teams on hand to help.” The Redner’s mobile app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Joy Sgro, VP and general manager at C&S, let us know at their selling show in Lancaster, PA earlier this week, that the current two selling shows per season schedule is being merged into one larger show per season beginning with the Fall selling show. The new dates are August 17 and 18 at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. Please refer to our calendar on page 2 for more information on upcoming events. And, remember, you can always check for an up-to-date listing of events at foodtradenews.com.
Speaking of C&S, one of our favorite people is retiring effective April 1. Taking a walk into the sunset is Emilio Aritz, who has spent his 47-year career in the retail food industry. Beginning in 1979 at Acme’s Forty Fort, PA division while in college, Emilio was in many departments; first in the office and then moving to store operations and landing as a store manager. In 1995, he moved to AWI as a retail business counselor and went on to be the director of merchandising and ad groups. When C&S bought AWI, Emilio stayed on but was made the senior director of merchandising with DSD responsibilities and independents, especially Shur Save. As he departs, Emilio leaves C&S as the senior manager of independent promotions for all of C&S. He said, “For 31 years, I have helped the independent compete with the big guys. It has always been about driving the independent’s business.” Well said. Enjoy your well-earned retirement, Emilio!
A tip of the hat to Flashlight Marketing and founder Carly Spross, on recently being named ‘Women Owned Business of the Year’ by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Carly and her team of capable women work to help clients grow using a blend of creative marketing, design, photography, communications and digital resources. You go girl!
We also send huge congratulations to Dr. Ernest Baskin who was just made a full professor at Saint Joseph’s University. Dr. Baskin is the chair of the Department of Food, Pharma and Healthcare. The best is yet to come!
Heaven gained another angel on February 26 when John M. Maglio, former owner of Maglio Sausage Company, passed away at the age of 95. Part of the old guard generation in South Philly, “Uncle” John as he was known, was perennially tan and loved the game of golf when he wasn’t representing Maglio’s in the trade. Predeceased by his seven brothers and sisters, his beloved wife Dorothy M. Maglio and son Robert Maglio, John is survived by grandchildren Dorothy and Jamie Maglio, four great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, family and friends. Rest in peace, Uncle John. May you play golf in the sun for eternity.
Taking another trip around the sun this month of March are Dan Croce, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Jeff Brown and Sandy Brown, Brown’s Family Markets; Bill Carter, Knauss Foods; and Bob Unanue, Goya Cares. In addition, we send special birthday shoutouts to two esteemed family businesses; Herr Foods, as they celebrate 80 years and Goya Foods, as they celebrate 90 years! Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” Charles Dickens
Maria can be reached at maria@foodtradenews.com or 443.631.0172.
