IzzyCue ‘POP Noodle Phenomenon’
IzzyCueÂ’s noodle is as skillfully crafted as any dish Ducasse, Keller or Trotter ever created!
WASHINGTON DC (PRWEB) August 9, 2004
IzzyCue, the venerable lifestyle brand, launches a new line of super-premium ready-to-eat gourmet noodle at cafe stores in the mid-Atlantic region.
Almost half a year in the planning, the product boasts of a high-end spinach fettuccini-style noodle with a rich thick premium citrus ginger sauce packaged separately on the side within the container. The noodles are topped with three expertly-prepared ingredients, consisting of sautéed sliced shitake mushrooms, Pollock-Surimi flakes and lightly-seasoned julienne carrots. The presentation comes in a square plastic container with a designer label going across the side panel (label design by IDeG: IzzyCue Design Group).
“This lunch product would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of some of the industry’s top suppliers,” IzzyCue chief executive Kenneth H. Tan explains. “We are especially excited that Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI: Nasdaq) will be co-packing the product line for us,” Kenneth comments.
With compound annual growth *(CAGR) reaching 4% globally, noodles is one of the fastest growing sectors in world packaged food. Growth was derived mainly from continuing strong performance in non-traditional outlets.
An integral part of Asian diets, noodles is a new and relatively unestablished product in the rest of the world. That said, in the US sales increased by 16% between 1998 to 2003, making it the third largest noodle market in the world behind Japan and China. Demand is driven by strong exposure to Asian cuisine in foodservice, mainly through the rising number of noodle shops, which in turn prompted retailers to stock a wider variety of noodles, making the product more readily available to consumers
They're comfortable and familiar, yet international and exotic. Noodles play a role in the cuisine of cultures worldwide and can range from the simplistic to the divine. While noodles, and restaurants serving noodles, are nothing new, national noodle chains are just emerging. Regardless of whether noodles are a menu cornerstone or general theme, these concepts appeal to customers looking for something a little healthier to eat while remaining in familiar territory.
The main distribution channel for noodles in the US was originally specialized Asian shops and restaurants. But as demand for noodles is growing, new distribution channels are emerging and supermarkets/hypermarkets and cafes are meeting these demands.
Value sales of noodles are expected to grow by 10.6% in constant terms in 2004, making it one of the dynamic areas of the packaged food industry in the US. This strong growth will largely be the result of growing urbanization as noodles offer a quick meal option for those with increasingly hectic lifestyles.
The company expects to roll-out to additional outlets each new quarter.
IzzyCue Café Division and IzzyCue Design Group (IDeG) collaborated in this project. The former specializes in innovative up-and-coming food and beverage products; while the latter entity is an upstart packaging and branding agency within the food and beverage industry.
*Courtesy © Euromonitor Plc. 2004
About IzzyCue
IzzyCue, a unit of BKN International Incorporated, is an emerging cross-channels manufacturer of high-end consumer products. The unit-brand builds leadership products in three highly-focused global businesses: Food & Beverage, Popular Culture and Design & Fashion. Its primary vision is to create a desirable long-term super-premium brand of significance.
This press release contains forward-looking statements and projections concerning the Company’s plans, strategies, expectations, predictions and financial projections concerning the Company’s future activities and results of operations and other future events or conditions, and are “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
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