Yu-Gi-Oh! cereal brightens store shelves Yu-Gi-Oh! is a hit Japanese comic book series that follows the adventures of high school student Yugi, who has a magical secret that comes to life when he plays his favorite card game Duel Monsters. It is also the No. 1 trading card game and one of the top selling Game Boy Advance games in the U.S. The Yu-Gi-Oh! phenomenon inspired Minneapolis-based General Mills, in partnership with 4Kids Entertainment, to create limited-edition cereal bars, yogurt, fruit snacks and Yu-Gi-Oh! cereal, honey sweetened corn made into triangular pieces representing Yugi's mystical Millennium Medallion. It's boxed in spectacular metallic and holographic packaging that practically jumps off store shelves. "We've captured the essence of Yugi and his favorite monsters in both our cereal and its packaging to deliver a product Yu-Gi-Oh! fans will love," says Steve Vekich, marketing manager for promotional cereals. If consumers react the same way as our office staff did, it will be tough for General Mills to keep Yu-Gi-Oh! stocked on shelves. Suggested retail price is $2.49
Marinading easy as ABC
Pittsburgh, Pa.-based H.J. Heinz Co.'s EZ Marinader is a ready-to-use liquid marinade in a flavor-seal marinating bag and the first new Heinz brand rolled out in the U.S. in 20 years. It's as easy as ABC! First, open the flavor-seal bag, which has a zipper closure. Next, drop in your favorite meat, poultry, vegetables or fish. The pouch has a foil lining for strength, so it doesn't leak. Then reseal the bag and you're ready to grill, bake or saute in as little as 30 minutes. That's it! There's no fuss, no muss, and clean-up is a breeze -- just toss away the bag. EZ Marinader is available in three flavors: Jack Daniel's Mesquite (my favorite), Classico Garlic and Herb, and Mr. Yoshida's Teriyaki. Each 12-ounce bag is large enough to accommodate 2-3 pounds of meat, poultry or similar-sized serving of vegetables -- enough to feed a family of four. "With EZ Marinader, consumers can have a level of convenience never before experienced in the category," says Aaron Schwartz, brand manager for Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces at Heinz North America, the innovators behind EZ Marinader. "By pouring on the flavor while eliminating the mess and clean up, EZ Marinader takes marinating to a whole new level of taste and convenience. Simply put, if you like marinating, you'll love EZ Marinader." Suggested retail price is $2.99.