Innovation pops into the snack aisle

Orville Redenbacher's introduces the Pop Up Bowl

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - After years of development, Orville Redenbacher's announces the biggest innovation in popcorn snacking since the invention of the microwave bag - Orville Redenbacher's new Pop Up Bowl, the bag that eliminates the need for a bowl.  The latest introduction from the world's most famous popcorn expert starts with signature Orville kernels and pops up into a stand-alone bowl - simply peel back the top and enjoy.

"When it comes to snacking, consumers are looking for something easy, delicious and convenient. Popcorn is a yummy, whole grain snack but it's not always the most conducive to easy sharing," says Harminder Singh, Brand Manager for Orville Redenbacher's Canada. "With the launch of the Pop Up Bowl, grabbing a snack and sharing it with family and friends is a breeze."

The iconic popcorn brand's list of Pop Up Bowl flavours will include:

The brand plans to transition all varieties of regular-size (three, six and ten count pack), microwave popcorn bags to the Pop Up Bowl, starting with top-selling flavours. Buttery and Smart Pop! flavours are now available at grocery stores nationwide. Additional flavours will become available early in 2013. Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl popcorn is packed with flavour and perfect for serving - easy to use, easy to share and with no need to transfer to a bowl, even easier to clean up.

Creating the bag that is a bowl

Since its inception more than 25 years ago, microwave popcorn has been consumed in essentially the same packaging that people buy, and enjoy, today. The Pop Up Bowl was developed and designed in response to both inspiration and observation. With traditional microwave popcorn, consumers would pour popped corn from bags into bowls to eat, creating more dishes to wash. Those who were eating popcorn directly from the bag would complain about it easily tipping over and leaving a greasy residue from the side of the bag on their hands.ⁱ

Developers at ConAgra Foods in the U.S., helped create the "bowl bag" design as an alternative to existing popcorn bags. Simply put, creating a "ready-to-eat from the bag" design meant incorporating a wider-mouth and sturdy sides. Adding the see-through top and bottom finished the concept and resulted in today's Pop Up Bowl.

The Orville brand has a history of innovation, beginning with Orville Redenbacher himself. Orville was born on a farm in Indiana in 1907. His love of popcorn started early as he grew and sold popcorn in the 1920's while he was in grade school. After studying agriculture at Purdue University in the 1930's and teaching high school, he devoted himself to making the perfect popcorn.

The Redenbacher-Bowman (his partner at the time) variety of popcorn expands to about forty times its volume, making it lighter and fluffier. It also leaves fewer unpopped kernels, which Redenbacher called "the shy ones."

For a full, interactive Orville Redenbacher's timeline visit Facebook.com/OrvilleCanada http://www.facebook.com/OrvilleCanada

About ConAgra Foods Canada, Inc

ConAgra Foods Canada, based in Mississauga, Ontario, is a division of ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG), based in Omaha, Nebraska.  ConAgra Foods is one of North America's largest packaged-food companies, serving consumer grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments.  Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: Orville Redenbacher's™, Healthy Choice™, VH™, Chef Boyardee™, VH Steamers™, Hunt's™, Snack Pack™, PAM™, POGO™, Reddi-Wip™ and many others.  For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.ca.

ⁱ Communispace Omnibus among Wal-Mart shoppers who eat popcorn, 11/06

Video with caption: "Video: Innovation pops into the snack aisle: Orville Redenbacher's introduces the Pop Up Bowl". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20130115_C5433_VIDEO_EN_22457.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20130115_C5433_PHOTO_EN_22457.jpg&clientName=ConAgra%20Foods%2C%20Inc%2E&caption=Video%3A%20Innovation%20pops%20into%20the%20snack%20aisle%3A%20Orville%20Redenbacher%27s%20introduces%20the%20Pop%20Up%20Bowl&title=CONAGRA%20FOODS%2C%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Innovation%20pops%20into%20the%20snack%20aisle&headline=Innovation%20pops%20into%20the%20snack%20aisle

Image with caption: "Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl, Buttery Flavour (CNW Group/ConAgra Foods, Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130115_C5433_PHOTO_EN_22453.jpg

Image with caption: "Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl, Smart Pop! Flavour (CNW Group/ConAgra Foods, Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130115_C5433_PHOTO_EN_22455.jpg

SOURCE: ConAgra Foods, Inc.