Specialty grocers tout a mixed bag for merchandising around the deli counter. From traditional and non-traditional chips, pickles and drinks to crackers, jam and bacon, anything goes.

Specialty manufacturers are taking snacks like chips, pretzels and popcorn and mixing in chocolates, caramels, toffee and even tequila to create memorable confections that garner a higher price at the cash register.

Italy’s world-renowned cheeses command a lot of real estate at most American cheese counters. Apart from those rare cheesemongers with a regional bent, no merchant would open the doors without a stock of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Gorgonzola, Taleggio and Fontina.

Across the country, artisanal domestic cured meats are revolutionizing the charcuterie industry.

This month we look at celebrity wines, vegetables in the culinary forefront, bus-top gardens and other trends.

Pickling has become a bona fide institution, with plenty of room on store shelves for classics and innovations. Whether putting okra or cherries in the spotlight or giving amateurs a hand at home pickling, these products don’t stop at your standard dill cukes— though the ...

The majority of households report consuming breakfast cereals, but retaining core customers and offering new usage suggestions will be key to the category’s future growth. With a household penetration rate in excess of 90 percent, breakfast cereals generated $10.2 billion intotal U.S. sales for 2011. ...

This month we look at vending machines of the future, 2012’s top foods, and how pandas are helping to produce a new high-end tea.

From house-made rabbit pâté and wasabi mustard spiked with sake to pickled carrots and salty-sweet chocolates, retailers are ready with good picnic eats. Just don’t forget the colorful outdoor tableware.

Rubiner’s Cheesemongers & Grocers in Great Barrington, Mass., features “local foods from around the world,” a year-round café and, soon, a cheese cave in an old bank vault.

Seasoning and heat are delicate arts in the culinary world: Too much of either can ruin the palate; too little, and the dish falls flat. These 16 products combine heat and flavor for astounding results, heightening entrees, snacks and even drinks.

Whether it’s a hint of dark chocolate, zingy heat or fragrant herbs, an explosion of unexpected flavors have opened up the sweet spreads category to much more than topping toast. Jams, preserves and marmalades are being used in salad dressings, marinades, meat and fish glazes, ...

When in a hurry, customers are snapping up to-go snacks such as chocolate, chips, cookies and freeze-dried fruit, many in convenient packaging.

This month we look at leading menu trends for 2012, canned wine, a new generation of ketchup and more.

Whether adding a delicate note or packing a punch, alcohol can elevate both sweet and savory condiments. The complex flavors of liquor, beer and wine have inspired producers to come up with award-winning twists on classic condiments for breakfast, lunch and dinner—and even dessert.