Price Chopper Supermarkets celebrates the 20th anniversary of its in-store Bagel Factories, which handcraft fresh New York-style bagels and bialys from scratch daily for customers. To commemorate the occasion, Price Chopper is offering some insight into the unique process of handcrafting authentic bagels and an opportunity for customers to win free bagels for a year.

“Price Chopper was ahead of the trend in the increasing popularity of bagels,” says Mona Golub, Price Chopper’s vice president of public relations and consumer and marketing services. “Twenty years ago, authentic, high-quality bagels made from scratch using this elaborate process were few and far between. Even, today, in a supermarket setting, it’s rare to find product of this high quality.”

The stores’ Bagel Factories growth has mirrored the growth in popularity of bagels across the country. Since 1995, bagel sales have increased more than 500% nationwide. In 2012, Price Chopper has continued to introduce new varieties and products that respond to consumer desires. New to Bagel Factories in just the last year are more than 20 flavors of crispy Bagel Chips and three new whole-grain bagel varieties (plain, oat and raisin) introduced this week.

“We pride ourselves in making authentic bagels that bake to a fine crisp on the outside while remaining dense and chewy on the inside,” Golub notes. “Our Bagel Factories utilize traditional ingredients and New York-style boiling and baking techniques to handcraft a superior fresh product every day of the week.”

Source: www.groceryheadquarters.com