NORWALK, Conn. -- In a move in line with the nationwide rise of the bagel as a food phenomenon, Stew Leonard's Dairy Store here added Bagels in a Tin as a gift item to its holiday catalog this year.
k of Stew Leonard's own fresh cream cheese," said the retailer's catalogue.
Stew Leonard's, a two-unit operator known for its innovative merchandising, also is known for creating unique signature items for its annual holiday catalog. For example, another item offered each year is five pounds of Mrs. Leonard's lasagna shipped frozen, overnight, for $29.95.
Officials at Stew Leonard's could not be reached for comment about the bagel package. However, the emphasis on bagels was clear, as more than half a page in the catalog is devoted to the category. A color photo shows the bagels being taken fresh from ovens on a paddle. Another depicts the decorated tin overflowing with product, with a basket of bagels alongside; a block of cream cheese and slab of salmon are shown in the foreground. A banner declaring "New!" is superimposed on the photo.
The selection of bagels shipped in the tin includes three of each of the following varieties: plain, sesame, poppy and raisin.
A blurb next to a photo of sliced bagels says, "We bake over 40,000 bagels each week. These bagels have the authentic chewy crust just like you'd find in New York City -- the bagel capital of the world."
