• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, October 23, 2009

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO), The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. and its affiliate, Hain Pure Protein, are partnering to introduce Martha Stewart-branded lines of poultry from Plainville Farms, baking mixes from Arrowhead Mills and dried pastas from DeBoles.

The all-natural-ingredients lines are expected to be carried by supermarkets, mass-market retailers and warehouse clubs nationwide.

Limited distribution of fresh and frozen, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free turkey products will begin in time for Thanksgiving. The baking and pasta lines, to be launched next spring, will use Martha Stewart recipes to expand on the gourmet, natural offerings within Hain's Arrowhead Mills and DeBoles brands.

MSLO and Hain are already partnering on a line of natural cleaning products, Martha Stewart Clean, to be launched next month. MSLO has its own food brand and a Chef Emeril Lagasse brand.

Branding expert Laura Ries of Ries & Ries believes the turkey line is a particularly promising opportunity. "Think about it: Aside from Butterball, what brands of turkey can anyone name? Turkeys are, by and large, a special purchase. People often don't know much about what to buy, and they're looking to impress the people coming over for the holidays, so Martha Stewart's name should be a major asset," she says.

Although Arrowhead Mills is already a strong, well-established natural/gourmet line of baking mixes, Stewart's close association with exceptional cakes should be of value, Ries notes.

However, she questions how much Martha's name "brings to the table" when it comes to pasta. "Martha Stewart has credibility in the natural food space, but she's not particularly associated with pasta," Ries observes. "And there are so many upscale brands of pasta out there already."