Arteasans Beverages, based in New York City, NY, announced that it will be increasing their current distribution in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions by partnering with distributorsBCS International Corp., andHana Food Distributors, Inc.Artesean will benefit from BCS and Hana Food’s combined 1,500 retailer clientele base, as well as their sales teams who have a network of retailers and consumers that Arteasan has not had previous contact with. “By partnering with two of the top distributors in the natural industry, we can more quickly expand in strategic states and thereby strengthen our presence in our core region — the East Coast,” says Fernando Rodriguez, Arteasan founder and CEO. “These new relationships represent the next step in our journey to becoming a national brand.”

Anew rulerequiring all restaurants with 15 or more nationwide locations and retailers offering prepared foods to post caloric measurements on menu boards went into effect on May 22. Additionally, chains will have to provide full nutritional information beyond just calories for standard menu items available on site, and they will have to post a statement about the daily recommended caloric intake of 2,000 calories. Departments of Health and Consumer Affairs began enforcing these rules by making business aware of the new requirements during standard health inspections, but after August 21, businesses can be fined up to $600 for violating the rule.