Crain’s Detroit Press has an article on Ferndale-based Garden Fresh Gourmet, Inc., who just inked a deal with Margaritaville Foods to produce Buffett’s newest creation: Margaritaville Salsa.

On Dec. 21, Garden Fresh signed a manufacturing and production deal to produce a full line of salsa, hummus, tortillas and dips for singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Foods.

“It’s really a great move for us. We have a shot at doubling the size of our company in 18 months,” said Garden Fresh Vice Chairman Dave Zilko.

Margaritaville Foods, inspired by songs written by Buffett, already has several other lines of food and drinks that include frozen seafood, beer, tequila and margarita mix.

After considering other manufacturers, Margaritaville President Tom Keane said they chose Garden Fresh for two reasons.

“First of all, they make great products. But that was sort of a minimal threshold for us,” Keane said. “What really separated them from other people was just the passion they have for the business.”

Already, Garden Fresh is distributing Margaritaville salsa nationwide to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp.’s Los Angeles division. It’s planning to begin distribution in April to Kroger Co. and is close to an agreement with Meijer Inc.

Margaritaville Foods was established about four years ago as the consumer and packaged goods division of Orlando, Fla.-based Margaritaville Enterprises L.L.C.

Zilko said sales of Margaritaville’s frozen seafood line went from zero to $50 million in about three years and believes Garden Fresh products have the potential for similar growth.

Read the entire article here, or learn more about Buffett’s business empire here.

Construction is rolling at Pier Park in Panama City, Florida and Jimmy Buffett’s latest Margaritaville Cafe is scheduled to open the first week of March.

Several restaurants and small specialty shops will be opening as soon as next week on Valentine’s Day. By the end of the month, thirty to thirty-five other stores are expected to open including Ron Jon’s Surf Shop on February 22nd.

Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is scheduled to open the first week of March.

Pier Park is a 900,000 square foot retail and entertainment lifestyle center located on 93 acres that covers land from Front Beach Road (at the City Pier) to the heavily traveled Highway 98 (Back Beach Road).

Margaritaville was originally supposed to be open in time for the Pier Park grand opening on February 14th.

Read the entire article here, which includes a list of all stores and restaurants that will be located in Pier Park. Also, check out WJHG.com for a video detailing the progress of Pier Park (scroll through the small icons in the player to find the story). NewsHerald.com also has some video.

Learn more about Buffett’s Margaritaville Cafes and other business ventures in our Buffett’s Business Empire section.

There was talk last week that Jimmy might be interested in bringing a casino to Florida. The Miami Herald says don’t bet on it:

A trail of e-mails between Gov. Charlie Crist’s chief of staff and a lobbyist for singer Jimmy Buffett that mentioned ”the gaming issue” stirred a short-lived flutter of speculation last week.

The talk would have touched on Crist’s contested gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe and other Florida issues that interest Buffett, Sharkey said, including the environment.

Wednesday was the Grand Opening for Jimmy Buffett’s latest Margaritaville Cafe, located in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Republic has an article on the opening and also a video of the festivities.
Jimmy Buffett’s first Margaritaville Café in Arizona officially opened today in true Parrothead fashion, with Pink Cadillac Margaritas, Volcano Nachos, clowns on stilts and colorfully dressed employees dancing to It’s Five O’clock Somewhere.

Developers, local dignitaries and members of the media gathered to welcome the latest addition to Westgate City Center, the Glendale entertainment and dining district at Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue.
Read the article and watch the video here.