Bagel News

Philly Cream Cheese recruits Dallas' Starship Bagels to resolve bagel issue

Starship Bagels and Philly Cream Cheese partner on a no-hole bagel.

Philly Cream Cheese

Dallas-based Starship Bagel has been recruited by a national company to solve a problem we did not know we had: bagel holes.

In a partnership with Philadelphia cream cheese, the acclaimed bagel maker has devised a limited-edition bagel with no holes, so as to make for a better platform for the spreading Philadelphia's cream cheese.

Called Philadelphia Bagel Wholes, it's a limited-edition, no-hole bagel that is available beginning January 30. Today! You can go get one today. At Starship's two locations: in downtown Dallas and the original in Lewisville.

Starship is one of five award-winning bagel shops across North America to partner with Philadelphia on this whimsical marketing quest. The five bagel shops serving the limited-edition no-hole bagel include:

Utopia Bagels in New York
Steingold’s of Chicago
Starship Bagel Dallas
Rubinstein Bagel in Seattle
St-Viateur Bagel in Montreal.

It's another accolade for Starship, rated the best bagel in Dallas and the only bagel shop from Texas to compete in the 2023 New York BagelFest, which Starship handily swept, winning top awards both for Best Bagel and Rising Star. Starship was also the only bagel shop in Texas to make a list of "The Very Best Bagels in the U.S." by Bon Appetit magazine.

According to a release, Philadelphia Bagel Wholes feature each shop’s signature bagel without the hole, providing a first-of-its-kind solution that offers more space to enjoy Philly's cream cheese spread.

“We’ve heard our fans question why bagels have holes and the limitations it poses for their favorite cream cheese, and we couldn’t agree more,” said Keenan White, Senior Brand Manager, Philadelphia at the Kraft Heinz Company. “That’s why we’re joining forces with fan-favorite shops across North America to create a more-schmear movement, maximizing the space to enjoy Philly’s signature, creamy taste with every bite.”

Philadelphia Bagel Wholes are available for purchase for a limited time in-store at all five bagel shops. Fans who can’t make it in-store can purchase the bagel for U.S. nationwide shipping via Goldbelly.com from Utopia Bagels.

Starship Bagel founder Oren Salomon is also quoted thusly:

“We’ve heard first-hand from our loyal customers about their frustrations around bagels with holes, so it was only right for us to rally with Philly, the only cream cheese that makes the cut to be on our bagels, in this creative movement,” Salomon says. “Now you can bite confidently into your bagel knowing that your bite will capture both bagel and schmear and lose none to the floor or less fortunate schmutz-dropping targets.”

Oren gives good quote.

Philadelphia Bagel Wholes will be available January 30 until February 12, while supplies last.

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Supermarket News

Cult grocer Trader Joe's plots 3 new locations for Dallas-Fort Worth

In massive supermarket news, Trader Joe's, the cult grocery chain from California, is expanding in North Texas with plans to open a trio of new locations across Dallas-Fort Worth. One alone would be cause for celebration, never mind three.

The potential new stores include two in Collin County and one in Fort Worth, as follows:

Plano, at 5900 Preston Rd.
Wylie, at 2710 E. FM 544 #110
North Fort Worth, at 9052 North City Dr., just south of North Tarrant Parkway

The chain has filed plans with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to begin construction at these sites. That alone is not a confirmation, since companies sometimes file plans that do not come to fruition.

But Trader Joe's spokesperson Nakia Rohde has confirmed that the company plans to open three new stores in these cities, although no timeline has been defined. Because the stores are still to be built, the exact addresses could change, too.

Construction on all three stores is currently slated to be complete by June 2027. Plano and Fort Worth are set to break ground in December 2026, while the Wylie store will do so in March 2027. The three stores will average 12,500 square feet, according to the filings.

The Plano store will be advantageously located across from an H-E-B — the DFW area's second — which opened in 2022. Located at the corner of Spring Creek Parkway, this will be Plano's second Trader Joe's. The first opened back in September 2012 at 2400 Preston Rd., just two miles south at Park Boulevard.

The Wylie store will be a block west of Wylie High School and a Kroger Marketplace, and two miles east of a constellation of markets that includes an Aldi, Sprouts, Target, and a recently opened H-E-B store in Murphy.

The Fort Worth store will be across from Target and Costco, in an area loaded with restaurants, just west of a Portillo's, which opened in 2023. It will be the second Trader Joe's in Fort Worth; the first opened at 2701 Hulen St. in June 2012.

There are currently 26 locations of Trader Joe's in Texas — six in the Dallas area and the one in Fort Worth.

collin county openings supermarkets