Clement Pappas Buys Ozark Valley Products

Ozark Valley Products of Springdale was purchased Sept. 2 by Clement Pappas & Co. for an undisclosed amount.

Ozark Valley Products, founded in 1992, was the only significant first processor of cranberries, concord grapes and apples in the southwestern United States.

Clement Pappas & Co. is a leading supplier of private-label fruit juices, fruit drinks, related beverages and cranberry sauce products.

“Our acquisition of Ozark Valley Products is a natural progression in what was already a very close relationship between our two companies,” Dean and Peter Pappas of Clement Pappas said in a prepared statement. “We believe Northwest Arkansas offers us an excellent strategic location to service our retail and food service customers and a good business environment to efficiently grow our fruit-related operations.”

Mike Strickland, who was president of Ozark Valley Products, will serve as general manager of the Springdale facility for Clement Pappas.

Kitchen Table brings Crescent City to Wal-Mart City

Kitchen Table, a New Orleans-style restaurant, opened last month at 208 N. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville.

Owners Pody (the female half of this married couple) and Skip McHardy moved to Bentonville nine years ago from New Orleans.

Pody McHardy says the restaurant has a “New Orleans flair,” but the food there isn’t strictly Cajun.

Lunch entrees range from $5 to $9 and include red beans and rice, jambalaya, poboy sandwiches, salads and vegetarian dishes. Dinner entrees range from $8 to $20 in price and include seafood dishes, pasta, steaks and chicken.

Skip McHardy refers to Kitchen Table as “retro dining.”

“It’s not just diner comfort food,” says Pody McHardy. “It’s good gourmet food but not fancy food.”

With only 30 seats for diners in the restaurant, Pody McHardy says reservations are necessary at both lunch and dinner.