Food Institute News

The Who, What and Where of Consumer Spending

The Food Institute's Demographics of Consumer Food Spending 2013 provides in-depth information and insightful analysis on U.S. consumer food spending patterns.

Designed for easy use, this annual study provides an easy-to-read breakdown of spending on food overall, food at-home, food away-from-home, and alcoholic beverages. Topics covered include age, income, career, education, race, gender and region of the U.S. For more information, click here.


Our Mission Statement

The Food Institute:

   * Strives to be the best "single source" for current, timely and relevant information about the food industry from "farm to fork."
   * Serves as a trusted source of information, providing balanced coverage of the issues.
   * Delivers information through multiple media so that industry professionals worldwide can tap in when and how they choose.

Industry News

Retail food prices fell three tenths of a percent in May versus April, putting the annualized food-at-home inflation rate at just 1% through the first five months of 2013.

International News

Chinese milk producer China Mengniu Dairy Co. plans to buy a majority stake in smaller rival Yashili International Holdings, valuing the milk-powder firm at about US$1.6 billion. The purchase of Carlyle Group-backed Yashili is part of a move by Mengniu to increase its market share in baby-formula production, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Health News

Increasing the number of hamburgers and other red meat people eat on a daily basis is linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes down the road, according to a new study. Earlier studies on red meat - such as beef, pork and lamb - didn't account for participants changing how much of it they ate over time, reported Reuters.

Washington News

The Baltimore City Council postponed action on a bill that would have banned the use of foam cups and containers for carryout food and drinks after several members withdrew their support. Councilman James B. Kraft, the bill's chief sponsor, is still hopeful Baltimore can become the first major East Coast city to adopt such a ban. Similar bans are being considered in Philadelphia, Boston and New York City, reported The Baltimore Sun.

Market News

Cargill agreed to acquire the grain storage and fertilizer business of Northstar Grain, based in southwestern Michigan. This is Cargill's third investment in a North American grain company in the past three weeks. The deal, expected to be completed by the end of June, includes 4.5 million bushels of storage space for corn, soybeans and wheat. Cargill will invest about $3 million in upgrades to complete construction of a 500,000-bushel storage bin and increase the rail shipping capacity to 75-car unit trains, reported Reuters.