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Industry News
Budget-consumers, some
84% of which grocery shop with a list, are increasingly
turning to snack foods to help them stay well
(83%), according to Information Resources, Inc.'s Sally
Lyons Wyatt, SVP, Client Solutions, who delivered the
State of the Snack Food Industry report at SNAXPO, the
annual show held by the Snack Food Association. Click
here to view the article in a complimentary
issue of the Food Institute's FOOD INSTITUTE REPORT.
To receive a copy of the FOOD INSTITUTE REPORT
weekly, click
here to become a Food Institute member.
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Kraft
Foods Inc. plans to reduce sodium by an average of 10%
across its North American portfolio over the next
two years. The company's goals call for sodium to be
lowered in a number of products up to 20% by the end
of 2012. For example, Oscar Mayer Bologna is slated
to reduce sodium by 17% and some flavors of Easy Mac
Cups are scheduled to reduce sodium by 20%. Full
Story
Food
prices could be 4% to 5% higher this year than at
the end of 2009 largely because of higher costs for
such staples as beef, dairy and pork, according to Bill
Lapp, economist and president of Advanced Economic Solutions,
a speaker at the Reuters Food and Agriculture Summit,
reported Reuters. Full
Story
Click
here to view the Mar. 17 edition of New Products
Hits and Misses with Phil Lempert, which evaluates five
products: Columbia Gorge Organic Meyer Ginger Lemonade,
Savory Choice Chicken Liquid Broth Concentrate Reduced
 Sodium,
Annie's Naturals Mango Vinaigrette, Santa Barbara Bay
Greek Yogurt Dip Zesty Ranch Flavor and Beanitos Pinto
Bean and Flax Chips.
Denny's
Corporation was named the full-service restaurant operator
for Pilot Travel Centers LLC. Up to 140 Flying J Travel
Centers across North America could have their full-service
restaurants converted to Denny's, and the company expects
to begin the Flying J conversions in the second quarter
of 2010 and complete a  majority
of the conversions by year-end. Full
Story
The
average person will spend $17.29 on Easter candy this
year, a 4% increase over last year, according to National
Retail Federation's 2010 Easter Consumer Intentions
and Actions Survey conducted by BIGresearch. The
average person will spend $37.45 on food.
Full
Story
International News
China represents a potential
$100 billion market for beef,
while the Japanese market could increase by $1 billion
if it  were
to relax the age limit on the U.S. beef that it accepts,
stated Forrest Roberts, chief executive of the National
Cattlemen's
Beef Association, who spoke at the Reuters Food and
Agriculture Summit, reported Reuters. Full
Story
Crown Holdings, Inc. subsidiary
Crown Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. plans to build a
beverage can plant in Hangzhou, China. The plant
will be sized to accommodate multiple can lines and
will have an initial annual production capacity of approximately
600 million two-piece, 33cl aluminum beverage cans.
Full
Story
Health News
Found
in leafy greens, nuts and legumes, magnesium can
help significantly reduce the risk of colon cancer in
males, according to Japanese research published
in Journal of Nutrition, reported
The Globe and Mail. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
Washington News
FDA asked the spice industry to use
irradiation, steam heating or fumigation with ethylene
oxide to prevent contamination,
according to Jeff Farrar, FDA's associate commissioner
for food safety, reported The Washington Post.
Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
First Lady Michelle Obama urged the
nation's largest food companies to "step it up"
and put less fat, salt and sugar in foods at a Mar.
16 Grocery Manufacturers Association meeting. "We need
you not to just tweak around the edges but entirely
rethink the products you are offering," stated
Mrs. Obama. The First Lady also stated she would like
to see less confusing food labels and portion sizes
and increased marketing for healthy foods, reported
The Associated Press. Full
Story
Market News
U.S. farmers, encouraged by lower
fertilizer costs, will plant more corn this spring than
a year ago, while soy seedings will remain around the
same as in 2009, grain analysts noted at the Reuters
Food and Agriculture Summit, reported Reuters.
Full
Story
U.S. corn prices are expected to
range from $3.50 to $4.00 a bushel for the long
term, according to Stephen Wilson, chairman and CEO
of CF Industries, speaking at the Reuters Food and Agriculture
Summit, reported Reuters. Full
Story
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