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Industry
News
Wal-Mart's Supermercado test is a
smart business move, according
to Willard Bishop chairman Bill Bishop. "When you take
a look at the growth in the grocery business today in
the U.S., it tilts very heavily in terms of minority
and even more so in terms of Hispanic," stated Mr. Bishop.
"It's where the growth is, even though it's niche."
Wal-Mart has the potential to open hundreds of these
Hispanic grocery stores if it perfects the model, noted
Mr. Bishop, reported Reuters. Full
Story
Target is struggling to motivate
shoppers to make SuperTarget their primary grocer,
according to a Retail Forward ShopperScape research
report, Target Outlook:  Preparing
for a New Decade. "Target faces significant
challenges when it comes to doing food right,"
stated report author and senior consultant Jennifer
Halterman. Some three out of 10 shoppers shopped for
food/beverages during their last trip to Target, versus
four out of 10 shoppers at Wal-Mart. Full
Story
Mexican food company ESBAMF Distributors,
which was founded in 2005, plans on earning $2 million
in revenue this year, reported AZCentral.com.
Workers produce an average of 1,100 gallons of salsa
a day. Products are sold at Walmarts in Arizona, in
all Costcos in New Mexico, Arizona and Las Vegas, and
in all Sam's Clubs in Utah, Colorado and Arizona except
Yuma. President Ryan Bullock plans on expanding into
more states and signing up Bashas', Fry's, Safeway and
Albertsons. Mr. Bullock also wants to open another warehouse
in Idaho.
Full
Story
(Free Registration Required)
Sales
of premium and fine wines are falling despite increased
overall wine consumption by Americans, leading to
a 12% sales decline in wines priced $25 and higher.
Retailers are heavily discounting expensive wines, restaurants
are offering less expensive wines and distributors are
cutting the number of wines offered, and there is likely
to be "a lot of M&A activity in the short-term," stated
Wilson Daniels Ltd. president Mike Jaeger, reported
The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
Starbucks, Subway
and McDonald's were ranked No. 1, 2 and 3 on Vitrue's
Top 25 Most Social Restaurants list for the
first half of the year. However, smaller and regional
chains are also increasingly utilizing social networking
sites, including Krystal, Chick-fil-A, Pinkberry and
In-N-Out Burger. Seventeen of the 25 ranked companies,
including the top nine brands, are quick-service chains,
noted Vitrue chief executive Reggie Bradford, reported
Nation's Restaurant News. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
International News
 Tetra
Pak opened a new $83.3 million converting plant in Hohhot,
China, which will mainly manufacture
Tetra Brik Aseptic and Tetra Fino Aseptic cartons with
a designed capacity of 11 billion packs per year. The
Chinese market accounted for nearly 10% of Tetra Pak's
global business in terms of revenue in 2008, while the
figure was almost 20% by number of packs produced. The
company has operations in more than 160 nations and
regions, and its market share in China's aseptic carton
packaging sector is 75% currently, according to China
Daily. Full
Story
Perdigao
S.A. changed its name to BRF - Brasil Foods S.A.
Full
Story
Health News
Increased
intake of fish may reduce the risk of dementia by about
20%, according to an international
study published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, reported Food Navigator USA. Full
Story, Study
Abstract
Washington News
The Government Accountability Office
(GAO) and the Environmental Working Group recommend
that bottled water be labeled with the same level
of information municipal water providers must disclose
in reports released during a House Energy and Commerce
subcommittee hearing. The researchers plan to urge Americans
to make bottled water "a distant second choice" to filtered
tap water, and bottlers must report test results that
show a serious health threat as early as September,
according to FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Joshua
M. Sharfstein, reported The Associated Press.
Full
Story, GAO
Report
Meanwhile, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Bart Stupak
(D-MI), along with Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman
(D-CA), sent letters to 13 bottled water companies
requesting documents and information following the
hearing related to the Subcommittee's investigation
into the regulation of bottled water. Full
Story
Market News
For the growing year 2009–2010, United
Potato Growers of Idaho (United) projects that statewide
potato acreage will be 315,000 acres, an increase
of 4.6% over the acres counted by United in 2008–2009.
"While acreage went up this year, our data collection
confirms that at least 10,000 acres of the increase
are contracted acres," stated Jerry Wright, CEO
and president of United. Full
Story
A
possible record Washington cherry crop is leading to
promotable supplies of the fruit into early August
and beyond, according to grower-shippers, reported The
Packer Online. Full
Story (Subscription Required)
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