| Industry
News Campbell Soup is reportedly considering
a $2.3 billion break up bid for Britain's United Biscuits,
looking to buy the biscuit-making operations that account for about three quarters
of the company. Campbell is less interested in the snacks business of United Biscuits,
and private equity firms Blackstone Group LP and PAI Partners are willing to consider
separate offers for the biscuits division due to the lack of interest in the entire
company, reported Reuters. Full
Story Purchase
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Privately
held Trader Joe's sales last year were roughly $8 billion, and the retailer
plans to open only five more locations this year as analysts claim that the company
could easily
triple its size in the coming years. Trader
Joe's sells about 4,000 SKUs, and about 80% of the stock bears the Trader Joe's
brand. Its stores also sell an estimated $1,750 in merchandise per square foot,
reported Fortune. Full
Story Ohio
school food suppliers are changing their offerings to provide added nutrients
and lower fat and sodium. Klosterman Baking Co. increased the whole grain, calcium
and fiber content in its breads while JTM Food Group already cut 50% of the sodium
from its beef patties sold to school districts, and has plans to cut another 25%
from every item it sells to districts nationwide, reported Cincinnati Enquirer.
Full
Story New
Store News: Mi Pueblo Food Center will open its 19th location in Gilroy,
CA in October, reported Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal. Full
Story (Free Registration Required) ... Grocery Outlet Inc. plans to
open two stores by late October or early November in California's Silicon Valley,
reported Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal. Full
Story (Free Registration Required) Invatron
and SignalDemand formed a strategic global alliance
which will deliver promotion and purchasing optimization software solutions for
grocery retailers' fresh divisions. Full
Story International
News  South
Korea-based Lotte Group plans to develop more stores in China in several
target cities, including Shanghai. By 2018, Lotte will have at least 20 department
stores besides hundreds of supermarkets in China, reported Australian Food
News. Full
Story
California Pizza Kitchen, Inc.
opened its fourth location in South Korea in Seoul. Full
Story Health News Adding
fish oil to a diet low in saturated fats and high in complex carbohydrates may
help reduce cholesterol, claims a study published in Journal of Nutrition,
reported HealthDay. Full
Story Washington
News FDA
chief Margaret Hamburg stated that FDA is limited by law to
a mostly reactive stance on food safety and argued that it needs a more "preventive
approach," while discussing salmonella poisoning outbreak and the recall of roughly
a half-billion eggs from two Iowa egg distributors. The agency head also stated
that Congress should pass pending legislation that would provide FDA with greater
enforcement power, reported The Associated Press. Full
Story, FDA
Recall Information
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Nearly 500 businesses oppose California's AB 1998,
the "bag ban bill." AB 1998 is pending consideration by the Senate Rules
Committee. Full
Story Market News Total
red meat supplies in freezers were down 1% from the previous month
and down 20% from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 5% from the previous
month and down 28% from last year. Total frozen poultry supplies were up slightly
from the previous month but down 11% from a year ago. USDA
Cold Storage Report 
A
slump in cocoa prices will likely be cut short because of a civil crisis in
Ivory Coast, according to industry participants. Growing conditions for the first
three months of the 2010-11 season, which starts Oct. 1, are expected to be "extremely
good," according to a major exporter. ABN Amro also expects output from Ivory
Coast to be 100,000 tons higher than last year for a total of about one million
tons, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required) |
