Industry News

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will start building its first Express stores Mar. 16. The first store will open in Gentry, AR. Work on similar stores in Prairie Grove and Gravette, AR will also start over the next two weeks, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story

New! The Food Institute reports on just how much the farmer gets in the Mar. 10 edition of the Lempert Report, hosted by Phil Lempert. Also, food fanatics may well be the next best customers you can have. Click here to view.

Starbucks Corporation and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) formed a strategic relationship for the manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of Starbucks and Tazo tea branded K-Cup portion packs for use in GMCR's Keurig Single-Cup brewing system. The companies expect to expand Starbucks K-Cup portion pack and Keurig Single-Cup Brewing system distribution to Starbucks stores and make Starbucks K-Cup portion packs available through GMCR's and Starbucks consumer-direct websites beginning in 2012. Full Story

Delhaize America will launch the "My Essentials" line at its Hannaford, Food Lion, Harvey's, Bloom and Sweetbay banners. The brand will encompass over 500 staple items priced comparably to private labels at Wal-Mart, Target and Aldi, reported Supermarket News. A full rollout will be completed by June. Full Story

Wm Morrisons made a £32m investment in FreshDirect, purchasing a 10% stake. The company aims to learn from FreshDirect's model and incorporate its ideas into its own delivery service in the UK. Full Story (78 pages)

DemandTec, Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire M-Factor, Inc., a provider of predictive analytics software for marketing mix and trade investment spending. The acquisition will also deliver a list of customer relationships that includes The Coca-Cola Company, The Dannon Company, General Mills, Inc., The Kellogg Company, Nestle Waters North America, Inc. and Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. The transaction is expected to close within 10 business days. Full Story

Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required)

Food Institute News

New! Demographics of Consumer Food Spending 2010 contains the food industry's most reliable analysis of the Consumer Expenditure Survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, providing an easy-to-read breakdown of spending on food overall, food at-home (in 24 categories & subcategories including beef, poultry, fruits & vegetables, dairy products and bakery products), food-away-from-home and alcoholic beverages. Topics covered include age, income, career, education, race, gender and regions of the U.S. (including major metro areas). To learn more and order a copy, click here.

Old Fashioned Kitchen, Inc. Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Lakewood, NJ, Old Fashioned Kitchen is the world's leading producer of frozen blintzes, potato pancakes and crepes, and is home to the GOLDEN brand of Kosher products. Old Fashioned Kitchen products are ethnic in origin; however, taste, quality, and national distribution has broadened consumption to a diversity of households. Today's management and production personnel are proud of the company's reputation and are committed to maintaining its exceptional quality and integrity To learn more about this Food Institute member, please visit: www.oldfashionedkitchen.com. Interested in seeing your company featured here? Email us for more details.

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International News

Asda will open 168 stores in the UK in 2011. The company entered into a contract to acquire six stores from Focus DIY, which the company plans to convert to Asda Supermarkets. Full Story

The Daily Update is a substantially abbreviated version of Today In Food. You can get a subscription to Today In Food, which usually has over 30 news items each day, as well as access to the archives for just $49.95 per year. Click here to sign up.

Washington News

A Florida Senate panel adopted a measure designed to prevent local governments from passing laws that ban toy giveaways by fast-food restaurants. The provision would block local governments from adopting any regulations dealing with "matters related to the nutritional content and marketing of foods offered in such establishments," reported Orlando Sentinel. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Recording Now Available for Purchase! The Food Institute presented Understanding the New Food Safety Legislation, a webinar designed for those who want and need to understand the impact of the new food safety legislation. John W. Bode, Principal at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC, and Dr. David William Kennedy Acheson, Managing Director, Food and Import Safety Practice, at Leavitt Partners were the speakers. To purchase the recording and learn more, click here.

Phusion Projects LLC faces a new lawsuit filed Mar. 4 alleging it failed to warn consumers of the potential dangers of its Four Loko caffeinated alcoholic beverages. The litigation, filed in the Southern District Court of California, seeks class-action status and alleges Phusion Projects misled consumers about the drinks' alcoholic and stimulant potency by making its fruity flavors, vibrant packaging and shelf placement similar to non-alcoholic energy drinks, reported Crain's Chicago Business. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Market News

The Florida all orange forecast, at 142 million boxes, is up 3% from the Feb. 1 forecast and 6% above last season's final utilization. Early, midseason and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 70.0 million boxes, up 6% from February and 2% higher than last season. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 72.0 million boxes, is unchanged from the previous forecast but up 11% from the 2009-2010 crop. Florida frozen concentrated orange juice yield forecast for the 2010-2011 season is 1.57 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, unchanged from the Feb. 1 forecast but up 1% from last season's final yield. USDA Crop Production Report

The forecast for 2011 red meat and poultry production is raised from last month, reflecting increased production of beef, pork, broilers and turkeys. Despite the higher production forecasts, prices for livestock and poultry are raised from last month. Robust exports and improving domestic demand in the face of relatively tight meat supplies are expected to support higher price forecasts for cattle, hogs, broilers and turkeys. Meanwhile, U.S. wheat ending stocks for 2010/11 are projected higher this month on reduced export prospects. WASDE Report