Industry News

In April, consumers gave stores some relief, but continued to spend cautiously. Although shoppers bought more last month, they only bought the basics at discounters and wholesale clubs, making Wal-Mart and Costco among the top performers, reported The Associated Press. Full Story

Irving Oil Limited and Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. expanded their existing partnership to include 252 Irving Oil convenience retail sites across Atlantic Canada and New England. Irving Oil would retain ownership of the convenience retail properties and Couche-Tard would lease the properties at market value for the next 20 years, and buy the store equipment and inventories. Full Story

Some truckers are slowing down in order to save gas, basing the premise on throttling back to 60-mph from 70-mph would reduce gasoline usage between 2% and 3%. The American Trucking Association is also advocating for a 65-mph national speed limit, but drivers who work for a trucking company have no incentive to slow down because the companies cover fuel and other costs and pay the drivers by the mile, reported AZCentral.com. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Foodservice providers are trying to find ways to cut costs and maintain quality, while serving thousands of people per day in dining halls, cafeterias, and institutions. Several schools eliminated trays, on the theory that students will grab less if they have to carry the food. Still other schools, which charge students by the item, are increasing the cost of healthier products, reported The Boston Globe. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

A survey by JupiterResearch found 75% of online retailers cited multi-channel expansion as a key component in their marketing strategies, with 98% marketing on at least two online channels. Nearly 75% of the online retailers who use multiple online channels enjoyed increased sales, 80% saw increased customer acquisitions, and 71% reported significant growth in qualified customers, reported Retailing Today. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Food Institute News

REGISTRATION DEADLINE APPROACHING! Health & Wellness: Opportunities for the Food Industry - A Webinar presented by The Food Institute and Mintel

Join The Food Institute and Mintel on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 2PM (EST) for an insightful webinar that will explain how food manufacturers and marketers can target today's health & wellness oriented consumers. This 1-hour webinar, led by Lynn Dornblaser, Mintel Custom Solutions Director, will focus on health & wellness issues pertaining to food and beverage, revealing what drives consumer purchase behavior. It will take a look at how consumers perceive health & wellness, the abundance of messages concerning health issues, and the types and number of products on the market making health & wellness claims. Lastly, Dornblaser will provide some interesting thoughts for the future. For more information or to register click here.

Savory Creations International Savory Creations International is a subsidiary of Meto Corporation - a food export company doing business in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years. Savory Creations produces chicken, beef and turkey broth concentrates under the "Savory Choice" brand. Led by a strong management team, Savory Creations International is committed to working directly with its customers to develop high-quality products that meet their individual needs. For more information on this 24-year Food Institute member visit www.savory-creations.com. Interested in seeing your company featured here? Email us for more details.

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International News

Wal-Mart Canada will focus on introducing more Supercenters in fiscal 2008. Wal-Mart Canada expects to complete 25-27 real estate projects by Jan. 31, 2009. More than half of all projects will be new stores and nearly all new stores will be supercenters. To date, Wal-Mart Canada has opened 32 supercenters in three Canadian provinces: Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. 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.

Health News

A hormone, ghrelin, makes people eat more by causing food to look tastier, and improves perception and memory when it comes to food. The hormone is secreted in the gut, and scientists already knew that ghrelin levels rise and fall before and after meals, suggesting that it causes hunger and encourages eating, reported MSNBC. Full Story

Washington News

FDA will allow brown rice food labels to bear the whole grain health claim, according to the USA Rice Federation. FDA's action explicitly extends an existing health claim to include whole grain rice. For the first time, FDA states that all single ingredient whole grain foods qualify for the claim regardless of whether they meet the requirement for a minimum level of dietary fiber, as long as they meet the other general health claim requirements. Full Story Want to learn more about whole grain health claims? Register for the Food Institute's U.S. Food Labeling Seminar on June 3, 2008 at The Marriott Newark Liberty International Airport Hotel, Newark, NJ. This day-long seminar will update you about the latest developments impacting the labeling of food products, as well as provide an overview of the basics of food labeling. Learn what important changes in food labeling may lie ahead and could affect your products. Click here for details.

Market News

The initial forecast for the 2008 California almond production is 1.46 billion-lbs., 6% above last year's revised production of 1.38 billion-lbs. USDA Release