Industry News

The nation's grocery stores rang up $170 billion in sales in the four months ended May 1, 6.5% more than a year earlier. Eating and drinking places saw sales advance just 4.6%. Meanwhile, sales at clubs and supercenters in 2008's first quarter were up nearly 10% from 2007, according to The Food Institute. Full Story

More consumers now plan to spend their rebate checks on necessities rather than on discretionary items, according to the latest findings of a National Retail Federation survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Some 21.2 million consumers plan to spend the checks on groceries, up from 20.4 million people who planned to do so in February. While 17.2 million people plan to use some of their tax rebate check to pay for gas, up from 12.1 million people in February. Full Story

Consumers are concerned whether higher grocery bills and restaurant tabs are justified, according to The Associated Press. However, food retailers claim consumers' suspicions of gouging are unjustified and that, if anything, they have refrained from passing along their extra costs. Full Story

Coca-Cola Co. is seeking more acquisition opportunities in the soft drinks market to expand its revenue sources, said the company's Chief Operating Officer Muhtar Kent, who is due to become chief executive officer on July 1, reported Reuters. Such acquisitions would not be large, and the company is looking from country to country for opportunities, said Kent. Full Story

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is expanding its line of fresh&easy own-brand food with 250 additional products. Some of the new products include fresh prepared ready meals, new juices and brewed teas, soy and goat yogurt, and a range of ready-to-grill meats. Full Story

Food Institute News

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! Health & Wellness: Opportunities for the Food Industry - A Webinar presented by The Food Institute and Mintel
Join The Food Institute and Mintel tomorrow Wednesday, May 14 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. LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!

The Food Institute is now offering online training courses through a strategic alliance with FoodSafety.com. This innovative web-based training service provides companies and their employees with "anytime, anywhere" access to quality, cost-effective training materials. Whether you operate a large manufacturing facility or small retail establishment, your employees simply need internet access to train in areas critical to your business, including HACCP, OSHA, and Employment Law. Click here for details.

John Hancock Financial Services - Food & Commodities Team John Hancock's Food and Commodities Team originates and services loans and other investments in companies that participate in the food and commodity complex. They use innovation and creativity to negotiate transactions designed to meet the needs of their borrowers. They target agribusiness companies located in North America, Europe, Australia, and other market economies through four strategically-located offices in Boston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Sacramento. Since the Food and Commodities Team was formed in 1987, their commitment to food and agriculture is evidenced by the cumulative $6.5 billion that they have invested in the industry. To learn more about their team or to contact an investment director in your region, please visit their website at http://food.jhancock.com. Interested in seeing your company featured here? Email us for more details.

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International News

Northern Foods PLC will shut a factory that supplies prepared meals to Marks & Spencer after failing to re-negotiate a contract with the British retailer. The factory accounts for about 15% of Northern Foods' total sales to Marks & Spencer, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story, Press Release

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

Paying attention to what you eat and stopping just before you are full can be more satisfying than eating mindlessly, reported The Wall Street Journal. The approach is being studied at several academic medical centers and the National Institutes of Health as a way to combat eating disorders. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)

Washington News

Amazon.com believes it is in compliance with Texas state laws and claims it should not have to charge sales tax to customers in the state. A company spokeswoman stated that its distribution center in Irving is operated by a subsidiary called Amazon.com.kydc Inc. and not by Amazon.com Inc., reported The Dallas Morning News. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Market News

Demand for U.S. agriculture products overseas remains strong as a result of the weak U.S. dollar in the first quarter, according to The Food Institute's analysis of government data. The U.S. agricultural trade surplus in March was down slightly from February to $3.58 billion, but more than ten times greater than March 2008 and the second largest surplus on record after February. Trade Surplus Table