Industry News

Editor's Note: Daily Update will not publish Friday, July 3 but will resume publication Monday, July 6.

Wal-Mart recorded the most sales of any retailer in 2008 with with revenues exceeding $405 billion, while Kroger Co. was the second largest retailer in the U.S. in sales last year and Costco followed at third, according to The STORES Top 100 Retailers survey. Full Story

General Mills Inc.'s Betty Crocker brand is rolling out gluten-free mixes for cookies, brownies and cakes, reportedly the first gluten-free offering from a major, mainstream brand in the cake-mix aisle. The Betty Crocker brand plans to market the products way by sponsoring online marketing, advertising in gluten-free lifestyle magazines and participating in gluten-related events, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)

Kwik Trip is redesigning all 354 of it stores to include an expanded coffee bar and a front-of-store focus on fresh goods. The company also stated that it will incorporate earth tones and eye-pleasing colors create "a gentler, cleaner look," reported CSP Daily News. Full Story

The Coupon Information Corp. (CIC) reported 93 cases of investigated or prosecuted coupon fraud over the last year and a half, compared with nine for 2007 and two between 1986 and 2001. The numbers are expected to continue rising, and CIC states the cost of these counterfeits has reached tens of millions of dollars. In June, Coca-Cola Co. withdrew a free 12-pack coupon from its "My Coke Rewards" program due to "widespread counterfeiting," reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)

Are you on LinkedIn? Yes No

Tasti D-Lite plans to open 40 stores in Arizona over the next 10 years. The first location will open later this summer, reported The Arizona Republic. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

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

Food Institute News

ONLINE HACCP TRAINING: The Food Institute is 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.

Clarion Group The Clarion Group are management consultants in dining service since 1995. The group provides operational and facilities design solutions for companies, colleges and independent schools in all aspects of their in-house dining and vending services. Operations improvement, cost reduction, competitive contractor selection, feasibility studies, concept development and design of new and renovated dining facilities. Clarion's consultants have more than three decades' hands-on operations experience in all aspects of employee and student dining and vending services. You can reach Clarion Group by phone at (603) 642-8011 or by e-mail at TWM@clariongp.com. To learn more about this 9-year Food Institute member visit: www.clariongp.com Interested in seeing your company featured here? Email us for more details.

About Us | Publications | Merger & Acquisition Search* | Report Article Search* | Ask an Expert

* Members only

International News

Under new rules effective July 1, 26 types of fruit and vegetables will no longer have specific marketing standards relating to classification, size, shape, development, variety and labeling details in the EU. Cabbage, onions, cherries, avocados and zucchini can now be sold without restriction. However, specific marketing standards will apply to the 10 most popular fruit and vegetables, including apples, citrus fruit and tomatoes. 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

Celiac disease is currently four times more prevalent in the U.S. than it was in the 1950s, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in Gastroenterology. About one in 100 people have the disease, reported HealthDay. Full Story

Washington News

Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Big Lots Inc. to block the company's use of the phrase "Real Deal." Stop & Shop claims it became aware of Big Lots' use of the slogan in April in circulars, its website, store signs and a national TV ad campaign, reported Enterprise News. Full Story

Market News

This year's pistachio crop is estimated at more than 425 million-lbs., with rising wholesale prices due to tight global supply, according to the Western Pistachio Association. Harvest will begin in September. Full Story

USDA estimated soybean acreage for 2009 was a million acres less than what the trade was expecting, according to analysts speaking at a CME Group press briefing on USDA's June 30 Planted Acreage report. Conversely, USDA's estimate of corn acres was three million acres higher than expectations, reported Southeast Farm Press. Full Story