Industry News

Checkouts at the nation's grocery stores rang up 6.8% more sales in July compared to a year earlier, while eating and drinking place sales rose 5.2% -- both outpacing food price inflation. This put cumulative 2011 sales up 5.6% and 5.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, warehouse club and supercenter sales increased 4.9% in the first half of 2011, while drug store sales rose just 3.9%, according to Food Institute analysis of just-released government data. Full Story (FI Membership Required)

D'Agostino Supermarkets joined Allegiance Retail Services, a new division created by Foodtown, which offers independent retailers the benefits of a cooperative membership while retaining their own store banners. The transition will take place over the next few months, reported Supermarket News. Full Story

ConAgra Foods Inc. is closing a microwave popcorn plant in Hamburg, IA. The company will close the plant in October and move the operations to its other popcorn facilities in Marion, OH and Rensselaer, IN. The Hamburg plant makes Orville Redenbacher's and ACT II microwave popcorn, reported The Associated Press. Full Story

The U.S. West already contains a disproportionately high number of coffee and snack stores, 26% of the U.S. total, compared with 17% of the population, according to IBISWorld, which will make Dunkin' Donuts entry challenging, noted analysts. So far, locations outside the Northeast are generating lower sales than the home-region stores. Midwestern locations brought in, on average, $602,029 in sales for the year ended Oct. 31, compared with $996,247 for New England locations, according to the company's Franchise Disclosure Document. Stores in the West averaged $718,100 in sales, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story

Approximately 62% of college students eat at on-campus dining facilities at least weekly, according to Technomic's College and University Consumer Trend Report. Customization is an increasingly critical issue for college diners: nearly half (47%) believe it is important that they can omit or substitute ingredients in their food. Some 21% of students limit their consumption of meat. In addition, 48% would like more on-campus dining facilities to stay open later at night. Full Story

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Food Institute News

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International News

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is exploring the possibility of buying Carrefour SA's Brazilian unit. UBS AG is advising Wal-Mart on the possibility of making an offer for Carrefour's Brazilian stores, though Wal-Mart is not currently in talks with Carrefour and has not contacted the company about its interest. The two companies attempted to reach a deal on the Brazilian stores two years ago but ended talks because of a price disagreement, reported The Associated Press. Full Story

Recording Now Available for Purchase! The Food Institute presented Shopper Insights: Actionable or Academic?, a webinar featuring Nadine Hernandez, Director, Shopper Insights Worldwide Industry Marketing, DemandTec and Roy White, Business Development Executive, RetailWire. The webinar provided detailed results of an in-depth survey addressing Shopper Insights, including, but not limited to the role of Shopper Insights in collaboration and the relative value of Shopper Insights to trade participants. To purchase the recording and learn more, click here.

Leprino Foods Company opened a business center in Singapore to develop cheese and other dairy products for the Asia-Pacific region. Full Story

Washington News

USDA and DOE awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. 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.

Market News

Many hog producers across the U.S. have no intention of expanding their herds as feed costs rise. At the same time, pork exports are surging, especially to China where tight supplies are fueling food inflation. Chicken producers also recently started reducing flocks as high feed costs hurt bottom lines, reported Reuters. Full Story

There is new evidence of Asian carp in Wisconsin waters, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. An angler's catch of a bighead carp in the Lower Wisconsin River and traces of silver carp DNA were found in the St. Croix River late last month. However, no young Asian carp nor other signs of successful reproduction have been documented so far in any Wisconsin waters. Full Story