Industry News

The consumer price index rose 0.4% in July after rising 0.2% in June. The cereals and bakery products index fell 0.1% last month; the other five major grocery store food groups all increased, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Full Report

Restalia Grupo de Eurorestauracion, the parent company of Spanish sandwich chain 100 Montaditos, aims to open 4,000 outlets in the U.S. over the next five years. The company is looking to open franchised restaurants and company-owned outlets. The first U.S. restaurant opened in January in Miami; the chain aims to have eight outlets in Florida by next March. A location in New York City is also in the works, reported Bloomberg Businessweek. Full Story

New! Today's edition of the Lempert Report, featuring Phil Lempert, discusses what supermarkets could and should learn from food trucks. Click here to view.

Walgreens unveiled a store brand, Nice!, with more than 400 grocery and household products. The company plans to have most Nice! products on its shelves by early 2012. Current store brands including Cafe W, Deerfield Farms, W and others will be phased out and transitioned to Nice!. Full Story

Nestle launched a $20 million-plus expansion in Cleveland and is also planning a global research facility for its frozen foods business in Solon, OH. The plant makes food bases sold to restaurants and distributors for use in soups, sauces and other dishes. The expansion will be finished in early 2013, reported Cleveland Plain Dealer. 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.

About 27% of the leading U.S. retailers do not have a mobile presence, according to the Mobile Presence of Leading U.S. Retailers study from 2ergo. Grocery, pharmacy & convenience store retailers that provide convenience features like personalized shopping lists, prescription refills and photo processing orders also opt for mobile apps (49%) more often than mobile sites (38%). Among restaurants and fast food chains, 35% have a smartphone application while 74% have a mobile-friendly site enabling download-free access to location, menu and reservation information. Full Story

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

Food Institute News

Third Session Scheduled for Sept. 20! The Food Institute and OWF Law are offering a year-long webinar series on FDA implementation of the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The third session, scheduled for 12 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, Sept. 20, will probe FDA rules governing preventative controls. Twelve one-hour webinars will be offered throughout the course of the next year. The first two sessions have been recorded and are available to all that register. Click here to learn more and sign up.

Furmano Foods Nestled in the fertile Susquehanna River Valley of Central Pennsylvania, Furmano Foods is a fourth generation family owned and operated tomato and vegetable canning company in business since 1921. Furmano services retail, foodservice and international markets with its product line of tomato products, canned dry beans, snap beans and bean salads and canned peppers. In 2010 Furmano's launched a complete line of cooked dry beans in shelf stable pouches for the foodservice trade. Supplying healthy, great tasting foods continues to be Furmano's focus now with lower sodium tomato and bean items available. Furmano's: "Great taste is a family tradition." To learn more about this Food Institute member, please visit: www.furmanos.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

The Coca-Cola Company and its Chinese bottling partners will invest $4 billion in China over the next three years, commencing 2012. Consumption of Coca-Cola products in China represents approximately 7% of the company's global volume. The company will break ground on a new plant in Shijiazhuang (Hebei province) later this year. Full Story

Health News

A diet rich in potassium may reduce the risk of stroke compared to those who get little of the mineral, according to a study published in Stroke. For each 1,000-mg. increase in daily potassium, the odds of suffering a stroke in the next five to 14 years declined by 11%, reported Reuters. Full Story

Washington News

FDA released its Strategic Plan for Regulatory Science, an initiative to modernize the tools and methods that the agency uses to evaluate whether the products it regulates are effective and safe. The plan focuses on eight areas, including modernizing toxicology; supporting new and improved manufacturing methods; and expanding and improving FDA's information technology infrastructure. Full Story

Market News

Broiler meat production increased strongly during the first six months of 2011 (up 4.8%), noted ERS. Growth in the first quarter was 6.4% higher than the previous year and second-quarter production was 3.3% higher than a year earlier. Meanwhile, accelerating pork exports are expected to maintain hog and pork prices at or near record highs for the balance of 2011. ERS Report

The 2011 drought in Texas cost state agriculture $5.2 billion in either additional production costs or potential income not received, topping a 2006 record $4.1 billion in losses, according to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The harshest impact has been on ranchers ($2.1 billion in losses), who had to pay more for supplemental feed after pastures went bare and brought cattle to market lighter than normal. Losses for corn producers totaled $327 million, while wheat producers reported a $243 million impact, reported Houston Chronicle. Full Story (Free Registration Required)