Industry News

Dollar Tree may expand to up to 7,000 stores across the country from its current 3,925, president and CEO Bob Sasser stated in a conference call, and plans to open 230 new stores before year-end. The company also intends to roll out food and frozen and refrigerated products to 146 stores for a total of 400 stores for the year after installing freezers and coolers in 117 stores during the company's fiscal second quarter, increasing frozen and refrigerated products availability to 1,677 stores. Morningstar.com

Rizo Lopez Foods will open a 128,000-sq. ft. plant in Modesto, CA and expects to start production in early 2012. The company makes a variety of Hispanic cheeses, yogurts, creams and desserts, which it sells under its Don Francisco brand. It sells meat products manufactured by another company, also under the Don Francisco name. The products are sold in California, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Georgia, Texas and Florida, reported The Modesto Bee. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Cypress Grove Chevre was acquired by Switzerland-based Emmi. Emmi also increased its stake in Contract Aseptic & Specialty Packaging LLC (CASP) to 100%. CASP specializes in contract manufacturing of aseptic milk products. Full Story

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market plans to open eight stores in Northern California in early 2011. Full Story

New Product News: ConAgra Foods, Inc. launched eight Healthy Choice microwavable frozen meals. Full Story ... Pinnacle Foods introduced Hungry-Man Frozen Dinners and Entrees Pub Favorites in three varieties. Full Story ... Saffron Road launched a line of frozen Halal Certified Indian entrees at Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S. Full Story ... Jerome Brown Barbeque & Wings' signature barbecue sauce will be sold in Walmart stores nationwide, reported Jacksonville Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Latest sales & earnings from food-related companies (Updated daily - FI Membership Required)

Food Institute News

Just Released! Dietary Supplements: A Regulatory Guide, authored by Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz, covers all aspects of FDA regulation of dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), an amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation of dietary supplement advertising. For more information and to purchase the book, click here.

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International News

Starbucks Corp assumed 100% ownership and operating control of Starbucks Brazil through the acquisition of Cafes Sereia do Brasil Participacoes S.A. Full Story

Health News

A diet rich in green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing diabetes, claims a study published in the British Medical Journal, reported BBC News. 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.

Washington News

Utz Quality Foods Inc. and Frito-Lay Inc. sued each other over the "Grandma" trademark. Utz sued Frito-Lay last week, arguing that the trademark is weak since other companies also registered "Grandma" in connection with food. Utz's lawsuit conceded that Frito-Lay holds U.S. trademarks for "Grandma's" as it relates to cookies. On Aug. 16, Frito-Lay filed suit against Utz and a related company, Rice Investments, contending trademark infringement, reported The Dallas Morning News. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

Acting under a court order sought by FDA, U.S. Marshals seized packaged food products from a rodent-infested warehouse in Athens, GA. A variety of products, including crackers, cookies and potato chips, were intended for sale to jails and prisons throughout the southeastern U.S. Full Story

How Can You Comply With Complex Food Safety Regulations? The Food Institute's HACCP & U.S. Food Safety Guide - 2nd Edition provides clear explanations of the recent regulations and requirements issued by FDA and USDA regarding the handling and sanitation of food products. Authored by Olsson, Frank & Weeda, P.C., this guide includes information on applying HACCP plans in the plant, mandatory HACCP systems in general and specific HACCP requirements for seafood, meat & poultry. For details, click here.

Market News

Sales of the 2009-2010 U.S. mushroom crop are 793 million-lbs., down 3% from the 2008-2009 season. Value of sales for the 2009-2010 mushroom crop is $925 million, down 4% from the previous season. The number of growers, at 312, is up 23 from last season. The average price is $1.17 per pound, unchanged from 2008-2009. Volume of sales reported by growers of Agaricus mushrooms for fresh market is 671 million-lbs., down 1% from the 2008-2009 season. Volume of sales of Agaricus mushrooms for processing is 107 million-lbs., down 13% from last season. USDA Mushroom Report

Farmers in the U.S. are wary that global dynamics could shift wheat prices again before next year's harvest despite Russia's ban on grain exports causing rising prices. However, a quirk of crop insurance, which locks in grain prices for policies based on a window set after Russia announced the Aug. 5 ban on grain exports, could accelerate the trend of increased wheat planting, farm experts state, or prompt farmers in other parts of the country to reconsider planting the crop, reported The New York Times on the Web. Full Story (Free Registration Required)