Editor's Note: Daily Update will not publish Monday, Sept. 6. Publication will resume Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Industry News

Mid Valley Foods opened a $2.8 million facility in Oakdale, CA which will allow the company to triple production. Mid Valley's primary business is supplying beef, chicken and pork to grocery stores, meat markets and other businesses and also sells sour cream and cheeses, reported Modesto Bee. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

The U.S. ice cream market is expected to reach $6.8 million in 2010, according to Mintel Global Market Navigator. In the U.S., vanilla is the flavor of choice, accounting for 11% of ice cream product launches in 2009. Chocolate is a close second, with 8%. Premium lines accounted for 9% of global ice cream product launches in the last six months, while economy lines represented 4% of global launches. Full Story

Recording Now Available! Understanding FDA's Reportable Food Registry (RFR), a webinar hosted by The Food Institute and Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC, discussed FDA's current thinking regarding the RFR. The RFR is an electronic portal industry must use to alert the FDA when they find their products might sicken or kill people or animals. The reporting requirement applies to all foods and animal feed regulated by FDA, except infant formula and dietary supplements, which are covered by other regulatory requirements. Webinar moderator Robert Hahn provided insight on the legal obligation of reporting an adverse event through the RFR. To purchase the recording, click here.

Seattle's Best Coffee now distributes its coffee in 30,000 retail locations, a 10-fold increase since March. The company considers the growth "the first step toward 100,000 or more," stated president Michelle Gass. Full Story

Online shop Chocomize lets customers customize their candy bars with ingredients ranging from graham crackers to gold flakes, reported Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The company sold some 50,000 bars in the past nine months and can produce about 4,000 bars a week. Full Story

Private-equity firm 3G Capital Management Inc. favors Burger King's plans for expansion in Asia and Latin America and was attracted by the company's growth in Latin America, particularly Brazil, according to Burger King CEO John Chidsey. 3G, a company backed by Brazilian businessmen, previously invested in the Wendy's and Carl's Jr. restaurant chains but recently sold about $18 million of shares it held in Wendy's and Jack In the Box Inc., reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)

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

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Food Institute News

The Food Institute's Mergers Database was updated through Aug. 30! Food Institute members may search by category, year and company name. FI Merger Database (FI Membership Required)

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International News

More than half of respondents ate out of the home less often than the year before, according to a global survey from Nielsen. The dine-in trend was particularly strong in Latin America, North America, Europe and the Middle East. Roughly one-fourth of residents of Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Hong Kong and India ate out more often than usual. Full Story

Venezuela plans to pay Casino Guichard-Perrachon et Cie. SA about $600 million for a majority stake in the French food retailer's local unit, Cativen, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)

Health News

School children who consume foods purchased in vending machines are more likely to develop poor diet quality, according to research from the University of Michigan Medical School published in Journal of School Health. Among those surveyed, 22% of school children consumed competitive or vended food items in a school day. Usage was highest in high school, where 88% of schools had vending machines, compared to 52%of middle schools and 16% of elementary schools. Full Story

Washington News

The number of Americans receiving food stamps rose to a record 41.3 million in June, according to USDA, reported Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Full Story

Market News

Production of the 2010 asparagus crop is forecast at 741,000 cwt, down 18% from 2009. Snap bean production, at 736,680 tons, is down 6% from last year's production. Sweet corn production, at 2.73 million tons, is down 16% from last year. Green pea production, at 351,480 tons, is 20% below 2009. Contracted area for harvest of the four major processing vegetable crops, at 988,150 acres, is 10% below 2009. USDA Vegetable Report

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.