Industry News
Food-at-home prices this year are now projected to increase only
as much as 2.5% by USDA, on the heels of last year's 6.4% hike.
In 2010, food-at-home prices are seen climbing another 2.5% to 3.5%,
according to exclusive Food Institute analysis. Full
Story (FI Membership Required) Not a member? Click
here for details on joining.
The potato chip market grew 22% during the economic downturn,
according to a report from Mintel. In addition, other salty snacks
experienced recession-fueled sales jumps. The tortilla chip market
increased by 18% since 2007, while smaller segments like popcorn and
cheese snacks saw similar gains (17% and 20%, respectively). Over
the next five years, potato chip sales are expected to rise just above
3% annually, while tortilla chip sales should increase just above
4%. Full
Story
Giant
Eagle reduced prices by 23% on more than 100 produce items,
totaling about $32.5 million annually, reported The Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette. Full
Story
Restaurant
chains are exploring opportunities in breakfast catering to help
them recoup revenues lost as businesses cut back on lunch spending.
For instance, Salsarita's Fresh Cantina made a breakfast-catering
program available to its entire 80-unit system in August. Bruegger's
Enterprises Inc. plans to test breakfast catering this fall in its
Minnesota market. Camille's Sidewalk Cafe recently enhanced its 12-year-old
breakfast-catering program by giving it a more healthful spin,
reported Nation's Restaurant News. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
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What social media outlet are you exploring for your company,
if any?
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About
46.5% of consumers will buy less Halloween candy this year,
according to the National Retail Federation's 2009 Halloween Consumer
Intentions and Actions Survey conducted by BIGresearch. The average
consumer plans to spend an average of $17.99 on candy. Altogether,
consumers are expected to spend an average of $56.31 each on Halloween,
down from $66.54 last year. Full
Story
Latest
sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily
- FI Membership Required)
Food Institute News
New!!! The Food Institute's
2009 Dried Fruits and Nuts Almanac is now available. This comprehensive
look into the past five years of production and trends provides valuable
insight about the dried fruit and nut industry. Composed of five years
worth of USDA reports, Bureau of Census Import and Export data and
IRI Supermarket Sales, this almanac will provide your business with
a leg up on the competition. For example, did you know that total
bearing acreage for tree nuts in the U.S. increased in the almond,
walnut and pistachio categories in 2008, while decreasing in the hazelnut
category and remaining unchanged in macadamias? Meanwhile, U.S. raisin
exports are forecast at 150,000 metric tons for 2009/10, up 3%, mostly
due to continued strong shipments to Europe. To purchase the book,
click
here.
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United States Cold Storage (USCS)
USCS
is one of the top five public refrigerated warehouses (PRW)
in the country. Since its acquisition by Swire in 1982, USCS
has grown in size to over 150 million cubic ft. of refrigerated
storage space at 30 distribution center facilities. The company
provides regional and national distribution from locations in
nine states including: California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois,
Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
USCS has become an integral part of the global food distribution
and supply chain with more than 35% of all goods it handles
destined for international use or consumption. With the need
to precisely manage the receiving, storage and order assembly
of approximately six billion pounds of temperature sensitive
foods throughout each year, USCS has created fully integrated
warehouse, transportation and information systems that not only
improve day-to-day operations but provide cost saving services
to its customers.
To
learn more about this 6-year Food Institute member, visit:www.uscoldstorage.com.
Interested
in seeing your company featured here? Email
us for more details.
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* Members only
International News
Japan's total broiler imports in 2010 are expected to
decrease by 3% from last year to 680,000 metric tons. Reduced
imports should help to run down high levels of stocks carried over
from the previous year. Brazil, the single largest supplier of bulk
broiler meat cuts (bone-less) to Japan, will be impacted most. Thailand
and China, two dominant suppliers of cooked broiler meat products,
are expected to maintain their continued presence in 2010 supported
by solid demand for prepared foods, noted FAS. FAS
Report
Health News
Japanese women, but not Japanese men,
who regularly drink five or more cups of green tea daily appear about
20% less likely to
develop stomach cancer, according to a study published in Gut,
reported Reuters. Full
Story
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The
Future of Food Retailing: A Willard Bishop & FI Webinar
Recording Now Available!
The
combination of food inflation and the recession has had
predictable and well-documented consequences, such as
growth in private label shares. However, some retailers,
notably Wal-Mart, appear to be leveraging the economic
downturn as they fundamentally change their shopper value
propositions, according to The Future of Food Retailing
webinar presented by Willard Bishop and the Food Institute.
If successful, these changes will alter supplier relationships
as well as the landscape for competitive food retailers,
in potentially seismic magnitude and with long-lasting
dimensions. To purchase a recording of the webinar for
$149, click
here. FI Members, pay $99 with your
Member Rewards Card!
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Washington News
Five
states, Kansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Texas, saw
an increase in real median household income between 2007 and 2008,
compared to 33 between 2006 and 2007. Five states, Arizona, California,
Florida, Indiana and Michigan, saw real median household income fall
during the time period compared to one state between 2006 and 2007,
according to a U.S. Census Bureau report that provides a statistical
portrait of the characteristics of the nation's population in 2008.
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
USDA plans to expand its fresh-cut apple pilot program to more
states in the upcoming school year and will also test baby carrots,
according to C. Keeney, deputy administrator for AMS's Fruit and Vegetable
Programs. Full
Story
The
University of Minnesota is releasing a new wheat variety, Sabin.
The
new variety of medium-maturity hard red spring wheat tested consistently
above average in yields, with good test weights and protein, according
to Jim Anderson, a wheat breeder at the university, reported TwinCities.com.
Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
