Industry News

Food-at-home prices during October rose another 0.5%, bringing year-to-date food-at-home inflation to 6.3%. Food-away-from-home prices rose a half a percentage point as well. The inflation rate remained at 4.3% through Nov. 1, according to The Food Institute. Full Story (FI Membership Required)

U.S. consumers are less aware of new product launches than ever before, according to the seventh annual Most Memorable New Product Launch Survey conducted by Schneider Associates, Mintel International and IRI. Some 69% of respondents could not identify one new product introduced in 2008 in any sector. This lack of recall is attributed to factors including the presidential election, unstable economy, fluctuating gas prices and shaky financial markets. The most recalled food or beverage product upon prompting was Bud Light Lime (15%, No. 3). Full Story

Yum! Brands, Inc. wants to build Taco Bell into a global brand with locations across the world. Plans call for a Taco Bell in Spain by the beginning of next year and in India by April. Earlier this month, a Taco Bell opened at a Dubai shopping mall. Yum! Brands altered the Taco Bell menu to adapt to local tastes, but wants to keep it mostly the same as in the U.S. In Dubai, food is prepared so it is Halal. In India, Taco Bell will not serve beef, and the menu will use more potatoes and other vegetarian ingredients. There are about 240 Taco Bells in 10 countries outside the U.S., with the majority in Canada and Puerto Rico, according to The Wall Street Journal. Full Story

Gift card sales will fall nearly 6% this holiday season to $24.9 billion, down from $26.3 billion last year, according to the National Retailing Federation's sixth annual Gift Card Survey conducted by BIGresearch. Fewer people plan to purchase gift cards this year (53.5% vs. 56.6% last year) and gift card shoppers will be spending less overall on the cards ($147.33 vs. $156.24 in 2007). The survey found that the biggest gift card spenders this year will be men, who will spend an average of $156.98 on the cards, and Americans over age 45, who will spend $168.02. Full Story

NutriSystem, Inc. entered into an agreement with Schwan's Home Service, Inc. for the development and distribution of frozen foods under the NutriSystem brand. The new line, NutriSystem Select, will be NutriSystem's first frozen food offering in its portfolio of weight loss programs and will launch in the first quarter of 2009. Full Story

Correction: Technomic released the survey highlighted on Nov. 14 that lunch/dinner entrees made up the largest number of new items on chain restaurant menus in October (273). The Food Institute regrets the error.

International News

Retail food distribution channels in Morocco continue to develop. In the past ten years, large modern supermarkets played a role in transforming Morocco's food distribution system and buying habits. The number of modern supermarkets is still expected to grow in the medium term but local importers will continue to play a role in introducing, distributing and promoting food products in Morocco. FAS Report

The Soil Association warns the UK is increasingly reliant on imported food and its faith in global markets is misplaced. The association also claims that the UK must radically transform the current food and farming system into one based on an environmentally sustainable model of more regionalized processing and distribution networks. Full Story

Health News

Carrots were modified to boast higher amounts of calcium, according to studies by Agricultural Research Service-funded scientists. The research could be used to add this nutrient to other crops, according to the scientists. ARS Release

Washington News

China will send food and drug quality control officials to the U.S. , following FDA opening its offices in China. The Chinese officials will come from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the State Food and Drug Administration, according to China Daily. Full Story, FDA Release

Lance, Inc. obtained approval to be the "stalking horse" bidder for the primary assets of snack food companies Archway Cookies LLC and Mother's Cake and Cookie Co. Lance, Inc. was approved as the stalking horse bidder in connection with the bankruptcy court's approval of auction procedures for the sale of the assets. Lance, Inc. bid $30 million for the combined primary assets of Archway Cookies LLC and Mother's Cake and Cookie Co. Full Story

Market News

This year, Virginia peanut producers are expected to harvest approximately 23,000 acres which represents an almost 10% increase over the 21,000 acres harvested in 2007, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In addition, estimates also call for a higher-than-expected yield of approximately 2,800 pounds per acre on average across the Commonwealth, which is an increase of almost 4% over the 2,700 pound yield per acre in 2007. Full Story

Kenyan trade fairs provide an acceptable venue for a limited number of U.S. agricultural products like planting seeds, livestock genetics, other intermediate products and some bulk commodities. However, U.S. food companies interested in exporting to east Africa should concentrate promotional efforts at the Gulf Food Show in Dubai, UAE where Kenyan food importers travel each year to learn about new products. FAS Report