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May 10, 2011 | |
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Distributor NewsSysco Corp. indicated that it is planning to buy other food distributors as part of an expansion that could move the company into overseas markets. The company is "building a pipeline" of potential acquisitions in the U.S. as well as in other areas, reported Houston Chronicle. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Sysco Corp. subsidiary Buckhead Beef Co. will open a 24,000-sq. ft. facility in Charlotte late this summer. The plant will distribute Certified Angus Beef, veal, poultry, seafood, wild game and other foods to chefs, restaurateurs and Sysco-operating companies across the Carolinas, reported Charlotte Observer. Full Story (Free Registration Required) As of May 9, U.S. average diesel fuel prices were $4.124 per gallon, down 0.026 cents per gallon from a week ago, and up $1.002 from one year ago. Full Story Operator NewsFast-food companies are asking U.S. state legislators to remove restaurant marketing from local governments' proposed regulatory updates. The lobbying push, which succeeded in Arizona and gained traction in Florida, aims to stop marketing restrictions before they start. Under a state law that will take effect July 20, Arizona counties and cities will not be allowed to regulate toys, games, coupons, crayons, coloring placements or prizes that appeal to children if they are offered at restaurants, reported Chicago Breaking Business. Full Story IHOP rolled out a line of breakfast items in 3,000 Wal-Mart stores across the U.S. Products include French Toast Stuffed Pastries, Omelet Crispers and Griddle 'n Sausage Wraps, reported South Florida Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Consumers are of two different mindsets when it comes to spending, those that cannot spend freely and those that can, and the dichotomy between these two mindsets will shape the restaurant industry now and into the future, according to The Changing Consumer Mindset: What it Means to the Restaurant Industry report by The NPD Group. Some 76% of the consumers surveyed for the study fall into the cautious, controlled spender group, which include adults in all demographic groups but skew toward the unemployed, less affluent and retirees. Full Story
Retail NewsA Lakeview, IL neighborhood association claims it negotiated a restrictive covenant with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. that would legally limit a proposed store to a maximum 33,395-sq. ft., reported Crain's Chicago Business. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Industry NewsWest Coast shippers are bracing for what could be the highest transportation rates they have ever seen, with diesel fuel rates hitting $4.50 per gallon and no let-up in sight. "Everyone is concerned about it," stated the president of the Grower-Shipper Association. The VP of sales and marketing for Green Tree International Inc. stated that "freight rates are currently 20% to 25% above normal and they are only going to go up ... supplies of trucks are going to be very tight this summer. I think by late May, we will see rates in the $8,000 to $9,000 range," reported The Produce News. Full Story About 84% of consumers believe that grocery prices increased in the past three months and 62% believe restaurant prices rose, according to a consumer sentiment and behavior survey by Technomic. During the same time period, 50% of consumers believe packaged food sizes are smaller and 32% believe the same thing about restaurant portions. Full Story New! Just how far will people drive for food when gas is $5 a gallon? Also, digital coupons may well change the future of TV cooking shows, according to the May 10 edition of the Lempert Report, featuring Phil Lempert. Click here to view. Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required) Dean Foods Co. was battered last year by heavy competition from private-label brands, as grocers discounted milk to lure consumers into their stores, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required), Full Release Manger Packing Corp. produces between 15,000-lbs. to 20,000-lbs. of its sausages weekly with markets from New York to South Carolina. The company is known for its "half smoke," a lightly smoked pork and beef sausage, and corned ham. About 10% of the Manger business is retail-based, while the company also wholesales products from other processors in the Baltimore region, reported Meat & Poultry. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Philippine farm output expanded 4.1% in the first three months from a year ago, the fastest first-quarter growth since 2004, with better rains likely to boost rice harvests for the rest of the year and reduce the need for more imports. Farm output this year is estimated to grow between 4.5 and 5.5%, the highest in at least four years, after contracting 0.1% in 2010, according to the country's agriculture secretary, reported Reuters. Full Story
Market NewsGeorgia could potentially produce a record crop of 70 million-lbs. of blueberries, up from last season's 56 million to 58 million-lbs., according to the director of blueberry product management for Naturipe Farms LLC. A combination of the crop receiving favorable growing conditions with few weather problems, solid bee pollination and increased acreage should help boost production and make for strong retail promotions. Meanwhile, peach grower-shippers in Georgia report positive growing conditions, reported The Packer Online. Full Story California raisin type grapes using the overhead trellis management system totaled 19,378 acres (bearing and non-bearing) during 2010. This amounted to 9.5% of the total raisin type grape acreage. Approximately 43% of the total raisin type acreage planted since 2003 was managed using this system, according to NASS. Full Story Water shortages, the rising cost of water and low profit margins are threatening the California avocado industry, reported The San Diego Union-Tribune. Farming officials in San Diego County estimate that growers have let 20% to 30% of the avocado trees in Fallbrook and Valley Center stop bearing fruit in the past three years. Full Story (Free Registration Required) More bad weather is damaging fields from North America to Europe to Asia. The Canadian Wheat Board reported that 3% of grain was sown thus far, compared with 40% normally, due to muddy fields. Dry spells are threatening crops in France, Western Australia and China, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
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