|
     |
August 18, 2011 |
|
 |
||
|
IFDA NewsIf you are trying to understand how fuel cells can fit into your operations, make sure to attend the “Update on Fuel Cell Technologies” session taking place at the upcoming Distribution Solutions Conference. Representatives from the Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program will provide an overview and lead a discussion focusing on the business case for fuel cells in material handling equipment and the primary drivers for a successful investment in fuel cell forklifts. Panel members include Scott Kliever, CFO of Sysco Houston, Frank Devlin, segment manager at Raymond Corporation, and Erik Hansen, vice president of sales, service and hydrogen at Plug Power. The conference takes place October 24-26 in Fort Worth, TX, and features nearly 40 education sessions. For full program info, click here. Operator NewsSchwan's Food Service Inc. expanded its school lunch options by more than 50% with the introduction of a new line of pizzas and other foods that meet federal school meal rules. The new product line includes reformulations of several of Schwan's school pizzas, flatbread sandwiches and new breakfast options. The products have at least 51 percent whole grains, less than 35 percent of calories from fat, and zero grams of trans fats, reported Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required) About 100 schools across the U.S. have worked with Cook for America, a group that trains school cooks in healthier food preparation, including Greeley, CO. The town will begin cooking school meals from scratch this year, reported The New York Times on the Web. Greeley's schools will be cooking from scratch about 75% of the time on the opening day, with a goal of reaching 100% by this time next year. Full Story (NYT Subscription Required) Restalia Grupo de Eurorestauracion, the parent company of Spanish sandwich chain 100 Montaditos, aims to open 4,000 outlets in the U.S. over the next five years. The company is looking to open franchised restaurants and company-owned outlets. The first U.S. restaurant opened in January in Miami; the chain aims to have eight outlets in Florida by next March. A location in New York City is also in the works, reported Bloomberg Businessweek. Full Story Del Frisco's Restaurant Group launched Del Frisco's Grille, a casual dining brand, in Houston. Del Frisco's plans to open up to 20 Grilles by 2017. Grille spaces will be around 8,000-sq. ft., and the company is looking for patio dining, reported Houston Business Journal. Full Story (Paid Subscription Required) Domino's is examining the details of its sales performance at every store domestically and internationally to identify weak spots and market opportunities, according to its CEO. The company now examines each franchisee's balance sheet, debt levels and income to look at profitability and capital structure. The CEO is also monitoring the health of the company's store network actively, with access to real-time sales data, reported MLive.com. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Retail NewsAbout 27% of the leading U.S. retailers do not have a mobile presence, according to the Mobile Presence of Leading U.S. Retailers study from 2ergo. Grocery, pharmacy & convenience store retailers that provide convenience features like personalized shopping lists, prescription refills and photo processing orders also opt for mobile apps (49%) more often than mobile sites (38%). Among restaurants and fast food chains, 35% have a smartphone application while 74% have a mobile-friendly site enabling download-free access to location, menu and reservation information. Full Story Industry NewsNew! Today's edition of the Lempert Report, featuring Phil Lempert, discusses what supermarkets could and should learn from food trucks. Click here to view. Nestle launched a $20 million-plus expansion in Cleveland and is also planning a global research facility for its frozen foods business in Solon, OH. The plant makes food bases sold to restaurants and distributors for use in soups, sauces and other dishes. The expansion will be finished in early 2013, reported Cleveland Plain Dealer. Full Story Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required) Two-thirds of smart phone or tablet owners have used their devices to make purchases and more than 80% used them to assist in purchasing decisions through product research at least once during the past year, according to L.E.K. Consulting's Mobile Commerce Survey. During the past six months, more than half of Active Mobile Consumers surveyed reported using at least one mobile coupon app, nearly one-third checked a pricing comparison tool and 29% tapped a loyalty or similar tool. Full Story Males, younger users and non-users are dissatisfied with the current portion sizes in frozen meals and want larger portions, according to The NPD Group's Frozen Meals Stay Hot! Where are Your Opportunities? report. Single-serve frozen meals, which account for 66% of frozen meals consumed, are popular as a carried lunch with young, working females and seniors who consume them in their homes. Full Story Legends Foods Corp. signed a letter of intent to purchase Mary of Puddin Hill, a fruitcake and pecan pie producer. The company recently signed a joint venture deal with a tamale maker, Mama Rosa, and has seven deals with food makers to supply company-branded items, including smoked turkey and honey-glazed ham, reported The Dallas Morning News. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Coca Cola Co. plans to invest $4 billion in China. The investments will take place over three years beginning in 2012 and raise Coca Cola's total investment in the country between 2009 and 2014 to $7 billion, reported The Globe and Mail. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Bright Food Group Co. entered into a deal to buy a 75% stake in Australia's Manassen Foods from Champ Private Equity, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story The board of South Africa's Bidvest Group recommended against selling its foodservice unit, reported Reuters. Full Story
Health NewsA diet rich in potassium may reduce the risk of stroke compared to those who get little of the mineral, according to a study published in Stroke. For each 1,000-mg. increase in daily potassium, the odds of suffering a stroke in the next five to 14 years declined by 11%, reported Reuters. Full Story Washington NewsFDA released its Strategic Plan for Regulatory Science, an initiative to modernize the tools and methods that the agency uses to evaluate whether the products it regulates are effective and safe. The plan focuses on eight areas, including modernizing toxicology; supporting new and improved manufacturing methods; and expanding and improving FDA's information technology infrastructure. Full Story New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Introductory Number 452-A, which provides agencies with more tools to foster the purchasing of food grown, produced, harvested or processed in New York State. Full Story
Market NewsBroiler meat production increased strongly during the first six months of 2011 (up 4.8%), noted ERS. Growth in the first quarter was 6.4% higher than the previous year and second-quarter production was 3.3% higher than a year earlier. Meanwhile, accelerating pork exports are expected to maintain hog and pork prices at or near record highs for the balance of 2011. ERS Report The 2011 drought in Texas cost state agriculture $5.2 billion in either additional production costs or potential income not received, topping a 2006 record $4.1 billion in losses, according to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The harshest impact has been on ranchers ($2.1 billion in losses), who had to pay more for supplemental feed after pastures went bare and brought cattle to market lighter than normal. Losses for corn producers totaled $327 million, while wheat producers reported a $243 million impact, reported Houston Chronicle. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
|
|
The IFDA Daily UpdateTo view our editorial policy, click here. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IFDA MembershipFor more information about becoming a member or partner |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|