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August 24, 2011 |
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IFDA NewsIFDA has filed comments with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regarding the agency’s “quickie election proposal.” Under the proposed rule, union elections could occur as quickly as 10 days after a petition is filed. The current median for elections is 38 days after filing with 95% of all elections taking place within 56 days. Reducing this time would make it far more difficult for employers to make their case depriving employees of the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding unionization. IFDA strongly opposes the rule and urged its withdrawal. IFDA has also signed on to the comments filed by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace opposing the rule. Both comments are available on IFDA’s Regulatory Watch. The NLRB and the DOL have both released proposed rules that will limit free speech by employers, deny employees from getting both sides of the story about union representation, and create legal pitfalls for business owners facing union organizing drives. A September 8 IFDA members-only webinar will feature Vedder P.C. labor attorneys Kevin Hennessy and Kenneth Sparks who will discuss these developments, their implications for distributors, and how companies should modify their labor strategies to counter these and other changes under consideration . To register, click here. Operator NewsA group of investors signed an agreement to open 35 Twin Peaks restaurants in six states, mostly in the East, over the next 10 years, reported The Dallas Morning News. Full Story (Free Registration Required) KFC is reportedly the first American fast food outlet to open in Kenya. McDonald's and Burger King have not entered the area due to supply chain concerns. KFC investors worked with a Kenyan chicken supplier for more than a year to bring it up to the quality control standards demanded by Yum! Brands. Two more KFCs are slated to open in Nairobi this year, and there are plans to open 15 restaurants in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the next three years, reported Forbes.com. Full Story Retail NewsCentral Grocers plans to expand the capacity at its distribution center to accommodate increased volume in the produce and meat departments of its members. Completion is expected before the end of the year. The expansion will involve reconfiguring racks to pick up 15,000-sq. ft. of receiving space at the 940,000-sq. ft. facility; it will also increase the number of dock doors by 30, to 180, and optimize pallet movement, reported Supermarket News. Full Story
Industry NewsH.J. Heinz Co. is adding more products at lower prices and accelerating the introduction of entry-priced items in developed markets, especially in the U.S., to appeal to consumers with $50 or less to spend on groceries each week. Heinz will roll out its plans for smaller product sizes that it can sell for less at convenience and dollar stores, which were in development for about three months and emphasize price per ounce rather than entry price point, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required) Meanwhile, the traditional Heinz consumer is more affluent and shopping at club stores but "we are seeing a consumer that is truly struggling and value means something different," according to its SVP of investor relations and global program management officer, reported Pittsburgh Business Times. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Kraft Foods Inc. reduced the list price of its coffee brands Maxwell House and Yuban by about 6% in the U.S., reported Reuters. Full Story Some 40% of 18 to 24-year-olds drink coffee daily, up from 31% in 2010, according to the 2011 National Coffee Drinking Trends Study from the National Coffee Association. Gourmet coffee continues to be a significant portion (37%) of total coffee consumed. Penetration is also growing in the single serve arena at an average of 1% per year, and 35% of those with a pod system acquired it in the past six months. Full Story New! The Aug. 24 edition of New Products Hits and Misses with Phil Lempert profiles: Mojo Milk Probiotic Chocolate Milk; Pillsbury Sweet Moments Raspberry Cheesecake Flavor; Bachman Toasted Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips; Newman's Own Organics Family Recipe Cookies Ginger Snap Flavor; and Burgers' Smokehouse Peppered Bacon Steak Cuts. Click here to view. Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required) dunnhumbyUSA formed a partnership with TRA, a media and market research company. The partnership will leverage its data, expertise and analytics to accelerate TRA's expertise in linking TV viewership and purchase behavior, reported The Cincinnati Enquirer. Full Story Health NewsAdding specific cholesterol-lowering foods, such as nuts, to one's diet can lower cholesterol more than a low-fat diet alone, according to research published in Journal of the American Medical Association, reported HealthDay. Full Story Washington NewsUSDA revised the delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE) and the Under Secretary for Rural Development, and from the Under Secretary for REE to the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to reflect the division of responsibilities for carrying out the biomass research and development authorities of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. Full Notice
Market NewsThe Mexican apple crop is expected to total 21.8 million bushels this year, up 12% from 2010, stated a partner with Pico Largo SPR, Chihuahua, Mexico. Domestic production in Mexico covers about 61% of the country's demand for apples. Mexico's apple imports were about 11.6 million bushels in 2010. Meanwhile, Canada's 2011 apple production is estimated up 4.5% over 2010 at 21 million 42-lb. cartons this year, reported The Packer Online. Full Story Coffee exports from Colombia, Mexico and seven other Latin American countries gained 0.3% from a year earlier in July. Total shipments rose to 1.97 million bags from 1.96 million bags in July 2010, according to Guatemala's National Coffee Association, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story Hill Country, TX peach growers sustained larger-than-expected losses from severe weather this year, and production is expected to be about 40% of an average year. The state's peach production total is well off the 14,000-tons from last year due to freezing temperatures in February and a frost in April. While the drought also kept peaches from growing as large as usual, the smaller peaches offer sweeter flavor, reported Houston Chronicle. Full Story (Free Registration Required) A spotted wing drosophila was found in a trap on a blueberry farm in Atlantic County, NJ, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, reported The Packer Online. Full Story
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