|
     |
August 31, 2011 |
|
 |
||||
|
IFDA NewsThe EXPO at the 2011 Distribution Solutions Conference is SOLD OUT, which means foodservice distributors will see more products and services exhibited at the show than ever before. To highlight some of the many solutions at the DSC EXPO, we have a "sneak peek" of equipment leasing and proof of delivery companies at the 2011 show. Full Story Distributor NewsRenzi Foodservice has proposed a 20,000-square-foot addition to its headquarters and refrigerated and frozen storage facility in Watertown, NY, reported the Watertown Daily Times. Full Story Operator NewsJuice It Up! is making a comeback after closing nearly half of its California outlets in the recession. The chain, which has five outlets in the Sacramento area, plans to open a new bar in Folsom next month and officials hope to open three to five additional franchised bars throughout the area over the next couple of years, part of a statewide expansion plan, reported The Sacramento Bee. Full Story (Free Registration Required) Some 35% of consumers will dine out and/or use restaurant takeout or delivery for a picnic, cookout or outdoor event this Labor Day weekend, according to research by the National Restaurant Association. Meanwhile, 20% ordered restaurant takeout or delivery for an outdoor dining occasion during the summer months; about 66% of consumers went on a summer vacation or trip during which they visited a restaurant. Full Story Canadians are spending more of their disposable income on eating out this summer compared to last summer, according to BMO Bank of Montreal's annual Summer Spending survey. Full Story
Retail NewsA growing number of retailers are trying to deliver greater value mainly through lower prices, according to a Brick Meets Click blog authored by Bill Bishop. Whether these are offered on the shelf or reflected in specials and promotions, there is a good chance that by themselves, lower prices will be slow to increase sales. In some cases, they may even deflate sales below what they would have been had there been no pricing initiative. However, pricing is only one dimension of value. Full Story Carrefour is seeing a slowing of growth due to a "zig-zagging on its strategy," reported The Wall Street Journal, including its pricing in France to a failed merger proposal of its Brazil business and canceled plans to spin off its property-development unit. The result is that Carrefour is retrenching in many of its biggest markets. Carrefour's French business, which accounts for 43% of group sales, unveiled a new strategy that includes far fewer price promotions. Instead, it plans to lower prices over the long-term. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required) Industry NewsH.J. Heinz Co. has no interest in selling off its frozen food business. The company's CEO, chairman and president sees products such as Smart Ones and Ore-Ida as core to the company's U.S. business, reported Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Full Story About 74% of online U.S. adults have used an online coupon or coupon code at least once, with 36% reporting that they use online coupons or coupon codes at least once a month, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com. Some 49% of those that use coupons use them on food and wine. Full Story Green Gourmet Foods of Ohio LLC will expand, with plans to lease a 150,000-sq. ft. potato processing plant and make an investment of at least $6.4 million in machinery and equipment, land and building acquisition. The company makes microwaveable potato products, reported Business Courier of Cincinnati. Full Story (Free Registration Required) New! The Aug. 31 edition of New Products Hits and Misses with Phil Lempert profiles: Kettle Brand 40% Reduced Fat Potato Chips Sea Salt Flavor; Bonito Del Norte Arroyabe White Meat Tuna in Olive Oil; Ben & Jerry's Bonnaroo Buzz; SunRidge Farms All Natural Milk Chocolate Rainbow Drops; and Health Guard Be Happy Mood Booster. Click here to view. Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required) Yellow Tail wine is the best-selling imported wine in the U.S. and the No. 2 table wine over all, behind the Barefoot brand sold by E. & J. Gallo. However, Yellow Tail's growth in case sales is slowing. Case sales climbed from 225,000 in the brand's first year, 2001, to 1.2 million in 2003, 6.5 million in 2005 and 8.2 million in 2008. But sales rose only a bit in 2009, to 8.3 million, and remained at that level last year, reported The New York Times on the Web. Full Story (NYT Subscription Required) In July, 38 daily-deal sites closed while the industry experienced a 7% drop in revenue from the prior month in top North American markets, according to research firm Yipit. Yelp is scaling back its year-old deal service; the company began offering discounts from local merchants in San Diego in August 2010 and expanded to 20 cities this year, reported Advertising Age. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Washington NewsThe 90,740 state and local governments across the U.S. had 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2010, 203,321 fewer than were employed in 2009, according to estimates released by the Census Bureau. The majority of these employees, nine million, worked in education, followed by hospitals (986,471), police protection (946,196) and corrections (731,692). Full Story About 10% of all U.S. children, 7.5 million, lived with their grandparents in 2010, according to figures released by the Census Bureau. Full Story Six attorneys general in the Great Lakes region called for a multi-state coalition that would push the federal government to protect the lakes from invasive species such as Asian carp by cutting off a link to the Mississippi River basin, reported The Detriot Free Press. Full Story A regulation establishing tolerances for residues of the pesticide tebuconazole in or on wheat, grain; oats, grain; wheat, shorts; and wheat germ was published in the Federal Register. Bayer CropScience requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Full Notice
Market NewsPeanut stocks reported in commercial storage on July 31 totaled 1.52 billion-lbs. of equivalent farmer stock, compared with 1.83 billion-lbs. a year ago. Utilization by type was 99.5 million-lbs. for all peanut butter products, 35.7 million-lbs. for peanut candy and 32.2 million-lbs. for peanut snacks. Full Report New York's orchard fruit fared well during Hurricane Irene, according to a spokesman for the New York Farm Bureau. However, cabbage, sweet corn, onions, cauliflower and other vegetables sustained still undetermined damage, reported The Buffalo News. Full Story The New York Times on the Web takes a look at agricultural damage across New York state following Hurricane Irene. One farm that supplies ShopRite reported damage to more than 33% of its 1,500 acres of sweet corn and other vegetables. Cantaloupes at Davenport Farms were submerged, and the corn crop was blown down by strong winds. Many farmers remain without power. Full Story (NYT Subscription Required) New Jersey farmers saw spotty damage to sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, potatoes and squash in the wake of Hurricane Irene, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Some other crops withstood the wind only to become too waterlogged to recover. Apples and grapes, not yet fully ripe, proved resilient against the wind, reported The Star-Ledger. 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|