Retail News
Walmart will start using its stores to get internet orders
to customers faster as the company faces growing competition
for quick delivery of physical goods from online retailers
like Amazon. The company will soon test having lockers to
hold goods ordered on the internet in stores until shoppers
pick them up. It is also doubling the number of stores that
can fill orders placed online, an attempt to match the reach
of Amazon's distribution network, reported Reuters.
Full
Story
Meanwhile, American Express and Walmart's Bluebird debit
and checking alternative are now be eligible for FDIC insurance,
and will have the ability to receive direct deposit of government
payments, such as social security payments, military pay,
and tax refunds. Full
Story
New Store News: 7-Eleven
is growing in the Cleveland area with rebranding of convenience
stores in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties as part of a 19-store
lease from Lehigh Gas Partners, based in Allentown, Pa. The
effective date of the leases will vary, but all leases are
expected to be in place by March 31. Lehigh Gas Partners will
retain ownership of the 19 sites and will continue to provide
wholesale distribution of motor fuels to each site. Full
Story
Manufacturer News
Sales of frozen entrees declined 2% in 2012
to $9.2 billion, according to SymphonyIRI Group. In terms
of the technology, "there's been very little innovation,"
states Randy Friedlander, vice president of client services
at WD Partners, a Dublin, OH, food and retail consulting firm.
A number of companies are trying to reimagine the frozen entree
as a simpler, healthier and better-tasting experience. FreshDirect
is selling its own Smart & Simple line of frozen meals featuring
dishes like Artichoke and Ricotta Ravioli, and Balsamic Vegetable
Couscous. The line offers innovation not only in ingredients
but also in packaging, states it senior vice president of
merchandising. A special bowl enables "pressure steaming"
in the microwave, with no need to stir midway through heating,
reported The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
Meanwhile, Austin Packaging Co. plans to
eliminate its frozen pizza manufacturing business, according
to The Associated Press. The company claimed the move
comes after a year and a half of decline in the frozen pizza
industry as customer demand went down. Frozen pizza accounts
for about half of its business, reported TwinCities.com.
Full
Story
Hillshire Brands CEO Sean Connolly hopes to spur growth
at the packaged-meat producer with sandwiches and snacks
aimed at consumers seeking greater convenience and healthier
fare. The company has exceeded Wall Street profit expectations
twice since Mr. Connolly's arrival, earning $58 million in
the most recent quarter, up from $10 million for the Hillshire
Brands businesses a year earlier. The CEO credits the strength
of the company's brands, and will increase marketing and ad
spending to more than $215 million annually by 2015, reported
The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
Kameda USA acquired 77.8% of Mary's Gone Crackers,
the makers of organic, vegan and gluten free foods offered
nationally in grocery and natural food stores including Whole
Foods Market, Kroger and Sprouts. Kameda USA is a subsidiary
of Kameda Seika, Japan's largest manufacturer of rice crackers.
Full
Story
Pinnacle Foods could file an IPO this year, according
to speculation by CNBC's Jim Cramer. The company's
potential IPO filing is supported by the success of past 2013
IPO's, and because Pinnacle has "a big frozen food business"
and grocery business, the analyst claimed, and is "getting
out of lower-margin businesses and they've cut costs." Comparing
metrics to rival B&G, Jim Cramer thinks "$30 is a pretty
reasonable target" for the offering, reported CNBC.
Full
Story
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay is about to put Taco Bell's Doritos
Locos Tacos in a bag. Doritos announced the product on
Twitter, which includes bag shots of Nacho Cheese and Cool
Ranch flavors, reported Advertising Age. Full
Story (Paid Subscription Required)
Food companies are placing more "protein" labels
on foods and adding the macronutrient to drinks, bars
and cereals to attract consumers. "It's one of those rare
things that has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different
people and they are all positive," stated Barry Calpino, VP
of breakthrough innovation for Kraft Foods. Companies see
increased attention on protein as part of a larger trend of
consumers increasingly considering their health when choosing
foods, and is not "a faddish type thing," according to
Mr. Calpino, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required
Mojo Organics signed a distribution agreement
with Wholesome Choice to distribute Mojo's Chiquita Tropicals
line of premium fruit juices. Wholesome Choice is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of AKR Corp. In the U.S., AKR has
established seven major strategic distribution centers throughout
the country. Full
Story
New Product News: Hillshire Brands
introduced Ball Park Lean Franks, available in Lean Beef and
Lean Pork varieties. Full
Story... Annie's introduced Annie's
Cheddar Squares. Full
Story... Reser's is introducing
its American Classics Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad in available
in 16-oz. and 3-lb. containers. Full
Story
Foodservice News
Restaurant
Roundup: Denny's signed
a lease to open its first New York City outpost in a 23-story
luxury condo building Downtown, and will serve wine and beer,
reported DNAinfo.com. Full
Story... Burger
21 signed two new multiunit franchise agreements in Florida.
Seven new restaurants will be developed over the next several
years in the Fort Myers - Naples corridor, Fort Lauderdale,
Coral Springs, Davie and Pembroke Pines. Full
Story
Health News
Eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves
appetite control and reduces unhealthy snacking in the
evening, according to a study published in The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is the first time the
impact of breakfast consumption on daily appetite and evening
snacking has been studied. The consumption of the high-protein
breakfast led to increased fullness or "satiety" along with
reductions in brain activity that is responsible for controlling
food cravings, reported Science Daily. Full
Story
Eating
tofu and other soy foods may help women who develop lung cancer
increase their odds of living longer, according to a study
of women in Shanghai published in the Journal of Clinical
Oncology, reported Health Day. Full
Story
Washington News
The proposed ban on polystyrene foam packaging could cost
nearly $100 million a year and might not reduce as much waste
as originally thought, according to a study conducted
by MB Public Affairs on behalf of the American Chemistry Council.
The study found replacing polystyrene food and drink containers
with the lowest-priced alternative containers would cost approximately
$91.3 million per year. Restaurants and other small businesses
could experience increased costs of about $57 million if the
ban is enacted, reported the National Restaurant Assocation.
Full
Story
Beef jerky maker Jack Link's has gone to federal court
in Minnesota in an attempt to stop the distribution and sale
of counterfeit coupons that claim to offer the jerky for
free. In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, attorneys for
Jack Link's are seeking permanent injunctions against up to
100 individuals or parties who are allegedly selling bogus
coupons to consumers to redeem at retail outlets where the
jerky is sold, reported Minneapolis Star Tribune. Full
Story
A proposal to sell wine in refillable "growlers"
was approved in an Oregon Senate panel, sending it to
the Senate for a final vote. Passage is likely. Within weeks,
it's possible that Oregon wine enthusiasts will be able to
bring refillable containers to stores and restaurants and
bring home up to two gallons of their favorite vintage, reported
OregonLive.com. Full
Story
Food trucks could be allowed to park and serve food at
some Boulder, CO parks during a 12-week period this summer
as part of a new city pilot program. Under the Mobile Food
Vehicle Pilot Program for Parks, food trucks would be allowed
to periodically operate at six Boulder parks from June 2 through
Aug. 25, reported The Denver Post. Full
Story
Baristas Coffee Company filed its UFOC Disclosure Documents,
Operations Manual, Franchise Agreements, Financials, and
all required support documentation to become registered to
sell franchises in the state of California. This filing is
subsequent to the filing to become registered in Baristas'
home state of Washington and once approved will not only allow
the company to sell franchises in California but will open
up the ability to become approved in other states that require
registration, too. Full
Story
USDA cited Delta Fresh Fruit for failure to pay for
produce in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities
Act. The company failed to pay $338,659 to seven sellers for
49 lots of produce. Full
Story
USDA cited Freshco Foodservice for failure to pay
for produce in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities
Act. The company failed to pay $288,371 to eight sellers for
58 lots of produce. Full
Story
USDA submitted an information
collection requirement to OMB for the Dairy Export Incentive
Program (DEIP), which intends to expand U.S. agricultural
exports by paying cash to exporters as bonuses to allow them
to sell U.S. agricultural products in targeted countries at
competitive prices. The Foreign Agricultural Service collects
information from participating U.S. exporters in order to
determine the exporters' eligibility for the DEIP program
benefits, and for the Commodity Credit Corporation to manage
and account for government resources. Full
Notice
EPA is announcing the availability of a document,
"Enhancing Stakeholder Input in the Pesticide Registration
Review and ESA Consultation Processes and Development of Economically
and Technologically Feasible Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives."
The document describes changes to EPA's pesticide registration
review program and how it conducts consultation with the Marine/Fish
and Wildlife Services under section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act (ESA). The document also describes the process by which
public comments received on RPAs will be summarized and organized
by EPA and provided to the Services. Full
Notice
FDA submitted an extension for a proposed collection of
information concerning the registration of food facilities
under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness
and Response Act of 2002. Information FDA requires on
the registration form includes the name and full address of
the facility; emergency contact information; all trade names
the facility uses; applicable food product categories; and
a certification statement that includes the name of the individual
authorized to submit the registration form. Comments on the
collection will be considered if accepted by April 26. Full
Notice
Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for
Publix Deli Tri Fruit and Grain Salad in 12-oz. packages
because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
Publix received notification of the potential contamination
from its supplier, Allison's Gourmet Kitchens. Publix Deli
Tri Fruit and Grain Salad was distributed in Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Full
Story
Global News
Danish authorities discovered traces of pork
in some meat sold as beef for kebabs during an inspection
triggered by the recent horsemeat scandal, prompting demands
by the country's Muslim community for stricter inspection,
reported Reuters. Full
Story
A planned free trade agreement between the EU and U.S.
should not completely liberalize agricultural trade, the
president of the association of German farmers' association
DBV told Reuters. Brussels and Washington hope to start
negotiations in June on a transatlantic free-trade agreement,
which would encompass almost half the world's economy, and
are seeking as broad a deal as possible to deliver strong
economic growth. Full
Story
Market News
USDA announced no marketing quota will be in effect for
the 2014 wheat crop, a declaration required by current
circumstances. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
authorized commodity crop programs for the 2008 through 2012
crop years with the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 providing
a one-year temporary extension for the 2013 crop year. Unless
superseded by new farm legislation, any actions taken by USDA
pertaining to the 2014 wheat crop must be done in accordance
with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended (the
1938 Act), and the Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended. Full
Story
Red Gold recently invested in upgrades to the high-speed
salsa and pasta sauce bottling line at its Geneva, IN
facility, according to a company blog post. However, large
sums have also been spent on facilities in Elwood and Orestes,
IN, stated new media manager Colt Reichart. The company has
a large market share in the relatively flat canned tomatoes
and ketchup categories, but is growing in the salsa and pasta
sauce segments, where there has been a lot more activity lately.
Full
Story
The Southern regions of Chile are beginning to wind down
with only two weeks or so remaining the blueberry harvest.
It is being predicted that remaining volumes will be low,
as the exported volume of fruit fell below 1,000 tons last
week for the first time this season and that the entire season
will be over within the first week of April, reported Fresh
Plaza. Full
Story
Fresh potato exports from Colorado were approved in Taiwan.
The Taiwan Ministry of Agriculture approved the measure to
accept Colorado potatoes, despite tight inventories for the
2012 crop. The market for U.S. fresh potatoes is valued at
$5.1 million for 10,600 metric tons in the country, reported
The Packer Online. Full
Story
Australian farmers in Victoria's Goulburn Valley experienced
such a bumper crop of clingstone peaches, that it is going
to waste due to lack of market demand. A food box delivery
company, Aussie Farmers Direct plans to 'rescue' tons of peaches
by creating a new consumer market for the surplus fruit, reported
Australian Food News. Full
Story
The future of U.S. agriculture is in an increasingly strong
economic position, according to speakers at the California
Young Farmers and Ranchers conference. The next generation
of agriculturalists were provided upbeat assessments on professional
and business opportunities, but also outlined challenges facing
agriculture in the state, reported Ag Alert. Full
Story
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IGA
Global Rally Perspective 
