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Retail News
Southern California's 166-unit Stater
Bros. Markets supermarket chain is profiled by The
San Bernadino Sun. Over a 73-year period, Stater Bros.
Markets grew from a single store to 166 supermarkets, 19,000
employees and its status as a Fortune 500 company. Full
Story
Manufacturer News
The Whole Grain Stamp is now found
on over 3,000 whole grain foods in 14 different countries,
according to the Whole Grains Council. Some 65% of the products
currently using the stamp contain a full serving or more of
whole grain, and more than a third of stamped products qualify
for the added 100% banner when all the grain is whole grain.
Full
Story
A growing number of farmers and others in agriculture
are using social media tools to communicate with each other,
send out information and educate the public about agriculture.
Dairy operators are especially proficient with launching Facebook
pages, blog posting and Twitter, reported The Fresno Bee.
Full
Story (Free Registration Required) Recording
Now Available! Regulating The New Social
Media ... What You Need To Know Before You "Tweet," a
Food Institute webinar, discussed the regulatory and legal
repercussions companies face in using social media outlets.
Webinar participants included Mary Engle with the Federal
Trade Commission, Violet Aldaia of Brand Edge Global, David
Mallen with the National Advertising Division of the Better
Business Bureau, and Richard Leighton with the law firm of
Keller and Heckman. To purchase a recording or learn more,
click
here.
Retail marshmallow sales totaled about
$146 million in 2008, up from $141 million the year before,
according to Information Resources Inc. The growing popularity
of the confection is partly the result of specialty food manufacturers
creating new marshmellow varieties, such as the chocolate-drizzled
Zebras, introduced last year by Campfire-brand marker Doumak
Inc, reported The Associated Press. Full
Story
Pepsi bottler Wis-Pak
bought Hogwash, a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate juice drink
for kids from independent Chicago agency Schafer Condon
Carter. Wis-Pak bought the brand after
two years of trial and a sales increase of 90% this year,
reported Advertising Age. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
Quality sustainable
palm oil is in short supply, claims Nutella manufacturer
Ferroro. The company recently signed a five year agreement
with New Britain Palm Oil to buy oil that is certified as
conforming to the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil, though the deal only accounts for
about a quarter of Ferroro's palm oil requirements, reported
Food Navigator. Full
Story
Manufacturer News:
Formulating bread with Bifidobacterium, a type of bacteria,
may reduce levels of a compound in high-fiber bread thought
to be behind fiber's impairment of mineral absorption, according
to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, reported Food Navigator. Full
Story ... Pouches will lead gains among converted flexible
packaging products in a range of food uses, according
to Reportlinker.com. Demographic trends are likely to boost
demand for food in smaller package sizes and more convenient
foods designed to reduce food preparation time, reported Food
Production Daily. Full
Story
Foodservice News
Wendy's International is looking to expand in the St.
Louis market, planning to open two area stores later this
year in addition to five built locally since the beginning
of 2009, spending an estimated $10.5 million in the
process. The openings are part of a plan to open six to seven
stores annually for the next three years, reported The
St. Louis Business Journal. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
Pizza Inn is offering
a new development incentive program to increase domestic
growth and offer financing opportunities to franchisees. The
incentive program offers a 50% reduction in the initial Franchise
Fee from $25,000 to $12,500 and a reduction in royalties for
years one and two from 4% to 2%, reported QSR Magazine.
Full
Story
Restaurant Roundup:
Denny's introduced the Better Burger, available in
five varieties including the Western Burger and Mushroom Swiss
Burger. Full
Story ... Starbucks will offer decaf VIA Ready
Brew starting Nov. 17 in all U.S. company-operated and licensed
locations. Full
Story ... T.G.I. Friday's will offer penny appetizers
to costumed guests at the bar who purchase a beverage Oct.
29 after 9 p.m., reported Nation's Restaurant News.
Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
Health News
The Food Issue of The
New York Times Magazine featured articles including
Rules to Eat By Michael Pollan, The Calorie-Restriction Experiment
by Gon Gertner and California's Food Banks Go Locavore by
Doug McGray. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
Washington News
Japan suspended beef shipments from Tyson Fresh Meats
Inc.'s Lexington, NE plant because Japanese quarantine
inspectors found bovine spinal columns in one of 732 boxes,
which arrived in Japan in late September. The suspension only
affects Tyson's Lexington facility, one of 46 meatpacking
plants approved to export beef to Japan. It was the second
suspension for the Lexington factory, reported The Associated
Press. Full
Story
The U.S and Paraguay Governments signed an investment
agreement for stevia development with PureCircle, promoting
the cultivation of stevia in the south of Paraguay. Full
Story
Research linking snack foods and obesity in poor communities
is inciting calls for more regulation of convenience stores
in South Los Angeles following last year's city restrictions
on new fast-food restaurants in a 32-square-mile area. The
Los Angeles City Council will consider a proposal limiting
the density of small food stores in South Los Angeles, prohibiting
such small neighborhood markets from being closer than one-half
mile from another unless they sell fresh fruit and vegetables,
reported The Los Angeles Times. Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. initiated a voluntary
recall of Baking Classics brand Walnut Halves and Pieces
packaged in 16-oz. bags and Baking Classics brand Nut Topping
packaged in 2-oz. bags as they may be contaminated with Listeria
monocytogenes. Full
Story
Global News
Population growth, strong income growth and
urbanization is expected to double the demand for food,
feed and fiber over the next 40 years, according to
Director-General Jacques Diouf of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN. The combined effects of climate change
could reduce potential agricultural output by up to 30% in
Africa and up to 21% in Asia. Full
Story
The Wall Street Journal interviewed Carrefour
SA's chief executive Lars Olofsson, formerly of Nestlé
SA. Mr. Olofsson stated that the hypermarket model needs to
change to remain valid, as specialty stores have edged stores
such as Carrefour SA out of the market and taken nonfood business.
Mr. Olofsson also statted that Carrefour experienced difficulties
in the past decade because of a lack of focus on the consumer
after pricing laws in Western Europe led the company to focus
on quality, and ultimately resulted in inconsistency in Carrefour's
execution of its strategy. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
China's leaders are concerned that foreign suppliers are
inflating commodity costs as a result of the nation's
economic expansion, and hope to utilize the country's three
futures exchanges to respond. Government officials claim the
country is positioning its futures markets to be larger players
in setting world prices for metal, energy and farm commodities,
and believe that hosting big futures markets will enhance
the country's economic security by advertising what the biggest
customer for some commodities considers a fair price, reports
The Wall Street Journal. Full
Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
Socio-economic and demographic changes are altering food
trends in France, as French consumers desire food products
offering new tastes, increased health benefits and greater
convenience. France offers market opportunities in areas such
as fish and seafood, processed fruits and vegetables, beverages,
tree nuts, confectionery products and wild rice as well as
kosher and halal foods. FAS
Report
The UK presents market opportunities for many U.S. consumer-oriented
products, including specialty food products, "healthy"
food items, wine, sauces, fruits, nuts and juices. "Health"
and convenience foods are the main driving forces in the UK
value-added food and beverage market. UK Consumers are also
looking for variety in high quality food products, especially
those perceived to have health and fitness benefits. FAS
Report
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Regulating
The New Social Media ... What You Need To Know
Before You "Tweet"
A Food Institute Webinar
Recording Now
Available!
Many food companies have found a
new avenue to promote their products and services
via the new "social media" such as Twitter and
Facebook. But what regulatory and legal repercussions
might companies face in using social media outlets?
The Food Institute assembled a panel of experts
from government and the private sector to discuss
this up and coming means of advertising. To purchase
the recording, click
here.
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Mediacorp released its list of
Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2010, featuring Loblaw
Companies Limited, Mars Canada Inc., Agrium Inc. and Monsanto
Canada Inc. Employers are evaluated using eight criteria,
including physical workplace, financial & family benefits
and training and skills development. Full
Story
The Government of Brazil terminated the requirement that
U.S. exporters must have official U.S. sanitary and phytosanitary
certificates stamped by a Brazilian consular official. FAS
Report
South Korean retailer Lotte Shopping
Co Ltd is considering buying China's Times Ltd, posing
a challenge to Wumart Stores Inc's existing $600 million bid
for the supermarket operator, reported Reuters. Full
Story
Tate & Lyle is introducing Creamiz, a starch that
claims to reduce fat content by up to 30% in dairy products
while maintaining mouthfeel and texture. The company developed
several prototypes using Creamiz, including low-fat cream
desserts and yogurts. Full
Story
Private equity firm TPG Capital and the private equity arm
of Russian state bank VTB finalized the purchase of a 35.4%
stake in Russian hypermarket chain Lenta, according to
banking industry sources. One source also claimed that the
purchase price was $115 million, reported Reuters.
Full
Story
Sales of The Co-operative Group's Simply Value range increased
by 80%, while purchases of Fairtrade products grew by
35%, reported BBC News. Full
Story
Market News
Ocean Spray added more than 6,300 acres to its supply
chain capable of bringing in "roughly a million barrels
of cranberries over the next five years or so," according
to the company's director of cooperative development Arun
Hiranandani. "We are currently producing one hundred
million pounds of sweetened dried cranberries and we are on
track to sell every pound,"Mr. Hiranandani stated, reported
Food Navigator USA. Full
Story
Tyson Foods Inc. plans to expand its poultry-processing
operations in Corydon, IN. The company plans to invest
$626,000 in new equipment to relocate chicken deboning lines
from Arkansas and Missouri, reported Meat & Poultry.
Full
Story (Free Registration Required)
The 2009 California natural seedless raisin crop is forecast
to be 24.5% smaller than 2008, but the price paid to growers
will be up only $13 from the $1,310 per ton paid in 2008.
The estimate for 2009 is 275,000 tons, stated Gary Schulz,
president and general manager of the Raisin Administrative
Committee and the California Raisin Marketing Board, reported
The Packer Online. Full
Story (Subscription Required)
Walnuts produced by handlers in 2008 totaled 13,049 tons,
and the total 2008 walnut crop purchased from producers reached
414,434 tons at an average price of 63.9 cents per pound.
Free raisin tonnage produced by handlers in 2008 totaled 16,862
tons, while the total 2008 raisin crop purchased from producers
reached 246,890 tons at an average price of $1,274 per ton.
Prunes produced in 2008 totaled 3,651 tons, and the total
2008 prune crop purchased reached 67,482 tons at an average
of $1,491 per ton. Walnut/Raisin/Prune
Report
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IGA
Coca-Cola Institute Perspective 
