Every food manufacturer needs to know what their customers and competitors are doing on an ongoing basis. Business intelligence is vital to a successful business. By becoming a Food Institute Manufacturer Member, you will:
The Trump Administration released a reform and reorganization plan to combine food safety regulations under USDA and move SNAP to a revamped Health & Human Services Department, away from USDA, among other moves. The report notes "there are many examples of how illogical our fragmented and sometimes duplicative food safety system can be," including that while FDA regulates cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza falls under the jurisdiction of USDA. Full Report
Pinnacle Foods Inc. reportedly restarted talks about selling itself to Conagra Brands Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. Sources claim discussions between the two companies fell apart in 2017 because of price disagreements, reported Reuters. Full Story
Ball Corp. and Platinum Equity entered into joint venture and definitive purchase agreements to form Ball Metalpack, a packaging company that manufactures steel containers for food and other products in the U.S. Platinum Equity will own 51% of Ball Metalpack and Ball Corp. will own 49%. Full Story
Netherlands-based NewCold will invest $90 million to build a cold storage warehouse in Burley, ID. At 25 million-sq. ft., the facility will be one of the largest frozen storage facilities of its kind in the U.S. and will be NewCold's second U.S. facility. Full Story
Kellogg is facing a salmonella lawsuit in a Michigan federal court. The suit was filed on behalf of a woman who claims she contracted the infection after eating Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal in May. Full Story
USDA made available $5.2 million in grant awards to bring local foods into schools and create new economic opportunities for farmers. The grants, part of the USDA Farm to School Program, will impact over 6,000 schools and 2.8 million students nationwide. Full Story
Commercial red meat production for the U.S. totaled 4.5 billion pounds in May, up 5% from May 2017, according to USDA. Beef production was set at about at 2.3 billion-lbs. while pork production reached about 2.2 billion-lbs. Full Report
read moreThe Food Institute and asset solutions partner Harry Davis & Company are teaming up to deliver a free webinar on June 19 entitled “Understanding Your Assets: Expert Strategies for Food & Beverage Processors.” They will explore what value food manufacturers may be leaving on the facility floor, the basics of asset management, the various scenarios for valuing your assets, and a suite of strategies to maximize your assets’ value.
If you've gone to the grocery store lately you've surely noticed the increased importance given to products that make mealtime easier. From pre-cut fruits and vegetables to meal kits to fully-prepared dishes, the supermarket is becoming a major competitor in the foodservice sector.
read moreAlthough a maelstrom of issues have compounded at Starbucks Corp., one thing seems certain: profits will be lower than previously expected in 2018.
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