The Food Institute Report back issues from December 2002:
What will be trendy in 2003?(in terms of food and beverage products)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Get your palates ready for a host of novel food and beverage developments which will be emerging in the new year, according to the newly-released predictions by Mintel's Global New Products Database. There will be something for everyone as manufacturers target adults and children as well ...
"Real" sales: restaurant sales continue upward trend ....(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Despite the uncertain economy, the Food Institute preliminarily estimates "real" sales in the restaurant sector increased 2.7% during the month October, marking the 13th consecutive month that "real" restaurant sales increased over year earlier levels. For the first ten months of 2002, ...
... While grocery store sales are flat.(October, 2002, sales rise 0.3%)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Although hampered by intense competition as well as cost conscious consumers, the nation's grocery stores man aged to post an ever so slight 0.3% gain in "real" sales during October, following declines during the prior two months. On a cumulative basis, grocery store "real" sales are ...
Burger price war intensifies; Wendy's takes different road.(Wendy's International Inc. management strategy)
Dec 02, 2002 ... In a move that may intensify the ongoing fast food price war, Oak Brook, IL-based McDonald's Corp. will add the grilled flatbread sandwich and a chicken nugget meal to the new Dollar Menu it launched last month, reported The Chicago Tribune (Nov. 27). Meanwhile, Burger King Corp. will cut ...
McDonald's set to offer credit- and debit-card payment option.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... While McDonald's will continue to study other cashless options, such as payment using Mobil Speedpass wands and a biometric system using fingerprints linked to credit-card data, it will proceed with a plan for its restaurants to accept credit- and debit-cards starting in the middle of next ...
Marriott Distribution Services unit transferred to McCabe's Quality Foods.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Marriott International will transfer its foodservice division, Marriott Distribution Services, west coast customers and customer service territories to McCabe's Quality Foods, Inc., a subsidiary of Services Group of America, according to an agreement signed by the two companies. The ...
Hotels question Avendra's practices.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Marriott International Inc. decided it will not keep any profits it makes from its online purchasing unit, Avendra LLC, but will either give hotel owners credits against future purchases or apply the credits against charges for upgrading hotels' reservations and other systems, reported The ...
Coffee chain hopes to brew up national expansion.(Barnie's Coffee & Tea Co.)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Barnie's Coffee & Tea Co., the one-time unit of Sara Lee Corp., is expanding nationwide via franchising, co-branding and other methods. The Orlando, FL-based firm has been mainly located in shopping malls, attracting a following of middle- to upper-income women, noted Orlando Business ...
Sam's Club enters Canada.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to spend C$100 million to open as many as six 100,000-sq. ft. Sam's Club warehouse stores in Ontario, Canada by next fall, according to The Globe and Mail (Nov. 22). The retailing giant did not discuss plans to open any traditional Wal-Marts or supercenters; ...
Rip-N-Ready. (New Product Roundup).(launches Rip'N'Ready Shelf Stable 'Meal Solutions')
Dec 02, 2002 ... Rip-N-Ready, Simsbury, CT, has launched Rip'N'Ready Shelf Stable "Meal Solutions." There are 7-and 12-ounce microwaveable trays of Old Fashion Beef Stew, Beef Tips and ...
Racconto. (New Product Roundup).(debuts Trattoria Traditions Italian Meals )(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Racconto, Melrose Park, IL, has unveiled "restaurant quality" Trattoria Traditions Italian Meals in varieties such as Ravioli alla ...
Health is Wealth Products. (New Product Roundup).(launches new Breakfast Munchees items)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Health is Wealth Products, Williamstown, NJ, is out with Health Is Wealth Breakfast Munchees in two varieties: Egg ...
Bumble Bee Seafoods. (New Product Roundup).(launches Bumble Bee Sloppy Joe Barbecue Sauce with Beef in a can)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Bumble Bee Seafoods, San Diego, has introduced Bumble Bee Sloppy Joe Barbecue Sauce ...
Schwan's Consumer Brands North America, part of Schwan's Sales Enterprises, Inc., a privately held company in Marshall, MN, is rolling out under the Red Baron brand. (New Product Roundup).(microwaveable deep dish frozen pizza)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Schwan's Consumer Brands North America, part of Schwan's Sales Enterprises, Inc., a privately held company in Marshall, MN, is rolling out under the Red Baron brand the first ...
Retail sales performance: grocery store sales trended upward in October.(Illustration)(Industry Overview)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Following a 0.6% decline in September, food and beverage store sales rose 1.6% during October, according to advance retail sales data from the Bureau of Census. This brought food and beverage store sales at $396.7 billion for the first ten months of 2002--2.2% more than a year earlier. ...
Retail sales performance: foodservice sales up 5.0% in October.(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Sales at foodservice and drinking places in October totaled $28.1 billion--5.0% more than a year earlier, bringing year to date sales to $281.2 billion or 5.4% more than the same period of 2001. Food Institute estimates indicate that full service and limited service restaurant ...
Fleming Cos.(six directors and executives buy 218,000 shares for $1.2 million)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Six executives and directors of Fleming Cos. spent nearly $1.2 million to purchase 218,000 company shares, according to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Two weeks ...
U.S. Small Business Administration.(surveys small business' Internet usage)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Online firms are aggressively boosting efforts to attract small businesses, the next big internet market. An October study conducted for the U.S. Small Business Administration found that 57% of U.S. companies with 250 employees or less, which are estimated to total ...
Harbor Sweets.(sees increased Internet candy sales)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Harbor Sweets, a quarter-of-a-century-old Salem, MA candy maker, is seeing its internet sales rise. The small operation, with a staff of 50 that swells to 130 during the peak seasons, is selling 15,000 to 20,000 boxes of chocolate a year ...
Costco Wholesale Corp.(plans 17 more warehouse stores in 2003)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Costco Wholesale Corp., Issaquah, WA, plans to open 17 more warehouses next year. Fourteen will be opened in the U.S. and one in Canada and 2 more outside North America. Currently, the company operates ...
Costco.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * In a separate announcement, Costco noted that it decided not to pursue building a store in an empty warehouse in the Brooklyn Terminal Market in New ...
SureBeam Corp.(gets patent for improving electron beam and x-ray processing efficency)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * SureBeam Corp. has been awarded a U.S. patent that increases the processing efficiency of the electron beam and x-ray technology and provides the ability to ...
In March, Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo, will launch canister-packaged Lay's Stax, taking on Procter & Gamble Co.'s Pringles.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * In March, Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo, will launch canister-packaged Lay's Stax, taking on Procter & Gamble Co.'s Pringles. Next year, Frito-Lay will rollout nationally its line of natural and organic chips and salsas, among ...
Walki Wisa.(new wafer material for packaging)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Finnish packaging provider Walki Wisa has developed a new wafer material, called WalkiLid, that is suitable for a variety of dairy and food products. The material was developed by laminating paper with ...
Serac.(new cap introduced)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Serac, a French packaging provider, unveiled a new capping system in Paris, which, according to the manufacturer, could revolutionize the drinks sector. Shupon is a cap that, when opened, enables the release of a solution contained ...
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., Winston-Salem, NC, said its quarterly earnings rose 55% as robust doughnut sales were complemented by a new coffee-selling initiative.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., Winston-Salem, NC, said its quarterly earnings rose 55% as robust doughnut sales were complemented by a new coffee-selling initiative, ...
The Coca-Cola Co.(KMX energy drink offered on the internet)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, is offering its KMX energy drink via the internet in what the company says is a first for the beverage giant. KMX ...
Coca-Cola Fountain.(may try idea of hot-beverage dispensers)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Coca-Cola Fountain may experiment with hot-beverage dispensers in 2003 in a bid to get ...
The Coca-Cola Co. is purchasing a plant in American Canyon. CA, near San Francisco, for $53 million from Pokka Corp., Japan.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * The Coca-Cola Co. is purchasing a plant in American Canyon, CA, near San Francisco, for $53 million from Pokka Corp., Japan. Coke's Minute Maid division is expected to take over the ...
USDA's Agricultural Research Service.(blueberries may reverse memory loss)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Researchers, funded by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service have added compelling new research findings to ...
KFC plans to add 24 new outlets in the Czech Republic over the next three years.(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * KFC plans to add 24 new outlets in the Czech Republic over the next three years, while McDonald's expects an extra four to six restaurants a ...
Pop N Go Inc.(installation of vending machines in schools and colleges)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... * Pop N Go Inc., a manufacturer of vending machines that make individual servings of hot, oil-free popcorn, is ...
Mergers & acquisitions.(multiple briefs about mergers and acquisitions in the supermarket industry)
Dec 02, 2002 ... AVI Food Systems, Inc., Warren, OH, has acquired the four northern branches of Williams Food Service, Inc. The branches include: Dayton, OH; Richmond, IN; Madison, IN; and Greensburg, IN. Williams Food Service still operates branches in Louisville, Danville and Elizabethtown, all in ...
Latest financial reports (000 omitted).(supermarkets and restaurants)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> LATEST FINANCIAL REPORTS (000 omitted) Current % Chge.Year Year Ago DOLLAR GENERAL CORP. (Goodlettsville, TN) 13 Wks. To Nov. 1: Sales ...
Highway transportation security has room for improvement. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... While some inroads have been made since Sept. 11, 2001 in protecting the security of cargo via all modes of transportation, one of the most problematic areas continue to be highway cargo. The prevention of fraud and terrorist hijackings is a major concern of the Department of ...
USDA's transportation outlook. (Washington).
Dec 02, 2002 ... USDA reported its assessment of the grain transportation situation in the U.S. and prospects for the next few months to help transportation providers, producers, shippers and receivers prepare for changes that occur in agricultural transportation throughout the year. The recent West Coast ...
Plea deal unlikely in Tyson Foods immigrant smuggling case. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... The government informed Tyson Foods it could circumvent prosecution regarding the indictment of the firm, two of its executives and four former managers on charges of conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras to work in its poultry plants, by paying a $100 ...
Country-of-origin labeling will be costly to livestock, meat and perishable sectors. (Washington).
Dec 02, 2002 ... The livestock and meat industries would spend almost $2 billion within the first year to maintain records for a mandatory country-of-origin labeling program, USDA estimated, as it gears up to introduce a voluntary labeling program next year for retail meat, fish and poultry, that becomes ...
FTC clears Wal-Mart's deal in Puerto Rico. (Washington).(acquisition of Supermercados Amigo)(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... By a vote of 4-0, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission cleared Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s purchase of Supermercados Amigo, Puerto Rico's leading supermarket chain, for an undisclosed sum, on the condition that it sell four existing Amigo stores to Supermercados Maximo to guarantee competition ...
Bush administration to pitch tariff elimination for WTO members. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... The Bush administration proposed eliminating all tariffs on manufactured goods among World Trade Organization (WTO) members by 2015, reviewed The Wall Street Journal. The plan, put forward on Nov. 26 by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, calls ...
New security department established. (Washington).(Department of Homeland Security )(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... The Secret Service, Coast Guard, Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Transportation Safety Administration and the General Service Administration's federal protective services are scheduled to move into the new Department of Homeland Security as of Mar. 1, ...
U.S. Ag industry vulnerable to biological attack, scientists warn. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... The agricultural sector was perhaps the most vulnerable to a biological attack, said Barry Bloom, the School of Public Health dean, who participated in a recent government scientific panel that examined the country's defenses against biological attack. The U.S. is virtually unguarded ...
Citrus suits are combined by judge. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Judge Dennis Maloney of the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Bartow, FL has ruled that two separate lawsuits challenging citrus taxes in Florida will be combined because both of the lawsuits challenge the taxes on First Amendment grounds similar to successful challenges of federal marketing ...
U.S. Ag exports to Cuba surge. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... The U.S. sent $109.4 million in goods to Cuba from January through September, compared to just $2.3 million in goods shipped during the same time in 2001, noted The Washington Times (Nov. 25). The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which allows food sales to Cuba, was ...
Food recalls reported. (Washington).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Swiss-American, Inc., St. Louis, MO, is recalling cut pieces of Imported Danish Garden Danish Havarti Plain, Prima Della Imported Danish Havarti Plain and Schnucks Imported Danish Havarti Plain. The items come in random weight packages of between 7-oz. and 10-oz. with the sell-by dates of ...
You should know....(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... ... Japan and 15 other member countries of the World Trade Organization unveiled a joint proposal calling for new trade rules to prevent the U.S. and other major importing countries from "abusing" WTO antidumping measures. The proposal calls for improving the transparency, predictability ...
Newcastle disease. (Noted In The Federal Register).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... NEWCASTLE DISEASE: USDA is amending the exotic Newcastle disease regulations by quarantining Los Angeles County, CA, and portions of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, CA, and restricting the interstate movement of birds, poultry, products, and materials that could spread ...
Food stamps. (Noted In The Federal Register).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... FOOD STAMPS: This action will revise Food Stamp Program regulations affecting the administrative review process available to retail and wholesale firms participating in the Food Stamp Program. It proposes to streamline and make technical corrections to this process by amending portions of ...
Viticultural area. (Noted In The Federal Register).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... VITICULTURAL AREA: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has received a petition pro posing the establishment of the Bennett Valley viticultural area in Sonoma County, CA. The petitioned area consists of approximately 8,140 acres of valley and upland terrain, with 650 acres ...
Country-of-origin labeling. (Noted In The Federal Register).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), USDA issued a notice that announces that the Agricultural Marketing Service is requesting emergency approval from the Office of Management and Budget for the new information ...
Produce. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... MelonMan Predicts Size, Ripeness Of Harvest Before Seeds Even Planted Packers not only have to judge the ripeness of many different cantaloupe varieties, they have to predict it months before they've even planted the seeds, often signing buyer contracts far ahead of harvest ....
Canned vegetables. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... ARTICHOKES--U.S. imports of canned artichokes as of Oct. 1 were up 9% to 53.4 million pounds, with Spain accounting for 89% of the total. The average c.i.f. price per pound during September was 86 cents, up from 64 cents per pound in 2001, according to Bureau of Census. ...
Tomato products. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> ***USDA HAS PURCHASED*** CANNED TOMATO JUICE *Shipments between Jan. 1, 2003 - Mar. 31, 2003* DeliveredCases Cost Tomato Juice (12/46 oz.) 42,840 $344,376 Del Monte Foods Corp.25,704 ...
Frozen vegetables. (Markets).(potatoes)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... POTATOES--U.S. imports of French fries as of Oct.1 were up 14% from the previous year to 990.4 million pounds. <Pre> SELECTED FROZEN VEGETABLE IMPORTS JAN. 1 - OCT. 1 (Source: Bureau of Census) 1,000 Pounds:2002 2001 % Chge. Asparagus ...
Canned fruits. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... PEACHES--Crop pullouts as of Nov. 4 totaled 822 acres, or just under 3% of the industry's 30,931 bearing acres, according to the California Canning Peach Association. APPLES--Supermarket sales for the third quarter of 2002 totaled 1.6 million pounds, valued at $1.0 million. The ...
Processed fish. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... FROZEN FISH--Preliminary cold storage holdings on Nov. 1 for fish and shellfish totaled 376.3 million pounds, down 1% from the same time in 2001. Holdings of Blocks and Slabs were up 20% from 2001 and stocks of Fillets and Steaks were down 4%. <Pre> PRELIMINARY COLD ...
Dried vegetables. (Markets).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... USDA CANCELS OFFER--USDA has cancelled its offer to purchase dry legumes for distribution to Needy Family and other related domestic food assistance programs. The invitation was cancelled due to lack of bids, however, a new invitation will be issued in the near future. For more information ...
Dried fruits. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> ***USDA HAS PURCHASED*** DRIED FRUITS *Shipments between Jan. 1, 2003 - Mar. 31, 2003* No. of Cases Total Cost Dried Pitted Plums, 24/1-lb. 3,000 $67,620 Sutter Foods, Inc.3,000 Raisins, 24/15-oz. ...
Nuts & nutmeats. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... PECANS--Due to holiday schedules for Thanksgiving Day, deliveries made by growers of Louisiana nuts were slow. As of Nov. 19, the harvest was 55% complete, compared to 45% the previous week, 52% at this time last year, and the five-year average of 53%. Demand was only moderate for best ...
Frozen fruits. (Markets).(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... Blueberries Found To Reverse Memory Damage Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service have added new research findings to earlier reports showing that compounds in blueberries had reversed existing short-term memory losses in rat studies. The researchers found an ...
Juices & concentrates. (Markets).(Brief Article)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> ***USDA HAS PURCHASED*** CANNED JUICES *Shipments between Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2003*12/46 oz.Delivered CasesCost Apple Juice 176,120 $1,599,427 Burnette Foods ...
Butter. (Markets).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> BUTTER MARKET, WED. NOV. 27 (Source: USDA) Cents Per Pound: ...
Cheese. (Markets).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> CHEDDAR CHEESE MARKET NOV. 27 Cents Per Pound: 11/27/2002 Chge. Fr. Last Wk. ...
Eggs. (Markets).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> EGG PRICES TO RETAILERS WEEK ENDING NOV. 27 (Source: USDA) ThisLastChge. From Cents per dozen:WeekWeekLast Week Extra Large-NY 84-88 84-88 NC Large-NY82-86 82-86 NC Medium-NY ...
Chicken. (Markets).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 02, 2002 ... <Pre> PRELIMINARY BROILER PRICES FOR DELIVERY THE WEEK OF DEC. 2 Cents Per Pound: This Week Last Week Chicago N/A 40.00-43.00 Cleveland Too Few Too Few Detroit Too Few Too Few Los Angeles 67.0067.00 New ...