CHART: Industry Expectations for Weekly Cattle Slaughter

Nathan’s Famous Names James Walker Senior Vice President, Restaurants

Nathan’s Famous announced today that it has hired James Walker, CFE, as the company’s Senior Vice President, Restaurants. Walker comes to Nathan’s Famous from Subway where he was Vice President, North America, overseeing all franchised restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

“We are excited to have James on board to lead our all-important restaurant division,” said Eric Gatoff, CEO of Nathan’s Famous. “While our success over the last decade has largely come from our product licensing and foodservice businesses, Nathan’s started as a restaurant company in 1916. James’ skill set includes extensive experience in restaurant operations, franchising and product development. Adding someone as accomplished and innovative as James demonstrates our continued commitment to...

SpartanNash Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

SpartanNash Company (the "Company") (Nasdaq: SPTN) today reported financial results for the 16-week first quarter ended April 20, 2019.

"We are pleased with our team's efforts to grow net sales across all three business segments, particularly in light of the challenging operating environment," said David Staples, President and Chief Executive Officer. "While we are not satisfied with our bottom-line results for the quarter, our team remains committed to our fiscal 2019 objectives and long-term strategy, which we believe will support both future growth and profitability long-term...

Whole Foods Market to Further Reduce Plastics Across all Stores

Whole Foods Market today announced that it will eliminate plastic straws from its stores in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada by July 2019, becoming the first national grocer to make this change. In addition, the grocer switched to smaller plastic bags in its produce department this year and is replacing hard plastic rotisserie chicken containers with new bags that use approximately 70 percent less plastic. Together, these packaging changes will reduce an estimated 800,000 pounds of plastic per year.

“For almost 40 years, caring for the environment has been central to our mission and how we operate,” said A.C. Gallo, President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Whole Foods Market. “We recognize that single-use plastics are a concern for many of our customers, Team Members and suppliers, and...

Industry Reacts to U.S. Lifting Metal Tariffs on Canada and Mexico 

On Friday, the United States and Canada announced a deal to remove tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in exchange for keeping dumped metals from China and other countries out of the United States, paving the way for a similar pact with Mexico. The quota-free deal eliminated the U.S. metal tariffs as well as Canada's retaliatory tariffs on about $12 billion worth of U.S. products, including pork and beef. The 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum from Canada and Mexico were a major hurdle to ratification of the new trade deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stated that Congress should swiftly move to ratify the USMCA after the Section 232 Tariffs were removed from Canada and Mexico. "The announcement is a big win for American agriculture and the economy as a whole. I thank President Trump for negotiating a great deal and for negotiating the removal of these tariffs...

Vienna Beef Ltd Recalls Beef Products

Vienna Beef Ltd., a Chicago, Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 2,030 pounds of beef frank links products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The beef frank links items were produced on May 2, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...

Caito Foods LLC Recalls Salads with Chicken Products 

Caito Foods LLC., an Indianapolis, Ind. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,767 pounds of salad with chicken products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products contain soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The ready-to-eat salads with chicken items were produced on May 12 through May 15, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...

Delivering the Goods: British Courier and Express Delivery Market Hit £12.6 Billion in 2018 

Brits’ love of online shopping* is sending the courier and express delivery market** into double digit growth, according to latest research from Mintel. Last year, courier and express delivery sales increased a spectacular 12% to reach £12.6 billion, thereby completing growth of 62% since 2014. Meanwhile, volume sales increased by 14% alone in 2018 and 66% between 2014 and 2018. Last year, Brits sent an impressive 3.65 billion packages, up from 3.2 billion in 2017.

Over the next five years, the market for courier and express delivery is expected to continue to post first-class sales. Volumes are forecast to maintain double-digit yearly growth, rising by 54% between 2019 and 2023, further surpassing value sales, which are forecast to grow by 42% over the same five year period.

Cost (53%), ease of finding products online (51%) and greater variety (39%) are the top three reasons why Brits are choosing to have products delivered as opposed to shopping in-store...

U.S. Beef Gains Full Access to Japan

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the United States and Japan have agreed on new terms and conditions that eliminate Japan’s longstanding restrictions on U.S. beef exports, paving the way for expanded sales to the United States’ top global beef market. Last week, on the margins of the G-20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Niigata, Japan, Secretary Perdue met with Japanese government officials and affirmed the importance of science-based trade rules. The new terms, which take effect immediately, allow U.S. products from all cattle, regardless of age, to enter Japan for the first time since 2003.

“This is great news for American ranchers and exporters who now have full access to the Japanese market for their high-quality, safe, wholesome, and delicious U.S. beef,” Secretary Perdue said. “We are hopeful that Japan’s decision will help...

USDA Enhances African Swine Fever Surveillance Efforts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is furthering its overall African Swine Fever (ASF) preparedness efforts with the implementation of a surveillance plan. As part of this plan, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will work with the swine industry, the states, and veterinary diagnostic laboratories to test for ASF.

ASF is a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting both domestic and feral (wild) pigs. It does not affect human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans. ASF has never been detected in the United States...

Sparboe Companies Announces the Sale of its New Hampton, Iowa Plant to Deb El Food Products

Sparboe Companies is pleased to announce the sale of its New Hampton, Iowa plant to Deb El Food Products. Deb El will continue to operate the New Hampton plant, which produces liquid, frozen and dried egg products. Sparboe’s shell egg division, Sparboe Farms, will continue to operate their shell egg facilities in Minnesota, Iowa and Colorado and is not part of the sales agreement.

Beth Schnell, Sparboe CEO says of the agreement “We would like to thank all of our employees in New Hampton for the years of dedication and hard work and wish them the best under new leadership. We are pleased to have partnered with another family owned company in this transaction and look forward to Deb El’s success in New Hampton. Proudly celebrating our 65th anniversary, Sparboe will continue to focus on...

ANALYSIS: A Mixed Showing for Chicken Exports

Between the African Swine Fever-related challenges on the pork side, the ongoing tariff scuffle between the U.S. and China, or the political tension south of the border, it’s safe to say that 2019 is proving to be an unsettled year for exporters...

Consumer Pent-Up Demand for Restaurants Remains Elevated

The trend line of restaurant sales was positive during the first four months of 2019, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Eating and drinking place sales totaled $61.5 billion on a seasonally-adjusted basis in April, which represented the fourth consecutive monthly gain after a sluggish second half of 2018.

To be sure, there appears to be more room for growth in the months ahead, according to a national survey conducted May 9-12 by ORC International for the National Restaurant Association. When asked about their current restaurant usage, a significant proportion of the American public say they would like to be patronizing restaurants more often. Forty-two percent of all adults say they are not eating on the premises of restaurants as frequently as they would like, while 48 percent say...

ANALYSIS: Egg Prices Hit Lowest Levels Since 2016

Urner Barry’s benchmark Midwest large egg quote dipped below $0.60 per dozen on Tuesday May 14^th for the 1^st time since October of 2016...

More Wild Boars Detected in Belgium with African Swine Fever in April and May

According to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE), Belgium reported 18 cases of individual wild boar inflicted with African Swine Fever between April 16^th and May 10^th 2019. All cases were reported and resolved, meaning the affected animals were culled, on the same day. These were the first reported ASF cases in Belgium since September 2018. Belgium continues to be the Western-most European nation afflicted with ASF.

Nestled between France and Germany, these outbreaks present a very real concern for the...

MIBO Fresh Foods LLC Recalls Salad with Meat Products

MIBO Fresh Foods LLC, a Fort Worth, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 1,460 pounds of salad with meat products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains anchovies, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The ready-to-eat Chef salad with ham and turkey items was produced on May 10 and May 13, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...

Canada Foreign Minister to Visit Cuba Thursday to Discuss Venezuela

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said she will visit Cuba on Thursday to discuss the political crisis in Venezuela and the United States' decision to allow lawsuits for property confiscated after the 1959 revolution.

"It is of critical importance that our two countries meet to discuss the economic, political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the work we can undertake together to address it," Freeland said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I also look forward to discussing how we can work together to defend Canadians conducting legitimate trade and investment in Cuba in light of the United States ending the suspension of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act...

Which Rules the Roost When it Comes to Restaurant Orders: Burgers or Chicken Sandwiches?

Burgers have been a top item ordered at U.S. restaurants for decades but chicken sandwiches have come on strong over the last several years. There are more chicken sandwich restaurant concepts and chicken sandwiches are appearing on more menus. So have burgers been knocked off their perch by chicken sandwiches? “No,” says The NPD Group, which daily tracks U.S. consumers use of restaurants and other foodservice outlets. Burgers still rule the roost and are the top sandwich ordered overall.

By the numbers, the average number of times a customer purchased a burger at a restaurant over the 12-month period ending February 2019 was 14.7 times and the customer purchase frequency of chicken sandwiches was 8.7, according to NPD’s receipt harvesting service, Checkout, which tracks...

Slower Tax Refunds and Weather Affect April Retail Sales but Fundamentals 'Remain Positive'

Retail sales were down 0.2 percent in April seasonally adjusted from March but up 5.2 percent unadjusted year-over-year, the National Retail Federation said today. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.

“Slower tax refunds and weather may have been key factors impacting April’s numbers, but the fundamentals remain positive, particularly in long-term comparisons,” NRF Chief Economic Jack Kleinhenz said, citing flooding in the middle of the country and blizzards and extreme temperature swings elsewhere along with a soft housing market that impacted sales of furniture, appliances and building materials. “Despite there being a lot of...

FAT Brands Inc Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

FAT(Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FAT) (“FAT Brands” or the “Company”) today reported fiscal first quarter 2019 financial results for the 13-week period ending March 31, 2019.

Andy Wiederhorn, President and CEO of FAT Brands, commented, “Results in the first quarter reflect continued strength of the Fatburger brand and improvements at the Hurricane brand, offset by softness at Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses.

During the quarter, we continued to execute our key strategic initiatives to drive same-store sales growth across our brands...

Latest Tariff List is ‘Far too Great a Gamble for the U.S. Economy,’ says NRF

The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay after the Trump administration released a list of $300 billion of Chinese goods that will be targeted by additional tariffs of 25 percent.

“We support the administration’s efforts to deliver a meaningful trade agreement that levels the playing field for American businesses and workers. But the latest tariff escalation is far too great a gamble for the U.S. economy. Slapping tariffs on everything U.S. companies import from China – goods that support U.S. manufacturing and provide consumers with affordable products – will jeopardize American jobs and increase costs for consumers.

“Taxing Americans on everyday products like clothes and shoes is not the answer for holding China accountable. Working with our allies who share the same concerns and immediately rejoining TPP are more effective ways to put pressure on China without...

Alibaba Group Announces March Quarter and Full Fiscal Year 2019 Results

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) today announced its financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. “More and more, Alibaba is becoming synonymous with everyday consumption in China, growing our base to 654 million annual active consumers and extending our penetration in less-developed cities,” said Daniel Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group. “Our cloud and data technology and tremendous traction in New Retail have enabled us to continuously transform the way businesses operate in China and other emerging markets, which will contribute to our long-term growth.”

“We delivered another strong quarter and excellent fiscal year, led by fiscal year revenue growth of 51% as well as robust user growth and engagement across our ecosystem. Excluding the effects of consolidating acquired businesses, revenue would have...

Grain Futures Soar on Delayed Plantings

In the latest Crop Progress report, planting progress continues at a slower than expected pace—causing concern for traders and seeing corn futures up 12 to 13 cents per bushel Tuesday morning.

The USDA reported corn plantings at 30 percent completion as of Sunday, May 12. That’s less than half of what the normal 5-year average rate is at this point in the season. It’s also only a 7 percent increase from the previous week.

Rain and cool weather in the major production areas has hindered planting activities so far this season.

Emergence is also lower than expected, currently at 10 percent. Last year at this time...

PODCAST: Beef Reporter Bruce Longo Talks About the Grilling Season

The seasoned Bruce Longo gets grilled on grilling season's effect on supply, demand, and price...

Cargill Invests in Cultured Meat Company Aleph Farms

The demand for protein is expected to grow 70% over the next 30 years as the global population increases significantly. With an eye to complementing its focus on animal protein, Cargill announced today it will invest in Aleph Farms, a cultured meat company focused on growing complex meat varieties like steak.

Cargill is participating in a Series A investment round led by VisVires New Protein and joined by several other investors looking to move Aleph Farms’ product from prototype to the commercial marketplace. Aleph Farms grows meat directly from beef cells using a 3D tissue engineering platform. In December 2018, it achieved a world-first by demonstrating...

Tyson Foods Accelerates Programs to Meet Ambitious Sustainability Goals

Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) released its 2018 sustainability report today, demonstrating progress and increased transparency across key sustainability measures, including farming practices, worker health and safety, hunger relief and more.

The company accomplished the following in 2018:

• Workplace Safety: More than doubled its 10 percent year-over-year commitment to reduce OSHA recordable workplace injuries and illnesses (a 22 percent decline).
• Team Member Education: Expanded Upward Academy, a language and life skills education program, to 33 plant locations...

Walmart Offers One-Day Shipping Without a Membership Fee

When customers shop with us, they expect to find great items at low prices. They also want shopping to be easy and convenient, including getting the items they order online quickly. Our 4,700 stores, site and app combine to create an incredible range of choices for customers.

We started with same-day pickup in our stores in 2011 and began offering two-day free shipping two years ago with no membership fee. But, the most exciting development has been the creation of Grocery Pickup and Delivery. We’re on track to offer Grocery Pickup from 3,100 stores and same-day Grocery Delivery from 1,600 stores by year-end, which will provide coverage to...

Taylor Farms Texas Inc Recalls Salad with Chicken Products 

Taylor Farms Texas Inc., a Dallas, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 1,079 pounds of Caesar salad with chicken products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains anchovies, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The ready-to-eat Caesar salad with chicken item was produced on May 8, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...