CHART: Industry Expectations for Weekly Cattle Slaughter

CHART: Industry Expectations for Weekly Hog Slaughter

Pork Checkoff Debuts Swine University at SOBEWFF

The National Pork Board will introduce Swine University at this week’s 2019 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF®) in Miami. The initiative, which includes a virtual tour of a pig farm and an introduction to the next generation of farmers, engages consumers and shares the sustainability story of today’s pig farming. Consumers also will learn about the health and nutritional value of pork, which is the most consumed protein in the world.

“Swine University gives us an opportunity to share what our pig farmers do every day to produce delicious, healthy and safe pork with influencers and consumers,” said Jose de Jesus, director of multicultural marketing at the National Pork Board. “With many of today’s consumers two to three generations removed from farming, it’s important to offer the unique opportunity to go inside a pig barn through the ...

Wing Zone Set to Open a Dozen New International Locations in 2019

Coming off the 25th year since the brand’s founding, Wing Zone continues to find a growing fan base overseas and has plans to open an average of at least one new international location per month in 2019. Heading into the year, the company operates 24 restaurants in 5 countries outside of the United States and has plans to open seven new Wing Zone units in Panama and five additional restaurants in Manila, the capitol of the Philippines, before the end of the year.

“The Wing Zone model and focus on an innovative, flavor-themed menu has resonated strongly in international markets,” said Hair Parra, COO of Wing Zone and head of international development. “Chicken is a huge part of the daily menu internationally and our bold flavors, early entry and established brand recognition overseas and convenient delivery model, all combine to help the Wing Zone brand expand outside of ...

2018 Holiday Sales Grew Amid Turmoil Over Trade Policy and Delay in Data Collection

Holiday retail sales during 2018 grew a lower-than-expected 2.9 percent over the same period in 2017 to $707.5 billion, the National Retail Federation said today after the Commerce Department released data that had been delayed by nearly a month because of the recent government shutdown.

“All signs during the holidays seemed to show that consumers remained confident about the economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “However, it appears that worries over the trade war and turmoil in the stock markets impacted consumer behavior more than we expected. There’s also a question of whether the government shutdown and resulting delay in collecting data might have made the results less reliable. It’s very disappointing that clearly avoidable actions by the government influenced consumer confidence and unnecessarily depressed December retail sales ...

Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions Announces Additional Product Offerings

Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), the leading global foodservice distribution company, announced today the launch of seven new products available exclusively for customers through its Cutting Edge Solutions platform.

Designed to enable our customers to succeed by differentiating themselves in an evolving and competitive business environment, Cutting Edge Solution products are sourced from leading and up-and-coming suppliers and assist customers with refreshing their menus, driving increased traffic and streamlining back-of-house operations. Since its inception in October 2015, Cutting Edge Solutions has delivered over one million cases of new, on-trend, innovative product offerings to customers.

“These latest additions to our Cutting Edge Solutions platform demonstrate our commitment to being our customers’ most valued and trusted business partner by showcasing exclusive product offerings featuring the latest on-trend flavors, labor-saving innovations and versatile product solutions,” said Brian Todd, senior vice president of merchandising, Sysco.

The Sysco Brand Cutting Edge Solutions launching nationwide this month include ...

Secretary Perdue Statement on President Trump’s Signing of Appropriations Bill & Declaration of National Emergency

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding President Donald J. Trump’s signing of legislation that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and declaration of a national emergency at the southern border:

“I am pleased that Congress has passed, and President Trump has signed, funding for USDA for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2019. We will be moving at full speed on all of our responsibilities, making good on our motto by doing right and feeding everyone. Since Congress did not act to protect our southern border, the President has also declared a national emergency, which helps him fulfill a clear promise to protect our national security interests. He is exercising his Constitutional authority, as presidents from both parties have done many times in the past.

“Even with the passage of the appropriations bill, Congress still has unfinished business in areas of... 

Brisket Is Booming at Foodservice

Boston Market has added Rotisserie Brisket to its menu as a new item following the success of its Rotisserie Prime Rib, which debuted last year. In response to strong consumer demand, locations will be increasing availability of prime rib from three to five days a week, with the remaining two days filled out by the new brisket offering. Brisket will take up rotisserie residency Monday and Tuesday, while prime rib will expand from Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday to cover Thursday and Saturday as well.

Although best known by many as a chicken-focused eatery, Boston Market has a history with red meat, including a brief foray into brisket nearly a decade ago. Their first beef item was meatloaf, which entered menus in 1995. In 2005 the restaurant first introduced a specific cut of beef with a top sirloin menu item, and in 2009 they introduced brisket as a summer special.

Boston Market isn’t alone in bringing the brisket. Wawa, a convenience store chain on the east coast, also...

U.S. Food Market Outlook 2019: 4 Key Trends

What’s in store for the food industry in 2019? Market research firm Packaged Facts predicts “disruptive innovation” that will shake up years of subtle stagnation in the mature food industry and spur growth over the foreseeable future.

In U.S. Food Market Outlook 2019, the latest edition of its best-selling series, Packaged Facts examines “disruptive innovation” across 14 essential food categories: Cereal, Chocolate Candy, Cookies, Fresh Bread, Fresh Packaged Salads, Frozen Dinners/Entrees, Frozen Pizza, Ice Cream/Frozen Novelties, Meal/Snack Bars, Meat/Poultry, Natural & Specialty Cheese, Salty Snacks, Soup, and Yogurt.

Packaged Facts identifies several key disruptive trends to watch for in 2019. Four of these top trends involve...

This Week in Retail: Filet Mignon a Steal at Retail This Valentine’s Day, While Lobster Prices Soar

Beef takes the top spot for protein feature volume this week, with 30 percent of ad space. Seafood follows up with 27 percent, while pork claims 21 percent. Chicken ads make up 15 percent of total protein features.

Of course, steaks make up an overwhelming majority of beef ads for Valentine’s, accounting for 51 percent of beef buying opportunities. The top featured steak cuts for this week include ribeyes, top sirloins, and tenderloin filets.  Bone-in rib steaks average $7.54 per pound, which is up from a year ago at $6.96. Top sirloin steaks are a little more economical for the budget minded shopper, at $6.39 per pound, down nearly 8 percent from a year ago. Filets average $14.13 per pound on feature, which is down nearly $2 per pound from last year—and 15 percent lower compared to the 3-year average, making this item a relative steal for V-day dinner at home.

Pairing that steak with a succulent lobster tail? Cupid himself would be impressed, but you’ll be paying more than last year...

ANALYSIS: Beef Index Three Times Higher than the Pork Cutout

The Urner Barry Beef Index has been holding onto stronger pricing from November into February. There has only been a two percent variance throughout the holiday season... 

Foster Farms Appoints Dan Huber as Chief Executive Officer

Huber, previous Chief Operations Officer, has 23-year tenure with company

Foster Farms, the West Coast’s leading poultry producer, announced that its board of directors has appointed Dan Huber, 53, to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the privately-owned company, effective today. Huber has held several leadership positions at Foster Farms since joining the company in 1996, most recently serving as Chief Operations Officer. He replaces Laura Flanagan, who resigned to pursue other opportunities.

“Dan is uniquely qualified to lead Foster Farms,” said Terry Martin, Chairman of the Board, “He brings over 23 years of agribusiness, supply chain, food production, food safety, and branded sales management experience to this position. His depth of expertise and familiarity with Foster Farms’ business and community are strengths that will drive the company into the future...

Retail Sales Declined at Fastest Pace Since 2009 in December

An important measure of consumer spending posted its strongest drop since 2009 in December, a worrying sign for economic growth as shoppers reined in spending at the close of the year.

Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, restaurants and online, declined a seasonally adjusted 1.2% in December from a month earlier to $505.8 billion, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal had expected sales to increase 0.1% in December.

The final month of the holiday season is key for the retail sector, especially for department stores, clothing outlets and online sellers.

The Commerce Department report showed every major retail category aside from... 

Pilgrim's Pride Highlights Chicken, Prepared Foods as Areas for Growth

“In the U.S. we endured a very challenging environment in commodity chicken, slower than expected recovery from weather disruptions at some complexes, partially offset by an improvement in operating results from Prepared Foods. In Europe we improved the performance through expected synergies but were impacted by higher feed inputs as a result of a drought that will be passed to our prices in coming quarters. Our Mexican operations produced a very strong first half, a weaker than seasonal Q3, followed by a rebound in Q4. The diversity of our portfolio of bird sizes, geographical market exposure, our culture and our people, are what fundamentally differentiate us from the competition, giving us the potential to reduce volatility and generate higher margins over time, and the results for 2018 represented the power of that strategy. As we begin 2019, conditions in the U.S. commodity markets including exports are already recovering, supporting OECD-FAO data that over the longer term chicken as a protein will continue to outperform in terms of growth potential globally...

FDA Issues Statement on 2018 Romaine Lettuce Outbreak Investigation 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acted quickly to protect consumers from an emerging outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to romaine lettuce by issuing a public warning this past November and recommending that industry and retailers voluntarily remove the product from the market. It was critical to provide this advice because it was believed that contaminated produce was still in the food supply at a time when Americans were preparing meals to celebrate Thanksgiving. By removing potentially contaminated products from the market, health officials and industry were able to reduce additional illnesses.

Evidence at the beginning of this outbreak showed that the genetic fingerprint of the pathogen obtained from patients impacted by the 2018 outbreak was similar to ...

Kroger Introduces Kroger Pay and Kroger Rewards Debit Card

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today it is introducing Kroger Pay, a mobile payment solution that securely combines a customer's payment and loyalty card information to create a faster checkout experience. The company is also launching a new Kroger REWARDS debit card, a rewarding payment option for customers.

"Kroger is redefining the customer experience by creating innovative ways to pay at our stores and online," said Gary Millerchip, CEO of Kroger Personal Finance and corporate strategy integration lead. "Kroger Pay and the Kroger REWARDS debit card are two more ways we are transforming our payments model to benefit our customers ...

Foodservice Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Charming Limited Time Offers 

Whether consumers are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a significant other, family, friends, coworkers, or plan to splurge on oneself, foodservice is providing exclusive limited time offers for those celebrating.

According to research from the National Restaurant Association, more than 30% of consumers will celebrate the holiday by dining out with their loved ones on February 14th, and since Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday this year, consumers will be celebrating their love well into the weekend. While the National Retail Federation reports that fewer consumers are celebrating the holiday this year, those that do are spending more than ever before. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that foodservice operators are looking to entice consumers during this commercial holiday to earn a cut of the record amount of spending expected to take place this year...

Applegate Bets The Farm On Regenerative Agriculture – Launches The New Food Collective

Premium Pork Sausages First to be Certified by the American Grassfed Association

Applegate Farms, LLC., the nation’s leading natural and organic meat company, announces THE NEW FOOD COLLECTIVE™, a new premium brand that uses pasture-raised meats and small-batch production methods to create culinary-inspired products. The launch will feature a line of fresh sausages that is the first pork to be certified by the American Grassfed Association (AGA).

The AGA standard mandates that hogs have maximum access to the outdoors, allowing them to forage and roam in woods and pasture and that, during the grazing season, they gather most of their food outside. It also requires farmers to develop a pasture-management plan to support biological diversity, natural resources and ...

Wendy's Draws Dieters with Low-Carb Menu Hacks 

Following a growing demand for health conscious menu offerings, fast food chain Wendy's is putting a healthy spin on menu classics. Wendy's offers low-carb menu options along with keto-friendly items. These items include half-size salads, grilled chicken sandwiches, and hamburgers either served without a bun or as a lettuce wrap.

In addition to appealing to today's health-conscious consumer, the chain is also appealing to the consumer demand for convenience as these menu hacks are also available for mobile ordering through DoorDash. Now, consumers can receive ...

Frozen Food Market Worth $282.5 Billion by 2023 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets

According to the new market research report "Frozen Food Market by Product (Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy, Meat & Seafood), Type (Raw Material, Half Cooked), Consumption, Distribution Channel, and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and MEA) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets™, the Frozen Food Market is estimated to account for about USD 219.9 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach a value of nearly USD 282.5 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2018. The retail food industry has witnessed significant growth over the past few years, globally. The development of retail channels in the form of supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores has...

Gen Z Adults Seek Foods Fitting Their Busy, Yet Health Conscious Lifestyles

Gen Z young adults have been caught up in the change in America's food culture that has moved consumers away from three sit-down meals at fixed times and in the direction of multiple eating experiences that occur throughout the day. As a result, today's 18- to 24-year-olds are more likely than their Millennial predecessors to say they often snack between meals (74% vs. 66%). When they do slowdown to prepare a meal, Gen Z young adults are much more likely to prefer simple, easy-to-prepare meals (58% vs. 40%). The findings were published in Looking Ahead to Gen Z: Demographic Patterns and Spending Trends, a report from Packaged Facts, a leading market research company.

Data published in the report further reveal that households headed by adults under age 25 are 29% more likely to ...

Moe's Southwest Grill Launches Quinoa Power Bowl Nationwide

Moe's Southwest Grill® is rolling out a new menu offering for those looking for more health conscious options - the Quinoa Power Bowl. The bowl packs all of the Southwest flavor that Moe's is known for with higher protein and fiber and lower carbohydrates. Today, the new bowl will roll out nationwide across the Moe's portfolio of more than 700 restaurants, making Moe's restaurants the first to launch a quinoa bowl in the Mexican fast casual segment.

The Quinoa Power Bowl is made with Mojo Chicken (all-natural white meat chicken breast), quinoa blend (quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato and zucchini), frijoles, shredded romaine lettuce, corn pico, guac, cilantro and queso fresco. Fans can also grab the quinoa blend as a side or an addition to other menu items ...

Retail Imports Still Strong as Possible March Tariff Hike Approaches

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports have dipped since peaks seen last fall but remain at higher-than-usual levels as a possible increase in tariffs on goods from China approaches in March, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“With trade talks with China still unresolved, retailers appear to be bringing spring merchandise into the country early in case tariffs go up in March,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “We are hopeful that the talks will succeed, but until the trade war is behind us, retailers need to do what they can to mitigate the higher prices that will inevitably come with tariffs ...

US Foods Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2018 Earnings 

US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD),one of the largest foodservice distributors in the United States, today announced results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2018.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2018 Highlights

• Total case volume decreased 0.8%; independent restaurant case volume increased 3.9%
• Net sales increased 0.8% to $6.0 billion
• Gross profit of $1.1 billion increased 1.6%
• Income before income taxes decreased $5 million to $132 million
• Net income decreased $156 million to $100 million ...

Panola County Processing, LLC Recalls Sausage Products Due to Possible Processing Deviation

Panola County Processing, LLC, a Carthage, Texas establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 59 pounds of smoked sausage products due to a processing deviation that may have led to underprocessing of products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The pork smoked sausage links and venison and pork sausage links items were produced on Jan. 29, 2019. The following products are subject to recall ...

Wendy's is Giving Away Free Baconator Fries this Week with Any Purchase in Mobile App Offer

The bacon battle is not over yet, as Wendy's is back with a new bacon limited time offer. Now throught February 17th, Wendy's is giving away free Baconator Fries with any at-restaurant purchase through the Wendy's mobile app. The free Baconator Fries with purchase offer will refresh daily within the app, so consumers can take advantage of the offer every single day it is available.

The offer is valid at-restaurant only at participating Wendy's locations, and can only be redeemed once per day per mobile app account. The limited time offer is designed to encourage ...

Restaurant Brands International Inc. Reports Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2018 Results

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX/NYSE: QSR, TSX: QSP) today reported financial results for the full year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018.

Jose Cil, Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Brands International Inc. ("RBI") commented, "I am pleased to report that our business continued to deliver strong system-wide sales growth in 2018, driven by acceleration of net restaurant growth at Burger King and Popeyes and improved momentum in comparable sales at Tim Hortons through our 'Winning Together' plan. We have demonstrated our increased focus on technology and made notable progress against many of our initiatives including delivery, kiosks, and mobile app development. Throughout the year, we continued to maintain a balanced approach to capital allocation through our increased dividend, share repurchases, and reinvestment in our brands, illustrating our confidence in ...