ANALYSIS: Assessing COVID-19’s Initial Impact on the Chicken Market

Although COVID-19 is a relatively new challenge here in the US, its acute and unparalleled impact on spot market dynamics cannot be overstated...

ANALYSIS: Egg Prices Begin to Stabilize as Consumer Shopping Slows, Demand Normalizes

Following weeks of unrelenting demand, market sources from coast to coast are beginning to see retail orders for eggs...

Wendy's Provides Coronavirus Update and Actions Taken

The Wendy's Company announced an update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business.

"This is an unprecedented time, and we are focused on the actions where we can make a positive difference. To that end, we have taken several precautionary steps to advance public health goals, maintain essential access to high quality food, support our franchisees, and safeguard our team members and customers from the spread of COVID-19," said President and CEO Todd Penegor. "As we navigate any challenges we face, we'll do it...

FSIS Loosens Labeling Enforcement, Allows Foodservice Items Easier Access to Retail

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced labeling flexibilities for products that were initially intended to head to the foodservice sector but have been rerouted for retail establishments.

FSIS broke down three situations which describe how product can move to retail with certain labeling deviations. These new allowances only apply to product that has already undergone production.

Product that is being produced is expected to meet all requirements.

Labeling at a Federal Establishment

Products made at a Federal establishment intended for HRI...

Industry Reacts to Senate Passage of the Coronavirus Stimulus Package

The $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package is expected to pass in Congress. The Senate passed the legislation Wednesday evening and the House is set to vote today. The bill includes $250 billion to make unemployment insurance available to more categories of workers and to extend the duration of benefits. About $150 billion will go to states, distributed according to population size. Another $349 billion will be used as loans for small businesses.

Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation, said, "Companies that were investing, growing and contributing to a vibrant economy just a few weeks ago have been thrust into survival mode through no fault of their own." The Federation spoke on behalf of the retail industry in a press release by expressing appreciation for the efforts by leaders in Congress and President Trump to...

National Restaurant Association Cancels Upcoming May Show

The National Restaurant Association Show, which was set to take place in Chicago from May 16-19, has been canceled. 

“After many weeks of monitoring the evolving situation around COVID-19, including guidance from the CDC and the Governor of Illinois, it is with great regret that we announce the unavoidable cancellation of this year’s National Restaurant Association Show,” an update on the show website explained. 

This is not the only food show to be canceled due to the coronavirus. Natural Products Expo West, which was set for...

Coronavirus Impact Leads to Highest Unemployment Claims in U.S. History 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, during the week ending March 21st, the increase in initial unemployment claims due to the impact of the coronavirus reached a record high. States are continuing to cite service industries broadly, particularly foodservice. Additional industries also cited include social services, transportation, warehouses, and manufacturing industries.

A record 3,283,000 people filed claims for unemployment in the United States last week as the coronavirus pandemic shut down large parts of the economy. The labor department reported that the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims showed an increase of 3,001,000 from the previous week's revised level.

This marks the highest level of claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series. The previous high was 695,000 in October of 1982. The previous week's level was revised up by...

An Updated List of Every State That Has Closed Restaurants Due to the Coronavirus 

Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.

With cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S. continuing to grow, a number of states are taking action to stop the spread. Lawmakers across the country have implemented bans on restaurants and bars, as well as large gatherings. Some states have yet to take such action, but restaurants on an individual level are choosing to shutter for the time being.

Meanwhile, President Trump recommended on Monday afternoon that people avoid... 

ANALYSIS: Heightened Buyer Urgency Contributing to Reduced Turkey Stocks

Despite the pre-occupation with COVID-19 and its impact on the global protein markets as a whole, turkey freezer stocks are providing...

Yum Brands Closing 7,000 Stores Globally Due to COVID-19

Yum Brands is closing 1,000 Pizza Hut Express outlets and at least 900 U.K. KFC stores in a group of 7,000 restaurant outlets the Louisville, Kentucky-based company said it is closing globally, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing and the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper.

As the parent company of those two brands, as well as the Mexican-American QSR, Taco Bell, and the fast casual brand it just closed the sale on this month, The Habit Burger Grill, Yum has approximately 50,000 outlets globally.

The SEC filing relayed that the cause for the closings was the current COVID-19 pandemic and...

Restaurants in America Offer Contactless Delivery Similar to China's Model

During the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China, the country began taking extraordinary steps to prevent the spread of the virus by introducing contactless delivery services to keep customers and employees safe. As part of the process, customers order remotely via mobile phones or computers, and workers seal the meals in bags and place them in a pre-determined location without any human contact.

Some reports stated that these contactless delivery options also come with a card that provides the name and temperature of the person who made the food, as well as the person who delivered it. Quick service chains taking these precautions in China include McDonald's, Starbucks, and...

Coronavirus Cases Continue to Impact Foodservice and Retail 

Cases of COVID-19 are continuing to surface as the virus spreads and more tests become available. States across the country are still enforcing restrictions and guidelines, encouraging people to social distance.

Retailers have gone from limiting hours to closing completely until further notice. Grocery stores are struggling to keep shelves stocked as consumers continue to panic buy and stockpile essentials. Amid all the hysteria, restaurants are creatively finding new ways to serve guests and generate income.

As of March 18th, the National Restaurant Association predicts that the foodservice industry could lose up to $225 billion and 7 million jobs. Mandatory restaurant closures have caused...

Meat Sales Surged 77% the Week of March 15 Amid Growing COVID-19 Cases

The week ending March 8 saw a fast acceleration of meat sales in dollars, units and volume. As the number of school closures, social distancing guidelines and other COVID-19 related measures significantly sharpened the subsequent week, sales surged along with it. Thanks to the heroic efforts of everyone in the meat and poultry industry, the supply kept flowing. Retailers restocked their meat cases again and again as shoppers across the country stocked up on meat and poultry to feed their families nutritious meals.

Meat department sales without deli meat were up an incredible 76.9% over the week ending March 15, 2020 versus the comparable week in 2019, according to data insights firm IRI, and deli meat sales advanced...

USDA Announces Expanded Red Meat Access to China as Phase One Trade Deal Moves Forward

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced continued progress in the implementation of agriculture provisions in the U.S.-China Phase One Agreement.

The new actions are led by increased access for red meat and poultry into China. According to the statement, U.S. beef producers, for the first time since 2003, will have access to nearly all beef products into China.

An expansion of pork products that will be allowed into Chinese ports was also included in the...

Protein Alternatives Market Outlook to 2025; Dominated by Cargill

According to ResearchAndMarkets, the global protein alternatives market is projected to grow with a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period (2020-2025).

The market studied has witnessed a significant growth due to the increasing intolerance toward animal protein, thereby leading to the shift in preference of the meat-consuming population toward meat substitutes made of vegan protein, therefore, driving the market studied.

Consumers in developing regions, like Asia-Pacific and Africa, have started to incorporate more protein in their daily diets. Many companies operating in the market place have started to initiate...

Nature's Fynd Raises $80 Million in Funding to Commercialize New Alternative Proteins

Nature's Fynd, a food tech company producing a protein from a microbe originally discovered in the geothermal springs of Yellowstone's ancient volcano, has raised $80 million in new funding.

The company was previously named Sustainable Bioproducts.

Production began this month at Nature's Fynd's new 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on the site of the historic Union Stockyards in Chicago's South Side. The company will commercialize food and beverage products across...

China to Encourage Local Governments to Stockpile Poultry, Aquaculture Products

China said on Wednesday that it encourages local governments to temporarily stockpile poultry and aquaculture products in a bid to support the farming sectors after the unprecedented coronavirus cut production and supplies.

China will increase fiscal and tax support for poultry and aquaculture producers to help them survive the impact from coronavirus containment measures, according to a statement jointly issued by the state planner and the country's agriculture ministry.

Lockdowns on people and goods to curb the outbreak has disrupted logistics and production in the farming sector, threatening...

ANALYSIS: Shell Egg Prices Soar to Record High Levels as COVID-19 Demand Persists, Inventories Drop

U.S. shell egg prices soared to fresh all-time highs today, as retail demand continues to come in at levels never-before seen due to COVID-19. The early round of buying witnessed a few weeks ago was...

Technomic: Foodservice Growth Projected to Decline 11-27% in 2020 Due to Coronavirus

COVID-19 continues to disrupt the entire foodservice industry and will only continue to have significant consequences. Using our current understanding of the crisis, we modeled out numerous scenarios to understand the scope of its impact. Presently, the expected foodservice impact ranges from a decline of 11% to 27% in year-over-year growth for 2020.

But while most of the changes seem grim, there are also signs of hope, specifically from the operators who are adapting their service model in response to the new environment.

It’s no surprise that travel and leisure will take the biggest hit. The business and industry sector is being severely impacted by office closures and...

Instacart Announces Plans to Bring on 300,000 New Personal Shoppers Over the Next 3 Months

Instacart announced plans to bring on an additional 300,000 full-service shoppers over the next 3 months to meet the growing customer demand for grocery delivery and pickup in North America. Instacart has become an essential service for millions of customers who are relying on the platform to get access to the groceries and household goods they need in a safe, reliable and affordable way.

In the last few weeks, the company has seen order volume grow by more than 150% year-over-year, with average customer basket size also increasing by 15%. By more than doubling the size of its full-service shopper community, Instacart will be better positioned to meet this increase in...

U.S. Restaurant Customer Transactions Decline by 8% in Week Ending March 15

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout the country, more people working from home, and social distancing guidance in place, U.S. restaurant customer transactions declined by 8% in the week ending March 15 compared to year ago, reports The NPD Group.

In the prior week ending March 8, the quick service restaurant chain “breakfast wars” helped to drive a 4% increase in total U.S. restaurant customer transactions compared to year ago, according to NPD’s CREST Performance Alerts, which provides...

India on 21-Day Lockdown to Contain Coronavirus 

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Tuesday afternoon that the country will be on a 21-day lockdown as they try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The lockdown will begin at midnight local time and applies to all of India’s 36 states and territories. 

As of this writing there are 519 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country that is home to 1.3 billion people.

According to the guidelines, the Offices of the Government of India will remain closed except for some exceptions...

How Grocery Stores Are Responding to the Coronavirus Outbreak

Grocery stores are struggling to keep products on the shelves as Americans hunker down amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Prior to multiple states announcing “stay home” or “shelter in place” measures, people flocked to supermarkets to stock up on essentials. COVID-19 triggered “panic buying” across the U.S., with customers clearing shelves of toilet paper, canned goods, frozen foods, proteins and more. Now, with many people staying inside their homes, grocery stores across the U.S. are implementing new measures.

Some stores, like Kroger, are closing down their...

Sanderson Farms Confirms Employee has Tested Positive for Novel Coronavirus

Sanderson Farms, Inc. confirmed that an employee at the Company’s McComb, Mississippi, processing plant has tested positive for novel coronavirus. This individual’s work area was contained to one small processing table. “Upon learning of this case, we took a number of immediate steps to protect the health and safety of our employees,” said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sanderson Farms, Inc. “Following CDC and local health department guidelines, and procedures developed in consultation with an infectious disease physician, we identified six individuals in the work area who could be at risk, and those employees, along with...

USMEF Statement on Expanded Access to China for U.S. Beef and Pork

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has updated its Export Library for China to reflect expanded access for U.S. beef and pork. These changes were among the provisions negotiated in the U.S.-China “Phase One” trade agreement.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:

"This is an exciting day for the U.S. beef and pork industries, which have waited a long time to have more meaningful and reliable access to China, and USMEF thanks USTR and USDA for their tireless efforts to negotiate and implement the...

Rabobank: Coronavirus' Impact on the U.S. Beverage Landscape by Channel

Rabobank breaks down how coronavirus so far has impacted the US beverage landscape by channel: off-premise and on-premise.

Off-Premise: The Storm Before the Quiet?

The most up-to-date IRI data (through March 8) shows that consumers started to boost food and beverage spending as early as mid-February. Rabobank's sources, however, indicate that there was a drastic shift in consumer behavior starting on March 11 and March 12, at which time consumers really started stocking up on essentials (in fact, the CDC recommends having at least a two-week supply of “essentials”). Reportedly, one major supermarket chain saw record, single-day sales on...

Papa John’s to Hire 20,000 New Team Members Immediately

Papa John’s announced the company is hiring up to 20,000 new restaurant team members.

“For anyone looking for immediate ways to earn an income, we’re making it quick and simple to apply, interview and be hired at Papa John’s,” said Marvin Boakye, Papa John’s chief people and diversity officer. “We want to add talented team members to our Papa John’s family across the country to deliver food safely to our customers’ doorsteps. We are in the unique position – as a restaurant that specializes in...

Business Groups Send Letter to White House Calling for Economic Stabilization Efforts

The National Retail Federation was among 90 retail industry trade groups that sent a letter to the White House applauding the Trump Administration and House and Senate leadership for their efforts to protect public health and minimize the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter states, “The economic harm from social distancing and mandatory store closures is real. Layoffs and economic hardship will surely follow, particularly for smaller, specialty retailers and brands. The biggest single issue facing the industry right now is liquidity, and federal stimulus efforts must be swift and flexible enough to address the urgent need for access to credit to keep these businesses afloat.”

The retail industry, and the associated suppliers they support, are suffering cumulative losses that amount to tens of billions of dollars every week. As the nation’s largest...

CHART: Industry Expectations for Weekly Cattle Slaughter

Yum China Provides Business Update 

Yum China Holdings, Inc. updated stakeholders on the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

The current COVID-19 situation is one of unprecedented scale and impact, and first and foremost we want to give thanks and appreciation to all the medical personnel, government workers, volunteers and other frontline workers who have put public health and safety above their own in fighting this global pandemic. At Yum China, our commitment has been to safety above all else -- safety for our employees, as they operate in this difficult environment; and safety for our customers, as they...

Secretary Perdue Announces New USDA Administration Leadership

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of David Wu to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Don Bice has played a critical role in ensuring USDA is the most efficient, effective, customer focused agency in the federal government. He has made great strides in the modernization of the Department and has carried out our vision with dedication and passion. I thank Don for his service on behalf of the American people and wish him well in the future,” said Secretary Perdue. “David Wu’s extensive experience and expertise make him a perfect fit for this role. I am confident that with...

States are Enacting Shelter-in-Place Policies—What Does it Mean for the Food Industry?

On Thursday, California issued what’s known as a “shelter-in-place” policy, putting further restrictions on residents in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. The measure has been echoed in other states like Pennsylvania and New York, with many other states anticipated to follow suit. The new rules come after the death toll surpasses 200 in the U.S.

But what does it mean exactly?

The directive essentially mandates that people stay home and practice social distancing, while all non-essential businesses are closed. Residents can still go outside and may travel to procure essentials like food and seek medical care.

“Everyone is required to stay home except to get food...

NCBA Sends Letter to Capitol Hill Urging Relief for Cattle Producers

In response to the ongoing efforts to provide relief to Americans impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued the following statement:

“As the country reels both economically and emotionally from the spread of COVID-19, NCBA has been hard at work ensuring that cattle producers remain able to focus on the national infrastructure priority of keeping high-quality beef available to consumers.

“Meeting that challenge requires federal officials at the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior, Treasury, and more to have a full understanding of how our product gets from the pasture to the plate – and...