Airgas Workers Strike Over Labor Dispute, Extend Picket Lines Across Northeast

Unionized tankhaul drivers at Airgas have gone on strike, citing alleged unfair labor practices and the company’s refusal to negotiate contracts that meet industry standards.

the workers have expanded picket lines to eight sites across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Local 701 members have reportedly been on the picket line since mid-June. 

Airgas is the leading U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases; its products are used in modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), cryogenic freezing, and beverage carbonation and dispensing, among other applications. It is a subsidiary of French industrial gas giant Air Liquide

Walmart Opens First Beef Facility in Kansas

Walmart announced on Friday it had opened its first-ever owned and operated, case-ready beef facility to serve mostly Midwest customers. The 300,000+ square-foot facility is in Olathe, Kansas and will have around 600 employees.

It is connected to a 2022 investment Walmart made in Sustainable Beef LLC to improved supply chain security for Angus beef. The new “facility will package and distribute Angus cuts sourced directly from Sustainable Beef LLC to stores across the Midwest,” Walmart said.

The investment is part of Walmart’s plans to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031...

US–China Trade Framework Advances, but Final Terms Still in Flux; Lutnick Hints at More Deals

The United States and China have inked a new trade agreement, President Donald Trump said on June 26.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mirrored the news during an interview with Bloomberg TV, stating that the deal was signed in recent days. Neither Trump nor Lutnick shared further details.

Expana reported on June 11 that Lutnick said the US and China agreed to a trade framework, and the latest comments from both Lutnick and Trump don’t seem to add much...

Study Finds 61% of US Consumers are Scaling Back on Restaurants, Spending Less on Groceries 

As tariffs and inflation continue to impact consumers, Americans are spending less on food. According to Popmenu, which currently serves over 10,000 restaurants, 67% of consumers are scaling back their budgets.  

The nationwide study tracked the dining and spending habits of 1,000 people 21 and older from June 16 to June 17, 2025. When asked to name the areas where they are cutting back the most, restaurants landed the number one spot, with 61% saying they are eating out less and staying in...

UNFI Restores Core Systems After Major Cyberattack Disruption

United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) announced that it has safely restored the core systems its customers and suppliers use after suffering a significant cyberattack earlier this month.

“With our electronic ordering and invoicing systems back online, we are delivering products to grocery stores across our network at more normalized levels,” the company said in a June 26 statement. “We are grateful to all our customers and suppliers for their patience and partnership as our UNFI associates continue working to support their needs...

Tyson Debuts New Dino Nuggets in Time for Summer

Embark on a colossal, fun-filled adventure with Tyson Foods’ latest creation – Tyson Mega Dino Nuggets! These playful, protein-packed nuggets are your passport to a prehistoric party, perfect for both kids and anyone who’s still a kid at heart.

Inspired by the roaring success of our original dino nuggets, we've taken the fun to a whole new level with these larger, more dino-tastic bites. The new Tyson Mega Dino Nuggets chicken patties are made from the same ingredients you already know and love, now doubled in size...

ANALYSIS: New Zealand’s May 2025 Beef Exports Surge 15.7% MoM to 49,281 mt

New Zealand’s beef exports rebounded in May 2025, posting a solid 15.7% rise from April to 49,281 metric tons (mt), according to the latest data from Stats NZ.

Volumes rose 6,676 mt month-on-month (MoM) driven by stronger shipments to the United States (US), China, and Canada. Modest gains to the United Kingdom (UK), Taiwan, and Japan also contributed to the higher May figures.

On the contrary, annual growth continued to be hindered by lower cattle kills. Yearly figures fell 10.2% or 5,581 mt, led by reduced shipments to China and Japan. Allocations to New Zealand’s...

ANALYSIS: US Boneless Beef Cold Storage Stocks Fall in May 2025 to Lowest Level in 10 Years

The latest USDA cold storage report showed a decline of 13.7 M lbs of boneless beef in cold storage for May month-over-month (MOM) with current levels at 364.6 M lbs, which is the lowest level in the past ten years. Both lean and fat boneless beef continued to be tight throughout the month of May leading to less stored frozen product. As beef demand ramps up during the summer, especially for products like hotdogs and hamburgers, which boneless beef are key ingredients, cold storage dips as material is pulled out to supplement...

ANALYSIS: YTD EU Egg Exports Down Amid Production Challenges and High Prices

EU egg and egg product exports have declined in the first four months of 2025, dropping to 148,161 tons (egg equivalent weight) from 154,704 tons during the same period last year. This marks a 4.2% year-on-year decrease, indicating a challenging period for the European egg industry. While some export markets such as the UK and Israel have shown growth, the overall trend is downward, with notable declines in shipments to Japan and Thailand and only marginal changes in exports to Switzerland.

The primary factor behind this export contraction is the significant reduction in EU egg production, driven largely by the impact of...

Cattle Farmers and Ranchers Join President Trump to Push for Tax Relief

Today, farmers and ranchers affiliated with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House for an event rging Congress to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and deliver tax relief.

Kevin Kester, a fifth-generation California rancher and NCBA Past-President, attended due to his personal experience with the Death Tax.

“It was an incredible honor to stand with President Trump and echo his message that America’s family farmers and ranchers need tax relief now,” said Kester. “When I was hit with the Death Tax 30 years ago, I couldn’t hire new employees, invest in equipment, or make improvements to the ranch. My family and I had to stretch every...

New Study Identifies Additional Links Between Poultry Antibiotic Use and Human Drug Resistance

A new study, published in mSphere, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, suggests some antibiotics used in conventional poultry farming may contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance in humans. This research, conducted by Dr. Alex Wong, Asalia Ibrahim and Jason Au of Carleton University’s Department of Biology, focuses on ionophores, a class of antibiotics commonly used in conventional poultry farming and previously described as “not important to human medicine.”

“This research underscores the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of animal...

Canada: Gay Lea Foods Sells Grober Nutrition to CG Wellington

Gay Lea Foods, a Canadian dairy cooperative, has reached an agreement to sell its Cambridge, Ontario-based animal nutrition division, Grober Nutrition, to CG Wellington Inc., a Canadian family-owned private investment firm specializing in agriculture.

Under the terms of the agreement, Grober Nutrition will continue to operate from its existing Cambridge, Ontario location. All current employees will remain in their roles. Grober Nutrition specializes in milk replacer products used in dairy nutrition. In 2019, Grober Nutrition sold its US subsidiary to Denkavit.

ANALYSIS: By-Products Market Surges on Soybean Oil Price Trends

The US by-products market, particularly fats and tallows, has encountered price increases driven by rising soybean oil trends, following the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO). The RVO is a plan requiring fuel companies to blend more renewable sources, such as soybean oil, into biofuels. It proposes biomass-based diesel volumes of 5.61 billion gallons for 2026 and 5.86 billion for 2027. This increased demand for soybean oil has reduced available supply, elevating prices.

The fats and tallows market initially adopted...

ANALYSIS: By-Products Market Surges on Soybean Oil Price Trends

The US by-products market, particularly fats and tallows, has encountered price increases driven by rising soybean oil trends, following the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO). The RVO is a plan requiring fuel companies to blend more renewable sources, such as soybean oil, into biofuels. It proposes biomass-based diesel volumes of 5.61 billion gallons for 2026 and 5.86 billion for 2027. This increased demand for soybean oil has reduced available supply, elevating prices.

The fats and tallows market initially adopted...

ANALYSIS: Retail Turkey Distribution Climbs Amid Price Hikes and Inventory Woes

So far, retail distribution of turkey is up 39.6% in June while year-to-date (YTD) it is down 1.9%. The relatively robust June distribution comes at a time when turkey prices continue to skyrocket, as evidenced by the growing gap in this year's Expana Turkey Index compared to the 5-year average.

Despite this June’s Expana Turkey Index outpacing the 5-year average by 40.7%, the average price at retail has only been up 9.7% compared to the 5-year average. This means...

ANALYSIS: May Chicken Cold Storage Maintains Seasonal Trajectory, With Some Exceptions

Chicken cold storage inventories in May rose 1% year-over-year (YOY) and held nearly flat month-over-month (MOM), posting a modest 0.1% gain. This contrasts with the five-year average May decline of 1.9% , signaling a more balanced supply environment, even as individual category trends diverge.

Breasts and breast meat stocks, the largest component of chicken cold storage outside of the “other” category, were essentially unchanged from April, down just 0.1 % versus an average 2.1% seasonal decline...

The Retail Rundown: Independence Day Deals in Focus

As the Fourth of July holiday draws closer, competition for front-page ad space among proteins is heating up. Seafood is currently leading with a 29% share, followed by beef and pork, each capturing 24%. Chicken accounts for 18%, while turkey trails at 2.6%.

Burgers and hot dogs remain backyard barbecue mainstays. Several national grocers were promoting 78–84% lean ground beef under $5 per pound, with eye-catching specials as low as $2.27 on a discounted basis.

Over Father's Day weekend...

Poland, France Push Back Against at Mercosur Deal

Annie Genevard, France’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty and Czesław Siekierski, the Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, met in Paris on Wednesday. After the meeting, both showed a united front against the EU-Mercosur deal.

France and Poland have been two of the most vocal opponents to the deal signed in December, after around two decades of negotiations. They argue that the deal will not be beneficial for EU agriculture, despite its possible positive effects in other sectors.

“To put it plainly: we cannot sacrifice agriculture...

General Mills Backs Organic Push in Fresh Pet Food, But M&A Still on Table

As General Mills continues to expand its pet food footprint, the company is leaning heavily on organic growth, particularly in the fast-growing fresh pet food category, while still keeping mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as an option.

During an earnings call on June 25, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Harmening emphasized that General Mills’ approach to category expansion is a deliberate balance between building from within and acquiring where necessary.

Harmening argued that General Mills believes it has the right investment profile

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

As China Obstacles Persist, Promotions Move More U.S. Beef Short Plate in Korea

International demand is critical for U.S. beef short plate, about 95% of which is exported. Major destinations include Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan, where short plate is typically sliced thin, marinated and served in hot pot and Korean barbecue-style meals.

U.S. short plate commands a significant premium in these key Asian markets compared to being utilized domestically. But short plate is just one of the U.S. beef cuts entangled in the current trade impasse with China. When China imposed its countermeasures in response to U.S...

ANALYSIS: 2025 Summer Grilling Season Tightens 0X1 Strip-Ribeye Price Gap

As backyard summer cookouts ramp up, attention turns to two grilling favorites: the 0x1 boneless strip and the boneless ribeye. Currently, the 0x1 strip is priced just $0.43/lb, or 3.7% below the boneless ribeye, marking the closest price spread between the two since late February and March 2025, when they nearly reached parity at just a $0.04/lb difference.  

This narrowing spread isn’t unusual. In 2024, a similar trend occurred from early April through mid-July...

Gartner Says Supply Chain Leaders Must Address Three Priorities Amid Impacts of Israel-Iran Conflict

To help organizations navigate the ongoing impacts posed by the Israel-Iran conflict, Gartner Inc. has identified three critical priorities for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) to implement now to secure their operations.

In response to the ongoing impacts from the conflict, CSCOs should:

1. Assess and mitigate their exposure to new global transportation bottlenecks
2. Prepare CFOs for continued supply chain cost volatility
3. Review supply chain resilience strategies

“As the conflict between Israel and Iran oscillates, CSCOs must leverage...

Hilton Foods Builds First North American Plant in Ontario With $140M Investment

Hilton Foods Canada, a subsidiary of United Kingdom food giant Hilton Foods, will build a CAD 192 million ($140 million) facility in Brantford, Ontario.

The new facility would mark Hilton Food’s first North American plant. It will be a 230,000-square-foot food processing and warehouse distribution facility. Per the Ontario government, Hilton Foods will process protein products, including beef, pork, lamb, and seafood, for distribution centers as far as Mississauga, Cornwall and Moncton.

“Today is an exciting milestone and the official start of construction...

ANALYSIS: China’s May 2025 Beef Imports Slips 7.1% MOM to 194,529 mt

China’s total beef imports fell for the second consecutive month, dropping 7.1% month-on-month (MOM) to 194,529 mt in May 2025, according to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

Shipments declined by 14,832 mt, led by lower volumes from most major suppliers. Brazil was the exception, partially offsetting the overall drop.

On a year-on-year (YOY) basis, imports fell 17.0% (-39,920 mt), pressured by weak consumption, a bearish macroeconomic outlook, and higher domestic production. Sweltering summer weather...

Diageo Agrees to Sale of Italian Facility to NewPrinces

Formerly known as Newlat Food, an Italian food and drink company now called NewPrinces bought 100% of the share capital for Diageo Operations Italy, according to a Diageo press release which specified the inclusion of the Santa Vittoria production facility.

The site produces a range of alcoholic beverages, ready-to-drink products, and low and no alcohol products, according to a Diageo spokesperson. 

The NewPrinces Group is already a leading player in the soft drinks market in the UK, with revenues of approximately €350 million in this category alone...

China’s New Hope Outlines Focus on Feed and Hog Farming    

New Hope Liuhe reported profitability in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a renewed focus on its two core businesses: feed and hog farming. This marks the company’s first profitable quarter in three years. The company has undergone significant structural adjustments, with the pig farming division concentrating on improving breeding stock and reducing production costs. The feed division is targeting a return to competitiveness through stable and sustainable growth, the company said. 

“We’ve largely emerged from the downturn, and the company is seeing an overall positive trajectory,”..

Ahold Delhaize USA Names Jason Wilson Chief Financial Officer

Wilson to Lead Financial Strategy and Operations for Largest Grocery Retail Group on the East Coast

Leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA announced that Jason Wilson, a recognized retail and finance executive in the grocery industry and longtime leader at Ahold Delhaize USA companies, has been named Chief Financial Officer. In his new position, Wilson oversees financial strategy and operations, playing an instrumental role in supporting the omnichannel growth of the U.S. businesses, delivering the company’s Growing Together strategy and 2028 commitments and ensuring strong financial controls...

QDOBA Accelerates Growth with Opening of 800th Restaurant, Surpasses 500 New Development Commitments

On the heels of a record-breaking year of growth and franchise development, QDOBA, America's rapidly growing #2 restaurant brand in the Mexican fast-casual category, today announced that the company has opened its 800th restaurant in Miami, Florida. The new restaurant, located in North Miami Beach at 14583 Biscayne Blvd, marks a significant milestone for the company, which is on track to expand to 1,600 restaurants by 2032.

"QDOBA is the best-kept secret in the restaurant industry and one of the...

South Africa Begins Vaccinating Cattle as FMD Hits Four Provinces

South Africa has kicked off a national vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The move comes after confirmed outbreaks in four provinces, the South African Ministry of Agriculture said on Monday.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen oversaw the rollout at Karan Beef’s Heidelberg feedlot. The facility, near Johannesburg in Gauteng Province, confirmed an outbreak earlier this month.

"The first batch of 900,000 vaccines arrived in South Africa last week, and we commenced with the vaccination over the weekend," Steenhuisen told reporters on-site...

ANALYSIS: Cage-Free Market Faces Cross-Sector Pull Amid Shared Supply, Divided Demand

Cage-free values held steady this week at $3.16/dozen. Despite flat quotations, behind-the-scenes movement was more dynamic, driven by a tightening spread between cage-free and conventional prices and a regional surge in demand—most notably along the West Coast.

The price gap between Urner Barry’s rest-of-market cage-free quote and the Midwest large conventional quote has narrowed to just 4cts, marking the tightest spread since the cage-free quote was introduced in 2024...

ANALYSIS: Calf Shortage Drives Veal Market Firm

The special-fed veal market remains tight as fewer calves are available and farming practices continue to change. As of January 1, 2025, the US cattle herd dropped to 86.7 million head, the lowest it has been since 1951 (USDA Cattle Inventory Report). At the same time, about 72% of dairy farms are now breeding cows with beef bulls instead of dairy bulls. This shift has led to fewer male dairy calves being born, which are the type traditionally raised for veal (Drovers; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association)...

ANALYSIS: Tight Supplies and Seasonal Demand Drive the Pork Cutout Higher

The Expana Pork Cutout has risen 26.3% since mid-April and now sits 20.6% above year-ago levels, averaging $117/cwt so far for the week of June 16. This surpasses 2022 values for the same period and is trending toward the higher levels seen in 2021 and during the 2014 PEDv market in June.

Retail demand remains strong, with bacon, ribs, and chops prominently featured as consumers shift away from higher beef prices. Ribs continue to gain momentum ahead of the July Fourth holiday...

Japan, Brazil Negotiate Brazilian Beef Exports to Japan

Japanese auditors from the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) visited Brazil over June 9-13, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) said. The visit is part of the risk analysis process conducted by the Japanese government, as part of the negotiations for opening the Japanese market to Brazilian beef.

Japanese officials visited the states of Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná. The visit ended with a meeting at the Superintendence of Agriculture and Livestock in Curitiba (SFA-PR) headquarters, where Brazil presented additional information on...

South Africa To Allow Brazilian Poultry from Regions Other Than Rio Grande do Sul

South Africa will allow poultry imports from Brazil outside of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The country had banned imports of poultry products from Brazil after that country confirmed its first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial farm in May. South Africa was among the group of countries, which included China and EU members, that had banned all Brazilian poultry.

Following no new cases in commercial farms, Brazil began to campaign to restart trade via regionalization agreements...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...

ANALYSIS: Chicken Prices Rise Despite Seasonal Record Output

According to the latest USDA slaughter data, the volume of ready-to-cook young chicken produced in April was at an all-time seasonal high with a value of nearly 4 billion pounds.

During April, some processors struggled with live-side issues such as avian metapneumovirus, resulting in lower than anticipated live weights and increased mortality. However, the number of chicks placed in February and March was at an all-time high, which helped allow more production to enter the market despite some of the concerns on the live side...

Albertsons to Launch Digital Advertisement Displays in Select Stores  

Albertsons has partnered with digital display company STRATACACHE, Inc. to unveil digital advertisements in stores. The screens will be used to promote products and streamline engagement between brand partners and customers, while encouraging shoppers to add additional items to their cart as they shop.  

“At Albertsons Cos., we’ve identified a significant opportunity to enhance our in-store customers' shopping experience by delivering relevant and impactful messaging at the point of purchase,” said Jennifer Saenz, Chief Commercial Officer at Albertsons Cos. “Our partnership with STRATACACHE enables brand partners to...

Eggs From the Indian Namakkal District Exported to US For the First Time

For the first time, eggs from the Namakkal district in India have been exported to the US, Ricky Thaper, Joint Secretary at the Poultry Federation of India, confirmed. He added that around “21 containers each carrying around 4.75 lakh eggs.” A lakh of eggs is equal to 100,000 eggs.

C. Panneerselvam, president of the Tamil Nadu Egg Exporters Association said there were 20 air-conditioned containers, carrying around 10 million eggs from Thoothukudi port, and they were expected to arrive to the US next week.

"Based on consumer feedback from the U.S., further negotiations will be held regarding continued exports," Panneerselvam added.