This Week in Retail: The Rundown on Easter Features

Pork moved into the top spot this week just in time for the holiday, claiming 25.4 percent of protein feature volume. Beef came in second, scoring 23.6 percent, with seafood closely following at 23 percent. Chicken accounted for 16.2 percent. Turkey features were bumped up to 5.6 percent, compared to 3.6 the week prior.

When comparing holiday week retail prices year-over-year, we have to go back to the week of March 26^th, 2018, as Easter fell three weeks earlier last year. Looking at the retail ham complex, ham features come in at an average price of $1.66 per pound, compared to $1.86 per pound during the week leading up to Easter a year ago. That’s an 11 percent drop YOY and should...

First Look at the Commemorative Egg for the Annual White House Easter Egg Roll 

On April 22, over 30,000 families are expected to attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, for its 141st year. As per tradition, America's egg farmers will provide 74,000 eggs to be used for the iconic roll, decorating, and EggPops.

Also as part of the tradition, commemorative eggs have been given to the First Lady on behalf of America's egg farmers annually since 1977. Each egg is custom designed for the First Lady at the time. The handcrafted eggs have been presented to seven first ladies: Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hilary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump. The design for this year's Commemorative Egg was inspired by ...

Worldwide Cold Storage Market Expected to Grow 

The global cold storage market size is anticipated to reach USD 212.54 billion by 2025 expanding at a CAGR of 12.2%.

The retail sector in emerging economies, such as India and China, is getting more organized and this trend is expected to augment the demand for cold storage over the forecast period. Government policies to deregulate the entry of foreign companies have increased the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sectors of...

USDA Launches SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot

For the first time, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will be able to select and pay for their groceries online, during a two-year test (pilot) launched today in New York State. In making the announcement, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue highlighted online purchasing’s potential, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) commitment to program integrity by looking carefully at the pilot. Lessons learned from this pilot are expected to inform future efforts to expand online purchasing in SNAP.

“People who receive SNAP benefits should have the opportunity to shop for food the same way more and more Americans shop for food – by ordering and paying for groceries online. As technology advances, it is important for SNAP to ...

U.S. Beef, Poultry and Egg Products Gain New Market Access in Tunisia

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the government of Tunisia and the United States have finalized U.S. export certificates to allow imports of U.S. beef, poultry, and egg products into Tunisia.  This announcement follows meetings between U.S. and Tunisian officials on the safety and wholesomeness of U.S. beef, poultry, and egg products.

“President Trump continues to prioritize the opening of new markets for U.S. agricultural products, and we welcome Tunisia’s agreement to begin imports of U.S. beef, poultry, and egg products,” said Ambassador Lighthizer. “New access to the Tunisian market is an important step in ensuring that American farmers and ranchers can continue to expand their exports of U.S. agricultural products.”

“I'm convinced that when the Tunisians get a taste of U.S. beef, poultry, and eggs, they're going to want more. These products coming into Tunisia are...

Survey Finds Nearly Half of U.S. Diners have Tried a New Restaurant Because of Social Media Posts

MGH, a full-service restaurant marketing agency, today announced the results of a study that examined how influential a brand's social media marketing can be when it comes to driving restaurant trial and customer loyalty.

The survey determined that nearly half (45%) of U.S. diners said they've tried a restaurant for the first time because of a social media post made by the establishment itself, while 21% claimed posts could be a deterrent. Further, 22% said a restaurant's social post enticed them to return.

Results from the study demonstrated that positive restaurant-to-consumer social media engagement often leads to ...

Dunkin’ Pilots Multi-Tender Participation for its DD Perks Rewards Program

Choice and convenience – two of the values that have helped Dunkin’ earn the loyalty and passion of its on-the-go guests – are now distinguishing the brand’s rewards program and benefiting its members in even more powerful ways. Today the brand announced a pilot of multi-tender participation in its DD Perks® Rewards Program at more than 1,000 locations across the country, giving guests the opportunity for the first time to earn DD Perks points regardless of how they pay.

Whereas previously DD Perks members could only earn points towards free beverages by paying via an enrolled Dunkin’ gift card, at the pilot locations they can now earn points whether they pay by cash, credit, debit or a Dunkin’ gift card. Guests at the participating locations can accumulate points with ...

Publix Board Member Elected, Retirees Recognized

During its annual meeting of stockholders today, Publix stockholders elected Jennifer Jenkins to the Publix board of directors, and Barney Barnett, Jane Finley and Charlie Jenkins Jr. retired from the board. The board also named Barnett as Vice Chairman Emeritus.

“I’m excited to have Jennifer join the Publix family. She will be a valuable addition to our board,” said Publix Chairman of the Board Ed Crenshaw.

Jennifer Jenkins is Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke University Law School, where she has worked since 2002. Prior to joining Duke, she was a legal associate at ...

Americold Realty Trust Announces the Strategic Acquisition of Cloverleaf Cold Storage

Americold Realty Trust (NYSE: COLD) (the “Company” or “Americold”), the world’s largest publicly traded REIT focused on the ownership, operation and development of temperature-controlled warehouses, announced today that the Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Chiller Holdco, LLC (“Cloverleaf Cold Storage” or “Cloverleaf”) from Cloverleaf management and an investor group led by private equity funds managed by Blackstone (NYSE: BX) for a purchase price of $1.24 billion (subject to customary adjustments). The closing of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2019.

Founded in 1952 and based in Sioux City, Iowa, Cloverleaf is the fifth largest cold storage provider in the United States by refrigerated cubic feet and serves over 360 customers. The portfolio to be acquired consists of ...

NRA Examines State of the Restaurant Industry

Restaurant businesses are growing despite some operational challenges, such as workforce development issues, demand for increased technology, and serving Millennials, according to new National Restaurant Association research.

The 2019 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, a comprehensive look at trends and sales projections for the industry, culled and analyzed economic data, along with responses to surveys sent to restaurant operators and consumers.

Hudson Riehle, Association Senior Vice President of Research & Knowledge, shared takeaways from the report, discussed how he expects business to perform throughout 2019 ...

PODCAST: African Swine Fever—Changing the Protein Landscape and Economy

Russell Barton sits down to discuss the severity and implications of African Swine Fever, herd losses, impact on exports, and a firming market. Also covered: Easter holiday impact on hams.

Tech Trends Driving Changes in Restaurants, Report Says

Gen Z and millennial expert Jason Dorsey says people refer to Gen Z and millennials as “tech savvy.” But that’s not necessarily true, says Dorsey. He says they’re actually “tech dependent” -- and that’s a different thing altogether.

That may be how they engage with restaurants too. From baby boomers to Gen Xers, generational attitudes toward restaurant technology notably differ, according to National Restaurant Association research delivered in a recent webinar.

• When asked if restaurant technology -- which can include everything from smartphone apps to tableside tablets and order kiosks -- increases convenience, 60 percent of all ...

How Food Trucks are Adding a Fresh Twist to Casual Dining

As the appetite for trying new foods grows and consumers actively seek out new dining experiences, the traditional lines between eating out in restaurants or tucking into street food are blurring.

Food trucks are one of the main reasons why.

Whether they specialise in luxury noodles, artisan pizza or tacos with a twist, growing numbers of street food traders that started off life in food trucks are making the transition to bricks-and-mortar stores.

It all adds up to a more exciting local dining scene, says Ian Hanlon, director at JLL Foodservice Consulting.

“Today’s food trucks offer high-quality ingredients and often champion local produce ...

Panera Bread Takes On Breakfast to Eliminate Trade-Offs Between Morning Convenience And Quality

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; yet mornings can be hectic, and the quickest option isn't always the best quality option. To usher in a new era of breakfast on the go, Panera is refreshing its offerings, focusing on new menu items and an elevated coffee platform to meet the untapped consumer demand for a convenient, yet high-quality, delicious breakfast.

Many of today's fast breakfast options include frozen, microwaved food items that lack flavor or nutritional value; and made-to-order foods can often come with a wait time that impacts the morning commute. Panera's 100% clean breakfast options ...

Brits Spent £12.3 Billion on Online Groceries in 2018

Brits continue to shop with the click of a button, as according to the latest research from Mintel, last year sales of online groceries in the UK hit £12.3 billion, up 9% from 2017.

One of the fastest growing channels in the UK grocery market, the online grocery sector is still adding to its share of total grocery retail sales, up from 6.1% in 2016 to 7% in 2018. What is more, consumers’ love of online shopping is set to continue as this year, sales are expected to reach £13.6 billion. Over the next five years, online grocery is forecast to account for 10% of all grocery shopping, with sales growing by ...

USDA Update on Farm Bill Implementation Progress 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the implementation status of the 2018 Farm Bill. President Trump signed this Farm Bill into law on December 20th, 2018 and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) promptly began implementation of key programs. USDA held several listening sessions with stakeholders and the public, specific to each agency’s respective mission areas.

“At USDA we are implementing the 2018 Farm Bill as quickly as possible. We know the programs that are renewed and updated in this farm bill are critical to farmers, ranchers, and producers as they plan for the future,” said Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Our mission areas have all held several public listening sessions, both formally and informally, to receive stakeholder input. Our goal is to have programs that function best for ...

Acosta Report Finds Multicultural Americans are Reshaping US Grocery

With the U.S. multicultural population projected to grow by 98 million people in the coming decades, Acosta expects multicultural shoppers will continue to have significant influence on the grocery shopping experience. Research released today in the first-ever Multicultural The Why? The Behind The Buy™ from Acosta — a leading full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods industry — provides insight into the preferences of U.S. Hispanic, African American and Asian American shoppers.

"The growing multicultural population will drastically impact the grocery industry, and we have already noticed key differences between ...

Ahold Delhaize USA Named as Winsight's 2019 Grocery Business of the Year

Ahold Delhaize USA has been chosen as Winsight's 2019 Grocery Business of the Year, which is featured in the leading trade media brand's April cover story.

As the brand's most significant honor bestowed annually to one select grocery industry leader, WGB's Grocery Business of the Year profile story explores how the former international rivals charted a new trajectory following a rare merger that's hitting all its goals and has positioned its six U.S. brands to each wield the power of a $44 billion company locally. The profile story further details how Ahold Delhaize USA has made good on its post-merger promise of "Leading Together" to accelerate growth and position its U.S. brands—including Stop & Shop, Giant/Martin's, Giant Food, Hannaford, Food Lion and Peapod—to focus on ...

2017 Census of Agriculture Data Now Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture, spanning some 6.4 million new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them, including new data about on-farm decision making, down to the county level. Information collected by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) directly from farmers and ranchers tells us both farm numbers and land in farms have ongoing small percentage declines since the last Census in 2012. At the same time, there continue to be more of the largest and smallest operations and fewer middle-sized farms. The average age of all farmers and ranchers continues to ...

Albertsons Companies to Join Blockchain-based IBM Food Trust Network to Pilot Increased Transparency

Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, is joining the blockchain-based IBM Food Trust network and will begin piloting the technology to improve how food is traced from farm to store shelf. The addition of Albertsons Companies to the Food Trust ecosystem of more than 80 brands brings blockchain-based food traceability to more consumers and industry players – from producers to suppliers to retailers – by helping enable greater transparency and collaboration, and ultimately, a safer food supply.

Blockchain is a system of record that establishes a shared environment for food transactions in which all participants can collaborate in a highly secured and ...

Research and Markets: The Global Food Robotics Market a $3.1 Billion Opportunity by 2025 

The global food robotics market will grow at a CAGR of 12.7% from 2019 to 2025 to reach $3,107.4 million by 2025.

Driven by increasing food safety regulations, rising demand for packaged foods, growing demand to improve productivity, increasing production of low-cost robots, increase in investments for automated solutions in food industry, growing demand for reducing production cost and increasing food shelf-life, and entry of new-players which has led to the emergence of advanced robotic technologies.

However, the lack of a skilled workforce in emerging economies restricts the market growth to some extent. Moreover, the high cost of installation and service charges of robotic systems, and ...

Amazon Expands Grocery Delivery from Whole Foods Market

Amazon and Whole Foods Market today launched delivery of natural and organic products from Whole Foods Market through Prime Now in Asheville, Charlottesville, Columbia, Lexington, Little Rock, Manchester, Mobile, Naples and Savannah. Starting today, Prime members in those cities can shop through Prime Now for thousands of bestselling items including fresh produce, high-quality meat and seafood, everyday staples and other locally sourced items from Whole Foods Market and enjoy delivery in as little as an hour. The service is now available in 75 U.S. metros and will continue to expand throughout 2019.

Today also marks another expansion of grocery pickup from Whole Foods Market to Columbus, Ohio. Grocery pickup from Whole Foods Market is available in 30 U.S. metros, with plans for ...

Tim Horton's Introduces Tims Rewards in the U.S. 

The number seven is about to become the new favorite number for Tim Hortons® guests. Not only was the number seven hockey legend Tim Horton’s retiring jersey number, but also starting today, Americans will be rewarded after every seventh visit with new Tims Rewards.

With the new rewards program, guests will be eligible for a free hot brewed coffee or hot tea (any size), or baked good (except for Timbits® and bagels) after every seventh visit*.

Tims Rewards is simple and easy to use ...

Kroger Announces Executive Promotions to Support Restock Kroger

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced several executive promotions to support Restock Kroger and the company's long-term growth.

"We are making progress on redefining the customer experience, and our high-performing leaders are determined to maintain that momentum in year two of Restock Kroger and beyond," said Mike Donnelly, Kroger's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Each of these promotions is consistent with Kroger's track record of strong succession planning and will help ensure we continue driving toward our growth objectives."

"We have a leadership team that combines deep experience with creative new talent," said Tim Massa, Kroger's senior vice president of human resources and chief people officer. "In our dynamic retail environment, we continue to ...

USTR Proposes Products for Tariff Countermeasures in Response to Harm Caused by EU Aircraft Subsidies

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has found repeatedly that European Union (EU) subsidies to Airbus have caused adverse effects to the United States. Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) begins its process under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to identify products of the EU to which additional duties may be applied until the EU removes those subsidies.

USTR is releasing for public comment a preliminary list of EU products to be covered by additional duties. USTR estimates the harm from the EU subsidies as $11 billion in trade each year. The amount is subject to ...

Easter Bunny Blues: Lower Than Eggspected Egg Prices

This week Brian Moscogiuri discusses production and inventory levels and the impact on the egg market. We also cover exports, retail, and carrot cake- yum!

Affluence in America: Baby Boomers Control Nation’s Wealth, but Shifts are Underway

By a wide margin, Baby Boomer households control more wealth than any other generation, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the brand new report The Financial Services Market: Affluent and High Net Worth Consumers, 8th Edition.

Packaged Facts estimates that in 2019 Baby Boomer households garner 54% of total U.S. household net worth, followed by Generation X and Silent Generation/Senior households. Well behind, Millennial households contribute only 4% of total U.S. household net worth.

Despite current trends, Packaged Facts’ research reveals that major generational shifts are underway ...

Retail Imports Rising Again as Summer Approaches

With tariff increases delayed for the foreseeable future and the busy summer season approaching, imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are beginning to climb again, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Retailers are starting to stock up in anticipation of a strong summer,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Tariff increases are on hold and progress is being reported in talks between the United States and China, so the imports we’re seeing now are driven primarily by expectations for consumer demand.”

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.62 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in February, the latest month for ...

State of the Restaurant Industry

What's the outlook for restaurants in 2019? The National Restaurant Association's 2019 State of the Restaurant Industry report provides the details.

Overview

Five key trends shaping the restaurant industry in 2019

• A competitive business environment.

While restaurant operators generally are optimistic about business conditions, they don't expect a letdown in competitive pressures in 2019. In addition, rising labor costs and ...

USDA Confirms Virulent Newcastle Disease in Pet Chickens in Arizona; Not a Food Safety Concern

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of virulent Newcastle disease in a small flock of pet chickens in Coconino County, Arizona. This is the first case of virulent Newcastle disease in Arizona.

This case is believed to be connected to the current outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease in California, as tests show the virus is almost identical to the virus causing disease ...

Worldwide Market Insights Study: Online Food Delivery Services Sees Rapid Growth 

The "Global Online Food Delivery Services Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2018 To 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Online food delivery services market was valued at US$ 81.56 Bn in 2017 and will be growing at a CAGR of 9.8% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2026.

In recent years, online food delivery has witnessed rapid growth. The rise of the digital technology has reshaped the food delivery services market and consumers expect ...

Retail Feedback Study: Grocery Shoppers Digital Interaction Strengthening

The Retail Feedback Group (RFG), a leader in providing actionable stakeholder feedback, today released the 2019 U.S. Supermarket Digital & Social Engagement Study.

Digital Interaction with Supermarkets Strengthening

More than six out of ten (63%) of supermarket shoppers interact with their supermarket digitally, up from the 56% found in 2017. More than half check a digital circular (55%), while smaller percentages are building...

Fire at Hickman's Egg Farm 

Hickman's Family Farms had a fire in barn 13 in Tonopah on Thursday. None of the employees, building trades, or firefighters were injured. Fortunately the fire was contained to the new barn due to the rapid response of on-site personnel and timely arrival of the fire department. However, it is a complete loss, but Hickman's stated that insurance will cover the majority of expenses incurred as they rebuild.

A few birds in Barn 12 may suffer from smoke inhalation, but the only production loss Hickman's will face will be from the disruption of feed, lights, and water for a short time. Hickman's is grateful the fire was contained so quickly, and thanks all involved for their teamwork and ...

Trump Appoints Former Executive Conference Keynote to Federal Reserve 

On March 22^nd, President Trump appointed Stephen Moore to one of the two open seats on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Moore is a longstanding member of the economic community and has served on the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, as well as contributing on economic policy to Fox News and CNN. Moore is also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow of the Heritage Foundation.

Another place that Urner Barry clients might recognize Moore from is our Executive Conference. Moore has been a keynote speaker at the Conference twice, once in 2012 and again in 2016. He spoke on the political and economic landscape at the time to a host of attendees from the meat and poultry industry. Now he’s been nominated to one of the most...

Retailers Warn Border Closure would be ‘Self-Inflicted Wound to the American Economy’

The National Retail Federation today sent a letter to Trump administration officials expressing concerns over ongoing threats to close the United States-Mexico border and outlining how a closure would hurt U.S. retailers, workers and consumers.

“We share the administration’s goal of fixing the nation’s broken immigration system and enhancing border security,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “However, there is no way to close the U.S-Mexico border without inflicting serious damage to ...

Final Four Signature Snacks Unveiled for NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship at U.S. Bank Stadium

When the 2019 Men’s Final Four in Minneapolis tips off this weekend, there will be plenty for fans to cheer about both on and off the court. Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), the food and beverage provider for U.S. Bank Stadium, has created four signature items that pay tribute to the teams vying for the national championship.

“The Final Four is the pinnacle of the college basketball season, so we strove to create a menu that celebrates the occasion and embodies the fans’ school spirit with signature snacks inspired by each team’s hometown ...

Podcast: Joel Schaffer from Butler Street

Urner Barry offers insight into their experience with Butler Street. Butler Street offers executive level sales training that can benefit any company. If you're trying to optimize your sales team streamline operations, listen in!

Cargill Taps Stone, Webster for Agricultural Supply Chain and Animal Nutrition Leadership Roles 

Cargill has selected Joe Stone, currently enterprise leader for Cargill Animal Nutrition, to lead the company’s global Agricultural Supply Chain. David Webster will assume the Cargill Animal Nutrition leadership role vacated by Stone. Both announcements follow GJ van den Akker’s decision to retire as enterprise lead for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain in 2020 after 30 years with the company.

"GJ and his leadership team have improved results in our ag supply chain while also driving important progress on critical safety, digitalization and sustainability goals," said Dave MacLennan, Cargill chairman and CEO. "Joe’s extensive risk management, trading, and grains and oilseeds experience will allow him to ...

Technomic's Take: Five Ways Legal Marijuana Impacts Restaurants

Recreational marijuana is legal in 10 states, with as many as 12 more expected to approve in the next 18 months. Pressure from changing social norms, product marketers and the mind-boggling tax revenue potential is likely to prompt the federal government to change marijuana’s classification by 2023 at the latest, opening the door for a cannabis boom.

Current recreational use regulations largely prohibit marijuana and cannabis consumption in public spaces, including away-from-home establishments, particularly those where ...

Record U.S. Convenience Store Food, Merchandise Sales in 2018

U.S. convenience stores experienced a 16th straight year of record in-store sales in 2018, according to newly released NACS State of the Industry data, the convenience and fuel retailing industry's premier benchmarks and key performance category insights.

U.S. convenience stores sales overall surged 8.9% to $654.3 billion, led by a 13.2% increase in fuel sales, which account for 69.6% of total sales. In-store sales increased 2.2% to a record $242.2 billion. Overall, convenience stores sales are 3.1% of the U.S. gross domestic product of ...

Blue Apron Appoints Linda Findley Kozlowski as President and Chief Executive Officer

Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: APRN) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Linda Findley Kozlowski as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors, effective as of April 8, 2019. Kozlowski brings a proven record of success at innovative, consumer-focused companies, having most recently served as Chief Operating Officer of Etsy, Inc. and prior to that as COO of Evernote Corporation. Brad Dickerson, who joined Blue Apron as Chief Financial Officer in February 2016 and was appointed as President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors in November 2017, has decided to resign in order to pursue new opportunities. Following Kozlowski’s appointment, he will serve as an advisor to the company for a period of time to assist with the transition.

“This is an exciting time to join Blue Apron,” said Kozlowski. “Over the past year, the company has made significant product, platform and operational advancements, and ...

Little Caesars Hires Jeff Klein as New Senior Vice President of Global Marketing

Little Caesars is excited to announce that Jeff Klein will take on the role of Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at the nearly 60-year-old pizza company.

Klein has served nearly 20 years in progressive marketing leadership positions, most recently spending the last 2 years at PepsiCo as chief marketing officer for global foodservice. Prior to that Jeff spent 10 years at Frito-Lay North America in ...

ALDI Announces Commitments to Plastic Packaging Reduction

ALDI is pleased to announce a series of commitments it has made to help combat the global plastics crisis. By 2025, 100 percent of ALDI packaging, including plastic packaging, will be reusable, recyclable or compostable. ALDI will also reduce packaging material across its entire range by at least 15 percent.

ALDI has the ability to influence how its products are sourced, produced and brought to shelves because more than 90 percent of its range is ALDI-exclusive. The company is committed to working with its supplier community to achieve the following comprehensive goals ...

Subway Announces Expansion of Global Food Innovation Partnership with Tastemade

Subway and Tastemade have announced an expansion of their first-of-its-kind global food innovation alliance. The world's largest restaurant chain and the modern media brand, made up of creators and food explorers united by their love and passion for great tasting food, are collaborating to create menu items designed to complement Subway's current offerings while inspiring new tastes that guests can't find anywhere else.

Subway and Tastemade first announced their innovative collaboration to deliver unique food offerings in North America and Latin America in August 2018. Since the inception of the partnership, hundreds of menu items have been developed using unique data and insights derived from the Tastemade audience, and ...

U.S. Plant-Based Meat Market to Reach $3 Billion by 2024 

According to a new study by Research and Markets, the U.S. plant-based meat market is expected to reach a value of around $3 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 24% during 2018 to 2024.

The growing traction towards the wellness consumer trend is fueling the demand for plant-based products, creating lucrative opportunities in the U.S. plant-based meat market. Brands are becoming more health-focused, and the exponential growth of food trucks, delivery, and takeout along with ...

Amazon's Next Push into Grocery Biz Faces Stout Headwinds, Expert Says

While its brick-and-mortar supermarket strategy is likely to add to the pressure, Amazon is hardly set to steamroll top grocers with its purported plans to open stores under a new, more mainstream brand, advised Joe McKeska, Senior Managing Director at A&G Realty Partners.

Observers are buzzing about Amazon's plans, originally reported in The Wall Street Journal, to open "dozens" of grocery stores in leading U.S. markets. However, McKeska cautioned, it's important to remember that existing grocers boast years of experience. They have also been heavily investing in their digital and online capabilities, said the Oak Brook-based executive, whose firm assists retailers with portfolio strategy, due diligence, value-add lease negotiations, and real estate disposition, subleasing, and ...

Denny's Announces New Menu Additions And Kicks Off Spring With Limited Time Meat Lovers Slam

Starting today, Denny's has added a delicious, high-quality line-up of new, culinary-forward dishes to its menu that is sure to delight hungry guests. In addition to the menu offerings, Denny's is introducing a new hearty member of the value-friendly Slam family: the Meat Lovers Slam. In the spirit of continuing to offer guests more for less, this substantial meal features two fresh eggs, two buttermilk pancakes, three strips of bacon and three sausage links, all for the unbeatable price of $5.99*.

Not to be outdone by breakfast, the Denny's dinner and lunch menu is also introducing flavorful showstoppers like the Southwest Chorizo Burger with pepper jack queso and five pepper sauce and craveable beer-battered onion rings. Not only can guests ...

Global Economic Conditions Ended 2018 on an Upbeat Note, but Market Conditions Vary Around the World

At a macro level, economic conditions around the globe ended 2018 on an upbeat note. Global consumer confidence, as reported by the Conference Board, was at its highest level in 14 years, a full seven points above the baseline confidence level of 100. That said, however, 39 of the 64 countries included in the global Consumer Confidence Index, which is produced in collaboration with Nielsen, reported declines in confidence, well above the 19 in third-quarter 2018.

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and GDP growth was strongest in Asia-Pacific, and consumers in the region feel the best globally about their financial well-being. In fact, 70% of consumers in Asia-Pacific report feeling feel better off than they did five years ago. Comparatively, only 37% of consumers in Europe believe their conditions have improved over ...

Bojangles’ Names Jackie Woodward Chief Marketing Officer

Bojangles’, Inc. today announced that brand strategist and marketing veteran Jackie Woodward has joined the company as its new Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to Jose Armario, Chief Executive Officer. Woodward will work alongside the brand’s respected long-time marketing chief Randy Poindexter over the next several months to ensure a seamless transition. The company recently announced Poindexter’s retirement after 28 years as the iconic brand’s top marketing executive.

Woodward comes to Bojangles’ with more than 30 years of marketing experience in domestic and global markets. In addition to recently serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer for North Carolina-based Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, she also served as ...

Cal-Maine Foods Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2019 Results and Announces Expansion Projects

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) today reported results for the third quarter (thirteen weeks) ended March 2, 2019.

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2019 were $384.0 million, an 11.9 percent decrease, compared to $435.8 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company reported net income of $39.8 million, or $0.82 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2019, compared to net income of $96.3 million, or $1.99 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2018. Results for the third quarter of fiscal 2018 were favorably affected by a $35.0 million, or $0.72 per basic and diluted share, discrete tax benefit related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) tax reform legislation enacted during the period, and the subsequent revaluation of the Company’s deferred tax liabilities at the new, lower corporate tax rate.

For the thirty-nine weeks ended March 2, 2019, net sales were $1,080.6 million compared to $1,059.8 million for the prior-year period. The Company reported net income of ...

Walmart Offers New Voice Capabilities for Grocery Shopping 

Customers love our Grocery Pickup and Delivery options. These services make life easier and help customers get back to the things they like doing the most.

What if we could make it even easier?

We continue to innovate for the future and look to technology to make great services even better in the future. Introducing: Walmart Voice Order.

With the new voice ordering capabilities we’re building across platforms with partners like Google, we’re helping ...

Restaurant Performance Index Edged Lower in February

As a result of softer readings in the current situation indicators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) registered a modest decline in February. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.0 in February, down slightly from a level of
101.2 in January.

While restaurant operators continued to report positive same-store sales in February, customer traffic turned negative for the first time in five months. Although 50 percent of operators expect their sales to be higher in six months ...

February Retail Sales Increased 2.7 Percent Over 2018

Retail sales were down 0.7 percent in February seasonally adjusted from January but up 2.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year as delays and revisions related to the government shutdown continued to make comparisons difficult, the National Retail Federation said today. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.

“The weaker-than-expected February retail sales numbers reflect colder weather and increased precipitation that kept shoppers home but were also skewed downward because of the government’s upward revision in January’s results,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “The aftereffects of the ...

Convenience Meets Healthy: New Grab and Go Trends Emerge

Consumers who shop at convenience stores want fresher, healthier food options, according to new research from facilities management leader Vixxo. In the nationwide survey of more than 1,000 consumers, 1 in 3 Americans would frequent a convenience store more if it offered healthy snack items.

The study also found that Americans tend not to be loyal to a specific location, but rather visit multiple convenience stores on a regular basis, emphasizing the value of desired products to drive growth. In expressing their desire for more variety ...

Bipartisan Group of 47 Senators Urges Trump Administration to Withdraw Proposed SNAP Rule

Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) led a bipartisan letter that raised concerns about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule to make harmful changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and urged Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to withdraw the proposal.

“The proposed changes would take food assistance away from Americans struggling to find stable employment while doing nothing to help them to actually become permanently employed,” the Senators wrote. “This is contrary to Congressional intent, evidenced by the passage of ...

Perdue Applauds President Trump's Selection for USDA's Chief Financial Officer

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Scott Soles to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Chief Financial Officer. Regarding the announcement, Secretary Perdue issued this statement:

“The nomination of Scott Soles to be USDA’s CFO is welcome news. With over 30 years of experience in internal and external financial auditing, consulting, and finance operations, Scott Soles will bring valuable financial management experience and ...

The Emerging Foodservice Brands of 2019 

A recent report by Fishbowl has defined emerging brands in the restaurant industry as chains with 5-75 units that exhibit a strong promise of potential growth in the future and embrace developments that are innovative and unique. These locations generate excitement, and consumers express interest in discovering these restaurants as the brands grow. The 2019 list was developed by survey analytics to obtain nominees from industry experts, food enthusiasts, executives, and advisors. Fishbowl then leveraged proprietary social data software to analyze more structured reviews, check-ins, and ratings. The Fishbowl Social Score was also used to rank the brands, using key performance indicators to rate restaurants on a score derived from the mining of consumer feedback. The algorithm is calculated on each brand's sentiment score, consumer ratings, check-in frequency, an enthusiasm index, and ...

This Week in Retail: Warmer Weekend Forecast Beckons Grillers, Retailers Promote Accordingly

While much of the Midwest remains somewhat stuck in winter (our condolences), temperatures elsewhere in the U.S. are starting to feel more like spring—and that means grilling season is almost here.

Both coasts, parts of the Northeast, and much of the Southeast looks to be thawing out with average temperatures this weekend expected to be 60 degrees and above. Hints of spring result in many consumers dusting off the grill and heading to grocery stores to procure their favorite proteins—and grocers are more than happy to answer the call.   

Ground beef feature volume soared this week, claiming nearly 30 percent of beef ad space versus just 16 percent the week prior. Steak features are also higher week over week, accounting for...

ANALYSIS: Egg Inventories Hit Record Highs

National shell egg inventories were reported by the USDA at a record 1.610 million cases Monday, March 25th, climbing 9.1% from the week prior and 20.2% when compared to 3 weeks from Easter last year...

Domino's Pizza Celebrates the Opening of Its 10,000th International Store

Domino's Pizza, (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, is celebrating the opening of the brand's 10,000th international store today. The store is located in the IBC Mall at 3008 Buxin Road in the Luohu District of Shenzhen, China.

"Not only are we excited to open the 200th Domino's location in mainland China, but we are thrilled that it marks the brand's 10,000th store outside of the U.S.," said Frank Krasovec, chairman of Dash Brands Ltd. – Domino's master franchisee in China. "We look forward to bringing our delicious pizzas, quality products and ...

Cargill Reports Fiscal 2019 Third-Quarter Results

Cargill today reported results for the fiscal 2019 third quarter and first nine months ended Feb. 28, 2019. Key measures include:

• Adjusted operating earnings were $604 million, up 8 percent from the $559 million earned last year. This brought earnings for the first nine months to $2.34 billion, a 2 percent decrease from the prior year.
• Net earnings on a U.S. GAAP basis for the quarter were $566 million, a 14 percent increase from $495 million in the year-ago period. For the nine-month period, net earnings declined 3 percent to $2.33 billion.
• Third-quarter revenues decreased 4 percent to ...

Papa John’s Appoints Karlin Linhardt as Global Chief Marketing Officer

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA), one of the world’s largest pizza delivery companies, today announced the appointment of Karlin Linhardt as its Global Chief Marketing Officer. Mr. Linhardt is a veteran marketing leader with deep Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) category experience and C-suite executive roles at global Fortune-500 restaurant companies, consumer brands and top professional services firms, including Anheuser-Busch, McDonald’s, Accenture and Subway.

In his most recent role, Mr. Linhardt served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for North America for Subway Restaurants, where he led brand management and guest experience for 30,000 restaurants and designed the company’s global brand transformation plan. Prior to Subway, Mr. Linhardt served as ...

An Appreciation of the Arby’s Tagline

Leroy and Forrest Raffel opened their first sandwich shop, R-B, in Boardman, Ohio, on July 23, 1964. The Raffel brothers were determined to break into the fast food industry with a fresh take in the wake of burger joint comeuppances. Armed with the knowledge that they could fade away if they opened “just another burger joint,” the Raffels instead built their dream on heaping stacks of fresh sliced hot roast beef atop fluffy, delicious bread. These sandwiches, along with chips, extra-large iced teas, and soft drinks, comprised...

Spring Into 2019 Food Trends

What’s hot in 2019? When it comes to food, consumer cravings tend to vary by season and continue to evolve year to-year. In order to keep up with an ever-changing consumer palette, it’s important to always be forward-thinking in foodservice. Enter the National Restaurant Association.

The National Restaurant Association conducts an annual survey to determine trends in foodservice. The organization turns to chefs to rank 140 items—from global flavors to zero-waste cooking—as “hot, yesterday’s news, or perennial favorite.” The results provide an insight into the types of...

FAT Brands Inc. Reports Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2018 Financial Results

FAT(Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FAT) (“FAT Brands” or the “Company”) today reported fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year 2018 financial results for the 13-week and 52-week periods ending December 30, 2018.

Andy Wiederhorn, President and CEO of FAT Brands, commented, “2018 was our first full year operating with our management platform, which was designed to seamlessly scale with new brand acquisitions. We demonstrated its capability through the smooth integration of both Hurricane Grill & Wings and Yalla Mediterranean into our system. We continue to seek synergistic acquisition opportunities that meet our criteria, where we can leverage our platform to drive efficiencies and growth.”

Because 2018 was our initial full year of operation, comparative information is not available for ...

Hooked on Sustainability

I sat in a minimally furnished room in an office-cum-apartment across from Ben Turley, butcher and businessman. It was Thursday. Brooklyn was bustling and shrouded in grey. Horns and sirens outside cut through the din and the damp and down Graham Ave, wafting through the mist and the walls as muffled echoes. Cool light was leaking in from the windows. Ben brought a thermos of coffee, and had a tattoo on his arm, “Let’s party. Together.” I sat down with him to talk about The Meat Hook.

The Meat Hook is a sustainable, nose-to-tail butcher shop founded in early 2010 by Turley and Brent Young. What makes The Meat Hook special is a deep commitment to healthy farms, happy farmers, and healthy, happy, tasty animals. Not to mention their...

Proposition 12 Establishes New Standards for the CA Egg Market

In November 2018, California voters passed a ballot initiative that will once again change the landscape of egg production in the state and for those around the country looking to send eggs and egg products into the area. It will establish new space requirements for egg laying hens, in addition to setting new minimum requirements for calves raised for veal and breeding pigs.

The initiative will be phased in over the next two years. It will require producers to keep egg-laying hens in cages with...

Fresh Foods Cut Down the Nets in 2019 Total Store Bracket 

March. The start of spring. And the annual NCAA men’s college basketball tournament—March Madness™. While many teams suffer the agony of defeat, others rejoice gleefully as their alma maters or home-town favorites advance throughout the tourney in hopes of cutting down those nets.

But college basketball teams aren’t the only ones to experience joy or sorrow. With consumers growing more mindful about health and wellness, in search of convenience and aware of online shopping options, in-store purchasing patterns have shifted significantly over the past five years. These shifts have resulted in some areas of the store facing sales challenges, while others have put forth winning formulas.

Using our uniquely integrated sales universe, we created our annual bracket that pits different areas of the store against one another to understand ...

Chicken Check Up: Russ Whitman Takes the Pulse

This week, we sat down with Senior Vice President of Urner Barry, Russ Whitman, to talk about the ever-changing chicken scene...

Central Valley Eggs Responds to Growth with Second Production Site

Central Valley Eggs is pleased to announce the start of their second production site in California. The first site has been at full capacity since early 2018. The next site will be in Tulare, California. Jeff Peterson, General Manager, states, “Our concept of cage free, done on an economical scale with careful attention to hen welfare is resonating with the marketplace.” He adds, “The mandated changes caused by the passage of Prop 12 will create additional opportunities as we grow our production.”

Central Valley Eggs is a partnership with Opal Foods, Western Milling and...

Mintel Announces Top Global Packaging Trends for 2019 and Beyond

Mintel, the world’s leading market intelligence agency, has today (26 March 2019) announced four trends impacting the global packaging industry in 2019 and beyond.

• Connected Packaging: Multiple technologies are enabling brands to connect physical packaging to the virtual world.
• Closing the Loop: Brands have an opportunity to differentiate and ride consumer awareness of recycling issues.
• Reinventing the Box: With online shopping set to gain further popularity, brands must fully establish an e-commerce packaging strategy.
• Plastic-Free: As the momentum behind plastic-free supermarket aisles grow, brands need to ...

Jose Luis Prado Elected To Hormel Foods Board Of Directors

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, announced today that Jose Luis Prado, chairman and CEO of Evans Food Group, has been elected to the Hormel Foods Board of Directors, effective March 25, 2019.

"Jose Luis is an accomplished leader in the packaged food and snacks industry," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. "He has built a distinguished career with extensive domestic and international experience, and we are delighted to welcome him to our outstanding board of directors."

Prado will serve on the ... 

McDonald’s to Acquire Dynamic Yield

McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) and Dynamic Yield Ltd. today announced an agreement by which McDonald’s will acquire Dynamic Yield, a leader in personalization and decision logic technology. With this acquisition of Dynamic Yield, based in New York and Tel Aviv, McDonald’s builds on its significant technology investments for growth.

McDonald’s will utilize this decision technology to provide an even more personalized customer experience by varying outdoor digital Drive Thru menu displays to show food based on time of day, weather, current restaurant traffic and trending menu items. The decision technology can also ...

Bringing Breakfast Back: Delivery Robots Rolling into More University Campuses

It's something your mom always told you – eat your breakfast – and now college students are starting to do just that, thanks to Starship robots and Sodexo. Research has shown that up to 88 percent of college students skip breakfast, primarily because of lack of time, but that number is starting to turn around when delivery robots arrive on campus. Starting today, students at Northern Arizona University's (NAU) Flagstaff campus will have the convenience of receiving food delivered by robot.

Sodexo, Inc. and Starship Technologies revealed today that an extra 1,500 breakfast orders have been delivered autonomously since the two companies joined forces to debut ...

USDA Shifts Emergency Funds to Address Virulent Newcastle Disease in California

Secretary Perdue is making available an additional $45 million to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its partners to address the ongoing virulent Newcastle disease (vND) outbreak in southern California. This funding will allow APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to strengthen their joint efforts to stop the spread of this disease and prevent it from affecting additional commercial flocks. vND has been confirmed in more than 435 backyard flocks since May 2018. It was also confirmed in four commercial flocks in December 2018 and January 2019.

“Virulent Newcastle disease is a serious concern for our nation’s poultry industry and we need to step up our response in order to keep this disease out of additional commercial flocks,” said Greg Ibach, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.  “At this point, the trade impacts of this outbreak are ...

Domino's and Xevo Deliver In-Car Ordering to New Vehicles in 2019

Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, knows that some people practically live in their car, so why not make the car a great place to order pizza too? Domino's is working with Xevo Inc., the global leader of in-vehicle commerce and services for automakers, to launch the latest AnyWare pizza ordering platform pre-loaded in cars starting in 2019. The new in-vehicle Domino's app is powered by Xevo Market, an automotive commerce platform for connected cars.

"At Domino's, we want pizza ordering to be simple and always within reach, no matter where a customer happens to be," said Chris Roeser, director of digital experience at Domino's. "This new AnyWare platform will make ordering pizza easy, whether you're in the car waiting for ...

Domino's Pizza Opens First Store in Bangladesh

Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, is continuing its global growth momentum with the opening of its first store in Bangladesh. Residents of the capital Dhaka can now enjoy hot, freshly-baked pizza in-store or delivered to their doorstep by Domino's master franchisee Jubilant FoodWorks Limited and their local operator Golden Harvest.

"We are excited to launch the first Domino's restaurant in Dhaka and look forward to offering a menu that keeps the needs and preferences of local customers in mind, while also offering the best of the brand's international menu," said Pratik Pota, chief executive officer and director of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited. "We believe that our high-quality products and ...

SNAP Participation Falls to Lowest Level Since 2009

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, has been known to have significant influence on the protein market. Having been in existence since 1939, at least in its more primal stages, it’s safe to say that the longevity of this influence has run parallel with the growth and development of what we know to be today’s protein industry. This has become so evident that, like clockwork, just about everyone will expect a market variation or influence every “first of the month” or “week of the two's."

In March of 2019, SNAP participation went below 37 million people for the first time since September of 2009, almost a 10-year low. Many economists attribute this to...

This Week in Retail: Wing Demand Feeling the Madness

The first round of the college basketball tournament dubbed March Madness is officially underway—and retailers are certainly going mad over food promotions for the nearly month-long event.

On the wholesale side of the equation, wings are in high-demand as foodservice and retail buyers alike look to secure inventory for March Madness. This has driven prices up in recent weeks, as supplies grow increasingly tight. Spot market prices for small sized wings are currently up nearly 12 percent over last year at this time, or 17 cents per pound, and up about 4 percent compared to the 3-year average. Wholesale prices on jumbo wings, more often found at retail, are up a whopping 36 percent year-over-year. Buyers are paying nearly 50 cents more per pound on the spot market for jumbo size wings this week—that’s up 14 percent from the 3-year average.  

This is the second “peak” of the year for wings in 2019, the first summiting in early February. The downslope was relatively short-lived, bottoming out later that month. The current uptick, while seasonal, is especially...

Cargill and Heifer Launch Hatching Hope Global Initiative 

Cargill and Heifer International have joined forces to create The Hatching Hope Global Initiative. The bold initiative aims to improve the nutrition and economic livelihoods of 100 million people by 2030 through the production, promotion and consumption of poultry.

Hatching Hope will work directly with women smallholder farmers, initially in India, Mexico and Kenya. The program helps farmers not only feed their families but also become part of the solution to bridging the global food and nutrition security gap, while boosting local economies and providing nutrition education.

“We believe that the key to ending hunger and poverty is for farmers to be able to earn a living income,” said Pierre Ferrari, president and CEO of Heifer International. “Through Hatching Hope, we’re investing in smart, resourceful women farmers, working with them to improve...