USDA Actions to Protect Livestock Health From Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza

To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, USDA is sharing a number of actions that we are taking with our federal partners to help us get ahead of this disease and limit its spread.

Today, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a Federal Order requiring the following measures, effective Monday, April 29, 2024:

Mandatory Testing for Interstate Movement of Dairy Cattle

• Prior to interstate movement, dairy cattle are required to receive...

Hormel Foods Announces Retirement of Jeff Grev, Vice President of Legislative Affairs

Hormel Foods Corporation, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today announced that Jeff Grev, vice president of legislative affairs, will be retiring after a 40-year career with the company. Chad Randick, director of strategy and current lead of the company's transformation and modernization initiative, will succeed Grev as vice president of legislative affairs.

As vice president of legislative affairs, Randick will assume responsibility for overseeing all state and federal legislative affairs, and regulatory affairs.

"Chad's deep knowledge of our business and leadership experience in finance, sales...

The Retail Rundown: Abundance of Springtime Eating Occasions

There is an abundance of springtime eating occasions and grocers are gearing up for a triathlon of sorts with Cinco De Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day fast approaching.

The produce section and the meat case are expected to benefit from Cinco de Mayo as those celebrating load up on beef, pork, and chicken for a variety of dishes like tacos, fajitas, burritos, and carnitas. These dishes are often accompanied by fixings like guacamole and salsa, boosting sales of avocadoes, mangoes, and more...

Grocer Lowers Prices on Essential Basket Staples, Asking Customers to "Compare & Save" Versus National Brands

All customers will have access to new giant savings on Giant brands with hundreds of new lower prices. They simply need to look for the "Compare and Save" tags on items in every aisle. The Flexible Reward promotion allows customers to earn 2x the points on Giant brand item purchases. These points can then be redeemed for grocery savings, gas savings or unique product offerings during future trips.

"At Giant Food, we have always offered great savings to our customers through our...

Performance Food Group and Industry-Leading Partners Unveil Sustainable Distribution Center

Advanced Energy Machines, FreeWire, GridMarket and Volvo Trucks North America played key roles in facility transformation

In recognition of Earth Day 2024, Performance Food Group Company (PFG) (NYSE: PFGC), Advanced Energy Machines (AEM), FreeWire Technologies, GridMarket and Volvo Trucks North America, partnered to hold a special open house event at PFG’s Gilroy, CA facility to show how the companies have collaborated to help create a sustainable distribution center model of the future.

PFG is committed to mitigating its carbon footprint and being responsible stewards of the environment...

Vertical Cold Storage Surges to Sixth Largest Cold Storage Provider in North America

Vertical Cold Storage, a developer and operator of temperature-controlled distribution centers sponsored by real estate investment firm Platform Ventures, moved from 15th to sixth on the Global Cold Chain Alliance’s (GCCA) North American Top 25 List of Refrigerated Warehousing and Logistics Providers. The company now has more than 77 million cubic feet of capacity in nine locations and employs more than 400 full-time team members.

In the past 12 months, Vertical Cold acquired MWCold in Indiana, purchased a second facility in the...

Kroger, Albertsons Companies and C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC Announce an Update

Amended Divestiture Plan Adds Stores, Facilities and Banner Names to Enhance Competition in Overlap Geographies and to Address Regulator Concerns

The Kroger Co. and Albertsons Companies Inc. announced today that they have amended their definitive agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC for the sale of assets in connection with their proposed merger previously announced on October 14, 2022. This amended package modifies and builds on the initial divestiture package that was announced on September 8, 2023.

The amended divestiture package responds to concerns raised by federal and...

Albertsons Companies, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results

Albertsons Companies, Inc. today reported results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 and full year fiscal 2023, which ended February 24, 2024.

Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2023 Highlights

• Identical sales increased 1.0%
• Digital sales increased 24%
• Loyalty members increased 16% to 39.8 million
• Net income of $251 million, or $0.43 per share
• Adjusted net income of $318 million, or $0.54 per share
• Adjusted EBITDA of $916 million

Fiscal 2023 Highlights

• Identical sales increased 3.0%
• Digital sales increased 22%...

Grubhub Brings Grocery to its Marketplace with Mercato Partnership

Grubhub and Mercato, an online marketplace for independent grocery stores, have partnered to bring Mercato's inventory of more than 950 merchants across the country to the Grubhub Marketplace. Customers can order from hundreds of locations today, with all merchants becoming available over the next few weeks. With this first-ever third-party delivery partnership for Mercato, Grubhub is expanding its Marketplace selection, and providing even greater value for its customers by now offering grocery, convenience and alcohol merchants. Mercato's merchants can grow their business and e-commerce footprint with access...

Gopuff Partners with Misfits Market for Nationwide Launch of 300+ Fresh Grocery Items

Gopuff today launched a comprehensive and affordable Fresh Grocery assortment powered by Misfits Market. Combining Gopuff's leading instant delivery with great value driven by Misfits Market’s differentiated sourcing model, the partnership will deliver an extensive range of more than 300 items, including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat, poultry, fresh bread and more, to customers’ doors in as fast as 15 minutes.

“We are thrilled to unveil our Fresh Grocery initiative today. By capitalizing on our vertically integrated model and expansive scale...

Lineage Logistics Announces Rebranding, Changes Brand Name to Lineage

Lineage, one of the leading temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions providers worldwide, has announced a rebranding, formally changing its brand name from Lineage Logistics to Lineage.

Established in 2012, the Lineage name reflects the company’s unique legacy and expertise in the interconnected world of cold storage and logistics. The company’s shield logo signifies the generational and entrepreneurial commitment of the many companies that have been welcomed into the Lineage family through over 110 acquisitions to form Lineage with the shared charge of keeping the global food supply safe and...

Cargill and Nestlé Purina Partner on Regenerative Agriculture Adoption to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Investment in regenerative agriculture is estimated to reduce the carbon footprint of Purina’s U.S. grain supply from Cargill by up to 40 percent over the next three years

Nestlé Purina is investing in farmer adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across the company’s corn and soy supply chains through a new partnership with Cargill, one of the largest ingredient and agricultural solutions companies in the U.S. This work will support soil health and reduce the carbon footprint for Purina dry pet food products across North America...

Dine Brands Releases 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report

Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® restaurants, released its 2023 ESG report which speaks to priorities and progress within the focus areas of People, Planet, Food, and Governance.

“Dine Better, Together is how we describe our intention to combine business growth and competitive strength with our ESG commitments,” says John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands. “At Dine we remain motivated to provide more than an exceptional dining experience, and we...

Urner Barry Presents Historic Awards to Industry Professionals at Executive Conference

Plus, Rising Star Award presented to industry up and comer

The 48th annual Executive Conference is underway at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Urner Barry is proud to host industry executives from the poultry, egg, and red meat industries in 2024 for this premier event. Day one kicked off with opening remarks from Urner Barry host, Russ Whitman, followed by Dr. David Kohl as the morning’s keynote speaker.

Following Dr. Kohl’s remarkable session on agricultural economics and the business trends to expect in the coming years, it was time for the annual awards ceremony. Each year, Urner Barry recognizes two exceptional individuals for their work and service to the industry—the Poultry Person of the Year and the Egg Person of the Year...

Executive Conference: Jeff Saturday on Communication and Collaboration on and off the Field

It’s day one at Urner Barry’s 48th Annual Executive Conference at The Venetian in Las Vegas! Russ Whitman, Director of Market reporting, delivered the opening ceremony to a jam-packed room, where hundreds of industry stakeholders and analysts gathered to share their expertise and gain insights from today's speakers. 

Dr. David Kohl, Economist, kicked off the agenda with his panel titled: Agricultural Economics and Business Trends for the Late 2020s: What Is Coming Next? An Academic Hall of Famer in the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech...

Online Grocery Delivery Services Market size is set to grow by USD 652.45 billion from 2023-2027

Albertsons Companies Inc., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Amazon.com Inc., and more to emerge as Some of the Key Vendors, Technavio

The global online grocery delivery services market size is estimated to grow by USD 652.45 bn from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 19.43% during the forecast period. APAC held the largest share of the global market in 2022, and the market in the region is estimated to witness an incremental...

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Shows Retail Sales Grew in March Amid Wage Gains and Easing Inflation 

Retail sales grew at a steady pace in March, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation.

“As inflation for goods levels off, March’s data demonstrates steady spending by value-focused consumers who continue to benefit from a strong labor market and real wage gains,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “In this highly competitive market, retailers are having to keep prices as low as possible to meet the demand of...

ANALYSIS: Industry Egg Prices Stabilized in the EU

Over the past two years, egg processors in the EU have endured fluctuating costs of raw materials, influenced by significant external factors that disrupted the balance between shell egg supply and demand. However, despite this volatility, prices for broken eggs have remained relatively steady for eight consecutive months. Since mid-September, values have fluctuated only slightly, ranging between 1.52 and 1.65 €/kg.

The stability in egg prices can be attributed to several factors, including favorable supply conditions during the winter without any significant disruptions from avian influenza...

Shoppers Believe Government Policies and Actions Most Responsible for Higher Prices in Supermarkets 

The Feedback Group, a leader in providing actionable stakeholder feedback, today released new findings from national research conducted with 1,150 consumers about their experience shopping in supermarkets for food and groceries.

Government Policies and Actions Top List of Factors Responsible for Higher Prices at Supermarkets
Supermarket shoppers rated a variety of entities and factors, on a five-point scale where five is "highly responsible" and one "not at all responsible", as to their degree of responsibility for higher prices in supermarkets. Viewed as most responsible, government policies and actions received the highest mean score (3.86). Product manufacturers and suppliers scored second most responsible (3.75), followed more distantly by wars and worldwide political conflicts (3.42), supermarket retailers (3.40), and labor supply shor

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in North Carolina Dairy Herd

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a dairy herd in North Carolina on April 10, bringing the number of states with confirmed cases of HPAI in livestock to seven. 

HPAI has previously been detected in nine dairy herds in Texas, three in Kansas, two in New Mexico, and one each in Michigan, Idaho, and Ohio. The movement of cattle from affected herds in these states to North Carolina has been suspended. 

“This is an evolving situation, and we are waiting for more diagnostics from NVSL and will work collaboratively with our federal partners and dairy farmers in North Carolina,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler...

The Retail Rundown: Competitive Prices Drive Traffic; CPI Update

The coming weeks and months present favorable weather conditions for grilling and travel, considered supportive of protein sales from both a retail and foodservice standpoint. And with a few notable items displaying comparatively attractive prices, the retail sector is well positioned to capitalize on pent-up grilling demand.

Below, we’ll explore a few notable items featured near or below year-ago levels last week, when some households celebrated Easter.

First up is beef ribeye, which averaged $10.79 discounted, down $2.24, or 17.2% from a year ago. Beef...

Import Cargo To Hit 2 Million Containers For First Time Since Last Fall

Next month’s inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to top 2 million units for the first time since last fall as imports grow despite new supply chain challenges, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“U.S. imports are continuing to increase despite another disruption impacting U.S. ports,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “As retailers have adjusted to limits...

Corn Planting Progress Slightly Outpacing Average Rate

In the USDA’s latest Crop Progress report, corn plantings as of Sunday, April 7 were 3% underway across the 18 primary production states. This is slightly behind the 5-year average rate of 2%. 

Seven states now report planting progress, up from six the previous week. North Carolina and Missouri/Tennessee showed the most week-over-week progress, jumping 8 and 5 percentage points, respectively. 

States failing to get on the board include Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Corn futures were down 1 to 2 cents...

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. Announces Retirement of Jeff Hardin

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. today announced that Jeff Hardin, Senior Vice President of Sales, is retiring from his position with the Company, effective July 23, 2024. Scott Hull, Vice President of Sales, will assume the executive officer role previously held by Hardin, effectively immediately. Hardin will continue to work with Hull through the transition period until his official retirement date.

Hardin joined Cal-Maine Foods in 1988 and was named Vice President of Sales in 2002. He has played a pivotal role in driving the Company’s consistent...

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 8 - Global Supply Chain Situation

USDA’s APHIS Answers Questions on Detection of HPAI in Dairy Cattle

Following the recent string of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detections in dairy herds in several states, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the rapidly evolving situation.

As of Apil 3, 2024, six states have confirmed cases of HPAI in domestic livestock. The first confirmation was on March 25 in dairy milking cattle in Texas. Since then, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Idaho, and Ohio have also reported HPAI in dairy cattle herds.

Below are some of the questions...

States with HPAI-Infected Dairy Cows Grows to Six

A herd of dairy cattle in Ohio has been infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), increasing the number of states with dairy operations affected by the virus to six.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) on April 3 announced it had received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) of HPAI infection in a dairy cattle herd in Wood County, Ohio.

The USDA previously confirmed the H5N1 strain of HPAI in dairy cattle on seven Texas farms, two in Kansas, and one each...

Albertsons Companies Unveils Simplified “for U” Loyalty Program Enhancing Member Experience 

Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI) continues to transform its customer shopping experience and deepen customer relationships announcing today a new, simplified loyalty program providing more value and ease than ever for the retailer’s 38 million* loyalty members. Available now, the award-winning for U™ loyalty program is better than ever with a single points-based system, double the time to earn points and a new automatic cash off option for more convenient savings, among other benefits. The program retains all the benefits customers love with exciting enhancements to celebrate their loyalty and create customers for life.

The for U loyalty program is free and available to all customers who shop at Albertsons Cos. stores including Safeway, Albertsons, Shaw’s, ACME, Jewel-Osco, Randalls and Vons

Matthew R. Ott Named New President and CEO of FPSA

The Food Production Solutions Association announced that it has hired Matthew R. Ott as its new President and CEO. This announcement was made by Brian Perkins, FPSA Chair and President of Provisur Technologies Inc, during the Association’s Executive Exchange & Conference held in Indian Wells, California.

As part of this announcement, Perkins shared, “The Boards of both FPSA and the FPSA Foundation proudly welcome Matt to lead the Food Production Solutions Association. As we rebrand and refocus our organization, Matt is the right leader at the right time...

ADM Animal Nutrition Recalls Select Chicken, Swine, Cattle and Horse Feed Products

Specific lots may contain elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and/or chloride and may harm chickens, swine, beef cattle and equine

ADM Animal Nutrition, a division of ADM, is recalling the following products:

• Pen Pals® Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb bag (Product No 70009ACF46)
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 50-lb bag (Product No. 70009AAA44)
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb case (Product No. 70009AAABE)
• MoorMan’s ShowTec Sale Burst w/DF DEN 50-lb. bag (Product No 21256CVWE4)...

The Retail Rundown: The April Outlook

The first inklings of planting season have made an appearance and with it comes the prospect of prolonged warmer weather. April typically launches a period of improved foodservice and retail demand as the shift in seasons encourages consumers to venture outdoors and fire up the grill. Moreover, spring break is underway, giving a boost to foodservice interest.

With spring in full swing, feature volume will begin to shift from roasts, popular with cooler weather cooking, to grilling cuts. Currently, the pork category overtakes seafood for a second consecutive week with the most feature volume...

Sheer Logistics Acquires CargoBarn

Sheer Logistics, a premier provider of 4PL/Managed Transportation Services, value-based logistics, freight brokerage, TMS technology and Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS) solutions purpose-built for mid-market companies, today announced the acquisition of CargoBarn, a tech-enabled third-party logistics provider (3PL) based in Atlanta, GA. CargoBarn provides full Truckload freight brokerage, expedited, drayage, and other specialized services. The acquisition will enhance Sheer's existing 3PL and freight brokerage offerings through the addition of CargoBarn's diverse and complementary customer portfolio, extensive carrier network, highly experienced sales and operations teams, and geographic footprint...

State Officials Report Human Case of Bird Flu in Texas, Second Ever in U.S. History

State officials Monday reported the first human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) in Texas, marking the second-ever human case of H5N1 flu, or HPAI, in the United States and the first tied to exposure to cattle. 

The individual in Texas had been in direct contact with dairy cattle thought to be infected with avian influenza. The person, who had testing performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over the weekend, exhibited eye inflammation as their only symptom and is being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. The risk to the general public remains low, said the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)...

HPAI Detection in Idaho Dairy Herd 

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) identified today highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a Cassia County dairy cattle operation.

These are the first cases of HPAI in a livestock operation in Idaho. The affected facility recently imported cattle from another state that has identified cases of HPAI in cattle, which suggests the virus may be transmitted from cow-to-cow, in addition to previous reports indicating cattle were acquiring the virus from infected birds.

The primary concern with this diagnosis is on-farm production losses, as the disease has been associated with...

Trade and Exports Continue to Strengthen American Agriculture

American agriculture remains strong. Total U.S. agricultural exports reached $174.9 billion in 2023. American farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness owners continue to have success abroad as USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service works for U.S. agriculture.

Exports are critical to the health of America’s farm sector and the nation’s economy. USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration are committed to ensuring that U.S. agriculture has full and fair access to markets and opportunities across the globe.

In the trade policy arena, USDA successfully opened a new grapefruit market in Vietnam...

US Egg Industry Leaders Embark on USDA Trade Mission to South Korea

South Korea a priority target in strategic industry goal to double U.S. egg exports in five years

American Egg Board President and CEO Emily Metz and Greg Hinton, VP of sales at Rose Acre Farms in Seymour, Indiana, this week are accompanying agriculture and food industry leaders and various state secretaries of agriculture on a U.S. Department of Agriculture agribusiness trade mission to Seoul, South Korea, led by Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor, March 25-28...

Del Taco Introduces 2 for $3 Crispy Chicken Tacos and Egg & Cheese Breakfast Rollers

Del Taco, the nation’s second-largest Mexican quick service restaurant,* has created one Del of a deal spanning all dayparts. For a limited time, the fan-favorite Crispy Chicken Tacos and Egg & Cheese Breakfast Rollers are 2 for $3.† Del Yeah!™ Rewards members can save even more cash by redeeming a FREE Iced or Hot Coffee with the purchase of any item in the app.‡

“In times of ever-increasing prices, Del continues to provide our guests with high quality, fresh and...

ANALYSIS: Urner Barry’s Cage-Free Quote Sees Volatile Start since January Launch

Though still in its early stages, Urner Barry’s rest-of-market (NE, MW, SE, SC) cage-free large shell egg quotation has already encountered considerable pressure since launching at the beginning of 2024. From mid-January to early February, this pressure was predominantly positive—partly because the New Year also marked the start of cage-free legislative mandates in the Northwest, which bolstered demand in that region. With local production insufficient to cover orders, suppliers turned to the spot market for eggs sourced from other regions...

Mintec's 2024 US Easter Index

Mintec’s US Easter Index measures price fluctuations across key food commodities that are typically consumed in the US during the Easter period. The US Easter Index compares the commodities’ prices in March 2024 against March 2023 to determine whether consumers will be hypothetically better or worse off this Easter. The Index is comprised of three sub-indices: the US Easter Protein Index represents a selection of meats, fish and eggs that will typically be eaten as part of a main Easter dinner; the US Easter Chocolate Index compares the main...

Biofuel and Ag Groups Call on EPA to Issue E15 Emergency Waiver

Today, Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling on Administrator Michael Regan to act swiftly on an emergency waiver for E15 sales:

“New and ongoing conflicts across the globe continue to pose risks to the United States’ transportation energy supply. In addition to the conflict in Ukraine, now extending into its third year, the recent unrest and volatility in the Middle East present additional challenges...

Majority of EU Countries Ask Bloc to Scale Back Deforestation Law

Some 20 members of the European Union asked Brussels to scale back and possibly suspend the bloc's anti-deforestation law on Tuesday, saying the policy would harm farmers, in the latest blowback against Europe's environmental agenda.

The EU law aims to root deforestation out of supply chains for beef, soy and other agricultural products sold in Europe, so that European consumers are not contributing to the destruction of global forests from the Amazon to Southeast Asia.

Those rules equally apply to European farmers, who will be banned from exporting...

The Retail Rundown: Easter Features Breakdown 

A March Easter is approaching—an occurrence not seen since 2016. Circulars are flush with holiday and springtime themes as grocers take full advantage of the upcoming weekend. 

Pork feature volume rose through the ranks and earned the top spot of protein feature volume this week with 29% of ad space. Seafood eased to 25%, down from 32% last week. Lent ends tomorrow at sundown, meaning observers can soon indulge in meat on Fridays again. 

Beef has 20% of retail activity while chicken features comprise 11% of protein ad volume. Turkey features more...

ANALYSIS: High Whole EU Egg Prices Leave Little Room For Movement Ahead of Easter

Historically, the pre-Easter period in Europe has been a peak time for the egg industry, characterized by rising prices leading up to the extended holiday weekend. However, this year, the uptick has been comparatively subdued, with minimal deviation observed from the 2024 trendline. Over the past five years, cage liquid whole egg values have reached an average Easter peak of 1.76 €/kg, reflecting a 22.4% increase from the Q1 five-year average low. This year, the price increase has been more restrained...

Circana Announces Top 50 U.S. Restaurants

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released its 2024 Definitive U.S. Restaurant Ranking Report, offering insights into evolving consumer habits, performance trends, and the top players in the industry.

While restaurant traffic saw a modest growth of 1% in 2023 compared to the previous year, a 5% increase in consumer spending was recorded, surpassing the 4% growth observed in 2022. Notably, the industry now stands as a half-a-trillion-dollar juggernaut, with dollars exceeding 2019 levels by 12%, despite traffic remaining 8% below prepandemic levels...

Pepper Announces Launch of Ferraro Foods App to More than 8,000 customers

Pepper, a leading provider of AI-driven solutions for the food distribution industry, is thrilled to announce its latest partnership with Ferraro Foods, a renowned name in the food service sector known for its commitment to delivering fresh ingredients and unparalleled quality service. This collaboration marks the launch of the highly anticipated Pepper App, designed to revolutionize how Ferraro Foods interacts with its extensive network of over 8,000 customers across 23 states.

"Our alliance with Pepper represents a significant milestone in our journey towards embracing digital transformation in...

MLB Eats: Aramark Sports + Entertainment Unveils New Ballpark Fare for 2024 Season

Aramark Sports + Entertainment, is headed into the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) season with an expanded roster of clients and a fresh lineup of ballpark menu options and concessions innovations to enhance the gameday experience for baseball fans.

The award-winning provider of food and beverage programs in premier MLB stadiums across the country, today officially announced the addition of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, to its baseball portfolio, with plans for reimagined food and beverage offerings to be announced...

USDA Announces Up to $12 Million in Grant Funding Available to Promote U.S. Agricultural Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced up to $12 million in funding available to strengthen and explore new market opportunities for U.S. agricultural products and increase access to locally grown food in communities experiencing food insecurity. The funding is available through three grant programs administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS): the Acer Access and Development Program, the Federal State Marketing Improvement Program, and the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program...

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Launches Egg-Ceptional Catering Program Nationwide with Homestyle Faves

Perkins Restaurant and Bakery®, a leading family dining brand, is springing into the Easter season, offering a delectable selection of homestyle favorites at over 180 locations. Perkins is bringing the brand's iconic breakfast, bakery, burgers, and more to help guests stress less with life's special moments. The Perkins catering menu features affordable homestyle favorites with generous portion sizes, all held to the highest freshness and quality standards.

"At Perkins, we're excited to introduce our catering program, bringing our signature dishes to your special moments...

DoorDash and Wing Announce Drone Delivery Pilot in the US

DoorDash and Wing today announced the launch of their drone delivery partnership in the U.S., starting in Christiansburg, VA. Select local consumers will be able to order eligible menu items from Wendy’s® — the pilot’s first restaurant partner — through the DoorDash marketplace and have them delivered via drone. This follows the drone delivery pilot program that DoorDash and Wing launched in Australia in 2022 and has since expanded to three locations in Queensland with over 60 participating merchants, marking the first time that Wing integrated its drone...

FDA Issues Import Alert for Food Products with Chemical Contaminants Including PFAS

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new import alert for human food products with detectable levels of chemical contaminants that may present a safety concern to human health. The Import Alert 99-48, Detention without Physical Examination of Foods Due to Chemical Contamination, gives the FDA the ability to help prevent entry of human food products into the U.S. if they are found to be contaminated with a broad range of human-made chemicals including benzene, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and...

Flashfood and The Save Mart Companies Partner to Make Groceries More Affordable on the West Coast

Flashfood, the app for grocery’s best deals, today announced a partnership with The Save Mart Companies, a California-based grocer operating 194 stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky, and FoodMaxx in California and Western Nevada. Flashfood’s free app connects shoppers with fresh produce, meat and other high-quality groceries at up to 50% off, diverting food waste from landfills and offering great deals on groceries at the same time.

The Flashfood app is now available at 44 Lucky stores in the greater...

The Retail Rundown: 2024 Annual Power of Meat Study Recap

The 2024 Power of Meat Study was revealed at the Annual Meat Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this week. Anne-Marie Roerink, Principal at 210 Analytics, presented the findings and identified the trends currently shaping the retail meat sector.

This year’s report found that the number of Americans who describe themselves as meat eaters (80%) and the number of households that purchase meat (98%) were unchanged from 2023. Circana data indicates that overall household penetration across all incomes, ethnicities, household sizes, and ages, averages above 97%...

CDFA Announces New Proposition 12 Certifying Agent

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Animal Care Program has announced NSF Certification LLC as its newest Proposition 12 certifying agent.

NSF Certification LLC is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is accredited to certify distributors. It will be extending its certification services nationwide within the United States, added the Animal Care Program. 

A complete list of accredited certifying agents can be found here. To date, there are eighteen private entities accredited as a certifying agent per Chapter 10 (commencing with section 1320) of Division 2 of Title 3 of the...

Hardee’s Franchisee Shows Commitment to Greater Triangle Region with New Menu 

Hardee’s franchise owner operator Boddie-Noell Enterprises has a longtime presence in the greater Triangle area of North Carolina and recently made it even bigger with new menu choices at its 72 restaurants in the region, new Hardee’s openings and multi-million-dollar renovations across all locations.

Local Hardee’s are debuting new menu choices, featuring the Hand-Breaded Chicken TendersTM Platter and crinkle-cut fries. The Platter includes choice of three or five tenders and dipping sauce, combined with new crinkle-cut fries, slaw, toast and a beverage...

Kroger Delivers Convenience and Fresh for Springtime Travelers

The Kroger Co. is sharing quick and easy spring break travel prep ideas, delivering fresh products, friendly service and affordable prices directly to customers' destinations.

"Whether you're planning a road trip to visit family and friends, gearing up for relaxation on the beach or seeking thrills at your favorite theme park, we look forward to connecting more customers to Kroger Delivery," said Rebekah Manis, Senior Director, Kroger Delivery Fulfillment Centers. "Our service enables us to meet our customers' needs during special moments like family vacations, providing exceptional friendly service from...

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 7 - Meet Us in Las Vegas for the 48th Executive Conference

Join us at the 48th annual Executive Conference in Las Vegas, April 14-16! Featuring special guests: Russ Whitman and Chris Fastiggi. 

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Assets from Tyson Foods, Inc

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States, today announced it has completed the previously announced acquisition of a broiler processing plant, hatchery and feed mill in Dexter, Missouri, that were closed by Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) (“Tyson”) in 2023. The Company plans to remodel and repurpose the assets for use in shell egg and egg products production.

Sherman Miller, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc...

Deliveroo Guides For Higher Earnings, Positive Free Cash Flow

Deliveroo guided for further growth in its core earnings this year after its 2023 results were better than expected.

The food-delivery company expects its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization—a metric that strips out exceptional and other one-off items—to be between 110 million and 130 million pounds ($141 million-$166 million) in 2024, it said Thursday. It guided for positive free cash flow for the year, and expects its gross transaction value to grow between 5% and 9%, with a first quarter...

DoorDash Expands Food Access for SNAP Customers With New Grocery Partners

Every day, millions of consumers look for affordable ways to set the table with their favorite dishes. Today, DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH), the local commerce platform, is proud to expand its SNAP/EBT payment offering with additional grocers to make fresh food accessible to more people. Since launching support for SNAP/EBT payments in 2023, over 1.1 million consumers have added their SNAP/EBT cards to DoorDash. Consumers can order SNAP-eligible groceries using their SNAP benefits through our platform from over...

Navis Food Partners Announces Partnership with Prime Source Foods

Prime Source Foods, a center-of-the-plate distributor based in Londonderry, NH, announced today that it joined Navis Food Partners, a partnership of independent foodservice distributors in the Northeast. Prime Source Foods is a large independently owned, center-of-the-plate food distributor in New England and eastern New York.

The acquisition of Prime Source Foods strengthens Navis Food Partners’ presence in the protein category as well as its geographic service footprint in New England. Together with City Line Distributors, Navis Food Partners now covers northern...

USDA Identifies 2024 Food for Progress Priority Countries

USDA, through its administration of the Food for Progress Program, helps developing countries and emerging democracies modernize and strengthen their agricultural sectors. U.S. agricultural commodities donated to recipient countries are sold on the local market and the proceeds are used to support agricultural, economic, or infrastructure development programs.

Food for Progress has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade of agricultural products. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Food for Progress (FFPr) anticipates awarding seven new cooperative agreements, for projects of three- to five-years in duration...

The Retail Rundown: Seeing Green

Grocers and foodservice establishments alike are seeing green ahead of what is expected to be a record-setting St. Patrick’s Day for spending.

According to an annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics with the National Retail Federation, consumers plan to spend an average of $44.40 per person on the holiday coming up on Sunday, March 17^th, amounting to a record $7.2 billion in collective spending—up from $6.9 billion in 2023. 

The top spending categories are food and beverages—sláinte! And with the holiday falling on a weekend this year...

Market Force Study Reveals America's Top Grocers, and What Feeds Consumers Choice of Where to Shop

Market Force's newest syndicated research covering grocery retailers suggests that consumers are still focused on pricing and promotions, but that slowing inflation has allowed them to also choose grocers based on convenience, cleanliness, and variety of merchandise available. H-E-B, Fry's, King Soopers, Brookshire Grocery and Food Lion rank at the top of consumer preference, receiving the highest proportion of consumer spending across 40+ grocery brands named in the study. Interestingly, "loyalty" to a grocery brand, doesn't necessarily translate to higher...

February CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Numbers Show Consumers Continued Spending in February

Retail sales continued to grow in February, building off solid gains from January, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation. Click here to access February’s retail data.

Total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gasoline, were up 1.06% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 6.3% unadjusted year over year in February, according to the Retail Monitor. That compared with a decrease of 0.16% month over month and an increase of 2.34% year over year in January...

Statement by Secretary Vilsack on the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget

Budget Enhances Economic Prosperity for Millions of Americans Living in Rural Areas

The Biden-Harris Administration today released the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Following historic progress made since the President took office—with nearly 15 million jobs created and inflation down two-thirds—the Budget protects and builds on this progress by lowering costs for working families, protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, investing in America and the American people, and reducing the deficit by cracking down on fraud, cutting wasteful spending, and making the wealthy...

Jen's Breakfast Burritos, LLC, Recalls Ready to Eat Breakfast Burrito Products

Jen's Breakfast Burritos, LLC, an Auburn, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 144 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast burrito products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE breakfast burrito items were produced on February 29, 2024. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

• 7-oz. individual wax paper packages containing "Smoked Bacon Breakfast Burrito" with lot code 060-1 on a sticker on the back of the package...

Import Cargo Returning to Normal After Red Sea Disruptions

With the supply chain adjusting to ongoing Houthi rebel attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports remains on track to show year-over-year increases through the first half of 2024, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Retailers continue to work with their partners to mitigate the impact of disruptions from the Red Sea and Panama Canal restrictions,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said...

National DCP Announces 2024 Board of Directors Officers

National DCP (NDCP), the $3 billion supply chain management company serving Dunkin' franchisees, has announced its 2024 Board of Directors Officers. An active working board committed to advancing the needs of fellow Dunkin' franchises, NDCP's Board members are elected by their peers within a designated regional area (Series).

National DCP's 2024 Board Officers include:
Sanjay Jain, Chairman of the Board – Jain, owner of a large network of Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins stores in Queens and Long Island, New York, was re-elected Chairman of the Board for a historic third year...

Q4 Trends Report: Catering Orders Surge with New Digital Ordering Channels, Food & Alcohol Insights 

Toast, the all-in-one digital platform built for restaurants, today announced its Q4 2023 Restaurant Trends Report, providing insight into the overall state of the U.S. restaurant industry through an analysis of aggregated data from selected cohorts of restaurants and in select U.S. metropolitan areas on the Toast platform, which serves approximately 106,000 restaurant locations as of December 31, 2023. Read more details about our methodology below.

This report looks into catering and large event transactions on the Toast platform, trends in...

Circana Report Reveals Private Brands Surge Amidst Inflation 

Supporting shoppers by investing in innovation and promotions is key for retailers.

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, ​​today released a new report on the state of private brands (also referred to as store brands or private labels). Despite high inflation, private brands have experienced growth, surpassing $217 billion in sales in the United States market. The report, “CPG Private Brands Update,” provides an update on the store brand landscape, and identifies retailer opportunities to increase demand for their own brand and private brand...

America's Low-Price Leader ALDI Expands Footprint Nationwide with 800 New Stores by the End of 2028

ALDI, one of the fastest-growing grocers in the U.S., today announced plans to add 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028 through a combination of new openings and store conversions. This five-year expansion plan will bring even more communities great products at the lowest possible prices during a time when consumers are more focused than ever on saving money. As a key part of its plans, ALDI also announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers and its...

Sugar Foods Acquires Concord Foods

Sugar Foods (“Sugar Foods” or “the Company”), a food company serving prominent foodservice, grocery, retail and restaurant brands, today announced the acquisition of Concord Foods (“Concord”). With the strategic acquisition of Concord’s complementary resources, capabilities and expertise, Sugar Foods will be positioned to deliver enhanced innovations and an expanded suite of services to its customers. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Founded in 1968, Concord Foods is a leading supplier of custom ingredients and retail food products, serving nationally recognized supermarkets, food service operators and food manufacturers...

United Natural Foods Names Giorgio Matteo Tarditi President and Chief Financial Officer

United Natural Foods, Inc. (the “Company” or “UNFI”) today announced that Giorgio “Matteo” Tarditi has been named President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective April 15. He succeeds John W. Howard, UNFI’s current Chief Financial Officer, who will leave the Company following a transition period.

Sandy Douglas, CEO and President of UNFI, said: “Matteo is a proven executive who, over the course of his more than 26 years at GE, served as CFO for seven business units, including Renewable Energy and Energy Connections as externally reported segments...

The Retail Rundown: Hopping Towards the Holiday

Seafood maintains its lion’s share of total feature volume with 37% this week, up from 28.6% the week prior. At present, 42% of seafood features stem from the fresh/frozen fillet category as retailers look to capture sales from Lent observers.

Tilapia and salmon have the greatest percentages of feature volume within the fillet category. With prices comparable to or below year-ago levels, retailers were keen to give the two species a larger chunk of circular real estate.

Fresh salmon, the top seller within the finfish category last week, retailed at...

Whole Foods Market to Open Smaller Format Stores as Part of Ongoing Expansion

Whole Foods Market announced today that it is introducing a new, quick-shop store format designed to provide customers in urban neighborhoods a quick, convenient shopping experience with easier access to the fresh, high-quality offerings they expect from Whole Foods Market. The new format, called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow. The first store, located at 1175 Third Avenue, is expected to open this year...

New Research Identifies Opportunities for Aligning on Consumer Eating Occasions

Insights revealed today from FMI – The Food Industry Association, Oliver Wyman and Circana demonstrate new opportunities for food industry trading partners to cater to shoppers’ expanding definitions of value. The research, Finding Growth for Food & Beverage at Retail: Winning Eating Occasions throughout the Day, supports go-to-market strategies and ways in which grocers can attract more shopper relevance regarding needs, experiences, tastes, rewards, health – and especially convenience.

Mark Baum, senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer, FMI said, “The research showcases how food and...

Publix Reports Fourth Quarter and Annual Results for 2023

Publix’s sales for the three months ended Dec. 30, 2023, a 13-week quarter, were $14.7 billion, a 4% decrease from $15.3 billion in 2022, a 14‑week quarter. Excluding the additional week in the fourth quarter of 2022, sales for the fourth quarter of 2023 would have increased 2.8%. Comparable store sales for the three months ended Dec. 30, 2023 increased 0.4%.

Net earnings for the three months ended Dec. 30, 2023 were $1.2 billion, compared to $1.3 billion in 2022, a decrease of 7.8%...

ANALYSIS: Egg Market Faces Shifting Dynamics and Challenges as Easter Approaches

With the arrival of March and the looming Easter season, observations from sources nationwide suggest modest improvements in retail orders late week. Even though elevated shelf prices are tempering current retail clearance rates to some extent, several large-scale grocers are taking steps to bolster their inventory positions in preparation for heightened holiday demand. Suppliers suspect they may also be seeing some additional lift late this week from the start of the new month, which traditionally injects additional funds back into consumers’ pockets, contributing to an uptick in retail...

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 6 - Record High Cattle Prices, Feat. Special Guest

Scott Ferguson Steps Down From US Foods Board of Directors, Noting Confidence in Company Leadership 

US Foods Holding Corp. , one of America’s largest foodservice distributors, today announced that Scott Ferguson, Founder and Managing Partner, Sachem Head Capital Management LP has stepped down from the company’s Board of Directors effective Feb. 28, 2024. Ferguson has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since March 2022.

“US Foods has made impressive progress over the past few years, and I am confident that the company is positioned for further success under the strategic leadership of CEO Dave Flitman,” said Ferguson...

FDA, Industry Actions End Sales of PFAS Used in US Food Packaging

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S. This means the major source of dietary exposure to PFAS from food packaging like fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out paperboard containers and pet food bags is being eliminated.

PFAS are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water and heat. The FDA has authorized certain PFAS for limited...

Illinois Senator Proposes Cage-Free Law

Illinois State Senator and Chairperson of the Senate's Agriculture, Commerce and Economic Development Committee, Linda Holmes, proposed a bill that prohibits intense confinement of egg laying hens and the sale of eggs from caged hens.

Senate Bill 3655 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Assignments and would be enforced by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

The bill would require farm owners to offer hens the usable floor space per hen required as outlined in the 2017 edition of the United Egg Producers' Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg-Laying Flocks...

Perdue Farms Welcomes Todd Tillemans as New Chief Commercial Officer to Drive Growth and Innovation

Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned U.S. food and agricultural products company, today announced Todd Tillemans as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). With a steadfast commitment to delivering excellence in customer service and a focus on providing high quality great tasting innovative products, Tillemans’ appointment signifies Perdue’s dedication to meeting evolving customer and consumer expectations.

In this role, Tillemans will spearhead the company’s long term growth strategies, overseeing the marketing and sales of Perdue’s esteemed...

Hormel Foods Announces Katie Clark as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Hormel Foods Corporation, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, announced Katie Clark has been appointed to the role of senior vice president and chief communications officer.

In this role, Clark will oversee the company's global communications, including external media relations, internal communications, global impact communications and corporate reputation. Clark will report directly to Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods.

"I am delighted Katie is joining us at Hormel Foods. She is an impressive leader with...

The Retail Rundown: Plenty to Munch on in March

Baseball, basketball, briskets, and the list goes on! Retailers have their sights set on spring demand with March just around the corner. Next month brings several buying opportunities and a refresh for the retail food landscape following the February slump.

Just a little over two weeks out is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17^th. Bar and foodservice establishments are expected to benefit from patrons out and about for the holiday, which falls on a weekend this year.

Consumers in the U.S. also celebrate the holiday with corned beef, which is made...

JSI Store Fixtures Launches New Line of Environmentally Friendly Refrigerated Displays

JSI Store Fixtures, an LSI Industries Inc. company (Nasdaq: LYTS), shipped its first order of refrigerated retail displays featuring environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant this month. JSI’s standalone refrigeration systems are a mainstay in the U.S. grocery market. The new R290 is a propane-based system that provides customers with an alternative product that is a non-toxic, zero ozone-depleting refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 3, compared to common HFC Refrigerant having a GWP rating greater than 1,400.

“Interest in this product is very high...

Kroger Responds After FTC Decision to Block Albertsons Merger 

On Monday news broke that the Federal trade Commission (FTC) would be challenging Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons. The FTC said that the potential merger would “eliminate competition and raise grocery prices for millions of Americans, while harming tens of thousands of workers.” Now, Kroger has responded.

“Kroger’s business model is to take costs out of the business and invest in lowering prices for customers,” the company stated. “Kroger has reduced prices every year since 2003, resulting in $5 billion invested to lower prices and a 5% reduction in gross...

UK's M&S to Raise Store Workers' Pay By 10.1%

British clothing and food retailer Marks & Spencer said on Tuesday it would give around 40,000 store workers a 10.1% pay increase from April 1, a move that reflects the rise in the government-mandated minimum wage.

M&S said customer assistants will see their pay rise from 10.90 pounds ($13.83) an hour to 12 pounds an hour - ahead of the government's national living wage, which will increase by 9.8% to 11.44 pounds an hour, taking effect from April.

The pay rise will be noted by the Bank of England...