QSR Firms McDonald’s and Little Caesars Highlight Plans for Resilience – Agri-Food Americas 2025

Supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures are testing the resilience of some of the leading names in the US Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) sector, even as McDonald’s Corp and Little Caesars Enterprises press ahead with expansion plans and menu tweaks.   

On the sidelines of the recent Agri-Food Americas 2025 conference in Chicago, McDonald’s and Little Caesars executives both informed Expana that the current demand environment is significantly marked by volatility in traffic patterns and shifting consumer preferences. To mitigate risk with such trends

US Baking and Milling Industry Execs Discuss Countering Inflationary Pressures - Agri-Food Americas

As inflationary pressures persist through 2025, leaders in the North American bakery and milling industries are grappling with supply chain complexities that continue to reshape procurement strategies and product portfolios.

On the sidelines of the recent Agri-Food Americas 2025 conference in Chicago, executives from Sara Lee Frozen Bakery and Bay State Milling outlined to Expana how ingredient costs, tariffs, and operational uncertainties are driving adjustments across their businesses.   

Jason McDonald, Senior Manager of Procurement at Sara Lee Frozen Bakery

HPAI Impacts and Dynamics within the Egg Market - Agri-Foods Americas 2025

In a presentation that cracked open the complexities of this year's egg market, Ryan Hojnowski- Market Reporter, shared his expert insights at Expana's Agri-Food Americas 2025 conference. He called the audience's attention with a deeply informative analysis highlighting the current egg market's challenges and dynamics.

The industry has faced significant disruptions, with the loss of 60 million egg layers between October 2024 and June 2025 due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak. This loss coincided with...

US Commodity Markets Brace for More Extreme Weather and Hurricane Activity – Agri-Food Americas 2025

Presenting at Agri‑Food Americas 2025 in Chicago, James Tyler, Weather and Crop Researcher at Expana, and Francina Dominguez, assistant professor at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, said extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe across the US.   

Dominguez showed that global surface temperatures in the last 10 years were the warmest on record since the dawn of agriculture. Dry areas are projected to become drier, places that are wet are projected to be...

AI, Data, Agile Partnerships to Be Strategic Focuses in Next Decade, Says Agri-Food Americas Panel

Industry executives gathered at Agri-Food Americas 2025 in Chicago today to discuss disruptors and opportunities shaping the global food sector over the next decade. Participants included Dave McMurray, former Chief Procurement Officer at Kellanova; Jonathan Ostroff, Founder of Fusion Foods; and Thomas Isaf, President of Interra International.    

McMurray cautioned about political uncertainty, saying, “political climate is always volatile, difficult to predict.” He emphasized the importance of mastering AI and using the right data, noting that being an early adopter of AI tools...

Feed and Bakery Procurement Execs in Chicago Promote Strategic Partnerships to Navigate Volatility

A panel of procurement leaders from the food and agriculture sector discussed the significant market challenges of 2025 and strategic responses to ongoing volatility during Expana’s Agri-Food Americas conference in Chicago today.   

Panelists included Jason McDonald, Senior Manager of Procurement at Sara Lee Frozen Bakery; Ed Fish, Senior Vice President at Bay State Milling; Jerry W. Rogers, Senior Director of Procurement for Feed Ingredients at Wayne Sanderson.   

Rogers pointed to the difficulty of managing risk amid historically low commodity prices.

Trade, Debt and Demographics Shape Next Era of Agricultural Policy – Agri-Food Americas 2025

Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, offered a broad forecast for the agricultural and food sectors, describing a “bifurcated” global economy and outlining megatrends expected to shape farming, trade, and policy through 2035. The remarks were delivered at Expana’s Agri-Food Americas 2025 conference in Chicago today.   

Dr. Kohl framed the global economy as divided, with the US performing relatively well, while much of the rest of the world grapples with slower activity.

Moving Beyond Tariff Headlines and Managing Supply Chain Complexities - Agri-Food Americas

Marcel Goldenberg, Chief Market Reporting Officer for Food, Feed & Industrial at Expana, outlined key trends and challenges shaping commodity input markets, urging agri-food companies to adopt data-driven strategies to manage rising costs and supply chain complexities.   

Speaking at Agri-Food Americas 2025 in Chicago today, Goldenberg highlighted that the Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 2.7% year-on-year from August 2024 to August 2025. “Energy was up 5.2%, electricity up 6.3%, piped gas up by 7.1%, but some have dropped, like gasoline, fuel oil,” he said

Geopolitics, Tariffs, and Trade Policies Under the Lens at Agri-Food Americas 2025

Speaking at Agri-Food Americas 2025 in Chicago today, a panel of agricultural economists and policy advocates examined how geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs and trade policies are shaping the food and agriculture sector, focusing on events of the past six months and strategies for navigating ongoing volatility.   

The panel featured Darrell E. Fletcher, Managing Director of Commodities at Bannockburn Capital Markets; Fred Gale, economist for China agricultural markets and former USDA economist; Greyson Mann, Senior Manager of Government Affairs for the US-China Business Council; and Shawn Arita

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 34 - AI Adoption in Agri-Food, Feat. Beth Pollack

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals. 

Today we explore something different. A trend that is definitely here to stay and one that we are all integrating into our workflows. This transformative trend, however, is only in the infancy stages of its huge potential, and many of us, it is fair to say, are struggling to realize how to use it, and some of us even fear it… We're talking about AI, of course.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 33 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, August 2025

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals. Today, we bring you up to speed with merger & acquisition activity in the global agrifood landscape that occurred in August 2025 as part of the monthly M&A focus series.

M&A activity has somewhat slowed down this summer. Beyond the obvious seasonal  business activity slowdown due to summer holidays, let’s not forget impacts of the ongoing tariffs situation, global trade deals and disputes, and overall market uncertainty.

Upcoming Webinar: Forecasting the Future of Commodity Prices, Q4 2025 and Beyond

Expana invites you to a free, live webinar featuring our experts Tom Bundgaard, Vice President of Price Forecasting, and Craig Erlam, Forecast Analyst.

Join us on September 11 at 4 PM CET / 3 PM BST / 10 AM ET for a comprehensive macroeconomic briefing focused on the latest Q4 2025 commodity price forecasts and what lies ahead for 2026.

As global economic indicators increasingly hint at a potential recession, understanding the anticipated impact on commodity prices is critical for businesses

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 32 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, July 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.Today, we bring you up to speed with merger & acquisition activity in the global agrifood landscape that occurred in July 2025 as part of the monthly M&A focus series.

July 2025 M&A activity somewhat slowed down compared to previous months. The ongoing tariffs situation, the global focus on trade deals, other trade disputes, and market uncertainty, have a role to play here

Inside the Mind of a Procurement Strategist: Former Kellanova CPO Looks at Key Trends

At Expana’s Agri-Food Americas event on September 23-24 in Chicago, procurement critical thinking and business solution finding will take center stage. Expert insights will be given and many networking opportunities will be enabled for attendees, who are all faced with disruptive trade shits and global agricultural commodity supply chain woes. 

The ambition is for agri-food leaders to unite, discuss, seek expert overviews, and gain some sense of direction and clarity they can ultimately take back home and apply to their procurement strategies.

Why Expana’s New Beef Forecast Deserve Your Attention

In a strategic move to bolster its comprehensive red meat market coverage, Expana is introducing a new price forecast for US 167A 4 Round, Knuckle, Peeled Beef. 

While the company already delivers over 300 red meat price forecasting series, this new addition seals a crucial gap for stakeholders whose contracts and margins hinge on cut-specific pricing. 

“Forecasting is essential for businesses looking to better understand market dynamics and to make better commercial decisions,” explained Bruno Whittaker, Forecast Analyst at Expana.” 

“Our forecasts are built on historical...

Former USDA Economist Looks at How Trade Disputes and Geopolitics Are Reshaping Agri-Food

As global supply chains face intensifying pressure from geopolitical tensions, climate variability and shifting consumer demands, agri-food leaders are constantly rethinking their procurement strategies.

At Expana’s Agri-Food Americas event on September 23-24 in Chicago, these themes take center stage in the panel discussion “How Geopolitical Uncertainty, Tariffs, and Trade are Impacting Food & Ag”.

Conflict and policy shifts can destabilize your supply chain and disrupt sourcing. This panel will offer expert insights into international affairs so you can adapt quickly...

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 30 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, June 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

Today, we bring you up to speed with merger & acquisition activity in the global agrifood landscape that occurred in June 2025 as part of the monthly M&A focus series.

June 2025 M&A activity picked up marginally compared to previous months. The ongoing tariffs situation, looming deadlines, other trade disputes, and market uncertainty, have a role to play here. 

Global Commodities Markets – Q2 2025 Trends and Forecasts

Welcome to the Global Commodities Markets: Q2 2025 trends and forecasts report, where we examine key developments in the global commodity markets.

In an ever-changing economic landscape, getting key insights on essential commodities is crucial for stakeholders across industries.

Each quarter, this report will focus on a few commodities with significant price fluctuations, delivering insights and forward-looking analysis.

Further commodity insights can be explored on the Expana platform, where you’ll find real-time price tracking, access to industry experts and customized alerts...

Mastering Market Volatility: 5 Minutes with Little Caesars’ Derek Nelson

In today’s volatile market, where shifts in agrifood commodity prices can significantly impact your bottom line, understanding and managing risk is paramount. Derek Nelson, Director of Commodity Risk & Analytics at Little Caesars, exemplifies this proactive approach in his role leading hedging operations for this global restaurant chain.

Ahead of his participation at Expana’s Agri-Food Americas event in September, Derek spoke with us to share insights into how a global brand navigates the complexities of dairy, grains, protein and energy markets...

Volatility Defines 2025 in Food and Agriculture Markets – How do You Navigate It?

2025 has been a year marked by uncertainty in the food and agriculture sector. Volatility is the defining characteristic, with a cascade of global events disrupting pricing, availability and trade dynamics. From geopolitical tensions and severe weather events to animal epidemics and macroeconomic shifts, commodity markets have become increasingly difficult to navigate for buyers and sellers alike.

“The key challenge for businesses at the moment is having to navigate different markets going in different directions,” said Tom Bundgaard, VP of Price Forecasting...

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 29 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, May 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

Today, we bring you up to speed with merger & acquisition activity in the global agrifood landscape that occurred in May 2025 as part of the monthly M&A focus series.

May 2025 was generally quieter in terms of M&A compared to previous months. There are many factors influencing this but the ongoing tariffs situation, trade disputes, and market uncertainty, likely playe a role here.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 28 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, April 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

M&A in the global agri-food industry is an ongoing and very regular trend. Although many companies are hitting the brakes on M&A as they face tariffs and market uncertainty, hundreds of deals continue to take place each month.

On today's episode of Agri-Food for Thought, we showcase selected mergers and acquisitions in the agri-food sector that took place in April 2025.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 26 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, March 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

M&A in the global agri-food industry is an ongoing and very regular trend. Although many companies are putting the brakes on M&A as they face tariffs and market uncertainty, hundreds of deals continue to take place each month.

On today's episode of Agri-Food for Thought, we showcase selected mergers and acquisitions in the agri-food sector that took place in March 2025.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 24 - M&A in the Global Agri-Food Industry, Feb 2025 Overview

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

On today's episode of Agri-Food for Thought, we showcase selected mergers and acquisitions in the agri-food sector that took place in February 2025.

M&A in the global agri-food industry is an ongoing and very regular trend. Hundreds of deals take place each month. This episode will give you an idea of some of the main M&A activity that took place last month.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 23 - Looking Back at Agri-Food Europe & WFA, feat. Thess Mostoles

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

Last week, Expana hosted its inaugural European content-driven event under the new brand identity, Agri-Food Europe 2025. Held at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam, the event brought together approximately 300 guests and followed a dedicated day focused on Women in Food & Agriculture.

Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the event’s strong organization, high-quality speakers, and comprehensive news coverage.

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 22 - The Road to Agri-Food Europe 2025, feat. Olympia Theocharous

On today’s episode, we speak to Olympia Theocharous, Expana’s Content Director for Events...

Deep Global Recession May Start in Spring 2025, Warns Expana

The global economy today shows some parallels to past pre-recession periods. A world PMI below 50, elevated asset prices, for instance, are indicators of a slowdown in business activity.  

Furthermore, rising tariffs, protectionist policies, or geopolitical disruptions could exacerbate trade slowdowns. Consumer spending is also paramount since it accounts for a significant portion of GDP. Monitoring retail sales, credit card usage, and savings rates will be critical.   

With the global economy facing a myriad of challenges and uncertainties, the likelihood of a recession...

EU Retail Egg Market Thrives Amid Festive Season Surge

With Christmas just a few days away, the industrial egg market has slowed considerably, with demand expected to remain subdued until mid-January. Several breaking stations have taken advantage of this lull to perform routine maintenance on their machinery.

In recent weeks, industrial shell egg prices have been slowing down, following their peak in late November. Currently, values for cage egg averages 2.05 €/kg, reflecting a marginal drop of 0.04 €/kg from the previous week. However, prices are still 24% higher than this time...

Scottish Cattle Prices Soar to Record Highs in November 2024

Prime cattle prices in Scotland reached historic levels in November 2024, fueled by a seasonal decline in beef production and robust demand from both domestic and international markets. The Expana price for cattle steers in Scotland hit GBP 5.5/MT, marking a 2.1% increase month-on-month (m-o-m) and 8.2% rise year-on-year (y-o-y) in November 2024.

Industry sources report heightened competition among processors, as they struggle to secure cattle supplies. Additionally, strong festive demand from the retail sector has played a vital...