Convenience Store M&A Activity Suggests More Consolidation is Coming

The pace of merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. convenience store sector is accelerating with recent trends suggesting the nation’s c-store landscape is ripe for more change. While most of the transactions in 2024 involved smaller chains or single-store operators, several larger operators inked deals to significantly expand their footprints into new regions.

According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, c-store consolidation stands to disproportionally affect rural communities, many of which lack a grocery store or access...

Pork Shipments Grow 26.6% in March

Surveys by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), based on data from the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex), show that Brazilian pork exports (considering all products, both fresh and processed) totaled 116.3 thousand tons in March, a volume 26.6% higher than that shipped in the same month of 2024, with 91.9 thousand tons.

Foreign exchange revenue was even more significant, reaching US$ 278 million, 44.2% higher than the US$ 192.8 million recorded in the same month of the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2025, international...

NCC to HHS: Emphasize Chicken in 2025 Dietary Guidelines

The National Chicken Council (NCC) today urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reject recommendations put forth by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) that emphasize plant-based proteins over lean meats like chicken.

NCC’s comments were submitted in response to the Scientific Report released last December by the DGAC, which makes recommendations to the Departments of Agriculture and HHS as they work to finalize the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans later this year.

Among the recommendations to which NCC...