Dolly Parton Partners with Conagra Brands on New Line of Frozen Dinners

America’s sweetheart and musical icon, Dolly Parton, has announced the expansion of her retail food line.

In partnership with industry leader Conagra Brands, the launch builds on a successful collaboration that began in 2022.

The new line combines the convenience of single-serve frozen meals with the finger-licking flavors of Southern-inspired cuisine. Each meal retails for $4.49 and can be prepared in either the microwave or oven. The meals are available at major grocery retailers across the US.

Product highlights... 

The Retail Rundown: Seafood Leads Memorial Day Retail Ads; Weather Poses Challenges

Seafood leads retail protein promotions heading into Memorial Day weekend, accounting for 28.7% of total featured protein ad volume. Pork follows at 25.9%, with beef at 21.3% and chicken at 19.3%.

Egg feature volume is virtually absent amid sluggish retail demand. Warmer weather is prompting a shift toward fruit and cereal for breakfast, while elevated, though easing, shelf prices continue to dampen consumer interest, according to Expana.

Within the seafood category, fresh and frozen fillets represent the largest share of advertised items at nearly 28%. Raw shrimp...

Applebee’s Reintroduces “All You Can Eat” to Drive Seasonal Traffic

Applebee’s has reintroduced its popular “All You Can Eat” promotion, an LTO strategy the brand consistently deploys during high-traffic periods to drive guest visits.

This season’s lineup features three proven guest favorites and legacy menu items: Chicken Tenders, Riblets, and Double Crunch Shrimp—offering broad consumer appeal.

• All You Can Eat Chicken Tenders – Battered and fried white meat chicken, served crispy with a choice of two savory dipping sauces.
• All You Can Eat Riblets – Bone-in pork riblets, slow-cooked and finished in either...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8

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

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8."

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

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #7

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

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #7."

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

Vietnamese Livestock, Shrimp and Pepper Associations Seeks Trade Solutions with US

On April 10, Vietnam and the US agreed to start negotiations on a reciprocal trade agreement, hours after Washington delayed imposing a 46% tariff on Vietnamese exports.

However, agri-food business associations in Vietnam remain concerned about the future of imported US goods. US exports to Vietnam were valued at $13.1 billion in 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

The US is a key supplier of soybeans, corn, DDGS, and pig breeds to Vietnam. Vietnamese farms import roughly 250 grandparent pigs annually

Nestlé Recalls Frozen Meals Over Choking Risk

The FDA has announced that Nestlé USA is recalling certain Lean Cuisine and STOUFFER'S frozen meals following customer complaints about the presence of a wood-like material. One potential choking incident has been reported.

Nestlé is actively investigating the issue, which affects a limited quantity of products from the following lines:

• Lean Cuisine® Butternut Squash Ravioli
  Batch Numbers: 4261595912 (Best By OCT2025), 4283595912 (Best By NOV2025), 4356595912 (Best By JAN2026), 5018595912 (Best By FEB2026), and 5038595912 (Due Date MAR2026)
• Lean Cuisine® Spinach Artichoke Ravioli...

Agricultural Trade Highlighted During Greer's USTR Confirmation Hearing

On February 6, the Senate committee hearing was conducted for Trump’s nomination to the US Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer who previously served as the Chief of Staff to the agency under Robert Lighthizer. Since then, Greer has been advanced by the committee to a forthcoming Senate confirmation vote.

During the hearing, Greer spoke about bipartisan trade policy–notably the tariffs on China that were kept by the Biden administration. Greer says he wants the position because he believes America should be a country of producers...

Applebee’s Brings the Big Easy to Your Table with NEW Bourbon Street Cajun Pasta Dishes

Applebee’s is adding new “Bourbon Street Favorites” to its lineup with its NEW Big Easy Menu, featuring two NEW Bourbon Street Cajun Pasta dishes, available for a limited time! Packed with bold New Orleans-inspired flavors, guests can enjoy the NEW Bourbon Street Chicken & Andouille Sausage Penne for $11.99* or the NEW Blackened Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Penne for $13.99*, in addition to fan-favorites including Applebee’s Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp Skillet, Bourbon Street Steak, or the Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger...

How a Port Strike Could Ripple Through the Ag Sector

The port strike has entered its third day and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) has signaled that they are willing to resume negotiations with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), but without preconditions made by the union. 

In an update provided Wednesday, USMX stated: "Reaching an agreement will require negotiating – and our full focus is on how to return to the table to further discuss these vital components, many of which are intertwined. We cannot agree to preconditions to return to bargaining – but we remain committed to bargaining in good...

Live Updates: Key Developments in the East and Gulf Coast Port Strike

October 3: The port strike has entered its third day and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) signaled that they are willing to resume negotiations with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), but without preconditions made by the union. 

In an update provided Wednesday, USMX stated: "Reaching an agreement will require negotiating – and our full focus is on how to return to the table to further discuss these vital components, many of which are intertwined. We cannot agree to preconditions...

The Retail Rundown: Going All-Out for Autumn

Fall is just around the corner, with the official start of autumn this Sunday, September 22. As cooler weather sets in and travel plans wind down, grocers are ramping up their offerings of seasonal favorites to align with the change in consumer preferences. 

According to the Expana Retail Activity Index, seafood continues to lead for the fourth week in a row, making up 30% of total protein ads. Beef and pork are close behind, each at around 25%, while chicken accounts for 14%. Eggs represent 2.8% of retail opportunities, and turkey has 2.3%...

ANALYSIS: Wholesale U.S. Shrimp Prices Converging with Typically Lower Egg Prices

There is usually a common perception from consumers that seafood and shrimp are luxury items while eggs have appealed to price sensitive consumers. But the chart might tell a different story right now. From 2019 to 2020, the Expana Benchmark Price Large Shell Egg, Midwest averaged 19% of the price of the 16-20 count Peeled and Deveined, Tail-On White Shrimp, Asia origin...