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...

Industry Leaders on Tackling 2025 Challenges and Preparing for 2026 - Agri-Food Americas 2025

On day two of Agri-Food Americas 2025, a panel discussion moderated by Russ Whitman, Director of Market Reporting for Protein at Expana, gathered industry professionals to address the pressing challenges of 2025 and explore strategies for adapting to regulatory and geopolitical pressures. The panelists also discussed key disruptors to watch as we move into 2026.

The session began with a focus on market challenges anticipated in 2025 and the responses to them. Audrey Brown, VP of Gourmet at Fortune Fish Co, highlighted ongoing...

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

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...

US Valentine's Day Index 2025

As Valentine’s Day traditionally provides a boost for restaurants and confectionary retailers, Expana has analyzed the key commodities associated with this holiday.

Expana’s US Valentine's Day Chocolate Index consists of cocoa beans, sugar, and skimmed milk powder (SMP). In addition, consumption of strawberries increases during the Valentine’s Day period, and vanilla is widely used in preparation of cakes and chocolates. As a result, Expana has included the prices of these commodities separately in this report.

Although US consumers and retailers will welcome more affordable meal prices than in 2024, the cost of confectionery this Valentine’s...

Top 10 Stories from 2024 on Expana

It was a big year for the food and agriculture industry. Below are some of the biggest headlines that sent shockwaves through the trade... 

ANALYSIS: US Egg Prices Soar as Production Hits Eight-Year Low Due to HPAI Outbreaks 

May 30, 2024: “Over the past two weeks, U.S. shell egg prices have soared by 45%, largely due to the ongoing spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu. The bird flu has been spreading across the US since February 2022—though not consistently..."

USDA Announces More than $2 Billion to Strengthen Specialty Crops Sector, Expand Crop Storage 

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of new programs that will help farmers who grow fruits, vegetables, and nuts overcome market barriers for their products, and help producers access necessary pre-market storage for their crops following severe weather events, including recent hurricanes. Specifically, the new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops initiative will provide $2 billion to assist specialty crop growers in maintaining a strong domestic supply and expanding market opportunities for their crops...