Yoshinoya Japanese Kitchen Announces the Return of Grilled Steak

Grilled Steak is coming back to Yoshinoya Japanese Kitchen. Back by overwhelming customer demand, this premium steak entrée starts with strips of seared steak that are topped with a soy glaze and paired with veggies and a choice of steamed rice or not-so-fried rice. A summertime special, the Grilled Steak promotion will only be available for a limited time.

Yoshinoya will also celebrate this summer launch with double Yoshinoya Rewards points from 8/4 through 8/15 when guests order Grilled Steak through the Yoshinoya app...

Red Robin Announces Limited Time Offerings for Summer 

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews is spicing things up this summer by inviting guests to gather around the table with its new Summer Heat Wave menu items. Available for a limited time only, this delectable lineup is a perfect blend of heat and flavor.

Guests cherish their moments of connection at Red Robin, especially in the hot months of summer. They can opt for a sizzling Scorpion Gourmet Burger with bottomless fries; share Red Robin's Scorpion Wings with flavor-seeking friends and family; complement their meal with...

Greater Omaha Packing Recalls Raw Beef Products Due to Possible E. Coli 0157:H7 Contamination

Greater Omaha Packing, an Omaha, Neb. establishment, is recalling approximately 295,236 pounds of raw beef products intended for non-intact use that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The raw beef products intended for non-intact use were produced on July 13, 2021.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 960A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were distributed to further processors in Illinois...

Tyson Fresh Meats Leader Testifies About Beef Industry at Senate Hearing

Shane Miller, group president of Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork unit of Tyson Foods, testified about the beef industry during a hearing held today by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Below is Miller’s written testimony:

Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Grassley, members of the Judiciary Committee, thank you for inviting me here today.

I proudly represent Tyson Foods, a company based in Springdale, Arkansas, and founded nearly a century ago by John W. Tyson, who started this business trucking chickens to markets across the Midwest...

Quick 'N Eat Angus Beef Patties and New Burger Product Lines Now Sold in U.S. Walmart Locations

Quick 'N Eat is introducing authentically flame-grilled beef patties to frozen, fully cooked meat aisles at Walmart locations across the country.

The rapidly growing producer of affordable, high-quality beef products has also extended its products within the fully cooked burger category, including an all-new turkey burger. Now available at...

PLANT PROTEIN: Get to Know Players in the Plant Protein Market: Plantible 

Duckweed is an incredibly sustainable and well rounded source of plant-based protein, and we haven’t seen enough of it in U.S. markets. Plantible, founded by Tony Martens and Maurits van de Ven in 2016, is changing that.

A member of the aquatic plant genus Lemna, duckweed contains all 9 amino acids, can grow to double its size in 48-72 hours, and can be cultivated on typically non-arable land. When processed correctly, duckweed results in a tasteless, colorless protein isolate with a wide range of applications, from...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 26

This week on UK Beef Chats, market expert Mike Nesbitt discusses labor shortages, pandemic pressure on the supply chain, and elevated prices.

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 25

This week on UK Beef Chats, market expert Mike Nesbitt discusses how different parts of the supply chain are mitigating elevated prices and supply issues. Also covered are notable trends in the imports market.

Sweet Earth Foods Debuts New Plant-Based Breakfast Bowls and Reformulated Deli Slices Nationwide

Plant-based foods innovator Sweet Earth Foods is announcing the nationwide launch of their new heat-and-eat Breakfast Bowls and reformulated, ready-to-eat Deli Slices. As consumers return to on-the-go busy lifestyles, these prepared meal and plant-based protein offerings provide quick plant-based solutions.

The three new Sweet Earth Breakfast Bowls meet this demand and are inspired by classic regional scrambles, all while offering between 17 - 20 grams of plant protein and three to five grams of fiber in every bowl. New flavors found in the frozen meals section include...

Dr. Praeger’s Launches Four New Products Nationwide at Whole Foods Market

Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods announced the introduction of four new products to Whole Foods Market shelves nationwide.

Beginning in August, Whole Foods shoppers can find Dr. Praeger’s Cauliflower Veggie Burger, Perfect Burger, Original Chick’n Littles and Spinach Littles Value Pack on shelves at their local Whole Foods. These new products join an existing array of Dr. Praeger’s products that Whole Foods customers have been purchasing for years, including the California Veggie Burger, the brand’s #1 selling SKU at Whole Foods and the brand’s Perfect Sliders, introduced last year...

Taco Bell Unveils Latest Menu Round-up

After putting the finishing touches on its new streamlined menu to make room for new innovations, Taco Bell has unveiled its latest menu offerings that will be available nationwide or for testing in select markets.

Since Nacho Fries first launched in 2018, Taco Bell has reimagined the beloved menu item multiple times with innovations. This time, Nacho Fries will be joined by the new Loaded Taco Fries.

The latest fry innovation features...

Top Notch Jerky Recalls Beef Jerky Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

Top Notch Jerky LLC., a Sugar City, Idaho establishment, is recalling approximately 107 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) beef jerky due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains anchovies, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The RTE buffalo-style flank steak beef jerky items were produced July 12, 2021. The following products are subject to recall...

OZO Expands Line of Plant-Based Proteins in Frozen and Fresh Aisle

Colorado-based Planterra Foods is expanding its portfolio of plant-based products in the fresh and frozen category by launching a variety of new items for families to have more options of convenient plant-based meals at home. Available now, consumers can add the OZO™ Frozen Nuggets (10.6 oz), plant-based Chicken Patties (4, 2.5 oz patties), and Italian Style Meatballs (12-1 oz meatballs) as well as fresh Smokehouse Burgers (2-4 oz patties) and plant-based Ground Turkey (12 oz) to their plant-based rotation of OZO™ meals.

These new OZO™ products offer a spin on plant-based proteins in the categories of chicken, turkey and beef, with bold flavors for delicious meat-free possibilities stored...

NCBA Notes Introduction of Misguided Agriculture Bill from Senator Booker

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) noted the introduction of misguided legislation entitled the Farm System Reform Act by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA). NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane gave the following response.

“In the past week, Democrats in Washington have put forward two starkly different proposals for strengthening the future of American cattle farmers and ranchers. One of these paths, namely the recent announcement from Secretary Vilsack, offers...

Ruby Tuesday Introduces Libby’s BBQ for Summer

Ruby Tuesday has announced the addition of Libby’s BBQ with a new feature menu this summer. Originally crafted in the Ruby Tuesday kitchen as a delivery-only concept, Libby’s BBQ offers smoky, tender, saucy BBQ entrees and is now available to order at all Ruby Tuesday locations for dine-in, Ruby TueGO and delivery for a limited time only.

Now through September, Ruby Tuesday guests can try Libby’s BBQ entrees starting at $9.99. The all-new Libby’s BBQ menu includes tender, smoked beef brisket and...

Baja Fresh Adds Impossible Foods to Menus Nationwide

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, the fast-casual Mexican food chain, is launching three new menu options featuring Impossible™ meat made from plants. The lineup of Impossible™ dishes will be available at participating stores nationwide.

The three Impossible™ varieties include:

• Impossible™ Taco Combo – three tacos with...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 24

This week on UK Beef Chats, Market Report Mike Nesbitt discusses the rise of dead weight prices, shortage of cattle influencing the UK beef market, and plans to remove social distancing restrictions in the UK.

REPORTER: As Plant-Based Demand Skyrockets, Innovators Think Beyond the Burger

This article was originally featured in the Summer 2021 Edition of Urner Barry's Reporter magazine.

There is no doubt that burgers and sandwiches are the most popular items ordered by consumers when dining out. In fact, according to the NPD Group, burgers were included in 13.5% of all restaurant orders in the year ending 2020, which translates into 7 billion servings of burgers. Chicken sandwiches were included in 6.7% of all restaurant orders in the U.S., which amounts to 3.5 billion servings. With that in mind, it comes as...

NCBA Thanks President Biden, Secretary Vilsack for Taking Steps to Strengthen Beef Supply Chain

President Biden signed an Executive Order which initiates several federal rulemakings and commits $500 million to expanding processing capacity in the beef industry. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) thanked President Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack for acting rapidly to address key concerns impacting cattle and beef producers.

NCBA welcomed the announcement of rulemakings to improve the accuracy of the "Product of the USA" beef label and implement...

Mycelium-based Meats Developer Meati Foods Secures New Funding 

Meati Foods, a Public Benefit Corporation leading the fast-paced emergence of a new category of clean, whole-cut alternative meats announced the closing of its $50 million Series B – a major source of momentum that will further expedite Meati's efforts to scale production capacity and launch their products at a national scale next year.

The significantly oversubscribed round was co-led by new investor BOND and long-time Meati investor Acre Venture Partners. They were joined by other existing investors, including...

Broad-Based Growth Drives U.S. Beef and Pork Exports to New Heights

Fueled by impressive growth in a wide range of destinations, U.S. beef and pork export value shattered previous records in May, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports also reached a new volume high in May, while pork export volume was the third largest on record.

“The outstanding May performance is especially gratifying when you consider where red meat exports stood a year ago,” noted USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “The industry faced unprecedented, COVID-related obstacles at all levels of the supply chain, and...

Awareness and Retention Rate for Plant-Based Protein on the Rise in China

According to China Plant-based Protein Topical Report from The NPD Group, plant-based proteins are gaining acceptance in China as Chinese consumers seek more protein in their diets, and plant-based foods become more available and appealing. Although plant-based protein currently has a small serving share compared to meat proteins in China, awareness has reached 90%; and the retention rate for plant-based proteins is on the rise, increasing from 53% in October 2020, to 68% in January 2021.

“There is no doubt that consumers in China view plant-based proteins as healthier alternatives to traditional meat protein,” said Gimantha Jayasinghe, Senior Vice President of APAC Foodservice at The NPD Group. “Though these products have a long way to go in terms of...

ANALYSIS: Flap Meat Correcting Just as Swiftly as the Rise

During the record run in beef prices throughout 2021, gains were led by grilling items as peak demand for...

Subway Debuts Largest Menu Update in Brand's History

Subway restaurants announced the biggest changes in the brand's history, making improvements to almost every core menu item and introducing important digital upgrades that elevate the guest experience. The Eat Fresh Refresh™ arrives in U.S. restaurants nationwide on July 13, and is marked with unprecedented moments, including participating Subway restaurants across the country closing for a Refresh Break and a one million sub sandwich giveaway to encourage people to come see and taste the changes.

Starting on July 13, the Eat Fresh Refresh comes to life in all U.S. Subway restaurants. The more than 20 menu updates include...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 23

This week on UK Beef Chats, market expert Mike Nesbitt updates us on supply chain pressure on the UK market and availability for product, retail and summer barbeque demand, sporting events supporting meat sales and more.

Grubhub Releases Third Annual State of the Plate Report

As we approach a new normal and restaurants reopen, there's a lot to look forward to for the rest of the year. Before looking ahead, let's rewind to see how diners ate their way through the last six months. Grubhub, part of leading global online food delivery marketplace Just Eat Takeaway.com, launched the third annual "State of the Plate" report. Looking at trends from hundreds of thousands average daily orders, Grubhub's mid-year report checks in on what has shaped 2021 thus far, including the top trending foods, popular restaurants across the country, and what we can expect to see more of in the second half of the year.

Unlike 2020, diners opted for the plant-based versions of delivery classics so far in 2021. And while last year's top food, the wildly popular...

Market Trends to Watch Ahead of Independence Day

Urner Barry is the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry. Through daily canvasses of the trade and an unrivaled historical database, our analysts are uniquely positioned to report on the underlying conditions and significant disruptors to the market. In this Market Briefing, Urner Barry reporters outline the latest action in the commodity protein markets, highlighting seasonal factors, disruptors, and current supply and demand fundamentals.

Access the latest UB Market Briefing HERE.  

United States and Taiwan Hold Dialogue on Trade and Investment Priorities

The United States and Taiwan held the eleventh Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting yesterday under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO). Assistant United States Trade Representative Terry McCartin and Jen-ni Yang, Deputy Trade Representative from Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations, co-led the discussions, which were held virtually and focused on enhancing the longstanding trade and investment relationship between the United States and Taiwan. Other U.S. participants and contributors included AIT and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Labor, State and Treasury.

The TIFA establishes TIFA Council meetings as the key mechanism for trade and investment dialogue between the U.S. and Taiwan authorities, and covers a broad range of issues...

Conagra Brands Launches Extensive Summer Line-up of New Product Innovation

Conagra Brands is kicking off summer with additions to the company's portfolio. From meals and sides to new plant-based offerings, Conagra's latest foods deliver great taste, convenience, and value.

A Fresh Look at Frozen

Conagra offers a collection of brands within single-serve frozen meals, with new dishes coming from Healthy Choice®, Banquet®, Marie Callender's ® and...

Fourth of July Cookout Cost Stable Compared to Year Ago

U.S. consumers will pay just a few cents more for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods compared to last year, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, pork & beans, strawberries, potato chips, fresh-squeezed lemonade and vanilla ice cream with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Farm Bureau analysis reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people remains affordable at $59.50, or less than $6 per person. The cost is up just 16 cents (less than 1%) from last year, but...

DoorDash and Beyond Meat Introduce Limited Edition Summer Grilling Kits for On-Demand Delivery

DoorDash announced a partnership with Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based meat, to offer limited-edition, July 4th grilling kits to help customers host the ultimate BBQ featuring the new Beyond Burger®. The kits are available exclusively on DoorDash for on-demand delivery from DashMart, a new type of convenience store owned, operated, and curated by DoorDash.

As many people prepare for a summer of grilling and gathering, the kit also provides a seamless way for consumers to get their grilling essentials without taking a last-minute trip to the grocery store. According to a national consumer survey that polled 1,000 U.S. adults...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 22

This week on UK Beef Chats market expert Mike Nesbitt discusses new highs across the UK beef complex, continued labor shortages, acute availability issues, how the Euros are impacting burger and steak items, summer BBQs, and more.

US Foods Solves Operators’ Steak Challenges with Tender by Design Process

US Foods Holding Corp. announced the national launch of Tender by Design™, a revolutionary process by which frozen beef can now be just as high quality and tender as fresh. The proprietary Tender by Design™ process gives operators access to high-quality steaks year-round at a competitive price and allows for easier inventory and portion control to respond to the ebb and flow of restaurant traffic. Tender by Design™ is being introduced under the company’s well-known Stock Yards® brand. The launch includes 6-, 8- and 10-ounce half-faced center cut choice top sirloin steaks and an 8-ounce baseball cut choice top sirloin steak.

“Unpredictability is a major challenge in the beef industry, and this is especially true in today’s market. Variance in the quality of beef driven by the time of year and pricing fluctuations hurt the bottom line and create unwanted pressures as operators aim to deliver consistent, high-quality steak offerings that attract...

Rancher and NCBA Member Testifies Before Senate Agriculture Committee on Cattle Market Concerns

Mr. Mark Gardiner, the owner-operator of Gardiner Angus Ranch and an NCBA member, testified before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee on key market challenges that have long threatened the profitability of cattle and beef producers. He was joined by leading industry economists who NCBA has worked closely with to explore solutions to the current unsustainable market dynamics.

The hearing titled, “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer” addressed a wide range of issues, including the urgent need for robust price discovery and...

Future Meat Technologies Launches Industrial Cultured Meat Production Facility
Future Meat Technologies, an industry-leading company developing innovative technology to produce cultured meat, has opened the world's first industrial cultured meat facility. With the capability to produce 500 kilograms of cultured products a day, equivalent to 5,000 hamburgers, this facility makes scalable cell-based meat production a reality.

"This facility opening marks a huge step in Future Meat Technologies' path to market, serving as a critical enabler to bring our products to shelves by 2022," says Rom Kshuk, CEO of Future Meat Technologies. "Having a running industrial line accelerates...

Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Remains Resilient

In response to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s request for comments on efforts to improve supply chains for the production of agricultural commodities and food products, The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) said the meat and poultry food supply chain remains resilient despite extraordinary circumstances.

“The pandemic that began in 2020 and continues today may be the ultimate black swan event,” said Meat Institute Senior Vice President for Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Mark Dopp. “But its occurrence does not...

NCBA-Won Funds Going Toward USDA Grants for Small, Independent Processors

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the creation of two new, competitive grant funding opportunities for small, regional, and independent meat processors using funds the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) worked to secure at the end of last year. After fighting hard for several key priorities for cattle producers in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, NCBA praised USDA for putting $55.2 million of those funds toward the critical need for greater beef processing capacity.

The competitive grant funding will be available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The funds will support small beef processing facilities making the improvements necessary to...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Beef Supply Chains: Opportunities for Reductions and Leadership 

Beef supply chains account for about 6% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, of which about half are accounted for by the beef production stage of the supply chain. New and emerging technologies and management practices, covering feed production, cattle breeding, cattle feeding, and soil and pasture management, all offer significant opportunities to reduce emissions. Reduction of global beef supply chain emissions can be also achieved by transferring best practices from the most efficient beef supply chains to less efficient ones.

Food and agribusiness (F&A) company commitments to lower the supply chain GHG emissions of beef and other animal proteins are on the rise. Rabobank believes that in most regions these initiatives are likely to...

PODCAST: Seeing Green: High Imported Beef Prices, Cyber Attacks, and More

This week on Market Digest, Host Laura Zinger and CEO Joe Muldowney talk high prices for imported beef, Australia emerging from their drought, China searching for product, cyber attacks, supply chain issues, return to live events, and much more.

NCBA Takes Action to Increase Producer Profitability Through USDA-Verified Labels

The the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) to eliminate the use of “Product of the USA” (POTUSA) and other broad U.S. origin labeling claims for beef products that are potentially misleading to consumers.

NCBA believes that current “Product of the USA” labels are a disservice to American consumers and cattle producers alike. The claim implies that a beef product is entirely of U.S. origin. However, in reality, imported beef products are eligible to be labeled “Product of the USA” as long as the product has been...

Freshly Introduces Multi-Serve Proteins and Sides for Mealtime Shortcuts

Freshly Inc., a leading fresh-prepared meal delivery service in the U.S., announced the launch of Proteins & Sides, new menu items offering customers multi-serve portions of eight signature Freshly fan favorites. The chef-cooked, ready-to-heat proteins and side dishes are designed to mix and match for meal customization and use for cooking shortcuts. Perfect to share or provide for multiple meals for one, the new offering gives consumers a time-saving solution to simplify meal prep and supplement Freshly weekly meal plans.

Developed in response to evolving consumer habits coupled with customer feedback on the desire for more options and flexibility when it comes to mealtime, the addition of Proteins & Sides to the menu reinforces...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 20

This week Mike Nesbitt details labor struggles hindering market performance, how it's affecting the supply chain, where the furlough scheme comes into play, and more. Urner Barry beef market reporters Gary Morrison and Bill Smith weigh in on the US side of the market.

NCBA and PLC Ready to Defend Progress on Clean Water Act

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) issued the following statement in response to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan's announcement that the agency intends to revise the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR).

"Livestock producers, who manage both their private lands and safeguard public lands, have a deep-seated commitment to protecting and improving our waterways — which is why it is so deeply frustrating when EPA opts for government overreach instead of effective, proven public-private partnerships. The NWPR was...

Cargill Joins U.S. CattleTrace Program with Aim to Develop Infrastructure for Disease Traceability

Cargill announced that it has joined U.S. CattleTrace as an official packer member. Cargill is the second beef processor to invest in the effort formed by multiple state cattlemen’s organizations to develop a national infrastructure for animal disease traceability in the U.S. cattle industry.

“Reducing the impact of disease is critical for the U.S. Beef herd which is why we’re excited to join the U.S. CattleTrace program and champion its efforts to improve global competitiveness and food safety across the value chain,” said Jarrod Gillig, business operations and supply chain lead for Cargill’s North American protein business. “At Cargill, we’ve long been focused on enhancing the traceability and resilience of our supply chains and...

USDA to Begin Work to Strengthen Enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin work on three proposed rules to support enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act, the 100-year old law that was originally designed to protect poultry and hog farmers and cattle ranchers from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices in the meat markets. USDA’s pending action was noted in the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions released by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

USDA intends to take three actions related to rulemaking in the months ahead. First, USDA intends to propose a new rule that will provide greater clarity to strengthen enforcement of unfair and deceptive practices, undue preferences, and unjust prejudices. Second, USDA will propose a new...

Strong Momentum Continues for U.S. Beef and Pork Exports

Following a record-breaking March performance, exports of U.S. beef and pork continued to build momentum in April, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

April exports of U.S. beef set another new value record at $808.3 million, up 35% from a year ago, with export volume reaching 121,050 metric tons (mt) – up 23% year-over-year and the fifth largest on record. For beef muscle cuts, exports were the third largest ever at 94,656 mt (up 21%), valued at a record $726.7 million (up 36%). For January through April, beef exports moved 5% ahead of last year’s pace at 454,398 mt, with value up...

OZO Expands Plant-Based Proteins to International Retail Starting in Canada

Planterra Foods, an innovative plant-based protein start-up based in Colorado, announced a supply agreement with UNFI Canada, a subsidiary of UNFI, the largest publicly traded grocery distributor in North America. As part of its efforts to provide accessible, affordable plant-based protein options for people everywhere, Planterra Foods' line of OZO™ products, including plant-based burgers, ground and Mexican Seasoned ground, will be available in more than 200 retail locations across Canada beginning in June.

Through this relationship with UNFI, OZO™ will bring unique products to Canada that consumers can enjoy utilizing premium, clean ingredients and an innovative fermentation process that...

NCBA Joins Dialogue with Sec. Vilsack on Build Back Better Initiative

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association joined an agriculture industry call with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack to discuss the path forward for the recently-announced $4 billion Build Back Better initiative.

During the coalition call, there was a productive, positive dialogue on how funds could best be utilized to strengthen the security of the beef supply chain and increase opportunities for profitability for all sectors of the cattle industry.

In yesterday's announcement, USDA outlined four areas of focus for the program — food production, food processing, aggregation and...

Plant-Based Protein Shipments to U.S. Restaurants and Foodservice Outlets Grew by 60% in April

As pandemic-related restaurant restrictions lift across the U.S., chefs and foodservice operators are refreshing their menu offerings and recipes. Plant-based proteins are one of the food categories they’re using to help update, reports The NPD Group. Shipments of plant-based proteins from foodservice distributors to commercial restaurants increased by +60% in April 2021 compared to the same month a year ago, when the category realized declines because of pandemic restrictions.

Shipments are up +16% compared to April 2019, according to NPD’s SupplyTrack®, which tracks every product shipped from leading distributors to more than...

JBS USA Invests in U.S. Beef Capacity and Permanently Increased Wages

JBS USA announced it is investing more than $130 million in the U.S. beef industry to increase production capacity and more than $150 million in annualized pay increases to workers across its nine beef plants. The investments are part of the company’s long-term strategic commitment to the success and future growth of the U.S. beef industry.

JBS USA has invested $130 million to increase production capacities at two of its major beef processing facilities in Grand Island and Omaha, Neb. The company is on schedule to complete a significant expansion of its Grand Island beef production facility, including the construction of a new harvest floor and enhanced animal welfare facilities, in late summer. JBS USA is also expanding cooler capacity and upgrading...

Additional Cattle Markets Legislation Introduced in U.S. House

Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-4) introduced the Optimizing the Cattle Market Act of 2021 in the U.S. House. The legislation builds on a growing consensus among cattle producers, industry leaders, and Members of Congress that the current market dynamics — which stunt producer profitability and put undue market leverage on the side of meatpackers — are not sustainable for the beef supply chain.

If enacted, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a cattle formula contracts library, and increase the reporting window for "cattle committed" from...

JBS USA Confirms Equivalent of $11 Million Ransom Payment to Hackers

In a press release Wednesday, JBS USA confirmed it paid the equivalent of $11 million in ransom in response to the cyberattack last week which affected its North American and Australian IT systems. 

JBS USA was forced to temporarily close its beef and pork processing plants on June 1 following the Memorial Day weekend. Altogether, the company's facilities account for nearly a quarter of the total U.S. daily cattle and hog processing capacity. JBS's U.S. facilities resumed full operations by Friday and are maintaining normal operations so far this week. Week-to-date cattle slaughter is 154,000 head above the week prior. Week-to-date hog slaughter is up...

ANALYSIS: Beef All-Fresh Retail Continues to Climb with Wholesale Gains

We have continued to talk about food price inflation across wholesale levels as many items in the Urner Barry price quotation universe are...

Livekindly Collective Expands Its Brand Portfolio with the Acquisition of The Dutch Weed Burger

LIVEKINDLY Collective, a collection of heritage and scale-up brands on track to become one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies, announced an agreement to acquire The Dutch Weed Burger, an Amsterdam-based, brand that uses seaweed as its hero ingredient.

By adding The Dutch Weed Burger to LIVEKINDLY Collective, the company expands its plant-based portfolio with seaweed, a high-quality source of protein. Additionally, this proposed acquisition will help the company scale internationally in the UK and Nordics, two key markets in Europe, as well as...

ANALYSIS: Cattle and Hog Producers Weather Another Black Swan Event

In what was yet another black swan event, the cyberattack on JBS last week exemplified the severe impacts that extraordinary incidents can have on...

FBI Attributes JBS Cyberattack to Russia-Linked Cyber Criminal REvil

JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, is returning to normalized operations following a cyberattack over the weekend that affected its North American and Australian servers. 

On Tuesday evening, JBS released a press statement saying it had made “significant progress” in resolving the cyberattack and expected the “vast majority” of its plants to be operating on Wednesday. 

JBS is also a majority shareholder of Pilgrim’s Pride, a leading chicken producer. Pilgrim’s has operations in 14 U.S. states and can process...

ANALYSIS: Price Inflation Across All Urner Barry Indices

Price inflation remains top of mind for many. Supply constraints across all proteins combined with robust demand has...

NCBA Pushes Congress to Address Areas of Concern in the Cattle Industry

the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) led a letter with the support of 37 affiliate state cattle organizations, urging the leadership of the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committees to address critical areas of concern in the cattle and beef industry.

Specifically, NCBA pushed Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Rep. David Scott (D-GA-13), and Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15) to consider swift Congressional action to...

Beef Quarterly Q2 2021: Record Prices, but Will They Last?

Many key beef production and consumption areas across the world are currently experiencing high or record prices for beef or cattle. We explore what is driving this and whether it will last. There are also several other issues affecting global beef markets at present.

Covid-19

The rollout of vaccines, the transition to robust economic growth, and the advance of the northern hemisphere summer see many areas experiencing lower Covid case numbers and higher economic activity. With restrictions being eased, foodservice sales are also...

JBS Informs White House that Cyberattack is Likely from Russia

JBS informed the White House that the cyberattack on the company that impacted its cattle and hog plants in the United States yesterday likely originated from Russia. 

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the FBI is investigating the attack and has contacted Russia’s government. Jean-Pierre explained, "the White House has offered assistance to JBS and our team at the Department of Agriculture have spoken to...

Update: Some U.S. JBS Operations U.S. Affected by Cyberattack Today

JBS announced that they experienced a cyberattack over the weekend, forcing some shifts at its U.S. locations to be reduced or canceled altogether today. Industry sources report that JBS will not be operating any of its U.S. cattle plants today. This is expected to trim the day’s cattle slaughter by around 28,000 head from normal. 

On the hog side, three of JBS’s U.S. hog plants are said to be down today, while two are operating at reduced capacity. While it is difficult to gauge what today’s hog slaughter could be, the common consensus is in the area of 400,000 head or potentially less. Analysts note that this Saturday’s cattle and hog slaughter could be very large to make up for the downtime...

The duration and extent of processing plant disruptions at JBS's facilities due to the cyberattack is not yet known and will be monitored day-to-day. Adequate processing capacity for the current level of supply is already an issue for the livestock industry, especially on the cattle side.

Fourth UK Beef Processing Site Gains Access to US Market

A fourth processing site in the UK has won approval to export its beef to the US – marking a major leap forward for the business and for the red meat sector as a whole.

Foyle Food Group in Gloucester is now listed on the official ‘USDA Approved’ list, which means commercial exports of beef can commence with immediate effect.

It comes after extensive work by the company with support from AHDB, Defra, the Food Standards Agency and...

King's Command Foods Recalls Meat and Poultry Meatballs and Pork Pattie Products 

King's Command Foods, LLC., a Kent, Wash. establishment, is recalling approximately 20,025 pounds of fully cooked, not shelf stable meat and poultry meatballs and pork patties due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. The product contains egg, milk, and/or wheat, known allergens, which is not declared on the product label.

The fully cooked, not shelf stable meat and poultry items were produced January 08, 2021, January 15, 2021, and March 03, 2021. The following products are subject to recall...

Sadler's Smokehouse Introduces Authentic Ready-to-Eat Pit-Smoked Texas Barbeque

Sadler's Smokehouse is introducing ready-to-eat beef brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and St. Louis Ribs at select retailers this summer. The new line of Sadler's Smokehouse® products is pit-smoked low and slow, using butcher-quality cuts of meat, no artificial ingredients, Texas hardwoods and 65 years of family barbeque tradition.

"First and foremost, these products come already prepared in the tradition of real Texas barbeque, giving home barbeque enthusiasts and cooks the freedom to enjoy more time together while experiencing...

Major Cyber Attack Impacts JBS' Global Operations

On Sunday, May 30, JBS USA announced that it was the target of a cyberattack. According to a media statement, “the company took immediate action, suspending all affected systems, notifying authorities and activating the company's global network of IT professionals and third-party experts to resolve the situation. The company’s backup servers were not affected, and it is actively working with an Incident Response firm to restore its systems as soon as possible.”

JBS media contact Nikki Richardson explained that a solution will take time and that transactions with customers and suppliers could be delayed. 

JBS Foods is the world’s largest beef and poultry producer and the second-largest global pork producer. The company has locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Europe, and New Zealand...

Summer is Almost Here and UB Has the Scoop on Market Trends Heading into MDW

Urner Barry is the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry. Through daily canvasses of the trade and an unrivaled historical database, our analysts are uniquely positioned to report on the underlying conditions and significant disruptors to the market. In this Market Briefing, Urner Barry reporters outline the latest action in the commodity protein markets, highlighting seasonal factors, disruptors, and current supply and demand fundamentals.

Access the latest UB Market Briefing HERE...  

PLANT PROTEIN: Get to Know Players in the Plant Protein Market: Before the Butcher

“I don’t perceive things as being hard, I see them as being a challenge that I can overcome,” says Danny O’Malley, founder and CEO of Before the Butcher, a plant-based 2017 startup out of California.

Today, the company’s extensive lineup of plant-based grounds, burgers, chunks, tips, and shreds are a slam dunk with consumers, but Before the Butcher is just getting started.

From the jump, Danny O’Malley knew he wanted the products he produced to be delicious, nutritious, non-GMO, gluten-free, and accessibly priced. In less than half a year...