Survey: More Than Half of Consumers Are Supporting Local Restaurants Over Chains

More than two years after the initial COVID-19 lockdown measures, many small business restaurants are getting back to business as usual with in-person dining in full swing. According to a new survey by NEXT Insurance, a leading digital insurtech company transforming small business insurance, consumers are eager to cast their delivery apps aside in support of local Main Street restaurants: data shows 64% of consumers have gone out of their way to support local restaurants over larger chain restaurants during the pandemic. Additionally, 29% of consumers...

NCC Response to House Committee Report on COVID-19 Workplace Safety

Attributable to National Chicken Council (NCC) President Mike Brown:

“NCC member companies have long been committed to protecting and enhancing worker safety, a commitment that well predates the COVID-19 pandemic. But when the COVID-19 pandemic reached American shores, it was immediately clear that worker safety would be paramount.

“As a critical infrastructure sector staffed by essential workers, the chicken industry was presented with a seemingly impossible task – keep food on the tables and keep workers safe, all in the face of a highly transmissible and all-but..."

Worker Health and Safety is First Priority in Meat and Poultry Industry

The North American Meat Institute, the nation’s trade association for meat and poultry packers and processors, today said the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis’ partisan report distorts the truth about the meat and poultry industry’s work to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following is a statement from Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the North American Meat Institute:

“The Meat Institute and its member companies voluntarily provided hundreds of thousands of pages to the Committee..."

Foodservice Update Q2 2022: Foodservice in Troubled Times - Impact of the War in Ukraine

This is a special edition focusing on the impact that the war in Ukraine may have on the foodservice industry in the immediate and the longer term. Food and energy prices were already rising before the war began, and this conflict has amplified the trend, making clear that high prices will not revert any time soon. Also, foreign brands operating in Russia are exposed to reputational risks, which might have consequences in long term strategies.

Report summary
The consequences will differ, depending on the market and...

Tyson Foods CEO: Beef Prices Driven by Strong Demand, Constrained Production and Record Inflation

“It’s a question of basic supply and demand,” says King.

A combination of market forces, including consistently strong demand for finished beef, constrained production due to labor shortages caused by the global pandemic, and record inflation, have been driving current beef prices, Tyson Foods President & CEO Donnie King says in prepared testimony delivered to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. The testimony was presented in advance of a hearing on Wednesday.

King makes the following points in his testimony:

- As with nearly...

As Soon As Pandemic Restrictions Lifted, Canadians Flooded Back Into Restaurants 

One of the most predictable behaviours that emerged over the past two years of the pandemic is Canadians will flood into restaurants as soon as restrictions lift, which happened in February, reports The NPD Group. Online and physical visits to Canadian restaurants and foodservice outlets increased by 17% in February compared to February 2021, when traffic declined by 23%. Despite the double-digit increase in visits, commercial foodservice traffic remains -9% below the pre-pandemic level in February 2020, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the Canadian foodservice industry...

CEOs Get Personal on Industry Challenges of Past 2 Years

Over the past two years, there have been a lot of essential discussions about the shopper journey and the important ways that grocery workers’ lives were impacted by pandemic-fueled changes and challenges at work. Industry leaders have also been in the fray to steer their companies ahead in a challenging era with hits from all sides.

“It was like getting a curveball every single day.” That was one remark from an executive who took part in the 56th Annual Food Marketing Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., presented...

U.S. Restaurant Industry Traffic Improves in February After January Declines 

The U.S. restaurant recovery got back on track in February after January declines, reports The NPD Group. Online and physical restaurant traffic was up 2%, and consumer spending was up 8% in February compared to a year ago. Total restaurant visits in the month were down 8% from the pre-pandemic level in February 2020, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the U.S. foodservice industry.

Quick service restaurant traffic improved by 1% in February compared to a 7% decline in February 2021. This February, online and physical visits to...

JD.com’s SEVEN FRESH Supermarket Rolls Out Autonomous Vehicles as COVID Cases Surge in China

JD.com has rolled out autonomous vehicles in the city of Shenzhen to deliver groceries through their fresh food supermarket, SEVEN FRESH.

The City of Shenzhen, which links Hong Kong to mainland China, saw a spike in COVID-19 cases earlier this month. China has a strict “zero-COVID” policy, so Shenzhen was put under lockdowns and hit with additional restrictions in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. To ensure food supply with no-contact, JD.com introduced their autonomous delivery vehicles...

Digital Foodservice Ordering Continues to Accelerate in Canada

Digital foodservice ordering has been among the lifelines for Canadians throughout the pandemic. Although digital foodservice ordering was growing before the pandemic, the pandemic accelerated its growth, reports The NPD Group. Over the last two years, digital orders for carry-out and delivery from restaurants and other foodservice outlets have increased by 155%, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the Canadian foodservice industry.

Ordering through mobile apps represents the bulk of digital orders. In January 2022, mobile app orders represented 75% of all digital foodservice orders. 20% were internet orders, and 5%...

February Retail Sales Rose Strongly Year-Over-Year While Monthly Pace Slowed Amid Inflation

Retail sales showed a strong year-over-year gain in February, but the monthly pace slowed compared with January as inflation drove up prices and lingering effects of the COVID-19 omicron variant affected the supply chain, the National Retail Federation said today.

“Retail sales data continues to show impressive consumer resilience,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Despite all that’s been thrown at them including inflation, supply chain constraints, market volatility and significant geopolitical events, consumers remain able and willing to spend... 

USDA Announces Initiative to Build a Better Food System in America

Advanced Container Technologies, Inc., announced it is ideally suited to help meet the needs of the new USDA initiative to build a new and more equitable food system.

The "Build Back Better Food System Transformation Initiative" is striving to expand access to nutritious food in rural, tribal, and other currently underserved areas.

"One of the lessons from COVID-19 is that the current food system is too rigid, consolidated and fragile," the USDA stated.

ACTX can be an integral part of this effort by providing GrowPods - transportable controlled environment...

Sneak Peek of Global Economics at the Executive Conference with Joel Naroff

Joel Naroff is the President and founder of Naroff Economics LLC, a strategic economic consulting firm. Naroff’s day to day includes advising companies about the risks and opportunities that economic developments have on their operating environment. He is a renowned author and award winner in economic forecasting. We asked Joel about the upcoming 2022 Urner Barry Executive Conference, along with the topics and issues he will be covering during his session on the Global Market Outlook.

You are going to be joining us for the Global Market Outlook session at the Executive Conference. What are the main factors in the global market that you are going to tackle in your conversation?

Before we tackle the global market, I will start with...

U.S. Restaurant Recovery Hits A Rough Patch in January With Customer Traffic Down

Quick service visits were down in January on top of last year’s declines

After ten consecutive months of traffic gains over steep pandemic-related declines, the U.S. restaurant industry’s recovery stalled in January, reports The NPD Group. Physical and online visits to U.S. restaurants were down 2% in January compared to an 8% decline in January 2021. The 4% increase in consumer spending at restaurants reflects higher food and operational costs. Total restaurant traffic, online and physical, is down 10% from the pre-pandemic level in...

Consumer and Corporate Food Gifting Market Rises to $33 Billion

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020 and 2021, more people were staying at home and not gathering as much in person. Food gifts have been a good gift to send directly to people who are staying at home because they are practical, easy to ship, comforting, and a good way to send treats to someone who cannot be visited in person. Corporate gifting has also increased rapidly during the pandemic as more employers have canceled in-person holiday parties and...

New Technomic Foodservice Index Represents Continued Decline in January, Dropping to 93.3 

Each month, Technomic releases its TIndex, which showcases the index on the total U.S. foodservice industry. January's number continued the decline from previous months, dropping to 93.3, down from 95.9 in December and 97.2 in November. Based on this data, the industry is down 6.7% over a two-year basis but has grown by 11.1% compared to January 2021.

"The main reason for this continued downward slide is the lingering effect of the COVID-19 omicron variant," explains Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic...

January Retail Sales Overcome Omicron and Inflation to Show Strong Gains

Retail sales powered through COVID-19’s omicron variant, inflation and other challenges to post strong increases in January, the National Retail Federation said today.

“January’s numbers show that 2022 is starting very strong for consumers and retailers, especially on the heels of a record holiday season and record sales in 2021,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “While the year ahead has challenges with inflationary pressures, labor shortages, COVID-19 impacts and uncertainty related to international tensions in Russia and China, today’s numbers show that despite these..."

China’s Foodservice Industry Recovers After Experiencing Sharp Declines in 2020

Western-style quick service restaurants outperformed Chinese-style counterparts in 2021

According to The NPD Group, China’s foodservice industry ended 2021 showing signs of recovery after a tumultuous two-year period full of uncertainty brought on by COVID-19 and stringent lockdown measures throughout the country.

Thanks to vaccination rollouts and easing restrictions across the country, China reported a recovery in the first half of the year across the 22 Chinese cities tracked by NPD for the foodservice industry.

There was growth for both foot traffic and spend over the...

COVID Restrictions Thwarted the Canadian Foodservice Industry’s Expectations for a Strong Recovery

The Canadian foodservice industry entered 2021 hopeful that the industry could get back on track. The recovery seemed like it was heading in the right direction in the third quarter — with vaccination rates high, COVID infections low, and restrictions lifted, reports The NPD Group. Consumers were anxious to return to their favorite restaurants, and online and physical visits were within just five percentage points of where they were in the same quarter before the pandemic. But the onset of the omicron wave and the return of restrictions suppressed...

Packaged Facts Reports Children's Food and Beverage Market Rises to $70 Billion

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020 and 2021, retail sales of children's food and beverage products expanded faster than average due to increased spending at food stores and growing desires for healthy products for the whole family.

In 2021, sales reached $70 billion on the strength of pandemic trends as reported by Packaged Facts' new report Children's Food and Beverage Market: Trends and Opportunities. Products marketed for children are primarily purchased by their parents/guardians...

New Technomic Foodservice Index Represents Continued Decline in December, due to Omicron

Each month, Technomic releases its TIndex, which showcases the index on the total U.S. foodservice industry. December’s number continued the decline from previous months, dropping to 95.9 from 97.2 in November and 97.8 in October. Based on this data, the industry is down 4.1% over a two-year basis but has grown by 23% compared to December 2020.

“The main reason for this downward slide is the emergence and rapid spread of the COVID-19 omicron variant,” explains Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic...

Fourth Quarter 2021 Revenue Grew 9% Over Last Year, While Overall Consumer Spending Grew 15%

U.S. consumer spending on general merchandise ended the year up 15% compared to 2020, with a 6% increase in unit sales. While the holiday shopping brought positive retail results, the early part of the year delivered more significant year-over-year gains. The fourth quarter of 2021 contributed 9% revenue growth and 1% unit growth over the prior year, according The NPD Group.

“Consumers’ grab-it-when-you-see-it mentality, especially related to pandemic-driven needs has not gone away..."

NRF Responds to Supreme Court Decision on OSHA Employer Vaccine Mandate

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reimpose a stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 employer-based vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). NRF joined more than 26 other trade associations last week to present oral arguments before the court on the legality of the mandate.

“While NRF has maintained a strong and consistent position related to the importance of vaccines in helping to..."

This Week in Retail: Eyeing Prop 12, Pandemic Uncertainty in 2022

Rounding out the first week of 2022, uncertainty surrounding the ongoing pandemic continues to impact businesses and the overall wellbeing of the world’s population.

Retailers, along with other participants throughout the supply chain, are monitoring labor constraints, made worse by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Prolonged disruptions to the production, further processing, and distribution of consumer goods from worker absenteeism and potential further government restrictions remain key concerns for producers and buyers alike in the New Year.

Meanwhile, the second phase of California’s Proposition 12 went into effect on January 1. Under the law, veal calf producers are required to provide their animals with at least 43 square feet of usable floor space per calf. Sows must have a minimum of 24 square feet of usable space per animal. Laying hens are required to be cage-free. Proposition 12 prohibits the sale in California of veal, pork, and eggs not raised in compliance with these...

Omicron Could Contribute to Uncertainty and Inflation But is Unlikely to Bring Shutdowns, NRF Says

The COVID-19 omicron variant will bring uncertainty to the economy in 2022 and could contribute to inflation, but is unlikely to cause widespread shutdowns or slowdowns, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.

“Even with the experience of the past two years, there is no model that can predict how the economy responds to a pandemic,” Kleinhenz said. “What we have learned is that each successive variant has slowed down the economy but that the degree of slowdown has been less...”

The Pandemic has Permanently Altered the Consumer-Restaurant Relationship, TD Bank Survey Finds

The pandemic has permanently altered the consumer-restaurant relationship with operators investing in technology and real estate to align with changing consumer preferences, according to the 2021 Restaurant Franchise Pulse survey, conducted by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®.

Early in the pandemic, 72% of operators invested in delivery and mobile/online ordering to boost revenue during mandated stay-at-home orders according to TD's 2020 survey, and it appears the popularity of these offerings is here to stay.

Investment in delivery and mobile ordering pays...

Foodservice Industry Recovery Slows in Recent Months Amid Myriad of Disruptions

With 2022 on the horizon, the U.S. foodservice industry has battled a pandemic, labor issues and supply chain disruptions for almost two full years. Although the industry has seen a significant recovery compared to its low point in 2020, recent findings indicate a slowdown as similar issues continue to cast a shadow on the sector.

Research firm Technomic unveiled its latest, TIndex, which represents the health of the foodservice industry and for the second straight month, the TIndex showed a decline...

UB Consulting: Assessing the Impact of Inflation on Protein Producers

Inflation. The subject is being discussed everywhere, from your favorite news station to the line in the grocery store. Prices for producers and consumers alike have increased. The pandemic has created a supply chain headache across sectors, including the food industry. With the flu season underway, concerns are growing over the OMRICON variant.

Like many others, protein producers struggle with increased input costs for production and transportation. This short analysis examines several key indexes, such as Producers Price Indexes (PPI), to illustrate such claims relative to recent developments of price accelerations over the past few years...

NRF Responds to Stay Lifted for OSHA Employer Vaccine Mandate

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French regarding the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals’ decision to lift the stay for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 employer-based vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).

“NRF is disappointed that the Sixth Circuit has decided to lift the stay instituted by the Fifth Circuit. NRF will consider additional legal options. We will also continue to prepare our members to comply with this onerous mandate..."

Urner Barry's New Market Briefing Provides an In-Depth Look at the Protein Trade Before the Holidays

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...

FeedInfo: Is the Worst Over? Dissecting 2021 Supply Chain Crisis Impacts– Webinar Exclusive

“Shipping has gone from one of those costs you don’t really think about…to almost as valuable, if not in some instances more valuable, than the commodity itself that’s moving.”

That statement from S&P Global Platts Freight Editor George Griffiths helps explain why yesterday, professionals from across the agricultural sector, from grains to feed additives to meat, tuned in to an Agribriefing webinar hosted by Agrimoney Editor in Chief Mike Verdin to discuss the disruption being experienced across different agricultural commodity markets...

Rising Inflation, Relentless Pandemic Dampen U.S. Consumer Confidence

U.S. consumer confidence dropped to a nine-month low in November amid worries about the rising cost of living and pandemic fatigue, but that did not change expectations for stronger economic growth this quarter.

The survey from the Conference Board on Tuesday showed consumers less enthusiastic about buying a house and big-ticket items such as motor vehicles and major household appliances over the next six months, likely because of shortages, which have boosted prices. Consumers held strong views of the labor market, with the gap between those saying jobs are plentiful...

Waiver from Trucking Federal Rule Extended

The National Pork Producers Council today thanked the Biden administration, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Meera Joshi, deputy administrator of DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for extending to Feb. 28, 2022, a waiver for commercial truckers from the federal Hours of Service regulation.

The HOS rule limits truckers to 11 hours of driving time and 14 consecutive hours of on-duty time in any 24-hour period and requires prescribed rest periods.

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and prompted by NPPC’s efforts to ensure pork producers could...