This Week in Retail: Prepare for Pre-Season Protein Demand

We’re halfway through August, but protein demand doesn’t expire with the summer season. In fact, consumers may even be stepping up their purchases at the meat case as the NFL preseason is officially underway! And the regular season is just around the corner.

It’s been six long months since fans were treated to their favorite teams facing off on the gridiron. Now, everyone is getting in on the action. Retailers across the board are running promotions to capitalize on the return of football frenzied spending.

Grocers are changing up end caps from summer smore displays to game day essentials. Grilling ads are shifting from summer barbecues in the backyard to...

CHART: Industry Expectations for Hog Slaughter

Applebee's Offers Handcrafted Burger Deal for a Limited Time 

Applebee’s has mastered the art of crafting craveable burgers with its Handcrafted Burgers, which are made to order with premium toppings stacked high. Each burger at Applebee’s is made tastier and more flavorful with 100% fresh and never frozen ground beef, smashed on the grill to seal in the juicy goodness, and served with endless classic fries.

Leading the pack is Applebee’s own Quesadilla Burger, available for a limited-time price of only $7.99, starting today. The restaurant’s original creation is part burger, part quesadilla, piled high with Pepper Jack cheese, Applebee’s signature Mexi-ranch sauce, crispy Applewood-smoked bacon, house-made pico de gallo and shredded lettuce in a crisp, warm Cheddar quesadilla. To top it off, this limited-time deal also includes...

Top Taste Food Warehouse Recalls Meat and Poultry Products 

Top Taste Food Warehouse, a Brooklyn, N.Y. establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of pork and chicken dumpling product because they were produced, packed, and distributed without the benefit of USDA inspection and used the mark of inspection without authorization, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen pork with vegetable dumpling and the chicken with vegetable dumpling items were produced July 30, 2018 through July 31, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...

Strong Finish to First Half for U.S. Pork, Beef Exports

U.S. pork and beef exports were above year-ago levels in both volume and value in June, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Led by a rebound in Mexico and China, pork export value was the highest in 14 months, while strong results in South Korea and Taiwan pushed beef export value to the fourth-highest total on record.

June pork exports posted double-digit gains in both volume and value, reaching 212,887 metric tons (mt), up 11% year-over-year, valued at $569.2 million (up 12%). For the first half of 2019, pork exports remained 2% below last year in volume (1.25 million mt) and were down 6% in value to $3.14 billion.

Pork export value averaged $56.99 per head slaughtered in June, up 7% from a year ago and the highest monthly average since April 2018. First-half export value averaged $50.05 per head, down...

Tyson Foods Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2019 Results

Tyson Foods, Inc., one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein with leading brands including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair, today reported the following results:

First Nine Months Highlights

•GAAP EPS of $4.51, down 33% from record prior year (prior year included a one-time tax benefit of $2.71)
•Adjusted EPS of $4.25, down 7% from record prior year
•GAAP operating income of $2,223 million; Adjusted operating income of $2,291 million
•Total Company GAAP operating margin...

This Week in Retail: Enter the Dog Days

Goodbye July—hello August. The dog days of summer are here as we enter the lazy hazy final crazy days of the season.  

August is often referred to as the “Sunday of summer” and that perspective could bode well for retail sales as consumers seek to soak up the last few weeks of sunshine and outdoor activity before the school year resumes and the weather begins to transition again.

Beef is killing the retail game in recent weeks, taking the top weekly spot for protein feature volume during the entire month of July. Currently, beef ads account for 27 percent of circular real estate, beating out second placed seafood at 23 percent. Steak features make up about half...

Outbreak of Drug Resistant Salmonella Linked to Contact with Pig Ear Dog Treats 

The CDC and FDA are advising consumers not to buy or feed pig ear dog treats to pets, including any that may already be in homes. People may contract Salmonella after handling the treats or caring for dogs that have eaten the pig ears. Dogs may also become sick after consumption. A total of 127 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 33 states. While 26 people have been hospitalized, no deaths have been reported. About 21% of reported illnesses are among children younger than the age of 5.

Laboratory and traceback evidence indicated that contact with pig ear dog treats from many different suppliers is likely the source of the Salmonella outbreak. State health and regulatory officials in several states along with...

USDA Market News Revises Regional Swine Market Reports 

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will revise its Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) direct swine reports to provide more continuous coverage of the regional negotiated swine markets.

Since the implementation of LMR in 2001, the volume of barrows and gilts purchased on a negotiated basis has declined from 17 percent of the market to about 1 percent today. The thinness of the negotiated market has made it increasingly difficult for AMS to publish regional market information while maintaining the confidentiality requirements set forth in the statute.

As requested by the pork industry, AMS will publish only weighted average prices for carcass and live basis negotiated barrows and gilts and not show the daily volumes or price ranges on...

Pork Quarterly Q3 2019: Disease and Trade Issues are Jointly Changing the Global Market

Rising disease pressures are challenging the global market. Specifically, African swine fever (ASF) continues to threaten the global pork market, not only by causing a production drop in Asian countries, but also adding uncertainty to trade and production prospects in other parts of the world. While China’s pork prices have started to move higher, production responses in the rest of the world appear cautious. Other factors, including disease management and weather, are hindering production in Europe and Brazil. The resumption of Sino-US trade negotiations is a positive development, implying a chance for China to review tariffs on US pork imports.

China: Pig Herd Losses Growing

ASF continues to spread in China, with new cases mainly reported in South China. Live hog prices are finally...

Home Market Foods Inc Recalls Frozen Ready-To-Eat Beef and Pork Meatball Products

Home Market Foods, Inc., a Norwood, Mass. establishment, is recalling approximately 53,217 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat beef and pork meatball products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products contain milk and wheat, known allergens, which are not declared on the product label.

The frozen ready-to-eat beef and pork meatball items are labeled as “Homestyle Meatballs All Natural” products but may contain “Cranberry Stuffed Meatballs” products. The items were produced on April 2, 2019. The following products are subject to recall...

Hormel Foods Launches New Single-Serve Lunchmeat

The makers of Hormel® Natural Choice® deli meats announced today the addition of new single-serve lunchmeat options, further expanding the brand's growing portfolio of 100 percent natural deli meats, snacks and bacons made without artificial preservatives or ingredients.

Packaged with 2 ounces – or five slices – of 100 percent natural* deli meat, the new offering provides additional, convenient choices for consumers to enjoy their favorite lunch meat.

"We've received feedback from consumers that smaller households sometimes struggle to get through the entire package of lunchmeat, so we wanted to provide...

Early Bird Pricing Ends SOON for Global Protein Summit in Chicago

Urner Barry, the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry, is hosting a brand-new event specifically designed for those in the beef, pork, and poultry industry on October 6-8, in Chicago.

Urner Barry’s Global Protein Summit has been designed to bring clarity and insight into the increasingly complex business of food and agriculture, with a two-day agenda packed with intel from the foremost experts on economics and agribusiness. Throughout the event, hear from top speakers and analysts on China and other global trade partners, African Swine Fever, alternative proteins, changing consumer demands, and what to look out for as we move forward. A few speakers now include...

US Foods Recalls Raw Beef and Pork Products 

US Foods, a Birmingham, AL, establishment, is recalling approximately 712 pounds of raw beef and pork products that may be adulterated due to possible product contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The fresh and frozen raw beef and pork items were produced July 18, 2019. This spreadsheet contains a list of the products subject to recall.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 21103” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to...

U.S. Pork Industry Battling Challenges, NPPC President Tells Capitol Hill

The U.S. pork industry faces numerous challenges both at home and abroad that, if not addressed, will pose significant harm to our farms, rural communities and ultimately consumers, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C., testified this morning before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

“One of the most damaging threats to the U.S. pork industry has been the punitive, retaliatory trade tariffs that China and other countries have imposed,” Herring told the subcommittee.

China is the largest consumer and importer of pork in the world, but U.S. hog farmers have been sidelined, Herring told the subcommittee, due to China’s...

Wendy's Makes Summer Sizzle With Launch Of Baconfest

As the home of the #1 selling bacon cheeseburger*, and quite frankly, the Boss of Bacon, Wendy's is launching an epic bacon celebration – Baconfest. Why? Because Wendy's bacon is always worth celebrating and honestly, doesn't need a reason.

Starting today, Wendy's is kicking off Baconfest exclusively with DoorDash, offering its bacon-loving fanatics a free Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and $0 delivery fee with a minimum of $10 Wendy's purchase for a limited time using code BACONFEST.** Free bacon and $0 delivery fee? Yes, please...

Urner Barry Rolls Out Updated Foreign Trade Data Platform

New Site to Include Red Meat Import/Export Stats for the First Time Ever

Urner Barry, the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry, is pleased to announce the launch of a new and improved Foreign Trade Data service, complete with newly added Customs and Census data for pork, beef, lamb and veal.

Foreign Trade Data has long provided detailed information on each and every frozen, waterborne shipment of seafood entering the United States, with records being updated regularly with the most recent data available. Now, U.S. Customs export data has also been newly added for seafood. Subscribers can now track Customs exports of crab and other species.

And for the first time ever, Foreign Trade Data subscribers will have access to the latest intelligence surrounding red meat imports and exports. Users can...

Fairmont Foods, Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Pork and Beef Gravy Products 

Fairmont Foods, Inc., a Fairmont, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 35,145 pounds of ready-to-eat pork and beef gravy products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically clear pliable plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen, ready-to-eat pork and beef gravy items were produced on May 2, 2019. The following products are subject to recall:

45-lb. cases containing nine 5-lb plastic bags of “Popeyes LOUISIANA KITCHEN PORK TASSO AND GROUND BEEF GRAVY...”

Pork and Beef Exports Rebound in May; Volume and Value Reach 2019 Highs

May exports of U.S. pork and beef were steady with last year’s strong volumes and increased year-over-year in value, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Pork exports totaled 217,999 metric tons (mt) in May, steady with last year’s pace, while value increased 1% to $567.8 million – the highest monthly value total since April 2018. For January through May, pork exports were still 4% below last year in volume...

Phibro Animal Health Corporation Announces a Significant Advance in the Development of ASF Vaccine

Phibro Animal Health Corporation (NASDAQ:PAHC) today announced it is pursuing patent protection following a significant advance in the on-going development of a vaccine for African Swine Fever (ASF). This important step in the vaccine development process involves the identification of immunogenic epitopes and proteins that show strong potential to form the basis for a vaccine against ASF.

Phibro’s R&D team and its collaborators made this identification through the use of a unique bioinformatics analysis tool in order to select...

REPORTER: Pork: Turbulence Driven by African Swine Fever 

 

All You Can Eat Riblets, Chicken Tenders & Shrimp Is Back at Applebee’s by Popular Demand 

Summer is officially here, and longer days and hot nights are the best excuses to ditch the kitchen and head out for dinner. Starting today, All You Can Eat Riblets, Chicken Tenders & Shrimp makes its triumphant return to Applebee’s® restaurants nationwide starting at only $14.99*.

With Double Crunch Shrimp joining the lineup earlier this year to make the ultimate All You Can Eat trio, we had to give it another chance to shine just in time for summertime...

Reporter: How the U.S. Hog Industry has Changed 

REPORTER: Exports Are Vital to U.S. Pork Industry

Without growth in export sales in recent years, the U.S. pork industry would have had far less room for expansion. Maintaining the customer base we have now and stretching international sales even further are vital to any future growth for the U.S. pork industry...

This Week in Retail: Outlook for the Fourth

Hard to believe it, but the 4^th of July is just around the corner. With at or near record production levels in U.S. protein, the industry is counting on good weather and hungry consumers to move some product at retail.

Urner Barry’s weekly retail beef feature index is down roughly 4% compared to the 3-year average—and is also the lowest in 6 years for the current week.  Beef has consistently stolen the top spot for overall feature volume over competing proteins recently, with few exceptions. This week, beef claims 26% of protein ad volume and is on track to be the number one category for the week of July 4^th as well.

Burgers are arguably the most popular grilling item for large Independence Day gatherings in backyards across America. The year-to-date average for 80% lean ground beef is...

National Pork Producers Council Launches 'Keep America First In Agriculture' Campaign

Today, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) launched “Keep America First in Agriculture,” a new campaign to highlight the importance of establishing a proper regulatory framework for gene editing in American livestock.

Gene editing technology, which introduces useful genetic variation into food animal breeding programs, promises significant animal health benefits, including a natural immunity to disease and a reduction in the need for antibiotic use.

“Gene editing is a huge step forward for America’s farmers, as it offers a powerful new way to combat animal disease..."

Tyson Foods: We’re Activating the Ingredients for More Growth

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) continues to meet changing consumer needs and is well-positioned for long-term, sustainable growth, company officials told investors and analysts today during Tyson Foods’ Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange.

Chairman John Tyson, President and CEO Noel White and members of the company’s senior management team spoke at the event, which showcased the strength of Tyson’s diversified portfolio, execution of its long-term growth strategy, efforts to increase its value-added product offerings, continued innovation in food and sustainability, and expansion into new global markets.

“We’re poised for long-term growth because we understand consumers and can meet their needs through a broad portfolio of diverse products,” said White. “As we look ahead, prepared foods and value-added chicken are expected to be...

Boston Market Launches New Summer Sandwich Menu 

The first day of summer – and longest day of the year – is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: time to sack the sad sack lunch. While the nation gears up for summer Fridays and weekend picnics in the park, we quickly forget that lunch is arguably the most important meal of the day, and no one deserves a subpar sandwich. To help guide the way (well, minus the "sub") toward more mouth-watering midday options, the rotisserie everything experts at Boston Market® are debuting four new sandwich offerings this month that must be tasted to be believed – literally.

Friday, June 21 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Boston Market is inviting everyone to leave that corner bakery and/or cafe in the dust and enjoy a free sandwich on the house – pitting "theirs" against ours in a full-on sandwich throwdown. Simply bring in your current favorite sandwich and taste the difference fresh, never frozen (and never "fil-a'd") rotisserie chicken can make. You'll be hooked. Guests are then invited to vote for...

Ruiz Foods Products Inc Recalls Bacon Breakfast Wrap Products

Ruiz Foods Products Inc., a Denison, Texas, establishment, is recalling approximately 246,514 pounds of frozen, not ready-to-eat (NRTE) breakfast wrap products containing bacon that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically small rocks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen egg, potato, bacon and cheese wrap items were produced on Jan. 17, 2019 and Jan. 18, 2019. The following product is subject to recall...