The Food Institute Report articles from December 2005

The Food Institute Report archives from December 2005

Trends in packaged goods for 2006.
December 5, 2005... New packaged goods product launches in the U.S. are 6.5% ahead of 2004's tally through Oct. 31, 2005, according to DATAMONITOR PLC'S Productscan Online. Datamonitor predicts that the following trends will be prominent in new packaged goods...

General Mills' "whole grains" petition rejected.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... FDA denied a petition filed in May, 2004 by Minneapolis-based General Mills Inc. requesting FDA develop definitions for "excellent source," "good source," and "made with" as descriptors for the whole grain content of food. General Mills'...

Marsh explores sale.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Marsh Supermarkets, Inc., which reported a net loss of $3.4 million for the second fiscal quarter ended Oct. 15, has retained MERRILL LYNCH & CO. to explore strategic alternatives for the enhancement of shareholder value, including a possible...

Traditional supermarkets' woes could deter prospective buyers.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Competitive pressures, stagnant sales, single-digit profit margins, antiquated distribution systems and high labor costs may make conventional supermarket operators like ALBERTSONS INC. and MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC. a tough sell to potential...

U.S. foodservice splits into two companies.
December 5, 2005... AHOLD NV'S U.S. Foodservice subsidiary will be reorganized into two operating companies, each focused on a specific customer segment: broadline and multi-unit. U.S. Foodservice also plans to reduce total administrative costs by $100 million by...

Fresh-cut fruit sales fail to meet Wendy's expectations.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Wendy's International Inc. stopped selling fresh-cut fruit 6,400 U.S. and Canadian restaurants as of Nov. 1, because the products were not meeting sales expectations, according to a company spokesman, who noted that fruit tended to be more of a...

McCormick to restructure as it faces challenges.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... McCormick & Co. Inc.'s board approved a restructuring plan that will unfold over the next three years and will involve job cuts, the consolidation of manufacturing facilities, the rationalization of distribution facilities, and the reduction of...

Tom Thumb redesigns stores.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Just about every Tom Thumb store in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX market will be remodeled, at the cost of $4 million each. The redesigned stores will have a more subdued look, with better lighting and hardwood floors. The stores, which will...

Greater challenge feeding the needy this year.
December 5, 2005... In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where donations reached near-record levels, some food banks are left with bare shelves as they prepare for the holidays and winter season. "It's pretty much a direct result of Katrina,"says Lisa...

Beef 'O' Brady.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Franchisees plan to open five BEEF 'O' BRADY'S in the Birmingham, AL area in the next five years, which will be the chain's first entrance into the Birmingham market. Ground is expected to be broken for the first restaurant in December. The...

Taco Bueno and Burger Street Restaurants plan to expand in North Texas.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... TACO BUENO and BURGER STREET RESTAURANTS plan to expand in North Texas. Taco Bueno is opening eight to 10 new franchise restaurants and 15 company-owned stores, while Burger Street will open three new restaurants in the area. Burger Street is...

Max & Erma's Restaurants Inc.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... MAX & ERMA'S RESTAURANTS INC., Columbus, OH, plans to open 300 locations nationwide over the next 10 years, marking its most aggressive expansion. In addition to a westward push, president Rob Lindeman plans on moving many Midwestern...

Dunkin' Donuts Independent Franchise Owners, Inc. has hired Riparian Partners, Ltd. to represent them in the sale of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. by Pernod Ricard S.A., to protect its interests in the auction.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... DUNKIN' DONUTS INDEPENDENT FRANCHISE OWNERS, INC. has hired RIPARIAN PARTNERS, LTD. to represent them in the sale of DUNKIN' BRANDS, INC. by PERNOD RICARD S.A., to protect its interests in the auction. The franchisees of Dunkin' Donuts have...

Latest financial reports.(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... LATEST FINANCIAL REPORTS (in $000) Current % Change Year Year Ago AHOLD NV (ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS) * Qtr. To Sept. 30: Sales 10,249,000 0.7% Net...

Sara Lee Corp. has added "seriously hot" and "seriously bold" flavors to its Jimmy Dean Bold Country rolled sausage line in Jewel Food Stores around Chicago and in some other regions around the country.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... SARA LEE CORP. has added "seriously hot" and "seriously bold" flavors to its Jimmy Dean Bold Country rolled sausage line in JEWEL FOOD STORES around Chicago and in some other regions around the country. These flavors are in response to...

Nearly 80% of parents cite the existence of a kids' menu as an important factor in choosing a limited-service restaurant, according to the Kids' Menu Report 2006 from Technomic Information Services, a division of Technomic, Inc.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Nearly 80% of parents cite the existence of a kids' menu as an important factor in choosing a limited-service restaurant, according to the Kids' Menu Report 2006 from TECHNOMIC INFORMATION SERVICES, a division of TECHNOMIC, INC. At full-service...

Constellation Brands Inc. said it could consider raising its offer to acquire Vincor International Inc. to 35 Canadian dollars ($29.96) per share under certain conditions, but it is not in ongoing discussions for a deal.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... CONSTELLATION BRANDS INC. said it could consider raising its offer to acquire VINCOR INTERNATIONAL INC. to 35 Canadian dollars ($29.96) per share under certain conditions, but it is not in ongoing discussions for a deal. Earlier last week, the...

All Seasons Services of Canton, MA, one of the largest independent providers of dining, vending and office refreshment services, will open its first SHOP24 automated convenience store in the U.S. at Morrisville State College in Morrisville, NY.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ALL SEASONS SERVICES of Canton, MA, one of the largest independent providers of dining, vending and office refreshment services, will open its first SHOP24 automated convenience store in the U.S. at MORRISVILLE STATE COLLEGE in Morrisville, NY....

Beginning in 2006, SK Foods has contracted to process and package all products marketed by Authentic Specialty Foods including all La Victoria and Embasa brand salsas, sauces and other specialty products.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Beginning in 2006, SK FOODS has contracted to process and package all products marketed by AUTHENTIC SPECIALTY FOODS including all La Victoria and Embasa brand salsas, sauces and other specialty products. As a result of the agreement, SK is...

Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMPANIES INC. plans to implement price increases and discount reductions on the majority of volume in early 2006 and considers the domestic beer pricing outlook to be favorable for next year. In separate news, Anheuser-...

Peet's Coffee & Tea.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... PEET'S COFFEE & TEA will move its roasting and distribution operations to a business park in Alameda, CA, where it plans to build a facility large enough to meet its growing needs. The specialty coffee roaster and retailer expects to spend $17...

Tropicana.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... TROPICANA is producing its first chewable snack. Called Tropicana Fruitwise, the fruit bars are fat free, cholesterol free and deliver two USDA servings of fruit... The Dallas Morning News

Smithfield Foods, Inc.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC. plans to close an outdated facility in Salem, VA. The Salem facility's production will be transferred to other plants with no anticipated loss of volume.

Chocolatier House of Brussels Chocolates and its Chocomed, Inc. subsidiary, have announced the introduction of six new gourmet health and wellness bars, targeting specific medical conditions, under its branded "Pure Chocolate" label.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Chocolatier HOUSE OF BRUSSELS CHOCOLATES and its CHOCOMED, INC. subsidiary, have announced the introduction of six new gourmet health and wellness bars, targeting specific medical conditions, under its branded "Pure Chocolate" label. Initial...

Quaker Oats.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... QUAKER OATS is introducing new Life Vanilla Yogurt Crunch, combining classic Life cereal with the taste of yogurt. The new cereal is made with whole grain Quaker Oats and features crunchy oat clusters covered with vanilla flavored yogurt. There...

Freshdirect.(500 calorie meals menu)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... FRESHDIRECT launched its new 500Calorie Meals menu for the holiday season, to allow customers to easily and inexpensively shop for and prepare healthy meals that contain no more than 500 calories. FreshDirect's 500-Calorie Meals each serve two...

C&S Wholesale Grocers.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(refrigerated warehouse)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... C&S WHOLESALE GROCERS is renewing plans to build a 373,547-sq. ft. refrigerated warehouse in Chester, NY, just over a month after it pulled out of the venture... Record Online

Both Baldor Specialty Foods and Anheuser-Busch of New York will relocate and expand on New York City-owned sites in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx, as part of the city's efforts to spur growth of food-related businesses in that area.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Both BALDOR SPECIALTY FOODS and ANHEUSER-BUSCH of New York will relocate and expand on New York City-owned sites in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx, as part of the city's efforts to spur growth of food-related businesses in that...

Stew Leonard.(NEWS IN A MINUTE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... STEW LEONARD'S is looking into locations for a new grocery store, including Newington and Branford, CT, as a normal business strategy. It is currently awaiting court decisions in appeals of the inland wetlands and planning and zoning approvals...

Mergers & acquisitions.(Annie Chun's Inc. acquired by CJ Corp.)(Northland Cranberries Inc. acquires New Harvest Inc.)(Pantry Inc. acquires Waring Oil Co.)
December 5, 2005... Looking to enter the processed food market in the U.S., South Korea-based foodmaker CJ CORP. acquired a 70% stake in ANNIE CHUN'S INC. for $6.08 million. San Francisco, CA-based Annie Chun's sells Asian-style instant foodstuffs and sauce...

Top 15 global beverage companies.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... TOP 15 GLOBAL BEVERAGE COMPANIES (Source: The Beverage World 100) 2004 Sales Company Headquarters Market Segments ($ Millions) Nestle ...

Ongoing effort to reinstate cool for meat.(Washington)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... In an effort to highlight the need to implement country-of-origin labeling for meat and meat products, Sen. Tim Johnson, DS. D., along with co-sponsors Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., recently introduced legislation...

FDA releases 2004 supplement to health and diet survey.(WASHINGTON)
December 5, 2005... FDA's CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY AND APPLIED NUTRITION released the results of the 2004 Supplement to the agency's Health and Diet Survey (HDS). A topline frequency report of the results is available on FDA's website at ...

U.S. wins round in Mexican rice dispute.(Washington)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION Appellate Body found in favor of the U.S. in a challenge of Mexico's antidumping duties on U.S. long grain white rice and several provisions of Mexico's trade laws. The Appellate Body upheld an earlier WTO panel's...

ITC looks at tropical dried fruit & carrageenan from the Philippines.(United States International Trade Commission)
December 5, 2005... The U.S. International Trade Commission released a public version of its report Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2005 Review. The report provided advice with respect to the economic impact...

FDA issues warning letters.(United States Food and Drug Administration)
December 5, 2005... BARTUSH-SCHNITZIUS FOODS CO., Lewisvilte, TX was the recipent of a warning letter from FDA's Dallas office following an inspection of its facility on Sept. 8-13. FDA inspectors found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and...

Questions and answers on avian influenza ("bird flu") and food safety.(from United States. Food and Drug Administration)
December 5, 2005... What is avian influenza ("bird flu")? Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get...

Italian pasta.(NOTED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ITALIAN PASTA: revoked the antidumping duty order on pasta from Italy produced and also exported by Pallante because the company sold the subject merchandise at not less than normal value for a period of at least three consecutive years....

Soybeans.(Noted in the Federal Register)(soybean products promotion)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... SOYBEANS: AMS is reviewing the Soybean Promotion and Research Program, a national producer program for soybean and soybean product promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information as part of a comprehensive strategy to...

Honey.(antidumping duties)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... HONEY: ITA announced the rescission of the antidumping duty new shipper review for honey from Argentina, The products covered are natural honey, artificial honey containing more than 50% natural honey by weight, preparations of natural honey...

Produce.
December 5, 2005... BANANAS -- Chiquita Brands International, Inc. announced that approximately 4,000 acres of the company's banana farms in Honduras and more than 1,200 acres of banana farms of independent growers have been severely flooded, due to heavy rains...

The U.S. keeps permitting wide use of methyl bromide.(for vegetables and crops )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The U.S. keeps permitting wide use of methyl bromide for tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and other crops, even though the U.S. signed an international treaty banning all but the most critical uses by 2005. Farmers are struggling to find a...

Competition for vegetables on the East Coast is directly being impacted by the rise in diesel costs.(IN THE NEWS ...)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Competition for vegetables on the East Coast is directly being impacted by the rise in diesel costs. California vegetable growers say transportation costs give Mexican imports an edge. Mexican vegetables that enter the U.S. in Texas are two...

The chopping process of fresh produce actually jumpstarts.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The chopping process of fresh produce actually jumpstarts some of the disease-fighting properties of some items, according to a research team from Wageningen University in The Netherlands, reported The Packer Online.

Fresh Express introduced Baby Blends.(IN THE NEWS ...)
December 5, 2005... Fresh Express introduced Baby Blends, six new bagged salads made with a selection of greens still uncommon on the American dinner table, reported TheState.com.

Wendy's International Inc. has pulled fresh fruit from the menu.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Wendy's International Inc. has pulled fresh fruit from the menu at its burger restaurants because sales did not live up to expectations, reported CNNMoney.com, for more on this story see page 2.

Canned vegetables.(sales)
December 5, 2005... USDA HAS PURCHASED--USDA purchased 19,890 cases of 24/300 cans of dried canned vegetarian beans for distribution to the Needy Family and other related domestic food assistance programs. The purchases were made from New Era Canning Company and...

Tomato products.(prices and rates)
December 5, 2005... Inventories in the canned tomato market are steady but tightening as pricing continues to increase due to rising packaging costs. As a result, some industry insiders indicate that the continued upward pressure on prices could impact trade come...

Frozen vegetables.(inventory data)
December 5, 2005... USDA HAS PURCHASED--USDA purchased 9,240 cases of 6/5 lb bags of frozen mashed sweet potatoes for distribution to the Child Nutrition and other related domestic food assistance programs. The purchases were made from U.S. Food Service at an...

Canned fruit.
December 5, 2005... APPLES--Apples for processing are in good supply this year, no issues being reported with quality. Supply and demand is balanced and comparable to last year. Sweetened applesauce is currently trading for $13.00 to $13.25 per case, f.o.b....

Oxfam announced this week that the U.S., EU and Japan are using unfair trade subsidies.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Oxfam announced this week that the U.S., EU and Japan are using unfair trade subsidies in canned fruits and other food markets. It is believed that the subsidies, which range from 12% to 100%, denied developing countries of approximately $100...

Philippines-based San Miguel formed a joint venture with NutriAsia to acquire Del Monte Pacific.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Philippines-based San Miguel formed a joint venture with NutriAsia to acquire Del Monte Pacific. DMPL owns Del Monte brand rights for the Philippines and the Indian sub-continent. The company also has long-term contracts to supply canned...

Processed fish.
December 5, 2005... SHRIMP--Reports that damage from Hurricane Katrina may prompt Bumble Bee Food LLC to close a plant in Violet, LA, the last in the country that cans shrimp caught in U.S. waters, are premature. Kent McNeil, CFO of Bumble Bee indicated that both...

Commercial fishermen are forming a national organization to promote their image.(IN THE NEWS ...)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Commercial fishermen are forming a national organization to promote their image and press their interests before Congress. The organization, called the Commercial Fishermen of America, hopes to be up and running by spring. Issues facing...

Commercial fishermen discard more than 1.2 billion pounds of fish every year.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Commercial fishermen discard more than 1.2 billion pounds of fish every year, mostly because they accidentally catch the wrong kind or surpass their quotas, according to a study released by the environmental group Oceana, reported The Seattle...

NMFS issued a proposed rule that would revise.(National Marine Fisheries Service)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... NMFS issued a proposed rule that would revise the maximum retainable amount of .other species. in the directed arrowtooth flounder fishery from 0% to 20%. This action would allow conservation and management of species within the .other species....

The EU and Norway agreed on 2006 North Sea fishing quotas.(European Union)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The EU and Norway agreed on 2006 North Sea fishing quotas that set lower catches for cod, herring and other species long threatened by overfishing. Next year, the total cod catch shared between Norwegian and EU fleets will fall to 23,205 metric...

Dried vegetables.
December 5, 2005... USDA OFFERS TO BUY--USDA is planning to purchase up to 30 million pounds of dry beans for donation to child nutrition and other domestic food assistance programs. For more information contact USDA at 202-720-4517. USDA HAS PURCHASED DRY...

Dried fruit & nuts.
December 5, 2005... WALNUTS--USDA is adopting an interim final rule suspending the provision of the walnut marketing order pertaining to the eligibility of members to serve on the Walnut Marketing Board. This action is an interim measure that addresses a change in...

Frozen fruits.(consumption data)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... CONSUMPTION UPDATE--Frozen fruit consumption in 2004 fell 13% from the previous year to 2.31 pounds per person, and is 1% below the 5-year average. Blueberry consumption fell 22% to .28 pounds per person. Frozen strawberry consumption also...

Chefs and the slow-food movement are determined to put the pawpaw fruit.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Chefs and the slow-food movement are determined to put the pawpaw fruit back on the American plate, reported USA Today. One grower in California's San Joaquin Valley is in search of a buyer for 300 pounds of frozen pawpaw pulp. Analyst:...

Juices & concentrates.(sales)
December 5, 2005... SUPERMARKET SALES--U.S. bottled juice supermarket sales for the third quarter of 2005 totaled 1.4 billion pints, down 2% from the same quarter a year ago. The dollar value for this year's third quarter was $779.6 million, down less than one...

Pomegranates are a $23 million industry in California.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Pomegranates are a $23 million industry in California and Fresno County is among the leading growers in the state, producing a $10.4 million crop last year, reported The Fresno Bee.

China's Apple Juice market poses a smaller threat than expected.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... China's Apple Juice market poses a smaller threat than expected. China once was considered a big threat to the U.S. juice concentrate business, rising prices and an inability to deliver as promised has some juice importers questioning China's...

Butter.(MARKETS)
December 5, 2005... BUTTER BUTTER MARKET, DEC. 2 (Source: CME) Cents Per Pound: 12/2/2005 11/23/2005 Chge. Grade AA 1.3750 1.4000 -.0250

Cheese.(MARKETS)
December 5, 2005... CHEESE CHEDDAR CHEESE MARKET DEC. 2 Cents Per Pound: 12/2/2005 Chge. Fr. Last Wk. Barrels 1.3875 +.0325 Blocks (40-lbs.) 1.4175 +0.350

Eggs.(prices in United States market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... EGGS EGG PRICES TO RETAILERS DEC. 2 (Source: USDA) Wk. Ending Wk. Ending Cents per dozen: 2-Dec 23-Nov. Chge. Extra Large-NY 27-82 78-82 0 Large-NY 76-80...

Chicken.(prices in United States)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... CHICKEN PRELIMINARY BROILER PRICES FOR DELIVERY THE WEEK OF DEC. 5 Cents Per Pound: This Week Last Week Chicago 54-57 N/A Cleveland Too Few Too Few Detroit Too Few Too Few...

Futures prices.(MARKETS)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... FUTURE PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Cash Dec. Mar. 06 As of Dec. 1, 2005: Price Futures Futures Corn, bu. $1.78 $1.89 ...

Commodity prices.(MARKETS)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... COMMODITY PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Week Week % Chge. Ended Ended Last Dec. 2 Nov....

Farm prices.(MARKETS)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... WHAT FARMERS WERE PAID FOR FARM PRODUCTS - NOV. (Source: USDA) % Chge. % Chge. Commodity & Unit Nov. Last Mo. Last Yr. Beans, Dry Edible, Cwt. 18.900 0.5% ...

Food institute seminar sheds some light on what's ahead in 2006.
December 12, 2005... While food manufacturers and distributors have been facing huge cost increases, the impact on consumers will be moderate in 2006, according to experts speaking at The Food Institute's first annual outlook seminar Input Costs to Consumer...

Heinz exploring sale of Hain celestial shares.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... As part of its strategy announced earlier this year to focus on core categories, H.J. Heinz Co. plans to explore the sale of about 6.1 million shares of The Hain Celestial Group Inc., the maker of natural foods and personal-care products....

Coke set to launch bevy of new products.
December 12, 2005... Following the launch of more than 1,000 products in 2005, Coca Cola Co. has several new products in the pipeline for 2006. It has allocated an additional $400 million annually, beginning this year, to marketing and new product development. Coke...

Food lion proceeds with new design.(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... FOOD LION will this week unveil a new shopper-friendly store in a Rutherfordton, NC location. This is part of an effort, begun in 2005, to revamp the company's retail stores' look and feel, coupled with an updated product offering and improved...

What's America snacking on?(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... Fruit is the No. 1 selection made by the majority (76%) of adults participating in PARADE's 2005 What America Eats survey. However, fruit barely surpasses the popularity of popcorn and ice cream, selected by 74% and 72%, respectively. Other...

Organic foods have room for growth.
December 12, 2005... With just 6% to 15% of U.S. consumers purchasing organic foods regularly, there is room for growth of these products. However, price will play an integral role in how mainstream organic products actually become, according to a survey by...

IOM wants more effort to increase kids' awareness of healthy foods.(Institute of medicine)
December 12, 2005... Food and beverage marketing targeted to children ages 12 and under leads them to request and consume high-calorie, low-nutrient products, according to the INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE (IOM) OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES, which is calling for significant...

Grocery trends in 2005.
December 12, 2005... Traditional supermarket business is being pinched by big box, club and specialty stores. This has lead to some necessary changes in order to stay competitive. Here is a look at the latest grocery and food store trends, which companies hope will...

York Development Group, Charlotte, NC, recently acquired the Bear Rock Cafe area development rights for up to 30 locations across the Carolinas.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... YORK DEVELOPMENT GROUP, Charlotte, NC, recently acquired the BEAR ROCK CAFE area development rights for up to 30 locations across the Carolinas. The quick-casual restaurant features a wide variety of sandwiches, fresh salads, oven-fresh breads,...

Qdoba Mexican Grill signed a multiunit development agreement to open more than 20 additional restaurants in Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL signed a multiunit development agreement to open more than 20 additional restaurants in Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. The company signed the agreement with Michael Pranke, president of ROARING FORK, LLC, who is a...

Carlyle Group and JPMorgan Partners LLC plan to place competing bids to buy the Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin Robbins and Togo's chains from Dunkin' Brands Inc.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... CARLYLE GROUP and JPMORGAN PARTNERS LLC plan to place competing bids to buy the DUNKIN' DONUTS, BASKIN ROBBINS and TOGO'S chains from DUNKIN' BRANDS INC. Owner, PERNOD RICARD, wants to sell the units to reduce debt and focus on liquor sales......

U.S. Foodservice.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(facility closures)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... U.S. FOODSERVICE will close a distribution center in Western Pennsylvania in March, the company told state officials. The Maryland-based company, which distributes food to military bases, civil governments, restaurants and caterers will...

Papa John's International, Inc.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... PAPA JOHN'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.'s 2006 growth plans include restaurant sales growth of 2%-3%, opening 210 to 240 worldwide units, half of which will be in the U.S., and closing 70 to 100 units. Capital expenditures for 2006 are expected to be...