The Food Institute Report articles from March 2008

The Food Institute Report archives from March 2008

Food-away-from prices projected to climb 3% to 4%.(Statistical table)
March 3, 2008... The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food-away-home is now forecast to increase as much as 4% this year by USDA, up half a percentage point from prior projections as foodservice operators continue to pass on higher commodity and energy costs....

Asian flavor spreading to restaurants, supermarket aisles.(Industry overview)
March 3, 2008... As consumer preference for Asian foods grows, so do company product lines and chain restaurants focusing on the cuisine. Asian menu offerings grew 17% from January 2006 to October 2007, and Asian-themed fast-casual restaurants went up 6% in...

Private label sales going up as economy falters.(Survey)
March 3, 2008... Private label growth is surpassing national brand expansion, according to research by THE NIELSEN COMPANY, reported Supermarket News (Jan. 28). As a slowing U.S. economy and housing market and rising food prices negatively impact household...

Retailers up prices, but not as much as food makers.(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Despite a pretty steep hike in retail prices during January, wholesale advances continue to outpace them when comparing year over year data. In January, the Producer Price Index for finished consumer foods, which reflects wholesale prices,...

Consumers report when they eat out, and why.(Survey)
March 3, 2008... Revealing insights into dining attitudes, behaviors, and trends, Restaurants & Institutions (January) published the results of their New American Diner Study, which surveyed nearly 2,200 U.S. consumers. Away-from-home dining and snacking...

Unique products, reasonable prices spell success for Trader Joe's.(Trader Joe's Company Inc.)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... By primarily limiting its stock to specialty products at low prices, Trader Joe's sells twice as much per square foot than other supermarkets, detailed Business Week Online (Feb. 21). Sandy Skrovan, head of food store research at consulting...

Cold Stone readying new products.(Cold Stone Creamery)
March 3, 2008... Fans of Cold Stone Creamery will have an array of new choices--including indulgent as well as lower-calorie treats--to select from starting in May. The Scottsdale, AZ-based company, known for creamy super premium ice cream that is customized...

Mccormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, Inc.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS, INC. opened its 13th California restaurant in Anaheim. This marks the first of McCormick & Schmick's 12 planned openings for 2008.

Chophouse opened in a new Hilton Hotel in Bloomington.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... CHOPHOUSE opened in a new HILTON HOTEL in Bloomington, MN... The Minneapolis Star Tribune (Feb. 20).

Sheetz Inc.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... SHEETZ INC. opened its third location in Greenville, NC... Convenience Store News (Feb. 26).

Vegiterranean Restaurant and Bar.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... Chrissie Hynde and Daniel Duplain are looking for sites in Downtown Columbus, OH for a second edition of their VEGITERRANEAN RESTAURANT AND BAR. The original restaurant, described as vegan and kosher, opened a little more than three months ago...

New England Pantry Inc. opened a 3,200-sq. ft. Pantry Gourmet store in Worcester, MA.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... NEW ENGLAND PANTRY INC. opened a 3,200-sq. ft. PANTRY GOURMET store in Worcester, MA. The company plans to open a second Pantry Gourmet in Plainville this summer... The Telegram & Gazette (Feb. 20).

BJ's Restaurants, Inc. opened a BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Cincinnati.(NEW STORE NEWS)
March 3, 2008... BJ'S RESTAURANTS, INC. opened a BJ'S RESTAURANT AND BREWHOUSE in Cincinnati, marking its 69th restaurant.

Hand-held foods sporting new flavors, shapes, ethnic specialties, cites trends report.
March 3, 2008... Portable meal solutions or snacks for consumers on the go are expanding to new flavor and form horizons, according to a new study Hand-Held: Culinary Trend Mapping Report from PACKAGED FACTS and the CENTER FOR CULINARY DEVELOPMENT. Ethnic...

Wholesale food prices up another 1.5% in January.(Statistical table)
March 3, 2008... For the second consecutive month, the index for wholesale finished consumer foods rose 1.5% in January over the prior month. The index for finished consumer food stood 8.3% above January 2007, the largest year over year increase since October...

Whole Foods.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... WHOLE FOODS is opening a "groceraunt"--a combination grocery store and restaurant--in Arizona's Northeast Valley. The 50,000-sq. ft. building is green certified, and features several mini-restaurants surrounding aisles of organic foods, beer,...

Food Lion is preparing to open a BLOOM grocery store in Raleigh, NC, designed to appeal to younger, technologically savvy shoppers.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... FOOD LION is preparing to open a BLOOM grocery store in Raleigh, NC, designed to appeal to younger, technologically savvy shoppers. Consumers can tally up their tab with hand-held scanners as they go up the aisles, and kiosks print out menu...

Tesco PLC named 17 locations for its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores in the Sacramento area starting in 2009, according to bizjournals.com.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... TESCO PLC named 17 locations for its FRESH & EASY NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET stores in the Sacramento area starting in 2009, according to bizjournals.com. The first wave of Fresh & Easy stores will open from Sacramento to Folsom, and from Lincoln to...

Roundy's Supermarkets plans to open between 15 and 25 grocery stores in the Chicago market.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)
March 3, 2008... ROUNDY'S SUPERMARKETS plans to open between 15 and 25 grocery stores in the Chicago market. It will also consider acquiring existing grocery stores in Chicago, including DOMINICK'S.Chicago SunTimes (Feb. 25)

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company rolled out ACE Stone Ground Whole Grain Breads at its A&P, Waldbaum's, The Food Emporium and Super Fresh stores.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... THE GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA COMPANY rolled out ACE Stone Ground Whole Grain Breads at its A&P, Waldbaum's, The Food Emporium and Super Fresh stores. Through an exclusive partnership with ACE bakery, the chain will offer a dedicated whole...

Kowalski.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The KOWALSKI'S grocery chain will test a new European street market look in a St. Paul, MN location in response to customer habits, which are reflecting those of traditional Europeans who tend to shop more frequently. The new store will feature...

Target Corp. expects to handle perishables distribution completely on its own within the next four to five years, according to Gregg Steinhafel, president.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... TARGET CORP. expects to handle perishables distribution completely on its own within the next four to five years, according to Gregg Steinhafel, president. Until then, the company will use a "hybrid network for the foreseeable future where we...

Tops Markets.(RETAILER ROUNDUP)
March 3, 2008... TOPS MARKETS wants to expand in the Rochester, NY market, according to CEO Frank Curci, who said the company intends to grow significantly over the next five years, which means adding local stores... 13wham.com (Feb. 28)

Lenny's Sub Shop.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)
March 3, 2008... LENNY'S SUB SHOP is set to open 50 new restaurants this year. The 150-unit chain continues to breed rapid franchise growth and robust store sales with plans to open hundreds more units over the next several years... Franchising.com (Feb. 21)

Kentucky Fried Chicken.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)
March 3, 2008... KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN launched the Toasted Wrap, a grill-pressed flour tortilla filled with a crispy all-white meat chicken strip, lettuce, pepper mayo and topped with a three-cheese blend. The Toasted Wrap is the first new product launched...

Baskin-Robbins, a unit of Dunkin' Brands, will open 40 stores over the next four years in Central Ohio, beginning spring 2008.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)
March 3, 2008... BASKIN-ROBBINS, a unit of DUNKIN' BRANDS, will open 40 stores over the next four years in Central Ohio, beginning spring 2008. Baskin-Robbins is also planning stores in Cincinnati and Dayton, for a total of 90 stores in Ohio over the next five...

Burger King.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... BURGER KING plans to start selling several new items this year, including two specialty Whoppers, a BK Wrapper, three new flavors for its iced coffee line, a steakhouse burger, smoothies and Kraft macaroni and cheese for children. An Angry...

Pinku and Chintu Inc. will open the first Kansas City Dunkin Donuts location in November and three more by 2010.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)
March 3, 2008... PINKU AND CHINTU INC. will open the first Kansas City DUNKIN DONUTS location in November and three more by 2010... Kansas City Business Journal (Feb. 25)

Second Cup.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)
March 3, 2008... SECOND CUP, the largest specialty coffee franchiser in Canada, intends to open more than 50 new cafes globally this year, which will more than double its international presence. Second Cup's 400th cafe opened on Jan. 26 in Istanbul, Turkey.

McDonald's.(ON THE FOODSERVICE FRONT)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... MCDONALD'S quietly raised prices in its 875 retail outlets across China for the first time this year to cope with the rising costs of various ingredients. McDonald's published new price quotes at its outlets starting Feb. 23, involving rises of...

Constellation Brands, Inc. completed the sale of the Almaden and Inglenook wine brands, and the Paul Masson winery to The Wine Group LLC for $134 million in cash.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. completed the sale of the Almaden and Inglenook wine brands, and the PAUL MASSON winery to THE WINE GROUP LLC for $134 million in cash. For prior mention, see FOOD INSTITUTE REPORT Jan. 28, page 7.

Huffman Oil Co. Inc., Burlington, NC, sold most of its 35 Huff's Neighborhood Stores to several buyers.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... HUFFMAN OIL CO. INC., Burlington, NC, sold most of its 35 HUFF'S NEIGHBORHOOD STORES to several buyers. QUALITY OIL CO. contracted to acquire 16 stores and has already closed on 14. BOULOUS PROPERTIES LLC contracted to buy four stores, and...

Lambert Development sold its commercial condos housing Potrero Hill Whole Foods Market site in San Francisco.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... LAMBERT DEVELOPMENT sold its commercial condos housing Potrero Hill WHOLE FOODS MARKET site in San Francisco, CA for nearly $17 million to a private family from Southern California... San Francisco Business Times (Feb. 22)

Nutracea, Phoenix, AZ, a world leader in stabilized rice bran, nutrient research and technology.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... NUTRACEA, Phoenix, AZ, a world leader in stabilized rice bran, nutrient research and technology, purchased IRGOVEL, the largest rice bran oil processing facility in South America, for approximately $14 million.

Mexican-products supermarket chain Northgate Gonzalez, Anaheim, CA, finalized its purchase of the El Tigre chain, consolidating its position as one of the largest Latino market chains in the nation.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... Mexican-products supermarket chain NORTHGATE GONZALEZ, Anaheim, CA, finalized its purchase of the EL TIGRE chain, consolidating its position as one of the largest Latino market chains in the nation. El Tigre's five supermarkets are located in...

Quik Way Retail Associates II Ltd. will acquire Motiva Enterprises LLC's interest in 86 SHELL-branded stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... QUIK WAY RETAIL ASSOCIATES II LTD. will acquire MOTIVA ENTERPRISES LLC'S interest in 86 SHELL-branded stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Quik Way Retail Associates will lease 27 of these locations to 7-ELEVEN INC., and the convenience...

A group of investors, including Shamrock Activist Value Fund LP, increased its stake in Reddy Ice Holdings Inc.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... A group of investors, including SHAMROCK ACTIVIST VALUE FUND LP, increased its stake in REDDY ICE HOLDINGS INC., Dallas, to 15.6%, up from 14.4%, according to a filing with the SEC... The Associated Press (Feb. 26)

Southeast Milk, Inc. agreed to purchase two dairies in Plant City, FL, and in Hammond, LA from Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., Jacksonville, FL.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)(Los Angeles, United States)(Florida, United States)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... SOUTHEAST MILK, INC. agreed to purchase two dairies in Plant City, FL, and in Hammond, LA from WINN-DIXIE STORES, INC., Jacksonville, FL. Both facilities will remain in full production and Winn-Dixie associates working in the plants will become...

Spicy Pickle.(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)
March 3, 2008... SPICY PICKLE fast casual restaurants, Denver, acquired four locations in Colorado from former franchisees. The acquired units are located in Federal Heights, Greenwood Village, Denver and Ft. Collins.

Bridge Point, a European private equity firm, agreed to acquire a majority stake in Pret a manger, operator of 200 sandwich and salad restaurants (175 in the UK, 14 in the U.S., 11 in Hong Kong).(MERGER RELATED NEWS)(Pret A Manger Europe Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... BRIDGE POINT, a European private equity firm, agreed to acquire a majority stake in PRET A MANGER, operator of 200 sandwich and salad restaurants (175 in the UK, 14 in the U.S., 11 in Hong Kong). The founders and management of Pret A Manger...

Cadbury Schweppes completed the sale of its Monk Hill business to Tangerine Confectionery Ltd.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... CADBURY SCHWEPPES completed the sale of its MONK HILL business to TANGERINE CONFECTIONERY LTD. The sale of Monk hill completes the program announced in October 2005 to dispose of non-core brands and businesses.

Empire Company Limited and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... EMPIRE COMPANY LIMITED and certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including SCOBEY LEASED PROPERTIES LIMITED, entered into agreements to sell 61 retail properties to CRUMBIER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST for approximately $428.5 million.

Marring Frigorific E Comerica De Aliments S.A. acquired Carroll's Food Do Brazil S.A. for $25.2 million through its Frigorific Mabel Ltd. subsidiary.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... MARRING FRIGORIFIC E COMERICA DE ALIMENTS S.A. acquired CARROLL'S FOOD DO BRAZIL S.A. for $25.2 million through its FRIGORIFIC MABEL LTD. subsidiary. Carroll's specializes in the production and sale of pork... Meat & Poultry

Nash Finch.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... NASH FINCH foresees more opportunities to acquire businesses, especially in the distribution sector, although no such deals are "under way or imminent," noted Alec Covington, president and chief executive officer, in a conference call on Feb....

In a deal valued at $1.2 billion, Sampler PLC acquired 79.89% of the outstanding shares of Koninklijke Grolsch NV through a public tender offer that expired Feb. 5.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... In a deal valued at $1.2 billion, SAMPLER PLC acquired 79.89% of the outstanding shares of KONINKLIJKE GROLSCH NV through a public tender offer that expired Feb. 5, giving it a 99.46% majority ownership of the brewer.St. Louis Business Journal...

Minerva S.A. concluded negotiations for the acquisition of beef producer Lord Meat.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... MINERVA S.A. concluded negotiations for the acquisition of beef producer LORD MEAT. The acquisition of Lord Meat, which has a 500 head/day slaughtering capacity, initially raises Minerva's installed capacity by 10%. In six months, with the...

Specialty Foods Group, Inc. completed the sale of its Humboldt dry sausage division to Ancor Holdings, LP.(MERGER RELATED NEWS)
March 3, 2008... SPECIALTY FOODS GROUP, INC. completed the sale of its HUMBOLDT dry sausage division to ANCOR HOLDINGS, LP for approximately $33.0 million.

Latest financial reports (IN $000).(Statistical table)(Financial report)
March 3, 2008... LATEST FINANCIAL REPORTS (IN $000) Current % Change Year Year Ago AMBEV (SAO PAULO, BRAZIL) Qtr. To Dec. 31: Sales $5,826,400 10.5% Net...

More government involvement stressed at hearing of contaminated food.(WASHINGTON)
March 3, 2008... On Feb. 26, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing entitled, "Contaminated Food: Private Sector Accountability." This hearing was summarized by Food Institute Counsel,...

Recall spreads through food industry.(WASHINGTON)
March 3, 2008... The U.S.' largest meat recall was expanded to include processed foods that used the meat. GENERAL MILLS INC., for instance, recalled 35,000 cases of its Progresso Italian Wedding soup because it contained beef from a supplier that got meat from...

FDA updates soluble fiber rule.(WASHINGTON)
March 3, 2008... FDA published an interim final rule amending the regulation that authorizes a health claim about the relationship between beta-glucan soluble fiber from certain foods and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) to include barley betafiber...

FDA issues warning letters.(WASHINGTON)(Scheenstra Farms, Inc.)
March 3, 2008... SCHEENSTRA FARMS, INC., Sunnyside, WA, was issued a warning letter on Feb. 6, 2008 by FDA after an investigation of the company's dairy operation on Nov. 27 and 30, 2007. FDA found that the company offered an animal for sale for slaughter as...

FDA's Feb. 27 enforcement report.(WASHINGTON)(Le Gourmet Connection)(Kadouri International Foods, Inc.)(Food and Drug Administration )(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... PROSPERITY RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL INC.'S recall of its Golden Flower Dried Lily Bulb is complete. The recall was initiated on Dec. 3, 2007. LE GOURMET CONNECTION, LLC'S recall of its Le Gourmet Connection Jack Cheese is complete. The...

Orthodox Union kosher alert.(WASHINGTON)
March 3, 2008... WYKE FARMS' Village Oak Vintage Cheddar is mislabeled. This product's Hebrew label (as applied by the Israeli importer) bears an unauthorized OU representation. The product is being withdrawn from the marketplace. SOLOMON'S Ground Buffalo...

BROWNWOOD ACRES FOODS INC., CHERRY CAPITAL SERVICES INC. (d.b.a. FLAVONOID SCIENCES) and two of their top executives signed a consent decree that effectively prohibits the companies and their executives from manufacturing and distributing any products with claims in the label or labeling to cure, treat, mitigate or prevent diseases.(YOU SHOULD KNOW ...)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... BROWNWOOD ACRES FOODS INC., CHERRY CAPITAL SERVICES INC. (d.b.a. FLAVONOID SCIENCES) and two of their top executives signed a consent decree that effectively prohibits the companies and their executives from manufacturing and distributing any...

Federal Trade Commission.(YOU SHOULD KNOW ...)
March 3, 2008... The FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) is holding the second in a series of public workshops as part of its regulatory review of the "Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims," commonly known as the Green Guides. The workshop, which is...

Humane Society of the United States.(YOU SHOULD KNOW ...)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES obtained enough signatures to qualify The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act for California's November Ballot. If approved, the act would prevent California factory farms from confining animals in...

Turtle Island Foods.(YOU SHOULD KNOW ...)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Meanwhile, the Human Society will put its seal of approval on food, beginning with TURTLE ISLAND FOODS' tofu-based Tofurky all-vegetarian deli slices. Other products will follow, including roasts, hot dogs, sausages, franks, burgers, as well as...

The Mermaid Inn is the latest restaurant to drop seafood purveyor Wild Edibles over a labor dispute it has with its workers.(YOU SHOULD KNOW ...)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The MERMAID INN is the latest restaurant to drop seafood purveyor WILD EDIBLES over a labor dispute it has with its workers. Wild Edibles was sued by 16 employees in its Long Island City warehouse, who allege that the company does not pay...

Produce.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HIGHLIGHTS--A late-week storm hammered CA and the western Great Basin with high winds and heavy precipitation. Two earlier Western storms had produced generally light precipitation, primarily from CA to the Four...

Canned vegetables.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... Since Jan. 2004, both CPI and PPI prices have risen almost exactly 2%, although since then, both prices have been have experienced a wide 8% range. CPI prices have been consistently the higher of the two, although it looks like PPI prices might...

Tomato products.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... Skyrocketing costs of everything from fuel to fertilizer, immigration revisions and NAFTA are impacting Florida's tomato industry, according to the Miami Herald. During the past 10 years, the number of packing houses in the state has been...

Frozen vegetables.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... Trends for both Retail and Wholesale prices have been widely different since May 2007. Wholesale prices skyrocketed between May and July of last year, jumping more than 3% before slowing down. Retail was slow to follow, sometimes performing the...

Canned fruits.(MARKETS)
March 3, 2008... PEARS--Imports of canned pears in 2007 totaled 84.4 million pounds, an increase of 15% over 2006. China accounted for over two thirds of all imported canned pears. Value of canned pear imports was listed at $29.8 million, up 18% over last year....

Processed fish.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... COD--NMFS prohibited directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-American Fisheries Act crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central...

NMFS announced final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.(IN THE NEWS ...)(National Marine Fisheries Service)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... NMFS announced final 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for...

Dried vegetables.(MARKETS)(Statistical table)
March 3, 2008... KANSAS CITY COMMODITY OFFER EBES offers due by 9AM CDT, Mar. 4, 2008 * Shipments Between Apr. 1-22, 2008 for Inland * * Shipments Between Apr. 23-May 13, 2008 for Port * All commodities in 50-kg. packs. Product ...

Dried fruits & nuts.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... U.S. IMPORTS OF DRIED FRUITS JAN. 1-DEC. 31, 2007 Pounds % Chge. Dollars % Chge. (,1000) Last Yr. ($1,000) Last Yr. Apricots 35,976 -10.0% ...

Frozen fruits.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... STRAWBERRIES--IQF Mexican strawberries are priced around 75 cents to 80 cents and about 70 cents for sliced 4+1 strawberries--f.o.b. Texas. Sliced California 4 + 1 in 30 lb pails are around 69 cents per pound and sliced California 4 + 1 in...

Juices & concentrates.(MARKETS)(Statistical data)
March 3, 2008... GRAPEFRUIT--Prices of 58 Brix pink grapefruit juice concentrate prices remain firm and are around $1.40-$1.50 per pound solid, f.o.b. Florida. ORANGE JUICE--Imports of FCOJ into the U.S. totaled 47.5 million concentrate gallons. Brazil...

Butter.(MARKETS)
March 3, 2008... BUTTER MARKET, FEBRUARY 29 (Source: USDA) Cents Per Pound: 2/29/2008 2/22/08 Chge. Grade AA 1.22 1.19 +0.0317

Cheese.(MARKETS)
March 3, 2008... CHEDDAR CHEESE MARKET FEBRUARY 29 Cents Per Pound: 2/29/2008 Chge. Fr. Last Wk. Barrels 2.0085 -0.0115 Blocks (40-lbs.) 2.0640 0.0034

Eggs.(MARKETS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... EGG PRICES TO RETAILERS FEBRUARY 29 Wk. Ending Wk. Ending Cents per dozen: 29-Feb 22-Feb Chge. Extra Large-NY 163-167 157-161 6 Large-NY ...

Chicken.(MARKETS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... PRELIMINARY BROILER PRICES FOR DELIVERY THE WEEK OF MARCH 3 Cents Per Pound: This Week Last Week Chicago 75-78 75-78 Cleveland Too Few Too Few Detroit Too Few Too Few...

Future prices.(MARKETS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... FUTURES PRICES Cash March May As of February 29, 2008: Price Futures Futures Corn, bu. $5.18 $5.43 $5.56 Soybeans, bu. ...

Commodity prices.(MARKETS)(Statistical table)
March 3, 2008... COMMODITY PRICES Week Week % Chge. Ended Ended Last 29-Feb 22-Feb Year Steers, Tex.-Okl....

Food firms reformulating, innovating to reduce impact of rising costs.
March 10, 2008... Food manufacturers are employing belt-tightening strategies as they confront continually rising commodity costs, outlined The Wall Street Journal (Mar. 7). Whether it is cutting back on ingredients and reformulating or increasing prices,...

Children's drinks reflect adult trends, face "responsible" requirements.
March 10, 2008... The amount of beverages targeted at children is forecast to have a growth rate of 5%, more than double the current amount, according to PACKAGED FACTS' new Kid's Beverages in the U.S. report. Sales are expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2012,...

Small foods making a big impact.
March 10, 2008... Being considered a "snack food" no longer has a bad connotation, as many QSRs and other eating establishments are scrambling to fulfill customer's desires for smaller foods at a smaller price. These foods have flourished not only because it...

The internet--no longer niche technology.(Survey)
March 10, 2008... The majority (85%) of the world's population has used the internet to make a purchase, increasing the share for online shopping by 40% in the past two years, according to a NIELSEN Global Online Survey on internet shopping habits. The internet...

Cheese trends reflect gourmet, convenience-oriented products.
March 10, 2008... Consumers are seeking cheeses with a gourmet profile and are increasingly turning to natural cheeses, while interest in processed products declines, according to the WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD, outlined the INTERNATIONAL DAIRY.DELI.BAKERY...

University of Minnesota.(HEALTH HITS)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... In a five-year study, teenagers who skipped breakfast were found to weigh about 5-lbs. more than those who ate breakfast, according to research from the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. This was despite the fact that the breakfast-eaters consumed more...

An adolescent's vitamin K status could have important long-term implications on bone health, and a better status may protect them from osteoporosis later in life, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.(HEALTH HITS)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... An adolescent's vitamin K status could have important long-term implications on bone health, and a better status may protect them from osteoporosis later in life, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. An improved...

Agricultural Research Service.(HEALTH HITS)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... Strawberries, grapes, blueberries and some seasonings contain compounds that can, in test tubes, kill cells of a childhood cancer, according to scientists from the AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE. Current studies build upon findings about the...