The Food Institute Report articles from October 2004

The Food Institute Report archives from October 2004

"Real" restaurant sales impacted by hurricanes & Olympics in August ...
October 4, 2004... While actual sales at the nation's eating and drinking places increased 4.5% during August over the comparable month last year, when deflated by the Food Institute's 3.4% eating and drinking place inflation estimate, "real" sales increased just...

... Grocery store "real" sales slip 2.4%.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... The same factors obviously impacted supermarkets during August as well, with "real" sales at the nation's grocery stores dropping 4.2% from the prior month, and 2.4% from the same month last year, according to the Food Institute. In addition,...

Seafood COOL delayed until spring 2005, processed seafood exempted.(country of origin labeling)
October 4, 2004... After receiving 5,600 comments from the industry, USDA adopted an interim final rule that delays the effective date for country of origin labeling (COOL) of fish and shellfish until Apr. 4, 2005, reasoning that many of these products would...

7-Eleven testing upscale, fresh format.(convenience stores)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... 7-Eleven is quietly testing a more "upscale" format in a few dozen stores in Austin, TX, according to industry analysts. One of the stores has been selling fresh fruits, grilled-pressed sandwiches, bakery goods and a variety of salads. Some...

Altoids, Life Savers likely to be sold?(candy industry)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Altoids and Life Savers, two of Kraft Foods Inc.'s highest-profile candy brands, are on the block--or will be, Credit Suisse First Boston analyst David C. Nelson wrote in a report about food companies refocusing their strategies. He also stated...

Krispy Kreme a takeover target?(Kispy Kreme Doughnuts Incorporation)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... McDonald's Corp. and Arby's parent Triarc Cos. Inc. are both "likely" interested in acquiring Kispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., J.P. Morgan analyst John Ivankoe said in a note to clients. McDonald's is currently testing Krispy Kreme doughnuts at 13...

Growth in foodservice packaging purchases expected.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... One third of the 1,600 foodservice operators surveyed said they expect their foodservice packaging purchases to increase in 2005, on average by 9.3%. Meanwhile, 1.9% of operators expect their purchases to decrease, on average of 11.8%. This...

Distributor's new subsidiary to develop multi-unit accounts.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Progressive Group Alliance formed a subsidiary called Multi Unit Alliance (MUA) that will develop multi-unit accounts for its membership. It will focus on attaining regional chain business for its independent distributorships that can be...

Costco sticks to its ways and stays ahead of Sam's Club.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 4, 2004... Costco is attracting bigger spenders and bigger revenue per warehouse than Wal-Mart's Sam's Club, thanks to competitive prices on everyday goods, high-quality items and brand name products. Notably, for seven of the first eight months of this...

2004 state of the industry report: mixed bag of issues reshaping salty segment.(Industry Overview)
October 4, 2004... The salty snacks arena was under great scrutiny in 2003, and still is at present, as nutritional activists, diet defenders, medical researchers and some politicians highlighted negative issues. Despite many dilemmas, the salted snack industry...

U.S. wine consumption increased in 2003, but beer consumption took a hit.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... In 2003, U.S. wine consumption was up 5.2% to 258.3 million 9-liter cases, according to the Adams Wine Handbook 2004, published by Adams Beverage Group. Per capita consumption of wine reached 2.98 gallons per adult, its highest level since 1989...

Albertsons Inc. expanded its online shopping to its Acme Markets division in New Jersey.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Albertsons Inc. expanded its online shopping to its Acme Markets division in New Jersey. The Acme expansions bring the total of online shopping markets for Albertsons to 12... The Idaho Statesman (Sept. 30)

Consumers will pay more for Nature's Promise brands, which roll out at Giant and Stop & Shop stores later this week, than for the 40-year-old line of Giant brand products.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Consumers will pay more for Nature's Promise brands, which roll out at Giant and Stop & Shop stores later this week, than for the 40-year-old line of Giant brand products. By the end of the year, Giant will stock about 90 Nature's Promise...

General Mills Inc.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * General Mills Inc. is converting all of its breakfast cereals to whole grain, in a move that involves changing just over 40% of the company's cereal line. Several of the company's brands, including Cheerios, Wheaties, Total and Wheat Chex,...

Starbucks confirmed it will raise drink prices in North American company-run stores by 11 cents, starting Oct. 6.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Starbucks confirmed it will raise drink prices in North American company-run stores by 11 cents, starting Oct. 6. This represents the first price hike in nearly four years. The higher prices do not apply at Seattle's Best Coffee, a small...

Starbucks.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Meanwhile, Starbucks' chairman Howard Schultz's previous goal of 10,000 stores in the U.S., set in 2002, now appears "light," he says, and the company plans to double the current number of domestic stores to nearly 12,000... MSNBC.com.

Starbucks Coffee Company.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Starbucks Coffee Company will pass its international milestone of 2,000 retail locations outside of North America, following the opening of stores in nine countries this week. The company's longterm goal is at least 15,000 international...

Family Dollar Stores, Inc.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Family Dollar Stores, Inc. will continue its aggressive store-opening program. Current plans are to open about 500 to 560 stores and close 60 to 70 stores in fiscal 2005, resulting in about 8% to 9% net new store growth. The company's main...

ACNielsen.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * ACNielsen's HomeScan Panel took the top 50 grocery products and compared the average prices paid by shoppers over the past 12 months across five different kinds of stores. Shoppers paid the most at club stores ($83.90), followed by...

Sysco Corp.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Through its new internet ordering program called ChefEx, Sysco Corp. has been quietly devising a plan to bring locally grown, specialty products to large foodservice operators. The company finished a beta test in July, and recently gave the...

Technomic's 2004 power distributors.(News In A Minute)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... TECHNOMIC'S 2004 POWER DISTRIBUTORS * (Source: Technomic Inc.) 2003 Sales Sales No. of No. of Company (In Millions) Growth DSRs Accounts Sysco Corp. ...

Houlihan's Inc.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Houlihan's Inc. is looking for a franchisee or two to set up 15 restaurants in Greater Boston. There is just one Houlihan's in the area now in Logan Airport... The Boston Herald (Sept. 27)

Kraft.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Some of Kraft's products that will feature the South Beach Diet seal are Louis Rich turkey, Philadelphia Light fat-free cream cheese, Jello-O sugar-free gelatin, Cool Whip light, Grey Poupon mustard, and Triscuits reduced-fat snacks......

Coca-Cola Co. will not change how it prices its soft-drink concentrate for its biggest bottler, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., in order to focus attention on reversing a sales slump and improving its marketing.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Coca-Cola Co. will not change how it prices its soft-drink concentrate for its biggest bottler, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., in order to focus attention on reversing a sales slump and improving its marketing. One analyst expects Coke to spend...

Lewis Bakeries Inc. unit Chicago Baking Co., the maker of Butternut Bread.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Lewis Bakeries Inc. unit Chicago Baking Co., the maker of Butternut Bread, disclosed plans to shut down its 129-worker Chicago plant next month... The Chicago Tribune (Sept. 26)

Marsh Supermarkets, Indianapolis, acquired another site for its Arthur's Fresh Market concept, a former Atlas Supermarket site.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Marsh Supermarkets, Indianapolis, acquired another site for its Arthur's Fresh Market concept, a former Atlas Supermarket site. The existing building will be demolished to accommodate a new store, slated to open in 2005. The first Arthur's, a...

Meanwhile, Marsh Supermarkets is launching "Premium Gold Ultra," a line of all-natural and antibiotic- and hormone-free Black Angus beef.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Meanwhile, Marsh Supermarkets is launching "Premium Gold Ultra," a line of all-natural and antibiotic-and hormone-free Black Angus beef. The launch follows Marsh's successful rollout of Maverick Ranch all-natural beef at its O'Malia's...

The introduction of Ore-Ida's Extra Crispy fries was backed by the company's first comprehensive advertising campaign in many years.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * The introduction of Ore-Ida's Extra Crispy fries was backed by the company's first comprehensive advertising campaign in many years. The message in the ads has helped fuel Extra Crispy sales--Ore-Ida's frozen potato share is up about 2% since...

Walgreens.(News In A Minute)(drugstores )(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... * Walgreens is budgeting approximately $1.5 billion in capital investments for fiscal 2005, which includes expenditures for new stores, technology and a new distribution center in South Carolina scheduled to open in 2007. The company expects to...

Mergers & acquisitions.(food industry)
October 4, 2004... Denver, CO-based Aspen Baking Co. Inc. acquired New World Bakery Co. Inc., allowing Aspen Baking to expand its product line to include gourmet desserts and a retail bread line. New World's retail breads, available at Whole Foods, will be now be...

Latest financial reports (000 omitted).(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... LATEST FINANCIAL REPORTS (000 omitted) Current % Chge. Year Year Ago CAL-MAINE FOODS, INC. (Jackson, MS) 13 Wks. To Aug. 28: Sales $102,000 -11.0%...

Childhood obesity fight will require a multi-pronged approach, report finds.(Washington)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Reversing the rapid rise in obesity among American children and youth will require a multipronged approach by schools, families, communities, industry and government that would be as comprehensive and ambitious as national anti-smoking efforts,...

Agencies sign agreement to safeguard food supply.(Washington)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... USDA, in partnership with FDA and the Department of Homeland Security, signed a cooperative agreement with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to further develop integrated federal-state response plans for food and...

Senator calls for FTC to examine milk prices.(Washington)(Federal Trade Commission )(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) asked the FTC to probe milk prices over the past few months, saying retail prices for milk have not dropped as quickly as the price dairy farmers receive for their milk. Based on figures from USDA, the senator...

Hemp foods to remain legal in the U.S.(Washington)(Drug Enforcement Administration)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Food products made with hemp will remain legal after the Justice Department declined to challenge a ruling that overturned a Bush administration ban, lawyers for the hemp industry said, reported Arizona Daily Sun (Sept. 28). Sept. 27 was the...

Chilean sea bass illegally entering U.S., report finds.(Washington)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... A large portion of Chilean sea bass sold at stores or restaurants may be illegally caught, according to a report released by the National Environmental Trust. The report found that between December 2002 and June 2003, 13% more of the cold water...

Blimpie locks horns with irate franchisees.(Washington)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Atlanta, GA-based Blimpie International Inc. is in a dispute with angry franchisees and area developers over disputed changes to operations and marketing policies, which the franchisor of the nearly 1,700-unit chain maintains are necessary for...

Food recalls reported.(Washington)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Midland Dist. Inc., Blue Island, IL, is recalling bulk cases of Baladna Chickpeas, pistachios and coconut. The products were distributed nationwide and in Canada. Reason for recall: The products contain undeclared sulfites and colors. ...

You should know ...(House Agriculture Committee )
October 4, 2004... ... The House Agriculture Committee approved a drastically revised fruit and vegetable marketing bill that authorizes up to $44.5 million annually in grants to help promote fruits and vegetables. California, as the largest producer of such...

Labeling of meal-type products.(Noted In The Federal Register)
October 4, 2004... LABELING OF MEAL-TYPE PRODUCTS: USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its nutrition labeling regulations to change the definition of "meal-type" products to allow for nutrient content claims on multiple-serve food...

Hearing to consider milk proposals.(Noted In The Federal Register)
October 4, 2004... HEARING TO CONSIDER MILK PROPOSALS: A public hearing is being held, on an emergency basis, to consider a proposal submitted by Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., Lone Star Milk Producers Inc., Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative...

Produce.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... PEPPERS--Growers in south-central Georgia experienced crop losses perhaps as high as 75%, in the wake of the latest hurricane to pound the growing region in the past six weeks. While the cumulative effect of the storms has been devastating to...

Canned vegetables.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... GREEN BEANS--Harvesting is winding down in the Midwest and suppliers are hoping that the harvest will persist into early October and supplies will improve, Private label pricing for 24/300 Fancy Cut 4s are between $8.25-$8.75 per case,...

Tomato products.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... During the week ending Oct. 2, California processing tomato deliveries are projected to total 641,063 tons, bring the season-to-date total to just under 11.2 million tons, reported the Processing Tomato Advisory Board. The season-to-date total...

Frozen vegetables.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... CORN--As of Sept. 1, holdings of frozen cut corn totaled 346.3 million pounds, down 2% from last year. REGIONAL HOLDINGS OF FROZEN CUT CORN--SEPT. 1 (Source: USDA) 04' 03' 1,000...

Canned fruits.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... USDA HAS PURCHASED CANNED APRICOTS * Deliveries Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15, 2005 * Cases Estimated Cost Canned Apricots (6/10) 34,656 $710,174 Signature Fruit Co. 34,656 For more...

Processed fish.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... Canned Fish Now Exempt From COOL Canned seafood is now exempt from the country of origin labeling (COOL) requirements called for in the 2002 Farm Bill. In an interim final rule released Sept. 30 by USDA, fish and shellfish covered...

Dried vegetables.(Markets)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... DRIED PEA AND LENTIL PRICES Current Week Year Ago Per cwt. (f.o.b.) Green Split Peas $13.50 - $14.50 $15.00 - $15.50 Green Whole Peas $10.25 - $10.75 $12.00 - $13.00 Yellow Split Peas...

Dried fruit & nuts.(Markets)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... U.S. EXPORTS OF NUTS AND NUTMEATS, JAN. 1-AUG. 1, 2004 (Source : Bureau of Census) Pounds: 2004 2003 % Chge. Cashews, Shelled 2,254,042 3,282,185 -31.3% Canada ...

Frozen fruits.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... BLUEBERRIES--The nationwide average is $1.12$1.15-lb. for Cultivated and higher for Wild varieties, at $1.25-$1.30-lb, when available. REGIONAL HOLDINGS OF FROZEN BLUEBERRIES--SEPT. 1 (Source: USDA/NASS) 1,000 Pounds: ...

Juices & concentrates.(Markets)
October 4, 2004... CITRUS UPDATE--The Florida Department of Agriculture estimated that the four recent hurricanes caused an estimated $3 billion in damages to agriculture infrastructure and crops. It is still too early to assess the damage from hurricane Jeanne,...

Butter.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... BUTTER MARKET, OCT. 1 (Source: USDA) Cents Per Pound: 10/01/2004 09/24/2004 Chge. Grade AA 177.00 175.00 +2.00

Cheese.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... CHEDDAR CHEESE MARKET OCT. 1 Cents Per Pound: 10/10/2004 Chge. Fr. Last Wk. Barrels 143.25 -7.00 Blocks (40-1bs.) 158.50 +1.75

Eggs.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... EGG PRICES TO RETAILERS OCT. 1 (Source: U559A) This Wk. Ending Chng. From Cents per dozen: Week Sept. 24 Sept. 24 Extra Loxge-NY 70-74 70-74 NC Laxge-NY ...

Chicken.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... PRELIMINARY BROILER PRICES FOR DELIVERY THE WEEK OF OCT. 4 Cents Per Pound: This Week Last Week Chicago 58.00-61.00 58.00-61.00 Cleveland Too Few Too Few Detroit Too Few Too...

Futures prices.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... FUTURES PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Cash Dec. Mar. 05 As of Sept. 30, 2004: Price Futures Futures Corn, bu. $1.76 $2.06 $2.16...

Commodity prices.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 4, 2004... COMMODITY PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Week Week % Chge. Ended Ended Last Sept. 30...

Bill to create single food safety agency introduced, Congress likely to take up next year.
October 11, 2004... U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) introduced legislation that would create a single agency responsible for ensuring the safety of the nation's food supply. The legislation calls for the development of a...

Soup's on at Del Monte.(Growth)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Del Monte Foods Co. is looking to grow its soup and gravy business even faster than the approximately 5% growth it has been experiencing in annual revenue. While the company does not offer soups under is own brand name, it claims to be the...

Biggest and best brands will get all of Sara Lee's attention.(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Sara Lee Corp. is looking to slim down and focus on growing its biggest and best brands. It will eliminate small brands, centralize administrative functions and reduce inventory across all five lines of it business--branded apparel, household...

Albertsons gets technical.(Technology)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Albertsons Inc. is investing $500 million this year in new technology aimed at making the shopping experience faster and more convenient for its customers. Retail analysts say the company is now investing more money and introducing technology...

Wal-Mart to add 55 million-sq. ft. of retail space next year.(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... In the fiscal year beginning Feb. 1, 2005, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will open approximately 40 to 45 new discount stores and 240 to 250 new Supercenters in the U.S. Relocations or expansions of existing discount stores will account for...

New Kraft labels make portion size choices easier for consumers.(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Kraft Foods Inc. is launching improved nutrition labels to make it easier for consumers to choose the portion size of the foods they eat. The effort is in response to FDA's call for clearer nutrition communications on smaller packages. The new...

.... A Mediterranean diet rich in vegetable oil, nuts and fish may prevent gallstones.(Health Hits)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... ... . A Mediterranean diet rich in vegetable oil, nuts and fish may prevent gallstones. Men who ate more of the unsaturated fats found in such foods lowered their risk of gallstones by nearly one-fifth, according to a 14-year study published in...

.... The more food college students are served, the more they will eat.(Health Hits)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... ... . The more food college students are served, the more they will eat, according to a new study at Cornell University that offers an explanation for the infamous "freshmen 15"... WebMD

.... A new study suggests women have more of a sweet tooth than men.(Health Hits)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... ... . A new study suggests women have more of a sweet tooth than men. This study may help explain why women polish off the sweets, especially during PMS or menopause, says lead researcher Lisa A. Eckel, PhD, a behavioral psychologist in the...

.... National dietary surveys show that carbonated soft drink consumption more than doubled in youths aged 6 to 17 from about 5-oz. per day in 1977-78 to 12-oz. in 1994-98, the most recent years for which national data is available.(Health Hits)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... ... . National dietary surveys show that carbonated soft drink consumption more than doubled in youths aged 6 to 17 from about 5-oz. per day in 1977-78 to 12-oz. in 1994-98, the most recent years for which national data is available. Adolescent...

International mergers & acquisitions.(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Australia-based Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd. acquired Crusta Fruit Juices PIT. Ltd., Australia. Crusta supplies chilled fruit juices to tile domestic market mad also exports to Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Malaysia, Singapore mad New Zealand. ...

Publix Super Markets.(News In A Minute)(Product information)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... A new food and beverage brand, Firefighter Brand Products', will be available at Publix Super Markets, convenience stores and delis throughout Florida. Products in the line include kettle potato chips, baked nacho tortilla chips and four...

Atkins Nutritionals Inc.(News In A Minute)(Packaging)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Atkins Nutritionals Inc. will drop the term "net carbs" from its food labels, calling it "imprecise," and replace it with a new phrase, "net Atkins count," which it says is a more-precise method of measuring the carbohydrates in its foods. FDA...

Gorton's.(News In A Minute)(Products)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Gorton's, the nation's leading frozen seafood brand, has reformulated its fish products, including its popular fish sticks and fish fillet lines, to remove trans fatty acids. This makes the Gloucester, MA-based company the first national frozen...

ConAgra Foods.(News In A Minute)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... All soft products under ConAgra Foods' three national tablespread brands are trans fat-free. With the conversion of all Parkay soft items, Parkay joins Fleischmann's and Blue Bonnet in reformulating all their soft spread products to remove...

Whole Foods Market opened Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse in Morrisville, NC, the company's first dedicated gluten-free baking facility.(News In A Minute)(Facilities)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Whole Foods Market opened Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse in Morrisville, NC, the company's first dedicated gluten-free baking facility. The new 8,000-sq. ft. facility will produce 27 products, including breads, cookies, scones,...

Whole Foods.(News In A Minute)(Management)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Meanwhile, Whole Foods also expanded its number of operating regions from eight to 10 by separating the Southwest region into the Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions, and the Northern Pacific region into the Northern California and Pacific...

Just in time for the holiday baking season, Sunspire Chocolates, the nation's leading producer of all natural and organic baking chips, is launching the first white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips made without trans fats.(News In A Minute)(Sunspire Chocolates)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Just in time for the holiday baking season, Sunspire Chocolates, the nation's leading producer of all natural and organic baking chips, is launching the first white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips made without trans fats. Sunspire...

Birds Eye Foods, Inc.(News In A Minute)(Packaging)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Birds Eye Foods, Inc. introduced newly designed packaging for its Birds Eye brand that will begin appearing in grocery freezer cases across the country in early October. The new packaging will cover Birds Eye's entire line of 150 products.

Yves Veggie Cuisine, a brand wholly owned by The Hain Celestial Group.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Yves Veggie Cuisine, a brand wholly owned by The Hain Celestial Group, will manufacture a new soy-based patty McVeggie Burger to be sold at participating McDonald's stores in Manhattan.

The Hain Celestial Group.(News In A Minute)(Products)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Meanwhile, The Hain Celestial Group introduced two new Health Valley functional cereals. Health Valley BoneWise is a blend of organic whole grain flakes and raspberries, fortified with eight vitamins, calcium, iron and other minerals. Health...

Anheuser-Busch.(News In A Minute)(Products)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... In an effort to revive flattening sales and attract new drinkers, Anheuser-Busch is unveiling a new concoction--a fruity-smelling beer, spiked with caffeine, guarana and ginseng. The planned offering--pronounced B-to-the-E, with the "E"...

Coca-Cola Enterprises.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Coca-Cola Enterprises is raising prices on 20-oz. bottles sold in U.S. convenience stores by 8% to 15%. The bottler has steadily raised prices on 20-oz. bottles this year, with an average percentage boost in the mid-single digits across all...

Campbell Beverages is rolling out new packaging and graphics for its V8 100% vegetable juice line and for Campbell's tomato juice.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Campbell Beverages is rolling out new packaging and graphics for its V8 100% vegetable juice line and for Campbell's tomato juice. Plastic bottles will be introduced, and labels will more clearly communicate product varieties, Low Sodium, Bone...

Market Day.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Market Day, a premiere fundraising company based in Illinois, has launched a home party business called Market Day Gourmet. In keeping with the heritage of Market Day, a portion of every purchase is donated back to a school in the community....

National Retail Federation.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... The average consumer plans to spend $14.83 on candy this Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation.

Mintel's Global New Products Database.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
October 11, 2004... Granulated sugar sales dropped more than 4% this year and have hit the skids for three years running. Five years ago, just 36 products were introduced that had reduced-sugar claims, compared to 607 last year, and through Sept. 10 this year...