Capico News of the Week

Whole Foods Market expects to open 16 new stores in their fiscal 2010, 10 of which are expected to open in the first half of the year. Full Story

Tea sales are staying positive as the beverage is seen as a healthy product and an affordable luxury, according to Packaged Facts' Tea and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Tea in the U.S. report. Tea market trends examined include superfruit flavors, hybrid products designed to compete with other beverage categories including bottled waters, energy drinks and sodas and new RTD spins on green tea and emerging segments including yerba mate and Kombucha. Full Story

The resurgence of the environmental movement caused an upswing in the demand for environmentally friendly packaging, according to the Trends Report from the Foodservice Packaging Institute, reported QSR Magazine. Full Story

Despite the economic downturn, Southern Nevada-based Pies Unlimited increased its business by 40% to 50% since it opened in 2006. Much of the specialty bakery's revenue, which offers a selection of made-from-scratch pies, cheesecakes and cakes, comes from retail walk-in business, reported Las Vegas Sun. Full Story

Portland, OR-based Townshend's Tea Co. secured a $48,000 loan from Whole Foods Market, which will allow Townshend's to open a Southeast Portland factory for making kombucha, a type of fermented tea. The company's kombucha is available at about 15 Oregon locations, including Whole Foods, reported OregonLive.com. Full Story

DNA Beverage Corporation's wholly owned distribution company Grass Roots Beverage Corporation added VPX/Redline to its growing portfolio of food, beverage and supplement companies. The company will initially distribute the RTD, Extreme, Princess and Meltdown lines. Full Story

Starbucks is targeting approximately 100 net new stores in the U.S. and approximately 200 net new stores in international markets for fiscal 2010. Both the U.S. and international additions are expected to be primarily licensed stores. Full Story

Seattle's Best Coffee signed an agreement to serve freshly brewed Seattle's Best Coffee as part of Subway restaurants breakfast offerings. By the end of 2009, more than 9,000 Subway restaurants in the U.S. will feature Seattle's Best Coffee, with plans to expand into more restaurants during 2010. Another agreement will also bring Seattle's Best Coffee to more than 800 Subway restaurants in Canada before 2010. Full Story

Children's television networks show 76% more food commercials per hour than other networks, and most are for high-fat, high-sugar foods, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Nearly a third of commercials on children's networks were for food, compared to a fifth during programming for a general audience. Some 70% were for foods that were high in sugar or fat, reported Food Navigator USA. Full Story

Jamba, Inc. will develop a line of Jamba-branded trail mixes after signing a licensing agreement with Johnvince Foods. The Jamba-branded trail mixes will be available in select Jamba Juice stores and other retail outlets in early 2010. Full Story

technique that reduces 25% of the salt in food products, does not lose taste or need additives was developed by Dutch scientists. The "smart salt distribution" technology works by blending a high salt fraction with a low salt fraction, creating different layers with different salt content, reported Food Navigator. Full Story

Innovative Beverage Group Holdings, Inc. entered into an agreement with Pure Beverage Co. to distribute drank throughout Indiana. Full Story

Cadbury is switching to square, recyclable cardboard boxes instead of metal tins for its holiday packaging. The change will lead to a 45% reduction in packaging weight and savings of more than 200 tons of steel, reported Food Production Daily. Full Story

New Store News: Trader Joe's opened a location in Minnetonka, MN, reported Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required) ...Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is opening a location in Derby, KS, reported QSR Magazine. Full Story ... Rochester, NY-based DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines is building a location in Latham, NY that will open in late spring or early summer 2010. All of the bread is baked on the premises, and the chain has 15 locations, reported The Business Review (Albany). Full Story (Free Registration Required)