The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade's (NASFT) Winter Fancy Food Show exhibitors will donate more than 100,000-lbs. of specialty foods and beverages to San Francisco's needy. For the second year, NASFT will work with Feed the Hungry to collect and distribute specialty products to a network of community programs, reported Supermarket News. Full Story
Half of small-business retailers who compete against major retailers claim customer service differentiates their business from their larger competitors, according to a survey from RatePoint. Full Story
Taste preference varies on both age and gender, according to a study from Kent State University. The study found that girls tend to prefer sweet foods and fruit and vegetables, whereas boys like meat, fish and poultry. Tastes were also seen to change with children's ages, reported Food Navigator USA. Full Story
Fort Myers, FL-based Irresistible Confections, which creates hand-made chocolates, is in a growth mode despite the faltering economy. Gross earnings were roughly $60,000 in 2007 and jumped to about $95,000 last year, with 2009 gross revenues projected to be approximately $165,000. The business will open its first retail location on Dec. 1 in south Fort Myers. Irresistible Confections expects sales in the retail shop and the additional production capacity to enable revenues to range between $250,000 and $350,000 next year, reported News-Press. Full Story
Some 70% of consumers claim they purchased the wrong product in a supermarket in the past year, and about 60% stated they had trouble differentiating products on a store shelf due to the packaging, according to a study by strategy and design agency The Brand Union. Canned goods were among the most confusing categories; of the 23% of consumers who stated they were confused, 42% stated they ended up purchasing the wrong product. According to the study, half of consumers stated they accidentally purchased the wrong product because they were misled by the color or name of the imitator, reported MediaPost's Marketing Daily. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Kellogg will discontinue its on-the-go single-serving cereal packages due to lack of demand from more value-conscious consumers. The company is also focusing on its eight best-performing cereals, including the Kashi organic brand, which CEO David MacKay claims is integral to Kellogg's continued success, reported Advertising Age. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Jamba, Inc. sold eight restaurants in California to Four Life Foods, LLC, a company owned primarily by one of the four original co-founders of Jamba Juice, Linda Olds. Full Story
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade's (NASFT) Winter Fancy Food Show exhibitors will donate more than 100,000-lbs. of specialty foods and beverages to San Francisco's needy. For the second year, NASFT will work with Feed the Hungry to collect and distribute specialty products to a network of community programs, reported Supermarket News. Full Story
Half of small-business retailers who compete against major retailers claim customer service differentiates their business from their larger competitors, according to a survey from RatePoint. Full Story
Taste preference varies on both age and gender, according to a study from Kent State University. The study found that girls tend to prefer sweet foods and fruit and vegetables, whereas boys like meat, fish and poultry. Tastes were also seen to change with children's ages, reported Food Navigator USA. Full Story
For Immediate Release: News from the Specialty Food Trade
Pacific Natural Foods, Tualatin, Ore., has given its premium ready-to-eat organic canned soups a new look and improved flavors. Full Release
Fort Myers, FL-based Irresistible Confections, which creates hand-made chocolates, is in a growth mode despite the faltering economy. Gross earnings were roughly $60,000 in 2007 and jumped to about $95,000 last year, with 2009 gross revenues projected to be approximately $165,000. The business will open its first retail location on Dec. 1 in south Fort Myers. Irresistible Confections expects sales in the retail shop and the additional production capacity to enable revenues to range between $250,000 and $350,000 next year, reported News-Press. Full Story
Some 70% of consumers claim they purchased the wrong product in a supermarket in the past year, and about 60% stated they had trouble differentiating products on a store shelf due to the packaging, according to a study by strategy and design agency The Brand Union. Canned goods were among the most confusing categories; of the 23% of consumers who stated they were confused, 42% stated they ended up purchasing the wrong product. According to the study, half of consumers stated they accidentally purchased the wrong product because they were misled by the color or name of the imitator, reported MediaPost's Marketing Daily. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
For Immediate Release: News from the Specialty Food Trade
Simple tea Inc., an Oakland, Calif-based company that was formed to serve the specialty advertising industry, has entered the specialty tea retail market with two new tea collections: Simple Jade and Simple Travel Pack. Full Release
Kellogg will discontinue its on-the-go single-serving cereal packages due to lack of demand from more value-conscious consumers. The company is also focusing on its eight best-performing cereals, including the Kashi organic brand, which CEO David MacKay claims is integral to Kellogg's continued success, reported Advertising Age. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Jamba, Inc. sold eight restaurants in California to Four Life Foods, LLC, a company owned primarily by one of the four original co-founders of Jamba Juice, Linda Olds. Full Story
New Store News: The Urban Grocery and Wine Bar opened in Phoenix, AZ. The full-service grocery store is part of the biweekly outdoor Phoenix Public Market and stocks mostly locally sourced, organic foods. It also carries meat, cheeses and a rotating selection of beer and wines, reported Phoenix Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required) ... Philly Dawgz is opening in the Washington, DC area. The chain, which serves a mix of Chicago-style, Latino and BBQ dishes, currently has three stores across the U.S., two in Minnesota and one in West Virginia, with two in the works in Nebraska and New Jersey, reported Washington Business Journal. Full Story (Free Registration Required) ... A Twilight-themed restaurant, Volterra, will open in Forks, WA next year, reported Peninsula Daily News. Full Story
Global Icons formed an agreement with Diageo North America, Inc. for exclusive licensing representation of the Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum brand for sauces, glazes and marinades. Full Story
PepsiAmericas' carbonated soft drink volume decreased 8% in third quarter 2009 compared to third quarter 2008. Non-carbonated soft drinks decreased 11% in the period. Full Story
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation entered into an agreement with KDN Company Limited for the development of 20 franchise Krispy Kreme retail shops in Thailand over the next five years. Full Story
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Some 50% of restaurateurs expect better profitability in 2009 compared to 2008
U.S. restaurateurs are simultaneously optimistic about the future and concerned about inflationary trends in commodity and labor costs for the remainder of 2009 according the 2nd Annual ArrowStream Foodservice Industry Survey.
Conducted in August by ArrowStream, a leading provider of supply chain solutions for the foodservice industry, the survey was completed by more than 50 restaurant chain executives including members of the ArrowStream Network of restaurant chains, distributors and manufacturers that moves almost 10 percent ($15 billion) of the products in the foodservice industry.
Profitability & Budgets Up
“Restaurant executives are indicating some light ahead in this long, dark tunnel of industry and economic challenges,” said ArrowStream CEO and Chairman Steven LaVoie pointing to plans to increase budgets, improve supply chain processes and generate logistics efficiencies as examples of key competitive strategies of the industry leaders surveyed.
“Despite lower sales expectations, a full 50 percent of all restaurateurs expect better profitability in 2009 compared to 2008 due to cost cutting and lower commodity prices, which boosted profits. The fear of a resurging commodity pricing bubble makes cost cutting/operational efficiencies even more critical to ensure improved profits in the coming year.” continued LaVoie.
An additional 34 percent of restaurateurs expect almost the same profit levels as 2008, and only seven percent predict a gloomier outlook for 2009. Likewise nine percent of restaurant executives expect their supply chain budgets to fall in 2010 while almost 60 percent report a planned increase
Supply Chain Process Improvements Needed
While operators are warily optimistic, they are brutally frank about the need for improvement in supply chain operations and very open about the areas of most need including visibility and forecasting. When asked what areas they see as most important for reducing supply chain operations costs, respondents reported:
Areas of for reducing costs
Responding
-- Freight cost visibility & accuracy
-- Forecast accuracy
-- Supply chain visibility
Squeezing for Logistics Efficiencies
Generating logistic efficiencies is a common strategic goal currently done largely via outsourcing according to respondents with more than 82 percent already outsourcing logistics and transportation. More than three quarters of all restaurateurs said that additional visibility into freight costs would improve the supply chain process. And 61 percent reported that logistic efficiency strategies will support the coming year’s business objectives.
Limited Time Offers: Love ‘em and Hate ‘em
Forecasting, according to all respondents, is the bane of the industry’s Limited Time Offers (LTO) practice. Topping the list of problems (77 percent) most often associated with LTOs, demand planning seems to be difficult at best. Whether having product in the store at the right time (reported by 62 percent of executives) or needing to transfer product efficiently between distribution centers (reported by 56 percent), the ability to correctly anticipate supply and demand appears to be constant battle related to LTOs.
“Only 36 percent of chains use a software solution to help with promotion planning and forecasting. Increased predictability in this segment of the revenue equation would equate to both increased sales as well as stronger bottom line results. Because this is a critical pain point for restaurateurs, we anticipate an increase in the demand for this type of software solution in the next 18 – 24 months,” concluded LaVoie.
For more information on the survey or to request a complete copy, please e-mail ckelly@arrowstream.com.
Conducted in August by ArrowStream, a leading provider of supply chain solutions for the foodservice industry, the survey was completed by more than 50 restaurant chain executives including members of the ArrowStream Network of restaurant chains, distributors and manufacturers that moves almost 10 percent ($15 billion) of the products in the foodservice industry.
Profitability & Budgets Up
“Restaurant executives are indicating some light ahead in this long, dark tunnel of industry and economic challenges,” said ArrowStream CEO and Chairman Steven LaVoie pointing to plans to increase budgets, improve supply chain processes and generate logistics efficiencies as examples of key competitive strategies of the industry leaders surveyed.
“Despite lower sales expectations, a full 50 percent of all restaurateurs expect better profitability in 2009 compared to 2008 due to cost cutting and lower commodity prices, which boosted profits. The fear of a resurging commodity pricing bubble makes cost cutting/operational efficiencies even more critical to ensure improved profits in the coming year.” continued LaVoie.
An additional 34 percent of restaurateurs expect almost the same profit levels as 2008, and only seven percent predict a gloomier outlook for 2009. Likewise nine percent of restaurant executives expect their supply chain budgets to fall in 2010 while almost 60 percent report a planned increase
Supply Chain Process Improvements Needed
While operators are warily optimistic, they are brutally frank about the need for improvement in supply chain operations and very open about the areas of most need including visibility and forecasting. When asked what areas they see as most important for reducing supply chain operations costs, respondents reported:
Areas of for reducing costs
Responding
-- Freight cost visibility & accuracy
-- Forecast accuracy
-- Supply chain visibility
Squeezing for Logistics Efficiencies
Generating logistic efficiencies is a common strategic goal currently done largely via outsourcing according to respondents with more than 82 percent already outsourcing logistics and transportation. More than three quarters of all restaurateurs said that additional visibility into freight costs would improve the supply chain process. And 61 percent reported that logistic efficiency strategies will support the coming year’s business objectives.
Limited Time Offers: Love ‘em and Hate ‘em
Forecasting, according to all respondents, is the bane of the industry’s Limited Time Offers (LTO) practice. Topping the list of problems (77 percent) most often associated with LTOs, demand planning seems to be difficult at best. Whether having product in the store at the right time (reported by 62 percent of executives) or needing to transfer product efficiently between distribution centers (reported by 56 percent), the ability to correctly anticipate supply and demand appears to be constant battle related to LTOs.
“Only 36 percent of chains use a software solution to help with promotion planning and forecasting. Increased predictability in this segment of the revenue equation would equate to both increased sales as well as stronger bottom line results. Because this is a critical pain point for restaurateurs, we anticipate an increase in the demand for this type of software solution in the next 18 – 24 months,” concluded LaVoie.
For more information on the survey or to request a complete copy, please e-mail ckelly@arrowstream.com.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
SDA Omega-3 Soybean Oil Now GRAS
Monsanto Company and Solae, LLC, announced that FDA issued a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notice confirming that stearidonic acid (SDA), omega-3 soybean oil from a Monsanto-bioengineered soybean can be used in foods and beverages under the intended conditions of use.
The GRAS notice, GRN No. 283, allows the long-chain omega-3 oil to be used in baked goods and baking mixes, breakfast cereals and grains, cheeses, dairy product analogs, fats and oils, fish products, frozen dairy desserts and mixes, grain products and pastas, gravies and sauces, meat products, milk products, nuts and nut products, poultry products, processed fruit juices, processed vegetable products, puddings and fillings, snack foods, soft candy, and soups and soup mixes, at levels that provide 375 milligrams of stearidonic acid soybean oil per serving. According to Monsanto, SDA soybean oil contains 15% to 30% SDA and 5% to 8% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), vs. 0% SDA and GLA in conventional soybean oil. The SDA soybean oil is expected to be either added to foods or used as a replacement for unhydrogenated vegetable oils.
The SDA soybeans will supply a land-based source of long-chain fatty acids. SDA, 18:4 (n-3), can be efficiently converted by the human body to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 20:5 (n-3).
Monsanto and Solae have a 2007 agreement to develop and market omega-3 products.
Sources:
* Monsanto: World's First SDA Omega-3 Soybean Oil Achieves Major Milestone that Advances the Development of Foods with the Enhanced Nutritional Benefits
The GRAS notice, GRN No. 283, allows the long-chain omega-3 oil to be used in baked goods and baking mixes, breakfast cereals and grains, cheeses, dairy product analogs, fats and oils, fish products, frozen dairy desserts and mixes, grain products and pastas, gravies and sauces, meat products, milk products, nuts and nut products, poultry products, processed fruit juices, processed vegetable products, puddings and fillings, snack foods, soft candy, and soups and soup mixes, at levels that provide 375 milligrams of stearidonic acid soybean oil per serving. According to Monsanto, SDA soybean oil contains 15% to 30% SDA and 5% to 8% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), vs. 0% SDA and GLA in conventional soybean oil. The SDA soybean oil is expected to be either added to foods or used as a replacement for unhydrogenated vegetable oils.
The SDA soybeans will supply a land-based source of long-chain fatty acids. SDA, 18:4 (n-3), can be efficiently converted by the human body to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 20:5 (n-3).
Monsanto and Solae have a 2007 agreement to develop and market omega-3 products.
Sources:
* Monsanto: World's First SDA Omega-3 Soybean Oil Achieves Major Milestone that Advances the Development of Foods with the Enhanced Nutritional Benefits
6.3 Mil Kids Low in Vitamin D
As many as one in five U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, according to a new study from Harvard Medical School
Data from the 2001–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed to determine the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. children aged 1 to 11 years. During the 2001 to 2004 time period, the mean serum 25(OH)D level for US children aged 1 to 11 years was 70 nmol/L. Children aged 6 to 11 years had lower mean levels of 25(OH)D (68 nmol/L) compared with children aged 1 to 5 years (74 nmol/L). Children with levels less than 25 nmol/L was 0.7 percent, those with less than 50 nmol/L was 15 percent and those with less than 75 nmol/L was 65 percent. The prevalence of serum 25(OH)D levels of less than 75 nmol/L was higher among children aged 6 to 11 years (71 percent) compared with children aged 1 to 5 years (56 percent). Girls were more likely to have less than 75 nmol/L (67 percent) compared with boys (62 percent); and non-Hispanic black (89 percent) and Mexican American (77 percent) children were more likely to have less than 75 nmol/L than non-Hispanic white children (54 percent).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children attain blood levels of vitamin D of at least 50 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). If these data are used to make a national representation, 6.3 million U.S. children – almost one in 5 – are at less than the recommended 50 nmol/L level of vitamin D.
Data from the 2001–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed to determine the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. children aged 1 to 11 years. During the 2001 to 2004 time period, the mean serum 25(OH)D level for US children aged 1 to 11 years was 70 nmol/L. Children aged 6 to 11 years had lower mean levels of 25(OH)D (68 nmol/L) compared with children aged 1 to 5 years (74 nmol/L). Children with levels less than 25 nmol/L was 0.7 percent, those with less than 50 nmol/L was 15 percent and those with less than 75 nmol/L was 65 percent. The prevalence of serum 25(OH)D levels of less than 75 nmol/L was higher among children aged 6 to 11 years (71 percent) compared with children aged 1 to 5 years (56 percent). Girls were more likely to have less than 75 nmol/L (67 percent) compared with boys (62 percent); and non-Hispanic black (89 percent) and Mexican American (77 percent) children were more likely to have less than 75 nmol/L than non-Hispanic white children (54 percent).
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children attain blood levels of vitamin D of at least 50 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). If these data are used to make a national representation, 6.3 million U.S. children – almost one in 5 – are at less than the recommended 50 nmol/L level of vitamin D.
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