News on Food Trends from Northern America

April 14, 2020

Technomic Updates View of Covid-19 Impact on US Foodservice Sector

As of April 13, the novel coronavirus pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China late last year had been attributed to over 119,000 deaths worldwide, of which more than 23,000 have been recorded in the United States and more than 10,000 in New York alone.

Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes

April 13, 2020

Retail demand for dehydrated potato products skyrockets

While food manufacturers supplying to foodservice are suffering from lost revenue and layoffs, companies primarily serving retail customers are faced with exactly the opposite. One example is potato processor Idahoan Foods.

April 08, 2020

2019 a Banner Year for Potato Sales - 2020 Very Concerning

The utilization of U.S. grown potatoes increased by 3.3% in volume in 2019 compared to 2018, an increase of 1,183 million pounds.

April 08, 2020

Québec Parmentier announces merger with Patate-Saint-Ambroise

Québec Parmentier merges with Patate-Saint-Ambroise of Saguenay. The joint announcement was made by Pierre Chouinard, Chief Executive Officer of Québec Parmentier and Mathieu Bouchard, President of Patate-Saint-Ambroise.

April 07, 2020

Potato Processor Lamb Weston Reports Fiscal Third Quarter 2020 Results

Last week Lamb Weston presented its Fiscal Third Quarter 2020 Results. The company withdraws its Fiscal Year 2020 Outlook due to Uncertainty from the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effect on Global Restaurant Traffic and Consumer Demand.

April 06, 2020

Cavendish Farms to potato growers: Sell to someone else, if you can

COVID-19-related restaurant closures lead to ‘curtailment’ of french fry production. Cavendish Farms has advised the P.E.I. potato producers under contract to supply the company with spuds to 'sell to other markets if they can'.

April 06, 2020

Food processing equipment company lends technology to hospitals in COVID-19 battle

Reyco Systems normally supports the food industry exclusively, but now hospitals across Idaho have asked the Caldwell-based company for help in the fight against the new coronavirus.

April 03, 2020

State of Snacking 2020: How America Snacks During and Despite COVID-19

The last few years have proven that snacking in the U.S. has become a lifestyle, with consumers snacking across the day. At the same time, COVID-19 is having an immediate impact on consumers’ food and beverage purchase and consumption behaviors.

April 03, 2020

SNAXPO Rescheduled for March 28-30, 2021, Charlotte, NC

Snack Industry's Full Equipment Supply Chain Trade Show Remains in Charlotte, Rescheduled for 2021; New 'SNX' Education and Collaboration Forum Rescheduled to March 2022.

April 02, 2020

The National Potato Council Urges SBA to Include Ag Businesses in Disaster Loan Program

The National Potato Council joined 30 agriculture organizations and businesses yesterday calling on the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to include agricultural businesses in the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

April 01, 2020

Potatoes USA Elects 2020-2021 Leadership

Potatoes USA, the marketing and promotion board for the U.S. potato industry, elected its new leadership during its 48th Annual Meeting on March 11. The newly elected Chairman and Executive Committee will lead the 99 board members through 2020-2021.

NPC Welcomes Ag Benefits in COVID-19 Relief Bill

March 31, 2020

National Potato Council Welcomes Ag Benefits in COVID-19 Relief Bill

On March 27, the House passed by voice vote S. 3548, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion bill with significant benefits to the U.S. potato supply chain.

March 31, 2020

Idaho Potato Commission mulls grower group funding

The Idaho Potato Commission will seek the attorney general's guidance on a funding request by a recently formed association of growers.

March 23, 2020

The Potato Sustainability Alliance Announces Newest Member

As the Potato Sustainability Alliance continues to expand, it has welcomed the Charlottetown, P.E.I.-based breeding and seed potato trading company HZPC Americas Corp as its newest member.

March 23, 2020

2020 CPMA Convention and Trade Show Cancelled

In light of the rapid escalation of safety precautions to decrease the transmission of COVID-19, the CPMA Board of Directors and 2020 CPMA Convention and Trade Show Organizing Committee have made the difficult decision to cancel the event.

March 13, 2020

Hot potato: the J.R. Simplot and McCain Foods patent fight

J.R. Simplot and McCain Foods have spent the last few years battling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho over issues related to – unsurprisingly – potatoes, with each party asserting a design patent related to a spiraled potato.

March 10, 2020

World Revised Figures Show Halt in Rise in Potato Production

The increase in world potato production stalled in 2018 and failed to recover significantly in 2019. World output slipped by 1.5% to 368.247 million tonnes in 2018 figures just released by the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation show.

March 03, 2020

Taco Bell introduces 'Veggie Mode' on its self-service ordering kiosks in the United States

On March 12, Taco Bell officially activates Veggie Mode, a single-swipe feature that instantly transforms the menu to show only vegetarian items on self-service ordering kiosks in the United States.