Research from Northern America

December 18, 2007

Potato Ads Idaho Potato Commission win more awards

The Idaho Potato Commission's advertising programs garnered a number of new awards in recent weeks, including three for a special potato-peeling demonstration by actress Dawn Wells.Wells, best known for portraying Mary Ann on the popular comedy Gilliga...

December 04, 2007

Ontario To Make Schools Trans-Fat Free

Ontario is taking action to make schools healthier places to learn by moving to drop trans fat from lunchroom menus."Our kids' health is just too important to risk,"said Premier Dalton McGuinty. "Trans fats have no place in our schools a...

December 04, 2007

US food processing standards not good enough for Tesco's Fresh & Easy

Tesco has become a food manufacturer for the first time as part of its efforts to win over US shoppers. The UK food chain, which has more than a 30 per cent share of supermarket shopping in its home market, has built an 80,000 sq ft food preparation...

November 27, 2007

States Slow to Ban Restaurant Trans Fats

States from Connecticut to California have looked this year to mimic the success of large cities like New York in banning artery-clogging trans fats from restaurants. But in the 14 states that have so far proposed a ban or restriction, not a single b...

November 25, 2007

Washington potato growers celebrate a heck of a harvest

Washington potato farmers harvested more than 5.1 million tons of potatoes in 2007, the state's second-largest spud harvest in history. Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, said the state's potato farmers dug up ...

November 23, 2007

Tim Horton's Cuts Deal To Serve Wal-Mart Customers

Canadians might like to think they are different from Americans. But when it comes to eating out, Canadians are members of a fast-food nation just like their neighbor to the south.And amid a host of quick-service chains operating in Canada, native play...

November 21, 2007

Irving brothers look to break up empire

The legendary Irving family is moving to break up its $6-billion business empire as it struggles to accommodate the demands of new generations, thus ending a 125-year-old Canadian dynasty. Sources familiar with the sprawling family conglomerate say t...

November 15, 2007

ARS develops extrusion method for tasty lentil snacks

Researchers from the US Agricultural Research Service (ARS) claim to have stabilised a process of using extrusion technology to make healthy and tasty snacks out of legumes.

November 14, 2007

PepsiCo on track for full-year earnings outlook

PepsiCo Inc said on Wednesday it is on track to meet its full-year earnings forecast, less than 10 days after it announced it would reorganize itself into three business units.

November 09, 2007

McDonald's, Pepsi not trying to make kids fat

When you think of childhood obesity, McDonald's and Pepsi want you to think of them -- but probably not in the way you think. Representatives from the fast-food and soft-drink conglomerates attended a international conference aimed at fighting childho...

November 07, 2007

George Morris Centre: [Canadian]Food Industry review and update, October 2007

Canadian Food Industry Financial review and Update (pdf document)

November 06, 2007

ADM profits rise on higher selling prices

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) today reported strong first quarter earnings, boosted by higher selling prices for its products, including sweeteners and starches.The agricultural and ingredients firm has posted net earnings for the quarter ended Septembe...

November 05, 2007

Six million dollar allocated to US Potato Board for promotion of the US potato overseas

Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner today announced that USDA provided more than $234 million to help market American farm products overseas in the 2007 fiscal year that ended Sept 30. The allocations were provided under the Market Access Progr...

November 05, 2007

PepsiCo Unveils New Organizational Structure, Names CEOs of Three Principal Operating Units

PepsiCo announced today a strategic realignment of its organizational structure to position the company for continued strong growth and more fully leverage the talents of its senior leaders. "Given PepsiCo's robust growth in recent years, we are ...

November 02, 2007

Top claims for new food products (July - August 2007)

The top claims for new Food products in the period July- August 2007 compared to the same period last year: Claim July-August 2006 July - August 2007 Change Upscale 11.0% 13.5% + 2.5% Natural 8.2% 9.3% + 1.1% Organic 5.5% 7.0% ...

November 02, 2007

Lassonde completes its purchase of McCain Foods (Canada)'s ready-to-drink fruit juice and fruit drink business

Lassonde Industries Inc. (LAS.A-TSX) today announced that its subsidiary A. Lassonde Inc. has completed its purchase of the business of manufacture and distribution of ready-to-drink fruit juices and fruit drinks of McCain Foods (Canada), a division of...

October 31, 2007

Procter & Gamble Co posted a 14 percent increase in quarterly profit on Tuesday, helped by strong sales.

The company said profit was $3.08 billion, or 92 cents a share, in the first quarter compared with $2.70 billion, or 79 cents a share, a year earlier. P&G plans to push further into health and beauty products, which generate higher margins than th...

October 30, 2007

CDC: US Obesity levels have not risen last year

Obesity rates did not rise last year for the first time in 25 years, a study has said, but are still too high and will continue to dominate public health agenda. The findings for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while 34 p...