News on Food Trends from the Americas

All new potato varieties developed by the Pacific Northwest Tri-State Breeding Program are now licensed to PVMI (the Potato Variety Management Institute), a non-profit marketing and administration organization for the Tri-State Potato Breeding Program.

Texas Sen. Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso and Rep. Carol Alvarado of Houston, both Democrats, are pressing for legislation that would phase in bans of trans fats in restaurant foods — a move they said would help fight obesity and reduce health insurance co...

Fast-food chains have recently deflected criticism of their menu offerings by adding healthy items like salads. But a paper soon to be released in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that the presence of healthy options on a menu can induce some ...

as noticias de que la crisis golpeaba al mundo en el último trimestre de 2008 no disminuyeron los ingresos de las grandes cadenas de comida rápida ni el apetito de sus clientes. Por el contrario, la gente siguió comiendo como antes e incluso más. Así l...

McDonald's Corp, el mayor comprador de la papa en los Estados Unidos, ha acordado adoptar los primeros pasos para reducir el uso de plaguicidas en las explotaciones de sus proveedores nacionales, dijo el martes un grupo de accionistas . Tras el acuer...

McDonald's Corp, the largest purchaser of potatoes in the United States, has agreed to take preliminary steps to reduce pesticide use in its domestic potato supply, shareholder groups said on Tuesday. Following the agreement, the Bard College Endowme...

Doyle Niemann, a delegate in the Maryland General Assembly, agreed Thursday to withdraw his menu-labeling bill after it failed to draw much support from lawmakers. The Restaurant Association of Maryland, which actively opposed the measure, praised Niem...

ConAgra Foods, Inc. today reported results for the fiscal 2009 third quarter ended Feb. 22, 2009. Overall sales grew 6%. Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.43 for the quarter, an increase of 26% from prior-year levels of $0.34. Excluding $0...

Arcos Dorados, la mayor operadora de restaurantes de servicio rápido de América Latina, que cuenta con la licencia de operación de los restaurantes McDonald's en la región, anunció hoy la mayor facturación anual obtenida por la marca desde que abrió el...

Supermarkets in the US are more reliant on branded products than their counterparts in Europe, which have bigger selections of private label goods. But the recession is being treated by US retailers as a chance to have another go with private label.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) today expressed support and encouragement for the Canadian and U.S. governments in their efforts to reach an organic equivalency agreement. Progress on the Canadian-U.S. talks was announced yesterday at OTA’s Policy ...

Kentucky Fried Chicken today announced its own urban renewal program. The chicken chain has offered to fill up the potholes in five major U.S. cities to promote its “fresh” brand positioning. Giving back has become a trend for marketers, including Star...

ConAgra Foods announced today its inaugural Corporate Responsibility Report is now available.  The report captures the facts and data behind ConAgra Foods’ commitment to improving not only the food it makes—such as Healthy Choice meals, Chef Boyardee p...

McDonald’s sales growth in Latin America will slow this year as the recession curbs diners’ appetites for Big Macs and Happy Meals, the region’s largest franchise owner said. Woods Staton, chief executive officer of Arcos Dorados SA, was optimistic f...

As part of its ongoing efforts to implement energy-saving practices, McDonald's Canada will be actively supporting Earth Hour. By cutting lights for one hour on March 28 the chain could save more than 10,000 kWh in electricity usage, the same amount of...

Three words can sum up the increasing popularity of sweet potatoes in the foodservice industry: sweet potato fries.They’re stars on restaurant menus across the country, and some fine dining establishments are pursuing different fresh-cut angles and co...

The United States Potato Board (USPB) grower membership elected new leadership during its Annual Meeting held in Denver, CO, March 10-13. The News release lists the leadership for the coming year by section.

Restaurateurs looking for signs of an economic recovery will not see it in a recent survey that found consumer spending down markedly across all income groups in early March.Even as government officials suggested that consumer spending might have stabi...