News on Food Trends from Northern America

Today Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced that it has completed the acquisition of protein-based snacking businesses Thanasi Foods LLC, maker of Duke's® meat snacks, and BIGS LLC, maker of BIGS® seeds (collectively, Thanasi).

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant pathology team intentionally infected potato plants with psyllids positive with the bacterium that causes zebra chip disease, in order to identify promising germplasm in the battle against the disease plaguing the US potato industry for the past 15 years.

Frito-Lay today announced it is voluntarily recalling select Jalapeño Flavored Lay’s Kettle Cooked potato chips and Jalapeño Flavored Miss Vickie’s Kettle Cooked potato chips due to the potential presence of Salmonella in the seasoning.

The Miss Vickie's® brand today announced a voluntary recall of Jalapeño-flavoured Miss Vickie's® brand kettle cooked potato chips due to the potential presence of Salmonella in the seasoning used in the product.

McCain Foods USA, Inc. announced today it is voluntarily recalling retail, frozen hash brown products that may be contaminated with extraneous golf ball materials

Following a highly successful launch in 2016, Canadian produce company EarthFresh is bringing its lower glycemic response (GR)* Carisma potato back to Ontario grocery retailers for an extended season.

The Big Idaho® Potato Truck has been making heads turn for six years. The splash it made in NYC in August 2016 was so big it earned the 6-ton spud the prestigious Bulldog Reporter's Silver Award for Best Special Event.

Bags of Wise potato chips contain vastly more empty space than they do actual product, according to a recently filed class action lawsuit in the United States.

Jay LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine and Jason Davenport of Arvin, California were appointed to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 16, 2017 and will co-chair the Industry Outreach Committee.

The Potatoes USA international marketing committee met prior to the Annual Meeting in Denver March 15 & 16. The committee heard how U.S. potato exports have grown 183% in the past 20 years and now account for close to 20% of production.

QSRs, which represent 80 percent of total commercial foodservice visits, realized no traffic growth in 2016 and total foodservice traffic dipped slightly.

Since Monsanto took their genetically modified Newleaf /Naturemark potatoes of the market in 2001, no GM potatoes have been grown commercially in Canada. But Simplot's Innate potatoes are going to change that in 2017.

The Potatoes USA Board Members for 2017 were sworn in during its Annual Meeting in Denver Colorado.

The Big Idaho® Potato Truck is back on America's highways promoting Idaho's most famous agricultural product, the Idaho® potato.

TOMRA Sorting Food will showcase the TOMRA 5A, its newest state-of-the-art potato sorter, at the new biennial processing event ProFoodTech 2017. Potato Processors can find TOMRA at Booth #1721

Yesterday, Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire protein-based snacking businesses Thanasi Foods LLC (Thanasi), maker of Duke's® meat snacks and BIGS LLC (BIGS), maker of BIGS® seeds.

Potatoes USA has developed an updated new Nutrition Facts Label for fresh potatoes to meet updated FDA guidance.

Boulder Canyon™ Authentic Foods advances its line of kettle-cooked potato chips cooked in unique oils with the introduction of Rice Bran Oil Kettle Cooked Potato Chips