Research from Northern America

October 29, 2007

Market consolidation a challenge for natural and organic suppliers

Following the approval of its acquisition of rival Wild Oats, Whole Foods Market has become the single most important natural food retailer in North America. The growing power of this 'supernatural' retailer is expected to consolidate supply chains of...

October 25, 2007

Reductions needed in the sodium added to foods

In an effort to save lives and reduce disability from stroke and heart disease, 17 of Canada’s leading health groups and professional associations today urged comprehensive action to reduce sodium levels in food.“Increased blood pressure is the leading...

October 23, 2007

Study Finds Large Audience Searching Online for Package-Goods Brands

Research released today by ComScore defies long-cherished beliefs that people don't care enough about package-goods products to do online search about them or go to their websites. The study found a majority of U.S. consumers visited at least one packa...

October 22, 2007

VN opent het Internationale Jaar van de Aardappel

Na de internationale jaren voor de rijst (2004) en voor de bergen (2002) kan een jaar voor de aardappel natuurlijk niet achterblijven. Vorige week opende de Verenigde Naties het jaar met als belangrijkste doel om overheden subsidie te laten verstrekken...

October 22, 2007

Organic To Go acquires Three Brother's Restaurants

Organic To Go, a fast casual cafe chain, has acquired the privately-owned Brother's Restaurant &Deli chain, adding three retail cafes and two catering facilities to its roster. Organic To Go will convert and rebrand the three Brother's locations ...

October 19, 2007

Seed bytes October 2007: Newsletter for the New Brunswick Potato Seed Industry

Careful and wise storage management decisions are your best defences against crop losses due to potato storage diseases. It is essential to know that you cannot cure tubers of diseases, but you can minimize storage losses from tuber infections.

October 18, 2007

Tesco makes big splash in California

Tesco, the United Kingdom's largest retailer with more than 3,200 stores in a dozen countries, is rolling out its new Fresh &Easy neighborhood store concept in Southern California, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The local office of CB Richard Ellis has b...

October 17, 2007

Do food miles make a difference to global warming?

The U.S. local food movement -- which used to be elite, expensive and mostly coastal -- has gone mainstream, with a boost from environmentalists who reckon that eating what grows nearby cuts down on global warming. But do food miles -- the distance e...

October 14, 2007

Critics: ConAgra mishandled recall

Critics say ConAgra Foods Inc.'s delay in recalling pot pies linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak increased the chance that more people would become sick, opened up the company to greater liability, and exposed a key weakness in the nation's food...

new Salsa flavor helped grow SunChips in North America

October 11, 2007

Pepsico 3Q profit raised 17 percent, shares drop.

PepsiCo Inc., the worlds second- largest maker of snacks and soft-drinks, said third-quarter profit rose 17 percent and sales climbed 11 percent as it sold healthier chips and food tailored to local tastes in India and Russia. Products that led gain...

October 10, 2007

US West Coast stronghold of organics consumers

The West Coast is a stronghold for organics consumers, according to a recent analysis from Scarborough Research. Scarborough finds that 35 percent of San Francisco adults used organic foods during the past month, making it the top U.S. city for organi...

October 05, 2007

ConAgra pledges to cut food ads to kids

Food giant ConAgra has joined a voluntary industry initiative to reduce its marketing to children as part of a widespread move to improve kids' nutrition and reduce the rates of obesity.Yesterday's pledge follows a call for information from the chairm...

October 05, 2007

Washington State Potato Growers have settled processing contracts with Simplot and Heinz

Washington state potato growers have settled processing contracts with the J.R. Simplot Co. and H.J. Heinz Co. for the 2008 growing season.Simplot will pay growers a $240-per-acre "energy surcharge"under the new contract, Potato Growers of Wa...

October 03, 2007

Chicago is showing signs of becoming a national player in the organic food movement

Chicago shows signs of becoming a national player in the organic food movement. With the nation's only USDA-certified organic retail bakery and one of the few organic pizza restaurants -- not to mention the recent rise of caterers and meal-delivery b...

October 02, 2007

Good, bad carb definitions misleading, says review

Dividing carbohydrates into 'good' and 'bad' carbs is misleading, and cannot be used as a measurement to prevent overweight and obesity, according to a review of scientific literature on the contentious topic.According to Gaesser, diets high in carboh...

October 02, 2007

Analyst: P&G may get 3.5 billion for Pringles

P&G may get as much as $7 billion for Duracell, $3 billion for Folgers and $3.5 billion for Pringles, said Ali Dibadj, a New York-based analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein &Co. Chief Financial Officer Clayton Daley Jr. said last month that P&a...

October 02, 2007

Idaho Potato Commission celebrates 70th anniversary

The Idaho Potato Commission is marking its 70th anniversary this year. Formed in May 1937 and originally (and only briefly) known as the Idaho Fruit &Vegetable Advertising Commission, the IPC has been actively promoting Idaho potatoes since its in...

September 28, 2007

Idaho Potato Commission adds fresh talent to its retail food team

The Idaho Potato Commission welcomes Kent Beesley as Retail Promotions Director/West. Beesley will be responsible for educating retailers on how Idaho Potatoes can help boost profits in the potato category in grocery stores and other venues where potat...