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Volume 7, Issue 10 March 9, 2007 |
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Weekly News in Review
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| Starbucks' Empire Challenged by Unlikely Rival -- the Golden Arches |
When it comes to coffee, Americans want more than a plain cup of joe.
Starbucks used to be the gold standard in luxury lattes, cappuccinos and other coffee concoctions. Now, old standbys like Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's are rolling out a host of fancy coffee drinks, including flavored lattes.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: ABC News |
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| Dunkin’ Donuts inks marketing deal with Rachael Ray |
Chipper talk show host and Food Network personality Rachael Ray is one of the new faces of Dunkin’ Donuts.
The Canton chain signed the Cape Cod native to a marketing deal that runs through 2010. Ray will be featured in television, print, radio and online spots, with the first TV commercial scheduled to air next month.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: bostonherald.com |
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| Vicorp posts first-quarter loss of $1.1M |
Lower restaurant profits caused by higher food and labor costs led to Vicorp Restaurants Inc. of Denver posting a loss in 2007's first quarter.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: The Denver Business Journal |
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| Chef serves up termite, monkey and spider dishes |
The termites, monkeys and spiders used in chef Nelson Mendez's gastronomic creations are enough to make even the most adventurous gourmand squeamish.
But Mendez hopes that, given a chance, his dishes inspired by the isolated Yanomami tribe of Venezuela's southern rain forests can please discriminating palates and gain a following in the country's culinary circles.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Associated Press/AP Online |
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| Chef guilty of murder |
A crowd outside the Pacific territory's Supreme Court voiced its approval as the jury forewoman announced: "We find the accused guilty of murder."
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Queensland Newspapers |
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| Sales slip at Brinker eateries |
The parent company of Chili's and On the Border says same-store sales in February declined 4.9 percent, thanks in part to bad weather.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Dallas Business Journal |
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| Japan's culinary king takes on the world |
The name Nobu is synonymous with fashionable dining rooms and expensive menus, and celebrities flock to eat and be seen at one of the world's hippest restaurant chains.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: CNN |
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| Critics denounce Pizza Hut reading program |
Since 1985, that's been the gist of Pizza Hut's Book It, an incentive program used by 50,000 schools nationwide to reward young readers with free pizzas. The program is now under attack by child-development experts who say it promotes bad eating habits and turns teachers into corporate promoters.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: CNN |
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More News | Casual Dining News | QSR News | Fast Casual News | Manufacturer News
Be sure to visit Foodservice.com daily for the latest industry news!
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| For information about sponsoring this newsletter, please visit our Marketing Center |
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Creating An Injury-Free Workplace: How To Avoid Corporate Complacency -- the Silent Killer
By Deb Potter
Every day in the United States on the average, 15 workers lose their lives as a result of injuries or illnesses related to their work - that's over 5700 people. These people leave behind families, friends, and co-workers. The single most common cause is complacency - an attitude that "it won't happen to me." Complacency Kills The Entire Organization Too often individuals and companies become complacent when it comes to safety. Managers are satisfied with mediocre safety performance and do not work to improve the environment by raising safety awareness and eliminating the potential for injury. Employees are content and are not attentive to their work environments. They become convinced that management is not concerned about safety. They begin to think they are not responsible for their own safety. Over time, the entire organization gives little meaningful attention to safety. The result is that employees begin to get in a hurry and take shortcuts on the job. They are more focused on production and getting the job done than getting it done safely. That attitude becomes an organizational norm. Near misses go unreported. No one wants to take the time to fill our forms and employees don't understand the connection between sharing information and eliminating injuries.
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"Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you."
- Winston Churchill
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The Route to Safer Fresh Fruits & Vegetables (reprint)
Our goal for writing these articles is to give you, the operator, a better understanding of the current 2005 FDA Food Code.
Although fruits and vegetables are one of the healthiest food sources in our diet, we continue to have foodborne disease outbreaks of significance from produce, sometimes affecting large groups of people in multiple states because of their wide distribution. The CDC estimates that fresh produce now causes 12 percent of foodborne illness in the United States. Produce needs our continued food safety efforts at the restaurant level as well as at the stages in agricultural production. Occasionally, fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with harmful bacteria or viruses, such as Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A. This contamination can occur at any point from the field to our table. If eaten, contaminated fruits and vegetables can cause foodborne illness.
How does produce become contaminated? Because most produce is grown in a natural environment, it is vulnerable to contamination with pathogens (disease causing microorganisms). Factors that may affect produce contamination include agricultural water quality, the use of manure as fertilizer, the presence of animals in fields or packing areas, and the health and hygiene of workers handling the produce during production, packing, processing, transportation, distribution, or preparation. The fact that produce is often consumed raw without any type of intervention that would reduce, control, or eliminate pathogens prior to consumption contributes to its potential as a source of foodborne illness. Recent notable outbreaks from produce involved tomatoes, sprouts, green onions, cut melons, parsley, lettuce, strawberries, and juices such as un-pasteurized apple cider and orange juice.
Read More...
For further information, contact your local, regional or state regulatory agency.
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View updated pricing and information each week on the website for the following food-commodity markets:
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Beef, Veal & Lamb |
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Beef and cattle prices are jumping sharply higher due in part to the rise in cattle futures and surprisingly strong shipments. The USDA choice boxed beef cutout price is climbing to buyer resistance levels which could slow the upward beef market trend shortly. However, the impact of the earlier winter storms on cattle grading is expected to be especially felt in the coming weeks which could limit the choice beef supply. The beef markets will likely be erratic this month. The February steer-feed price ratio was the lowest since March 1998 which suggests poor cattle producer margins. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Dairy |
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The butter market is climbing notably higher. Butter production is outpacing demand and stocks are building. The CME ?week 9? butter inventory was 29% higher than last year and the largest for the week in 4 years. The butter market is anticipated to steady or turn downward shortly. January American, (5.6%), cheddar (3%) and mozzarella (6.9%) production were all greater than the previous year. The CME cheese markets are moving modestly upward but are anticipated to stabilize. Prices per pound, except Class I Cream (hundred weight), from USDA.
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Poultry |
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The broiler-feed price ratio has improved slightly in recent months due to the rise in chicken prices. Still, February?s ratio was the lowest for the month in 3 years which suggests producer profitability is still struggling. Consequently, the chicken production slowdown is likely to persist into the spring. Processors could begin to cautiously ease some of the chicken output cutbacks as the summer nears. The chicken breast markets are relatively stable. History indicates that chicken breast prices may move higher soon. Prices per pound except eggs (dozen) FOB from USDA.
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Seafood |
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The whole salmon market is relatively stable with adequate stocks. Salmon demand could modestly wane next month once the Lenten Season ends. In the meantime, salmon prices are expected to remain at fairly inflated levels. The overall impact of US shrimp import tariffs is lessening as high taxed exporters are deserting the US and low taxed exporters are increasing trade. The shrimp markets are steady. Prices for fresh product, unless noted per pound from Fisheries Market News.
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Pork |
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The February hog-feed price ratio was the lowest for the month in 8 years indicating poor hog producer profitability and further confirming expectations for modest breeding herd liquidation this spring. Pork production is rebounding from last week?s poor weather and many pork markets are moving downward. Protein price ratios favor pork retail feature activity in the coming weeks. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Produce |
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According to the NOA, February 1st US storage onion stocks were 25% less than the prior year and the lowest for the date in over a decade. Costly onion prices are anticipated to persist. The lettuce markets are becoming active due to a modest rise in demand and light head weights. The lettuce markets could be volatile this month. Tomato prices are depressed. Adequate Eastern tomato shipments are anticipated to persevere through March. The California strawberry harvest is recovering. Prices shipping point unless noted (terminal) FOB from USDA
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Oil and Grains |
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Elevated fertilizer costs and limited hybrid seed supplies could mitigate corn acreage growth this year. The grain markets are expected to remain volatile through the spring. Prices per pound (oils) or bushel (grains) FOB from USDA.
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Canned and Frozen Food |
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Tomato Products, Canned - 2007 US tomato for canning output is forecasted at 11.9 million tons, 12% more than a year ago and 9% larger than the 10 year average. However, a rise in raw product costs this year could temper any canned tomato market decreases this summer. The canned tomato markets are firm. Price per case (6/10) FOB from Supply and Market Report.
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Processed Fruits and Vegetables - Due to the elevated grain markets, green bean contracted acreage is likely to cost 10 to 25% more this year for processors. Canned green bean price increases could be forthcoming this spring. Prices FOB per case from Supply and Market Report.
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The Employment Center is your gateway
for posting job listings or your resume
into 3 of the most
popular sites
in the foodservice industry.
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Obnixous children
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How do you all handle Parents who refuse to control their darling screaming Brats.
I have a large sign that reads "unattended children will be given an Expresso and a free Puppy".
If they still don't get it, I make it a point to point out the sign, they usually then get it!
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How To Sell Beef
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I do not work in the foodservice industry, but I would like to work with it. I raise registered and commercial Angus cows and finish the calf crop on the farm. For the past 10 years, or so, we have been selling beef half and whole to friends and family. Our calves are on a feedlot and are given corn and supplement but are never given hormones, antibiotics or animal by-products. (Don't worry; this is not a sales pitch) The reason I am sending this out, is for advice. I would like to start selling individual cuts to restaurants. I am finding a lot of info about how good of an idea this is, but not much on the technical issues, such as, pricing, if I will have to store the product, packaging, or even what cuts sell best.
Also, what is the best way to approach a restaurant with this idea? We are a small farm and would like to grow into this business, would a small restaurant be willing to try my beef on a trial type basis?
Any advice that anyone could pass along to me would be greatly appreciated
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Which financial data to include in a business plan?
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What sort of financial information should I include in my business plan. I plan on presenting it to a bank for a $30K line of credit and to several investors ($10K-$15K each) as well as to the landlord...when I find one.
From experience can anyone recommend?
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The Romans loved us
We’re native to India and may be 10,000 years old. The Romans loved us. Then Americans declared us only fit for cows in the late 1600’s. But today, we join the Queen for tea between slices of buttered bread. Smooth or warty, we always have glossy skin and almost white flesh. Ranging from 3 inches to 2 feet in length, generally the English are the longest, the Persian are the shortest, while American’s are shorter and fatter. The Chinese hang weights on us sometimes to make us grow longer and stronger. Big or small, long and firm, with seeds or not – someone wrote a book listing why we are better than a man in 100 ways. We do hang out with real climbers, who may need some guidance, constraint or support, so we don’t end up rolling on the floor or taking over the party. Peel us if we’re waxed, scrub off any spines, and gut us if you burp. Eat us raw, steamed or sautéed. Leave us in vinegar for a famous deli side dish, but not the freezer. We’re a must for Greek salads and gazpacho. Combined with yogurt, we counter Middle Eastern spices. We are great with fish, dill, and tomato. A source of potassium, calcium, folate, and vitamin C, we’re fat free, cholesterol free and sodium free. We’re a diuretic, purifier, and relaxant. Use us as a cool astringent to soothe your skin. From fields and greenhouses, we come for you all year with a summer peak.
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The Food Quiz has is brought to you by Culinary Specialty Produce, a specialty produce broker that scours the world for the very best in specialty produce. Contact them at 908-789-4700 or by sending an email to info@culinaryproduce.com.
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