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Volume 8, Issue 48 December 14, 2007 |
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Weekly News in Review
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| New York City passes trans fat ban |
The Board of Health voted Tuesday to make New York the nation's first city to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants — from the corner pizzeria to high-end bakeries.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: MSNBC |
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| Former Darden exec to head up new restaurant group |
A former veteran of Darden Restaurants Inc. has been named president of a new company formed to manage planned nighttime entertainment districts throughout Central Florida.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Orlando Business Journal |
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| Yum to Copy McDonald's to Fix U.S. Unit |
After a year of disappointing results in its U.S. division, Yum Brands Inc. is looking to copy one of its biggest rivals in the fast food industry in a bid to turn the troubled business around.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Fool.com |
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| Subway's Diet: Less Oil, More Recycling |
The Subway sandwich chain is testing recycling bins, switching its napkins, cutlery and plastic cups and cutting down on the gasoline used to transport its restaurant supplies in an effort to minimize the chain's impact on the environment.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Wall Street Journal |
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| Panera Bread's president resigns |
Neal Yanofsky has resigned as president of Panera Bread Co. effective Jan. 4, the company said Tuesday.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: St. Louis Business Journal |
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| Southwest projected to lead nation in 2008 restaurant sales growth |
The National Restaurant Association's just-released annual Restaurant Industry Forecast foresees growth in the industry nationwide for the 17th consecutive year. Industry sales, it says, will be driven by growth in local economies, disposable income and population.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: New Mexico Business Weekly |
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| How Truett Cathy Did It |
S. Truett Cathy, the 86-year-old founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A, is a role model for the restaurant industry. In a career spanning more than six decades, he has managed to grow his business from a single mom-and-pop diner to a multi-billion-dollar chain.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: QSR Magazine |
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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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Ads vs. Advocates
By Steve Weiss
We live in an era of easily given and easily taken offense. There might have been a time when the core of civility was implied mutual respect, but that's a concept that now sadly seems as quaint as a tea party. We still talk about the golden rule but our contemporary culture embraces ever-increasing conflict, in which a modest "do unto others" is increasingly replaced by a shrill and strident "me first."
Now this is no sermon, and I have no moral standing to give one, but we have to take this seismic social shift into account when we do our jobs. And if your job happens to be marketing fast food to 18 to 34-year-old men it is likely that you find yourself in an excruciating bind. In the creation of media and messages that resonate with the contemporary mindset of this somewhat immature and testosterone-fueled target market, you run the high likelihood of offending just about everyone who isn't a 20-year-old man.
Certainly the notion of "crazy young people" has long been with us, but this issue has taken a particularly serious turn as a number of recent quick-service television ads have generated a particularly aggrieved outcry from consumer watchdogs. And while the industry legitimately argues such points as free speech, demographic imperatives, and having a sense of humor, there seems to be much more than a self-promoting crank factor being brought to bear with the recent charges. Surely ads that appear to glorify the likes of inhalant abuse, sexually provocative teachers, and driving while stoned cross some sort of socially appropriate line. So, the moral outrage of those who feel their values have been assaulted is becoming increasingly palpable.
Take for instance the recent Wendy's ad for a 99-cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, in which a group of office colleagues take hits from a helium canister and, gas engorged, float around the ceiling. The ad quickly raised the ire and e-mail activism of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a Texas-based group that pointed out both the direct physical dangers of "huffing" helium related to replacing the body's oxygen with an inert gas and the perhaps more insidious secondary consequence of putting out a mass media message that using inhalants is kind of funny and socially acceptable.
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"Snowflakes are some of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together."
-Vista M. Kelly
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Employee Health - Part 10 - Responsibilities of the Permit Holder, Person in Charge, Food Employee and Conditional Employees
Our goal for writing these articles is to give you, the operator, a better understanding of the current 2005 FDA Food Code.
Question: I'm an owner of a small local cafe and I've been informed by the Health Department (HD) that the local elementary school has a confirmed case of Norovirus, and the HD wants to remind me that one of my food service employees works at the school as a substitute in the kitchen, should I be concerned?
Answer:
The purpose of employee health observations is to reduce the likelihood that certain viral and bacterial agents will be transmitted from infected food workers into the food. The agents of concern are known to be readily transmissible via food that has been contaminated by ill food workers. Over the next few months we’ll explore Chapter Two of the 2005 Food Code.
Details Available in our Food Safety Area
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 production last week declined .7% but was 4% larger than a year ago. Beef packer margins have remained notably negative for most of this fall as suppliers have resisted output cutbacks for fear of losing market share. However, National Beef, accounting for approximately 12% of US beef output, recently announced a slowdown in production. If other major suppliers follow it would be generally supportive of beef prices. Existing beef prices appear to be softening. Typically, the USDA choice boxed beef cutout weekly average trades sideways from now until the New Year. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Dairy |
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October US butter exports were over 6 times larger than a year ago accounting for an additional 8.1 million pounds of product. With US butter prices notably lower than competing major export regions, fairly strong butter exports could endure well into 2008. Domestic holiday butter stocks have mostly been secured. Steady to modestly lower butter prices are likely during the next few weeks. The CME cheese markets are trending downward. Further cheese market decreases may be impending. Prices per pound, except Class I Cream (hundred weight), from USDA.
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Poultry |
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October US chicken exports were a whopping 36.2% larger than a year ago accounting for an additional 150.9 million pounds of product, 87% of that being made up of leg quarters. 2007 US chicken exports through October were 13% more than the prior year and were a record for the time period. With avian flu still occurring in parts of Asia and the value of the US dollar depressed, strong chicken exports are forecasted to persist which should be bullish for dark meat chicken prices and may be bearish for the chicken breast markets. The existing chicken markets are mostly steady. Prices USDA, FOB per pound except eggs (dozen).
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Seafood |
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October US shrimp imports were 11.6% less than 2006 marking 2007 total shrimp imports through the month 3.7% lower than last year. It appears that the devalued US dollar is the major factor behind the decline in shrimp commerce as the mass of the major shrimp exporters to the US have decreased trade. With the US dollar likely to remain depressed, declining imports and upward pressure on the shrimp markets may persist. Prices for fresh product, unless noted per pound from Fisheries Market News.
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Pork |
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Pork output last week declined .5% but was 13.1% larger than 2006. Pork production since the beginning of October is estimated to be 7.8% larger than 2006, the main reason we have experienced relatively depressed pork prices. Although the percentage increase in pork output is projected to decline this winter, a 2 to 4% gain is likely which should be bearish for pork prices. The ham market may fall to its lowest level in nearly 4 years in the coming weeks. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Produce |
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Recent adverse weather continues to hamper Western tomato supplies. Although Florida tomato shipments are slowly improving, they have not been able to keep up with increased demand brought on by the Western shortages. Consequently, tomato prices are tracking upward. Overall tomato supplies could remain lacking through the end of the year which is expected to cause elevated tomato prices to endure. Tomato shipments should improve as January progresses. Improved harvesting conditions may influence lettuce prices moderately downward during the next few weeks. Prices shipping point unless noted (terminal) FOB from USDA
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Oil and Grains |
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In the latest USDA report, 2007/08 US ending stock projections for wheat, corn and soybeans were all lowered. Volatile grain prices are anticipated to persevere through the winter. 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 - The canned tomato markets are fairly stable. With California tomato farmers looking for another raw product price increase next year of around 10%, elevated canned tomato prices are projected to continue. Price per case (6/10) FOB from Supply and Market Report.
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Processed Fruits and Vegetables - The canned green pea market is firm with relatively adequate stocks. Because raw product cost increases are anticipated next year for processed vegetable suppliers, firm canned vegetable markets should endure. 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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Convection Oven Advice
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My Imperial convection oven is on its last leg, any advice or experiences with Wolf, Vulcan or Blodgett would greatly be appreciated.
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The seasonal "second" job.
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Do any of your employees ever take on a second job during the holidays? If so, how much of a pain in the butt is it for you?
I will never cease to be amazed at the logic, or lack thereof, exercised by some employees. I have an employee who decided to take on a second job. Now, this employee has been here longer than others, but is probably the worst performer out of the bunch. Recently, she came to me and said that she couldn't work part of the shift she was scheduled to work because it 'overlapped' the hours at her "second" job. Since this was only a matter of a few minutes "overlap", I told her we could work something out. The next day, she presented me with a schedule from her second job (they do a schedule every three days, which says a lot about the duration of employment/dependability of employees there) which had her (conveniently) scheduled to work times that would eliminate her ability to work lunch or dinner here.
Today, I was informed that she was complaining because I hadn't posted the schedule here in a time that was convenient enough for her, and followed up by saying, "I'll make my own damn schedule then!"
Tsk Tsk Tsk....Lesson of the day: If you have a kind employer who has always been flexible and accomodating, never make smart comments to other loyal employees, or within earshot of the owner.
Time to say bye bye, I suppose.
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Be careful not to confuse me with look-a-likes
I am a part of the ascomycete family, but many think I am a basidiomycete. I am more closely related to jelly fungi and coral fungi than you may think. Confusing as this may seem, I am still the most popular, and some say the "aristocrat" of the bunch. Be extremely careful not to confuse me with look-a-likes because some are poisonous, and some falsely take on my image. I grow in the wild, but can be found in most specialty food stores. I am both an import from Europe and domestically grown in the United States. Like many of my "so-thought" relatives, I only grow in unique climatic conditions, but those conditions can occur anytime between April and August. I can be found peeking from just melted snow. Climate and environment can determine whether I am black, blond, or white. Traditionally I could only be found in the wild, but recently you humans have managed to cultivate me in factories; you have replicated my shape and size but you'll never duplicate my unique nutty, earthy flavor. My stems can be quite tough, and I taste best when I have a short stem. I am hollow inside, and have a honeycomb design on my, in most cases, club-shaped top. My culinary uses are diverse; from the common stuffer to the most exquisite of cuisine, I am certain to tantalize your tongue. If you're a die-hard nutritionist, then don't bother eating me; I have very little nutritional content. Maybe a trace of vitamin C, and a little bit of iron, a smidgen of calcium and tad of fiber. I am about flavor and the Rites of Spring.
What am I?
View the Quiz Archive
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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