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Volume 7, Issue 3 January 18, 2008 |
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Weekly News in Review
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| Pizza Hut Announces Launch of Total Mobile Access |
Pizza Hut is introducing two new ordering options that are the most flexible and easy to use in the pizza industry. Pizza Hut will offer 'Total Mobile Access,' which allows customers to order pizza from their mobile phones via text messaging or mobile Web.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Hotel News Resource |
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| Sizzler threatens to sue lotteries over "sizzler" |
A single word has lottery officials in Iowa and a national restaurant chain in a sizzling argument over copyrights.
Attorneys for Sizzler International have threatened to file a lawsuit against the Multi-State Lottery Association in Urbandale for their use of the word ''sizzler'' in a lottery game.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: The Associated Press |
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| Nightmares end for restaurant owner who fled to America |
D.J. Sulisufaj lived in Communist Albania as a child and ran away at 12.
He wound up in a political prison, first charged with being a spy and later accused of trying to leave the country.
For that he received a 25-year prison sentence. He escaped after pushing a violent guard down a flight of stairs, killing him.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Tampa Bay Newspapers |
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| Vegans seek grilled meat warning |
A vegan group is trying to force U.S. restaurant chains to warn California consumers about a cancer-causing chemical that forms in grilled meat, using a state law designed to protect consumers from toxins in drinking water.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Reuters |
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| McDonald's will focus on existing stores to boost profit |
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant company, said it will focus on increasing comparable-store sales rather than opening new outlets to boost profit.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Asbury Park Press |
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| Customer drives into McDonald's after workers screw up order |
First Coast News says David Spillers, 31, is accused of driving his car into the playground at a McDonald's restaurant in Jacksonville, Fla.
He crashed his car into the building after workers messed up an order for french fries, a police spokesman says.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: USA Today |
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| Teen Makes Offer to Buy Moby Dick Chain |
Through his investment company, Javan Capital Partners LLC, 19-year-old Artin Afsharjavan, owner of the Bethesda, Maryland, Persian restaurant Javan, has made an offer to purchase the kabob chain Moby Dick House of Kabob for $8 million in cash.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: QSR Magazine |
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Kitchen Equipment: Observations from Both Sides of the Pond
By Lee Simon
Every two years the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) organization hosts its premier event somewhere in the United States - the NAFEM Show - where manufacturers throughout North America display the latest and greatest foodservice equipment they have to offer. On the other side of the pond, in Italy, there is another biennial event - the HOST show - where the latest and greatest European kitchen equipment is showcased, offering industry professionals an opportunity to "kick the tires." This past fall, these two tradeshows were held back-to-back in Atlanta and Milan, and I was fortunate to participate in both.
Separated by less than a week, attending these two shows one right after the other highlighted clear similarities and differences between trends in the two regions. I would like to briefly address the commonalities first, as analyzing the differences is far more revealing. Generally speaking, walking around the more than 20 combined exhibit halls, just about everything I saw was "familiar." There were a few new, truly innovative products at both shows, but even these were often improvements within a pre-existing category. In other words, there were some different style ranges with very unique features - but they were still ranges. Pressurized braising pans had an increased presence and seemed to be growing in popularity - but they were an improved version of the familiar piece of equipment we have been using for decades. I think you see my point.
The differences between equipment displayed at these two exhibitions, however, were more intriguing to me because I believe that they convey a great deal regarding trends, preferences, health codes, and priorities within each region. Certain products - even product categories - that were on display in Atlanta could not be found in Milan; and the reverse was also true. The remainder of this column highlights some of the key divergences I observed between the goods on display at these two events. Here they are, in no particular order:
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"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."
- William James
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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 |
View Detail |
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Beef output last week was 5.7% more than a year ago. Analysts will be watching cattle weights closely in the coming weeks due in part to the inflated feed costs and bouts of inclement weather. Cattle weights declined notably during December compared to the prior year. If cattle weights track below year ago levels it would mitigate forthcoming beef production. The choice beef markets are soft and further modest decreases may be pending. 2007 retail beef prices were 4.4% higher than 2006. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Dairy |
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On Wednesday January 16th the CME spot block cheese market settled below $1.80 per pound for the first time since May. Many cheese buyers are delaying purchases expecting steady to lower cheese prices in the coming weeks. November US butter (1219%), nonfat dry milk (78.6%), cheese (55.6%) and whey (20.6%) exports were all larger than 2006. Butter export growth during the month at 13 million pounds was still short of the 13.8 million pound expansion in domestic butter output. Prices per pound, except Class I Cream (hundred weight), from USDA.
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Poultry |
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November US chicken exports were 23.4% or 51.36 million pounds larger than the previous year. Nearly 70% of the increase in chicken exports was due to an escalation in trade with Russia while a majority of the rest was made up of markets which have not historically imported notable volumes of US chicken. US chicken leg quarters are one of the least expensive sources of protein in the world. Strong US chicken exports should persist in 2008 which may cause leg quarter prices to remain fairly elevated. The chicken wing markets are edging modestly upward. Prices USDA, FOB per pound except eggs (dozen).
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Seafood |
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US shrimp imports continue to wane. US shrimp imports during November were 14.4% less than the prior year marking 2007 total shrimp imports through the month 5% lower than 2006. Only 2 of the top 10 exporting countries exported more shrimp to the US in November than in 2006. A continued devalued US dollar should temper shrimp imports this year which is expected to pressure shrimp prices moderately upward. Prices for fresh product, unless noted per pound from Fisheries Market News.
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Pork |
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November pork exports were 18.9% larger than the prior year including considerable increases in trade with China (22.9m lbs.), Hong Kong (8.57m lbs) and Russia (5.07m lbs.). However, the 38.5 million pound increase in pork exports only fractionally offset the 149 million pound increase in domestic pork production during the month. This is likely to be the story into the spring which should stifle any seasonal pork market gains. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Produce |
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Tomato volumes have improved in recent days influencing the tomato markets downward. However, the freeze and high winds experienced in Florida earlier this month caused significant blossom drop from tomato plants which would normally produce product during the mid winter. Thus, tomato volumes could be especially limited later next month. Volatile tomato prices are likely to persist. Inflated strawberry prices could endure as well. The California avocado harvest is slowly getting underway. Last year the avocado market declined 18% during February. Prices shipping point unless noted (terminal) FOB from USDA
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Oil and Grains |
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The USDA is forecasting 2008 US hard red winter wheat acreage to fall 1% from 2007. The wheat markets could be especially volatile in the coming months. 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 remain fairly steady to firm. Existing supplies are adequate but elevated 2007 raw product costs from the harvest should continue to support the canned tomato markets. Price per case (6/10) FOB from Supply and Market Report.
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Processed Fruits and Vegetables - Northwest raw product apple for processing prices remain extremely inflated at roughly $215 a ton compared to $60 a ton last year at this time. Canned apple price increases are anticipated. 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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How to clean those white walls!!
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Does any one have a secret to getting the white kitchen walls clean? I need to put up more coving by the floor before my next inspection, and i cant seem to get the walls clean.
Ive tried degreaser with green scrubbies, but the grooves make it really hard to scrub clean. there has to be an easier way. Any tips/suggestions? (I am also open to hear about any tips for general cleaning)
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Looking for low tech answers......
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I'd like to find any easy way to keep track of birthdays and anniversarys. When I worked for Marriott I used Calendar and it was pretty effective but I was wondering if there was anything that's come out in the recent past that I might have missed out on. In the same spirit, is their any easy program/method to keep reservations (keeping in mind I do not have a POS)?
Right now I use a nice black leather book courtesy of Amex but I wouldn't mind updating if there was something new out there.
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Toxic Leaves, but Delicious
My first recorded use is in China in about 2700 B.C. Originally I was used medicinally as a powerful laxative, and a known cure for venereal diseases. It was not until the eighteenth century that my stalks became popular for eating. My leaves contain oxalic acid and are toxic. I'm field grown from late winter to early summer, and hothouse grown all year, but my field flavor is stronger. Although I am often used as a fruit, I am a member of the buckwheat family, an almost indestructible perennial, whose stalks grow up to two feet long. Often combined with strawberries or ginger, I am awesome as a fruit soup, pie, sauce for meats, jam, sorbet, or ice cream. I can even be fried or poached.
What am I?
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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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