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Retail News
Rite Aid Corporation will terminate its
operation of 28 stores in the Las Vegas, NV area. The
company is working with interested parties to sell or assign
the leases of the 28 buildings. Rite Aid plans to close the
stores over the next three months as it sells or liquidates
nonprescription merchandise. Full Story
Half of the 66 Farmer Jack stores that closed
six months ago remain for sale, reported the Detroit
Free Press. Kroger purchased 20 stores and has now opened
19, and Hiller's is remodeling the store it bought in Commerce
Township for a March opening. Full Story
Honest
Weight Food Co-Op will build a $3.5 million store in
Albany, NY. The project is still in the design phase, but
construction should begin in September 2008 and be finished by
late spring or early summer 2009, reported The Business
Review (Albany). Full Story (Free Registration
Required)
The number of people working part-time hours because of
slower business conditions rose 9% to 2.8 million in 2007,
according to Labor Department statistics. The increase
reverses a steady decline from 2003 through early 2006. Since
August 2007, the upward trend has accelerated, and it ticked
up again in December to 3.1 million people, the highest
monthly figure in four years, reported The Wall Street
Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription
Required)
Source Beverages reached a new distribution deal with
Folsom Distributing, as a result all Quiktrip stores in
the St. Louis area will carry Source Beverages' BURN Energy
Drink, reported CSP Daily News. Full Story
Manufacturer News
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s new 5 gum is catching on with
teenagers and young adults, but it has not slowed the
advance of Cadbury Schweppes PLC in North America or reversed
Wrigley's market share losses in the U.S., according to
Crain's Chicago Business. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Country Fresh, Inc. launched Country Fresh Creations
Blender Salsa Kit, a 20-oz. package that contains
pre-washed, pre-measured ingredients that can be tossed into a
blender or a food processor for fresh salsa. The product will
be available in select retail chains throughout the U.S. Full Story
ML Realty Partners LLC bought a Brach's Confections Inc.
factory in Chicago and plans to build a 500,000-sq. ft.
warehouse on the 30-acre site, reported Crain's Chicago
Business. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Foodservice News
McDonald's Corp. is set to launch coffee bars with
"baristas" serving cappuccinos and lattes at its 14,000
U.S. stores, moving into direct competition with Starbucks
Corp., according to a report in The Wall Street
Journal, reported Reuters. Full Story
McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King are all using the
99˘ price point as a key marketing tactic going into a
year when middle-class budgets are expected to be stretched
thin and gas prices are still climbing, reported
Advertising Age. The strategy comes after years of
trying to get their customers to trade up to pricier, fancier
fare. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
New
York's restaurant industry is expected to experience increased
business and higher employment, even as other sectors will
show weakness, reported New York Daily News. New York
State is expected to post sales growth of 4.7% ahead of the
nation, which is projected to be up 4.4%, according to the
National Restaurant Association. Full
Story
All
Krispy Kreme products sold in the U.S. have zero grams
trans fat. Full Story
Chipotle Mexican Grill will serve more than 52
million-lbs. of naturally raised meat in 2008, a 40%
increase over last year. Full Story
Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, which has grown to eight
restaurants, wants to open at least six more this year,
moving beyond South Florida to other parts of the state. The
concept is pizzas cooked ''well done'' in an 800-degree
coal-burning oven, with gourmet toppings. The eight
restaurants serve about 2,000 pizzas a day, according to
Miami Herald. Full Story (Free Registration Required)
Health News
There is no good evidence for avoiding certain foods
during pregnancy, using soy formula or delaying
introduction of solid foods beyond six months,
according to updated suggestions from the American Academy
of Pediatrics, reported The Associated Press. Full Story
Washington News
The Federal Trade Commission will begin a series of
reviews of "green marketing" claims and will revise its
green marketing guidelines based on discussions from this
year's workshops, reported The Oregonian. Full Story
Beverage and retail industries filed a lawsuit seeking
to invalidate the city of Chicago's new 5% bottle tax on
bottled water, which amounts to 30% tax on a case. The
four plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the American Beverage
Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois
Food Retailers Association and the International Bottled Water
Association. Full Story
Makers of natural sugar from cane and beets
are angry about use of the "natural" label on high-fructose
corn syrup, which has come to dominate the sweetener
industry, reported The Modesto Bee. Full Story (Free Registration
Required)
A North Carolina state-court judge ruled
against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in a tax-shelter case
involving an arrangement in which the retailer essentially
paid rent to itself and then deducted the amount from its
taxes. The judge ruled that Wal-Mart's structure had no "real
economic substance" other than cutting taxes. Wal-Mart's was
seeking a refund of $33.5 million in taxes, interest and
penalties that it paid after state tax authorities determined
it had underpaid by that amount, reported The Wall Street
Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription
Required)
FDA issued a revised draft of its
Compliance Policy Guide on Pesticide Chemical Residues in
Food-Enforcement Criteria. The draft is intended to
provide guidance to FDA staff on its internal enforcement
processes concerning pesticide chemical residues in food and
will be published in the Jan. 8 Federal Register. FDA Notice, CPG On Pesticide Chemical Residues
FDA updated its guidance pertaining to chemistry
information that should be submitted in a food contact
notification or food additive petition for a
food-contact substance. Full Story
Diamond Pet Foods will pay $3.1 million in a
settlement with pet owners over contaminated pet food that
killed dozens of dogs throughout the U.S., reported The
Associated Press. Full
Story
Mark's Quality Meats, Inc. initiated a voluntary
recall of 13,150-lbs. of various cuts of steaks and ground
beef. The products may be contaminated with E. coli. Full
Story
Global News
Delhaize Group entered into an agreement to acquire
the Greek retailer Plus Hellas through its subsidiary
Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos. The acquisition of 33 stores and a
new distribution center will reinforce the position of
Alfa-Beta in Greece, particularly in Northern Greece where it
had a limited presence. Full Story
Carrefour SA will not make an offer for Turkish
supermarket chain Migros Turk TAS, opening the way for
other bidders. Migros Turk's main owner, Koc Holding, is
selling 51% of the 961-store chain as it seeks to reduce debt,
reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
Kroger Co. claims that reports it was looking in to real
estate deals in India were "erroneous." The company
believes it may have been confused with another, according to
spokeswoman Meghan Glynn, reported Supermarket News. Full Story
Arla Foods will launch an organic alternative for its
leading spread brand. The company will produce and
distribute Lurpack Organic Spreadable across the UK, before a
possible roll out of the product further across Europe,
reported Dairy Reporter. Full Story
Organic beef prices in Britain are too low,
according to the Soil Association, which is weighting down
growth of local food production and leading to higher food
miles, reported Food Production Daily. Full Story
Polish ingredients firm Frubella signed a deal with JO
Sims to take its range of juice-infused dried fruits to
market. The addition of dried fruits to food products is a
popular strategy and manufacturers are using fruit to
differentiate their products, reported Food Navigator.
Full Story
Market News
Football fans across the U.S. will consume 49.5
million-lbs. of Hass avocados during the Big Game on Feb.
3, according to Hass Avocado Board. Full Story
The plum pox virus could further harm Niagara
County's peach crop, an estimated $1.5 million to $2
million industry, in 2008. Although not harmful to humans, the
virus renders the fruit commercially valueless because it
distorts and discolors it, reported Business First of
Buffalo. Full Story (Free Registration
Required)
The numbers of hogs and cattle on feed continue to
increase, despite concerns from the livestock industry
about high-priced feed. While profitability might be slipping,
especially for hog feeders, rising feed costs do not appear to
have dampened producers' enthusiasm, to the surprise of
futures traders and market analysts, reported Meat &
Poultry. Full Story
USDA amended the regulations concerning the importation
of animals and animal products by adding Armenia to the
list of regions where African swine fever exists. Full
Notice
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IGA Coca-Cola Institute Perspective 
