Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Heads to California With 10 Unit Development Deal

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery®, a leading family-dining restaurant serving homestyle comfort classics and fresh-from-the-oven pies, is thrilled to announce a milestone in its storied franchising history. The brand recently signed a groundbreaking 10 unit development deal, marking Perkins first foray into California and underscoring its commitment to bringing its beloved offerings to new communities.

The announcement comes at an exciting period of franchising for Perkins as the brand has experienced a record breaking year of growth....

PERDUE® Expands SHORT CUTS® Product Line with Two New Varieties

PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Hickory Smoked Chicken Breast Strips and PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Shredded Roasted White Meat Chicken Bring New Flavor and Preparation Techniques to Mealtime

PERDUE®, the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., announced the expansion of its SHORT CUTS® product line with the introduction of PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Hickory Smoked Chicken Breast Strips and PERDUE® SHORT CUTS® Shredded Roasted White Meat Chicken. The new offerings tap into trending flavors and preparation techniques that...

ANALYSIS: Checking-In on Turkey Market Supply Factors

Although mid-May trade conditions have been slow to shift the undertone surrounding whole-body turkeys and raw materials, there is no shortage of variables which are weighing heavily on the minds of market participants as they refine their expectations for the road ahead. Central to many turkey-related conversations remains disease.

As illustrated by this week’s chart, year-to-date (YTD) commercial HPAI outbreaks have risen about 84%, or 229.6 thousand head, when compared to a similar period one year prior...

HPAI H5N1 Virus in Dairy Cattle – What We Know

In March 2024, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1), commonly referred to as bird flu, was confirmed in domestic U.S. livestock for the first time in a dairy operation in Texas. Since then, the virus has spread to 36 dairy operations across nine states, raising widespread uncertainty throughout the dairy and livestock markets. Industry participants have raised concerns about the outbreak's potential impact on consumer perception and demand for dairy and meat products, though government agencies reiterate that the national food supply remains safe. Urner Barry is closely monitoring the situation...

The Retail Rundown: Memorial Day Promotions; Latest CPI Data

Spring is in the air… and the first inklings of summer are making a reappearance too. Memorial Day is less than two weeks out and grocers are enthusiastically preparing for the official start of the grilling season.

Cookout staples like charcoal, outdoor serving ware, grilling cuts, and all things barbeque are migrating toward the front page of circulars, bringing increased visibility to the meat case, deli counter, and prepared foods sections of the store. 

In the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend last year, 78-84% lean ground beef was...

2024 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Series: How Consumers Are Finding Value at the Grocery Store, FMI

Shoppers enjoy food shopping as much as ever, according to the latest annual survey by FMI – The Food Industry Association, conducted by The Hartman Group. The analysis kicking off this 2024 series, U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: Finding Value, provides a crucial snapshot of consumer behavior and sentiment in the most frequently purchased consumer category amid ongoing concerns about the impact of inflation on the cost of groceries.

While consumer concerns about food inflation persist, FMI’s newly launched U.S. Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index, which accounts...

McLane Announces Grand Opening of McLane Innovation Kitchen

McLane Company Inc., one of the nation’s largest distributors and an industry-leading partner to retail and restaurant brands nationwide, recently announced the grand opening of its Innovation Kitchen at the company’s headquarters in Temple, Texas.

Designed for customers as a full-scale replica of the complete c-store experience, this state-of-the-art space showcases how cutting-edge retail foodservice equipment and products seamlessly fit into various footprints and counter spaces while exploring the world of McLane Fresh, Emerging Brands and CVP private label brands...

Pizza Hut Enters the Burger Business with New Cheeseburger Melt

Starting today, Pizza Hut is entering the burger business with a better way to burger. Introducing the new Cheeseburger Melt, a parmesan-crusted thin crust Melt folded and loaded with beef, applewood-smoked bacon, onions, mozzarella, and cheddar, served with Burger Sauce on the side. The savory, cheesy, crunchy menu item ditches the bun (say goodbye to soggy bun burger deliveries) and brings together a medley of flavors for those craving a cheeseburger all wrapped into a crispy thin crust. With this handheld, Pizza Hut has cracked the code...

Jack in the Box Celebrates Jack Box’s Birthday With a Week of FREE Food

Jack in the Box, Inc. knows that birthdays should be birth-weeks. Jack Box, the chain’s beloved leader, is known for giving fans what they want, even on his own birthday. Jack Pack members can take advantage of daily free food offers from May 13 - 19 online and through the Jack app.

For the whole week of Jack Box’s birthday, Jack Packers will get rewarded each day with a new offer with any $1 purchase. Schedule of free offers include...

ANALYSIS: Brazilian Beef Export Volumes Show a Robust 25% Monthly Growth in April

Despite the general sentiment of a softened market from key export destinations for the Brazilian beef, exports in April demonstrated a significant upturn, with total fresh beef exports reaching 208,053 MT, a 25.1% increase from previous month’s 166,303 MT. The significant rebound in export figures from March have surprised some stakeholders given the persistent talk about a subdued demand and pressured prices. Particularly from the Chinese market, a major trading partner of Brazil.

April’s overall market undertone diverged by some means from the increased export figures...

ANALYSIS: Factors Influencing Mexican Ribeye Export Levels

The Mexican market has recorded its lowest export levels to the US in the last five years during 2024, primarily due to the strength of the peso in the exchange rate and increased demand in the Mexican domestic market. Despite this, the limited availability of materials in the USA has sustained interest in Mexican ribeyes.

Throughout the year, export price trends have mirrored those in the US market, particularly with select-type materials. Notably, this cut has shown remarkable price stability, maintaining consistent demand and demonstrating robust performance in the first quarter of...

ANALYSIS: Impacts of Prop 12 Shape Memorial Day Outlook for Pork Ribs, Bacon and Butts

Memorial Day is traditionally celebrated as one of the major pork holidays each year. Ribs, bacon, and butts are all beloved staples of this popular weekend that marks the official start of summer. However, this year presents a unique situation due to rebounding cold storage levels post prop 12 proclamation, sow liquidations, and economic uncertainty, unlike the past few years.

The current values for bone-in butts show an increase of 3.9% compared to this time last year, and they are also 10.4% above the...

McDonald 's Cooperating with Chinese Regulator After Reported Food Issues

White Castle, home of The Original Slider® and America's first fast-food hamburger restaurant, is recognizing National Slider Day on May 15 by treating Cravers to a complimentary Original Slider. No purchase is necessary. Customers will simply use a digital coupon available on White Castle's social media channels or enter the code SLIDERDAY on the app to redeem the offer.

Cravers visiting White Castle on National Slider Day on May 15 will receive a complimentary Original Slider.

White Castle introduced National Slider Day in May 2015 to honor the...

DOA: Australian Government Phase Out of Live Sheep Exports by Sea

Decision on how and when

The Australian Government has announced the export of live sheep by sea will end on 1 May 2028.

Legislation will be introduced in this term of the Australian Parliament to end the trade in law.

Trade can continue until the end date without any additional restrictions such as caps or quotas. The prohibition will not apply to other livestock export industries, such as live cattle exports, nor will it apply to live sheep exports by air...

Colombian Government Considers $5 Mln Investment in Agricultural Bio-Inputs Plant

The Colombian government is studying a potential USD $5 million investment to construct a public agricultural bio-inputs plant, based on information disclosed by the Ministry of Agriculture to Blu Radio.

This initiative forms part of Colombia's broader strategy to enhance its agricultural infrastructure and comes amidst escalating costs for key agricultural inputs such as urea, which have seen historical price surges due to global market fluctuations influenced by the Ukraine conflict.

The proposed plant aims to develop a range of products essential for local agricultural operations...

Steakholder Foods Signs Commercial Cooperation agreement with Wyler Farm

Steakholder Foods Ltd., a leading innovator in alternative proteins and 3D printing technologies, announced a royalties and raw materials supply agreement with Wyler Farm Ltd., a leader in alternative protein production, whereby Wyler Farm will manufacture alternative proteins on a commercial scale using Steakholder Foods' premixes and know-how, in return for the payment of royalties from sales. The agreement is expected to generate the company's first commercial revenue, and marks Steakholder Foods' early transition from R&D to commercialization.

Production of the new plant-based meat products is tentatively...

Thrive Market Hires April Lane as Chief Merchandising Officer

Thrive Market, the healthy and sustainable online grocery store, has named April Lane its Chief Merchandiser. Lane brings decades of e-commerce experience to her role and has a significant track record of advancing e-commerce merchandising at scale.

As the Chief Merchandising officer, Lane will be responsible for the site’s merchandising, which spans Food, Home, Health, and Beauty. She will also manage the Food Safety and Quality (FSQA) team, which oversees food quality, safety, and regulatory compliance across all product categories, including both branded and owned brands...

OLM Food Solutions Introduces Hot Stuff Kitchen Stuffed Bites

Performance Food Group company addresses need for quality, on-the-go snacks

OLM Food Solutions, a Performance Food Group company, is excited to announce the expansion of its snack offerings with Hot Stuff Kitchen Stuffed Bites. This product line pairs hearty portions of classic flavors with various doughs, from flaky pastry to buttermilk biscuits, which offers home-style taste and on-the-go convenience.

Created to meet America's growing demand for convenient, tasty snacking options, Stuffed Bites is designed with operational efficiency and market appeal in mind...

ANALYSIS: Global Price Overview– Beef Knuckles

Urner Barry offers comprehensive beef price coverage across the world's largest markets. This analysis examines a popular cut, the knuckle, which is traded in different global regions. The report explores market conditions and price trends for knuckles, a round cut utilized in various applications such as processed steak items, ground beef production and for slicing and dicing.

To access the full range of Urner Barry's market insights, refer to our prices and market commentary. This includes coverage for U.S. Choice, Select, and Ungraded Boxed Beef, as well as U.S. Boneless Beef markets...

Analysis: Rising Demand for U.S. Boneless Pork Butt in South Korea

Upon analyzing the USDA's year-to-date export data, there is a noteworthy increase of 70.6% in total weekly U.S. pork export volumes to South Korea compared to this same period last year. These exports have primarily consisted of pork butt items.

Conversely, year-to-date total beef exports to South Korea have decreased by 5.4% from the previous year. Elevated U.S. beef prices have led to a reduction in weekly export volumes to South Korea.

With dwindling pork supplies in the European market and high U.S. beef prices...

ANALYSIS: March's Turbulent Tradewinds in Chicken Exports

The latest chicken export data through the end of March leaves some room for interpretation depending on one’s vantage point. Closing Q1 at 558.5 thousand pounds, total export tonnage rebounded 2.1% from February. This loosely coincides with the seasonally-anticipated average uptick of 7% realized over the past five years. Nonetheless, March’s closing tally was slow to make year-over-year (YoY) headway; standing just shy of 11% below ’23 levels.

In terms of value, March’s reading retreated by about 10% when compared to this time last year. Market participants are...

ANALYSIS: Insights into Non-Fed Slaughter

The quotation for 90% Fresh Chemical Lean Beef Trimmings exceeding $3.00 per pound has historically been a rare occurrence, happening only four times prior to this year: in September 2014, January 2015, late Spring 2020, and early Fall 2023. However, since the start of February, prices have remained above this mark for 14 consecutive weeks as seen in Chart 1 below.

Chart 1. UB Beef Trim 90%

One significant factor driving these historically high prices is the slowing rate of cow and bull slaughter in the U.S. According to the...

Packaged Facts Illuminates the State of the U.S. Food Market

Propriety survey shows that 53% of consumers are still very concerned about rising food prices.

In a dynamic landscape where food and beverage trends evolve faster than ever, Packaged Facts’ latest report, U.S. Food Market Outlook 2024: Opportunities & Challenges With Pricing, Convenience, Sustainability & More, provides a compass for industry players navigating uncharted waters.

The food industry faces unprecedented tests—from supply challenges and rising labor costs to changing consumer preferences and increasing need to address sustainability issues. Packaged Facts’ new report equips retailers, service providers, wholesalers, food processor...

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 9 - Rising Input Costs, feat. Special Weather Analyst

Brazil's BRF Shares Rise Almost 14% After Strong Q1 Results

Shares in Brazilian pork and chicken processor BRF SA rose almost 14% in early afternoon trade on Wednesday after the company reported strong quarterly results on better pricing in export markets and lower grain costs.

The company said it earned a net 594 million real ($116.88 million) in the first quarter, which is seasonally weaker than the preceding one, beating the average of analysts' expectations of a 449.79 million real gain.

Analysts at BTG Pactual said in a note to clients that BRF's performance was "impressive."...

B&G Foods Reports Financial Results for First Quarter 2024

B&G Foods, Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2024. Financial results for the first quarter of 2024 reflect the impact of the Green Giant U.S. shelf‑stable divestiture during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Summary

Guidance for Full Year Fiscal 2024

• Net sales revised to a range of $1.955 billion to $1.985 billion.
• Adjusted EBITDA revised to a range of $300 million to $320 million.
• Adjusted diluted earnings per share revised to a range of $0.75 to $0.95...

US Foods Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 Earnings

rew Net Sales 4.8% to $8.9 Billion and Gross Profit 4.9% to $1.5 Billion

Net Income of $82 Million

Grew Adjusted EBITDA 6% to $356 Million and Reaffirms Fiscal Year 2024 Guidance

Closed on IWC Food Service Acquisition in April

US Foods Holding Corp., one of the largest foodservice distributors in the United States, today announced results for the first quarter fiscal year 2024.

First Quarter Fiscal 2024 Highlights

• Net sales increased 4.8% to $8.9 billion
• Total case volume increased 4.2%...

Pete & Gerry’s Broadens Distribution Partnership with Publix to Include Pasture-Raised Eggs

Pete & Gerry's, LLC, a pioneer in humane egg farming, today announced that Pete & Gerry's Pasture-Raised™ Eggs will now be available in all 1,400+ Publix Super Markets throughout the Southeast. Joining Pete & Gerry's Organic® and Nellie’s Free Range eggs in the egg aisle, the Pete & Gerry's Pasture-Raised is now on shelves in all Publix stores throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Introduced last year to the Pete & Gerry’s portfolio, Pete & Gerry’s Pasture-Raised Eggs are laid by...

Hormel Foods Announces Appointment of Colleen Batcheler as Senior Vice President

Hormel Foods Corporation, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today announced that Colleen Batcheler has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, external affairs & general counsel.

In this critical role, Batcheler will oversee the organization's global Legal and External Affairs function, including corporate governance and securities, M&A, intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment, and legislative and regulatory affairs. She will report directly to Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Colleen to...

Clemens Food Group Acquires Kunzler & Company

Clemens Food Group of Hatfeild, Pennsylvania reported an acquisition of Lancaster based, Kunzler & Company, Inc.

Both Clemens and Kunzler have built success in the pork industry spanning over 120 years respectively, are family owned, and share core values which empasizes in family, team development and ethical business practices.

Clemens, the 5th largest pork processor in the US, will add to its portfolio three more processing plants, one in Lancaster and two in Tyrone. These locations help benefit the company's strategy to expand its support for Pennsylvania's agriculture and food processing industry...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Export Volume Closes Q1 on a Relatively Positive Note

The latest turkey export data marks a continuation of the year-over-year (YoY) advances in outward tonnage which have been evident over the past nine months. Coming in at 37.7 million pounds, March’s closing tally stood 15%, or 3.5 million pounds, above this time in 2023. Given the ongoing complications with HPAI-related production and export constraints, it bears noting that total export figures still remain situated at the third-lowest seasonal level realized in two decades. Export value during this timeframe notched lower by 0.5%; positioning...