COSTCO URGES STRICTER SAFETY MEASURES ON CANTALOUPES

“I don’t think the cantaloupe industry can continue on doing the very same thing and expecting a different result,” said Craig Wilson, the head of food safety for Costco, the Seattle-based warehouse retailer, which is regarded as a leader in requiring food safety measures from its suppliers.

“It’s time for companies to get more aggressive. If they know this is going to happen, let’s step up and not let it happen.”

He said that Costco would consider setting standards for how melons are grown and how they are cleaned and handled after they are picked. He said the company would most likely require that suppliers test melons for pathogens before shipping them to Costco.
He called on the industry to finance research into the best way to wash or clean cantaloupes to remove contaminants.

FDA ANNOUNCED ITS RETAIL FOOD SAFETY ACTION PLAN FDA.GOV

In its latest step to increase the safety of the American food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Retail Food Safety Action Plan that includes several measures to help assure the safety of food sold in food stores, restaurants, schools, and other foodservice operations in the United States.

The Action Plan focuses on improving the way managers of these establishments conduct food safety operations in their facilities, as well as improving the oversight of these establishments by public health agencies at the Federal, state and local levels. The Plan specifically calls for strengthening State and local food safety requirements that apply to these establishments and for improving training for personnel on measures to keep food safe.

In support for the Action Plan, FDA also today announced that it has established a cooperative agreement with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Under this agreement, FDA and NACCHO will promote the use of best practices by local authorities and develop tools to strengthen retail food safety oversight and implement FDA’s Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards for retail food regulatory programs.

Also in support of the Plan, FDA today announced issuance of a Supplement to the 2009 FDA Food Code that includes a new and important recommendation that retail food establishments employ at least one certified food protection manager to ensure adherence to safe practices and standards within the establishment.

The FDA Food Code is a set of model food-safety regulations for keeping food safe at retail and food-service operations including restaurants, schools and food stores. Local, state and tribal authorities use the Food Code to develop or update their own food safety rules to be consistent with national food regulatory policy. Keeping the Food Code current with this supplement is part of FDA’s effort to promote its full adoption and implementation by State, local and tribal authorities across the United States. The new Supplement incorporates recommendations from the 2010 Biennial Meeting of the Conference for Food Protection.

FAMILY DOLLAR EXPANDS CONSUMABLES

Family Dollar Stores said its primary objective for fiscal 2012 is to drive traffic with an expanded selection of consumables and to drive larger baskets with more impulse purchases.

Consumables increased 12% in fiscal 2011 — to 69.1% of sales in the fourth quarter, compared with 67.3% a year earlier, reflecting expanded assortments of food and health and beauty aids, the company noted.
Source: Supermarket News

FDA DROPS IMPORT ALERT, DEL MONTE DROPS LAWSUIT

The Food and Drug Administration lifted an import alert on Guatamalan cantaloupes from Del Monte Fresh Produce NA Inc. Sept. 27, according to a Del Monte news release.

The same day, Del Monte dropped a lawsuit against FDA regarding the import alert. The Coral Gables, Fla., company sued FDA August 22, stating FDA’s import alert “threatens the viability of a major import source for cantaloupes.”

Del Monte said it was fighting “erroneous speculation, unsupported by scientific evidence” made by the FDA and state health agency officials that the cantaloupes Del Monte imported from a Guatemalan grower were contaminated with salmonella.

In the Sept. 27 release, Del Monte vice president of marketing Dennis Christou said the company and FDA “have a mutual interest in the creation and enforcement of appropriate food safety measures that protect consumer health,” and the agreement shows FDA can work with importers such as Del Monte to achieve this mutual goal.
Source: The Packer

DAVID CHEESEWRIGHT NAMED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NEW WALMART REGIONAL MANAGEMENT TEAM

Walmart announced the appointment of David Cheesewright as executive vice president, president and chief executive officer of a new regional management team. In this newly created role, Cheesewright will lead Walmart’s retail operations in Canada, the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa, and will oversee business development in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Canada. Cheesewright will assume his role immediately and report directly to Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Walmart International.

“Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Canada hold tremendous potential for our company and we are excited to have David Cheesewright leading the team,” said Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Walmart International. “Since joining the company, David has been a champion for our customer, led innovation and delivered returns.”

“Walmart has a strong and successful presence in Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom,” said Cheesewright. “I look forward to continuing this success and bringing our mission of saving people money so they can live better to even more families across the region.”

Walmart has more than 283,000 associates and 1,182 retail units in Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom.

FAMILY DOLLAR INTRODUCES SHOPPER BEHAVIOUR MONITORING SYSTEM

US-based discount retailer Family Dollar has introduced ShopperGauge Retail Learning Lab across 20 of its stores. The move is in the hope of improving its instore shopper experience, Progressive Grocer reports.

ShopperGuage allows the retailer and its suppliers to test customers’ reactions to designs, displays, and promotions in a real life setting. This shopper behavior insights system, created by RockTenn Merchandising Displays and its technology partner, BVI Networks, uses video and analytics to collect and analyze shopper behaviour as customers move through the store and interact with the displays. Quantifiable metrics are then created by combining the data with the store’s transaction log to show the number of shoppers at each location and which brands most effectively engaged the customer, ultimately resulting in a sale.

US MELON LISTERIA OUTBREAK KILLS 16

An outbreak of listeria linked to cantaloupe melons produced at a single farm in the US state of Colorado has reportedly killed 16 people and infected more than 70 others, according to US health officials, making it the most lethal food-borne outbreak in the country for more than ten years.

According to public health and safety body the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 18 US states have reported infections attributed to one of four listeria strains believed to be the cause of the outbreak.

Four of the fatalities were said to be in New Mexico, two in Colorado, two in Texas and one each in Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

The CDC reported that it had traced the outbreak to cantaloupes grown at Jensen Farms in Granada, Colorado, where it had obtained a sample later found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.
On September 14, the company issued a recall of its melons, which it markets under the Rocky Ford brand.

The US Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers to throw out the recalled melons.

EDUARDO CASTRO-WRIGHT PLANS TO RETIRE JULY 1, 2012

Eduardo Castro-Wright is vice chairman and chief executive officer of the company's global e-commerce and global sourcing businesses.

The company said it will name new leadership by the end of January, after which Castro-Wright will assist in the transition until he retires.

STUDY LINKS COFFEE TO REDUCED DEPRESSION RISK

A Harvard University study indicates women who drink two to three cups of coffee a day lower their risk of depression by 15%.

The study, which looked at information for more than 50,000 women, found those who drank four or more cups of coffee daily saw a 20% reduction in their chances of developing depression.

REWE REDUCES PESTICIDE CONTAMINATION LEVELS IN FRESH PRODUCE

German retailer Rewe announced that it has significantly reduced pesticide contamination levels in conventionally grown fruit and vegetables.

Since 2007, the supermarket has succeeded to halve the level of pesticide residues in fresh produce.

The investigation apparently looked at a total of 7,200 samples of more than 100 individual fruit and vegetable products from 60 countries of origin.

SHOPPERS PREFER CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SELF-CHECKOUT

Market studies cited by the Food Marketing Institute found use of self-checkout lanes have dropped by 6% over the past three years, which has some markets considering abandoning their use in stores.
Most respondents said they enjoyed their shopping experience more when using a traditional checkout line attended by a cashier, as opposed to a computer.

While shoppers seemed to like self-checkout lanes upon their inception about 10 years ago, popularity in checking one's own groceries has since waned.
"Delays in line, coupon redemption confusion, misidentification in produce and baked goods, and accidental theft" were a few of the top reasons cited for displeasure with a technology originally introduced to simplify and expedite the checkout experience, according to a Big Y study.

HY-VEE REDUCES REMODELING COSTS

US-based Hy-Vee has cut construction costs for new and remodeled stores by more than 25% over the last six years, Supermarket News reports. The grocery retailer has worked with Hy-Vee Weitz, its in-house construction and general contractor company, to streamline the construction process and as a result has reduced its schedule from 11 months to around eight and a half. Jeff Markey, Assistant Vice President of Engineering/Construction at Hy-Vee, said: “We're seeing the fruit of these labors, not just in the pre-construction side but in the construction side as well.”

FDA MAKES $6.5 MILLION FOOD SAFETY GRANT

In a bid to optimize US food safety inspection results, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set aside a $6.5 million grant to improve the current food safety system.

The International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) will receive an annual grant of $1.3 million, over the next five years, which will be used in its work with the FDA, building an integrated food safety system.

It is hoped the grant will help the IFPTI prevent foodborne illnesses, which strike approximately 48 million Americans each year, and kill thousands.

The funding will support the implementation of the national food-training infrastructure detailed by the Food Safety Modernization Act.

IFPTI, which is an initiative of the Global Food Protection Institute (GFPI), provides food protection training curriculum and has trained more than 1,800 food safety inspectors from 49 US states.
President and CEO of the GFPI, Julia Bradsher said, “Building an integrated system between federal, state and local agencies responsible for the safety of the nation’s food supply relies heavily on training, and the International Food Protection Training Institute is meeting that need.”

US FOODSERVICE IS NOW US FOODS

US Foodservice today unveiled its new corporate name, US Foods, and brand identity reflecting its strategic focus on creating a better food offering and an easier service experience for customers.

"Our new name and brand image are a reflection of the many customer-focused improvements now underway at US Foods," said John Lederer, president and CEO, US Foods. "We traveled the country and listened carefully to what our employees and customers had to say about how we can improve: provide better, more relevant and innovative food choices and make it easier for our customers to do business with us. We believe this is a recipe for mutual success."

Based on extensive research, the new identity and underlying strategy mark the beginning of US Foods' strategic transformation into a more creative and innovative food company dedicated to making things easier for customers.

In addition to changing its name to US Foods - which research showed is how most customers and employees already refer to the company - a new logo and tagline will begin appearing on trucks, products and in other areas. With vibrant orange and green food colors and a bold, simple design, the new image expresses confidence and a fresh outlook.

"We wanted to let everyone know we're on an exciting path," Lederer said. "The new image will remind us of our focus every day, and our new tag line, 'Keeping Kitchens Cooking,' will keep our customers front and center."

WALMART CANADA COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF LEASES FOR 39 STORES

Walmart Canada announced that it has completed the acquisition from Target Canada of leases for 39 store locations currently occupied by Zellers. Walmart also announced the locations acquired.

It is anticipated that these locations will open as Walmart stores in late 2012. Walmart expects this announcement will create more than 5,000 construction, trade and store jobs and will represent a significant investment in Canadian communities.

The new Walmart stores are expected to open in late 2012 and will be a mix of discount stores, which offer general merchandise and a broad selection of pantry foods, and supercentres, which offer general merchandise as well as a full selection of groceries under one roof.

SUPERVALU TO PILOT MOBILE APP

US grocery retailer SuperValu will launch a mobile app, Supermarket News reports. At the Grocery Manufacturers Association Executive Conference, Kat Kozitza, the company’s Director of Interactive and Direct Marketing, announced: “We've rebuilt our digital framework with mobile in mind. SuperValu is initially focusing on developing mobile applications that serve the most important shopper needs, such as store locator capabilities, savings, deals and circulars as well as shopping lists with sorting capabilities”.

The app will be made available on Android and Apple iOS smartphone platforms. An exact date and location for the trial has not yet been disclosed. The project is part of a wider technology initiative that aims to integrate the consumer experience across digital platforms and become more consistent and efficient in the digital framework. Recently, the retailer introduced a new website infrastructure and started a social media initiative at Cub Foods. Based on the trial, SuperValu will examine how its mobile solution performs and make any adjustments needed to prepare for a wider roll-out.

USDA RETAIL FOOD-INFLATION FORECASTS FOR 2011

In 2011, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all food is projected to increase 3 to 4%. Food-at-home (grocery store) prices are forecast to rise 3.5 to 4.5%, while food-away-from-home (restaurant) prices are forecast to increase 3 to 4%. Although food price inflation was relatively weak for most of 2009 and 2010, cost pressures on wholesale and retail food prices due to higher food commodity and energy prices, along with strengthening global food demand, have pushed inflation projections upward for 2011.

The all-food CPI increased 0.8% between 2009 and 2010, the lowest food inflation rate since 1962. Food-at-home prices increased by 0.3% - the lowest annual increase since 1967 - with cereal and bakery product prices declining 0.8% and processed fruit and vegetable prices dropping 1.3%. Food- away-from-home prices rose 1.3% in 2010, the lowest annual increase for restaurant prices since 1955.
For 2012, food price inflation is expected to abate from 2011 levels but is projected to be slightly above the historical average for the past two decades. The all-food CPI is projected to increase 2.5 to 3.5% over 2011 levels, with food-at- home prices increasing 3 to 4% and food-away-from-home prices increasing 2 to 3%. While many inflationary pressures that drove prices up in 2011 are not expected to intensify and may even decrease in 2012, retailers have been slow to pass on cost increases to date. Price levels in 2012 will hinge significantly on several macroeconomic factors such as weather conditions, fuel prices, and the value of the U.S. dollar (an indicator of global demand).

The CPI for all food increased 0.5% from July to August 2011, 0.4% from June to July 2011, and is now 4.6% above the August 2010 level. The food-at-home CPI increased 0.6% in August 2011 and is up 6% from last August, while the food-away-from-home index was up 0.4% in August 2011 and is 2.7% above last August. Food commodity and energy price increases over the past year, combined with a weak U.S. dollar, have caused most of the grocery store price increases observed in 2011. The all-items CPI was up 0.3% in August and is 3.8% above the August 2010 level.

NUTRITION KEYS IS NOW 'FACTS UP FRONT'

The voluntary front-of-pack labeling system launched by the Food Marketing Institute in concert with the Grocery Manufacturers Association last January has a new identity: the program previously known as “Nutrition Keys” is now “Facts Up Front.”

WALMART CANADA PLOTS STEADY STRATEGY

David Cheesewright, chief executive officer at Walmart's Canadian operation, has said that the group is not planning to make any major changes to its strategy to deal with new competition in the market.

However, Cheesewright did confirm that the group would continue to revamp stores that competed directly with rival retailer Target, Reuters reported.

"The market is tough but stable, and people are looking for value," he told the news agency. "That hasn't changed much in the last 18 months, and I'm not sure I see it changing much over the foreseeable future."

FRESH EXPRESS PUSHES ORGANIC CREDENTIALS

Chiquita subsidiary has introduced Organic Baby Sweet Lettuce and Organic 50/50 Mix products alongside an awareness campaign to show that its organic salads are 'Organic but more'.

The wholly owned Chiquita subsidiary is keen to promote its adherence not only to the US Department of Agriculture's organic standards, but also to its own 7 Steps of Prevention food safety program, which it describes as a "multi-step total supply chain approach to food protection".

With the two new additions, which are both blends of tender leaf lettuces - the 50/50 Mix also comes with baby spinach - its organic salad clamshell line includes eight varieties.

The 'Organic but more' slogan is designed to remind retailers about the benefits of purchasing the line.

WALMART TO GENERATE SOLAR ENERGY AT MORE THAN 75% OF ITS STORES IN CALIFORNIA

Walmart announced its plan to install solar panels on up to 60 additional stores in California, expanding the company’s solar portfolio to more than 75% of its stores in the state, making California the first state in the nation where Walmart has devoted this level of commitment to renewable energy.

When complete, Walmart’s total solar commitment in California is expected to:
- Generate up to 70 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy per year, which is the equivalent of powering more than 5,400 homes;
- Avoid producing more than 21,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is the equivalent of taking approximately 4,100 cars off the road;
- Provide 20 to 30% of each facility’s total electric needs.

PEPSICO TARGETS "BREAKTHROUGH" SNACKS R&D

The US food and drinks giant said this week that it would set up a "Global Snacks Group" that it hopes will deliver "breakthrough snacks innovation" and promote best-practice from its operations around the world.

The new unit is similar to PepsiCo's "Global Nutrition Group", which it set up last year to develop healthier products in categories including grains, dairy and functional foods.

PepsiCo also announced a second initiative, with the creation of a "council" to bring together its food and beverage units in the northern, southern and central parts of the US.

The "Power of One - Americas Council" has been formed to take advantage of the "combined scale" of PepsiCo's food and beverage businesses, the company said.

The Power of One initiative is designed to ensure full coordination across the food and beverage operating systems", PepsiCo said. The company said the move would "create opportunities for value creation from sales, marketing and distribution to back-office operations as well as in complementary food and beverage products.

SAFEWAY ADOPTS INNOVATION MODEL FOR PL

Safeway is adhering to a new private-brand innovation model that borrows from national brand marketers while leveraging assets that are unique to retailers.

"What we're trying to do is build bigger and better brands faster and serve our consumers better," Alex Petrov, vice president of consumer brands for Safeway told attendees at the Private Brand Movement conference.
Source: Supermarket News

IMPROVED PACKAGING COULD GROW PL SALES

Investments in private-label packaging could help retailers grow store-brand share, Carla Cooper, president and chief executive officer of Daymon Worldwide told retailer attendees at the Private Brand Movement conference.

"Consumers can only take in two maybe three messages at once. Every national brand is aware of this and they're working to draw attention to themselves," Cooper said.

"You can advertise and market all you want but at the end of the day packaging is literally the voice of the brand on the shelf and later when it gets home," she said. "Every single design decision you make is influential because design drives sales."

Retailers who've gotten it right use clean, straightforward store-brand packaging that removes "noise" from the shelf. Designs that connect emotionally with shoppers are also best in class. Cooper offered as example Kraft's new Macaroni & Cheese packaging that features a smile-shaped noodle.
Source: Supermarket News

CHIQUITA LAUNCHES MYPLATE INITIATIVES

Chiquita Brands International has launched several new initiatives to support the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) MyPlate program, which encourage consumers in the US to “make half your plate fruits and vegetables.”

As part of Chiquita's campaign, the group held “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables” Day on September 20 as the company sponsors both consumer and employee nutrition engagement efforts, as a national strategic partner of the initiative.

FAMILY DOLLAR CREATES NEW POSITION OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, FOOD

US-based discount retailer Family Dollar has announced the appointment of Trey Johnson to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Food.

FRESH & EASY INSTALLS CASE DOORS IN 35 STORES

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, El Segundo, CA, has installed framed glass doors on medium-temperature cases in 35 stores and plans to put them in 170 locations, said Steve Hagen, director of national procurement and engineering.

The doors, supplied by Remis America, Elkhart, Ind., were attached to cases containing beer and wine, packaged deli, meat, fish, poultry and non-liquid dairy.

At one test store, Fresh & Easy determined that the doors would save more than 100,000 kilowatt hours annually, or just over $10,000, given a utility rate of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, said Hagen during a presentation yesterday at the Food Marketing Institute's Energy & Store Development Conference here.

The doors were also found to cut shrink by 50%, improve merchandise visibility and temperature control, and increase dwell time by shoppers because aisles are warmer, he said.
Source: Supermarket News

SPROUTS RECEIVES TWO GREENCHILL AWARDS

Sprout's Farmers Market, Phoenix, won an award for having the Best Emissions Rate - the lowest rate of refrigerant leaks over the previous calendar year - from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill Partnership at the Food Marketing Institute's Energy & Store Development Conference.

7-ELEVEN TO ACQUIRE 28 PC&F SITES

Convenience store giant 7-ELeven has announced plans to buy 28 retail locations in the US from Pacific Convenience & Fuels (PC&F).
The acquisition includes sites in California, Oregon, Washington state and Colorado.
Once remodeled and rebranded, each store will carry 7-Eleven products, such as Slurpee and Big Gulp beverages, fresh food and grill offerings, along with 7-Select products (7-Eleven's private brand) and standard convenience-store items.

COCA-COLA ROLLS OUT SMALLER SIZES

Coca-Cola is introducing smaller and less expensive packages.

The company recently introduced 7.5-ounce cans in an eight-pack.

This week, it is launching a 12.5-ounce bottle that sells for 89 cents.

LOWER STROKE RISK IS LINKED TO WHITE PRODUCE

Dutch researchers found a correlation between consumption of fruits and vegetables with white edible sections and a lower risk of stroke. For every 25 grams per day of cauliflower, pears, apples, mushrooms, cucumber and other white produce, the risk of stroke fell 9%.

INTERMARCHE TAKES AIM AT RIVALS WITH AD CAMPAIGN

French retailer Intermarché has launched a marketing campaign that offers to refund the price difference on 250 national brands if customers find them cheaper at its rivals.

COSTCO EYES FRENCH ENTRY BY 2013

US warehouse retailer Costco is planning to enter the French market by 2013.

Costco has appointed property agent CB Richard Ellis to begin the search for possible sites at which to locate its outlets.

"No precise timetable has been established for the opening of the first outlets but the objective is to have one or two in service in 2013," a spokesperson for CB Richard Ellis told just-food. "Nor has Costco indicated how many outlets in total it is looking to open in France but the aim is to open two to three annually in the years to come."

It has stated a preference for buying land and building its own warehouse facilities which would total between 130,000 sq ft and 155,000 sq ft in size. However, it could also consider long-term leases on land and buildings.

Costco operates 580 outlets in nine countries.

FOOD INFLATION IS FAR WORSE IN GROCERY STORES THAN RESTAURANTS

According to the latest government figures, the consumer price index for food at home increased by 60 basis points year-over-year to 6% versus the 10 basis point gain in food away from home CPI inflation to 2.7%.

Food inflation is now the most important household expense, according to Walmart's commentary during its earnings call last month. Food prices, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, continue to accelerate higher.

CDC: NOT ENOUGH KIDS DRINK LOW-FAT MILK

Not enough children and teens in the US drink low-fat milk, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals.
Children and teens in the highest income category reported drinking low-fat milk more often than those in the lowest income group.

The research, published in a CDC report titled "Low-fat Milk Consumption Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2007-2008," showed that about 73% of children and teens drink milk, but only about 20% of them say they usually drink low-fat milk (skim or 1%).

Meanwhile, the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey also revealed that about 45% drink reduced-fat milk (2%) and 32% reported they drink whole milk regularly.
Older children and teens drink low-fat milk more often than younger children. Although 13% of kids aged 2 to 5 usually drink low-fat milk, 21% of kids aged 6 to 11 years said they do, along with 23% of teens aged 12 to 19.

AUCHAN FRANCE REPORTEDLY TO LAUNCH AN ORGANIC FOOD STORE CONCEPT

The retailer will launch an organic food store concept in the style of French retailers Biocoop or La Vie Claire. A project is in the pipeline to open a 5,400-8,600 sq ft store in the Paris region at some point in 2012.

CONSUMER FEARS ABOUT PRODUCE SAFETY RISE

A new poll from NPR and Thomson Reuters shows that 57% of consumers say they are concerned or very concerned about food safety, down from 61% who responded that way in the summer of 2010.

Fresh produce on the other hand, showed an elevated level of concern among consumers. The poll showed that 30% of consumers say fruits and vegetables pose the greatest risk, compared with 23% with that view last year.

Meat leads the list of foods that people worry about most, the poll showed. Of those polled, 44% said meat is the food that poses the greatest risk, which NPR said was down 7% from a year ago.

MANUFACTURERS' CONFIDENCE ABOUT U.S. ECONOMY IS DOWN

US manufacturing leaders are extremely pessimistic about the US economy, according to Grant Thornton LLP's most recent Business Optimism Index, a quarterly survey of US manufacturing business leaders. Only 13% believe the US economy will improve in the next six months, down significantly from 40% in May. At the same time, 40% believe the US economy will get worse, up from 26%. In addition, only 21% of manufacturers say they will increase hiring and 35% say they plan layoffs.

CONSUMERS PREFER A SINGLE GREEN SCORE ON PACKS

According to research released by shopper marketing and industry insight experts, Ryan Partnership Chicago and Mambo Sprouts Marketing, health and eco-consumers want one universal green score to help them make sustainable product buying decisions.

Survey findings published in the "One Green Score for One Earth" sustainability research white paper, suggest shoppers would increase sustainable product spending if only they could determine which products were truly green and which had been simply green-washed.

According to Christine Nardi Diette, president of Ryan Partnership Chicago, simplicity is the key today. "All of the green messaging is creating more confusion than confidence. Consumers are challenging manufacturers and retailers to be clear about their commitment to sustainability."

FDA ESTABLISHES FOODBORNE ILLNESS OUTBREAK RESPONSE NETWORK

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a streamlined, integrated approach to effectively and rapidly respond to human and animal foodborne illness outbreaks: the FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) Network.

The CORE Network is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of epidemiologists, veterinarians, microbiologists, environmental health specialists, emergency coordinators, and risk communications specialists. Working full-time on outbreak prevention and response at headquarters, the CORE is complemented by trained, experienced investigators in FDA field offices nationwide. CORE will coordinate closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and state public health and agriculture agencies in human and animal foodborne illness outbreaks.

NOW YOU CAN TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH FRESH & EASY

Shoppers at Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market can travel the world, thanks to the retailer’s new international department.

The “Flavors of the World Section” includes more than 200 products from Asia, India, Mexico, Britain and other areas. There’s also a large selection of Cajun and Kosher foods and beverages.

Selections include both national and specialty brands. There’s also strong representation from the “fresh&easy” private label.

“Now you can travel the world and be home for dinner,” Fresh & Easy states in promotional materials.
Source: SupermarketNews

FDA INVESTIGATES MULTISTATE OUTBREAK OF LISTERIOSIS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies to investigate a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis.

At least 15 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

State and local public health officials have interviewed most of the patients and discovered that the majority of them consumed whole cantaloupes, most likely marketed from the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado.

FDA investigators along with state health officials are working quickly to determine where in the supply chain the contamination most likely occurred and where potentially contaminated product may have been distributed.

Both FDA and state public health officials have collected product and environmental samples. Laboratory testing is underway.

Listeriosis is a rare and serious illness caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria. People who think they might have become ill should consult their doctor.

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches. Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has "invasive" infection, in which the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk groups. These groups include older adults, people with compromised immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions (such as cancer). In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill.

As FDA’s investigation continues, the agency will provide updates as warranted.

KROGER EXPANDS SCAN-BASED TRADING WITH ICONTROL SYSTEMS

US grocery retailer Kroger has extended its scan-based trading contract for newspaper sales with iControl Systems. It will be rolled out to three additional banners - King Sooper's, City Market and Smith's - who will no longer own the magazines and newspapers on their shelves, but sell them on a consignment basis.

The addition of the three banners brings the total number of Kroger divisions using the iControl solution to 13 and the number of stores to 1,540. Approximately 65 Kroger vendors will participate in the program. The expansion will be effective from October 24, 2011.

In June 2011, Kroger’s Convenience Store Group signed a multi-year agreement with Nexxus Group for scan-based trading for its newspaper category at Loaf N Jug, Quik Stop, Kwik Shop and Tom Thumb Food Stores.
Source: Planet Retail

BIG Y ELIMINATES SELF-CHECKOUT

The privately owned company, which operates 61 stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, said Wednesday it would eliminate self-checkouts in all of its stores by the end of the year.

USDA TAKES NEW STEPS TO FIGHT E. COLI, PROTECT THE FOOD SUPPLY

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it is taking new steps to fight E. coli and protect the safety of the American food supply. Six additional serogroups of pathogenic E. coli will be declared adulterants in non-intact raw beef. Raw ground beef, its components, and tenderized steaks found to contain these bacteria will be prohibited from sale to consumers. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will launch a testing program to detect these dangerous pathogens and prevent them from reaching consumers.

As a result of today's action, if the E. coli serogroups O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 and O145 are found in raw ground beef or its precursors, those products will be prohibited from entering commerce. Like E.coli O157:H7, these serogroups can cause severe illness and even death, and young children and the elderly are at highest risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies these particular serogroups of non-O157:H7 Shiga-toxin producing E.coli, or non-O157 STEC, as those responsible for the greatest numbers of non-O157 STEC illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States.

USDA PROJECTS PRODUCE EXPORTS TO SET RECORD

The USDA estimated fiscal 2012 (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2012) exports of fresh fruits and vegetables at an all-time high of $6.9 billion, up $400 million from fiscal 2011 and about $1 billion more than fiscal 2010.

The agency said exports to Japan, Europe and Canada helped fuel the gains.
Including items like processed fruits and vegetables and nuts in export numbers, the USDA projected horticultural exports will top $28 billion in fiscal 2012, $2.5 billion higher than 2011.

U.S. fresh fruit imports for fiscal 2012 are projected at $7.5 billion, up from $7.1 billion for fiscal 2011 and $6.8 billion in 2010.

U.S. fresh vegetable imports for 2012 were projected at $6.1 billion, up from $5.6 billion in 2011 and $5.18 billion in 2010.

Source: The Packer

DAMCO IMPLEMENTS CARBON CALCULATOR

International logistics provider Damco has announced the launch of its new on-line carbon calculator, which allows customers to track Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions for all products shipped by ocean and air.

The new calculator is available to customers on-line at 'myDamco', the group's browser-based customer interface, the group revealed.

"On-line visibility of carbon emissions will enable you to take earlier corrective action if operations are not in sync with your carbon reduction and efficiency goals," said Erling Johns Nielsen, Damco's global head of supply chain development

“Experience shows that greening your supply chain can reduce logistics cost and emissions from your inbound supply chain by up to 15%," he added.

ALDI NORD TRADER JOE'S TO OPEN UP IN FLORIDA

Aldi Nord-owned specialty supermarket Trader Joe's is soon to launch in Florida.

The company is opening its first store in Naples.

The company is also expected to enter Texas later this year with first stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and its market start in Kentucky is slated for October.
Source: Planet Retail

US: AD SPENDING INCREASES, BUT GROWTH IS SLOWING

According to Kantar Media, advertising spending increased 2.8% in the second quarter compared with the same quarter last year. Spending went up 4.4% in the first quarter. Most of the additional money went to online advertising. "Spending growth for the Top 100 advertisers stalled in Q2 and the ad market became more dependent on the comparatively smaller budgets of midsized advertisers as the main source of growth," according to a Kantar statement.

CDC RELEASES REPORT ON FOODS AND FOODBORNE AGENTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUTBREAKS IN THE UNITED STATES

The CDC has released the Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks, United States, 2008 report in this week′s edition of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report states that during 2008, the most recent year for which foodborne outbreak data are finalized, 1,034 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported.

These outbreaks resulted in 23,152 cases of illness, 1,276 hospitalizations, and 22 deaths. The foodborne agent responsible for the outbreak was confirmed by state health officials in 497 (or 45%) of the outbreaks. Among outbreaks with known pathogens, norovirus was the most common agent (49% and 46% of illnesses) and Salmonella was the second most common (23% of outbreaks and 31% of illnesses). Although the cause of an outbreak cannot always be determined or confirmed, state health officials reported specific food groups associated with 218 of these outbreaks.

The top food groups to which the 218 outbreaks were attributed were poultry (15%), beef (14%), and fish (14%). Among the 7,177 illnesses in these 218 outbreaks, the food groups associated with the most illnesses were fruits and nuts (24%), vine vegetables (23%), and beef (13%).

SAINSBURY’S FIXES TILLS TO MATCH RIVALS’ PRICES AS SUPERMARKETS SET FOR NEW PRICE WAR

An aggressive price-matching promotion by UK retailer Sainsbury’s has started a supermarket price war that grocery suppliers warn could escalate out of control.

In a trial at 18 of its stores, Sainsbury’s is effectively guaranteeing to match prices at rival supermarkets. Tills at the shops are linked to the supermarket’s database of prices charged by its rivals on 12,000 branded products.

When a shopper buys a product that is cheaper at a rival store, Sainsbury’s makes up the difference in discount vouchers in an attempt to win their loyalty.

SENATE BILL COULD PROVIDE EXTRA $50 MILLION FDA FUNDING

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved an extra $50 million of funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012.

The Committee approved a provision of $2.5 billion of funding for the FDA in 2012, compared to $2.45 billion in 2011, while US Department of Agriculture funding, which includes funds for inspecting meat and poultry facilities, remained flat.

The Senate Committee’s decision to increase FDA funding is in opposition to the House committee’s stance. In May, House Republicans voted to slash FDA funding by $285m in 2012, to a level 11.5% lower than 2011.

The FDA has estimated the cost of implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January, at $1.4 billion over five years, but funding for the bill has been an area of particular controversy.

FOOD INSECURITY DECLINES SLIGHTLY IN THE US

The percentage of US families suffering from hunger was estimated at 5.4% in 2010, down slightly from 5.7% in 2009, a new US Department of Agriculture report said.

In 2010, 17.2 million households in the US had difficulty providing enough food due to a lack of resources, similar numbers to 2009 and 2008.

KROGER Q2 SALES UP

Kroger Co. said second-quarter earnings increased by 7.3% on a sales increase of 11.5%.

Kroger reported earnings of $280.8 million on sales of $18.8 billion in the quarter, which ended August 13. Identical-store sales excluding fuel increased by 5.3% in the quarter.

The sales results prompted Kroger to raise its guidance for annual sales growth to 4% to 5% from earlier projections of 3.5% to 4.5%. Gross margins fell by 53 basis points to 21% of sales in the quarter.

WALMART APPOINTS FORMER X5 CEO AS SVP AND CHIEF LEVERAGE OFFICER

US grocer Walmart has appointed Lev Khasis as Senior Vice President and Chief Leverage Officer. Khasis is the former CEO of Russia’s largest retailer X5 Retail Group. He will report directly to Doug McMillon, who heads Walmart's international division, and will be responsible for integrating new retail acquisitions and combining purchasing across Walmart’s international estate, according to the Wall Street Journal.