Have you ever thought that what you see is sometimes different from what you are really seeing?
The famous Arcimboldo's "Vegetables In A Bowl Or The Gardener" painting is a clear example ....
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new "MyPlate" nutrition guide at USDA headquarters this morning. The new design aims to replace the older pyramid with a more simple and straightforward plate.From a practical point of view, the plate image really works to help people make better food choices, nutritionists say.The new icon is divided into four sections, fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. It replaces the familiar pyramid image, which was first introduced in 1992 and revised in 2005. Many nutritionists believed the pyramid had become too complicated for people to understand easily."This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country," said first lady Michelle Obama during the presentation. "When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we're already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it's tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. As long as they're half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we're golden. That's how easy it is."
This morning, at 10:45 EDT, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack with First Lady Michelle Obama and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin announced a new graphic to help consumers understand what they should be eating, a plate half filled with fruits and vegetables.We have known for some time that "half the plate" for fruits and vegetables is the dietary guidance from the U.S. government, but it becomes more vibrant and compelling when visuals so graphically display the practical, real nature of that guidance.Source: PMA
The ERS marketing bill has been a popular statistical series for food market observers interested in knowing the costs of getting food from farm to table. The marketing bill series identified the costs of processing and marketing the raw farm commodities contained in a typical dollar’s worth of US-produced food and the share going to farmers.In February 2011, ERS introduced a new data product called the food dollar series that uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual input-output tables to provide a more complete accounting of U. food spending at both grocery stores and eating places. The new food dollar estimates are composed of three primary series that slice the same food dollar differently to provide a variety of perspectives. The new series spans 1993 to 2008 and will be updated annually.Read the results here
The British Columbia government announced they will be expanding the School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program by CAN$3 million. Fruit Growers' Association President Joe Sardinha says having British Columbia food featured helps to promote parents buying local fruit because kids have sampled the products in schools. Sardinha says he hopes the next initiative the province will take is having British Columbia grown fruit in government institutions, Ferries and hospitals.
Organic produce sales are rising in Asia thanks to growing consumer spending power and concerns about food safety, according to market researcher Organic Monitor (OM).Leading retailers are responding to high consumer demand by introducing organic foods in their stores, some under private labels. The number of independent organic food shops is also mushrooming.The Asian organic fruit and vegetable market was worth about $235m in 2009. Sales have been growing by about 10-15% a year.OM projects the market to continue to grow by about 10-15% a year in the coming years (2011-2016).Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China are currently the largest markets for organic produce in Asia, while India, Thailand and Malaysia represent new emerging organic markets in the region.
Dollar General has reported comparable store sales increased 5.4% and sales increased 10.9% to $3.45 billion for the first quarter ended 29 April.The company attributed the comparable store sales gain to increased customer traffic and average transaction amount. Adjusted operating profit increased 9% to $335 million, and net income increased 15% to $157 million compared to first quarter 2010.Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rick Dreiling, stated: "Dollar General is off to a great start in 2011. Our first quarter sales exceeded our expectations with strong same-store sales growth of 5.4%. As I look back on the first quarter, we maintained our focus on serving our customers and worked to hold the line where we reasonably could when it came to raising prices in an environment of rising commodity and fuel costs... In spite of expected gross margin headwinds, we remain well positioned to deliver on our financial outlook for fiscal 2011 as we invest for the long-term health of the company."The company plans to open around 625 new stores, including a $90 million distribution centre in Alabama, and to remodel or relocate around 550 stores in fiscal year 2011. The company anticipates total sales to increase 11-13% and comparable store sales to increase 3-5% for the fiscal year.Source: Planet Retail
US-based retailer Target has unveiled the list of Zellers stores in Canada which are set to become Target locations in time for its expected market launch in 2013.The list includes 105 locations across all ten Canadian provinces, and Target will finalize the acquisition of the sites over the next few days with a payment of half the $1.86 billion purchase price.Target said more sites from the 200 it acquired will be revealed this autumn, and announced its Canadian headquarters will be located in Mississauga, ON.Source: Planet Retail
An E.coli outbreak has reportedly killed up to 16 people in Europe and confusion remains over the source of the infection. Initial claims linked Spanish cucumbers to the outbreak but authorities in Germany, the centre of the outbreak, have since expressed doubt over the link.
Walmart Stores has secured anti-trust approval for its bid to buy a 51% stake in South African retailer Massmart.South Africa's Competition Tribunal t waved through Walmart's $2.3 billion acquisition, although it attached conditions to its decision.Local trade unions had expressed their opposition to the move and the US retailer had also faced criticism within government circles for not offering binding commitments on issues like procurement, safeguards for small businesses and black economic empowerment.The Tribunal's verdict did insist that the retailers make no "retrenchments" for two years after the acquisition. Walmart and Massmart must also honor existing labor agreements for three years and set up a $14.6 million fund to help support the development of local suppliers.
As part of Tesco’s commitment to helping customers eat healthily, the supermarket is preparing to launch an ad-funded TV show under its Real Food magazine.The TV show is part of a broader Tesco Real Food Challenge campaign, which aims to find Britain’s best cook through a recipe competition.The initiative includes print and on-line advertising, a content and social media partnership with AOL and social media campaign, as well as promotion in Tesco owned media, to drive traffic to microsite.It is about the theme of “mood food” and seeks to find recipes based around occasions and moods that fit in with consumers’ changing lives and “modern British eating”.The campaign is said to be the biggest social media activity ever and involves eight celebrity ambassadors including former England rugby player Matt Dawson and Lorraine Kelly on Twitter.“Mealtimes may be less formal or regular nowadays, but our research shows us that food is more than ever connected to the way we relate, celebrate and relax. The old rules have gone: what we eat and when we eat are decided by how we feel and who is sharing the meal,” says Breige Donaghy, Tesco’s head of Real Food.The campaign was created by The Red Brick Road, Cedar and Initiative and the program, Tesco Real Food Cook-off, is due to air in September on Channel 5 and UKTV Food.Source: ISM
First lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new "MyPlate" nutrition guide at USDA headquarters this morning. The new design aims to replace the older pyramid with a more simple and straightforward plate.
