Higher Prices Are Coming for Household Staples
US companies have an unwelcome message for inflation-weary consumers: Prices are going up.
Companies including Hormel Foods, J.M. Smucker and Ace Hardware said this week they would raise prices for reasons ranging from higher meat costs to tariffs. Large retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy said some tariff-related price increases are already in place. More are on the way.
"Some vendors are clearly communicating cost increases. Some are adjusting promotions. Some are planning to potentially increase prices with new product introductions, which always happens...
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Upcoming Webinar (Asia Edition): Forecasting the Future of Commodity Prices, Q4 2025 and Beyond
Expana invites you to a free, live webinar featuring our experts Tom Bundgaard, Vice President of Price Forecasting, and Craig Erlam, Forecast Analyst.
Join us on September 18 at 11 AM Singapore time for a comprehensive macroeconomic briefing focused on the latest Q4 2025 commodity price forecasts and what lies ahead for 2026.
As global economic indicators increasingly hint at a potential recession, understanding the anticipated impact on commodity prices is critical for businesses planning their procurement, pricing, and supply chain strategies in the coming years.
Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline
US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.
“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET.
It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...
ANALYSIS: Hot and Dry Summer Threatens European Corn Yields
According to the European Commission, western Europe experienced its warmest June on record this summer. Market participants told Expana that while hot and dry conditions supported wheat harvesting, they significantly threaten European corn yields. FranceAgriMer projects the 2025 French corn crop to be up to 5% lower year-on-year. As of August 18, only 62% of the crop was rated good/excellent, down to the lowest level for this period in three years, compared with 76% last year...
ANALYSIS: Unseasonably Firm Summer Sets Stage for EU Egg Demand in Autumn
The European egg market is entering September with a distinctly different tone than in years past. Where July and August usually bring softer prices and subdued activity, this summer proved the exception. Prices held firm through the first half of the year, and the seasonal dip many anticipated barely materialized, leaving the market stronger than its historical norm.
Caged shell eggs, for example, have held steady at around 1.96 €/kg for several weeks, roughly 45% higher than the seasonal average of 1.35...
ANALYSIS: Rains and Larger Planted Area in Argentina Could Boost Corn Output in 2025/2026
On August 20, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BAGE) reported that Argentina’s planted corn area for the 2025/2026 season could rise by 9.6% year-on-year to an estimated 7.8 million hectares.
Market participants attributed the increase to improved soil moisture following abundant rainfall, with sources noting that nearly all planted areas are rated in good/excellent condition. If realized, this would be Argentina’s second-largest corn area on record, after the 8.4 million hectares in 2023/2024...
ANALYSIS: Key Factors Shaping the Mexican Beef Cutout in 2025
During the first half of 2025, the Mexican beef cutout showed a pronounced upward movement, with prices rising at a significantly faster rate compared to previous years and peaking in early June. This escalation can be explained by several factors: ongoing drought conditions led to a reduction in available cattle, while the cost of feeder cattle increased sharply due to tighter supplies. These pressures limited the volume of cattle entering the supply chain for slaughter and processing.
Facing these challenges, Mexican stakeholders began seeking alternatives...
Hillshire Farm® Debuts Flavor-Forward Lunch Meats
Tyson Foods is turning up the flavor and bringing new energy to the lunch meat category with the launch of Hillshire Farm® Sandwich Style Lunch Meats in three bold new flavors.
Crafted to spark creativity, the new lunch meats inspire fresh...
Trump Announces US-Indonesia Trade Agreement; New Details Emerge
UPDATE: July 22, 2025 4:37 PM ET
This afternoon, US President Trump posted to Truth Social after revealing a similar 19% trade deal with the Philippines, reported Expana.
"It is my Great Honor to announce our Trade Agreement with the Republic of Indonesia, as represented by their Highly Respected President, Prabowo Subianto. It is agreed that Indonesia will be Open Market to American Industrial and Tech Products, and Agricultural Goods, by eliminating 99% of their Tariff Barriers. The United States of America will now sell American Made products to Indonesia..."
Hormel Sees Q3 Sales Growth but Falls Short on Earnings
Just before markets opened Thursday, Hormel Foods reported its third-quarter financial results, missing analysts’ estimates for the period.
The company posted net sales of $3.03 billion, with organic net sales rising 6%. Operating income totaled $240 million, while adjusted operating income was $254 million.
Earnings before income taxes reached $237 million, with adjusted earnings before income taxes at $251 million. The effective tax rate was 22.3%.
Diluted earnings per share were $0.33, and adjusted diluted earnings per share came...
ANALYSIS: Turkey Inventories Remain Tight Amid Efforts to Replenish Freezers
July’s cold storage figures continue to show lower year-over-year (YoY) inventories for all lines, highlighting the limited availability of turkey as very low volumes makes its way to the freezer. Meanwhile, July’s total month-over-month (MoM) increase in turkey in cold storage outpaced the 5-year average by approximately four percentage points, in part demonstrating the effort of many participants in the industry to replenish their frozen inventories.
The comparative MoM changes for whole birds and MST follow that of the overall data...
Perdue AgriBusiness Marks 25 Years of Innovation, Partnership & Growth at Chesapeake, VA Facility
Perdue AgriBusiness is celebrating 25 years of operations at its Chesapeake, Virginia facility, a site that has become a cornerstone of the company’s grain, oilseed, and logistics network and a vital partner to farmers across the Commonwealth.
Since opening its doors in 2000, the Chesapeake facility has grown into the only deepwater bulk grain terminal on the U.S. East Coast—and one of only two soy crush facilities on deep water in the United States. With grain storage, a soybean crush plant...
Upcoming Webinar: Forecasting the Future of Commodity Prices, Q4 2025 and Beyond
Join us on September 11 at 4 PM CET / 3 PM BST / 10 AM ET for a comprehensive macroeconomic briefing focused on the latest Q4 2025 commodity price forecasts and what lies ahead for 2026.
As global economic indicators increasingly hint at a potential recession, understanding the anticipated impact on commodity prices is critical for businesses
ANALYSIS: 2025 Sees Surge in Shell Egg Imports
Following one of the most significant supply disruptions in recent history, imported breaking stock has taken on a more visible role in the US egg market over the past year. During the height of HPAI-related flock losses, short supplies collided with strong holiday retail demand, drawing much of the available domestic inventory into higher-value retail and institutional channels. This left notable shortages in the further processor segment and sent domestic breaking stock values to a record $6.43/dozen earlier in the year...
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Boneless beef cold storage stocks stood at 357 M lbs in July, according to the latest USDA cold storage report. This figure represents a decline of 1.7 M lbs from June but an increase of 4.6 M lbs from last July.
Typically, as the large fourth of July celebration wraps up and the dog days of summer begin to approach, beef cold storage stocks begin to hit a bottom before ramping up into the fall and winter months. However, with beef supply shrinking due to...
Viva Raw Recalls Pet Food Over Salmonella and Listeria Concerns
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a voluntary recall from Viva Raw, LLC on August 25. In the announcement, the company stated two lots of dog and cat food may be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
Items from this recall are sold frozen, in 1 lb. bricks, wrapped in clear vacuum packaging. They include Lot codes 21495 or 21975 printed on the top. Labels include:
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The Pro Farmer Crop Tour, concluding August 21, 2025, painted a nuanced picture of the US corn and soybean crops, with scouts traversing over 2,000 fields across seven Midwest states. Pro Farmer estimated the US corn crop at 16.204 billion bushels, with an average yield of 182.7 bushels per acre, reflecting concerns over disease pressure and uneven field conditions.
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Chipotle Introduces a Whole New Way to Order for a Small Group: Build-Your-Own Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill today announced it will launch "Build-Your-Own Chipotle," a family meal offering intended to feed groups of four to six people, starting tomorrow, August 26. A digital-exclusive menu option, "Build-Your-Own Chipotle" is a shareable, customizable spread of real ingredients that can be ready for pickup in as little as 15 minutes.
How To Build-Your-Own Chipotle
Whether it's for friends or family gatherings, "Build-Your-Own Chipotle" brings the Chipotle...
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