The Retail Rundown: Diving into December Deals
With the year-end holidays soon approaching, shoppers are eagerly diving into December deals. Retailers aim to capitalize on the season's spending surge with enticing offers on everything from festive foods to decadent desserts, decor, and other holiday items.
Consumer spending on winter holidays is projected to hit a record-breaking $902 per person this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This figure marks a $25 increase from 2023 and surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by $16...
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Campbell's Mark Clouse to Retire on January 31
Campbell’s Company announced that Mick Beekhuizen will succeed Mark Clouse as President and CEO, effective February 1, 2025.
Beekhuizen, currently President of the Meals & Beverages division, has been with Campbell’s since 2019, previously serving as CFO. He is recognized for his leadership and role in Campbell’s successful acquisition of Sovos Brands. Before Campbell’s, he held senior roles at Chobani and Goldman Sachs.
Mark Clouse, who has led Campbell’s since 2019, will retire on January 31, 2025, to become President of the NFL's Washington Commanders.
Under his leadership, Campbell’s...
CHI-CHI’S Restaurants Set for Comeback After Two Decades
Nearly 20 years after closing the last CHI-CHI’S™ restaurant location, the popular Mexican restaurant chain is set to make a comeback thanks to a new agreement with Hormel Foods, owner of CHI-CHI’S™ trademarks. The deal grants Michael McDermott, son of CHI-CHI’S™ founder, use of the CHI-CHI’S™ name on physical restaurant locations which are expected to open in 2025.
Michael McDermott is determined to honor his family’s legacy by combining the classic CHI-CHI’S™ restaurant experience with modern influence...
ANALYSIS: Japan's Oct 2024 Beef Imports Rebound from 7-month Low to 43,937 Mt
Japan’s October 2024 beef imports bounced back strongly, rising by 15.1% month-on-month (m-o-m) to 43,937 metric tonnes (mt), according to the latest statistics by Trade Statistics of Japan.
Recovering from September 2024’s seven-month low, this 5,760 mt surge was driven by higher tonnage from its major suppliers such as the United States (US), Australia, Canada and New Zealand, despite declines were noted from Mexico and Uruguay.
Earlier in summer, Japan’s beef market grappled with reduced...
ANALYSIS: EU Dried Egg-White Market Navigates Evolving Dynamics and Challenges
In September 2024, the European Commission reported that EU dried egg white exports reached 11,459 tonnes, reflecting a slight 3.2% month-on-month decline from August. Despite this dip, cumulative exports for the year are up 23.92% compared to the same period in 2023, indicating strong overall growth.
Both the liquid and dried egg white markets have experienced significant volatility in recent years. In early December 2022, average prices for cage egg white powder reached a record high of 20.25 €/kg, prompting buyers to seek...
PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep 18 - Back from the "World's Leading Livestock Farming Trade Fair"
Simon and special guest Fei Thompson, from the Expana EMEA newsroom, give a recap of industry market sentiment gathered from key agribusiness companies and animal nutrition companies met during the recent EuroTier trade show in Hannover, Germany that took place in mid-November.
197 Million Consumers Shop Over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
The five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday saw an estimated 197 million shoppers, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The figure is the second highest number in the survey’s history after last year’s record of 200.4 million, and surpassed NRF’s initial expectations of 183.4 million shoppers.
“Thanksgiving weekend retains its prominence among holiday spending events and continues to play a significant role in the holiday season for both consumers and retailers,” NRF President and CEO...
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 695 dairy operations across 15 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. Expana is closely monitoring the situation...
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ineligible Pork Products Imported From Ecuador
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for frozen ready-to-eat pork mortadella products that may have been illegally imported from Ecuador, a country ineligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. FSIS is continuing to investigate the origins of this product, and there may be additional products affected.
The following products subject to the public health alert are [view labels]:
Puratos Group Opens Margarine Factory in Serbia
Puratos Group has opened a new production facility in Kragujevac, in the centre of Serbia. The factory required an investment of around €7 million, the Belgian bakery products producer announced.
It will produce margarine and powdered products, the company said.
Puratos Group started operating in Serbia approximately 30 years ago. The new factory adds 15 jobs in the region, Aleksandar Davidovic, Honorary Representative to the Kingdom of Belgium at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, said.
The new factory will use HDPE blue foil to pack its margarine...
Coming Soon to Kroger: 12 Merry Days Savings Event'
The Kroger Co. today announced it will kick-off the 12 Merry Days of Deals event. From December 4 through December 15, customers can clip a new hot digital deal each day for redemption by December 17.
"12 Merry Days of deals are just two days away and we can't wait to surprise customers each day with a new way to save big this holiday season," said Mike Murphy Kroger's group vice president of e-Commerce, Analytics & Execution for Merchandising. "During this special event, in addition...
China Lifts Final Market Bans for Two Australian Beef Plants
As of December 3rd, 2024, two Australian beef plants (Plant 1620 Australia Country Choice Production Pty Ltd and Plant 243 John Dee Warwick Pty Ltd) were approved for export to China, according to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China.
The plants were banned from China’s market from 2021 and 2020 amid strained relationships between the two trading partners.
“This is great news for Australian exporters, producers, and farmers... it’s a win for trade and a win for Australian jobs – something my Government will always back,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
USDA Launches Agribusiness Trade Mission to Morocco
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley arrived in Casablanca today to begin a USDA-sponsored agribusiness trade mission. Whitley is leading a delegation of nearly 50 U.S. agribusinesses and trade groups and 14 state departments of agriculture to expand U.S. farm and food exports to Morocco and other West African markets.
"I am honored to lead this delegation to Casablanca as we work to strengthen vital connections, grow U.S. agricultural exports, and showcase the broad array of products American agriculture has to...
ASEAN Customers Study U.S. Pork and Beef in Trend-Setting Korea
To expand the range of U.S. pork and beef cuts in the ASEAN, USMEF led retail and foodservice teams to Korea to study how U.S. red meat is utilized.
Characterized by the growth of single-person households and growing demand for quality and convenience, the Korean food industry has invested heavily in new product development and has become an innovator in its uses of U.S. pork and beef. USMEF recently brought teams of retail and foodservice customers from the ASEAN region to Korea to study new products...
FEATURED STORIES
ANALYSIS: Shifting Retail Turkey Trends, Disease-Related Adjustments
ANALYSIS: U.S. Imported Beef Least Cost Formulation Effects on Mixed Trimmings 85% in Fall 2024