The Leading Source for Food Manufacturing News
Slim Jim Plant Explosion Claims 4th Victim
November 24, 2009 5:36 am | News | CommentsRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A fourth victim has died from injuries suffered in a natural gas explosion that tore through a North Carolina Slim Jim plant five months ago, a hospital spokesman said Monday. Curtis Ray Poppe, 55, died Thursday at the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill, spokesman Tom Hughes said.
Meat Processor Keeps Business In Family
November 23, 2009 6:56 am | News | CommentsPERKINS, Okla. (AP) — Never mind the recession, Ralph's Packing Co. is doing just fine. The newest expansion at the small meat company Ralph Crane purchased in 1959 opened a few weeks ago, as owners Gary and Tess Crane kicked off a month of weekend food samplings and drawings for four special edition Ralph's circle R-brand smokers.
Report: Cadbury Won't Bite On Hershey Offer
November 23, 2009 6:52 am | News | CommentsLONDON (AP) — British candy company Cadbury PLC will reject an expected 10.3 billion pound ($17 billion) takeover bid from U.S. confectionary giant Hershey Co., a newspaper reported Sunday. Britain's Sunday Times cited an unnamed industry source as saying Cadbury is reluctant to do a deal unless Hershey raises its valuation of the company, which makes the Dairy Milk chocolate bar.
7 Months After Plant Fire, Future Still Uncertain
November 23, 2009 6:46 am | News | CommentsST. CHARLES, Minn. (AP) — Residents of St. Charles still wonder about the future of the North Star Foods plant, seven months after fire devastated the city's largest employer. The April 17 fire destroyed the meat-processing plant, forced the evacuation of the southeastern Minnesota town of 3,500 and resulted in the loss of about 250 jobs.
Cadbury Shares Rise Amid Hershey Speculation
November 23, 2009 6:22 am | News | CommentsLONDON (AP) — Shares in British chocolate maker Cadbury PLC hit their highest level in at least five years Monday on reports that another rival, Switzerland's Nestle SA, may make a takeover bid. Cadbury is already the target of a $16.4 billion hostile bid from Kraft Foods which it has dismissed as "derisory.
Deadline For Value-Added Producer Grants Approaches
November 23, 2009 6:11 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (USDA) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today urged farmers and business owners to apply for grants to add value to the commodities they produce. The deadline to apply is November 30th. "The approximately $18 million in value-added grants announced by USDA this past year are strengthening rural economies and creating jobs," Vilsack said.
Cattle Industry Convention To Be Held In San Antonio
November 20, 2009 4:36 am | News | CommentsDENVER ( BEEF.ORG ) — More than 5,000 people involved in the cattle industry are expected to attend the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show to be held in San Antonio, Texas Jan. 25–30. The annual event is the largest cattle industry event in the country and this year’s convention and trade show offers more education, entertainment and excitement than ever.
Rain May Put Pumpkin Pie In Peril
November 20, 2009 4:34 am | News | CommentsPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The holidays may not be so sweet this year. Nestle — which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. — says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays. In a statement to customers this week, Nestle said heavy rains made it nearly impossible to pick its pumpkins during this year's harvest.
Scientists Unlock Clues For Tailoring Corn Plants
November 20, 2009 4:33 am | News | CommentsGAINESVILLE, Fla. (AScribe Newswire) — Scientists have long known that the offspring of two inbred strains tend to be superior to both their parents. Now, a team of researchers including a University of Florida geneticist has discovered clues to why that might be the case for one of the most important crops in the world: corn.
Vitality Agrees To Nestle Acquisition
November 20, 2009 4:32 am | News | CommentsTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Vitality Foodservice Inc., which provides beverages to the foodservice industry, said Thursday that it has agreed to be purchased by Nestle's professional division for an undisclosed sum. The deal does not include Vitality's European manufacturing and distribution operations.
Judge Scolds Attorneys In Poultry Case
November 20, 2009 4:30 am | News | CommentsTULSA, Okla. (AP) — A federal judge scolded the 30-some attorneys on Oklahoma's pollution case against the Arkansas poultry industry Thursday, accusing them of bombarding him with "thousands" of documents as the bench trial dragged into its 25th day. "You wouldn't do this to a jury," said U.
Food Safety Bill Approved By Committee
November 20, 2009 4:29 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (CQ Transcriptions) — Thursday the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill cosponsored by Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), passed out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. This bill strengthens and modernizes FDA's tools to better protect our nation's food supply, improving the abilities of the FDA to quickly and effectively respond to food-borne health threats.
Getting More Than Satisfaction From Your Relationships
November 20, 2009 3:48 am | by Andy Kaiser, Yaskawa | Articles | CommentsI want to ask you to look at a widely accepted business relationship from a little different perspective. As a decision-maker, you are constantly interfacing with numerous vendors who are requesting your time, attention, consideration, and ultimately, a purchase order. Eventually, you must make decisions regarding the best possible value regarding equipment and services required to either expand or maintain operations at your facility.
Linear Guidance Cutter
November 19, 2009 11:37 am | Product Releases | CommentsA cutting machine’s in-feed uses pillow blocks from the DryLin® linear range on its guidance mechanism used to center blocks of cheese weighing up to 187 pounds. The arms of this centralizing unit are mounted on the pillow blocks and then guided smoothly up from beneath a conveyor. The position of the guides means they are subjected to severe washdowns, and the unit's components are water and chemical resistant, will not corrode and have virtually no cavities in which food can lodge.
Stainless Steel Scale
November 19, 2009 11:30 am | Product Releases | CommentsAdmiral series stainless steel bench scales, with one gram graduations, are designed for speed and accuracy. The heavy-duty scale platform provides a stable base for high-usage food processing applications. The scale column’s flow-through design avoids the build-up of unnecessary materials and water collecting in crucial weighing areas and helps provide a clean weighing environment for sanitary locations.
Speeding Up Production With Slip Clutch
November 19, 2009 11:07 am | Articles | CommentsA food manufacturer mounted this Polyclutch Slip-Aire pneumatic slip clutch on the end of a driven sprocket shaft to provide the controlled chain tension needed to allow a conveyor carrying products to run at full speed. Mounting on a similar slip clutch at the opposite side of the conveyor is slightly different, with a pillow block bearing supporting the driven sprocket shaft.
Keeping It Breezy
November 19, 2009 3:45 am | Videos | CommentsHigh-volume, low-speed industrial fan improves airflow and cash flow.
Hershey Sweetens The Pot
November 19, 2009 3:43 am | Videos | CommentsStakes rose yesterday in the race to buy candymaker Cadbury PLC, as Hershey and Ferrero joined Kraft expressing interest in bidding on the British confectioner.
Cranberry Massacre
November 19, 2009 3:42 am | Videos | CommentsCranberries in for a rude awakening make the ultimate sacrifice for your holiday meal.
Fighting Global Hunger, But Not Really
November 19, 2009 3:41 am | Videos | CommentsAs food insecurity rises, the UN approves initiatives to fight hunger while declining to pledge additional funding to operate those initiatives.
