News
Daily Sound Bite: Abused Iowa Workers' Award Slashed
May 13, 2013 12:36 pm | CommentsThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Henry's Turkey Service agreed in legal briefs filed late Friday that under federal law, each plaintiff can only recover $50,000 apiece — a far cry from the $7.5 million a jury awarded each worker earlier this month. On Monday, one advocate for the men called the cap "grossly unfair."
UK Retailers Relax Rules on Modified Feed
May 13, 2013 12:32 pm | CommentsThree major British grocery chains have ended their bans on providing genetically modified feed to chickens. Sainsbury's, the Co-operative Group and Marks & Spencer cited short supplies of non-GM feed as the reason for the change. A Co-operative Group statement released Monday said it is no longer "feasible" to insist on non-GM feed.
Company Recalls Stews with Undeclared Allergens
May 13, 2013 12:30 pm | CommentsAcadian Fine Foods LLC is recalling 17,000 pounds of pork and chicken stews because labels don't list whey and soy as ingredients. Some people are allergic to those substances. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall Friday.
Falling Prices Hurt Post 2Q
May 13, 2013 12:29 pm | CommentsCereal maker Post Holdings' fiscal second-quarter net income fell 59 percent as it paid more in interest and its prices dropped. Its quarterly performance missed analysts' expectations. Shares dropped in Monday morning trading. For the period ended March 31, Post — whose cereal brands include Honey Bunches of Oats and Grape-Nuts — earned $4.3 million, or 13 cents per share.
200 Sickened After Eating at Vegas Restaurant
May 13, 2013 12:27 pm | by MICHELLE RINDELS,Associated Press | CommentsA new report shows 200 people who dined at one of Las Vegas' most popular restaurants about a block off the Strip have reported food poisoning symptoms, making it the largest outbreak southern Nevada health officials have seen in at least a decade.
$240M EEOC Verdict To Be Cut to $1.6M
May 13, 2013 12:25 pm | by RYAN J. FOLEY,Associated Press | CommentsA landmark $240 million verdict awarded to 32 mentally disabled Iowa plant workers who were subjected to years of abuse by their handlers will be reduced to just $1.6 million because of a federal cap, attorneys in the case agree. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Henry's Turkey Service agreed in legal briefs filed late Friday that under federal law, each plaintiff can only recover $50,000 apiece.
Consumer Trends: Celebrating National Egg Month
May 13, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsIn honor of National Egg Month this May, Safest Choice™ Eggs is partnering with popular cookbook author and founder of Weelicious.com, Catherine McCord, to encourage families to cook wholesome, healthy meals together and ‘Make the Safest Choice’ while doing so.
Starbucks Sees Myanmar Entry in Coming Years
May 13, 2013 9:39 am | by PAMELA SAMPSON,AP Business Writer | CommentsStarbucks CEO Howard Schultz said Monday the coffee chain's first stores in India and Vietnam have been received positively and it might soon be time to give Myanmar a shot too. "Within the next couple of years, I'd say," said Schultz of plans to enter Myanmar. His visit to Bangkok this week coincides with the coffee giant's 15 year anniversary of opening in Thailand.
NCBA Says EPA Releasing Producers’ Personal Information
May 13, 2013 9:37 am | CommentsThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says it is appalled to learn that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to illegally release information on cattle operations to the activist groups Earth Justice, the Pew Charitable Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
U.S. Winter Wheat Production Forecast Down
May 13, 2013 9:34 am | by ROXANA HEGEMAN,Associated Press | CommentsIn the first government projection on the harvest's anticipated size, the National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated winter wheat production will be down 10 percent to 1.49 billion bushels, due to fewer acres — 32.7 million acres, some 6 percent fewer acres than a year ago — and a 1.8-bushel decrease in average yields, to 45.4 bushels per acre.
Conn. Craft Brewers Launch Promo Campaign
May 13, 2013 9:33 am | by STEPHEN KALIN,Associated Press | CommentsWithout the advertising budgets of the big domestic beer companies, microbrewers rely on grass-roots marketing and face-to-face interactions to promote their products. Through a new "Brew and Buy Local" campaign, Connecticut beer manufacturers, distributors and retailers are highlighting the state's growing craft beer industry and encouraging consumers to buy locally-produced brews.
UN: Eat More Insects
May 13, 2013 9:31 am | by FRANCES D'EMILIO,Associated Press | CommentsThe U.N. has new weapons to fight hunger, boost nutrition and reduce pollution, and they might be crawling or flying near you right now: edible insects. The Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday hailed the likes of grasshoppers, ants and other members of the insect world as an underutilized food for people, livestock and pets.
Photo of the Day: A Worrying Wheat Forecast
May 13, 2013 9:29 am | CommentsIn this May 1, 2013, photo Kansas farmer Ben McClure, a farmer from Hugoton, Kan., examines a wheat stalk in a Reno County wheat field. The Agriculture Department Friday, May 10, 2013, forecast U.S. farmers will harvest a far smaller winter wheat crop this season than a year ago, particularly for the hard red varieties used to bake bread.
TreeHouse Foods 1Q Profit Up
May 10, 2013 12:33 pm | CommentsTreeHouse Foods Inc. reported a 4 percent increase in its first-quarter net income as the food maker's revenue improved on recent acquisitions. The Oak Brook, Ill., company, which makes a number of products including non-dairy powdered creamers, private-label canned soups and salad dressings, also backed its full-year forecast.
Whole Foods Mixes Up Chicken, Vegan Salads
May 10, 2013 12:32 pm | CommentsThe mislabeled salads — a curried chicken salad and a vegan curried "chick'n" salad — were sold in 15 stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, Whole Foods said. In some locations, the company said the salads were sold in the cold food bars where customers can scoop food into containers, which are then weighed at the register.
Vt. House Approves GMO Labeling Bill
May 10, 2013 12:30 pm | CommentsThe Vermont House has approved legislation calling for labeling of food products containing genetically modified organisms. Thursday's vote came after the House spent most of the day debating a measure that will not see final action this year because the Senate lacks time to take it up.
WhiteWave 1Q Profit Falls
May 10, 2013 12:29 pm | CommentsWhiteWave Foods Co., which makes Horizon organic milk and Silk brand food and beverages, reported Thursday that its first-quarter net income fell 23 percent, weighed down by higher operating costs and expenses. Its adjusted earnings topped Wall Street's view, but revenue missed analysts' estimates.
Pepsi Testing New Soda Fountain
May 10, 2013 12:27 pm | CommentsPepsiCo says it plans to start testing a new fountain machine at restaurants that lets people create a variety of flavor combinations, such as strawberry Mountain Dew. The test follows Coca-Cola's introduction in 2009 of its Freestyle machine, which also lets customers touch a screen to pick from a wide array of flavor combinations. PepsiCo's test is set to begin at five restaurants in Denver next week.
Consumer Trends: Millions Will Eat Out This Mother's Day
May 10, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsNew research from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) shows that more than one-quarter of American adults will celebrate Mother's Day by dining out, and nearly one in 10 will rely on restaurant takeout or delivery for their special Mother's Day meal. Overall, the NRA projects that 80 million American adults will enjoy restaurant meals on May 12, 2013.
Daily Sound Bite: Mondelez Takes Gum Seriosuly
May 10, 2013 11:26 am | CommentsKraft spinoff Mondelez, which owns Trident, Chiclets and other gum brands, has seen a dip in gum sales as gum chewing has dropped among U.S. consumers. Despite the dip in gum sales, the company saw increases in sales among other brands such as Oreos.
