News
Cargill Looks To Improve Nutrition of Kids’ Food
May 1, 2013 12:43 pm | CommentsCargill today announced a new initiative to help food and beverage manufacturers and foodservice operators find formulation solutions to address the complex challenges associated with improving childhood nutrition. In support of this initiative, Cargill is launching www.childhood-nutrition.com to provide ideas for solving formulation challenges associated with creating kids' products that are healthier and taste great.
PepsiCo Pulls Controversial Mountain Dew Ad
May 1, 2013 12:41 pm | CommentsPepsiCo pulled an online ad for Mountain Dew that was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and making light of violence toward women. In the 60-second spot developed by African-American rapper Tyler, The Creator, a battered white woman on crutches is urged by an officer to identify a suspect out of a lineup of black men. A goat character known as Felicia is included in the lineup.
Jury Deliberates in Iowa Worker Abuse Case
May 1, 2013 12:39 pm | by RYAN J. FOLEY,Associated Press | CommentsA government attorney asked jurors Tuesday to award damages to 32 mentally disabled workers, saying they were subjected to around-the-clock discrimination by a Texas company that profited from their work at an Iowa turkey plant. An attorney said the former workers for Henry's Turkey Services suffered "broken lives" because of the conditions they endured while living at a run-down bunkhouse in rural Iowa and working at West Liberty Foods.
Monster Beverage Suing San Francisco City Attorney
May 1, 2013 12:37 pm | by Candice Choi, The Associated Press | CommentsMonster Beverage is suing San Francisco's city attorney over demands that the company reduce the amount of caffeine in its energy drinks and stop marketing to minors. The company, based in Corona, Calif., says it's being unfairly singled out by City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who late last year had asked Monster to produce documentation showing that its drinks are safe.
Consumer Trends: Same-Store Sales Improve at Restaurants
May 1, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsBuoyed by positive sales results and a more optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose above 100 in March. The RPI — a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry — stood at 100.6 in March, up 0.7 percent from February's level of 99.9.
NYC Elementary School Adopts Vegetarian Menu
May 1, 2013 9:31 am | CommentsA New York City elementary school has adopted an all-vegetarian menu, serving kids tofu wraps and veggie chili. Public School 244 is the first public school in the city to go all-veggie. The animal-welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it might be the first all-veggie public elementary school in the nation.
U.S. Horse Slaughter Plant To Open Soon
May 1, 2013 9:30 am | CommentsThe first U.S.-based horse slaughter plant in six years will open soon unless Congress reinstates a ban on the practice, the country's agriculture secretary said Tuesday. Valley Meat Co. has been fighting for more than a year for permission to slaughter horses.
Wining with the Stars
May 1, 2013 9:28 am | by MICHELLE LOCKE,Associated Press | CommentsThe MacMurray Ranch is now owned by the Gallo wine family and open to the public only during the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend in August, but it's one of several California wineries with celebrity connections, including wineries owned by "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, the late "Davy Crockett" star Fess Parker, and the late "Perry Mason" star Raymond Burr.
Egypt Investigating New Student Food Poisoning Case
May 1, 2013 9:25 am | CommentsA security official says that Egyptian authorities are investigating a new case of food poisoning at Al-Azhar, Cairo's centuries-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning. The official says the investigation opened Tuesday. Some 160 university students fell sick after a tuna meal on Monday, sparking protests by colleagues angry over the quality of basic services in the university hostel, the official said.
Worker Dies in Blender at Ore. Meat Plant
May 1, 2013 9:24 am | CommentsAn Oregon cleaning worker was killed when he fell into a running blender at a meat-processing plant, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said. Deputy Nate Thompson identified the worker as Hugo Avalos-Chanon, 41, of Portland. He worked for DCS Sanitation Management, a cleaning company that has a contract with Interstate Meat Distributors.
Photo of the Day: Hollywood and Vine
May 1, 2013 9:22 am | CommentsIn this photo taken March 15, 2013 Kate MacMurray, daughter of the late actor Fred MacMurray poses with a glass of Pinot Noir by a photograph of her father in a tasting area and gallery of old photographs at the MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg, Calif. The former cattle ranch, which was purchased in 1941 by the actor in the popular TV series "My Three Sons," now produces wine and is owned by the Gallo wine family.
Resources Improve Sustainability of U.S. Dairy
April 30, 2013 12:37 pm | CommentsThe Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy today announced new science-based resources available for dairy producers, processors, industry partners and stakeholders. The resources help the industry act on the unprecedented scientific research commissioned as part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment — a collective effort of the dairy value chain to measure and improve the sustainability of U.S. dairy from farm to table.
General Mills Reports Global Responsibility Efforts
April 30, 2013 12:33 pm | CommentsToday, General Mills released its 2013 Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company's progress and commitments in the areas of health, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement. The full report can be accessed at www.GeneralMills.com.
AB InBev Sees Falling Volumes in Key Markets
April 30, 2013 12:31 pm | CommentsAnheuser-Busch InBev NV, the world's largest brewer, says that its profits rose in the first quarter in spite of falling sale volumes in important markets. The company behind Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Becks said Tuesday that even though revenues grew by 1.5 percent in the first quarter, volumes declined by 4.1 percent.
Posh Vegas Restaurant Shuttered amid Outbreak
April 30, 2013 12:28 pm | by MICHELLE RINDELS,Associated Press | CommentsA trendy Las Vegas tapas restaurant that's racked up hundreds of rave reviews on the website Yelp is closed after more than three dozen patrons reported food poisoning symptoms. Southern Nevada Health District officials said the flagship Firefly restaurant on Paradise Road was shuttered Friday and will remain closed while they run tests to try to determine the source of the outbreak.
Heinz Shareholders Approve Acquisition
April 30, 2013 12:26 pm | CommentsHeinz is one step closer to going private. The Pittsburgh-based ketchup maker said Tuesday that shareholders overwhelmingly approved its acquisition by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, the investment firm that also owns Burger King.
Consumer Trends: Top 100 Brunch Restaurants
April 30, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsJust in time for Mother's Day, OpenTable is pleased to announce the 2013 Diners' Choice Award winners for Top 100 Best Brunch Restaurants in the United States. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Sumitomo To Set Up Joint Venture in China To Make Sugar
April 30, 2013 9:51 am | CommentsTrading house Sumitomo Corp. said Tuesday it will set up a joint venture in China with Hong Kong and South Korean firms to manufacture and sell sugar from 2014. Sumitomo and TS Corp. of South Korea will hold a 33 percent stake each in the joint venture, while Taikoo Sugar Ltd. of Hong Kong will have a 34 percent stake in the venture to be launched in China's Guangdong Province.
Dairy Co-op Laying Off More Than 100 Workers
April 30, 2013 9:50 am | CommentsA large Wisconsin dairy cooperative plans to close a cheese plant, idle another plant indefinitely and lay off more than 100 employees. Baraboo-based Foremost Farms is closing an Alma Center plant that makes mozzarella cheese for foodservice markets. The co-op is idling a cheddar cheese plant in Waumandee.
Czech Whisky Succeeds in Communist Market
April 30, 2013 9:47 am | by KAREL JANICEK,Associated Press | CommentsDemand for Hammer Head has been solid around the globe, but Vaclav Sitner, a member of the team tasked with creating a premium whisky, would not reveal how much was made and how much is still available. He would only said if the current sales remain at the same level of 10,000 - 15,000 bottles a year, it is expected to be sold out in five to seven years.
