Baking
Consumer Trends: 20 Years, 20 Trends In Food Culture
May 23, 2012 12:00 pm | News | CommentsThumbs up and thumbs down for the foods and beverages trends we’ve applauded and booed in our more than 20 years immersed in the exploration of mainstream and fringes of food culture. Here is a sampling of trends that have influenced food culture in sweet and sour ways.
Ralcorp Completes Buyout Of Petri Baking Products
May 23, 2012 9:50 am | News | CommentsRalcorp Holdings Inc. has completed its acquisition of cookie company Petri Baking Products Inc., the food maker said on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Photo Of The Day: Seeing Yourself In Cheese
May 23, 2012 9:15 am | News | CommentsChampion cheese sculptor Troy Landwehr carves Lesley Yamasaki's head from a block of cheese to feature on select Cheez-It boxes. Yamasaki cast the most votes for winning "Top Cheese" Hot & Spicy in the Cheez-It Facebook contest.
ConAgra Foods Acquires Pita Chip Business
May 23, 2012 9:10 am | News | CommentsConAgra Foods Inc. has acquired the pita chip business of Kangaroo Brands for an undisclosed sum, the food company announced Tuesday.
General Mills To Eliminate About 850 Jobs
May 22, 2012 12:11 pm | News | CommentsFood maker General Mills Inc. said Tuesday it will cut about 850 jobs as part of a plan to lower costs and boost efficiency.
Consumer Trends: Consumers Become ‘Cook Aware’
May 22, 2012 12:00 pm | News | CommentsA growing number of U.S. consumers are taking to their kitchens to cook more frequently, and trying new and more nutritious foods, in an effort to reduce food bills and perhaps their waistlines.
Farmers Test-Cutting Wheat In Southern Kansas
May 22, 2012 8:53 am | by ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press | News | CommentsFarmers are beginning to test-cut some winter wheat fields in southern Kansas, with the harvest likely to start within days, but deteriorating crop conditions have dashed hopes for what could have been a bountiful crop elsewhere in the state.
Say What? Kraft's Name Becomes A Punchline
May 21, 2012 1:52 pm | by CANDICE CHOI, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsSoon after Kraft announced the new name of its global snack business, Mondelez, Crain's Business Chicago reported that the new moniker bears close resemblance to a Russian term for a sexual act.
Annual Mo. Extension Wheat Tour On Tap
May 21, 2012 1:48 pm | News | CommentsUniversity of Missouri Extension is conducting its annual wheat tour near Lamar, where experts will talk about bugs, diseases and the performance of different varieties of wheat.
Consumer Trends: Fast-Casual Restaurants Strengthen Gains
May 21, 2012 12:00 pm | News | CommentsFast-casual chains strengthened their gains on the overall restaurant industry, with the top 150 fast-casual chains growing 8.4 percent to $21.5 billion in 2011, a faster rate than in 2010 (6.6 percent).
Consumer Trends: Smaller Entrees Equal Higher Veggie Intake For Kids
May 18, 2012 12:00 pm | News | CommentsFocusing on lunch intake over the course of six days, a study varied the sizes of a macaroni and cheese entree, accompanied by as much green bean and applesauce “side dishes” the kids wanted to consume. The result: When the smallest entree portions were served, kids ate 67% more applesauce and 275% more green beans!
World Cocoa Foundation Announces $4M Support For West African Farmers
May 18, 2012 10:35 am | News | CommentsThe World Cocoa Foundation is launching a $4 million initiative to benefit 35,000 cocoa farmers in three West African countries that are among the world's largest producers of cocoa. The announcement comes as part of the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security, taking place alongside the 2012 G8 Summit in Washington.
Photo Of The Day: Frito-Lay Goes Gluten-Free
May 18, 2012 9:50 am | News | CommentsPepsiCo's Frito-Lay North America division today announced a multi-year initiative to validate many of their products as gluten free, with package labeling to follow.
Consumer Trends: Food Prices Keep Women From Eating Healthy
May 17, 2012 12:52 pm | News | CommentsWomen find many excuses not to eat healthy and many feel bad about it, but according to a new national poll in the June 2012 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, the cost of healthful foods is the top deterrent that keeps 57 percent of women from doing so.
YouTube Launching Food Channel
May 17, 2012 9:56 am | by J.M. HIRSCH,AP Food Editor | News | CommentsBruce Seidel is confident the future of food television won't be seen on television. Which is why the Food Network and Cooking Channel veteran has checked out of network TV to oversee the launch of YouTube's latest original content channel, HUNGRY. The channel, which goes live on July 2, is expected to feature a freewheeling blend of how-to and celebrity-driven food videos.
Photo Of The Day: Healthy Eating On The Cheap
May 17, 2012 9:43 am | News | CommentsAn Agriculture Department study released Wednesday found that most fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods cost less than foods high in fat, sugar and salt. That counters a common perception among some consumers that it's cheaper to eat junk food than a nutritionally balanced meal.
U.N.: High Blood Pressure And Glucose A Global Problem
May 16, 2012 12:57 pm | by JOHN HEILPRIN,Associated Press | News | CommentsOfficials in charge of compiling the yearly snapshot of statistics from 194 nations for the U.N. health agency say rich nations have exported some of their disease risk factors to the developing world. They say the spread of smoking and a taste for fast, processed and salty foods is also hitting populations that are living longer.
Consumer Trends: Which Restaurants Win With Millennials?
May 16, 2012 12:51 pm | News | CommentsMillennials (ages 19-34) have a distinct perspective on dining occasions, placing more value on attributes like social responsibility, sustainability, local and organic, grass-fed, and hormone-free offerings. They foster emotional connections to brands and their loyalty stems beyond experience.
Chocolate Business Owner Is Sweet On U.S. Business
May 16, 2012 10:07 am | Videos | CommentsA Honduran-born entrepreneur talks about her booming chocolate business and gives advice for other immigrants looking to start production in the U.S.
Peapod Transforms Chicago Tunnel Into Virtual Grocery
May 16, 2012 10:00 am | News | CommentsWhile many a grocery list has been scribbled during a train commute, now, for Chicago's more than one million weekly train passengers, groceries can be scanned, ordered and scheduled for home or office delivery, all via smartphones, faster than you can say "All aboard!"
Photo Of The Day: Virtual Grocery Store
May 16, 2012 9:49 am | News | CommentsPeapod, the nation's leading Internet grocer, has placed a virtual grocery store in Chicago's highly traveled State and Lake Station Tunnel.
Consumer Trends: Becoming A Mom Changes Buying Behavior
May 15, 2012 12:47 pm | News | CommentsRecent Mintel research found that being a mom changes the way women shop, as an increased emphasis is put on the safety, value and nutrition of everyday purchases.
UN: African Growth Hinges On Food Security
May 15, 2012 9:47 am | by JOE MWIHIA,Associated Press | News | CommentsSub-Saharan African nations will not be able to sustain their accelerated economic growth unless they eliminate hunger, the U.N. said in a report Tuesday. Many sub-Saharan economies are growing fast but the growth rates have not translated into significant hunger reduction, said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark.
Kellogg's Unveils Most Significant Brand Update In Company History
May 15, 2012 9:43 am | News | CommentsKellogg Company today announces a refresh of its iconic, 106-year-old Kellogg's ® brand in the most significant update of its marquee identity in company history.
Photo Of The Day: Creating Food Security In Africa
May 15, 2012 9:35 am | News | CommentsAccording to a U.N. African Development Report, nearly 218 million people on the African continent are undernourished and 55 million children are malnourished, a figure that is projected to rise. The report says food security can be achieved by several means, including boosting agricultural productivity and creating resilience against natural disasters.
