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Whole Foods Market (Austin, Texas) will close three East Coast regional kitchens that employ about 500 people. The affected workers in the facilities in Everett, Mass.; Landover, Md.; and metro Atlanta were given 60 days’ notice of the impending closures, which are part of an ongoing consolidation strategy. The company hopes to shift as many of the employees as possible to other jobs. The kitchens – they prepared a variety of ready-to-eat foods – are the last to be shuttered. Similar items are prepared in stores in other areas of the country or are supplied by vendors.
"Whole Foods Closing 3 Regional Kitchens, Trimming 500 Jobs", Austin American-Statesman, January 17, 2017
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Regardless of whether gochujang becomes a hot new taste trend, a Wall Street Journal food writer highly recommends trying the Korean chili paste in a variety of dishes. One favorite is spreading a mixture of butter, honey and gochujang on biscuits, or under the skin of roast chicken. Or, mix mayo and gochujang (4:1 ratio) for a savory kick on beef or tuna burgers. According to Jane Black, gochujang – it’s made from dried red chilies, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, salt and a little sugar – is “thicker and richer than sriracha” and is “where that hot sauce was 10 years ago: going mainstream in a big way.”
"Awesome Sauce: Why Gochujang Is a Gamechanger", The Wall Street Journal, January 18, 2017
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The latest evidence of Nestlé SA’s corporate makeover is a major change in the ingredients of its signature chocolate drink, coupled with a new marketing strategy. Evolving consumer tastes and preferences – away from sugary beverages, for example – have buffeted the company’s sales. It hasn’t met its six-percent annual sales growth target in years. So it is flexing its product research and marketing muscle to change directions for some brands. The company has significantly lowered the sugar content of Nesquik while boosting market share. In addition, the company reduced the size of the Nesquik bunny that appears on packages, and broadened its marketing focus beyond kids to athletes.
"Nestlé Seeks to Sweeten Nesquik Sales by Cutting Back on Sugar", The Wall Street Journal, January 27, 2017
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A Nielsen survey finds that consumers globally are willing to spend as much as 20 percent more for the quality and performance of premium items in any CPG category. The result of this trend is that premium FMCG products in many countries often outsell less expensive products. For example, between 2012 and 2014, the premium segment grew 21 percent in Southeast Asia, which is more than double the rate of the mainstream and value tiers. Survey respondents indicated that premium doesn’t just mean higher price: only 31 percent said price defined premium. Instead, they said premium signifies exceptional quality and performance.
"Sales of Premium CPG Products Increase around the World", CPG Matters, February 01, 2017
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Metro Group said like-for-like sales grew slightly at 0.1 percent in the first quarter of financial year 2016/2017, a solid performance in a market full of challenges. According to the company, EBIT before special items remained at the previous year’s level, reaching €821 million during the quarter. EBIT after special items reached €733 million. In the previous year, the company reported EBIT after special items of €1,240 million, which included income from the sale of Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam. Media-Saturn’s online sales rose more than 25 percent, accounting for over 10 percent of the Metro’s total sales. Delivery sales rose 16.5 percent, accounting for 12.7 percent of total sales, the company said.
"METRO GROUP with stable sales and EBIT development", METRO GROUP, February 03, 2017
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The constituent companies of Royal Ahold Delhaize are embarking on a year-long restructuring program to strengthen their retail grocery brands – Giant Foods, Giant/Martin’s, Stop & Shop, Peapod, Hannaford, and Food Lion – by consolidating business support services while tailoring commercial strategies to local markets and communities. The more localized brand-centric strategies of Ahold USA and Delhaize America will include dedicated resources such as category merchandising, assortment, pricing, promotions, marketing and format teams. The parent company said the restructuring will be completed by early 2018. It also announced that the Stop & Shop New York Metro and Stop & Shop New England divisions will be consolidated.
"Ahold USA and Delhaize America announce plans to further strengthen brands ", News release, Royal Ahold Delhaize, February 06, 2017
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Health and hygiene products marketer Reckitt Benckeiser’s bid for baby formula company Mead Johnson may be surprising, but it could also be a clever and potentially lucrative acquisition. RB already has a foot in the door of the nutrition business: in 2012 it purchased Schiff Nutrition (marketer of vitamin brands like MegaRed). And, according to U.K.-based investment firm Dividend Drive, there just aren’t any juicy acquisitions to be made in over-the-counter consumer healthcare. But the primary attraction of Mead Johnson is the fact that both companies have a strong presence in developing markets, particularly Asia and Latin America. Mead Johnson’s specialty – baby formula – is positioned for strong growth in Asia.
"Mead Johnson And Reckitt Benckiser: A Surprising Yet Inspired Bid From The British Consumer Giant?", Seeking Alpha, February 06, 2017
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Resistant starch, found in bananas, potatoes, grains, and legumes, is not digested in the small intestine and is therefore considered a form of dietary fiber. Over the last decade, resistant starch has been the subject of numerous studies showing it has a significant impact on post-meal blood sugar metabolism, satiety, and intestinal health. This new comprehensive review of these studies summarizes the effects of resistant starch consumption and looks at potential mechanisms of action that underpin them. One possible conclusion is that resistant starch foods may be particularly useful for managing diabetes. However, the British researchers found no evidence of an impact on other metabolic markers, such as blood pressure and blood lipids.
"Health effects of resistant starch. ", Nutrition Bulletin, February 07, 2017
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A British chemist and a team of scientists who have been examining ways to detect illegal ingredients in herbal supplements have come up with some disturbing findings. Many over-the-counter supplements labeled as fully herbal often include potentially dangerous pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label. For example, the scientists found that weight loss supplements often contain sibutramine (once sold as Reductil). The substance was taken off the market in 2010 in Europe and the U.S. because of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Another example: tadalfil and sulfoaildenafil were frequently found, but not listed on the label, in herbal supplements for erectile dysfunction. When taken with other medicines containing nitrates, they can lower blood pressure drastically and cause serious health problems.
"A Review of Methods for the Simultaneous Detection of Illegal Ingredients in Food Supplements", The Journal of the Association of Public Analysts, February 07, 2017
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Discount grocery chain Aldi plans to spend $1.6 billion renovating and expanding its 1,300 U.S. stores to accommodate customer demand for modern, convenient shopping with “a focus on fresh items,” including produce, dairy and bakery products. Remodeled stores will have open ceilings, natural lighting and eco-friendly building materials, such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting. The remodeling plan will go forward concurrently with the building of 650 new stores to reach its goal of 2,000 U.S. stores by the end of next year.
"Aldi Unveils $1.6 Billion Nationwide Store Remodel Plan To Enhance Customer Shopping Experience", News release, Aldi Inc., February 08, 2017
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