Happy end to the food week June 7. We we alerted to the advent of reality grocery drones and attendant-less stores, the harsh reality that food delivery may never make any money; tipping is decreasing but many food trucks made it through the pandemic. And we assessed the dangers of gas grilling and the prospects for microwaving limes. Enjoy!
MACRO
- Food week June 7 saw employment increasing, albeit more slowly than expected.
- Vaccine rates are slowing.
- JBS paid hackers ransomware of $11 million. McDonald’s also hacked.
RETAIL AND CONSUMER
- Unattended grocery stores may be valuable in specific markets. The security comes from technology like scan in and out and access codes. These should help them avoid shrink from theft.
- Amazon continues vertical integration of its grocery business, looking to own the distribution to consumer.
- In the meantime, Kroger is doing drone deliveries for under 5 lbs. in Ohio.
- If food delivery couldn’t make money during a pandemic, it never will.
RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE
- The big-tipping period appears to be coming to an end.
- Subway has added even more onerous, borderline hostile new rules for franchisees. I can’t help but think that Subway corporate is a.) trying to push unprofitable franchisees out and/or b.) trying to convert stores to corporate owned.
- Starbucks has lots of business but is running low on ingredients. Increased sales depleted inventory. Now supply chain issues prevent re-stock of specialty ingredients.
- Because vaccination is slowing down, OSHA is forced to have two sets of rules for workers in restaurants.
- We tried to follow and patronize our favorite food trucks throughout COVID. Finding a loyal base was important but many were able to make it.
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- It is supposed to mean something that Bill Gates is now the largest owner of farmland in the US. However he owns less than 3 tenths of a percent. Nut jobs aside, Gates is much more interested in sequestering wealth than he is in sequestering carbon
- Controlled Environment Agriculture is not necessarily high tech. An Italian lime grower took some simple steps and achieved 30 kilos of crop per tree.
- First the freeze, now too much rain for Texas.
- Maybe the expression of “You’re chicken” was the result of a typo? Or dyslexia? Ancient chickens were too sacred to eat, says archaeology.
LAGNIAPPE
- People love Japanese train Bento boxes.
- A gas grill is pretty much a modified blow torch. A blow torch used in a very small room. I would keep flammable material in the small room where you use the blowtorch to a minimum. Be careful!
- The Hemmingway Daiquiri is an object of debate in bartender circles. Here is a summary of the conflicts. For me, what the original – called unacceptable by the author – approximates is a rum martini more than a daiquiri. As daiquiris and martinis are go-tos in our house, we will play with this and report back.
- I worry that microwaving limes will alter the flavor. The fact that it comes from Rachel Ray increases my dubiosity. (is too a word.) But I am gonna try it.