Happy Labor Day weekend and Food Week August 30. Job growth slowed down and most of the disappointment came from the food sector. But in some places, the need for workers continues. We call that an asymmetry. Apples are struggling, Coca Cola thinks they can vacuum CO2 out of the air and make bubbles and Juicy Fruit is neither juicy or fruity, Have fun!
MACRO
- Job growth stalls badly, led (or dragged down)by food and hospitality.
- NYC restaurants literally underwater.
- As if you don’t have enough to worry about, here comes space junk.
RETAIL AND CONSUMER
- Dollar stores represent 43% of new grocery retailers. While this may not be good news for the industry , it isn’t that great for the consumer either, as discussed last week.
- The idea of an ethnic aisle in a supermarket today is kind of silly.
- Walmart needs to hire about 20,000 workers for this holiday season.
- There is a global trucker shortage. Unfortunately, this will be felt most immediately in food as so much of the supermarket is short shelf life products. ‘It’s Like A Prison, It’s Not A Job.’
- Coca Cola teams with Microsoft to take CO2 out of the air and add carbonation to drinks. Now that’s brand development.
RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE
- Starbucks has a pretty good rep when it comes to relations with its workers. BUt the pandemic has strained that relationship. Now employees are looking at unionizing.
- Among the unpleasant experiences for restaurant workers is checking vaccine statuses. Oh but the tips!!!
- One in five diners changed restaurant plans as Delta variant likely to hurts restaurant recovery.
- McDonald’s considers closing indoor seating because of Delta. Although I am sure we will soon have video of anti-vaxxers breaking their windows in a rage.
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- In addition to filtering water, Oysters can help create reefs. Reefs are important eco systems but also a hydrologic barrier.. The world needs more oyster beds,
- It was several environmental disasters ago but the heat wave in the Northwest is still disrupting. Apple growers face challenging times.
- USDA seeking comments in advance of rule-making regarding food grown from animal cells.
- Container rates at record highs.
FOOD WEEK AUGUST 30 LAGNIAPPE
- Robert Parker versus the French wine establishment.
- 21 drinks bartenders will despise you for ordering. Number 12 – Ramos Gin Fizz. A wonderful drink that should only ever be ordered in the Roosevelt Hotel in NOLA
- A lot has improved in the past few decade. Many of the improvements over the last 20 years have been to access, quality and variety of food and drink.
- Even as a kid, I never got Juicy Fruit. It doesn’t really taste like any fruit I’ve experienced and the juice is your own saliva. Any way, a cursory history of Wrigley’s.