Welcome to Food Week December 6. It is time to start that holiday baking. If you always wanted to make one-bowl, retro cookies from around the world with carbon neutral, cage free eggs, you’ve come to the right place. Regardless you can also read about beverage shortages, restaurant unionization, chain consolidation, the non-alcoholic cocktail trend and more. Enjoy.
MACRO
Food Week December 6 saw unemployment claims at a 52 year low. Omicron threatens returns to office.
Crazy late season tornados kill more than 100.
White House says inflation has peaked and will start to decline. But meat and poultry have risen faster than almost anything.
RETAIL AND CONSUMER
Kroger introducing a line of carbon neutral eggs: Will be an interesting test of the commitment by consumers to sustainability. The movement away from animal protein is mostly driven by health and wellness – not sustainability/enviro.
More and faster delivery will only hasten the erosion of community life and empty streets. Getting everything by delivery is really isolating? huh, who knew?
US House working on stricter regulation of CBD. There is very little regulation regarding supplements so in a strange way CBD – because of its attachment to marijuana – will have higher hurdles than other ingredients making claims.
Beverage shortages are more severe than the rest of grocery and will make for weak Christmas season for manufacturers.
North Jersey park design includes a spot for food trucks; It is neat they are making space available but this is the suburbs so it is only on weekends.
Del Taco’s share price has fallen almost 16% this year – struggles with Reef concept? – and the price became irresistible to Jack in the Box. More restaurant chain roll ups, like FAT brands acquiring Fazoli’s.
Inexorably, cage free eggs have become the standard in foodservice. Corporate commitments made strong progress possible.
Top 10 non-commercial menu trend stories of 2021 = a Food Management Slideshow.
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
A week ago, I thought the Kellogg’s strike was over. In a demonstration of worker confidence, they workers voted against the latest offer. Lets see if Kellogg’s can find the replacements. Kellogg to permanently replace striking employees as workers reject new contract
Packaging shortages will Impact food manufacturers Into 2022. Unmentioned and generally under-appreciated is the inflationary aspect of raw material shortages – those that have materials can set their price where they want.
As part of a trade dispute, Belarus has banned imports of American and Western European fruits, vegetables and beef. This will hurt its people far more than the growers.
As referenced above, consumers focused on their own health and wellness are the drivers of growth in the Meat Alternatives market. Growth will be more steady than spectacular.
