Welcome to Food Week July 11 – 17, 2022. Just returned from Spain – I’ll have a couple more posts on that – and just missed the heat related disasters. More news on inflation, driven by food, consumer spending and hidden fees. Among other things crabby whiskey, spoiled wine, old sandwiches, Danish Greeks and fake tuna salad. Enjoy!
MACRO
- Inflation continues and food is a big part of it
- Yet consumers are continuing to spend.
- Russia pretends to be interested in freeing up Ukrainian grain. Believe it when we see it.
RETAIL AND CONSUMER
- More like big Oaf; Big Olaf ice cream has a big listeria problem.
- PFAs in Bumble Bee products. Known as forever chemicals because they stay in the body and the environment without degrading.
- How hidden containerization fees, related to port problems, are driving up grocery prices.
- Danish cheese company shocked to find out they aren’t Greek, can’t sell Feta after all.
RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE
- Wage increases for restaurant workers start to level off as staffing levels improve. It is almost like these things are related.
- Restaurants, even Michelin starred restaurants, being extorted with threats of one star reviews.
- Starbucks to conduct active shooter drills, which is both insane and necessary.
- Subway in trouble over false claims again, this time over tuna.
- Charcuterie ingredients strongly linked to cancer in a French study.
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- Legislation to create a single food safety regulator. The USDA and the FDA split responsibilities, with the FTC involved with labeling. Plus the USDA has a mission to promote agricukture which can at odds with ensuring safer products.
- The EU is destroying millions of cases of produce from South Africa because of a change in regulation. This seems like an extreme solution in a world with food shortages.
- Consolidation, driven by venture capital, comes to the fishing community of New Bedford MA. Small fisherman suffer.
- Related, or at least up the road, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it gives you crabs , make… whiskey??
- How a too fast and poorly planned move to organic fueled crisis in Sri Lanka.
FOOD WEEK JULY 11 LAGNIAPPE
- Apparently you have to eat right AND exercise to live healthy and long life. Well that stinks
- Seems obvious that clear glass would change wine, but the trend is towards clear anyway. If it is Chardonnay, how would you know if it has gone bad? While you are at it, how to pair wine to your bbq.
- Reviewing and recreating some historical sandwiches, including the odd, the gross and the occasionally delicious.
- Speaking of reviving old recipes, the tequila cocktail known as the Diablo is back in style.