Welcome to Food Week August 14 – 20, 2023. Just a lot. Chick Fil-A and Aldi are winning. Avocados, hydration and regenerative agriculture remain hot. People in the past consumed Deviled Ham pancakes and, in the future, Eggo flavored liquor and I don’t know why. Learn about throwing your pizza dough and the difference between a CAO and a CAFO. And yes Virginia, there is such a thing as a two day hangover. Enjoy.

MACRO

• A bad week in investment markets as fed rates take their toll.

• The horror continues to unfold from Maui flash fire. Fire risk now termed ubiquitous for almost everyone as climate shifts.

• A hurricane hits the other side of the US.

RETAIL AND CONSUMER

• This is surprising. Aldi to acquire Winn Dixie stores. The discount grocer has always grown organically. This not only grows the company significantly, it helps them enter new markets.

• The Liquid IV approach to hydration continues to grow.

• The Eggo Brunch in a Jar liquor. Because I ‘m sure you were asking for it.

• Trader Joe’s says it will continue to check out customers while claiming its employees don’t check out customers.

• I ‘wood’ eat the Nestle’s chocolate chip cookies but they are too woody.

RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE

• Cows have gelatin and marshmallows have gelatin so ice cream with marshmallows have gelatin and so Baskin Robbins has marshmallow ice cream and some Hindus are upset.

• Chick Fil-A has the highest per store sales among fast food restaurants.

• Shake Shack interviewing for a CAO – Chief Avocado Officer

• Interested in a 3 day festival with Michelin chefs and rock stars? It’s $6750. Still interested?

• It’s a bad sign when you don’t pay your workers. It must be really bad when your distributor sues you. But Boston Market has managed the feat.

FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

• The fight against CAFOs turns to water pollution.

• Legislators designing policies and incentives for regenerative agriculture And chickens are uniquely valuable in regenerative agriculture schemes.

• Widespread food shortage in Nigeria.

• Using micro-chips to ensure authenticity of parmesan.

• A record volume of avocados sold to US by Mexico.

• Lionfish are a problem in the Gulf. But we can eat our way out of it.

FOOD WEEK AUGUST 14 LAGNIAPPE

• People with severe food allergies should carry epinephrine at all times. However there’s good news regarding peanut allergies, with a cancer drug showing promise as a treatment,

• The paper of record takes on a serious issue for a change: Is the two day hangover a real things (yes).

• Correct methods for making pizza dough balls and then stretching it.

• Ozempic and Wegovy threaten the future of a lot of companies marketing weight loss.

• it’s no mystery that people don’t make deviled ham pancakes, but I don’t understand why they ever did. Here are some other dishes that are not missed.