Merry Christmas and welcome to Food Week December 22, 2023. Lots to read in the last post of the year for us. The consumer revolt at the front of the store continues. The beef industry is kinda doomed. Honey bees remain over-rated. Flaxseed and rosemary are awesome, maybe even together. (And rosemary is a great holiday garnish.) Finally, there is still time to make that perfect eggnog. Enjoy!
MACRO
- The Fed’s battle with inflation is over. Rate cuts next? Are they already late?
- And consumers finally get it as sentiment in re economy rises.
- Shoppers don’t want self checkout and they really don’t want to work security for retailers either. This all tied up in the theft and shrink issues (bs) we’ve been covering.
RETAIL AND CONSUMER
- Huge recall from Quaker on a variety of products due to salmonella.
- A tiny portion of shoppers eat a large majority of the beef. They are old (and rich) . This does not bode well for the industry.
- Walmart turns the music off in their stores every morning. But if you cynically assume it is for commercial reasons, this time you are wrong.
- Things not so hot for General Mills.
- Researchers pretty sure that ultra-processed foods are a cause for obesity and disease. But is it the ingredients or the hidden calories?
RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE
- Nice to know Congress critters are focused on the important things: the fight over full fat milk in schools. You be shocked to read it’s really not about the kids.
- Uh oh. While revenue remains up, visits to restaurants have declined over the course of the year. Whether this jus a secular trend due to the release after COVID or a longer term concern remains to be seen.
- Argg! When is a tiki bar not a tiki bar? When it is a very strange pirate bar in Las Vegas.
- Can state lawmakers force Chick-fil A to open on Sundays? Why did they bid to be a rest stop restaurant on the highway if they didn’t want to open Sundays? Cause, ya know, that’s when people are on the road.
- Chipotle investing in regenerative farming robots.
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- A hotter planet requires a more robust broccoli. (There’s a reason it is grown in Northern Europe.) The new strains can be grown in much warmer places.
- The biggest chocolate makers almost surely using illegally harvested cocoa beans.
- 16 year old who died in poultry plant had fake ID saying he was 32. Malicious neglect.
- Honey bees are over-rated.
- Meat price fixing suit in Washington settled for $400 million.
- “Aw. that was the most flavorful part. 13 tons of Friday’s chicken recalled due to clear plastic in product.
FOOD WEEK LAGNIAPPE
- Rosemary is flavorful and easy to grow. It might also help your memory.
- The dos and don’ts of freezing food, including what can be refrozen after defrosting (almost nothing).
- On average, Americans get twice as much protein as they need. But the science of bioavailability of protein is murky which skews the when and how much, particularly for runners, athletes, etc.
- Flaxseed – nature’s Botox?
- Maybe I would understand stealing hundreds of gallons of cooking oil to convert to fuel when petroleum prices are high but an elaborate plot and felony theft charges for about $1k??? It shows you most thieves are actually stupid.
- The difference between Parmigiano Reggiano and Parmesan cheeses. It is significant.
- The joy of Eguzi stew from Africa.