Welcome to Food Week January 19. On our way to the Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas this weekend. In the meantime lots of concerns about micro and nano plastics getting into our systems in a variety of ways. But fun stuff, too. The discontinued food twitter and the weird history of the bar code makes for good reading, you can learn about circular economies and the pop tart and how to make ginger beer. Enjoy.

MACRO

• Financial markets have shaken off the holiday doldrums and are roaring again as S&P sets new record. Mortgage rates fall to their lowest level since May

• Uber blows a cool billion on a liquor delivery service that fails in 2 years.

• The discontinued food xitter feed

RETAIL AND CONSUMER

• Consumer sentiment doesn’t match statistics but that doesn’t mean it’s invalid. High prices changing consumer buying patterns as they turn to frozen food.

• America’s best grocery chain is… HEB

• Theft at self-checkout is often unintentional. In fact, more people steal unintentionally than intentionally.

• The confusing ‘Not for EU’ label confuses.

• The days of the bar code are numbered, soon to be replaced by QR codes. But the story on how they evolved is pretty interesting

• Washington State’s Attorney sues to block Kroger – Alberston’s merger

RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE

• Do you really rule? Burger King is trying too hard to be your friend.

• The Thai company that bought Red Lobster from Darden has seen enough, wants out.

• McDonald’s brings back the much-missed breakfast wrap but only in UK and Ireland.

• Fast food rose more than almost anything in the just-finished period of inflation. The increase hurts working class families. However traffic has slowed and chains are cranking up promotions.

FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

• The first governmental approval for cell grown beef.

• Shareholders are pushing Tyson to use circular economy for its packaging.

• Helping farm workers become farm owners.

• Chemists warn that micro-plastics in bottled water is ‘100 times worse’ than they thought. And natural fertilizers are spreading micro-plastics as well. Ways to try to avoid them.

• Crisis as eggs in Russia spike in price. Though not as bad as here.

FOOD WEEK JANUARY 19 LAGNIAPPE

• Where the word cocktail came from.

• Things are not always what they seem. Unfrosted pop tarts have more calories than frosted pop tarts. Explanation here. Not mentioned: why anyone buying pops tarts are looking at calorie counts.

• A mocktail that supposedly helps you go to sleep goes viral.

• Blueberries are the most superest of super foods. At least according to this.

• How to make Ginger Beer at home. If you want to reduce calories, substitute a monk fruit Erythritol blend. An in other booze related DIY projects, how to make your own vanilla extract.