Welcome to Food Week January 31, 2025 and the year of the Snake. Big tariffs being imposed on US three biggest trade partners. Impact on Mexican goods will fall on food & tequila whereas Canada’s will be in the energy sector. To remind everyone, the foreign government don’t pay for tariffs, consumers do. Well, enjoy.

MACRO

• Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China hit.

• Tariffs, and Chinese AI breakthroughs, make investors jittery.

• The public is tired of Super Bowl ads.

RETAIL AND CONSUMER

• Costco bumps up the wages of its workers.

• A stupid article by NPR looking for generally falling prices. Inflation raises prices to new levels; falling inflation does not lower prices. Generally lowering prices would be a sign of deflation which would be actually worse.

• Expert advises only eating pasteurized eggs.

• Coca Cola trots out an orange cream flavored version.

• JBS acquires one of Brazils largest egg producers, probably in anticipation of entering US market, where supply has broken down due to HPAI.

• Cadmium and heavy metals in protein powders. Somehow this will probably viewed as a good thing by those who use them.

RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE

• Chili’s killing it, TGI Fridays not so much.

• Successful restaurants use unreasonable hospitality.

• Popeye’s biscuits really are the best.

• Being a private chef sounds like all the hard work but with none of the camaraderie.

• Florida restaurants routinely lie about where their shrimp comes from.

• A fine dining restaurant that teaches the next generation of workers, re-opens in a rough Chicago neighborhood.

FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

• The new President doesn’t understand California’s water. Nevertheless, he is making policy decisions.

• Shellfish stocks in one of Spain’s most important seafood region collapse, seemingly mostly from climate change.

• New breakthroughs in plant based meat technology.

• About the new Agriculture Secretary.

• Nature is an orgy. Viruses like Avian Influenza are re-combining all the time.

DRINKS

• The family that built Leinenkugel wants to buy back their brewery from Molson Coors. The multinational isn’t budging.

• Tequila is on the tariff list. And it is not like you can get it from anywhere else.

• Only 2 Carthusian monks are allowed to see the centuries old Chartreuse recipe.

• Some 70’s cocktails.

• Dry January is an opportunity to remind you that alcohol consumption is linked to cancer. I’m not happy about it either.

FOOD WEEK January 31 LAGNIAPPE

• Emulsifiers may be ruining your gut health. Olive oil much better.

• Archaeologists find 3000 year old pots of honey. More fascinating they found someone to taste it and apparently it is still good.

• What is ketchup, really?

• Have scientists solved the grapefruit /medication conundrum?

• Old fashioned bar foods.