FoodserviceDashboard.com

By: Monica Hesse | Washington Post Staff Writer

The National Automated Merchandising Association is on Capitol Hill this snowy Wednesday morning, and they are lobbying about . . . what, exactly?

“We’re obviously interested in food safety and nutrition,” says Ned Monroe, NAMA’S senior vice president of government affairs. “But our biggest issue right now is jobs.” This is because the National Automated Merchandising Association is the trade group for vending machines. And when unemployment gets high, Monroe says, “there are fewer workers available to buy snacks.”

Snacks. The mini-foods that we graze on throughout the day, a nation of cows moving from one 100-calorie snack pack to another. One hundred million Americans use 7 million vending machines every day, according to NAMA, and always with a panicky sense of trepidation. Will the Baked Lay’s bag fall this time? you wonder. And only a fool would mess with B5, which hasn’t dispensed a Snickers in years. Why can’t they put the cheese crackers on B5 instead? Nobody likes those.

The vending industry is a $30 billion-a-year industry, completely embedded in our daily lives. To make sure that legislators don’t forget that, NAMA set up a Coffee and Vending Innovation Showcase in the Cannon House Office Building’s grandiose Caucus Room. There, against a backdrop of Corinthian pilasters and elaborate molding, are rows of vending machines, all representing the very latest in snack technology.

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Consumers, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Manufacturers, Retail lobbists, nama, touch screen, vending machines

By: Gardiner Harris | The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will begin a drive this week to expel Pepsi, French fries and Snickers bars from the nation’s schools in hopes of reducing the number of children who get fat during their school years.

In legislation, soon to be introduced, candy and sugary beverages would be banned and many schools would be required to offer more nutritious fare.

To that end, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will deliver a speech Monday at the National Press Club in which he will insist, according to excerpts provided to The Times, that any vending machines that remain in schools be “filled with nutritious offerings to make the healthy choice the easy choice for our nation’s children.”

The first lady, Michelle Obama, said last month that she would lead an initiative to reduce childhood obesity, and her involvement “shows the importance all of us place on this issue,” Mr. Vilsack said.

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Consumers, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Health | Probiotic, Manufacturers, Retail beverages, candy, junk food, obma, sugar, vilsack

By CanadianManufacturing.com Staff

The food manufacturing industry is now the largest employer in the manufacturing sector.

In November, Statistics Canada reported there were 222,300 employees in food manufacturing, compared with 159,100 in transportation equipment.

The gap between food and transportation equipment manufacturing has increased since the peak of payroll employment in October 2008.

While the number of jobs in food manufacturing edged down 0.5 per cent, it dropped 18.3 per cent in transportation equipment manufacturing.

Overall, the number of manufacturing payroll jobs decreased 12.4 per cent during this period.

Since June 2009, the number of employees in food manufacturing has risen, underpinned by 2,300 new jobs in in seafood product manufacturing, 1,000 additional workers in sugar and confectionary product manufacturing, as well as another 1,000 new workers in bakeries and tortilla manufacturing.

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Equipment and Supply, Featured, Global, Manufacturers canada, food manufacturing

By: Jan Wichayanuparp | Phoenix New Times

Imagine a lavish spread of drinks, pates, cheeses, chocolate and confections sprawling over an area the size of three football fields, and you will get an approximation of what it’s like to be at the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show, held last week in San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

Billed as the largest marketplace for specialty food and beverages on the West Coast, this industry trade show is not only an opportunity for checking out new trends in the market — it’s a golden ticket for unlimited noshing.

With more than 1,300 exhibitors pushing free samples, Fancy Food is Disneyland for foodies.

Among the thousands of exhibitors from over 30 countries, it was good to see Arizona admirably represented by Fairy Tale Brownies, Arizona Gunslinger Hot Sauce, Green Valley Pecan Company, and others.

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Consumers, Distributors, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Industry News, Manufacturers, Restaurants, Retail fancy food show, san francisco, sweet republic, wichayanuparp

By: Suzette Parmley and Amy Worden | Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp. feeds the world – with operations in 19 countries and 12,000 employees in Pennsylvania alone.

It has provided catering at 15 Olympic Games since 1968, and it will handle the Vancouver Winter Games starting next month. It is the food-and-beverage provider to as many as 30 ballparks, stadiums, and arenas, as well as 40 convention and civic centers around the globe.

Its vast clientele in the region includes Citizens Bank Park, Independence Blue Cross, and Lincoln Financial Field. Aramark has been the only food-and-beverage vendor for the Convention Center since it opened in 1993.

But many of those same clients had questions of their own yesterday after it was made public that the Aramark-operated Capitol Café in Harrisburg, where Pennsylvania’s political elite eat, failed an unannounced state inspection Monday because of continuing unsanitary conditions.

The cafeteria was shut down Dec. 17 after an inspection revealed dozens of serious health-code violations, including rodent infestation. Cleaning crews descended on the eatery over the Christmas holiday, scrubbing every inch of the kitchen and dining room, even digging up real 20-foot palm trees that were harboring mice, before reopening Jan. 4.

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Consumers, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Health | Probiotic, Restaurants

We’ll be posting a weekly recap of all of our Tweets and re-Tweets. You can also follow us at: www.twitter.com/FsDashboard!

You’ll see that we follow tweets from Food Manufacturers and Distributors, to Restaurants and Associations, to Journalists and Bloggers, Retail Grocery Stores to Convenience Stores,  Industry publications and celebrated Chefs,  to Foodies and Goverment agencies……

We cover the landscape of the food industry.

@paulbarron Yum Brands gives $500,000 to provide food for victims in Haiti – AWESOME @kfc_colonel http://ow.ly/WUlp

@QMG Chinese create shamless knock-off’s of famous American restaurant brands such as Starbucks and McDonald’s: http://ow.ly/WUuU

@PeterRomeo A roundup of what restaurants and chains are doing to help earthquake victims in Haiti: http://snipurl.com/u3ec3

@NRNonline Daphne’s Greek Cafe files for Ch. 11: The fast-casual Daphne’s Greek Cafe chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy pr… http://bit.ly/7VffJs

@FoodMfg Peanut Butter Recall Spreads To Other Products http://bit.ly/6YygpK

@RestaurantMentr McDonald’s Contributes to Disaster Relief Efforts in Haiti http://bit.ly/8biiQF

@Debra_Blueberry U.S. Foodservice Donates $50,000 to Haiti Relief Effort: http://bit.ly/60IIEh

@FastFoodMaven RT @QSRweb Exclusive.. @DelTaco parent company selling sister-brand: Captain D’s on the market http://ow.ly/Wvvb

@FoodBizDaily General Mills Foundation Pledges $250,000 to Earthquake Relief in Haiti

Nice to see: @FoodBizDaily Brat Pitt and Angelina Jolie donates 1 million to Doctors without Borders

Gr8 use of Twitter: @SouthBeachGril is vry proud of crew. Hlth Insp. just graded our restaurant-a 99.5 & many compliments on our operation!

@ZagatBuzz Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine, to be the face of @Lipton_Tea via @guardiannews http://is.gd/6fecq

@RestaurantMentr Applebee’s launches remodeling push http://bit.ly/8t9Icb

@RestaurantMentr The Women’s Foodservice Forum Names Fritzi Woods as Incoming President and Chief Executive Officer http://bit.ly/8jAp7P

@bmarler is ALWAYS on top of things. Interesting points regarding Nestle Toll House and Contaminated Flour… http://bit.ly/7gGISw

@RonRuggless V-Day at White Castle?: burger chain offers candlelight dinner reservations http://bit.ly/8qk2Dm questioning Harold & Kumar’s “relationship”

@ihospitality IH News: Seattle’s Best to debut canned coffee drinks http://bit.ly/8xqSGC

@PeterRomeo McDonald’s promotes Don Thompson to president, succeeding Ralph Alvarez. Jan Fields named U.S. president

@PeterRomeo Gene Baldwin named interim CFO for Benihana Inc. http://snipurl.com/u2m7o

@seriouseats Cute. Coca-Cola “Happiness Machine” dispenses more than just soda to group of college students. Video: http://su.pr/6wZ9Lt

@RonRuggless Keep On Truckin: RT @FastFoodMaven: Kogi BBQ generates $2 million in 1st year http://bit.ly/5CBQc3

@slashfood Irony of the day: fast food restaurants in UK hospitals http://bit.ly/5NoE9p

@NexCenBrands Multiple-Concept Franchising: The Growing Allure Of Operating Several Brands http://bit.ly/Nex0113A

@eartheats Pepsi and Mountain Dew Throwback Will Kill You Just As Fast As The HFCS Kind http://bit.ly/6oFgQD (via @TreeHugger) /@aschweig

@DairyFoods HP Hood recalls Heluva Good Cold Pack Cheese Food: Click here for full story http://bit.ly/7c4O6v

@ZagatBuzz Food makers quietly cut back on salt (@wsj) http://is.gd/6b7M8

@paulbarron Fast Casual goes global as Chipotle eyes France, Germany for new restaurants http://ow.ly/W8oN

@RonRuggless Feeling Their Oats: Another coffee co. offers hot oatmeal http://bit.ly/91vHjO This time Caribou

@ihospitality IH Retail News: Pepsi’s Social Marketing Campaign Stumbles Out of the Gate: Erick Schonfeld subm.. http://bit.ly/698w8k

@npdfood Americans are using more store brand and private label products … and have been since 2002, reports NPD.

@manageyourbar Diageo Congratulates NJ Legislature for Passing Legislation to Combat Drunk Driving http://bit.ly/6SNgNz

@RonRuggless Not Taking It w/ Grain of Salt: Chefs boiling over proposed NYC salt crackdown http://bit.ly/4Os9FQ

@JeffreySummers The Casual Restaurant Bankruptcy Epidemic: http://bit.ly/6Dx2iy

@foodrecalls PARKERS FARM, INC. RECALLS SEVERAL PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK: PARKERS FARM, INC. OF COON RAPIDS, MI… http://bit.ly/6ZupJ5

@ashleyebentley A new program from the USDA seeks to find a way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among food stamp recipients: http://ow.ly/VhBI

@FoodMfg Wisconsin To Open Sausage Development Center http://bit.ly/5fFpTp

@TheGourmetGirl Did you know by federal law, for a noodle to actually be a noodle it must have 5.5% egg solids in it, otherwise it cannot be called a noodle

Agriculture, C-Stores, Consumers, Distributors, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Finance | Economics, Global, Health | Probiotic, Industry News, Manufacturers, Market Trends, Monthly Highlights, Related Industry Sites, Restaurants, Retail, Site News fsdashboard, recap, twitter

By: Richard Hall | FoodBev.com

It’s difficult to keep up. The number of food and beverage transactions I’ve recorded in the past two months rose to 49.

13 were in the dairy industry, 12 in soft drinks, 10 in alcohol and 7 in other food sectors. US companies were involved in 16 and French in 6, followed by Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK on 5 each.

Japanese drinks companies were among the most active buyers, led by Suntory on 3. Switzerland’s Emmi and Nestlé made 5 purchases between them. New Zealand’s Fonterra bought 2 and sold 1. Britain’s Uniq and Holland’s FrieslandCampina sold 2 apiece.

November 2009:

• Bottled water – US Crystal Springs buys Cohutta Water.
• Bottled water – Spain’s Importaco increases stake from 31% to 62% in Agua de Cortes ($213m).
• Packaging – Ball Corporation from US to buy outstanding 65% of Sansui beverage can joint venture from Guangdong Jianlibao of China ($90m).

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Equipment and Supply, Featured, Manufacturers acquisitions, beverages, danone, Fonterra of New Zealand, food, Green Mountain, Heineken, kirin, Lacteos Centroamericanos, mccain, nestle, Parmalat Centroamerica, Royal FrieslandCampina, San Miguel Brewery, Sapporo, sturm, Timothy’s Coffee, Treehouse, vitality, world finer foods

By: Walter Pincus | Washington Post

One of the least publicized elements of the cost of the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq is the need to truck into Iraq and landlocked Afghanistan almost all the perishable and non-perishable food items consumed by U.S. forces and civilian personnel.

The Defense Logistics Agency is preparing to contract out delivery of more than $10 billion worth of food to U.S. troops and other government personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Jordan. The solicitation is broken into two contracts — one for Afghanistan for five years and another for Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan for four years.

The list of items is extensive. The prime vendor, according to the bid solicitation, “must be capable of supplying all chilled products, semi-perishable food stuffs, frozen fish, meat and poultry, other frozen foods (fruits, vegetables, prepared foods, etc.), dairy and ice cream products, fresh and frozen bakery products, beverage base & juices (for dispensers), beverages & juices (nondispenser), fresh fruits and vegetables, non-food items.”

In addition, the vendor will deliver government-furnished food products such as “Unitized Group Rations, Meals Ready to Eat, Health and Comfort packs and other operational rations items (either currently in existence or to be introduced during the term of this award).”

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Distributors, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Manufacturers afghanistan, beverage, dairy, defense logistics agency, delivery contracts., foodstuffs, frozen fish, fruits, iraq, jordan, kuwait, meat, poultry, vegetables

From: FDA.gov -

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals today seized bulk restaurant food productat Won Feng Trading Company, a food processor and warehouse in Nashville, Tenn. The products are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they have been held under unsanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth. The Act uses the term “insanitary” to describe such conditions.

U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated foods, including a wide variety of bulk restaurant foods, such as 44-pound bags of rice, fresh produce and frozen food products that are susceptible to contamination by rodents, insects, or other filth

The agency has not received any reports of consumer illnesses.

Won Feng receives food from throughout the United States and distributes its products within the state of Tennessee. The FDA estimates the value of the seized goods to be more than $1 million. U.S. Marshals executed this seizure pursuant to a warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“The violations at Won Feng Trading are both serious and repetitive,” said Michael Chappell, the FDA’s acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “The FDA will take actions against any food companies that fail to provideadequate safeguards to ensure that products they produce or hold for sale remain free of contamination.”

The FDA had previously issued a Warning Letter to Won Feng in May 2009, citing numerous deviations from current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements, including ineffective measures taken by the firm to exclude pests. The firm stated in a June response to the FDA that it had corrected the violations cited in the Warning Letter.

In a follow-up inspection completed in November 2009, the FDA investigators found evidence of an active and widespread rodent infestation in the building, including live and dead rodents, rodent hair, rodent nesting material, evidence of rodent-gnawed food, and rodent urine. The FDA investigators also observed insect filth and live birds in the building, and found that the building had defects that could allow pests to enter food storage areas.

These unsanitary conditions and practices led to today’s seizure action.

Consumers, Distributors, Equipment and Supply, Featured, Manufacturers, Restaurants, Retail contamination, fda, food safety, nashville, Won Feng Trading Company

By: Pat Reynolds | Packworld.com

Wynn Wiksell of General Mills would say that the packaging supply chain can play a key role in reducing food safety issues. Wiksell outlined his views at the November 17 Chicago Chapter meeting of IoPP, where a merger between IoPP and FSAP was announced.

The Food Safety Alliance for Packaging (FSAP) and the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) have come to an agreement in principle to merge the two organizations. Wynn Wiksell, manager of packaging QRO at General Mills and chairman of FSAP, joined IoPP president Jane Chase in making the announcement (see photo) at yesterday’s Chicago Chapter meeting of the IoPP in Lincolnshire, IL. Wiksell made the following observations in his presentation to the Chicago Chapter:

• FSAP—a three-year-old organization now having about 40 members, including not only General Mills but also Campbell Soup, Kellogg’s, ConAgra, and Nestle—has developed HACCP models for packaging materials in the categories of cartons, rigid plastics, cut-and-stack labels, and composite cans. These models will be published in the near future. They’ll also serve as the basis for education and training programs for stakeholders. Additional models are under development.

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Equipment and Supply, Featured food safety, Food Safety Alliance for Packaging, FSAP, general mills, Institute of Packaging Professionals, IoPP, Jane Chase, wynn Wiksell