Panic buying leading to shortages of toilet paper and other commodities took hold at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, and experts warn a similar situation could develop in coming months, largely due …
As they brace for what’s expected to be intense holiday demand, warehouse operators are boosting pay, acquiring more talent, and enlisting robots, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 26). TALENT ACQUISITION PUSH Demand for distribution …
The backlog of ships off the coast of California has become so dire that the Biden Administration has gotten involved. Additionally, the two primary ports are exploring different strategies in trying to alleviate issues. As …
While Amsterdam-based e-grocery platform Picnic recently made headlines by raising $707 million in a Series D funding round led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, perhaps the bigger news is how Picnic and other food …
According to industry experts, consumers can expect to see higher prices in the last quarter of this year in several grocery categories. Ingredient suppliers are seeing longer lead times because of issues like labor shortages …
Whether by sea, by rail, or by highway, the nation’s supply chain has never been more complicated. Here’s a quick roundup of recent supply chain developments, in what has become a year loaded with slowdowns. …
After a tumultuous year of COVID-related meat processor backlogs, is the U.S. beef supply finally evening out? One banking and financial services company thinks so: the U.S. oversupply of beef appears to have “finally cleared,” …
Amid the pandemic, supply chain woes have been front and center. And while port constraints have dominated headlines, one of the biggest problems in the shipping industry has been the shortage of U.S. truck drivers. …
The latest industry to be impacted by supply constraints is poultry. LABOR AND SUPPLY ISSUES THREATEN HOLIDAY TURKEY AVAILABILITY A broker for Shady Brook Farms, one of the nation’s largest turkey suppliers, said in a …
It’s a simple, two-part question, but it begs a complicated answer: Why are global shipping costs so high, and when will they moderate? While the rest of the U.S. economy seemed to hum in a …
A rise in cases linked to the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant could result in a new wave of disruptions for the U.S. food industry, particularly in the U.S. Southeast. Less than 35% of the …
Maryland without crab cakes. An ahi tuna shortage in Hawaii. Clams missing from the menu in Massachusetts. Are we running out of fish? “Yes, there is a shortage of fish, in some part, because of …
Taco Bell is the latest restaurant chain to be hit by significant ingredient shortages. “Sorry if we can’t feed your current crave,” reads an orange banner atop the fast-food chain’s website. “Due to national ingredient …
Here are trending economic and food industry data points, as well as major economic and company earnings releases for the coming week: an interview with Wells Fargo agricultural economist Dr. Michael J. Swanson on a …
Among the factors behind soaring agricultural commodity prices this past year has been China’s food imports and its efforts to boost food security. And while pandemic-related supply constraints among exporters grabbed headlines, China has been …
The USDA is predicting increased milk production this year and next, pushing prices lower in the near term. University of Missouri economist Scott Brown told Dairy Herd Management (June 22) producers are getting squeezed by …
Proper inventory management is a top concern for retailers. Out-of-stock items and inefficient replacement strategies can result in lost sales, reduced customer satisfaction, and lower loyalty levels. In response to these challenges, companies like Walmart …
Here are trending economic and food industry data points, as well as major economic and company earnings releases for the coming week: retail sales, supply crunch, global forecast, earnings from Darden Restaurants (DRI), and more. …
Strong grain prices, low interest rates and increasing exports are bringing stability to the rural economy, the June Rural Mainstreet Index from Creighton University indicates. Strong growth points to an improving farm economy featuring solid …
Here are trending economic and food industry data points, as well as major economic and company earnings releases for the coming week: employment, earnings from The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) and more. Is America …
Here are trending economic and food industry data points, as well as major economic and company earnings releases for the coming week: food inflation, earnings from Cracker Barrel (CBRL), Sanderson Farms (SAFM), Costco (COST) and …
The start of the return to normalcy has created problems for restaurants, bars and other venues with demand outstripping supplies and creating shortages of a variety of foods and other commodities. Couple that with difficulty …
Since the beginning of the year, foot traffic to U.S. food and beverage establishments is up 41 percent, according to Zenreach data. And with the weather getting nicer, vaccinations on the rise, and dining limitations slowly being lifted, restaurant traffic continues to soar. Restaurant …
A persistent kink in the global supply chain is getting straightened out – slowly, but relatively surely. The backlog at southern California ports appears to finally be easing, even as imports continue to flood into …
Congested ports in the U.S. continue to cause major supply chain disruptions. The California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — which together handle more than a third of U.S. container imports — are …
While the gap between food insecurity and food waste is significant, increased government, industry and community efforts can narrow the divide. But with global food demand projected to rise anywhere between 59% to 98% by 2050 …
An influx of imports, plus work forces being affected by the pandemic, are causing backlogs at major U.S. seafood ports leaving stranded containers of frozen fish on ships and docks. Freezers in key port cities …
Food businesses are facing logistics issues regarding rising freight costs on top of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Rising freight rates and delivery delays have led to global backlash from companies frustrated about the mix of …
USDA will run a $1 million research project on how COVID-19 may be transmitted through the beef supply chain, reported Reuters (Sept. 25). The two-year project, which begins in October, aims to reduce the risk …
FDA proposed a new rule that lays the foundation for end-to-end traceability across the food industry. The proposed rule would create a first-of-its-kind standardized approach to traceability recordkeeping, paving the way for industry to adopt …
With popularity of frozen foods up during the pandemic, supply chains for frozen products are undergoing their own set of challenges. Eighty-six percent of consumers said they bought frozen food in March and April, with …
I heard a commentator on TV recently describe the coronavirus as an “accelerator.” In his words, the dramatic industry changes we are currently seeing would have happened anyway in a non-pandemic world, just not as …
Food Institute Focus – Switching From Global to Local Food Supply Chains
Food Institute Focus – Consumer Perceptions of Food Industry During Pandemic
Meatpacking facilities across the U.S. have become hot spots for the coronavirus, impacting production of chicken, beef, and pork and causing worry about the nation’s food supply, reported The Wall Street Journal (April 28). In …
This year’s Super Bowl showcasing the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew nearly 100 million viewers. Analysis of this year’s event found some interesting buyer behaviors for grocers and suppliers to consider. …
