Experts: Sustainable Packaging Can Pay Dividends for Food Companies

Looking to meet rising consumer demand for sustainability, food and beverage companies are focusing on making their packaging more recyclable.

Supply Chain Pain Now Seen Stretching to mid-2023

Supply chain pain could extend well into next year, industry experts said recently, further straining the U.S. food industry and other businesses. That’s according to Camerican International President Josh Gellert, who told The Food Institute …

Ingredient Shortages Hampering New Food Product Development

Research and development divisions at food companies report shortages of ingredients like MSG, sweeteners and soluble fiber are handicapping product development. Additionally, predictions indicate the problem could last well into the next decade. The 2022 …

Industry CEO: Baby Formula Shortage Illustrates ‘Broken System’

Abbott Laboratories, which stopped the production of Elecare powdered specialty baby formula after its southwest Michigan facility was flooded recently, said it had enough formula supply on hand to meet current needs. Heavy rains and …

‘Everything Shortage’ Intensifying, from Condiments to Corn

Add condiments and corn to the abundance of shortages from the international supply chain crises. Australia’s low on lettuce, the Philippines are short on sugar, and sunflower oil is scarce in Spain, Bloomberg reported. Inflation, …

Analysts: Expect Continued Demand for Eggs Despite High Prices

Consumer demand for shell eggs should remain strong in the near-term despite year-over-year price increases, due in part to the value proposition eggs provide for consumers searching for protein options, according to industry analysts. Eggs …

Retailers Overloaded with Inventory at Summer’s Outset

Who doesn’t love a bargain? Consumers likely will be in luck this summer as retailers, whose inventories have swollen largely due to the pandemic and shifts in buying behaviors, try to rationalize their stocks amid …

Dangerous ‘Forever Chemicals’ Seeping into Food Supply

For years, farmers looking for less expensive fertilizer turned to treated sewage sludge. Now, however, there’s evidence the sludge may have contaminated as many as 20 million acres with so-called forever chemicals – per- and …

No Shortage of Shortages as Supply Chain Issues Persist

As supply chain problems persist, there’s no shortage of shortages these days. A baby formula shortage has become wide ranging, for example, with a current out-of-stock rate of 40%, up from 31% in early April. …

U.S. Sushi Industry Poised for Change on Supply Concerns

In America, the sushi business is booming. Yet, industry leaders like Taka Tanaka know change is on the horizon, creating uncertainty. Though America has a growing appetite for sushi – the segment is expected to …

Crisp Executive Sees Supply Chain Problems into Next Year

Supply chain backups are easing – if ever so slightly – according to one industry executive. “As economies open back up, there are fewer restrictions on the movement of people and goods,” Barry Bradley, head …

Grain Markets Monitor Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S. consumer support for domestic agriculture has grown stronger, according to a  new survey from the United Soybean Board. In fact, 78% of respondents said it’s important to purchase U.S.-grown food, an 8% increase from a …

Port Delays Continue to Pile Up

Global shipping is likely to take another hit in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The invasion adds a level of complexity to an industry already navigating changing consumer demand, inflation, and the ongoing effects …

Restaurants Work New Strategies to Retain Staff

Hiring new employees is hard for businesses across the food landscape. Retaining them is even harder. And if you are a restaurant operator amid the current worker shortage, your staffing problems are the hardest. The …

Russia Invasion of Ukraine to Push up Energy, Food Prices

The United States and its allies are escalating sanctions against Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine that could ripple through the world economy, aggravating inflation and supply chain issues, and prompting consumer …

How Food Companies Can Prepare for Retaliatory Cyberattacks from Russia

U.S. companies should be prepared for retaliatory cyberattacks following Biden Administration sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine. U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said private companies should be …

UPDATED: How Will Global Food Supply Chain Be Affected by Russia-Ukraine Crisis?

Editor’s note: This report was updated Thursday to reflect the Russian invasion of Ukraine the night prior, as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in eastern Ukraine. Below, FI looks at certain ramifications …

What Happens if the U.S. Suspends Mexican Avocado Exports Again?

The U.S. government halted imports of new-harvest avocados from Mexico for nearly a week after a U.S. inspector was threatened, months ahead of one of the highest-consumption days for the product. While the USDA’s Animal …

Poultry Growers Under Pressure as Bird Flu Spreads

Poultry growers have been advised to double down on biosecurity and sanitation practices with reports of further avian influenza infections in both commercial and non-commercial flocks, as well as wild birds, in the Northeast and …

Inflation, Supply Chain Creating Rare Challenges in Champagne World

To say that the champagne world is a bit “off-kilter” these days would be a significant understatement. The Financial Times reported in late December that retail champagne prices (especially vintage champagne) had increased 30% in …

Can the Seafood Supply Chain Hold as Demand Rises?

While the seafood sector appears well positioned for growth, can the supply chain hold as demand rises? The Food Institute takes a closer look at some of the category’s recent developments. Supply chain implications as …

Analysis: How Will Canadian Trucker Protests Impact America?

What started as a trucker protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates has grown to include many Canadians who are also pushing back against the rules, and resulting blockages could threaten an already-strained supply chain. In January, …

School Lunch Rules Updated Amid Supply Chain Disruptions

The Biden administration has issued transitional standards for school lunches to get cafeterias back on a healthier course as they recover from the pandemic. Here’s what to expect: WHAT IS CHANGING? During the pandemic, schools …

UPDATE: Logistics Companies Accelerating Hiring

A new report shows logistics companies accelerated hiring in January. Trucking, parcel-delivery and warehousing companies added a combined 42,100 jobs last month, according to seasonally adjusted preliminary employment data released by The U.S. Bureau of …

RBC Says No End in Sight for Supply Chain Woes

Will supply chain problems ever subside? RBC Capital Markets recently provided insight on the topic in its report titled Digital Intelligence Strategy: Supply Chain Woes, No End in Sight. RBC’S OUTLOOK FOR SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES …

Beverage Industry Supply Chain Bubbling Over with Issues

Against the backdrop of the January Food Institute report on supply chain issues (available to FI members on Jan. 18; to join FI, click here), we’re taking a closer look at constraints in the beverage …

New Vaccine Mandates for Truckers Could Impact U.S.-Canada Trade

Although the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a vaccine mandate for large employers, truckers driving between the U.S. and Canada will still need to be fully vaccinated by the end of the month. Canada began requiring …

Driver Shortage Pushes Autonomous Trucking Closer to Reality

Unmanned trucks are hitting the streets. Autonomous trucking startup TuSimple completed its first run on open public roads without a human in the vehicle, reported TechCrunch (Dec. 29). The autonomous driving system navigated 100% of …

Supply is Top Concern of CEOs for 2022

Seventy-two percent of CEOs are worried about losing their jobs in 2022 due to business disruptions, such as supply chain issues, according to a new survey by management consulting firm AlixPartners. Notably, that figure spiked …

Packaging Shortages to Impact Food Manufacturers Into 2022

Packaging shortages are fueling persistent fluctuations in food and beverage product availability ahead of the holidays, as many manufacturers source materials from overseas — and there’s no clear end in sight. “Supply chain disruptions continue …

Feds Look to Address U.S. Supply Chain Woes

The Federal Reserve reported that supply chain disruptions and labor shortages plagued many parts of the country in November, leading to rising prices across most of the nation, reported The Associated Press (Dec. 1). With …

Supply Chain Update: Port Negotiations, Omicron Variant and Trucker Shortage

Amid surging inflation and a new coronavirus variant, here’s an update on what’s happening across the supply chain. LABOR TALKS AT WEST COAST PORTS West Coast port facility operators will open negotiations with the International …

The Rising Influence of Professional Wine Ratings

Editor’s note: Part 3 of a three-part series analyzing the current state of the wine industry. With the strong increase in online wine sales in recent years has come an equally significant increase in the …

Supply Chain Inspiring Rising Concerns in Wine World

Editor’s note: Part 2 of a three-part series analyzing the current state of the wine industry. The effects of supply chain disruptions in the global food industry are well-known and easy to identify: low inventories, …

Food Brands Cut TV Advertising as Supply Chain Crisis Persists

Consumers may be seeing less food and retail advertisements on their TV screens this holiday season. Department stores, such as Macy’s and Nordstrom, spent 8% less on TV commercials from July 30 to October 30 …

Experts: Inflation, E-Commerce Require Companies to Rethink Strategies in 2022

During CPG Growth Strategies in an Inflationary 2022 – a recent webinar presented by IRI and RBC Capital Markets – experts noted what to expect in the months ahead regarding food prices, the labor pool, …