News on Food Trends from the United States

From 1996 through October 2007, officials say Glenns Ferry cogeneration sold power to Idaho Power under a contract;but now Idaho Power Company is seeking $11.15 Million in damages for an alleged breach of that contract. Gene Fadness, Spokesman for Id...

Investment funds affiliated with Nelson Peltz, the well-known activist investor and nonexecutive chairman at Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., have snatched up stock in quick-service and snack brands, and dumped holdings in casual-dining companies. Accordin...

Tracking data of the sales of frozen potato products to foodservice by the major US potato processors indicates a low single digit drop in pounds sold in the last quarter of 2008 and a high single digit dollar value increase. For entire 2008, the volume sold is flat. Export of frozen potato products is up, both in volume and dollar value, but export is relatively small (about 15%) compared to total sales. There is no clear sign in these tracking data that foodservice is moving away from higher priced specialties.

Fourth quarter 2008 consumer food spending met its steepest decline in more than half a century, according to data from Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. Spending on food at retail and restaurants fell 3.7% from the previous quarter, w...

Dairy Queen’s Sweet Deals value menu may be rolling out nationally just in time to fight the recession, but it’s hardly a knee-jerk reaction to economic pressure, according to officials. The chain began testing the offer in 2007, before the downturn hi...

McDonald's Corp is not losing breakfast business to Starbucks Corp, McDonald's Chief Executive Jim Skinner said at a luncheon in Chicago on Friday.When asked if Starbucks, which recently revamped its morning menu with healthier choices, has taken a bit...

Cash-strapped consumers are getting reacquainted with cooking at home, and that's been bad news for restaurants and their stocks. The dining-out industry is suffering through a major fire in the kitchen.

Northern Star Co. today initiated a voluntary product recall of certain retail cut-and-bagged potato products. The recall is being initiated due to laboratory testing that showed a package of Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns to contain Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Washington State Potato Farmers agreed to modifications in the 2009 potato contracts with potato processing companies Simplot and Lamb Weston.Processing Companies agreed in September to give Northwest potato growers a hefty raise on their 2009 pre-seas...

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today issued a consumer advisory for certain refrigerated potato products after testing conducted by the MDA laboratory discovered a sample of Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns containing Listeri...

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Anyway you slice it, dice it, mash it or fry it, a new survey by the Idaho Potato Commission reveals American's favorite vegetable is the potato. And, despite February being Potato Lover's Month, growers are worried they won't break even on this year's...

Fast-food chains are targeting cash-strapped patrons of casual-dining restaurants with premium products that are blurring the line between the two dining categories. One chain boosting its high-end offerings is Burger King Holdings Corp. (BKC). The No....

Good news about fast-food french fries: Tests show they are free of artery-clogging trans fats. The chains stopped using trans fats to make fries over the past few years, but ShopSmart magazine from Consumer Reports, tested some  samples from Burger Ki...

National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs Beth Johnson issued the following statement in response to today's U.S. Court of Appeals decision to uphold a New York City Board of Health regulation that dictates how nutrit...

McDonald's Corp on Monday posted a better-than-expected 7.1 percent rise in global January sales at restaurants open at least 13 months, driven by strength in nearly all of its markets.McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants have benefited as a glob...

Washington potato grower Ed Schneider has been elected to lead the National Potato Council. The organization advocates for the economic well-being of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental and trade issues.  In addition,...

Yum Brands Inc.'s (YUM) KFC brand plans to launch its first nationwide value menu next week as the company looks to reinvigorate its lagging chicken chain with a message targeting cost-conscious customers. The value menu, which will be backed by nation...