• The Wall Street Journal reports that PepsiCo-owned Quaker is updating the symbol on its oatmeal boxes, giving “Larry” (as the Quaker man is known internally) a haircut, as well as making him appear to be thinner and younger. The goal, according to Justin Lambeth, Quaker's chief marketing officer, is to keep the 134-year-old brand "fresh and innovative.”
• The Boston Globe reports that restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods is teaming up with food distributor Agar Supply “to launch a new label that will allow restaurants and supermarkets to track fresh fish all along the supply chain. According to the story, “Legal Sea Foods wholesale division, Nor’Easter, will supply nearly all of the fresh fish marketed under Agar’s ‘Nautifish’ brand, including haddock, cod, salmon, and tuna. Nor’Easter is creating a barcode label on each package that will include details such as when the seafood was caught, the name of the boat and captain, the region where the fish was caught, and when it was prepared for packaging.”
• Lubbock, Texas-based United Supermarkets announced that it “will help its store guests combat the rising cost of driving this spring by offering a fuel discount with their in-store purchases. Between March 28 and May 22, guests will earn discounts on their fuel purchases at all United Express fuel stations in Lubbock, Amarillo and Wichita Falls when they shop at United Supermarkets, Market Street and Amigos locations. This includes all United Express locations in Wichita Falls.”
• Linda M. Doherty, president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC), has received the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Donald H. MacManus Association Executive Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership and accomplishments in the food distribution industry. The award was presented at FMI’s Day in Washington.
• The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) said yesterday that it supports the introduction by Senator John Thune (R-SD) “of an estate tax repeal bill today that will negate an unfair form of double taxation that threatens family-owned grocers.”
“Senator Thune is a strong advocate for family-owned supermarkets in the United States,” FMI Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs Jennifer Hatcher said. “The estate tax forces business owners to spend their fortunes on estate planning instead of expanding their businesses and creating new jobs.”
- KC's View:
