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 | Retailers look abroad for expansion opportunities
As competition is increasing at home, giant retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco, are looking abroad to boost revenue, with China earmarked as a "priority market" this year, a Deloitte study said. The research firm found that nine of the world's top 10 retailers have their hand in food retailing. BBC (1/27) 
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| Group hits Tesco plan for item-level RFID tagging
A consumer group opposed to RFID tagging on privacy grounds said it will urge a boycott of retailer Tesco over its plans to test item-level RFID tagging. "It essentially means that more people will be taking home items containing [RFID] spy chips," said Katherine Albrecht, director of Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering. Tesco officials said the company has no plans to track items after purchase. Progressive Grocer (1/27)
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| Wegmans family members move up
Danny Wegman has been promoted to CEO of Wegmans Food Markets, succeeding his father, Robert Wegman, who remains the company's chairman. Danny Wegman's daughter, Colleen, will replace him as president of the Rochester, N.Y.-based supermarket chain. Progressive Grocer (1/27)
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| Executives ponder retailing's future at FMI's Midwinter Conference
Morning News Beat's Kevin Coupe reports from the Food Marketing Institute Midwinter Conference, where FMI president Tim Hammonds announced "Project Chill," an industry initiative to combat listeriosis, a food-borne illness. Attendees also listened to speeches from Coca-Cola's E. Nevill Isdell and a presentation of a McKinsey & Co. report about the growing influence of Wal-Mart. Morning News Beat (1/25), Morning News Beat (1/26)
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 | | NCR and Retalix have announced that ALON USA is installing point-of-sale (POS) systems featuring NCR RealPOS workstations, NCR RealScan bar-code scanners and NCR high-speed thermal receipt printers, together with Retalix software solutions. The systems are being deployed at all of Alon's 7-Eleven locations. Read more. |
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| Consumers reacquaint themselves with carbs
After 9% of people said they were on low-carb diets at the end of 2003, that number dropped to 3.6% as of last November, according to one study, and bread companies are reporting rising sales. Sara Lee said its new whole-grain Delightful line became an instant success. The Telegraph (Nashua, N.H.)/Sacramento Bee (1/26)
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| Farmers hope tomato donation proves shortage is over
Florida tomato farmers will donate 1 million pounds of tomatoes to food banks in cities throughout the eastern U.S. in an effort to send a message that supplies have recovered from the ravages of the state's multiple hurricanes last year. St. Petersburg Times (Fla.) (1/27)
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| Study: Healthy options lead industry growth trends
Revenue from soy-based drinks grew 31% in 2004 to lead the food and beverage sector's growth last year, followed by drinkable yogurts and eggs, an ACNielsen study said. Supermarket News (1/27)
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| Major employers join to offer low-cost coverage to uninsured
Sixty large employers are teaming up on an innovative program to provide low-cost health insurance options to help cover uninsured employees, such as part-time or temporary workers, consultants, contractors and early retirees. The plans are not being subsidized by the participating companies, which include IBM, McDonald's and General Electric, but the high number of employees involved in the collaboration allowed for lower insurance rates. The New York Times (1/27)
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| | "I am up against slow growth and rising margin pressure."
To tackle an urgent situation like this, you need the most authoritative insights you can get. That's exactly what you'll find at the #1 marketing information conference in the U.S. -- Consumer 360. Your connection to actionable consumer insights from Spectra, ACNielsen, and the VNU companies. March 30 through April 1 in Hollywood, Florida. Register now. | | |
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| Soup as a weight-loss tool
Research indicates soups can make eaters feel just as full as if they ate a regular meal, which can result in lower calorie intake. The Seattle Times (1/26)
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| Pharmacy sales propel drugstore results
Despite feeling the pinch from a slow flu season and mail-order prescription drug businesses, Walgreen Co. CEO Dave Bernauer believes there is plenty of business for both drugstores and mail-order services to grow. While front-end sales slowed recently at the chains, Lewis Drugs CEO Mark Griffin expects an upswing in the economy to help sales. Chain Drug Review (1/31)
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Cargill helps customers succeed by collaborating to find unique ways to solve their business challenges. Drawing upon years of experience and knowledge, Cargill can help companies gain a competitive edge. View some of our success stories, and learn how Cargill can collaborate with your business at cargillcreates.com.
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Interested in learning more about advertising in the FMI Daily Lead? Contact Linda Blau at 212-677-5795 or lblau@smartbrief.com.
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| Senators want federal restrictions on sales of cold medicines
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing for federal restrictions on over-the-counter sales of cold medicines in an effort to curb illicit production of methamphetamine. Legislation proposed by the lawmakers would require medications containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed and Tylenol, be kept behind pharmacy counters and sold only to customers presenting photo IDs. Industry representatives oppose the move, saying it would create unreasonable barriers for regular customers. Yahoo!/Associated Press (1/26)
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| New food pyramid may not be a pyramid
A revision of the 13-year-old food pyramid is set to follow the release of the new government nutritional guidelines, and food companies and associations are hoping their segment occupies the coveted anchor spot at the bottom of pyramid. The new geometric figure may actually take the form of a plate, hourglass or "radiant pyramid," and will be released in the spring. "We have one chance to [do] this, and we really want to get it right," said the executive director of the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The Wall Street Journal (1/27)
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| CDC looks for stronger research on obesity's link to marketing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting two studies to determine the possible link between food marketing to children and obesity and how best to teach healthy living to children. The CDC hopes the studies will lay groundwork to possible government regulation. Some companies are regulating themselves, such as Kraft Foods' decision not to advertise Kool-Aid to children 6 to 11. The Wall Street Journal (1/27)
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Contributing Editor:
Daniel Richards 
