Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are nothing new on U.S. farms, so why are some people so concerned about the recent discovery, on an American pig farm, of a gene that confers resistance to a vital class of antibiotics? [More]
Food & Personal Care
Chipotle CEO “Not Satisfied” With Quality Of Customer “Experience” In Some Restaurants
By 12.6.16
As Chipotle closes the books on its second consecutive year of bad headlines and sagging sales, the company’s founder and co-CEO Steve Ells says the burrito chain still has “a long way to go” to recover from its food-safety crisis. In particular, he notes that Chipotle has forgotten about providing the best customer service. [More]
Campbell’s, Tyson & Other Packaged Food Biggies Eager To Jump Into Meal Kit Melee
By 12.5.16
Not that long ago, folks with disposable income who wanted something resembling a decent meal but didn’t have time to do all the shopping would buy packaged foods and just heat them up. Now these consumers have the ever-growing rainbow of meal kit subscription services that deliver fresher, better ingredients to their door. But the makers of microwave dinners, pre-made meals, and canned goods aren’t giving up that easy — they want in on this whole meal kit thing. [More]
McDonald’s Tries Again To Make McCafe Competitive With Starbucks, Dunkin’
By 12.5.16
Just like better burger joints have nibbled away at McDonald’s sandwich business, competitors with a wider variety of coffee options are attracting the caffeine-seeking consumers away from the Golden Arches. Now the fast food giant wants to re-establish its coffee bona fides, investing in equipment to help stores compete with the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. [More]
Sorry, Rudolph Fans: Domino’s Giving Up Reindeer Pizza Delivery Dream
By 12.5.16
We know you might have been excited to hear that Domino’s was attempting to deliver pizzas in Japan with reindeer. Alas, the chain has shattered that vision, announcing that it’s giving up on that dream in favor of more traditional delivery vehicles. [More]
Pranksters Reportedly “Hack” McDonald’s Drive-Thru To Be Vulgar To Customers
By 12.5.16
There are any number of issues one might encounter when ordering at the drive-thru of their local fast food restaurant — the intercom is broken, you can’t hear the employee, or you receive the wrong order. Customers of one North Carolina McDonald’s recevied a different surprise when placing an order: The “employee” on the other end of the intercom was shouting rude and vulgar language back at them. [More]
Nestlé Creates A New Sugar: Use Less, Get The Same Taste
By 12.2.16
For years, food and beverage companies like Pepsi Co. have tweaked their use of sugar and sweetener substitutes to find just the right mixture that aligns with consumers’ tastes and perception of a healthy lifestyle. Instead of fiddling around with different kinds of sweeteners like aspartame or Splenda, Nestlé hit the laboratory to create its own version of the crystallized ingredient. [More]
No Pizza Is Worth Crawling Through Ventilation Duct To Steal
By 12.2.16
Listen, I get it. Pizza is delicious, and you may be tempted to go to extremes to be near it. But it is not a good idea to crawl through a pizzeria’s ventilation system in an effort to burgle the restaurant that makes it. [More]
Chick Fil-A Joins Trend From 2013, Gets Another Food Truck
By 12.2.16
You might think that with 74 Chick Fil-A restaurants already in the Houston area, the chicken chain wouldn’t need another one. Apparently, you would be wrong: one franchisee is taking advantage of the continuing popularity of food trucks and creating a rolling restaurant with a limited menu to bring chicken sandwiches to people who don’t already have them. [More]
Planned Train Line Through French Flower Fields Could Threaten Chanel No. 5 Perfume
By 12.2.16
Chanel is making a big stink about a planned train line that the company believes poses a threat to the future of Chanel’s signature No. 5 perfume. [More]
Trader Joe’s Hummus Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination
By 12.1.16
After the recall of a wide array of Sabra hummus products and sandwiches and veggie platters that used that hummus, another brand of the tasty chickpea dip has been recalled for possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Two varieties of Trader Joe’s hummus distributed in eight states have been recalled because they may also be affected. [More]
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Stepping Down To Focus On Upscale Coffee
By 12.1.16
After eight years as the man behind the morning cup of joe for many millions of coffee drinkers, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has decided to step aside and let someone else run the coffee colossus. [More]
Big Olive Oil Accuses Dr. Oz Of Disparagement
By 12.1.16
The “Dr. Oz effect” usually refers to the popular talk show host’s ability to turn unproven “miracle cures” and weight loss fads into instant successes, but fortunes can swing the other way when the Great and Doctorful Oz says not-nice things about a product. [More]
USDA Can No Longer Hide How Much Money Stores Make From Food Stamps
By 12.1.16
All across America, families use benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP — formerly, and colloquially, known as the Food Stamp program) to buy food, but participation in SNAP varies from store to store, and the federal regulator that oversees the program has denied requests to turn over data on retailer-specific use of SNAP benefits. However, yesterday a federal court ruled that the government can no longer shield this information from public view. [More]
Even $3 Million Isn’t Enough To Get Supermarkets In Dallas’s Food Deserts
By 12.1.16
In a desert, there’s not very much water to go around. In a food desert, the problem is groceries: reliable, affordable supermarkets with fresh, healthy, decent-quality offerings get farther apart and harder to find as you head into some regions. One Texas city has been trying to solve the problem for thousands of its residents by ooffering large amounts of cash to supermarket retailers, but even the lure of free millions has resulted in no takers. [More]
The ‘Legendary Franchisee’ Who Invented The Big Mac Has Died
By 11.30.16
While you might want to believe that Ronald McDonald cooked up the first Big Mac, McDonald’s signature sandwich was in fact created by a Pittsburgh-area franchisee who had the earth-shattering idea of stacking two patties and buns into a single sandwich that would fill the bellies of his super-hungry customers. Now we bring you the sad news that this visionary franchisee has passed away. [More]
Philip Morris CEO: We Might Stop Making Traditional Cigarettes Someday
By 11.30.16
After decades of making money off brands like Marlboro, Philip Morris is looking to shift its focus away from traditional cigarettes and toward smokeless products. As part of that effort, the company’s CEO says it may stop making cigarettes altogether — eventually. [More]
Chicago Doesn’t Even Have Half The Health Inspectors Needed To Inspect High-Risk Restaurants
By 11.29.16
While it might be reassuring to see a sign posted in your favorite restaurant or other food establishment that it’s earned the approval of the city health department, that doesn’t necessarily mean health inspectors have actually been by recently to do their job. [More]
