Industry News

The "mobile-ization" of grocery shopping is underway, according to a Brick Meets Click paper, "Mobile-izing" Grocery Shopping. Smartphone apps and hand-help scanners are moving into more supermarkets and more shoppers hands, and moving the actual point-of-sale away from the front of the store and into the aisle. Modiv Media addresses the relevancy risk posed by too much information by combining retailer information on shopper segmentation and past purchases with Modiv MediaHub. Full Story

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New! The Feb. 8 edition of New Products Hits and Misses with Phil Lempert evaluates: Victoria's Kitchen Almond Water Almond Flavor; General Mills Cheerios Dulce de Leche; Want'ems Wonton Chips Original; Simplified Foods Simple Squares Coconut, Nut & Honey; and Linwoods Ground Flaxseed & Goji Berries. Click here to view.

Numerous food retailers were named on EPA's Top 20 Retail list of the largest green power purchases including: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (No. 2); Whole Foods Market (No. 3); Starbucks (No. 4); and Ahold USA (No. 7). Full Story Wal-Mart stores ranked No. 3 on EPA's National Top 50 list of the largest green power purchases and Whole Foods Market came in at No. 4. Full Story

Edible Arrangements plans to sign 185 new franchise agreements and open 125 total new stores in 2012 including 18 international units, most of which are slated to include the Edible To Go extended product line. The company opened 86 stores in 2011. Full Story

About 19% of Valentine's Day shoppers will purchase candy, according to PriceGrabber's Valentine's Day shopping survey. About 54% of consumers will buy gifts in a brick-and-mortar store. Thirty-four percent will shop online, 2% will shop using a mobile phone and 1% will shop using an electronic tablet. Full Story

SuperValu Inc. will reduce its national workforce by an estimated 800 positions, with the majority to take place by the close of the company's fiscal year on Feb. 25. Full Story

Latest sales & earnings for food related companies (Updated Daily - FI Membership Required)

Food Institute News

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International News

Cargill plans to invest close to $26 million in its cocoa and chocolate facilities in Berlin, Germany to upgrade and expand its cocoa and chocolate capabilities. Full Story

Health News

About 90% of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet, according to CDC's Vital Signs. About 65% of sodium eaten comes from food bought at retail stores and about 25% comes from restaurants, while more than 40% of sodium also comes from 10 types of foods including breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, soups and snacks. Full Story

Washington News

Three U.S. consumer groups petitioned FDA to subject genetically engineered salmon to a more rigorous review process than is now in place before the fish can be approved as safe to eat. The fish at issue is currently classified as a new animal drug for the purposes of FDA review; the petition calls for the salmon to be classified as a food additive instead, which would require a more rigorous FDA review, reported Reuters. Full Story

Real Mex Restaurants, Inc.'s board approved a bid to acquire virtually all assets of the company and its subsidiaries from a newly created entity associated with some of the company's noteholders including affiliates of Tennenbaum Capital Partners, Z Capital Partners and J.P. Morgan Investment Management. A sale hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10 at which the bankruptcy court will be asked to approve the bid. Full Story

Market News

California's 2011-2012 navel and mandarin citrus crops were cut by an estimated 10% to 25% due to two nights of frigid temperatures in mid-January across portions of Fresno and Madera counties. Between 40% to 100% of crops were lost in the coldest locations in those counties. The freeze could reduce the amount to 74 million cartons, reported Western Farm Press. Full Story