French Fry Startup Raises $10 Million Series A
Washington‑based Jesse & Ben’s announced a $10 million Series A round led by Greycroft, with participation from Rich Product Ventures and other investors. The funding will accelerate retail expansion, supply‑chain scaling, and senior‑team hiring as the brand rolls out new fry varieties. The startup’s seed‑oil‑free fries, made with grass‑fed beef tallow or avocado oil, have already outperformed legacy brands at Sprouts, Whole Foods, Target and Costco. New products, including sweet‑potato tallow fries, are slated for 2026.
Clerks to Shadow SNAP Shoppers Under New Rule
Rollins will soon issue a rule requring grocery store clerks to walk around stores with all 40 million SNAP recipients to see what they are putting in their shopping carts. #SNAPNanny
How Dutch Bros Doubled Its Brand Awareness in 18 Months
Dutch Bros posted a 31% revenue jump in Q1 2026, powered by an 8.3% same‑store sales increase and a 5.1% rise in transactions. Company‑operated stores, which make up 72% of its 1,177‑store network, delivered a 10.6% sales gain, helped by a 6.9%...
Fast-Growing Breakfast Chain Sees Sales Jump After Menu Revamp
First Watch rolled out its first core menu overhaul in over a decade, launching a five‑item seasonal lineup in January 2026 that includes the fan‑favorite B.E.C and premium dishes like Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash. Early Q1 results show total...
Ultraprocessed Foods May Face More Regulation
Federal health officials, led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are advancing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda to regulate ultraprocessed foods (UPFs). The administration is working to define UPFs and consider measures such as SNAP purchase limits,...
Dream Vs. Reality: Restaurant Marketers Still Working Toward Personalization
Restaurant loyalty programs have shifted from being a differentiator to a baseline expectation, prompting marketers to focus on program effectiveness and retention. Executives at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and Cheba Hut highlighted the difficulty of translating personalization ambitions into...
The 'Carbone of Indian Food' And Colostrum In A Can
The episode spotlights two emerging CPG brands: Gymkhana Fine Foods, the "Carbone of Indian food," which is launching premium Indian sauces and marinades in U.S. Whole Foods stores after a $8.5 million Series A led by Cavu Consumer Partners, and Armra, a...
The Umami Additive You Won't Find In Any Of Aldi's Products
Aldi’s clean‑ingredients program has eliminated monosodium glutamate (MSG) from all its private‑label products, a policy in place since 2015. The retailer also removed brominated vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated oils, synthetic trans fats and several artificial colorings, with more additives slated...
Marketplace Briefing: Temu Wants to Sell You a Steak Now
Temu, the bargain‑shopping app famed for cheap Chinese imports, has added U.S.-sourced steaks and other food items, marking a strategic pivot toward domestic warehousing and a broader marketplace. The move follows the loss of the de‑minimis exemption that made cross‑border...
How Surging Gas Prices Are Impacting Grocery
BJ’s Wholesale Club opened its first Texas store and attracted shoppers by pricing gasoline at $2 per gallon, far below the $3.60 state and $4 national averages. The one‑day promotion underscores how rising fuel costs—driven by the Iran‑related oil price...
Bordeaux 2025 en Primeur: ‘Strikingly Brilliant’ Wines From Pauillac
The 2025 en primeur tasting shows Pauillac delivering a strikingly brilliant vintage, with yields around 30 hl/ha—about 25% below the ten‑year average—yet producing some of the highest scores in recent memory. Château Lafite‑Rothschild earned a perfect 100, while Mouton Rothschild, Latour...
How to Pair Sustainability with Satisfaction in Campus Dining
Luther College in Iowa launched a reusable metal container pilot to replace single‑use takeout trays, addressing waste‑sorting confusion and poor food temperature retention. After a year‑and‑a‑half of planning and a partnership with Bon Appétit, the insulated containers with tracking were...
Fresh Del Monte Names Pittsburgh as New Hub for Foods Division
Fresh Del Monte has designated Pittsburgh as the central hub for its newly acquired Del Monte Foods division. The hub will host core functions such as supply chain, finance, commercial operations, and research & development, with senior leadership relocating to...
Papa Johns Suffers Major 6.4% Comp Sales Drop
Papa John’s reported a 6.4% decline in North American comparable sales for Q1 2026, its steepest drop in years, with company‑owned stores down 5.2% and franchised locations down 6.7%. CEO Todd Penegor attributed the slump to weaker customer acquisition, a...
PepsiCo to Deploy Green Hydrogen-Based Fertilizer to Decarbonize European Food Supply Chain
PepsiCo and Spanish chemicals firm Fertiberia have signed a multi‑year deal to supply up to 150,000 tons of green‑hydrogen‑based fertilizer each year for PepsiCo’s European farms. The partnership will initially cover about 400,000 acres in France, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Turkey and...
Pernod Ricard Resumes $32‑Share Bid for Brown‑Forman
BF/B $BF.B Pernod Ricard back in talks to acquire Brown-Forman for $32-share. Brown Forman working with Morgan Stanley Sazerac still involved. BETAVILLE
Grocers Roll Out Mother’s Day Specials, Events, Savings
Mother’s Day has become the top gifting day for Instacart in 2025, with orders placed 18 times more often than the average day, overtaking Valentine’s Day. Shoppers are increasingly buying premium food items—lobster tails, filet mignon and cheesecake all surged...
Hospitality Meets Opportunity As New Platform HeadBox Powers Event-Driven Revenue
HeadBox, a new SaaS marketplace, links restaurants, bars and event venues with corporate planners to monetize underused space. The platform aggregates listings, adds 3‑D immersive tours and funnels "mandated inquiries"—pre‑qualified corporate demand—into a single sales dashboard. By automating lead capture,...
The Next Gen in Produce Moves Beyond Fresh to ‘Alive’
Ra Foods is launching a national digital‑first campaign for its Wild About Sprouts brand, promoting hydroponically‑grown sprouts that continue to live inside a transparent recyclable clamshell. The packaging creates a "mini‑garden" that keeps the sprouts alive, extending shelf life two‑to‑three...
Strategies to Decarbonize the Supply Chain
Decarbonizing the food supply chain, especially rice production, is emerging as a top priority because methane from flooded paddies drives a large share of the sector’s greenhouse‑gas footprint. Industry pilots such as alternate wetting‑and‑drying, yield‑boosting agronomy and biochar soil amendments...
Toast Launches Unified Drive-Thru Solution to Modernize Enterprise Quick-Service Restaurant Operations
Toast announced Toast Drive‑Thru, an enterprise‑grade platform that unifies point‑of‑sale, kitchen display, digital menu boards, and AI voice‑ordering for quick‑service restaurants. The solution replaces fragmented hardware and software with a single ecosystem built on Delphi’s trusted drive‑thru hardware. It adds...
McDonald's Faces Beef Cost Pressure Amid Growth Opportunities
McDonald's earnings call summary: Value, value, value; But high beef costs are hurting profitability; Minecraft > K-Pop Demon Hunters; Gas prices hurting low-income consumers; Red Bull is going to be big; Same with the World Cup; Remodels are coming; Big Arch did OK. $MCD
McDonald's Confident in Expansion Amid Tough Market
"We have a tremendous amount of financial firepower in our system." McDonald's Chris K saying that the company has "no concerns" about its ability to open restaurants, etc., despite a tough environment. $MCD
Spanish Chef Aitor Zabala Earns Three Michelin Stars for LA Restaurant Somni
Spanish chef Aitor Zabala secured three Michelin stars for his West Hollywood restaurant Somni, seven months after its November 2024 debut, becoming the first Spanish chef to hold three stars outside Spain. The accolade follows a decade in Los Angeles...
Minecraft Promotion Beats K‑Pop, Drives McDonald’s Growth
McDonald's is pretty insistent that any April weakness is due to lapping the highly successful Minecraft Movie promotion from a year ago. Interesting, though, that the K-Pop Demon Hunters promotion couldn't get the company to year-ago levels. Minecraft > K-Pop...
NDLS Spikes While Other Restaurant Stocks Slide
Other premarket movers from the restaurant business: $BROS -7% $PZZA -6% $MCD up slightly $NDLS +18%
Sacramento Bakery Targets School Nutrition Shift with Whole Grain Gluten-Free Smart Snack Cookies
Sun Flour Baking Company, a Sacramento‑based bakery, is rolling out a line of whole‑grain, gluten‑free “Smart Snack” cookies for K‑12 schools. The cookies meet USDA Smart Snacks in School requirements and are vegan, targeting districts that must balance nutrition standards...
McDonald's Gears up for Red Bull Energy Drink Rollout
McDonald's expressing some enthusiasm about its upcoming energy drink partnership with Red Bull but noted that they had to do "some things" to meet demand at the restaurants. $MCD
House of Rum Launches a Brand New Rum Called Diablo Spiced
House of Rum, known for award‑winning single‑cask rums, has introduced Diablo Spiced, a British‑distilled spiced rum aimed at cocktail‑ready consumers. The 37.5% ABV spirit blends vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, orange and raisin flavors and is priced at £24.99 (about $32) in...
Dash Expands Line-Up with Low-Calorie Pink Lady Flavour
Dash has introduced a low‑calorie Pink Lady Apple sparkling drink, expanding its fruit‑flavoured lineup that already includes Lime, Orange, Raspberry and Grapefruit. The beverage contains no sugar or sweeteners and is marketed as the pure taste of the iconic apple. A...
Pricing Restraint and Labor Costs Squeeze McDonald's Margins
McDonald's says its company stores were "more restrained on pricing" and invested in labor, which contributed to their margin problems. $MCD
Kraft Heinz CEO Steve Cahillane Sparks Questions over Future of Frozen
Kraft Heinz CEO Steve Cahillane re‑classified its frozen foods segment from “win big” to “hold,” while upgrading its hydration portfolio to “win big,” signaling a possible exit from the lagging frozen category. He highlighted that 35% of the overall portfolio is gaining...
Nomad Foods Appoints Justin Billingsley as New Chief Marketing Officer
Nomad Foods Limited announced that Justin Billingsley has joined the company as chief marketing officer, reporting to CEO Dominic Brisby. The veteran marketer will oversee brand strategy, communications, R&D and innovation for the group’s iconic frozen‑food brands.
Sister Mary Modernizes Genesee While Celebrating The Brand’s Rochester Roots
Design agency Sister Mary has refreshed Genesee’s visual identity and packaging, modernizing the 148‑year‑old beer brand while preserving its Rochester heritage. The overhaul is built around the "Behind the Seen" concept, spotlighting the brewers, workers and loyal drinkers who shaped...
Fast‑food Giants Struggle with Thin Store Margins
McDonald's U.S. company store margins "were not acceptable." The company said it is working to improve performance. BTW Burger King also reported some pretty substandard company store profits. High beef costs hitting pretty hard. $MCD
McDonald's Rolls Out World Cup Marketing Across North America
McDonald's in the U.S., Canada and Arcos Dorados (the Latin American franchisee) have marketing plans for the upcoming World Cup. $MCD
Farmers Get Short-Changed in Our Current Food System
USDA’s Food Dollar series shows that U.S. farmers receive less than six cents for every food dollar earned in 2023, while processing, retail and service sectors capture the bulk of revenue. The stark distribution explains the ongoing decline in farm...
McDonald's Warns Low‑income Customers Face Rising Costs
McDonald's expecting more pressure on low-income consumers this year because of gas prices and inflation. $MCD
Beef Price Surge Hits McDonald's Profits in Europe, US
Beef inflation is ore pronounced in Europe but is putting pressure on McDonald's franchisee profitability in the U.S., too. $MCD
Conagra Highlights Healthy Product Sales
Conagra Brands ranked ninth worldwide in the 2024 Access to Nutrition Initiative index, with 51% of its sales coming from products earning a Health Star Rating of 3.5 or higher. The company cut sodium in 80% of targeted items during...
McDonald's CEO Acknowledges Profit Pressure on Franchisees
"There's certainly a lot of pressure that we're trying to navigate with franchisees around their profitability." McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski. $MCD
Strong Revenue Growth Boosts Confidence in Margin Expansion
"When we generate solidd topline growth, we feel confident about our ability to grow margins over time." -McDonald's CFO Ian Borden. $MCD
White Castle Continues Florida Growth with Kissimmee Restaurant Opening
White Castle opened its third freestanding Central Florida restaurant in Kissimmee, a 3,430‑square‑foot facility with 52 indoor seats, 40 outdoor seats and two drive‑through lanes. The launch created 60 new jobs in Osceola County and featured a $5,000 donation to...
McDonald's Claims Value Scores Have Risen in Six Months
McDonald's arguing that its value/affordability scores have improved over the past six months. "Because of the environment we're in, thank God we've got that in place." $MCD
Mcdonald's Q2 Sales to Slow, yet Two-Year Growth Remains
Comp sales in the U.S. and in top international markets were "slightly negative" in April because of tough comparisons. Company says that same-store sales in Q2 should decellerate but should be stronger on a two-year basis. $MCD
USMEF: Pork Exports Near Record in March
US pork exports surged in March, reaching 285,567 tonnes—a 6% year‑over‑year increase and the third‑largest monthly total on record. Export value climbed 4% to $803.2 million, the second‑highest ever, while per‑head value hit $456.56. Beef exports fell 11% in volume and...
McDonald's CEO Warns Macro Environment Deteriorating
The macro environment "certainly isn't improving and may be getting a little worse," McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski noted. $MCD
Michelin 2026 Quebec Guide Adds Four Stars, Boosts Montreal to Five-Star Status
Michelin released its 2026 Quebec guide, awarding stars to four new restaurants and bringing the province’s total to 13 starred venues. Montreal now hosts five Michelin-starred establishments, a milestone that highlights the city’s rising global gastronomic profile.
Agronometrics in Charts: Peru's Dominant Blueberry Exports Surge 21.5 Percent
Peru’s fresh blueberry exports surged to roughly 419,000 tons in the 2025/26 campaign, a 21.5% rise from the prior year’s 344,000 tons. Export volumes peaked in October with about 200.2 million pounds, underscoring a concentrated fourth‑quarter surge. La Libertad remained the backbone, delivering nearly...
Prince Jorge Jimenez Neubauer Torres V Announces Pedro Ximénez Wines, Brandy, Rum, and Whiskey Tradition
Prince Jorge Jimenez Neubauer Torres V announced a heritage release that unites the House of Jimenez’s Pedro Ximénez wines with its brandy, rum, and whiskey production. The announcement traces the grape’s legendary introduction from Germany to Spain and highlights the family’s...