Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Recalled because of Undeclared Sesame
Market of Choice is recalling its 9.5‑ounce Vegan Kale Caesar Salad after discovering undeclared sesame, an allergen that can trigger severe reactions. The affected units, with expiration dates from April 20 to May 8 2026, were sold in Oregon stores between April 16 and May 4. The company identified the labeling error through an internal review, has removed the product from shelves, and is offering refunds. No illnesses have been reported to date.
Building an Effective Recall Communication Plan
Restaurant recalls can happen despite strong safety protocols, making a pre‑built communication plan essential. Failures in messaging prolong incidents, increase health risks, and erode brand trust. Modern consumers demand immediate, personalized alerts across multiple channels, not just press releases. Building...
Meat Market
Amsterdam announced it will ban all public advertisements for meat, effective 2026, making it the first world capital to prohibit such ads. The measure also extends to fossil‑fuel promotions, including cars, flights and oil, as part of the city’s aggressive...
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,...
The IPO Buzz: Suja Life Prices IPO at $21 – Low End – Set for NASDAQ Debut Today
Suja Life priced its initial public offering at $21 per share, the low end of its guidance, and sold the full 8.89 million shares authorized in the prospectus, raising roughly $186.7 million. The offering, led by Goldman Sachs and Jefferies, will debut...
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...
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...
The New Bucket Special
The traditional bar‑centric bucket special is being reimagined for off‑premise retailers in 2026, allowing breweries to showcase branded buckets of cans or bottles on consumer tables. While the concept demands a larger upfront spend for custom packaging, it delivers measurable...
US Imports of Brazilian Beef Surged in First Quarter
U.S. imports of Brazilian beef jumped 21% in Q1, reaching $795 million, as overall beef imports rose 28% to $4.5 billion. The surge occurs amid U.S. officials accusing Brazilian packers of corruption and investigating anti‑competitive practices, while the USTR pursues Section 301 cases...
Sainsbury’s Celebrates 25 Years of MSC-Certified Seafood as UK Spending on Sustainable Fish Hits £1.7bn
Sainsbury’s has been honoured by the Marine Stewardship Council for 25 years of promoting sustainable seafood, coinciding with a surge in UK consumer spending that now tops £1.7 billion (about $2.2 billion). The MSC report shows retailers sold 189,000 tonnes of MSC‑labelled fish,...
The Buildout Podcast: Kees
Renowned bartender Jeff Bell launched his second bar, Kees, in Manhattan’s West Village this February, handling the build‑out himself after his acclaimed tenure at Please Don’t Tell. The new venue blends minimalist design with a cocktail program that mixes classics...
Doubling Down on Restaurant Marketing Spend
Restaurant owners are bucking recession‑driven caution by planning to boost marketing spend in 2026. A Constant Contact survey of 1,500 small businesses shows 68% will increase budgets and 74% will devote more time to promotion. The focus is on high‑impact...
'Brocoli Calabrese' Seeds Recalled because of E. Coli
Germina’s "Brocoli Calabrese" seeds are being recalled in Canada after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency identified pathogenic E. coli contamination. The recall was prompted by a similar action in another country, leading CFIA to issue an alert for seeds sold online...
FDA Regulations of Botulism in Carrot Juice
The FDA regulates low‑acid, uncanned juices by requiring either a 5‑log pathogen reduction in HACCP plans or a warning label. After a 2006 botulism outbreak linked to refrigerated carrot juice that was pasteurized but not spore‑inactivated, the agency issued 2004...
NYC Health Department Launches Anti-Alcohol ‘Buzzkill’ Campaign
The New York City Department of Health launched the "Buzzkill" campaign, a city‑wide effort to warn residents that alcohol consumption raises the risk of cancers in the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat and voice box. The initiative uses ads...
Behind Cheesecake Factory’s ‘More Is More’ Strategy
The Cheesecake Factory continues to operate a menu of more than 250 items, defying the industry trend toward streamlined offerings. The chain relies on a highly coordinated kitchen workflow, modular prep stations, and sophisticated inventory management to keep the massive...
Memo: RNDC to Shed Five More Markets as Firesale Continues
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is preparing to offload five additional markets as part of a broader 2026 firesale. A letter of intent from BreakThru Beverage Group covers RNDC’s Kentucky and Indiana joint‑venture operations, while Quality Brands Distribution is negotiating...
Royal Cup Coffee and Tea Completes Farmer Brothers Acquisition
Royal Cup Coffee and Tea completed its purchase of Farmer Brothers, paying $1.29 per share for an estimated $28.3 million total. The deal, approved by shareholders in early May, takes the century‑old coffee distributor private after years as a Nasdaq‑listed company....
The High-Carb Diet That Prevents Heart Disease
Researchers conducted a 21‑day trial that returned modern Hawaiians to the traditional high‑carb diet of ancient Kauai. Participants ate until full, consuming tubers, fruits, fish and seaweed, and saw rapid weight loss, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol profiles. The...
FDA Says Infant Formulas Are Free of Toxic Metals (Mostly)
The FDA released a one‑page report after testing more than 300 infant‑formula samples, finding that most products contain toxic metals at levels well below health‑based limits. The agency did not identify the brands tested, set formal contaminant standards, or assess...
Berlin’s CODA to Celebrate Tenth Anniversary with One-Day Pastry Collaboration Featuring Jordi Roca
Berlin’s two‑Michelin‑starred restaurant CODA is marking its tenth anniversary with a one‑day pastry collaboration featuring world‑renowned chef Jordi Roca on May 30. Hosted by CODO chef René Frank, the event will offer both lunch and dinner services, each priced at €680...
The VinePair Podcast: The Promise and Potential of California Sparkling Wine
The VinePair Podcast spotlights California’s burgeoning sparkling wine sector, featuring Nicole Hitchcock of J Vineyards & Winery. Hitchcock explains how the state’s climate and meticulous winemaking techniques enable premium bubbles that rival traditional Champagne. The discussion highlights J Vineyards’ focus...
Why 30 Days Is Too Late for Restaurant Financial Reporting
Relying on a 30‑day financial reporting cycle leaves restaurant operators vulnerable to compounding issues such as inventory shrinkage and rising food costs. Emma Whelan, CFO of MarginEdge, argues that daily visibility into sales, labor and food costs transforms reporting from...
Halva Recalled in Canada because of Salmonella Contamination
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall of Hafez brand "Sugarless" Halva with Date Syrup after confirming Salmonella contamination. The 400‑gram packages bearing UPC 8 15872 00501 1 and code BB 12_26 35/11420 were sold in British Columbia and Ontario. CFIA testing triggered...
Kimchi Recalled because of Undeclared Fish
Ocinet Inc. of Downey, California, is recalling all “…And Kimchi” sliced kimchi products after discovering undeclared anchovies in the ingredient list. The recall affects three UPC codes and three jar sizes—126‑oz, 63‑oz, and 30‑oz—distributed to six Zion Market locations across...
Potato Chips Recalled because of Salmonella Risk
Utz Quality Foods, a Utz Brands subsidiary, issued a voluntary recall of several limited‑edition Zapp’s and Dirty potato chip varieties after learning that a seasoning containing dry‑milk powder from California Dairies may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall spans multiple...
The Catastrophe Beneath the Surface
The U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran, has halted the flow of fertilizer shipments that traverse the waterway. Roughly one‑third of the world’s fertilizer supply moves through the strait, and...
A Shocking New Way To Determine The Quality Of A Cup Of Coffee
Researchers at the University of Oregon have introduced an electrochemical technique that uses a potentiostat to assess coffee quality beyond traditional total dissolved solids (TDS) measurements. By applying a controlled voltage, the device detects how much charge passes through a...
The War in Iran Is Making Coffee Production More Expensive
The U.S.-Iran war is driving a sharp rise in fertilizer costs, pushing the International Coffee Organization’s price index up 2.3%. World Bank forecasts a 31% jump in fertilizer prices for 2026, with urea soaring 60%, threatening the 2026/27 coffee harvest....
Acumen Backs Nigerian Poultry Venture
Acumen has invested in Pullus Africa Solutions, a Nigerian agribusiness that aggregates smallholder poultry and builds cold‑chain infrastructure. The funding will enable new cold‑chain hubs in Nasarawa, extending reliable year‑round market access for farmers in Abuja and surrounding states. Pullus...
What 301 CPG Brands Reveal About People Inc.'s INVERSION Bet
An analysis of 301 consumer‑packaged‑goods (CPG) brands shows that every billion‑dollar breakout, aside from MrBeast’s Feastables, was founded between 2015 and 2019. Brands like Olipop, Liquid Death, Alani Nu and Chomps achieved valuations from $500 million to $1.85 billion within five years....
Bartenders Can’t Outrun the Spicy Margarita
The Spicy Margarita has evolved from a simple twist on the classic margarita into a staple that dominates bar menus across the United States. Bartenders report growing fatigue because the drink’s predictable formula leaves little room for experimentation, even as...
Flair Espresso Launches eWizard Steamer and 49 Pro Espresso Maker
Flair Espresso unveiled two new products at the World of Coffee trade show: the eWizard, an electric milk steamer with a built‑in pressure‑stat, and the Flair 49 Pro, an upgraded manual espresso maker featuring a larger 49 mm portafilter. The eWizard retails for...
Brazilian Spirit Fio De Ouro Brings the 1940s To Life
Fio de Ouro, a Brazilian cachaça brand, marks its 43rd anniversary with two new labels inspired by 1940s lithograph designs. Designed by Victor Tognollo, the hand‑lettered, hot‑stamped packaging blends vintage folk art with modern luxury. The launch underscores cachaça’s shift...
Mirinda Refresh Is All Smiles, Courtesy of PepsiCo Design & Innovation
PepsiCo’s Design & Innovation team unveiled a refreshed visual identity for its soda brand Mirinda, launching a global platform called “Smile Please.” The new branding leans on retro cues from the 1960s‑1990s and places flavor front‑and‑center to appeal to Gen Z...
Taking Stock of the Best Tequilas of 2026
VinePair released its "30 Best Tequilas for 2026" list after spirits editor Aaron Goldfarb tasted and scored nearly 200 bottles. The compilation highlights a shift from tequila’s party‑image toward artisanal, technically‑focused branding aimed at connoisseurs. Reposado expressions dominate the top...
From Waste to Workflow: How Restaurants Are Turning Food Waste Into a Business Advantage
Restaurants are reclassifying food waste from a cost center to a profit lever as margins tighten. In the United States, the sector discards roughly 11.4 million tons of food each year—an estimated $25 billion in value—yet studies show a dollar invested in...
Viewpoint — Food-Fear World: The Latest Activist Scientists Campaign: Cancer-Causing Additives
A BMJ study led by French researcher Mathilde Touvier claims that six common food‑preservative additives are linked to a modest increase in overall cancer risk, based on an observational analysis of over 100,000 French participants. The German Federal Institute for...
There’s a $1 Trillion Opportunity You Don’t Know About
Food loss and waste cost the global economy about $1 trillion each year, yet U.S. investment in solutions is a paltry $0.1 billion against an estimated $48‑$50 billion need. Modeling shows the supply‑chain burden will hit $540 billion in 2026 and $3.4 trillion through 2030,...
How Utah Became the Country’s Supplement Capital — and a Haven for Unregulated, Ineffective and Fake Products
In 2024 Utah's dietary‑supplement industry was valued at over $16 billion, making it the state’s third‑largest sector behind tech and tourism. The state now hosts more than 300 nutraceutical companies, earning the nickname “supplement capital” of the United States. The Dietary...
Ravioli Recalled From Costco Stores because of Undeclared Allergens
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert after consumer complaints revealed that Giovanni Rana’s beef‑and‑burrata ravioli sold at Costco actually contained shrimp and lobster. The shellfish allergens were not listed on the label, violating...
Dirty Mouth
Researchers observed Barbary macaques on Gibraltar’s Rock eating red clay after consuming tourist‑provided junk food such as chocolate, ice‑cream and chips. Over two years, 46 distinct dirt‑eating incidents were recorded among 230 monkeys, a behavior absent in a nearby troop...
Little Dish Invites Kids to ‘Doodle on Our Noodles’ in Limited-Edition Pack with The Doodle Boy
Little Dish launched a limited‑edition “Doodle on our Noodles” pack featuring artwork by The Doodle Boy. The new packaging turns the noodle box into a doodle surface, inviting children to draw directly on it. The initiative aims to boost brand...
Costa Rica Study Explores the Social Impact of Biennial Production Cycles
A new study by Northeastern University reveals that Costa Rican coffee farms experience synchronized biennial production cycles, especially after the 2012‑13 leaf‑rust outbreak. This synchronization intensifies income volatility for smallholder growers, who often rely on loans and reduced household spending...
Starbucks Just Bet $100 Million on Nashville.
Starbucks announced a $100 million investment to accelerate its presence in Nashville, marking the chain’s largest single‑city capital outlay to date. The funds will fund new store openings, a regional roasting hub, and a mixed‑use development anchored by a flagship store....
The Most Iconic New England-Style IPA Will Go Down As...
The article argues that while Sierra Nevada remains the gold standard for pale ale, the New England‑style IPA (NEIPA) is still in its early growth phase and has yet to crown a definitive industry leader. One brewery, however, is emerging...
DoorDash Is Bad For Restaurants, Drivers, And Customers — Why Does Everyone Keep Using It?
DoorDash’s commission model forces restaurants to add surcharges and absorb 15‑30% fees, squeezing already thin profit margins. Drivers receive low pay and often deliver sub‑par service, leading to food‑quality issues. Consumers face higher total costs, while restaurants lose direct customer...
How Cocktail Ice Visually Vanished
Clear, bubble‑free ice has long been a home‑host obsession, but most DIY tricks—boiling water, double freezes, distilled water—still produced cloudy cubes. In the 1990s, spirits writer Camper English applied physics to the problem, discovering that directional freezing in an insulated...
Taste Test: Nonalcoholic Pilsners
The nonalcoholic (NA) beer segment is booming, with sales up nearly 160% over the past five years, according to the Brewers Association. Imbibe Magazine highlights six standout NA pilsners, ranging from Go Brewing’s hop‑forward Sunbeam Pils to Oskar Blues’ Designated...
![The Average Price of a Margarita in Every State in 2026 [MAP]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/5789e7476b7882338ea3621b9280ed5c.webp)
The Average Price of a Margarita in Every State in 2026 [MAP]
VinePair, using data from market‑research firm Ground Signal, analyzed the average price of a Margarita across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2026. The study surveyed 66,583 bars, restaurants and hotels, covering 262,262 margaritas, and found New York tops the...