Supermarket Perimeter

13/08/2025

🐟 To grow their sustainable seafood assortment, grocery chains are leaning into the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Fair Trade USA Certified products.

Giant Eagle GCC recently became the first U.S. retailer to achieve Fair Trade Certified distinction for its entire private label seafood assortment.

Target launched a private label ASC-certified Good & Gather fresh salmon line last September. Target also carries branded ASC-certified products in its fresh and frozen seafood departments and some Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified frozen Good & Gather seafood products.

Costco Wholesale expanded its partnership with the ASC, noting that 73% of its farmed seafood is ASC-certified.

H-E-B stores are featuring refrigerated ASC-labeled Foppen Seafood Hot Smoked Norwegian Salmon Bites.

Kowalski's Markets and Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. also recently added an ASC-certified Regal Springs frozen Golden Delights line.

Erewhon is carrying refrigerated ASC-certified skin-on trout fillets from Riverence Trout, Faroe Island Salmon Portions, and will soon add branzino.

Whole Foods Market is growing its investment in Luke's Lobster, a longtime sustainable lobster supplier to the grocery chain. Earlier this year, Whole Foods released a new Seafood Code of Conduct and recently worked with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch to urge the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to adopt stronger labor protections.

Learn more ➡️ https://ow.ly/Szle50WFzbV

To grow their sustainable seafood assortment, grocery chains are leaning into the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Fair Trade Certified products.

12/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🍳 Egglife Foods’ management team has embraced innovation and expanded the company’s product portfolio. In July, the company debuted its Egglife Grab-and-Go product, a convenient snack formulated with the company’s signature egg-white tortillas and filled with meats and cheeses.

🦃 Butterball launched an updated version of its rope smoked turkey sausage.

✔️ President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Aug. 11 extending the implementation of tariffs on China for an additional 90 days until Nov. 10.

🍞 Consumers are seeking better tasting, more nutritious and more sustainable protein sources. And they are looking for protein in places like bread where it isn’t historically found.

11/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🥯 August brings attractive promotional opportunities for the fresh bagel category, including National Sandwich Month and Back to School.

🥐 With consumers searching for affordable experiences, it’s not surprising they’re exploring new foods. That’s why pastries and croissants have been performing so well this year within in-store bakeries and the perimeter of the store.

🍫 Mars has partnered with biotechnology firm Pairwise to develop more climate-resilient cocoa crops.

✔️ Boar's Head Brand confirmed its plans to work with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a plan to reopen its Jarratt, Va., facility in the coming months.

✔️ Tyson Foods announced that Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, has been elected to the company’s board as an independent director, effective immediately.

📦 Smart Warehousing said it has seen an “increasing demand of cold chain clients and the broader market” resulting in an expansion of its cold chain footprint.

08/08/2025

Nearly 60% of business leaders say their operations have already experienced significant effects from the new tariffs — either through US tariffs, or retaliatory tariffs by other countries — and that one-third of business leaders say operating costs have risen by 10%, said Kelly Beaton, chief content officer, The Food Institute, at the recent IFT FIRST conference in Chicago.

“Savvy companies already have contingency plans in place,” Beaton said. “As this trade unrest rolls on, food manufacturers and any other type of F&B business should be prepared to implement backup plans at a moment’s notice. Businesses have to be adaptable and make data-driven decisions.”

Beaton offered several options that may help food companies mitigate the impact of tariffs and survive the ongoing uncertainty surrounding tariff policy, including:

1️⃣ Packaging alternatives
2️⃣ Diversify your suppliers
3️⃣ Monitor margins

Learn more here ➡️ https://ow.ly/IQpG50WCgrr

Industry experts say there are tariff strategies that may be implemented now to help reduce financial impacts, and position companies to be nimble and resilient in the long term.

08/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🥗 BrightFresh Microgreens has refreshed its brand with new packaging and an updated user-friendly website.

🍔 A poor second quarter, where sales and volume of products sold fell 20% and 19%, respectively, has pushed Beyond Meat, Inc.’s management team to accelerate efforts to right-size the business.

🥪 The CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found the mean percentage of calories consumed from ultra-processed food. Sandwiches, including burgers, were the top source of calories consumed from ultra-processed food in youths at 7.6% and adults at 8.6%.

🌭 Amylu Foods, a producer of fully-cooked meat products, announced a partnership and investment with TowerBrook Capital Partners and Prelude Growth Partners.

✔️ Industry experts say there are tariff strategies that may be implemented now to help reduce financial impacts, and position companies to be nimble and resilient in the long term.

07/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🥩 Pre Brands has expanded its grass-fed and grass-finished premium lean beef product distribution to Stater Bros. Markets across Southern California.

📦 The packaging industry has evolved considerably over the years, transforming into an increasingly automated business featuring cutting-edge robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), sustainable technology and more. The industry’s premier trade show, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, has evolved alongside it, expanding in size and and in its offerings to better serve attendees.

🥨 King's Hawaiian is planning to invest approximately $54 million to expand its 150,000-square-foot facility in Oakwood, Ga. As part of the expansion, King’s Hawaiian said it plans to add a new production line to accommodate additional flavors of its King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Bites.

✔️ Trade policy uncertainty coupled with a lower commodity price environment proved challenging for ADM in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The company also faced uncertainty swirling around biofuel policies.

06/08/2025

The Sugar Association has long held that simply reducing the amount of added sugars in consumers diets is not enough by itself to combat obesity.

At the International Sweetener Symposium, Courtney Gaine, PhD, president and chief executive officer of The Sugar Association, noted that consumption of added sugars was at a 40-year low (having peaked around 2000) at 13% of total calories and not far from the all-time low of 11% in 1909.

Meanwhile, child obesity rates have continued to increase. Adult obesity rates also have increased sharply during the last 40 years before finally declining in the 2020s (though still well above 1980 levels).

The Sugar Association recommends a 10% level of added sugars, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Gaine noted that there is no scientifically developed Dietary Reference Intake values for added sugars as there is for many other products.

Learn more ➡️ https://ow.ly/9JSJ50WB3oi

The second MAHA release “will be a very important report,” said Courtney Gaine, as it will set strategy at least through November 2026 (midterm elections), if not for the next 3½ years.

06/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🍩 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has announced the return of its iconic Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed doughnut for one week only, August 11-17.

🥩 Approximately 80% of consumers report prioritizing protein intake during one meal a day, with the majority prioritizing protein during the dinner occasion, according to Food Insight.

🌮 Tyson Foods introduced a new brand inspired by bold, authentic Hispanic flavors. The Buena Mesa brand features appetizers and marinated, pre-seasoned proteins.

05/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🥓 Smithfield Foods launched a new ‘We Speak Pork’ marketing campaign targeted at Gen Z and Millennials, with Emmy Award-winning writer, actor and comedian Ben Schwartz as the voice of Smithfield’s portfolio of products.

🥗 Eatsimplyfresh, home of Simply Fresh, has appointed Liz Atlee as general counsel and chief compliance officer.

🍗 Tyson Foods posted stronger-than-expected earnings in its third-quarter earnings report, particularly in its Chicken business unit and Prepared Foods segment, while acknowledging the ongoing headwinds in the beef business.

🍞 Boosted by gains in its specialty wheat proteins product line, the Ingredient Solutions segment of MGP Ingredients Collaborative enjoyed higher operating income in the second quarter ended June 30.

04/08/2025

[Sponsored] 🛒 From service merchandisers lined up across multiple departments to single grab & go cases, the supermarket industry has relied on Structural Concepts Corporation for an enticing visual experience, a high-level of refrigeration and heating performance, and first-rate aftermarket support.

Read more: https://ow.ly/f1Bb50WzK80

Drive traffic to fresh food with hot and cold displays that maximize space, cut costs, and boost labor efficiency.

01/08/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

📱 AI gives grocery retailers of all sizes the chance to “really Moneyball growth,” said Mike Weber, chief marketing officer of Upshop. That refers to the book and movie “Moneyball,” which charts the use of analytics to help smaller-market Major Leaue Baseball teams compete with the Yankees and Dodgers of the world.

🥓 Pork processor Clemens Food Group is ready to show off its fall product line, as it introduced its Pumpkin Spice Thick Cut Bacon under its Hatfield brand for a limited time.

🍗 Riding on the booming demand for poultry and value-added products, Pilgrim's posted favorable results in the second quarter of 2025, particularly in the prepared foods business. The prepared foods segment experienced more than a 20% jump in net sales growth year over year.

🍞 Expanding its presence in the specialty ingredients sector, Ardent Mills has entered into an agreement to acquire Stone Mill, a specialty cleaning facility in Richardton.

🥖 This year, the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) will again host students participating in the IBIE Student Immersion Program Sept. 13-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

🍫 The Hershey Company expects to pay between $170 million and $180 million in tariff expenses for 2025, as the company braces for cocoa volatility and inflation. Hershey’s North American confectionery segment saw a 32% jump in sales during the second quarter, up to $2.1 billion from $1.6 billion a year ago.

31/07/2025

🛒 Fresh from Supermarket Perimeter today:

🥓 Seaboard Foods announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended June 28, 2025, which included an operating income of $28 million in its pork segment.

✔️ The USDA is planning to relocate over half of the agency’s staff based in the Washington, DC, area to five regional hubs, including Indianapolis, which will position Purdue University closer to federal agricultural resources.

🍫 Despite ongoing weakness in North America and “unprecedented” cocoa costs, Mondelēz International said its global footprint, strong brands and “chocolate strategy playbook” ex*****on helped the company post solid results for the fiscal 2025 second quarter.

✔️ A recent run of trade deal announcements in July and a new round of tariffs beginning Aug. 1 are sending a “challenging” mix of signals to the US baking and food industries, analysts said, as well as to US farmers.

🍫 Cocoa prices, nearly triple what they were two years ago, continue to make food and beverage companies search for ways to cut down on cocoa use. Ardent Mills and Prova were two companies providing options at IFT FIRST, the IFT - Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and food expo held July 13-16 in Chicago.

🧀 Registration is now open for the International Dairy Foods Association's Dairy Forum 2026 in Palm Desert, Calif.