| February 24, 2011 | News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry |  |  |
- Planters goes nuts for sustainability
Planters, as part of its "Naturally Remarkable" campaign, is working with volunteers from the Corps Network to build four peanut-shaped parks in New York, Washington, D.C., New Orleans and San Francisco. The sustainability-themed effort from the Kraft Foods unit also includes a biodiesel-fueled Nutmobile, which will visit the four cities with Planters Groves and 12 other locations to encourage volunteering. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (2/23), CandyAndSnackToday.com (2/24)        - Coca-Cola changes bottle sizes and pricing
Coca-Cola is tweaking bottle sizes and prices amid increasing commodity costs and thrifty consumers. A 16-ounce bottle is offered to complement the 20-ounce variety. A 1.25-liter bottle has been unveiled in some areas of the country for 99 cents, the same price formerly offered for the 2-liter bottle. The Wall Street Journal (2/23)  | To become a top-performing distributor, you must:
• Achieve 98% inventory accuracy.
• Reach 95% on-time and complete shipment rates.
• Maintain 12-hour order-to-shipment cycle times.
• Achieve 13% cycle-time reductions from ERP use.
Distributors, how do you stack up against top performers? View the Aberdeen webcast to find out. | | Trends |  | | | - Oral-care choices overwhelm and confuse consumers
Toothpaste manufacturers are reducing the number of oral-care products being introduced because consumers are overwhelmed. In 2010, 69 toothpastes were unveiled; 102 were launched in 2007. "We've come to realize that fewer is better," said Matt Doyle, a director of research and development at Procter & Gamble, which makes Crest products. The Wall Street Journal (2/23) - Household-product companies plan to cut spending
Investors are anticipating reduced spending from household-product makers, including Kimberly-Clark, Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox and Energizer Holdings. Increasing commodity costs forced Kimberly-Clark to pledge to sell, shutter or improve efficiency at five or six manufacturing facilities. Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox and Energizer promised to cut costs. The Wall Street Journal (2/24) - Dole's test of QR codes is a success at Price Chopper
Supermarket chain Price Chopper, direct-marketing firm PJ Green and Dole Food teamed up to use quick-response codes to get more people enrolled in the Dole Salad Mobile Club. Postcards sent to customers included a QR code and a code for texting, which were then used to get coupons and holiday recipes. Chief Marketer (2/22)  | Create a winning social-media strategy
Relying on luck and good intentions when developing your social-media approach can leave you with disparate, ineffective initiatives. Get the data you need to formulate a savvy social-media strategy that produces measurable results. Check out SmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business. |
 | Retail Spotlight | | | | - 7-Eleven is hungry for food sales
Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven wants to increase food sales 10% this year by introducing "signature" items and improving the overall quality of food. "We are looking at every food item that we sell today ... from a muffin to our breakfast sandwiches to chicken wings to the burrito on the roller grill, every single item," said a company executive. "That food needs to be better than what you expect in a convenience store." The Dallas Morning News (free registration) (2/21)
| Health & Wellness | | | | - Blueberries aid in diabetes prevention
Researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana found that obese prediabetics who consume 2 cups of blueberries a day will significantly lower their chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. Subjects who consumed blueberries at the end of the 42-day study enhanced their insulin resistance and lowered their blood-glucose levels. The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (2/23) | GMA News | | | | - Leading the industry in innovation: GMA's 2011 CPG Award
Start planning now to submit your entry for GMA's annual CPG Award for Innovation and Creativity. This premier industry award allows for the broad submission of innovative ideas, with emphasis on creativity, willingness to take risks, measurable results and benefits to the industry as a whole. Deadline for entries is June 3. Contact Jackie Lodge for details.
| Government & Food Safety | | | | - Fast response, funding key to stop food-based illnesses
Speed is key in identifying and investigating sources of food contamination and preventing further infection, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. An accompanying editorial said the Food Safety Modernization Act will help the FDA respond to outbreaks, but only if Congress authorizes funding to do so. HealthDay News (2/23)
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