| March 28, 2011 | News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry |  |  |
- General Mills sets goals, touts progress in CSR report
In its 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility report, General Mills highlights progress on packaging, nutrition, philanthropy and sustainability. The company said it improved the health profile of products accounting for 25% of retail sales, and has set a goal of improving packaging for 40% of product volume by 2015. Food & Drink Digital (3/26)         - Loyal fans can still be a source of bad buzz, study shows
Twenty-six percent of consumers say they are more likely to talk about bad experiences with a brand than about good experiences, according to a report. About 30% of consumers who considered themselves loyal fans of a brand said they were more likely to share bad experiences than good, the report notes. "Loyalty marketers must accept their responsibility for the impact their programs can have on generating both positive and negative word of mouth," says Colloquy managing partner Kelly Hlavinka. MarketingProfs (free registration) (3/22)  | The buzz around social media - and whether it is worth the effort - continues to be a leading business concern. SmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business sheds light on obstacles & opportunities in using social media to produce measurable results. Check out the State of Social Media for Business. |
 - Is Facebook making it harder for brands to stand out?
The near-ubiquity of Facebook marketing is starting to make brands look too similar, Rick Gardinier writes. To avoid looking and sounding like your competitors, it's vital to find a distinctive voice, to provide tangible value to existing fans wherever possible and to challenge industry conventions on a regular basis, Gardinier writes. The Business Insider (3/24)   - Whole Foods sidles up to the bar
Whole Foods Market opened bars selling local wine and craft beer in about a dozen stores nationwide and plans to expand the concept. "Coming out of the recession, people are looking for affordable luxuries and more intimate experiences," said co-CEO Walter Robb. "This is about creating community in the store." USA TODAY (3/28)  | Nudge Your Customers
Well-designed default options drive profits, simplify processes, enhance customer satisfaction, and reduce risk. Poor defaults leave money on the table, fuel consumer backlashes, and even trigger lawsuits. Based on a decade of research, this HBR article describes default options and suggest when to use each. Order here. |
 | Hot Topics |  | | | Top five news stories selected by GMA SmartBrief readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
| | | Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. |
| Science & Technology | | | | - Zero-waste pork plant could leave green groups in heaven
Missouri hog farmer Russ Kremer is planning to install America's first zero-waste pork-processing facility. Waste from the plant will be used to create biodiesel, which in turn will be used to operate machinery or generate clean energy that can be stored in battery packs. "We're helping revolutionize farming by providing family farms with the capability to capture consistent, green energy," says Brent Perry, CEO of battery company Corvus. FastCompany.com (3/25) | Health & Wellness | | | | - Tracking carbs may aid weight loss in people with type 1 diabetes
An Italian study of 61 adults with type 1 diabetes on insulin pump therapy found that those who learned how to calculate their carbohydrate intake had a slight reduction in their weight and waist size and reported quality-of-life improvements after six months. The findings indicate that counting carbs may help people with type 1 diabetes pay closer attention to their diet and exercise, researchers wrote in the journal Diabetes Care. Reuters (3/25) | GMA News | | | | - Reducing our footprint: The industry's progress on sustainable packaging
GMA recently announced the results of survey research indicating that food, beverage and consumer products manufacturers anticipate they will eliminate 4 billion pounds of packaging waste nationwide from 2005 to 2020. More than 1.5 billion pounds have already been avoided since 2005, and another 2.5 billion pounds are expected to be avoided by 2020. The 4 billion pounds represents a 19% reduction of reporting companies' total average U.S. packaging weight. Learn more.
| Government & Food Safety | | | | - FDA reviewers say synthetic dyes exacerbate ADHD in children
FDA experts who reviewed previous studies on food coloring said data suggest artificial dyes in food can exacerbate symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity syndrome in some children with the disorder. The preliminary analysis comes in advance of a panel meeting this week that will rule on the petition filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to ban synthetic dyes in food. GMA issued a statement: "All of the major safety bodies globally have reviewed the available science and have determined that there is no demonstrable link between artificial colors and hyperactivity among children." Reuters (3/25)
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Bread in Egypt is subsidized by the government so it remains inexpensive, at the equivalent of about 17 cents for more than five pounds, even as wheat prices rise. But Egypt has become the world's largest wheat importer, and the escalating cost is taking a toll on the nation's finances. 
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