 | May 9, 2011 | News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry |  |  |
| Company Watch |  |  | | - Mass sampling gives startup Perky Jerky a leg up
After a spill of Red Bull on beef jerky during a ski trip, Brian Levin and his friend Matt Keiser taste-tested the jerky and found "it wasn't horrific." From there, the idea for Perky Jerky energy snack was born. "A lot of people were hesitant to try it, but once they did, they became our biggest fans and evangelists," Levin says, noting that mass sampling helped the product catch on. Sales this year could hit $7 million, he says. Inc. (5/2011)        | Act now on LinkedIn deal for hiring like the big guys. Get great applicants—3 times higher quality than those from traditional job boards—from a job listing on LinkedIn's 100-million-member professional network. Pay $97 (50% off the usual $195) and see your listing go viral. View this bizy deal. |
 - Customer service is "a must-do," survey finds
In an American Express survey, 70% of consumers said they would spend 13% more on average to do business with companies providing excellent customer service, and 78% said poor customer service would prompt them to end a transaction. "Getting service right is more than just a nice-to-do; it's a must-do," said an American Express executive. Drug Store News (5/5)  | Discover what risks could be lurking in your vacant commercial property with Zurich's guide 'Empty building, full of risk: Protecting your vacant commercial properties'. Click here for your FREE download! |
  | Despite being a backbone enterprise application, Enterprise Resource Planning is often misunderstood. In this guide from Focus, top experts provide their suggestions and recommendations to guide you through your evaluation of the best choices. Unravel the complexities of ERP once and for all to make an informed buying decision by downloading this free white paper. |
 | Retail Spotlight | | | | - Fair Trade mangoes are available at Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market stores are selling Francis mangoes from Haiti that are Fair Trade-certified and meet the retailer's Whole Trade requirement of ethical growing and sourcing. "With the Whole Trade guarantee, shoppers can buy with confidence, knowing that their purchase help put money back into the pockets of the hardworking farmers who produce this exceptional fruit," said a Whole Foods executive. Progressive Grocer (5/6)  | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN
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  | 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 | | | | - New SunChips bags compost faster with high temps
Frito-Lay says its new SunChips bags can be composted in 14 weeks, but the claim only holds up if the compost pile reaches temperatures of at least 113 degrees. The company changed the compostable bag after complaints that the previous one was too noisy. FoodNavigator (5/5) | Health & Wellness | | | | - Chocolate milk in schools gets mixed reactions
Although some schools districts have mixed feelings over flavored milk, groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association and American Heart Association say the nutritional benefits of flavored low-fat milk outweigh the intake of added sugar. "Chocolate milk has been unfairly pegged as one of the causes of obesity," said Julie Buric, vice president of marketing for the Milk Processors Education Program. While some school districts have eliminated or are considering eliminating flavored milk, others have decided to bring it back to lunchroom menus. CBS News/The Associated Press (5/9) | GMA News | | | | - "Allergens: Successful Factory Management Strategies"
Food allergen-related issues remain the No. 1 cause of recalls in North America, indicating a need for improvement of allergen controls within the food and beverage industry.
On June 2, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EST, GMA will offer the third of its Food Safety Modernization Act educational webinars, "Allergens: Successful Factory Management Strategies," to address the expected regulations containing allergen management mandates resulting from FSMA.
Learn more and REGISTER TODAY!
| Government & Food Safety | | | | - GAO: USDA's school meal program adopts stricter rules for ground beef
A Government Accountability Office report found the U.S. Department of Agriculture's school meal program adopts stricter standards for ground beef but falls short of developing stringent rules for foods that have been linked to foodborne illnesses. GAO has called on the USDA to set up an organized and transparent process for crafting food safety rules for the school meal program, among other recommendations. FoodSafetyNews.com (5/6)  | |  | | | | | | Copackers Manager | Dole Food Company, Inc. | Westlake Village, CA | | Promotional Products Sales Manager | Kencraft Candy | Alpine, UT | | Manager/Sr. Manager, Field Finance | Heinz | Pittsburgh, PA | | Manager, Health & Nutrition Policy | Grocery Manufacturers Association | Washington, DC | | Product Manager | Inventure Foods | Phoenix, AZ | | Market Research Manager | Barilla America | Bannockburn, IL | | Sr. Nutrition Marketing Business Partner | Kellogg Company | Battle Creek, MI | | Manager Procurement - Frozen Vegetables & Mushrooms | Campbell Soup Company | US - NJ - Camden | | | |  | |  |
| International | | | | - Food safety scandals continue to plague China
 Two years after tainted milk sickened thousands and killed at least six in China, a spate of food safety scandals in recent weeks have weakened confidence in efforts to create a modern food safety system. "Basically, people now feel nothing is safe to eat," said Sang Liwei of the Global Food Safety Forum. "They don't know what choices to make. They are really feeling very helpless." The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (5/7) - Beer producers seek cure for global headache
The world's beer producers have a big problem: Wealthy people aren't drinking enough. Companies have expanded into emerging markets, but growth is flagging. To put things right, The Economist says, brewers will have to significantly boost their marketing spending in both developed and developing markets. The Economist (5/5) | SmartQuote | | | |  | Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely."
--Karen Kaiser Clark,
American motivational speaker and consultant  |
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