 | January 31, 2011 | News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry |  |  |
- Court OKs Starbucks plan to take coffee distribution in-house
A federal judge on Friday ruled that Starbucks can proceed with plans to take over its packaged-coffee distribution from Kraft Foods beginning March 1. The judge ruled that the coffee company gave Kraft sufficient notice about its plans to end their 12-year distribution deal. Monetary issues, including the question of whether Starbucks must pay a fee and further monetary damages for ending the deal, have yet to be decided. The Wall Street Journal (1/28)        - Pampers and Frankel team up for Gifts to Grow
Pampers is partnering with Bethenny Frankel on its Gifts to Grow program, which allows consumers to submit codes and obtain points that they can redeem for baby products. The partnership includes a Facebook contest and other activities. Drug Store News (1/28)  | Diamond Foods groundbreaking Snack Bowl 2011 is off to a rousing start, with well over a quarter million votes cast to date to honor one lucky fan with lifetime bragging rights and unprecedented honors at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The momentum of this unique celebration promoting party excellence culminates on February 7th. (NASDAQ: DMND). | - Manufacturers struggle to balance sales and inventory
The uneven economic recovery is causing headaches for companies as they struggle to figure out how much inventory to keep on hand. An example: Kimberly-Clark slashed production in late 2010 as consumer demand declined, then promptly missed out on $20 million in potential profits as demand surged too rapidly for the firm to restore production. "With soft demand, we're working hard ... to keep our inventories in line," Chief Financial Officer Mark Buthman said. The Wall Street Journal (1/27) - Increasing price of plastic squeezes soda makers
The price of polyethylene terephthalate, the plastic used to make soda bottles, has gone up 21% in a year, putting pressure on Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, which both recently purchased much of their U.S. bottling operations. "There is significantly more cost pressure than anyone imagined there would be three or four months ago," said a beverage analyst. The Wall Street Journal (1/28)  | Accenture acquires CAS — A powerful combination
By providing an integrated suite of enterprise software applications, the most demanding requirements of the consumer products industry can now be met. Learn how the acquisition of CAS by Accenture helps consumer products companies execute in-store strategies more effectively. Learn more>> |  |  |  | | Compare 11 Leading ERP Solutions 119 Ways
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 - Hy-Vee offers recipes for American Heart Month
Hy-Vee selected five of its female chefs to appear in an ad circular showcasing their heart-healthy recipes in honor of American Heart Month in February. Each recipe contains nutrition information and instructions that consumers can clip and save. Progressive Grocer (1/28)  | Blog like the big brands
McDonalds' Rick Wion joins practitioners from Cisco, Ford, Sony and Proctor & Gamble to share insights into using blogs to expand your business. 23 blogging experts give you strategies for engaging your fans & growing your brand at the Blogging Success Summit. Register today! |
 | 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.
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| Science & Technology | | | | - Scientist seeks funding to develop method for growing in vitro meat
Dr. Vladimir Mironov, a developmental biologist at the Medical University of South Carolina, soaks myoblasts extracted from turkeys in containers of bovine serum to develop cultured meat. Mironov said he and other researchers are in need of funding to further develop the technique, which he says could help address the global food shortage in the future. Reuters (1/30)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Shopper Marketing Quarterly Trends Report: Ad Age, in partnership with Triad Retail Media, presents an analysis of relationships between marketers, retailers, & agencies. Case studies & spending projections from marketers such as Kimberly-Clark and CoverGirl are included, plus a source list of leading shopper agencies & major clients. Read now.
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| Health & Wellness | | | | - Food guidelines change little in the first update in 5 years
The government released the latest version of its Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with few changes despite increasing debate about obesity. Some doctors and nutrition experts said the guidelines have little if any effect on the way consumers eat, but the recommendations provide the basis for many federal food programs. MedPage Today (free registration) (1/31) - Kidney risk tied to Western diet
 Researchers comparing Western, "prudent" and DASH-style diets found a greater risk of kidney decline in those with a Western diet high in red meat, processed meat, saturated fat and sweets. A prudent diet is rich in whole grains, produce, poultry and fish, while a DASH -- Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension -- diet is high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. HealthDay News (1/28) | GMA News | | | | - Register today for GMA Consumer Complaints Management Conference
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| International | | | | - Pantries are getting bare in Egypt: As political unrest continues in Egypt, grocery stores and eateries are shuttering or not getting shipments, and families are running low on food. "With the curfew, there are no restaurants, food or gas. Basic goods will soon be in shortage," a blogger said via Twitter. CNN (1/31)
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With the U.N. global food-price index at a record high, high food prices are "leading to riots, demonstrations and political instability," said economist Nouriel Roubini. Factors including poor growing weather, increased demand and higher commodity prices are making staples such as rice and cooking oil more expensive. 
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