P&G opens first new U.S. factory in 40 years

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March 17, 2011 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry   Company Watch    Diet Coke likely overtook Pepsi-Cola as No. 2 soda last year Diet Coke became the No. 2 soft drink in the nation last year, surpassing Pepsi-Cola to take the spot after Coca-Cola, industry sales data are expected to confirm. Pepsi-Cola was only slightly ahead of Diet Coke in 2009, with both holding about 10% market share and Coca-Cola commanding 17%. The Wall Street Journal (3/17) P&G opens first new U.S. factory in 40 years Procter & Gamble has begun making Charmin toilet paper at its first new plant in 40 years, located in Box Elder, Utah. The 600,000-square-foot plant, which employs about 200, is expected to start making Bounty paper towels later this year. The Cincinnati Enquirer (3/17), Drug Store News (3/16) Pepsi teams with Israeli firm for dips and spreads Pepsi has formed a 50-50 joint venture with Israeli food maker Strauss Group to produce dips and spreads that will be sold outside of North America. The Wall Street Journal (3/16)   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    U.S. surpasses France on wine consumption The U.S. is now the world's top consumer of wine, though France and Italy still take first and second place on per capita consumption. Wine shipments to the U.S. grew by 2% in 2010, helping the U.S. move past France. American City Business Journals/Puget Sound (3/15) How foods become fads in a digital world The rise of social media and foodie blogs has changed the way word spreads about the latest culinary trends, from the rise of bacon to the ascent of the cupcake. Before the Internet, food and gourmet magazines were largely the gatekeepers and trendsetters, but now online outlets offer the possibility of new trends at a much faster rate. CNBC/The Associated Press (3/16) Sales of energy drinks up 13.3% Dollar sales of energy drinks rose 13.3% in 2010, according to SymphonyIRI Group, but some are concerned that the high-caffeine drinks are harmful to young people. Maureen Storey of the American Beverage Association says the drinks are no more harmful than coffee. USA TODAY (3/16) 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>>   Advertising & Marketing  Mr. Peanut goes nutty during March Madness Mr. Peanut, the icon for Planters peanuts, is being featured in a March Madness-themed advertorial on the Sports Illustrated website. His branded bracket is included in SI.com's tournament brackets, and Facebook fans can enter a sweepstakes for the chance to win tickets to next year's NCAA Final Four. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (3/16) Philly's Red Tettemer to handle Dial for Men Henkel is looking to change the face of the Dial for Men body wash brand in a crowded field that includes the revitalized Old Spice brand and Dove's Men & Care. The marketer has tapped small agency Red Tettemer & Partners, Philadelphia, for the effort, although Omnicom Group's Energy BBDO remains lead agency for the overall Dial brand. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (3/16) Business Platinum Card® • Receive up to $200 airline fee credit to the airline of your choice • Premium car rentals and special upgrades at fine hotels and resorts worldwide • Save 3%-10% automatically on business expenses from FedEx, Hertz®, OfficeMax®, and more with OPEN Savings® Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN. Apply Now.   Retail Spotlight    A&P CEO shares his strategy Sam Martin, who became CEO of A&P in July, said it was necessary for the supermarket chain "to have an articulated plan available to share robustly around the organization and with all our stakeholders." His strategy included closing 25 stores to "strengthen A&P's operating foundation," hiring strong management and articulating sharply defined goals. Forbes/The New Leader's Playbook blog (3/16) A Strategic Overview for Multi-Channel Retailers E-commerce growth has significantly impacted the retail industry. Mail and phone orders will continue to exist, but are increasingly ceding ground to e-commerce. Download this white paper to learn more about the retail trends and strategies needed to thrive in the retail industry.   Sponsored Content    How to Apologize to Customers and Have Them Love You More Ivana Taylor A Guide to Starting Your Small Business Blog Courtney Colwell How to Easily Win Major Business Awards Mike Michalowicz 6 Easy and Free Ways to Earn Employee Loyalty Rieva Lesonsky How to Get the Most Out of Your Customer-Facing Employees Micah Solomon   Science & Technology  Brazil regulators approve Dow AgroSciences' biotech corn seed Dow AgroSciences, a Dow Chemical unit, has received approval in Brazil for Powercore, its biotech corn seed resistant to pests and herbicides. The company expects the corn seed, which is part of its cross-licensing deal with Monsanto, to be used during the 2012 planting season in Brazil, said Tim Hassinger, the division's vice president of global seeds. Reuters (3/16)   Health & Wellness  Michelle Obama emphasizes obesity's cost to cities The 10 cities with the highest obesity rates are spending about $50 million in obesity-related costs per 100,000 residents, and they might collectively save nearly $500 million annually if they lowered their rates to the national average, first lady Michelle Obama said. In a meeting with the National League of Cities, the first lady told mayors that combating childhood obesity will improve public health and contribute to economic growth. USA TODAY/The Oval blog (3/15)   GMA News  Registration open for GMA Foodborne Illness Litigation Conference The GMA Foodborne Illness Litigation Conference will explore a broad range of topics related to litigation stemming from foodborne illnesses, both as a result of product recalls and isolated incidents. Attendees will learn how these issues can be addressed by the entire value chain, from manufacturer to distributor to retailer, as well as by legal counsel within the industry. Topics to be addressed include: Deconstructing Junk Science Selecting Experts for Foodborne Illness Litigation The Food Safety Modernization Act: What Counsel Need to Know The Evolution of Mass Torts: The Toyota Experience and What It Means for the Food Industry Managing Foodborne Illness Recalls The 2010 Egg Recall: A Case Study In-house and outside counsel cannot afford to miss this event. Register NOW to gain new tools and insights to protect your company and clients. Learn more about GMA -> Home  |  Join GMA  |  Public Policy  |  Industry Affairs  |  Publications  |  Events   Government & Food Safety  Australia responds to changes in U.S. food rules Food makers in Australia who wish to export products to the U.S. must meet new, more stringent Food and Drug Administration standards. "It will require U.S. importers to track and trace everything that goes into America along the supply chain," said Andrew Hudson of Melbourne law firm Hunt and Hunt. "It's a much more prescriptive, extensive set of obligations." Supply Chain Review (3/15)   Senior Food Labeling Spec ConAgra Foods Naperville, IL Project Leader - Capital Engineering ConAgra Foods Menomonie, WI Manager Research & Development ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Manager Contract Manufacturing, Operations ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Plant Manager Richelieu Foods, Inc. Grundy Center, IA Medical Officer Team Lead Food and Drug Administration College Park, MD Food Law Lawyer Cargill, Inc. Wayzata, MN V. P. of Sales & Marketing $50MM+ Distributor/Processor of Fresh Fruit San Joaquin Valley, CA   SmartQuote  When we lose the right to be different, we lose the right to be free." --Charles Evans Hughes, American lawyer and politician     This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com   Subscriber Tools       Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise Associate Publisher, Food Service:  Chris Warne (212) 450-7970 Download Media Kit Job Board:  Celia Rothschild (202) 470-1159   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including: Industry Home Readers' Choice Search Archive Who's Hiring? 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