Rosenfeld is optimistic about Mondelez's future Mondelez International CEO Irene Rosenfeld is defending her decision to split up Kraft Foods, despite a disappointing fourth quarter. "We have created a $36 billion startup," she said. "The combination of a new company with a new name has given us the opportunity to stand back and refresh." Forbes (3/27)  | Need insight into agriculture commodity prices to plan your purchases? Get critical price forecasts for key agriculture commodities so you can better negotiate contracts, time purchases, and track your purchasing performance. Find savings along your supply chain with insights from IHS—Download a report on agriculture commodity prices. | | Bright spots emerge in retail spending Great American Group analysts say consumer spending is on the upswing. "E-commerce continues to shine, and many off-price, discount and dollar-store retailers continue to report positive results as consumers look to save," said David Triompo, a managing director at the advisory. "Many dollar stores have also been expanding their store bases." Progressive Grocer (3/27)  | 14 Ideas for Promoting Your Business Online One of the fastest ways to grow your business is to earn visibility on search engines. PRWeb gives you the power to attract customers, journalists and bloggers to your news. Download our free guide and learn how to: • Build brand awareness with a list of helpful tips • Create buzz with engaging content • Generate more customers Read it now! |
 | Smarter routes help freight haulers keep on trucking U.S. truckers are improving efficiency thanks to smarter routes and better driver-training programs, company officials say. Wal-Mart managed to boost fleet efficiency by nearly 69% between 2005 and 2011, shipping more goods despite a reduction in vehicle miles. Reuters (3/25)  | Myths, Pitfalls and Realities of CPQ Software Configure Price Quote Software can be difficult to deploy and implement. This white paper highlights the common myths in the market place and provides a practical guide on how to prepare for the challenges ahead. Learn how to expose the pitfalls before you buy your CPQ software. Download the free guide now. |
 | Mike and Ike reunite after social-powered split boosts sales The Mike and Ike characters will work together again to promote the candy after manufacturer Just Born contrived a split between them, lifting the brand's social presence as planned. The story, which involved packaging with either "Ike" or "Mike" scratched out, tripled Facebook fans and lifted sales 7.2% in 2012, the most significant increase in 10 years, Senior Marketing Manager Donald Houston says. A cable commercial plays out as though "The Return of Ike and Mike" is an upcoming movie focused on industrial espionage. Adweek (3/27)  | Better governing: geospatial enterprise management IBM Maximo Spatial Asset Management enables enterprise asset management users to gather and summarize data across geographic locations, track the movement of assets over time, and identify trends and predict future events with greater accuracy by analyzing and visualizing asset use patterns. Learn how - download the free white paper. |
 |  | eBook: 7 Reasons You Need a Social Command Center Social Media Command Centers are catching on fast with companies that want agile, customer-focused marketing. Download the free eBook and learn how to: • React in the moment to crises and opportunities • Monitor brand health and be proactive in your social business strategy • Get competitive information at your fingertips
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 | Food-makers turn attention to satiety Recognizing the limits of calorie restrictions in weight loss, food-makers are creating products that promote satiety. Israel's Carmit offers water-soluble fiber called glucomannan, while Fortitech of the U.S. provides ingredients and formulations to boost satiety in products including bars and beverages. Food Processing (3/27) | Learn why Publix, PepsiCo and Sun-Maid use Rapid Recall Exchange as their first line of communication in a recall Rapid Recall Exchange is the industry endorsed online service that allows manufacturers to send 24/7 e-notifications directly to retailers about a product recall or withdrawal.
But don’t take our word for it, here are what some industry leaders have to say. Download the following free RRE case studies at http://www.rapidrecallexchange.org/
- PepsiCo: Empowering their Retail Customers
- Sun-Maid: One of the Most Trusted Brands in Food Safety
- Procter & Gamble: A Single Version of the Truth
- Publix Super Markets: Keeping Consumer Confidence High
- Unilever: Taking Advantage of a Powerful Opportunity
Your colleagues will be at the Consumer Complaints Conference -- will you? At the 2013 Consumer Complaints Management Conference in May, GMA will gather consumer affairs and complaint management specialists from the food, beverage and CPG industry to address the latest techniques and processes used to achieve top-notch customer service and claims handling. On May 8-10 at the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, join your peers to learn real-world strategies for dealing with complaints, gain insight into brand management and develop valuable industry contacts. Register today. |  | We owe something to extravagance, for thrift and adventure seldom go hand in hand." -- Jennie Jerome Churchill, American-born British society figure | | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions. | Publisher, Food & Beverage: Chris Warne P: 646.462.4647 | | | | | Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | | |