Food service Archives

Roy Rogers restaurant chain bets on ‘Yellowstone’ to help boost sales

December 10, 2024

Roy Rogers, a restaurant famous for its burgers, fried chicken and roast beef sandwiches, is making a comeback with a new location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The chain hopes its appeal to Western nostalgia will attract more customers drawn to the ongoing popularity of the Western drama series “Yellowstone.”

Roy Rogers Expands in the Northeast

Roy Rogers was founded in 1968 and has long been known for its Wild West-inspired decor. The chain has become a staple in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, but it’s been trying to modernize.

With “Yellowstone” drawing massive attention to Western culture, the company hopes to capitalize on the resurgence of cowboy imagery.

Co-President Jim Plamondon shared the news with NJ Advance Media. He said the brand received a “tremendous number of requests” for a new location in the Cherry Hill area.

‘Yellowstone’ Drives Western Resurgence

The hit series “Yellowstone” has played a significant role in revitalizing interest in Western culture. The show doesn’t directly mention Roy Rogers by name. Still, the co-president of Roy Rogers sees it as an opportunity to ride the wave of Western pop culture.

“Cowboys are cool,” Plamondon told NJ Advance Media.

“Yellowstone” has sparked a renewed interest in cowboy life, and Roy Rogers is ready to embrace the buzz. Just as movies and TV shows have historically influenced consumer behavior, the brand hopes to see the same effect with its new stores.

Cultural Influence on Consumer Habits

Shows and movies often influence consumer habits. In 2017, a managing editor at Yahoo Finance reported that sales of Eggo waffles spiked 14%. The spike came after the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things” featured the breakfast food.

More recently, the Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso” helped popularize biscuits after a scene where the main character tries to win over a soccer team owner with his famous biscuit recipe.

A 2023 report from BENlabs found that 63% of consumers felt positive emotions when they saw brands featured on TV shows. Roy Rogers hopes to tap into this same trend by riding the cultural wave created by “Yellowstone.”

While the show doesn’t specifically mention Roy Rogers, the show’s success is proof that Western culture is still of interest to modern audiences.

HelloFresh under investigation for alleged migrant child labor: Report

December 9, 2024

HelloFresh, a German-based meal-kit company, is under investigation by the U.S. Labor Department for allegedly employing migrant children to cook and work at its packaging facility in Illinois, ABC News reported. Midway Staffing, the company that hired workers for HelloFresh, is also under investigation for allegedly violating federal child labor laws.

The executive director of Immigrant Solidarity, an immigrant rights advocacy group, told ABC News they discovered at least six teenagers working night shifts at the facility. Some of the teens were believed to have immigrated from Guatemala, the report said.

“We were deeply troubled to learn of the allegations made against a former temporary staffing agency,” a spokesperson for HelloFresh told ABC News in a statement. “As soon as we learned of these allegations, we immediately terminated the relationship.”

“We have strict protocols in place to ensure all vendors follow our robust global ethics and compliance policies. We have zero tolerance for any form of child labor, and we have taken action to ensure no minors perform work in or have access to our facilities,” the statement said.

Midway Staffing announced it was cooperating with the Labor Department’s investigation, Reuters reported. The company also denied ever knowingly hiring anyone under the age of 18 to work in the facilities.

According to the Labor Department, children under 18 cannot operate power-driven meat processing machines, such as meat slicers, saws and meat choppers. They are also prohibited from doing most jobs in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing, rendering or packing establishments.

H5N1 mutation may make it easier for virus to latch to human cells: Study

December 6, 2024

Scientists are warning the bird flu virus may be able to more easily spread to human cells than previously thought. Researchers with Scripps Research Institute found it may take just a single mutation for this version of H5N1 to become capable of latching onto human cells.

In a study published on Thursday, Dec. 5, scientists noted that the virus could attach to people’s cells through proteins in a way much simpler than previously known.

A professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University called the findings “sobering” but points out the mutation has not yet been observed by other researchers despite repeated efforts. The authors of the study believe despite the lack of peer evidence that the mutation is likely already occurring in the current strain of bird flu.

The research comes as nearly 60 Americans have reportedly tested positive for H5N1. Although there is yet to be a confirmed case of human-to-human transmission.

As Straight Arrow News previously reported, the virus has spread to more than 700 dairy herds across the United States with California at the epicenter with around 500 infected herds.

Health officials are urging farm workers to wear protective equipment because most human bird flu cases have been people working directly with livestock. The Golden State also issued a statewide voluntary recall of raw milk on Tuesday, Dec. 3, after discovering bird flu contamination in retail samples of Raw Farm raw milk.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against drinking raw milk because of bird flu and other illnesses associated with its consumption.

Calif issues statewide recall of raw milk after H5N1 found in retail samples

December 5, 2024

The latest hotspot for the bird flu in the United States, California, announced on Tuesday, Dec. 3, that it is expanding a recall of raw milk products to cover the entire state. The voluntary recall comes after recent tests reportedly detected H5N1 in two more samples from the nation’s largest raw milk dairy, Raw Farm, based out of Fresno, California.

The California Health Department says the products include all milk and cream from Raw Farm. The company’s owner estimates the company produces 70,000 gallons of milk weekly from more than 1,700 cows.

California health officials say they put the company’s operation under quarantine. They’ve also halted any distribution of all of its products, including cheeses and butter, made on or after Nov. 27.

Last month, the state issued two voluntary batch-specific recalls for raw milk produced by Raw Farm. The recall came after bird flu was discovered at the company’s bottling and retail sites.

The California Health Department urges anyone working with raw milk or potentially infected cows to wear protective gear.

The Golden State is the epicenter of the avian flu. California has reportedly 31 of the nation’s 57 confirmed cases of bird flu. The state is also home to 500 of the United States’ more than 700 infected dairy herds.

So far, no human cases have been linked to raw milk consumption in California. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people avoid drinking raw milk due to the risk of bird flu and other illnesses associated with its consumption.

Health officials also warn pet owners not to feed their animals Raw Farm products, citing cases of cats on farms with infected cows developing brain damage and some dying after drinking contaminated raw milk.

The FDA maintains that pasteurized milk is still safe to drink as it says the pasteurization process kills the virus.

Chi-Chi’s to reopen restaurants after shutting down 20 years ago

December 5, 2024

The Mexican restaurant chain Chi-Chi’s is planning to once again open its door starting next year, 20 years after shuttering all of its locations according to its parent company on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The restaurant brand is looking to make a comeback as it hopes to attract customers searching for a taste of nostalgia.

Michael McDermott, the son of the chain’s co-founder, struck a deal with Hormel Foods, which owns the Chi-Chi’s trademark. Chi-Chi’s closed its last restaurant in 2004 following a series of ownership changes and a hepatitis A outbreak. The outbreak was linked to four deaths and sickened more than 600 people.

We have seen the impact our restaurant has had on individuals and families across the country.
Michael McDermott

Chi-Chi’s Mexican chain set to return 20 years after last restaurant closed https://t.co/eYDcQ0MrFm pic.twitter.com/Wq72fasTHL
— The Independent (@Independent) December 5, 2024

Chi-Chi’s was founded by restaurateur Marno McDermott and former Green Bay Packers player Max McGee in 1975. The chain reached more than 200 locations nationwide during its heyday.

“I still have fond memories of growing up in the Chi-Chi’s restaurants that my father built throughout their time, instilling in me the passion and determination to pursue my own career in the restaurant industry,” McDermott said. “We have seen the impact our restaurant has had on individuals and families across the country and believe there is a strong opportunity to bring the brand back in a way that resonates with today’s consumer – an updated dining experience with the same great taste and Mexican flavor.”

Despite no physical locations over two decades, the Chi-Chi’s name has been on packaged chips and salsa at supermarkets. Specifics on the new menu items and locations for 2025 have not yet been revealed.

Cargill, largest private company in the US, laying off thousands as profits fall

December 3, 2024

America’s largest private company and the world’s largest agricultural commodities trader is laying off 5% of its global workforce as food prices drop, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Cargill also confirmed the move on Monday, Dec. 2, to CNN, that it plans to let go of an estimated 8,000 employees as a result of falling profits.

The trading giant says workforce cuts will take place this year as it streamlines its organizational structure after missing its internal earnings goals. The move is reportedly part of Cargill’s 2030 strategy.

The corporation maintains “impacts to our operations and frontline teams will be kept to a minimum” as the business continues delivering products to customers.

Cargill distributes grains, meats and other agricultural products around the globe. The company reportedly has more than 160,000 workers.

Cargill pulled in record profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, as inflation and conflicts around the world drove up the price of farm products.

With an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as inflation slows, the company’s profits reportedly fell to $2.4 billion in the fiscal year ending in May 2024, which is less than half of the record $6.7 billion the company made from 2021 to 2022, and its lowest profit since 2016.

Adding to troubles, Cargill has reportedly invested heavily in one of the largest beef processors in North America as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the number of cattle across the United States is down.

US’ 4 largest frozen spud producers accused of forming ‘potato cartel’

November 22, 2024

As reported on Wednesday, Nov. 20, just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, the United States’ four leading producers of frozen spuds are in hot water. A handful of federal lawsuits filed this week accuse the companies of forming a “potato cartel.”

Court documents allege that the potato producers coordinated prices through a third-party data company.

The lawsuits claim Cavendish Farms, McCain Foods, JR Simplot, Lamb Weston and the National Potato Promotion Board conspired to fix and manipulate prices for frozen potatoes in the United States.

Prosecutors say that the companies formed a cartel by having equal “access to each other’s data on pricing and other sensitive information, as well as a direct line of communication to each other.” They added that this allowed the companies to raise prices in a concerted arrangement, which violated U.S. antitrust laws.

The lawsuits assert that the price coordination was made possible through a market data aggregator, which in one of the lawsuits, is alleged to be the research firm Circana.

These companies reportedly control more than 95% of the frozen potato market and attorneys say they used their market dominance to increase prices by nearly 50% in a two-year span.

The lawsuits seek undisclosed monetary damages and a court order ending the alleged price fixing.

A McCain Foods spokesperson denied the allegations that the company broke antitrust laws and vowed to fight all lawsuits leveled against the company. The other companies involved in the lawsuits have yet to respond as of the publishing of this report.

Lawsuits accuse Kraft Heinz and Lindt Chocolate of lying about ingredients

November 15, 2024

A federal judge refused a motion by Kraft Heinz to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against it, which accuses the food giant of lying about its Mac & Cheese claims of no artificial preservatives in its ingredients label. U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland ruled on Wednesday, Nov. 13, that the plaintiffs made a reasonable allegation that Kraft Mac & Cheese contains a synthetic form of citric acid and also has sodium phosphates.

Rowland noted that synthetic citric acid is different from the natural variety.

The lawsuit specifically alleged the ingredients were used as preservatives, which makes Kraft Heinz’s claim of “no artificial flavors, preservatives, or dyes” on its label false.

The plaintiffs reportedly used scholarly studies and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance to back up their claims.

However, Kraft Heinz contends that the allegations are untrue, and its ingredients do not artificial preservatives. In a statement to Fox Business the company said the lawsuit has “no merit” and that it stood by its ingredients listed on the label.

The plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit are seeking damages for fraud, violations of consumer protection laws, and unjust enrichment. It’s one of many legal challenges alleging deceptive food labels.

Swiss-based chocolate company Lindt is also facing a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Lindt’s dark chocolate bars of the 70% and 85% cocoa varieties contain “significant amounts” of lead and cadmium.

The plaintiffs cite a 2022 Consumer Reports study that shows higher levels of heavy metals in 23 out of 28 chocolate bars it tested compared to various brands of candy, including Lindt.

The plaintiffs argued that the claims by the chocolatier of its “expertly crafted” chocolate made with the “finest ingredients” caused them to believe that the products were free of such metals.

Lindt acknowledged that the phrases are not meant to be guarantees. The company said the phrases are promotional in nature and the presence of such metals is “unavoidable” in the chocolate-making process.

In September 2024, Lindt attempted to have the class-action lawsuit dismissed. However, a judge ruled against it, allowing the lawsuit to proceed in the courts.

US pork processor Smithfield to pay $2M in child labor settlement

November 15, 2024

Smithfield Foods, one of the U.S.’ largest meat processors, agreed to pay $2 million in a settlement over child labor allegations. A Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry investigation found the Smithfield packaged meats plant in St. James employed at least 11 children between the ages of 14 and 17 from April 2021 to April 2023.

The agency also found Smithfield let nine of the underage employees work after allowable hours and all 11 performed potentially dangerous work. As part of the settlement, Smithfield also agreed to not break labor laws in the future.

In a statement, Smithfield denied knowingly hiring anyone under 18. It also said all 11 passed the federal E-Verify employment eligibility system by using false identification.

The case is the latest in a series of alleged violations by major U.S. meat producers, which have for years struggled to fill their plants amid worker shortages. Last year, the federal Department of Labor imposed more than $1.5 million in civil penalties against one of the country’s largest cleaning services for food processing companies after finding it employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country.

Kraft Heinz pulls school-approved Lunchables off the menu

November 13, 2024

Lunchables are no longer on the menu for U.S. schools. Kraft Heinz announced Tuesday, Nov. 12, it is no longer offering the two versions of the meals it created specifically for schools.

The school-specific meals made their debut last school year. Kraft Heinz said they were protein-enriched and had reduced levels of saturated fat and sodium to meet the requirements of the national free and reduced-price school lunch program.

However, the meals got pushback from nutrition experts, who were concerned the school versions of Lunchables would confuse parents into thinking store-bought versions were healthier than they are. Then in April, Consumer Reports said it found the school-approved Lunachables actually contained more sodium than their store-bought counterparts.

In a statement, Kraft Heinz said its decision to pull school Lunchables was due to lack of demand.