Slashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gifSlashfoodhttp://www.slashfood.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Starbucks To Help Pinkberry Achieve Global Frozen Yogurt Dominationhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/29/starbucks-to-help-pinkberry-achieve-global-frozen-yogurt-dominat/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/29/starbucks-to-help-pinkberry-achieve-global-frozen-yogurt-dominat/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/29/starbucks-to-help-pinkberry-achieve-global-frozen-yogurt-dominat/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pinkberry frozen yogurtPhoto: 1derbread Media, Flickr


If you have plans to vacation in Britain, Turkey, Morocco, and the Philippines this year, you might just find a tart, cold reminder of home. By the end of 2011, Pinkberry is planning to to be in 17 different international markets, according to Nation's Restaurant News.

The chain currently has 122 outposts in eight countries, and hopes to gain 30 more international locations (this in addition to more U.S. outposts). Part of the success of Pinkberry's growth is attributed to Starbucks, as many of its international franchisees also operate Starbucks locations. Moreover, Starbucks' president and CEO Howard Schultz sits on Pinkberry's board.

"Consumer brands have to look at the landscape through a global lens, as opposed to the domestic lens that Starbucks started from 40 years ago," Schultz told Business Week. Although Pinkberry has plenty of competition in the U.S. market--Cold Stone Creamery is adding froyo to its line this spring and Red Mango has plans to nearly double its domestic stores--there is less competition in the worldwide arena, explains Business Week. In fact, Pinkberry's highest-volume store is in Kuwait.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>pinkberrystarbucksSlashfood EditorFri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 ESTGovernment Wants Companies to Limit Marketing to Kidshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/28/government-wants-companies-to-limit-marketing-to-kids/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/28/government-wants-companies-to-limit-marketing-to-kids/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/28/government-wants-companies-to-limit-marketing-to-kids/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Paul Sakuma / AP Photo


Is the federal government about to put Tony the Tiger out of a job?

In the face of a national epidemic of childhood obesity, a collection of federal agencies has been working for two years now to come up with a set of voluntary guidelines that would restrict what foods can be marketed to kids. Food companies and marketing groups rejected a set of proposed guidelines last year, and the government has repeatedly postponed releasing new ones.

But as the Associated Press reports, the feds may finally pull the trigger as soon as today. Apparently, the AP reporter got a sneak peek at the new guidelines and writes that "companies would be urged to only market foods to children ages 2 through 17 if they are low in fats, sugars and sodium and contain specified healthy ingredients."

Continue reading Government Wants Companies to Limit Marketing to Kids

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>advertisingfeaturedmarketing to childrenJason BestThu, 28 Apr 2011 16:00:00 ESTWalmart Testing Online Grocery Servicehttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/25/walmart-testing-online-grocery-service/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/25/walmart-testing-online-grocery-service/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/25/walmart-testing-online-grocery-service/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wal-MartPhoto: Robyn Beck, AFP / Getty Images


As rumored ealier this month, Walmart has begun test marketing Walmart To Go, its online grocery delivery service, in San Jose, California. In an effort to compete with the likes of Peapod, Fresh Direct and Amazon Fresh, Walmart To Go is offering aggressive pricing with delivery charges that start at five dollars, reports the New York Times. Products include "fresh produce, meat and seafood, frozen, bakery, baby, over-the-counter pharmacy, household supplies and health and beauty items."

The prices are impressive. The New York Times found that a 64-ounce carton of Horizon milk was $3.50 on Walmart's site, versus $3.99 from Peapod and $4.29 on Fresh Direct. Similarly, 16 ounces of celery was only $1.98 at Walmart, with Peapod charging $3.29 and Fresh Direct $3.49. There are trade-offs, though. Customers can't always choose the number of items for purchase -- fruits like oranges and lemons are only available in large bags.

Douglas McIntyre of Daily Finance is wary of the move, warning that it may cost the retailer impulse purchases of other items. "Walmart may pick up a new category of customers with home-delivered groceries. But it risks losing one of its best ways of luring people into its stores to buy things other than groceries," he says. The New York Times also points out that online delivery is a tough business, citing the high-profile bust of dot-com giant Webvan in 2001, among others.

But don't count them out. Walmart has size on its side: they're the biggest grocer in the country, with about 33 percent of the United States market share.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredonline groceriesOnlineGrocerieswalmartWalmart to gowalmart.comSlashfood EditorMon, 25 Apr 2011 14:30:00 ESTDetails Emerge About ShopHouse, Chipotle's New Chainhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/13/details-emerge-about-shophouse-chipotles-new-chain/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/13/details-emerge-about-shophouse-chipotles-new-chain/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/13/details-emerge-about-shophouse-chipotles-new-chain/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chipotle and Shophouse KitchenPhoto: Chipotle Mexican Grill


Chipotle fans who've come to love the chain's whole "fast-food made fresh" approach will soon be able to satisfy their on-the-go cravings with more than just burritos. May we introduce ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen.

As Slashfood reported last year, the restaurant world has been abuzz with rumors about what Chiptole founder Steve Ells was going to tackle next. News leaked out that Ells was thinking of going Asian -- but that was pretty much all anyone knew.

Now Nation's Restaurant News offers up the inside scoop on the new concept. And, basically, it seems like it's more or less Chipotle -- but serving up noodles and rice instead of rice and beans. Customers will move along the line customizing their meals, and execs confirmed that the pricing would be about the same.

Continue reading Details Emerge About ShopHouse, Chipotle's New Chain

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>chipotleShophouseJason BestWed, 13 Apr 2011 15:00:00 ESTWant it Fresh? Try a Coffee CSAhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/11/want-it-fresh-try-a-coffee-csa/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/11/want-it-fresh-try-a-coffee-csa/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/11/want-it-fresh-try-a-coffee-csa/#commentsFiled under: ,

coffee csa from EthiopiaPhoto: YouTube


Sustainable-minded eaters already know where to score the best and freshest produce: from a farm's Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Subscribers receive a weekly or twice-monthly "share" of just-picked greens, squash, berries -- you name it. Recently, similar models have sprung up for seafood, honey, dairy and flowers.

Coffee, however, is the antithesis of this feel-good model. Several middlemen work the long, arduous route between the coffee farm to your personal coffee brewer, which is several thousand miles and usually across continents. Typically, buyers import beans in their non-roasted form from a cooperative of coffee farmers, and then sell them to you -- roasted -- via a cafe or a grocer. By the time those beans are roasted and retailed, a lot of time has passed. And it's rare you know anything about the farm on which they were harvested.

Today, a new coffee CSA (it's actually called Coffee CSA) debuts as a project from Pachamama, a global cooperative of coffee farms. Though there are some small coffee CSAs around the U.S., the scale of this project is much larger. Each month, Coffee CSA subscribers receive a delivery of just-roasted coffee beans sourced from independent family-owned farms around the world. Not only do you know the farm's name, you have access to photos, videos and stories from the farmers, putting serious street cred into your morning cup of joe.

You can also request to receive email updates from the farm family, allowing you to get to know more about their lifestyle and livelihood. About 140,000 small-scale farmers in Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, Ethiopia and Guatemala are linked with the project, and they work on farms ranging from one to 10 acres. All are certified-organic and Fair Trade certified too.

And since the beans arrive on your doorstep, you'll always have an early morning cup of joe at your fingertips.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>coffeecoffee csaCoffeeCsaKristine HansenMon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:00 ESTDiamond Foods Buys Pringles for $2.3 Billionhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/06/diamond-foods-buys-pringles-for-2-3-billion/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/06/diamond-foods-buys-pringles-for-2-3-billion/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/06/diamond-foods-buys-pringles-for-2-3-billion/#commentsFiled under: ,

PringlesPhoto: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images


How many Pringles does $2.35 billion buy you? Apparently, all of them.

Like the slogan says, it seems like once to folks at Diamond Foods popped open a can, they just couldn't stop until they'd gobbled up the whole darn brand. The company is acquiring Pringles from its previous owner, Procter & Gamble.

As P&G's hometown paper, the Cincinnati Enquirer, reports, the American mega-company that's home to a variety of household name brands has lost its appetite for the food business over the years. Whereas it was once home to a range of grocery-store icons, from Duncan Hines and Jif to Folgers and Sunny Delight, P&G has sold off all of them, opting instead to focus on its less-than-edible brands, like cleaning products and toothpaste.

By selling Pringles, P&G takes itself out of the food business altogether.

Continue reading Diamond Foods Buys Pringles for $2.3 Billion

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>diamond foodfeaturedpringlesproctor and gambleJason BestWed, 06 Apr 2011 15:00:00 ESTRonald McDonald Returns to Commercialshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/04/ronald-mcdonald-returns-to-commercials/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/04/ronald-mcdonald-returns-to-commercials/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/04/ronald-mcdonald-returns-to-commercials/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ronald McDonald Happy Meals commercialPhoto: McDonald's HappyMeal

Apparently, the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated -- Ronald McDonald, the red-haired clown that's been the (silent) mouthpiece of the Golden Arches for 48 years, is back in a new ad campaign for the chain.

Ronald will star in several new commercials for Happy Meals. The spots direct kids to a HappyMeal.com website, reports Nation's Restaurant News. The site is basically another commercial -- kids are supposed to upload pictures of themselves for videos called "Ronaldgrams." (The idea is for the children to email the videos to their friends.)


Kids may like it, but the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Corporate Accountability International don't -- the two groups have been after McDonald's for years about marketing directly to young consumers. "Plain and simple, if McDonald's were truly concerned about 'parental choice and control,' they'd market their offerings directly to parents, not children," Lapidus said to NRN.

What do you think? Are you glad to have the clown back in your life?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>mcdonaldsronald mcdonaldRonaldMcdonaldSlashfood EditorMon, 04 Apr 2011 13:00:00 ESTSbarro to File for Bankruptcyhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/01/sbarro-to-file-for-bankruptcy/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/01/sbarro-to-file-for-bankruptcy/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/04/01/sbarro-to-file-for-bankruptcy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sbarro pizza restaurantPhoto: Gelatobaby, Flickr

You've likely had a slice of their pizza in a mall or airport somewhere in America, but fast-food pizza chain Sbarro is in trouble. The company has fallen behind on its debt payments and plans to file for bankruptcy, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The recession and online shopping has cut numbers at the malls, meaning fewer customers for the chain, and the WSJ reports the company lost about $29.3 million during the first nine months of last year.

No one we know is really wild for the heat-lamp-warmed pies, but if you're feeling nostalgic, the WSJ has a fun timeline of the company (turns out the chain actually began as an Italian grocery store in 1956) so you can get all of the cheesy details.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>sbarrosbarro bankruptcysbarro chapter 11Slashfood EditorFri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 ESTOlive Garden Gets A Makeoverhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/31/olive-garden-gets-a-makeover/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/31/olive-garden-gets-a-makeover/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/31/olive-garden-gets-a-makeover/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Olive Garden

Unlimited breadsticks are great...but will they taste better in a Tuscan farmhouse setting?

According to Nation's Restaurant News, Olive Garden, the Italian chain known more for huge portions than upscale decor, is in the process of testing some "enhancement" in some of the older outposts. The chain has more than 730 locations in the U.S, but they're starting the remodel with a handful of outposts in Texas.

The new look? The company is calling it "Via Tuscany." Can't picture it? Think of that picturesque farmhouse in every golden-hued Hollywood flick about Italy. Brick, Cypress trees, upgraded seating, new window treatments, decorative shelving lined with painted plates and pottery -- what your Italian grandmother would design if she had a money to throw around.

Want to see before and after shots?

Continue reading Olive Garden Gets A Makeover

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredolive gardenvia tuscanyBill SertlThu, 31 Mar 2011 13:00:00 ESTWhat Does Anheuser-Busch's Purchase of Goose Island Mean for Beer Drinkers?http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/30/what-does-anheuser-buschs-purchase-of-goose-island-mean-for-bee/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/30/what-does-anheuser-buschs-purchase-of-goose-island-mean-for-bee/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/30/what-does-anheuser-buschs-purchase-of-goose-island-mean-for-bee/#commentsFiled under: ,

Goose Island Brewery bought by Anheuser-BuschPhoto: Scott Olson / Getty Images


You've probably heard that Anheuser-Busch is purchasing Chicago-based Goose Island Brewery for around $39 million. Most of us who like craft beer are happy about the acquisition, since it means the beer will reach more parts of the country, but some industry insiders are concerned that it might mean a decline in quality for the brand. Ben Worcester of The Huffington Post breaks down what the purchase means for beer fans -- and for both companies.

Read the full story at The Huffington Post.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>anheuser-buschfeaturedGoose IslandSlashfood EditorWed, 30 Mar 2011 11:00:00 ESTSupermarket Shell Game: You Pay the Same, They Give You Lesshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/29/supermarket-shell-game-you-pay-the-same-they-give-you-less/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/29/supermarket-shell-game-you-pay-the-same-they-give-you-less/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/29/supermarket-shell-game-you-pay-the-same-they-give-you-less/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: Getty Images


So does that box of cereal seem a little slimmer, that can of tuna a little lighter? Does it feel like you just bought that jar of peanut butter that you're now scraping the bottom of?

Well, at least you can take comfort in the fact that you're not going crazy. As the New York Times reports, we can say so long to the era of "supersizing": Meet the incredible shrinking carton of ice cream.

No doubt you've heard that the cost of, well, just about everything is going up. But what you may have only had an inkling of until now is that one sneaky way food makers are passing those costs onto you is not to raise prices; it's to get you to shell out the same amount for just a little bit less in return.

Continue reading Supermarket Shell Game: You Pay the Same, They Give You Less

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>food packagingkraftsupermarketsJason BestTue, 29 Mar 2011 13:00:00 ESTHarry & David File for Bankruptcyhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/harry-and-david-file-for-bankruptcy/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/harry-and-david-file-for-bankruptcy/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/harry-and-david-file-for-bankruptcy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Harry & DavidPhoto: Unhindered by Talent, Flickr


For those of you who put off shopping for gifts until the last minute, beware: the one fallback option that you thought you could always count on is in trouble.

Yes, Harry & David is filing for bankruptcy. The mail-order giant purveys an (odd, when you think about it) mélange of perfectly picked pears, chocolate bonbons and assorted other goodies. They always come neatly nestled in a veritable mountain of tissue paper and excelsior and are packed in such an elaborate arrangement of boxes, baskets and bows that the trappings easily overwhelm the recipient into thinking that you far spent more time and effort on the gift than you actually did.

Stumped on what to get your great aunt in Toledo for her 76th birthday? How about the All-Occasion Double Delights Discovery gift box? What about the neighbor who trudged through the snow to feed your cats while you were cavorting in Cabo? Hello, All-Occasion Gift Basket!

But the company is in trouble.

Continue reading Harry & David File for Bankruptcy

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredharry and davidharry and david bankruptcyJason BestMon, 28 Mar 2011 16:00:00 ESTT.G.I Fridays To Double Number of Locationshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/t-g-i-fridays-to-double-number-of-locations/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/t-g-i-fridays-to-double-number-of-locations/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/28/t-g-i-fridays-to-double-number-of-locations/#commentsFiled under: ,

TGI Friday'sPhoto: David Rogowski, AOL

If you've a fan of "flair" and love potato skins and artichoke dip, you're in luck: T.G.I Fridays recently announced they're doubling the number of locations around the globe, reports the AP. The Minneapolis-based chain is already well-represented in the U.S. and abroad, with 350 restaurants in 60 countries. The ownership group, Carlson Restaurants, says they're planning to open nearly 40 new restaurants in 2011.

Recession? What recession?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>T.G.I. FridaysSlashfood EditorMon, 28 Mar 2011 14:00:00 ESTMagnolia Bakery Owners Sue Over Greek Cupcake Shophttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/25/magnolia-bakery-fight-over-illegal-branch-in-greece/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/25/magnolia-bakery-fight-over-illegal-branch-in-greece/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/25/magnolia-bakery-fight-over-illegal-branch-in-greece/#commentsFiled under: ,

Magnolia Bakery cupcakesPhoto: sunshinecity, Flickr


Carrie Bradshaw's favorite bakery has found itself in the middle of its own melodrama. The owners of Magnolia Bakery, the Manhattan cupcake shop made famous by Sex & the City, are suing one of its founders, Jennifer Appel, for opening an illegal branch in Athens, Greece, reports Daily Mail UK.

The charges in the suit are a little bit hazy, but first, some history: Magnolia first opened its now-iconic doors in Manhattan in 1996 with Appel and Allysa Torey as co-owners, but Appel sold her share in 1999 and set up a competing shop: the Buttercup Bake Shop. In 2007, Steve and Tyra Abrams bought the rights to Magnolia and expanded its locations (you can now find Magnolia outposts in L.A. and Dubai -- yes, Dubai).

The lawsuit comes courtesy of the Abrams' -- they claim Appel allegedly shared business secrets and recipes with Greek socialite Nicole Kotovos in order to open their own branch in Greece last year. But Appel denies the charges. In fact, she's counter-suing.

Continue reading Magnolia Bakery Owners Sue Over Greek Cupcake Shop

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredmagnolia bakerymagnolia greecesex in the cityJessie CacciolaFri, 25 Mar 2011 13:00:00 ESTCarrots As Junk Food: A Healthy Deceithttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/23/carrots-as-junk-food-a-healthy-deceit/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/23/carrots-as-junk-food-a-healthy-deceit/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/23/carrots-as-junk-food-a-healthy-deceit/#commentsFiled under: ,

baby carrots with Trader Joe's hummusPhoto: orionlee, Flickr


Last year, we told you that carrots companies were using junk-food marketing techniques to gain a foothold in the snack market. Now Fast Company has the whole story behind the meteoric rise of baby carrots.

Here are the Cliff Notes: About 10 years ago, somebody tried to figure out what to do with the leftovers that resulted from supermarkets insisting that carrots all be a uniform size. Baby carrots were invented, and they become more popular than the real thing. But when the recession hit, people went back to regular carrots because they were perceived as less of a luxury item.
Oh, dear, what to do?

Spend $25 million to hire the famously creative (and often controversial) ad agency of Crispin Porter + Bogusky (the agency behind Burger King's Delete 10 Friends and Get a Free Whopper campaign) to convince America that, far from being healthy, carrots were the ideal junk food (hey, they're already orange, the same color as Orange Doodles). The idea was to package them like Cheetos and pretzels, in snack-like bags, and to stick them into vending machines (see "like Cheetos and pretzels"). So far, sales are way up -- turns out we're all a slave to marketing. But in this case, that's a good thing.

Read the whole story at Fast Company.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>baby carrotscarrotssnack foodBill SertlWed, 23 Mar 2011 16:00:00 ESTFood Draws Customers to the Mallhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/09/food-draws-customers-to-the-mall/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/09/food-draws-customers-to-the-mall/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/09/food-draws-customers-to-the-mall/#commentsFiled under: ,

shopping mallPhoto: Getty Images

Quick, what's the first thing you think of when you think of malls? The Gap? Pottery Barn? The ever-present surplus of Twilight t-shirts at Hot Topic?

Whatever you think of, it probably has nothing to do with homegrown tomatoes, locally raised veal, and artisanal cheese. But mall owners across the country are looking to change that.

Forget roving bands of disaffected teenagers gnawing on giant pretzels. Today, malls are looking to attract a decidedly more lucrative demographic: foodies.

According to Bloomberg News, "grocery is the next frontier" for those once-iconic behemoths of American commerce now struggling against obsolescence. In May, mall operator Macerich Co. will open The Market at its Santa Monica Place mall, where vendors will hawk things like heirloom coffee, small-batch vinegars, and artisanal meats and wine. It will also feature a cooking school and a soufflé bar.

Continue reading Food Draws Customers to the Mall

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>featuredmallsJason BestWed, 09 Mar 2011 16:00:00 ESTMore Rich Americans Dining on Fast Foodhttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/01/more-rich-americans-dining-on-fast-food/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/01/more-rich-americans-dining-on-fast-food/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/03/01/more-rich-americans-dining-on-fast-food/#commentsFiled under: ,

Taco Bell drive-thru take out fast food dinnersPhoto: Roadsidepictures, Flickr

Looks like a lot of well-off Americans have been putting on the ketchup instead of the ritz lately. According to CNNMoney.com, the wealthiest among us have taken to fast food like a robin to a spring worm -- and gobbling it up just as fast. CNN quotes an American Express study that shows spending on fast food up by 4% among the company's most affluent customers (which represents 10% of overall consumers) for the last quarter of 2010.

Why? Just like everyone else, the rich like to save a buck, especially since the recession has hit many of them, too. And there are a lot more "acceptable" choices now among chains -- did someone say Chipotle? -- in addition to new high-end spin-offs like McCafe, where you can sip a cappuccino or a latte and pretend you've just come from shopping on the Via Veneto (if only all your bags didn't say "Target"). In addition, many places now offer salads, which convey a sense of healthy eating. So next time you're behind the BMW in the drive-through at Burger King, don't be surprised by the bumper sticker that reads: "Honk if you make six figures."

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>fast foodBill SertlTue, 01 Mar 2011 15:00:00 ESTSeafood Restaurants Signalling S.O.S.http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/28/seafood-restaurants-signalling-s-o-s/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/28/seafood-restaurants-signalling-s-o-s/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/28/seafood-restaurants-signalling-s-o-s/#commentsFiled under: ,

seafood dinner, shrimp and gritsPhoto: Ezra Pound Cake, Flickr


Seafood lovers, where are you?

That's the question surf-centric restaurants are asking, from titanic-sized chains like Red Lobster to mom-and-pop clam shacks. Though other types of restaurants are starting to see their sales increase as the country slowly recovers from the recession, it appears that it's going to take more than another all-you-can-eat shrimp special to lure diners in for fish again.

As the Orlando Sentinel reports, sales at America's largest seafood chains during the recession sunk far faster than at other restaurants, in part owing to the fact that cash-strapped customers were shying away from higher-priced fare like lobster tails and seared salmon. While major restaurants overall saw their sales fall .8 percent in 2009, sales at seafood chains dropped 5.2 percent.

Continue reading Seafood Restaurants Signalling S.O.S.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Red Lobsterseafood restaurantsJason BestMon, 28 Feb 2011 15:00:00 ESTGrocery Chain Announces Price Freeze on Everyday Itemshttp://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/25/grocery-chain-announces-price-freeze-on-everyday-items/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/25/grocery-chain-announces-price-freeze-on-everyday-items/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/25/grocery-chain-announces-price-freeze-on-everyday-items/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wegman's frozen foods sectionPhoto: Adam Kuban, Flickr

It's becoming harder and harder to believe the ubiquitous promises made by grocery stores everywhere: "Thousands of low prices!" or "Low prices every day!"

What with food prices hitting record levels around the world, what does "low" mean anyway?

But the surprise gambit by one regional grocery chain caught our attention: Wegmans has announced that it's freezing prices on 40 products through the end of the year.

Continue reading Grocery Chain Announces Price Freeze on Everyday Items

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Wegmanswegmans freezing pricesJason BestFri, 25 Feb 2011 15:00:00 ESTWill A K-Cup Help Starbucks Rule the Coffee World?http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/15/k-cup-for-starbucks/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/15/k-cup-for-starbucks/http://www.slashfood.com/2011/02/15/k-cup-for-starbucks/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: itspaulkelly, Flickr


Starbucks may be about to take on the single-cup coffee market. The ever-expanding giant of joe is rumored to be in talks to partner with Green Mountain Coffee, the company behind the trademarked K-Cups, those cute, convenient little single-serve portions that are used in Keurig coffeemakers, reports the New York Post. Green Mountain already reps Newman's Own, Folgers, Caribou Coffee, and Donut House K-Cups, and adding Starbucks one-cup brews would be a very showy feather in its cap. And for Starbucks? We can only guess that world domination of the caffeineated set is not far behind, one cup at a time.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>green mountain coffeestarbucksstarbucks single serveSlashfood EditorTue, 15 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST