Supermarket Perimeter - August 2022 - 6

the
WIRE
Sysco files suit
over beef prices
Houston-based
wholesale restaurant
food distributor Sysco
Corp. filed a lawsuit
against the world's
largest meat processors,
claiming they colluded to
fix beef prices.
Filed on June 24,
the complaint accused
Tyson Foods Inc.,
JBS USA, Cargill and
National Beef Packing
Co. of manipulating the
beef market.
Beginning as early
as 2015, the meat
processors " exploited
their market power in
this highly concentrated
market by conspiring
to limit the supply, and
fix the prices, of beef
sold to Plaintiff in the US
wholesale market, " the
lawsuit alleged.
A former Swift
employee, whose
identification remains
confidential, confirmed
Sysco's allegations,
according to the court
documents.
The four companies
hold over 80% of the
domestic cattle market,
while the next largest
meat processor holds
a 2-3% share, the
lawsuit said.
6 - AUGUST 2022
The companies on
trial have faced previous
accusations regarding
price fixing.
Since June 2020, the
US Department of Justice
has been investigating
their beef-pricing
practices dating back to
January 2015, but the
DOJ has not yet made
an official report on its
investigation.
JBS paid a $52.3
million settlement in a
beef price-fixing case
and $12.75 million
settlement in a pork
price-fixing case, but
JBS, Cargill, National
Beef and Tyson deny any
allegations of price fixing.
José Andrés to speak
at first IFPA show
The Newark, Del.-based
International Fresh
Produce Association
(IFPA) has selected José
Andrés to be the keynote
speaker at the Global
Produce & Floral Show in
Orlando Oct. 27-29.
Andrés is an
internationally respected
two-Michelin-star chef
and restaurateur who
has won a James Beard
Award; however, he
is even more known
for his humanitarian
work. In 2010, Andrés
supermarketperimeter.com
founded World
Central Kitchen, which
provides both culinary
training programs for
communities and food
and relief in times of
disaster.
Andrés and World
Central Kitchen have
been present in Ukraine
this year, working with
volunteers and local
partners to provide
meals. They have served
more than six million
in the surrounding
area so far.
World Central Kitchen
also brought food and aid
to thousands of people
after a recent typhoon
in the Philippines and a
tornado in Kentucky in
December.
More examples
of the global work
World Central Kitchen
has accomplished
are featured in a
National Geographic
documentary directed
by Ron Howard called
" We Feed People. " The
documentary can
currently be streamed on
Disney+.
Andrés' keynote
session at the upcoming
Global Produce & Floral
Show is titled " Changing
the World Through
the Power of Food - A
Conversation with José
Andrés. "
Comfort, familiarity
drive consumer
flavor preferences
In the latest Wixon
Innovates, the innovation
team addresses the
consumer desire for new,
yet familiar flavors in
what they're calling Next
Level Favorites.
" While 'new, yet
familiar' may seem
contradictory, it's really
not. It's about comfort.
We're in a confusing
time. People are more
than ready to get
back to exploring new
cuisines and having
flavor adventures, yet
the pandemic has left
them wary. There's
comfort in familiar
things, " says Wixon
marketing manager
Rachael Jarzembowski.
This insight led
the innovation team
to lean into familiar,
recognizable flavors,
then elevate them with
something new. Next
Level Favorites achieves
the right balance for
innovation this year as
consumers transition
from their pandemic
mindset. Mintel
consumer research
shows that consumers
are more open to trying
new flavors when they're
combined with a food
they would typically eat.
Nearly half (47%)
of consumers enjoy
snacks that offer a
twist on the familiar.
" Pairing familiar flavors
with emerging ones
gives people a bridge
to explore new flavors, "
says Jarzembowski.
The featured flavors
for Next Level Favorites
start with a familiar
flavor and layer it
with something new
introducing a complex
flavor. " The new flavor is
not only tasty, but it's not
as intimidating to try, "
explains Wixon corporate
chef Ryan Kukuruzovic.
" Balancing pairings of
the familiar with the
unexpected can inject
excitement and ensure
greater likelihood of
IFPA
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