Jesse Newman’s Post

The message from today's front page: Big food is getting bigger, and grocery stores may be too. The largest supermarket merger ever -- joining Kroger and Albertsons -- hinges on a little-known grocery distributor called C&S Wholesale Grocers. In an antitrust trial scheduled to begin Monday, the companies will have to convince a federal judge in Oregon that C&S can credibly operate so many stores and compete with its larger rivals. 

Kamala Harris called for a federal ban on price gouging. Well the food industry isn't happy about the suggestion it is ripping off U.S. consumers, and says it's more complicated than that. https://lnkd.in/g5DMya3v

What does it mean when the maker of Snickers pays $30B for the maker of Pringles? Big food companies are under pressure to boost sales and cut costs, now that the days of pantry stocking and sharp price increases are over. Also, top food executives are pretty sure you're going to keep snacking. https://lnkd.in/gtFRBzgw

Americans have had it with high food prices, especially at a time when food companies are seeing some of their fattest profits in years. Restaurants and food makers now are scrambling to offer discounts, deals and new products (see “Star Wars”-themed Oreos and Super Mario-shaped mac and cheese) to lure disaffected consumers back in. Will it work?

What do pectin-coated enzymes and microscopic sponges have in common? They are among the new technologies scientists are conjuring up to try to kick America's sugar habit without ditching sugar itself. https://lnkd.in/guRkv48X

A deep dive into one of my favorite foods. Bread has found itself in the midst of a brewing debate over ultra-processed foods. But some of the reasons why also make it an affordable, convenient staple. Can't bread be better and still widely accessible to everyone? https://lnkd.in/gaRQa7i3

Americans love their big name brands, always have and many say always will. But with food prices still way up from pre-pandemic levels, store brands are gaining ground. From Chips Ahoy cookies to French’s mustard, shoppers are passing up name brands foods as retailers boost investments in their own labels. Will it stick? https://lnkd.in/g8qJ2FvR

Do your snacks need a warning label? FDA thinks so. Food makers disagree. https://lnkd.in/guj5Wnfw

You could comfortably call Carlos Abrams-Rivera a health nut. He practices intermittent fasting—eating two meals a day, both between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. His diet leans Mediterranean, heavy on salads, beans and hummus. Six days a week he lifts weights, does high-intensity workouts, or bikes in the woods near his home in Chicago’s northern suburbs. One day a week, he eats dessert, often a scoop of mint chip ice cream. The strict regimen is a bid to live better for longer. It also gives him energy for his day job: selling $27 billion of ketchup, macaroni and cheese and hot dogs to consumers around the globe as Kraft Heinz’s new chief executive. https://lnkd.in/gGY5Ti7z