On October 6, 2022, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the lead agency that implements California’s Proposition 65 (Prop 65), provided notice of new changes to the proposed acrylamide regulation for foods. The modifications to the proposed rule have narrowed the scope to acrylamide only, instead of having all listed chemicals formed during heating or cooking process covered. Additionally, OEHHA has incorporated the Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Foods to replace the previous undefined term “quality control measures” in the original proposal and have included new sampling procedures. If adopted, the regulation could alter the warning requirements for acrylamide formed by the cooking or heat processing of foods. As of today, the preliminary injunction on the filing of any new acrylamide lawsuits under Prop 65 remains in effect. For more information, view a legal memo from SNAC’s outside counsel at Hogan Lovells. SNAC is engaging with industry partners to submit comments by the October 21 deadline.

The national hours-of-service exemption which provided flexibility for those transporting shipments of livestock, medical supplies, vaccines, groceries, and diesel fuel by waiving hours of service restrictions, has now lapsed and is no longer in effect. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) allowed for the exemption starting in March 2020 as an attempt to address supply chain challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Major trucking companies and truck safety advocates supported the move by FMCSA to let the exemption expire.

FDA will host a stakeholder webinar tomorrow, Friday, October 21, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET to provide an overview of the recently released proposed rule to update the definition of the nutrient content claim “healthy.” The webinar will include remarks from Dr. Claudine Kavanaugh from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and will provide an overview of the proposed rule. Register for the webinar here. For more information on the proposed rule, review a legal memo from SNAC’s outside counsel at Hogan Lovells

Utz Brands, Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer of branded salty snacks, including Utz, On The Border Chips & Dips, Zapp's, and other Utz brands, is pleased to expand its portfolio of snack foods to all 112 Schnucks stores. Schnucks, a leading grocery retailer, has stores conveniently located throughout Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. "The initial introduction of Utz Brands snacks in Schnucks stores was an overwhelming success last year," said Mark Schreiber, EVP, Sales, and Chief Customer Officer, Utz Brands, Inc. "Our family of brands all feature simple, high-quality ingredients and are carefully crafted. Coupled with such strong consumer demand, we are excited to expand further in Schnuck’s stores with more brands and varieties to reach even more Midwest fans!" Press Release

Frito-Lay Kicks Off FIFA World Cup™ Campaign with Globally Inspired Flavors and Unique Digital Fan Experience - As the North American Regional Supporter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Frito-Lay North America is preparing fans for the FIFA World Cup with everything they need to enhance their at-home viewing experience. Frito-Lay is introducing three limited-time FIFA World Cup-inspired flavors and launching an interactive online fan experience for consumers to have the chance to win soccer-inspired merchandise and prizes – including a trip to the FIFA World Cup 2022™ final. "Soccer is the fastest growing sport in North America and, with snacking so intrinsically tied to the at-home viewing experience, now is the perfect moment to enter the game and offer our consumers new ways to heighten their FIFA World Cup experience," said Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. Press Release

 

Among all the celebrated pairings in entertainment history, perhaps none is more enduring than movie night and popcorn. To honor this classic duo – and give their fans an opportunity to enjoy movie night like never before – Orville Redenbacher's^® Gourmet™ Popping Corn, America's leading fresh popped popcorn brand1, and Hallmark Channel, the top destination for feel-good holiday entertainment, are offering the "Snack, Watch and Win" Sweepstakes. "The warmth of Orville Redenbacher's microwave popcorn pairs perfectly with the warmth of Hallmark Channel's holiday movie line-up," said Spencer Fivelson, VP & General Manager, Snacks at Conagra Brands. "We're delighted to partner with Hallmark Channel once again and look forward to creating happy holidays for our prize winners." Press Release

 

Land O’Lakes is celebrating farmers -- and the critical role they play in society -- by shining a spotlight on how 'Farmers Are Incredible' - Company News

 

PPC Flexible Packaging LLC, a leading provider of custom flexible packaging, announces the acquisition of Kansas City, KS-based Plastic Packaging Technologies, LLC (PPT). PPC, headquartered in Buffalo Grove, IL, is a leader in printing and converting of flexible films, pouches, and other innovative packaging designs, including prototypes. - Read the news.

Consumers Navigate Inflationary Headwinds During Holidays - To beat higher holiday costs, consumers said that they’re doing the following: looking for deals (28%), opting for store brands (21%), eating more home-cooked meals (20%), making fewer dishes overall (17%), substituting more affordable options (17%), encouraging guests to bring dishes (17%), and spending less in other categories to provide holiday meals (17%). Read on Progressive Grocer.

Gen Z in 2022: How to Meet the Cohort Where They Are - Gen Z’s preferences evolve quickly. Here’s how to connect with this tough-to-reach demographic across CTV, the metaverse, esports and social media. Read on Marketing Dive.

 

Gen Z Expert: Authenticity Key to Effective Influencer Endorsements - An industry expert says that celebrities who are willing to talk about your product or promote it by using it make the most effective brand partnerships. If they can show that they truly believe in the product and it has helped them in their own lives, that tends to resonate with prospective customers. Read on Food Institute.

Amazon Beefs Up 'Aplenty' Line with 100+ New Items - The added products, which include white chocolate peppermint popcorn and other holiday-centric items, come just in time for the holidays as the retailing giant pushes further into the grocery space. Read more.

 

Microsoft 365 is Teaming Up With OREO THINS to Give You a Break - Read on Microsoft.

 

Beyond Meat Lays Off 200 employees and Slashes Its Revenue Outlook - Read on Food Dive.

 

The 11 largest food companies in the U.S. have not made adequate progress in making their products healthier, more affordable and easier for people to access — even though they have publicly said they were increasing their commitments, according to a study by the Access to Nutrition Initiative. Read a recap on Food Dive. 

Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council unveiled their top 10 anticipated food trends for 2023 in the retailer’s eighth-annual Trends predictions. Climate-conscious, kelp, retro and avacado are keywords that describe the trends. Read on Whole Foods.

Instacart Advertising Tool Upgrade Brings Shoppable Video Ads - Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, today announced an enhanced ad buying experience in Ads Manager, the company's self-service portal, putting marketing objectives front and center for brand partners. The new functionality comes after pilot with more than 40 CPG brands. Read more.

 

Instacart’s Growth Slows as Retailers Seek More E-commerce Control - After rapid growth in recent years, the company is facing challenges as some of its major partners start handling fulfillment for online orders themselves, according to new research by 1010data. Read on Grocery Dive.

 

DoorDash Expands Self-service Ad Tools for CPG Brands - DoorDash on Monday revealed an expansion of its self-serve advertising offerings for CPG brands intended to better leverage the delivery service’s local commerce network. Read on Marketing Dive.

 

Why These 3 Super Regional Grocers Continue to Win Share - As the grocery industry weathers consolidation and digital disruption, a few regional grocers are thriving by finding ways to outsmart big players, scale while keeping costs down and create a hyper-localized customer experience that’s highly differentiated. Read on Progressive Grocer.

 

Progressive Grocer Unveils the Retailers of the Century - These 11 food retailers have successfully reimagined grocery over the past 100 years. Read on PG.

 

Loblaw Freezes Prices on 'No Name Brand' Products - Canadians are struggling with inflated grocery prices as much as Americans. Like U.S. grocers, Loblaw Cos. has taken action. Read more.