FOODSERVICE NEWS

N.J. Court Dismisses Sodium Lawsuit Against Denny’s
A New Jersey Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed in part by an individual and by the Center for Science in the Public Interest against Denny’s Corp for not disclosing the amount of sodium in its food.
The judge dismissed the complaint because the plaintiffs could not adequately prove injury under New Jersey’s personal liability and consumer protection laws.
It is expected that CSPI will amend the lawsuit and appeal the judge’s decision.
A patron who joined the suit with CSPI said he had frequented the restaurant for 20 years and was surprised to find out how much sodium was in his favorite menu items. He claims that he suffers from high blood pressure.
When the suit was filed in late July, Denny’s said the lawsuit is without merit and described as “frivolous.” The company said it offers a wide variety of choices for consumers with different lifestyles, understanding that many have special dietary needs. In June the company launched “Better for You” items allowing guests to re-place favorites with lower sodium and fat alternatives.

NHLRA Honors 2009 Stars of the Industry
Celebrating excellence in New Hampshire’s hospitality industry, the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA) recently hosted the 95th annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Dinner on Nov. 2 at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods. Each year the “Stars of the Industry” Awards Dinner celebrates individuals who exemplify the best of the hospitality industry.
The 2009 Award honorees are as follows: “Ed Bednarowski” Allied Member of the Year, Greg Crocker, New England Coffee; Innkeeper of the Year, Dicky Desail, Hill-Brook Motel, Bedford; Restaurateur of the Year, Terry O’Brien, Red Parka Pub, North Conway; Lodging Employee of the Year, Michele Hoffman, Radisson Hotel Nashua; Restaurant Employee of the Year, Rob Clifford, Fratello’s Ristorante, Laconia; Excellence in Education Chris Mongeon, Sodexo Dining Services at Plymouth State University; Green Giant Awards – Lodging Rob Burbank, Appalachian Mountain Club, Bretton Woods; Green Giant Awards – Restaurant Priscilla Lane Rondeau, 900 Degrees, Manchester
The dinner also included recognition of the State Winners of the National Restaurant Association Restaurant Neighbor Award. The awards went to 900 Degrees, Manchester; Tio Juan’s Margaritas; State Great NH Restaurants; and National Winner – National Restaurant Association Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year Award, Alex Ray, Common Man Families.

Uno Express Expands To 160 Locations
Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. has announced the opening of more than 160 new Uno Express locations in sports arenas, airports, tourism centers, universities and other locations within the past 15 months. The company tested the concept in 2008 at two BJ's Wholesale Clubs in Massachusetts. "We are now averaging one new Uno Express launch per week," notes Jamie Strobino, senior vice president, new concept development, UNO.
UNO is working with major players in the contract foodservice world to leverage a variety of new distribution channels. Uno Express can now be found in numerous sporting venues including Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX; Tsongas Arena, Lowell, MA; and the Boston Garden.
Mr. Strobino added the concept is succeeding in a variety of airport locations including Milwaukee, Charlotte, Chicago, San Diego and Ft. Lauderdale as well as tourist destinations and colleges and universities.

Food Service Latest Word…
The Mass. Restaurant Assn. has appointed Lon Breedlove as director of membership services. He has worked for six years with various chapters of the National Restaurant Association and has over 15 years in restaurant and hospitality management experience, which includes restaurant and hotel assignments in the U.S., Europe and Mexico.

Moobella Inc. of Taunton, Mass., with its multi patented technology allowing consumers to make their own fresh hard scoop ice cream in 40 seconds, has selected Pinnacle Food Sales & Marketing has the company’s exclusive food service broker in New England.

The New York City Capital Resource Corp will give financial assistance to Jetro Cash and Carry Enteprises (Restaurant Depot) to expand to a new facility in New York City.

C-STORE NEWS

FDA Warns Against Marketing Illegal Flavored Cigarettes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to companies continuing to sell illegal flavored cigarettes to U.S. consumers via their websites.
The warning letters directed the companies to cease the marketing and sale of these products immediately or to take other appropriate action to bring the products into compliance with the law.
Failure to do so may result in additional regulatory actions such as seizure or injunction. In addition, FDA requested a written response from each of the companies within 15 days outlining the corrective actions taken.
“FDA takes the enforcement of this flavored cigarette ban seriously,” said Lawrence Deyton, director of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, in a press release. “These actions should send a clear message to those who continue to break the law that FDA will take necessary actions to protect our children from initiating tobacco use.”
The Tobacco Control Act specifically calls for a ban on cigarettes containing certain characterizing flavors. Enforcement of this ban went into effect Sept. 22.

Couche-Tard/ Shell Combine on Retail Venture In Chicago
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. of Canada expects to enter into an agreement with Shell Oil Products to operate approximately 100 convenience stores in the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
The transaction is subject to final management approvals of both companies, standard regulatory approvals and closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2009.
Of the 100 convenience stores within the scope of the proposed venture, 89 are currently operated by third party operators under an operator agreement with Shell, including 32 operated under the Circle K banner by Couche-Tard's Midwest Division. "These stores are located in the third largest city in the US. Strategically, this acquisition would be a complement to our expansion and growth plans for the Midwest Division. In addition to being an excellent fit within our current operating framework, it would also provide a much larger presence and would allow us to more easily target our growth in the greater Chicago metropolitan area", said Darrell Davis, Vice-President Operations, Circle K Midwest Division.
Couche-Tard currently operates a network of 5,906 convenience stores which include 4,122 motor fuel dispensing, located in 11 large geographic markets, including eight in the United States covering 43 states and three in Canada covering all ten provinces. Some 52,000 people are employed throughout Couche-Tard's retail convenience network.

Cumberland Farms Sponsors Massachusetts-Wide Food Drive with 4H Club
Throughout November, Cumberland Farms is sponsoring a state-wide food drive led by the Massachusetts 4H Club.
Beginning Nov. 1 consumers can drop off non-perishable food at any Cumberland Farms store in the Bay State. The goal is to collect 12,000 pounds of food to benefit local food pantries.
“At Cumberland Farms our mission is to give back to our communities,” said Ari Haseotes, president of Cumberland Farms Retail Division. “The rising hunger among families in our state is astounding and unacceptable. We are proud to sponsor the young people of 4H who are working hard to ease the burden of families in need.”
4H members will retrieve donations from each Cumberland Farms store, and deliver them to local food banks in each county from Barnstable to Berkshire, Worcester to Plymouth. This is the second year Cumberland Farms has supported the 4H Massachusetts food drive as part of the company’s Corporate Giving Program.

C-Store Latest Word…
Mars Chocolate North America unveiled a state of the art headquarters and solar garden at its renovated site in Hackettsown N.J. on Nov. 10.

Minute Maid will launch three new, but smaller 12 fluid ounce single service bottles in January. The flavors are pomegranate blueberry and lemonade and strawberry kiwi flavored. juice drinks.

FSI Beverage Systems has appointed TNT Marketing to market and sell its product line of coffee syrups, shaker toppings, mini-marshmallows, sweeteners, booster shots and Emergen C fountain health and energy drinks.

To kick off Black Friday, Nov 27, QuickChek will offer free coffee throughout its 120 New Jersey and New York stores.

NEW CHANNELS

Kehe Foods To Locate Major NE Facility In Allentown, Pa.
Pennyslvania Governor Edward Rendell announced on Nov. 6 that state investments will help a supply chain management company and a leading natural and specialty food distributor open a new distribution center in Allentown, creating at least 200 jobs within three years.
Supply chain management company OHL worked with Kehe Food Distributors, a U.S. distributor of natural and specialty food products, to open the new 300,000-square-foot center.  The $6.2 million facility, which Kehe Foods will use to serve food retailers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, is operating and is fully staffed. The new project will create at least 210 jobs within three years.
Kehe Food Distributors distributes more than 40,000 products, including natural and organic, international, specialty, perishable, Kosher and Latin American food items to more than 15,000 retail outlets in 50 states, Mexico and the Caribbean.
“Our new Allentown facility will dramatically improve our service times and overall operational efficiency in the Northeast,” said Tom Small, executive vice president of warehousing and distribution for Kehe. “We’re very pleased with our new eastern Pennsylvania location.”

FDA Issues New Food Code
The Food and Drug Administration last week announced the publication of the new FDA Food Code, a reference document that provides a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service segment of the food industry.
The FDA Food Code provides the basis for most of those agencies' licensing, inspection, and enforcement activities, as well as serves as a model for their food statutes, regulations, and ordinances.
The previous full edition was released in 2005 with a supplement published in 2007.
Some of the newest additions or sections include required time and temperature control for cut leafy greens; food allergens; a new regulation that serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer's request is no longer an option for items offered on a children's menu; and several requirements related to the effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces are enhanced or clarified.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture were consulted on changes in this latest edition.

Greater Boston Food Bank Launches Thanksgiving Turkey Drive
The Greater Boston Food Bank recently launched its Thanksgiving turkey drive by hosting 150 people, including Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, at its annual Chain of Giving event and honoring high school students and state legislators from Boston who did significant work in hunger relief. The event called attention to the increased need for food assistance throughout eastern Massachusetts where The Food Bank's 600 member hunger relief organizations are serving 11 percent more clients than they were a year ago. Some are serving 40 percent more clients.
Requests for turkeys from The Food Bank are up more than 14 percent this year. The food bank aims to distribute 38,000 birds to its member food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters before Thanksgiving. The Food Bank's turkey drive will run from Thursday, Nov. 5 through Tuesday, Nov. 24. Every $12 donation will help provide a 12-to-14 pound turkey to a family in need this Thanksgiving. Donations can be made on line at www.gbfb.org/turkeydrive.

New Channels Latest Word…
Schreiber Foods and Michael Haddad, president and chief executive officer of the company, will be honored the National Kashrut Leadership Award in New York. The event is hosted by Orthodox Union of New York.

CVS Caremark is working with Generation Health Inc. to improve care for patients who are non-responsive or have adverse reactions to their medicines.

Shoplifting, employee theft and supply chain fraud increased 8.8 percent causing losses of $42.2 bllion in the U.S. for the past year ending June 30, according to the 2009 Global Retail Theft Barometer.

Walmart and the Eastern Maine Medical Center opened a new medical clinic inside a Walmart Supercenter in Bangor, Maine. There are now 37 in store medical clinics in Walmart stores across 12 states.