The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Schiller Park-based Interstate Brands Corp. with 20 alleged safety violations for failing to train workers and protect them from safety hazards. OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $274,500. Get the full story »
Filed under: Food
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Washington state bans caffeinated alcohol drinks
Seattle Times | Washington state’s Liquor Control Board on Wednesday banned of caffeinated alcohol drinks, the type of beverage that sickened nine Central Washington University students last month during an off-campus party.
New Wendy’s fries target foodies with skins, sea salt
Wendy's new fries. (Wendy's)
With an eye toward appealing to foodies, Wendy’s is remaking its fries with Russett potatoes, leaving the skin on and sprinkling sea salt on top as it changes its menu to focus on “real” ingredients to win more fans.
The first move in the strategy was a new line of salads such as Apple Pecan Chicken in the summer. Now, the fries, which first appear on Thursday and roll out over the next two weeks. This is the first major overhaul of the 41-year-old company’s fries, although it has adjusted the recipe in the past. Get the full story »
San Francisco bans toys in some fast-food meals
San Francisco has become the first major American city to prohibit fast-food restaurants from including toys with children’s meals that do not meet nutritional guidelines.
The city’s Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 in favor of the measure Tuesday after giving it preliminary approval last week. That’s enough votes to survive a likely veto by Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Food producers sue to stop ethanol boost in gas
Livestock producers and food industry groups filed a suit on Tuesday seeking to overturn a U.S. decision to allow higher levels of ethanol in gasoline, saying it could push up food prices.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the National Meat Association and other groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency, saying regulators overstepped their authority when they ruled last month that gasoline retailers could sell fuel containing up to 15 percent ethanol, up from 10 percent now. Get the full story »
Nov. 9, 2010 at 10:25 a.m.
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Filed under: Advertising/Marketing, Food, Investing, Restaurants, Technology, Venture capital VC firm delivers $11 million to GrubHub
A meal from Reza's Restaurant delivered to Tribune food critic Phil Vettel through GrubHub, Jan. 24, 2008. (Abel Uribe/Tribune)
GrubHub, the Chicago-based technology start-up that connects consumers with restaurants that deliver to their neighborhood, has raised $11 million in its third and largest round of venture-capital funding.
The company received the funding from Benchmark Capital, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based firm that has also backed companies such as restaurant reservation service OpenTable, review site Yelp and real estate site Zillow. GrubHub launched in 2006 and had previously raised $3.1 million in two rounds of funding from Origin Ventures, Leo Capital and Amicus Capital. Origin Ventures and Leo Capital are both based in Northbrook.
Matt Maloney, GrubHub’s co-founder and chief executive, said the company was looking for funding to expand into new cities and develop new products and features in areas such as mobile applications. Get the full story »
Sara Lee selling bread unit to Grupo Bimbo
A shopper passes shelves of Sara Lee bread at a Chicago market . (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Sara Lee Corp. is selling its North American Fresh bakery unit to baking company Grupo Bimbo for $959 million as it looks to concentrate more on its coffee and meat businesses.
The Downers Grove-based maker of Jimmy Dean sausages and Sara Lee breads said Tuesday that the sale will allow it to aggressively expand other businesses through acquisitions and other means. Get the full story »
Eggs recalled after salmonella found at Ohio farm
Evidence of salmonella has been found at an Ohio egg farm that’s received financing from the owner of an Iowa egg farm that was behind a massive recall earlier this year. Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the nation’s biggest egg seller and distributor, said it is recalling 288,000 eggs the company had purchased from supplier Ohio Fresh Eggs after a test showed salmonella at the Ohio farm.
Sara Lee near bakery sale to Grupo Bimbo
A deal whereby Sara Lee Corp sells its North American bakery business to Mexico’s Grupo Bimbofor $900 million to $1 billion could be announced this week, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing two people with knowledge of the matter. Get the full story »
Vending industry nuts over calorie requirements
(David Pierini/Chicago Tribune)
The vending machine industry is up in arms following a new report by the Food and Drug Administration that estimates the industry will need to spend 14 million hours annually to comply with new calorie disclosure laws.
The new requirements, signed into law this March under sweeping health reform legislation, require vending machine operators with 20 or more locations to provide a sign in close proximity to each food item in a vending machine to disclose the calorie count of that item before it is chosen. Get the full story »
IHOP planning restaurants on college campuses
Casual dining chain International House of Pancakes LLC is planning to develop more restaurants on college campuses with partner Aramark.
“The trend of breakfast all-day and late-night dining is growing on college campuses,” said Ann Marie Solomon, Aramark vice president of national brand partnerships, in a statement. Get the full story »
Bunge buys two Indiana grain elevators
Bunge North America, a division of agribusiness giant Bunge Ltd., said it bought Indiana-based Morristown Grain Co Inc, which includes two grain elevators in Morristown and Rushville. Get the full story »
Nov. 5, 2010 at 3:39 p.m.
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Filed under: Chicago executives, Food, International, Personnel moves McDonald’s names new European head
Two days after the head of its European business unexpectedly resigned, McDonald’s Corp. found his replacement.
Steve Easterbrook, the burger chain’s global chief brand officer, will become president of McDonald’s Europe on Dec. 1. He succeeds Denis Hennequin, who resigned Wednesday to become chief executive officer of Accor Hotels Group. Get the full story »
Nov. 5, 2010 at 2:19 p.m.
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Filed under: China, Crime, Food, Fraud, International, Packaged foods, Trade Honey executive sentenced to 30 months in prison
A honey import executive who pleaded guilty to conspiring to avoid more than $5 million in U.S. anti-dumping duties has been sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Hung Ta Fan, who also used the name Michael Fan, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Chicago and was ordered to pay about $5.38 million in restitution. He pleaded guilty to the charges in August. Get the full story »
