Parmigiano-Reggiano producers have had enough. For years Italian producers of parmesan cheese have been fighting against imitation or counterfeit products that have been eating into market share and profits. As the demand for authentic, high-end cheese grows, so does the knock-off market with estimated global sales for counterfeit cheese now reaching $2 billion annually. The …
Continue reading “Cheese Producers Use Edible Microchips To Protect Against Knockoffs”
The Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia spp) or Nopal is a traditional ingredient in Mexican cooking, dating back to pre-Colombian times. The word “nopal” comes from the Nahuatl word “nopalli” referring to the pads of the plant. As its name suggests, the prickly pear is characterized by its unique physical appearance with flat fleshy oval to …
Continue reading “The Prickly Pear Cactus Gains Popularity With Health Benefits Galore”
On June 22, 2023, the USDA approved lab-grown chicken for human consumption for the first time. UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat (a subsidiary of food tech company Eat Just, Inc.) were given the go-ahead to sell products that have been cultivated from real animal cells. Good Meat launched in Singapore in 2020, when Singapore became …
Continue reading “Lab Grown Chicken Gets Final USDA Go-Ahead”
The frozen food industry continues to grow as consumers want greater variety along with increased demand for convenience foods and improvements in frozen food quality. A significant factor in the success of this industry is packaging and thus knowing the preferences of consumers is important. Today, we’ll look at what shoppers like and dislike about …
Continue reading “What Irritates Consumers Most About Frozen Food Packaging”
I may be dating myself…but I’m sure some of you remember this famous jingle… “Two all-beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions and a sesame seed bun.” It’s the BIG MAC jingle, of course. You remember it, right? I’m not ashamed to admit I still know it by heart. That’s because way back in …
Millennials, also known as Generation “Y” are born between the early 1980’s and the mid 1990’s although the exact dates can vary depending on the source of information. As of 2021, they made up the largest generational group in the United States, representing approximately 27% of the total population according to the U.S. Census Bureau …
Since December last year we’ve heard a lot about AI – artificial intelligence and in particular OpenAi’s ChatGPT. In fact, just last week, Microsoft released some beta-testing of its new AI powered Bing search engine which is powered by OpenAi’s ChatGPT and the results were stunning. Over one million people signed up for the beta-testing …
Continue reading “Food Processing and AI – We’ve Only Scratched the Surface”
This month, just for fun I decided to enlist the help of AI (artificial intelligence) to write about what’s happening in the plant-based meat category, (often called “fake meat”), so I logged onto chat.openai.com. Was AI as up-to-date on the market info as those of us humans who work at Noon International? A little background…according …
Almost everyone enjoys the food that comes from a Yum! Brand franchise or subsidiary. Who doesn’t like Kentucky Fried Chicken or a piping hot pizza from Pizza Hut? Today, Yum! Brands, Inc. (headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky), operates a system of over 53,000 restaurants in 155 countries and territories throughout the world under the brands KFC …
We’re all experiencing higher food prices at the grocery level these days. Staples like a dozen eggs for example, that cost on average $1.83 a year ago, now cost $2.90. Like potato chips? It will run you $6.05 a bag today against $5.05 a year ago. And have you eaten out lately? Restaurants here in …
Continue reading “Frozen Fruits & Vegetables Rise in Popularity”
In January this year, the number of ships in line waiting to unload at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach was 109 stretching 60 miles into the Pacific. This week, it dropped to just four according to the Wall Street Journal. In pre-Covid times the queue was usually zero to one container ships …
Continue reading “Westcoast Container Back-Up is Over But Still, Lots of Problems”
Hiking and exploring the great outdoors are popular among the young people in China today and new-style ready-made meals fit the bill when it comes to satisfying their hunger. Unlike conventional ready-made meals you may be familiar with, these are just a little bit different. Fanhu, a creative Guangzhou based start-up, entered this market in …
Just when I thought I knew most of the varieties of strawberries, I see yet another is about to make its appearance! It’s called the “Honeycrisp of Strawberries” – a Ruby June variety that is a deep dark red color and, according to Seal the Seasons, has a “sweet, luscious flavor.” My mouth is already …
Continue reading “Taste a Luscious “Ruby June” Strawberry! Sourcing Locally Makes Good Sense”
Ever Wonder Why Supermarkets Sell Flowers? In almost every grocery store across the USA from Whole Foods to smaller shops you’ll find a flower section loaded with cut flowers, plants, and orchids. I’ve always wondered why flowers have such a large presence in this type of retail environment but it’s a planned and strategic move …
Here at Noon International over the past few years we’ve been struggling to obtain 8×40 foot ocean shipping containers to get your orders to you, yet there are others who have happily been using retrofitted shipping containers for indoor farming and new business ventures. Indoor farming is nothing new. Hydroponics (the no-soil method of growing …
Continue reading “Tech-Facilitated Indoor Farming Finds a Home in Ocean Shipping Containers”
The Covid 19 Pandemic along with supply chain disruptions over the past two years has changed the way we eat, what we eat, how chefs in restaurants source and prepare foods, and the popularity/trending of certain foods and ingredients. Massively disrupting supply chain issues forced restaurants and homemakers to turn to local suppliers and farmers …
Continue reading “Vegetables and Upcycling Top the Trending List”
The official USDA website is a wealth of information if you’re willing to take the time to navigate it. From time to time, we’ll publish pertinent information from this website that we feel could be useful to you and those in the food industry. One that is of particular interest is the Food Price Outlook, …
We’re all feeling the immediate effects here in the USA of the war in Ukraine. The sanctions imposed have cause gas and oil prices to explode compounded by the inflation we are already experiencing. But there are far more serious problems ahead regarding agricultural production and food prices. There are food shortages right now worldwide, …
Continue reading “War in the Ukraine Brings Higher Prices and Food Shortages Worldwide”
One of the biggest continuing trends in the food arena today is plant-based foods. I’m sure you’re all familiar and may have even sampled the “Impossible Whopper” at Burger King even if just out of curiosity. Now, as more players enter this market, we’re seeing a variety of innovative foods in 2022 that will tempt …
Continue reading “Plant-Based Foods Just Keep Getting Better”
Are you as tired of rising prices and shortages as we are? What are you willing to pay for a container? A trucker? Unfortunately, it’s not going to end soon. Our food systems – suppliers, manufacturers, workers, and consumers continue to suffer as transport and supply issues remain unresolved and prices continue rise on almost …