Bill takes aim at seafood fraud
A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts is aimed at making sure consumers are given correct information about the seafood they are purchasing. If it becomes law, fishermen will be required to share with consumers the information they collect about the seafood they catch. The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model)/Business Updates blog (3/6)

Restaurant News

Nevada restaurants oppose stricter menu labeling bill
Chain restaurants, grocery stores and other food sellers in Nevada are lining up to oppose a bill proposed this week that would require chains with 10 or more locations in the state to post nutritional information on their menus. The measure would be stricter than the federal rules now under development at the Food & Drug Administration, which will require chains with 20 or more units to post the information. Las Vegas Sun/The Associated Press (3/6)

Caribou Coffee campaign includes 3D billboard, first TV spot in 3 years
Caribou Coffee is returning to national television for the first time since 2010 as part of a Colle + McVoy campaign that includes a 3D billboard, radio and in-store marketing. The TV spot shows mostly outdoor scenes, offers bromides about enjoying life and the tagline "Life is more than coffee. ... That's why there's coffee." The billboard constructed in Minneapolis uses a 3D coffee cup and features a scene from the TV spot. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (3/7)

Other News

Happy Hour

Leading Voices

NYC's new sugary drink rules take effect next week
New York City's ban on sugary soft drinks larger than 16 ounces is set to take effect Tuesday. Some eateries scrambled to make sure they'll have the right size glasses on hand, while others including Starbucks said they'll take a wait-and-see approach as a lawsuit seeking to strike down the ban makes its way through the courts. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage (3/8)

Software acts as restaurants' data Copilot
Eli Chait, who grew up in and around his dad's restaurant, co-founded Copilot Labs to help restaurateurs use their data to grow. The firm's software analyzes an array of data including sales volume and table turnover at every point in the day, to help operators determine strengths and weaknesses. San Francisco Chronicle (3/7)

Loyalty to the brand bodes well for Starbucks
Starbucks has generated such brand loyalty among coffee drinkers that it continues to outperform competitors, from Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme to independent and artisan coffee houses, says branding expert Priya Raghubir. "Starbucks stands for coffee; it's converted that into an experience." The Huffington Post (3/7)

Exec: IHOP mobile push for Griddle Melts is "mouth-watering"
IHOP is using "expandable and interstitial" mobile ads within the Pandora application to publicize its Griddle Melts, writes Rimma Kats. The ad redirects clicks to a Facebook page for followup "likes." "The IHOP campaign is a very attractive, mouth-watering and colorful campaign that is extremely well designed and executed," says Simon Buckingham, chief executive of Appitalism. Mobile Marketer (3/6)

Culinary Spotlight

Sub chains move ahead with pretzel bread
Sandwich chains Blimpie Subs and Cousins Subs are among the first to offer pretzel bread as a menu option, putting them ahead of the current artisan bread trend. "Breads are fun to innovate with. Due to the many forms and flavors they now come in, it is easier to implement these novelty breads in a QSR setting," said Blimpie marketing VP Steven Evans. QSRWeb.com (3/7)

Taco Bell debuts Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos ... really
Taco Bell officially rolled out its new Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos on Thursday, a day after disgruntled fans failed to find the hotly anticipated new dish at their local stores. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (3/7)

Food for Thought

Hope is the physician of each misery." -- Irish proverb Share: