Retail Beat

• FreshDirect is a symbol of Bronx revitalization, officials say
  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. write that state and city incentives lured FreshDirect to New York City after the online retailer outgrew its Long Island home. FreshDirect plans to build a south Bronx headquarters that will employ about 2,000, "on land that has been dormant for decades -- a symbol of the revitalization that has happened across so much of the Bronx," they write. The Daily News (Batavia, N.Y.) (2/26)     

• Winn-Dixie makes earning fuelperks! points easier
  Winn-Dixie Stores customers can accumulate fuelperks! points faster with the addition of hundreds of items each week that provide bonus points when purchased. "It's a smart solution for saving through the items you already buy," said Mary Kellmanson, marketing group vice president. "The more bonus items you purchase, the more you save." Convenience Store News (2/24)     

Trend-Spotter

• FMI partners with Supermarket News for FMI2012 coverage
  Coverage of the FMI2012 show, scheduled April 30 through May 3 at the Dallas Convention Center, will be provided by Supermarket News, which will offer information online and through mobile applications, social media and a daily print magazine. "We're very excited about this partnership with SN because it will help communicate the event's multidimensional nature," said FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin. Supermarket News (2/24)     

• FDA voices support for labeling system Facts Up Front
  Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for food, said in a letter to FMI and GMA that labeling program Facts Up Front might "contribute to FDA's public health goals." The letter stops short of endorsing the program and says the agency will monitor it "to determine whether consumers notice, understand and use this front-of-pack labeling system." FoodNavigator (2/24)     

• Report: More food and drinks target specific health conditions
  A report from Packaged Facts says there is a growing market for food and drinks that aim to help with specific health conditions, such as high cholesterol or digestive health, and prevent diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. "Two-thirds of U.S. grocery shoppers have purchased a food or beverage in the past year for the purpose of addressing one or more specific health and wellness conditions or concerns," said Publisher David Sprinkle. FoodNavigator (2/24)     

Fresh Ideas

• Popcorn moves beyond plain or buttered
  The rise of gourmet popcorn was recently listed as a top food trend. Popcorn flavorings now include dill pickle or strawberry and cream, and popcorn buffets are cropping up at events such as weddings. National Public Radio (text and audio)/The Salt blog (2/26)     

Health, Nutrition & Pharmacy

• Tenn. MinuteClinics collaborate with TriStar Health
  MinuteClinic locations in the Nashville, Tenn., area are partnering with TriStar Health. The arrangement has TriStar doctors serving as medical directors at clinics and collaborating on patient education. TriStar and MinuteClinic will tell patients about services offered by the other. Chain Drug Review (2/24)     

• Access, not price, guides vegetable consumption, study says
  A study of vegetable consumption in six low-income Chicago neighborhoods found that people who had convenient access to produce were twice as likely to consume recommended levels than were those who lacked access. The report in Public Health Nutrition also found that price was not a barrier to consumption. The Washington Post/Wonkblog (2/23)     

Supplier News

• Coca-Cola tests plant-based bottle with more brands
  Coca-Cola continues to test a plant-based bottle through distribution of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta Orange and Mello Yello in Birmingham, Ala.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Atlanta. Previously, only Dasani was offered in the bottle, but the test, running through May, will gauge consumer reaction and suppliers' production ability. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2/24)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by FMI dailyLead® readers in the past week.

• Whole Foods progresses on all fronts (Winston-Salem Journal (N.C.))

• Consumers are confused by meat-cut names, study finds (Supermarket News)

• American Customer Satisfaction Index puts Publix on top (Florida Today (Melbourne))

• Price Chopper display gives weekly meal ideas (Supermarket News)

• Scientists revise weight-loss calculator (The Telegraph (London))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Featured Content

FMI Spotlight

• What is your customers' primary concern when purchasing meat and poultry? Find out more consumer trends by purchasing The Power of Meat 2012 report.
  

	Cost
	Taste
	Nutritional value
	Social impact

Food Safety and Security

• Industry: Proposed fee tied to food safety would hurt consumers
  Thirty-three industry groups sent top lawmakers a letter arguing against a government proposal to boost food safety by collecting $220 million in registration fees from processing establishments. "As food companies and consumers continue to cope with a period of prolonged economic turbulence, the creation of a new food tax would mean higher costs for food makers and higher food prices for our consumers," the groups wrote. Bloomberg (2/24)     

• Food-safety expert: "You cannot rely on third parties"
  Larry Goodridge, associate professor at the Center for Meat Safety and Quality at Colorado State University, told farmers they are the first line of defense in preventing food contamination. "Everybody who produces food has to be responsible for the safety of the food they produce," he said. "You cannot rely on third parties. You just can't." USA TODAY/The Associated Press (2/24)     

Daily Quote

There art two cardinal sins from which all others spring: impatience and laziness." --Franz Kafka, Bohemian writer