Month: July 2011

Americans are eating at restaurants with greater frequency and the industry is on the mend. Even so, restaurants face the dual headwinds of commodity-price inflation and a still-cautious, value-driven consumer. All of this is according to a new survey by AlixPartners LLP, the global business-advisory firm. …

In response to recent health trends, restaurants nationwide have been placing high-quality burgers featuring Kobe and Wagyu beef on the menu. Wagyu, which means “Japanese cattle,” and Kobe, a line of cattle from the Kobe region of Japan, are prized around the world for prime tenderness, rich flavor and a positive ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats. At two to three grades above prime, Akaushi beef is a Wagyu line with even better flavor and more surprising health benefits. …

Marsh Supermarkets announced that industry-veteran David C. Siegel has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing Strategic Initiatives. …

After months of speculation, U.S. discount retailer BJ’s had agreed to enter into a private sale to two private equity firms Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners for $2.8 billion in cash. The deal follows another large purchase for Leonard Green in the last year, which bought JCrew in partnership with TPG Capital for around $3 billion last November. …

The Fourth of July holiday brings out many of the obvious grilling and barbeque delights – hot dogs, hamburgers, and of course potato chips. But what brands are consumers buying? Do various regions differ in their love for grilled meats? Are shopper’s grilling habits changing? MyWebGrocer drilled down into online sales data from the past three years to see what grocery stores might expect, and found interesting – and occasionally unexpected – results. …