Califia Farms’ Post

In Baking & Snack’s 2024 Trends in Commercial Baking Industry Product Innovation & Development study, Cypress Research surveyed 111 #BakingIndustry professionals — including R&D and operations professionals and corporate level executives at a wide range of companies — to understand exactly how prolific product development currently is, the challenges R&D professionals face and where their focus is when it comes to new products. Learn more: https://ow.ly/ya1w50TtV4k #GroceryIndustry #FoodRetail

🌍🍕 Global Foodservice Highlights: From Tomato Wine to Agrifood Tech Investments 🍕🌍 In the latest Global Foodservice Focus, discover how Pizza Hut is shaking up the holiday season with a limited-edition tomato-based wine 🍷🍅, crafted in collaboration with Just Beyond Paradise Winery to perfectly complement their pizzas. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing a significant 85% surge in alternative protein funding, signaling a robust recovery in the agrifood tech sector. Stay informed about these developments and more in the dynamic world of foodservice. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gcQeB35b #FoodserviceNews #PizzaHut #AgrifoodTech #GlobalTrends #InnovationInFoodservice

Grocers are incorporating more foodservice options into their operations, as the popularity of grab-and-go and ready-made meals soars. The Shelby Report #ShelbyExclusive #Foodservice National Retail Federation #GrabAndGo

It's no surprise that the fast food industry continues to revamp its menu offerings, finding ways to provide customers with healthier alternatives. In a recent article by Produce Business, "Fast Food Chains Put More Produce on the Plate," the freshness of produce is highlighted as a KPI of quality standards at individual restaurants. Fast food chains like Chipotle, Checkers, and Sweet Green are increasingly incorporating fresh produce into their menus. As the trend towards healthier options gains momentum, South Mill Champs has always been an industry leader in meeting the demand for fresh, high-quality produce. Our commitment to providing quality mushrooms for innovative and evolving menu offerings is a testament to our leadership in this industry shift. Learn more about the shift to a produce-forward menu here: https://lnkd.in/g9NvFS62 #FoodTrends #ResturantNews #MushroomsTrends

Prepared foods is one of the fastest-growing retail departments, as consumers increasingly turn to their local grocery store for convenient, high-quality alternatives to traditional restaurant fare. Creating a successful prepared foods offering, however, requires careful attention to space and labor allocation, especially at a time when labor costs are at an all-time high and qualified workers can be difficult to find and retain. Some independent natural and organic retailers are finding that a thoughtfully designed grab-and-go prepared foods assortment can go a long way toward achieving labor efficiencies and overall department profitability. Keep reading: https://utm.io/uhBZH #retailers #preparedfoods #foodservice #grocery

Is Co-Manufacturing your Beverage right for you? So many of our distilleries, craft breweries, and breweries-in-planning members are discussing 'capacity' and 'contracting'. Great article from Jamie Valenti-Jordan on how organizations can start to consider the alternative go-to-market for of co-manufacturing, especially when it comes to craft beverages. https://lnkd.in/gE2jJ4S9

The bakery supports Zimbabwe’s re-industrialization efforts and strengthens Innscor’s position in the food sector. Innscor Africa, a leading consumer goods group controlled by Zimbabwean businessman Zed Koudounaris, has officially opened a state-of-the-art automated bread factory in Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city. The $30 million Bakers Inn unit boasts cutting-edge technology capable of producing roughly 160,000 loaves daily, marking a significant leap in domestic bread production capacity. The Bulawayo bakery features advanced machinery, showcasing a significant step forward for Zimbabwe’s baking industry. Automation streamlines production processes, ensuring consistent quality and improved efficiency. Innscor opens bakery, plans expansion Innscor Africa’s chairman, Addington Chinake, hailed the investment as a major boost for the Matabeleland region, aligning with the government’s decentralization and re-industrialization initiatives. “The plant which is automated to current global standards making use of modern technology and robotics will result in the improvement of bread quality, consistency, and production efficiencies thus reducing waste as well as utilizing less fuel in the production process,” Chinake said. He added that plans are underway to install a second production line for $135 million, further boosting regional capacity and creating an estimated 33,000 direct jobs. Diversified giant with deep roots Innscor Africa, a diversified pan-African investment holding company, specializes in food manufacturing, distribution, and retail. Zed Koudounaris, who co-founded the company in 1997 with Michael Fowler, holds a 2.5-percent stake in the industrial conglomerate. The reclusive billionaire businessman is known for his influence across various industries, particularly his role in building the success of Innscor’s core fast-food brands. Innscor Africa hits milestones with revenue, profit gains Innscor Africa achieved notable milestones in fiscal 2023, reporting revenue of $480.4 million and operating profit of $50.7 million. This strong performance stemmed from improved capacity utilization across core manufacturing businesses, new product launches, category extensions, and optimized distribution strategies. The consumer goods group’s $30 million investment in its Bulawayo Bakers Inn unit underscores its commitment to cutting-edge technology and domestic production within the evolving Zimbabwean market. This strategic move further solidifies the company’s leadership position in the country’s food industry.

People sometimes ask us, is there really an interest in the food & beverage sector to use upcycled food? And we say YES, just look at this: Just this week, Aldi UK launched two beers made from their surplus bread and wonky fruit! Naturally, we're particularly excited about the bread beer news because it involves unsold 🍞 (obviously) and the incredible Toast Brewing brewery (we featured them in our 'Crumbling the Barriers' report), which made the Aldi beer possible! Just read this info to get an idea of the impact of this project:  "[The beer] is brewed with 4,000 loaves of Aldi’s tiger bread, resulting in a 5% lower carbon footprint compared to a beer brewed with all malt. (...) By using Aldi’s surplus bakery bread, we’re saving a whopping three tonnes from going to waste. This beer embodies our nature-saving mission, meaning everyone can enjoy beer that’s better for the planet." Well done, Toast Brewing and Aldi! Our fingers are crossed to keep the upcycling production processes flowing further in the food & beverage markets 🤞 #surplusbread #breadwaste #unsoldbread #innovation #upcycledfood

Wiltshire Marque set to put county’s food and drink on the map 🍽️👀 The Wiltshire Marque, a new accreditation scheme that will celebrate and showcase food and drink made in the county, is set to launch this September. The initiative aims to highlight the many outstanding food- and drink-related businesses found throughout Wiltshire, giving them greater exposure and fostering county-wide collaboration. Organisers say it will bring together businesses that pride themselves on growing produce, making their products, or sourcing the majority of their ingredients within the county, including artisan food producers, manufacturers, distilleries, breweries and local farms. Businesses in the county that stock, celebrate and make use of Wiltshire-made products, including restaurants, pubs, hotels and farm shops, will also qualify for the scheme. These businesses will be able to add the Wiltshire Marque logo to their packaging to promote the provenance of their products, as well as use it as part of their marketing. Participants in the scheme will be showcased on a searchable online directory that members of the public and businesses can access for free, which will include news and updates from the initiative’s members, interviews with local businesses, and foodie event listings. Continue reading... https://lnkd.in/eswxgz8A Wiltshire Council #food #region #showcase #events #manufacturing #cooking #wiltsnews #wiltshour #businessnews #businessintelligence

For years restaurants were told by experts that your ideal Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) should be 30% of revenue. However, our very own Jacob Namrow has done groundbreaking research, combing through the Department of Agriculture's, the National Restaurant Association's and the Bureau of Labor's statistics to give an updated perspective. Today, restaurants are spending 10% more on their COGS. That means 40% of sales are going to COGS. So far, restaurants have responded in 2 major ways 🔷 60% have looked for new suppliers 🔷and 68% have raised prices Besides for the huge implications on restaurants, this opens up opportunities for new lower cost suppliers and could inspire policy makers to update their approaches. Restaurant Business Magazine, Nation's Restaurant News, Quick Service Restaurant, Food & Wine