Smithfield Foods to Close Altoona, Iowa, Facility

Production to be consolidated to other Smithfield facilities to increase efficiencies

Smithfield Foods will close its Altoona, Iowa, ham boning facility and consolidate production volume at other locations to improve the efficiency of its manufacturing platform.

Smithfield will provide transition assistance to 314 employees at the facility who will be affected by the closure. The company will meet with employees individually to provide additional details about the transition plan, including severance, financial incentives to assure business continuity and potential employment opportunities with Smithfield.

“We appreciate the good work our Altoona employees have...

ConSup North America Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Sliced Prosciutto Product

ConSup North America Inc., a Lincoln Park, N.J. firm, is recalling approximately 85,984 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced prosciutto ham product produced in Germany without the benefit of equivalent inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The RTE sliced prosciutto ham item was produced on various dates from Sept. 25, 2023 through March 6, 2024. The following product is subject to recall [view labels]:

• 5.29-oz. plastic packages containing “Stockmeyer PROSCIUTTO Product of GERMANY” with lot...

Analysis: Dollar to Peso Currency Conversion Impact on the U.S. Pork Bone-In Ham Market

Following the Easter holiday and into early April, the US 23/27 bone-in ham market displayed a fully steady to firm tone, with the majority of buying interest coming from the Mexican market. The Urner Barry weekly average price for bone-in hams for the week of April 8^th, 2024 was the second highest on record for the month of April, dating back to 1981. This price was only exceeded during the 2014 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) outbreak, reflecting the tight supply...

One-Hop Shopping! BJ’s Wholesale Club Delivers Fresh Savings for Easter Celebrations

BJ’s Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ), a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs, is bringing egg-citing savings this year on Easter essentials, including fresh food, spring décor, apparel, paper goods and basket stuffers.

Members will find unbeatable value on Easter essentials both in-club and online at BJs.com. Plus, members can earn additional savings when they stock up on practically anything between March 12 and March 31. When BJ’s members spend $150* in one transaction between those dates, either in-club or online, they will receive a...

The Retail Rundown: Hopping Towards the Holiday

Seafood maintains its lion’s share of total feature volume with 37% this week, up from 28.6% the week prior. At present, 42% of seafood features stem from the fresh/frozen fillet category as retailers look to capture sales from Lent observers.

Tilapia and salmon have the greatest percentages of feature volume within the fillet category. With prices comparable to or below year-ago levels, retailers were keen to give the two species a larger chunk of circular real estate.

Fresh salmon, the top seller within the finfish category last week, retailed at...

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® Announces Return of Easter Heat n' Serve Favorites

To celebrate Easter, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® is announcing new meal offerings to help create a delicious home-cooked meal experience. Guests can enjoy new items like the Hot n' Ready Easter Ham and Turkey Family Dinner and a Heat n' Serve French Toast Bake or traditional favorites like the Easter Heat n' Serve Ham or Prime Rib meals.

"This Easter, let Cracker Barrel do the homestyle cooking," said Cracker Barrel Vice President of Culinary Thomas Yun...

The Retail Rundown: Plenty to Munch on in March

Baseball, basketball, briskets, and the list goes on! Retailers have their sights set on spring demand with March just around the corner. Next month brings several buying opportunities and a refresh for the retail food landscape following the February slump.

Just a little over two weeks out is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17^th. Bar and foodservice establishments are expected to benefit from patrons out and about for the holiday, which falls on a weekend this year.

Consumers in the U.S. also celebrate the holiday with corned beef, which is made...

Hormel Foods Recalls Ready-To-Eat Spiced Deli Ham Products

Hormel Foods, an Austin, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 945 pounds of ready-to-eat spiced deli ham products due to misbranding and undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product may contain milk, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

The ready-to-eat spiced deli ham product was packaged on November 17, 2023. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

5-lb. plastic casing or various weight packages sliced from...

REPORTER: Peso-Dollar Exchange Rate Impact on Mexico’s Bone-In Ham Pricing

This article was originally featured in the WINTER 2024 Edition of Urner Barry’s Reporter magazine.

In 2023 the Mexican peso emerged as a symbol of economic resilience, reflecting the country’s strong  economic growth, political stability, and the draw of favorable interest rate differentials. These factors have not only contributed to the peso’s strength but have also enhanced its appeal to investors and traders in the currency and protein markets.

The performance of the peso is linked to various sectors, including agricultural trade, which has been significantly...

Enjoy the Season with Dickey’s Heat and Serve Holiday Feasts

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit knows the holidays are the perfect time to sit back and enjoy some Texas-style with friends and family. With significant holiday sales so far this year, the Dickey’s team was thrilled to secure plenty of Smoked Turkeys, Prime Ribs, Cajun Turkeys, and Spiral Cut Hams for you to enjoy at a fantastic price.

Give your favorite pit master a break this holiday season and let Dickey’s do the cooking for you. The barbecue brand recognizes that we have a lot to be grateful for...

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year at The Fresh Market!

The Fresh Market is making prepping for the holidays easier than ever this year, with the specialty food retailer’s prepared holiday meals available now for pre-order, a special holiday print edition of The Fresh Market Magazine, and a holiday-themed shoppable livestream featuring brand ambassador, Chef Anna Rossi. 

Whether it's a festive feast with family and friends or a small gathering, The Fresh Market offers everything guests need to create memorable and delicious meals. To make holiday shopping even more convenient, The Fresh Market also...