NZ exporters hit by weak euro

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/05/06/124803864178
New Zealand wool exporters are among those feeling the effects of the falling European currency, triggered by Greece's debt crisis.
The New Zealand dollar has strengthened to a two-and-a-half year high against the euro this week, meaning European customers are having to pay more for products from New Zealand.
The dollar has also strengthened against the British pound.
One exporter, Peter Whiteman of Segard Masurel, says there's been a virtual halt to carpet wool sales to Europe in the last month.
Mr Whiteman says wool sales to Asia are relatively strong, as the falling European currencies accelerate the move of carpet processing to that part of the world.
Kiwifruit marketer Zespri says the declining European currency and correspondingly strong New Zealand dollar is also going to eat into returns from its main export market this season.

Roubini on markets

http://www.benzinga.com/media/cnbc/267748/roubini-on-markets-greece-japan
Roubini On Markets, Greece, & Japan
Economist and perpetual bear, Nouriel Roubini, from RGE Monitor, was on CNBC this morning prognosticating about the market’s crash yesterday, as well as the Greek debt crisis. He said, “Despite Thursday's unexplained surge in selling that drove the Dow down 900 points, the stock markets are being driven lower by fears over the global economy and the debt crisis spreading,” adding that Greece was just the “tip of the iceberg.”
He was fast to point out that he believed there would be a restructurings of debt in Greece, but that the wheel is already in motion, saying that “My concern is eventually, not this year, it may spread to Japan and in the US.”
“The fundamentals are those that are driving these markets," said Roubini. Debt problems are not contained to Europe, because printing money to finance debt is likely to lead to inflation and “at some point in the future even the bond market in the US risks to snap, “ he said.

Whole Foods opens new flagship store

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Whole-Foods-MarketR-Opens-New-iw-3113411376.html?x=0&.v=1
Whole Foods Market(R) Opens New Flagship Store in Tarzana With Local Flavors and Community Celebrations
TARZANA, CA--(Marketwire - 05/06/10) - Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFMI - News), the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket and the nation's first certified organic grocer, will open its newest Southern California location at 18700 W. Ventura Blvd (at the corner of Ventura Blvd. and Yolanda) in Tarzana on May 12th at 9:00 a.m.
Inspired by the rich cultural diversity of the Tarzana neighborhood, the 30,000-square-foot sales floor will feature all the local, natural and organic products that Whole Foods Market customers expect plus a spectacular collection of specialties designed to bring the community's favorite international flavors to Whole Foods Market's newest location. With in-store sit-down eateries that offer freshly smoked in-house meat selections and a 40 seat wine bar that serves tapas, beer, wines by the glass and sake cocktails, the store is a new culinary attraction for the Valley. The store will also feature the largest olive bar in Los Angeles, daily offerings of fresh-baked lavash and breads, as well as ethnic and kosher selections that reflect the flavors of the neighborhood. The store is the perfect one-stop-shop for customers looking to satisfy their grocery needs and is also a great place to eat mouth-watering food, taste delicious wines and meet new people.
"On behalf of the store's 200 Team Members and our local businesses, farmers and vendor partners, I would like to thank the Tarzana community for the warm welcome," said George Khoury, Whole Foods Market Tarzana Store Team Leader. "We are proud to be a part of this exciting and unique neighborhood and look forward to building strong relationships with our neighboring businesses and families. We hope to be more than your local grocery store -- we'd love to be your neighborhood gathering place."
More than 40 local vendors will be featured throughout the store. Some of the highlights include:
* Food Bars: fresh-made Persian, Armenian, Greek, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Indian and North African cuisines as well as traditional comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and sliders * Local Flavors: conveniently available selections from the Hummus Bar & Grill Restaurant, Nutty Baklava (formerly Baklava Factory), Salads Galore and many more * Boulevard Bakehouse and Patisserie: Freshly made in the store daily Lavash and bread, like garlic, three-cheese, sundried tomato, ricotta and rosemary. Pies, tarts, petit fours, cookies in bulk and pre-baked cakes sold with frosting kits, ready to take home and decorate * Coffee Bar: delicious Allegro coffee roasted and brewed in-house for your favorite coffee drinks as well as traditional Turkish coffee (cup reading optional) * Kombucha Bar: Kombucha available on-tap * Wine & Tapas Bar: sit-down wine bar that seats up to 40 guests, complete with a panini grill, honey and feta plates, smoky salted edamame and a full calendar of wine-tasting events * Granita/Italian Wine Slushies: frozen cocktails made from sweet wines like Prosecco, Pomegranate, Sweet Pea or Pineapple wines, and fruit * Trail Mix Bar: Create your own trail mix from over 20 different selections making your favorite signature mix to bring to school, the office, parties * More Than 200 Bulk Bins: more than 60 spices and beans, grains, flours, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and candy selections to purchase as much or little as you like * Wine/Beer: large selections of kosher wines, organic wines, everyday sippers and special occasion splurges as well as hand-crafted beers from around the world * Spirits: a new addition to this store, we are offering traditional Spirit selections as well as artisanal, hand crafted selections such as organic vodka * Pickle Barrels: a variety of Alexander Valley pickles in barrels including Manhattan, Bread & Butter and Hot & Spicy pickles * "Umami" section: showcase of the fifth taste including items such as boquerones, mushrooms, cured pork products, blue cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano and many more * Healthy Eating Specialist: an on-site expert to coach, counsel and teach customers shopping, cooking and preparation tips for eating the healthiest, nutrient dense food items for optimal health * Produce: large collection of local vegetables and fruit, featured sections of in-season and unique ethnic selections, an assortment of offerings with high ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) scores; a workstation on the store floor where Team Members can answer cooking and preparation questions while making fresh-squeezed juices, fresh guacamole and fresh salsa * Seafood: fresh, in-season wild caught selections, sustainably farmed options, large kosher pre-packed fish selection, fish smoked in-house daily and frozen bulk shrimp * Meat: specialty meats such as halal lamb and goat meat; expanded kosher poultry selection; Eel River Organic Grass Fed Beef from Humboldt County; smoked lamb; and daily lunch and dinner specials from the smokehouse at the in-store Smokehouse eatery * Whole Body: more than 20 local vendors, hand-crafted natural soaps and bulk bath salts, supplements, bodycare, make-up and a huge selection of organic baby products * Garden Center: organic potted herbs and plants as well as locally grown plants * Home: green household products get greener. Save on packaging with bulk household cleaning products; selection will include laundry/dish liquids and laundry/dish tabs from local vendor, Green Grab
As Whole Foods Market joins the Tarzana community on May 12th, the new community and culinary shopping destination will host a variety of events to allow the community to sample the store's offerings and take some goodies home with them. Grand opening week events will include:
* Grand Opening (May 12th): The first 300 customers in line for the 9:00 a.m. "bread breaking ceremony" will receive a complimentary demi-baguette. There will also be delicious foods to taste and bodycare products to sample, as well as a special appearance from local radio station, JACK-FM's street team. * Opening Weekend (May 15th and 16th): Better to give than to receive? Now, you can do both. Customers who purchase and donate five protein-based canned goods (seafood, meat, chicken, beans, soups and stews) on May 15th and 16th will receive a free FEED 100 Reusable Canvas Bag. All food donations will be given to our partners, Valley Interfaith Council Food Pantry, which works to distribute emergency food for residents in need in the San Fernando Valley. * Community Support Day (May 19th): Demonstrating Whole Foods Market's commitment to building relationships with the community, five percent of net sales on May 19th will be donated to the Tarzana Community and Cultural Center, which provides and maintains a community facility for meetings, activities and programs that nurture community spirit, the arts, education and leadership, and preserve the history and unique cultural qualities of Tarzana. * For additional Grand Opening festivities beyond opening week, please visit the store's online calendar for details: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/storesbeta/tarzana/.
Additionally, Whole Foods Market partnered with Portola Middle School and art teacher, Carol Aron, to engage students in a conversation about where food comes from based on the "Let's Retake our Plates" theme, a campaign Whole Foods Market launched in April 2010 that encourages consumers to take charge of their food choices. The students' interpretations of the theme, using plates as their canvas, will be part of a permanent installation in the store's café.
About Whole Foods Market®Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com), a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and America's first national certified organic grocer, was named "America's Healthiest Grocery Store" in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet"™ captures the company's mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine for 12 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild™, and Harry's Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community Market™ are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.

Freshway Foods recalls romaine

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm211131.htm
Freshway Foods Voluntarily Recalls Products Containing Romaine Lettuce Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact: 1-888-361-7106

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 6, 2010 - Sidney, Ohio – Freshway Foods is voluntarily recalling products containing romaine lettuce with a use by date of May 12 or earlier because they have the potential to be contaminated with Escherichia coli O145 bacteria (E. coli O145). The products were sold under the Freshway brand and Imperial Sysco brand. The company is working with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inform consumers of this recall.
This recall includes romaine lettuce products sold by Freshway Foods for food service outlets, wholesale, and in-store retail salad bars and delis; no other products are involved. Freshway Foods does not produce bulk, prepackaged romaine or bagged salad mixes containing romaine for sale in supermarkets, and therefore these products are not included in this recall.
E. coli O145 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.
The recalled romaine lettuce products were sold to wholesalers and food service outlets in the following states east of the Mississippi river: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The recalled romaine products were also sold for distribution to in-store salad bars and delis for Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh stores in the states listed.
The recall comes after FDA informed Freshway Foods the afternoon of Wednesday, May 5 that a previously unopened product sample in a New York state laboratory tested positive for the bacteria. Freshway Foods traced the entire lot of romaine products and is advising customers to cease use and distribution of it immediately. This recall may be linked to an outbreak investigation in New York, Michigan, and Ohio.
Freshway Foods has kept the FDA and other public health authorities fully apprised of its handling of this matter, and it continues to cooperate with them to identify the cause. An extensive FDA investigation of Freshway Foods’ facility in Sidney has not uncovered any contamination at the plant.
"Freshway Foods is committed to our customers and their consumers who enjoy our products every day. We practice strict food safety guidelines to ensure that our products are as safe as possible, and we will continue to look for opportunities for improvement," said Phil Gilardi, President. "We are voluntarily issuing this recall because we want to do everything possible to minimize risk to public health."
Product instructions for consumers and the public at large:
Consumers who purchased romaine from an in-store salad bars and delis at Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh stores in the states previously listed should throw the product away.
It is important to note that bulk, prepackaged romaine or bagged salad mixes containing romaine that were purchased in supermarkets are not included in this recall; Freshway Foods does not produce these products.
Consumers with questions may call Freshway Foods’ information desk at 1-888-361-7106 (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, M-F) or visit our web site for updates, www.freshwayfoods.com1.
Product instructions for food service outlets, wholesalers, and in-store retail salad bars and delis:
This recall includes romaine lettuce products sold by Freshway Foods for sale in food service, wholesale, and in-store salad bars and delis. Please cease use and distribution of all products containing romaine lettuce and sold by Freshway Foods with a USE BY date of May 12 or earlier. Product descriptions are provided below and on our website at www.freshwayfoods.com2.
Owners of restaurants, in-store salad bars, in-store delis and other food service outlets who have questions may call their Freshway Foods representative, or visit our web site for updates, including disposition of recalled products.

Fresh produce through your PC?

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/506-fresh-fruits-and-veggies-online
Fresh produce through your PC?Wimauma Farmers' Market available online
WIMAUMA - For those who want the freshest vegetables, a farmers' market is the kind of place you would go.
"It just seems fresher. It seems like the vitamins would stay in it better rather than having it transported long distances," says customer Kevin Donnelly.
But there is a new way to get the freshest vegetables and fruits. Rebecca's Veggie Patch is also a farmer's market. But it's a virtual farmers market, online.
Dwan Brock is the owner. Think of him as your personal veggie shopper, bringing the traditional farmers' market into the privacy of your own home.
"We have a hydroponic garden that we grow at and then we are affiliated with about 10 other local farms," says Brock.
Brock lists fruits, vegetables even eggs from those ten Bay Area farms on his website. Buyers log on and start shopping.
"We actually go gather the vegetables straight from the field. Our gathering day is on Friday and our pick up is late Friday afternoon or Saturday morning," says Brock.
Customers then pick up all the vegetables gathered from those different farms at Brocks St. Pete headquarters.
So from organic herbs and spices from Wimauma to peaches from Manatee County, customers now have a one stop shop --home.

Baby food diet hype: just eat fruits and veggies

http://thestir.cafemom.com/healthy_living/102665/baby_food_diet_hype_just
Baby food diet hype: just eat fruits and veggies
Could the celebrity baby food diet help you lose weight just like Jennifer Aniston? She lost 7 pounds already eating 14 servings of bland, mushed veggies and fruits followed by one adult protein-infused meal at night.
While you're almost surely guaranteed to lose weight by virtue of the lesser-calorie load alone, at least one nutritionist at a leading diet and fitness research center thinks this eating plan is, well, silly. It works against a number of the healthy eating principles that research has shown to produce sustained weight loss -- and isn't that what everyone really wants?
"Baby food is mushy -- it doesn't encourage eating slowly, which makes you more aware and mindful of what you're eating, so from a palatability standpoint, you won't be satisfied," Elisabetta Politi, nutrition director for the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center.
Another negative for baby food -- lack of chewing.
"Chewing is associated with feeling more satisfied; plus, it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to register the feeling of fullness in your brain, so that goes back to the slow eating," Politi continues.
Celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson put Aniston on the "Baby Food Cleanse" to help the actress lose weight for her newest movie, Just Go With It, which is being filmed in Hawaii. Apparently Aniston, who has a near perfect body already as far as I can tell, wants to be even more perfect, if that's even possible.
Aniston's awesome figure can't be attributed to exercise alone -- healthy eating is already part of her regimen, which is why Politi thinks the "cleanse" is even more "preposterous."
"There's no need to cleanse the digestive tract if you already eat healthy," Politi says. "Cleansing is associated with overindulgence on bad foods, so thinking this way just creates a vicious cycle."
Aniston has said that she feels cleansing is improving her digestive function, helping her body break down food more efficiently, but Politi says there's simply no medical research to support that theory.
"Just eat real fruits and vegetables," she said. "You'll achieve the same effect, replacing higher-calorie foods with lower-calorie ones, you'll get to chew and eat more slowly, and you'll save money. Baby food is expensive!"

Study: Growing more veggies could profit Midwest

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5geVPMqj9Mj3rwNmzMbXsaVPGmsTQD9FHRPN81
Study: Growing more veggies could profit Midwest(AP) – 7 hours ago
DES MOINES, Iowa — A new study shows that if Midwest farmers raised more of the fruits and vegetables eaten there, they could create thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in income.
The Iowa State University study found that if farmers in six Midwestern states raised enough of 28 crops to meet local demand, they could create $882 million in sales, more than 9,300 jobs and about $395 million in labor income.
Michelle Miller of the University of Wisconsin says other regions of the country could see similar benefits if they also grew food to meet local demand.
But the Iowa State economist who conducted the study, David Swenson, says changing food systems will take time because, for example, expertise in the Midwest focuses on livestock, corn and soybeans and not produce.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Palestinians ordered to stop buying from Jews

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=21051
Palestinians ordered to stop buying from Jews
Palestinian Economic Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh on Thursday threatened Palestinian Arabs who do their weekly grocery shopping at Jewish supermarkets in Judea and Samaria.
In an interview with Al-Watan TV, Libdeh took aim at the thousands of Palestinians who shop at the two Rami Levy grocery stores located in Sha'ar Binyamin in Samaria and Mishor Adumim in Judea.
Libdeh said that the Palestinian Authority knows the names of those who shop at Rami Levy, and suggested action could be taken against their families if they do not stop.
In addition to those who shop at the supermarkets, a number of Palestinian Arabs are also employed at the two Rami Levy locations.
The new shopping ban comes just days after the PA revealed that Palestinians who do not stop working for Jewish contractors would face up to five years in prison.