The foodservice market in Canada outperformed the U.S. market in 2012 and is expected to do so again in 2013, in spite of some slowing, according to the latest forecast from Technomic Inc. The Chicago-based research firm predicts nominal sales will rise 3.9% for the year and, deflated by a forecast 2.8% rise in menu…

Overall wholesale food prices fell half a point in February, according to the NRA’s calculations on the three stages of wholesale food prices reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Big drops in prices for fresh fruits and vegetables, following big gains in January, led the decline. Changes in protein prices were mixed with poultry…

Perhaps it was the avoidance of the fiscal cliff, but something cheered up restaurant operators responding to the January survey for the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index. Seven of the eight RPI indicators were up during the month, pushing the overall index nearly a point higher to 100.6. It was the first month the…

In spite of the uncertainty of the federal fiscal cliff late last year, manufacturers’ representatives saw sales of like lines grow 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with the same period in ’11, according to the latest Business Barometer from the Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry, released last week. The reps…

Just like stock market investors, who have driven most equities indices to near record levels, consumers seem to be shrugging off the federal government dysfunction. Both major indexes of consumer confidence rose in February, as consumers focused on the improving jobs market. The final February reading on consumer sentiment from Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys…

Only two of the 10 major foodservice markets tracked by The NPD Group saw traffic increases in the fourth quarter of 2012, though check average increases helped six of the 10 post sales gains. Even in China, traffic growth slowed to below 10% for the first quarter in years. Australia, with a one-point gain, was…

After a sharp drop in December, overall wholesale food prices crept up only 0.1% in January, according to calculations on the three stages of wholesale food prices reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Declines in prices for meats and poultry, dairy products, eggs and fresh fruits overcame strong gains for fresh vegetables and fish.…

The number of Canadian restaurant operators reporting increased same-store sales in fourth quarter 2012 fell to 33% from a robust 44% in the third quarter, according to data from the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s quarterly Restaurant Outlook Survey. The changes are against the same quarter the prior year. A slowing economy, bad weather, concern…

The mid-month reading on consumer sentiment from Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers surprised some observers by popping up to 76.3 from the final January reading of 73.8. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the index to rise only slightly. The current conditions and expectations measures also rose. Surprisingly, households with incomes below $75,000…

This is getting to be like a broken record. Once again average gasoline prices are increasing earlier than is typical, with the national average for a gallon up nearly 40 cents in the past month alone. Foodservice operators are worrying that the spike, on top of the increase in the payroll tax Jan. 1, will…