Starbucks to Focus on Growing Coffee Sales in the Single-Cup Market

The current leader in the single-serve coffee industry is Green Mountain, which dominates the United States market for single-cup coffee with its Keurig line of coffee brewers. Starbucks wants to change that. Next month, they are ending their partnership with Kraft Foods Inc., which will allow Starbucks to deal with other companies more assertively to grow in the single-cup direction. Already, Starbucks has struck a deal with Courtesy Products’ CV1 one-cup brewers, planning on installing them in up to 500,000 upscale  hotel rooms in the United States. Look out, Green Mountain. Fox Business/Reuters (2/17/2011)

Big Growth for Chipotle in 2010 from New Store Openings, Steadfast Vision

Financial results are in for Chipotle Mexican Grill, which reported growth for fourth quarter and full year ending December 31st, 2010. The outcome was positive, including a 24.5 percent revenue jump from 2009. This puts total revenue over $480 million for the fast food chain. During 2010, Chipotle opened its 1,000th restaurant, and now claims 1,084 locations including its first in London. Additionally, all restaurants serve naturally-raised barbacoa. These changes helped increase revenue over 20% from 2009. Founder and co-CEO says the changes were made possible by sticking to their vision to change the way the world understands fast food.  QSR Magazine (2/3/2011)

Food Taxes Can Affect Food Choices, Study Shows

A recent computer-based study assesssed whether a tax of 25% of more on foods high in sugar or fat would discourage hypothetical purchases. In most cases, it did. However, students already conscious of their nutrional habits did not alter their choices based on the tax. In the U.S., advocates of taxing soda and junk food believe a food tax like this could help reduce the cost of treating obesity-related illness–which is estimated at $147 billion. Reuters (2/17/2011)

Putting Seafood Back on the Table, Post BP-Disaster

It’s been 10 months since the disastrous BP oil leak that spilled 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Louisiana coastal waters. Approximately half of the local oyster population was wiped out in the spill, and local diners are still warming up to the idea of seeing the shellfish, as well as other local seafood, back on their dinner plates. However, restaurateurs have started serving the local fare again, letting concerned people know that the only difference in oysters now versus before the spill is a slightly higher price. CNN (2/17/2011)