New consumer video explains beef cuts
By Ann Bagel Storck on 5/4/2010
The American Meat Institute announced Tuesday it has released a new educational video featuring meat scientist Betsy Booren, director of scientific affairs of the American Meat Institute Foundation, that outlines for consumers the different cuts of beef available in today’s marketplace
The video is released to educate consumers as they shop for different cuts of beef at the supermarket or butcher during the unofficial start of grilling season and May’s National Barbeque Month.
To watch the video, visit AMI’s YouTube channel, the Meat News Network.
The beef cuts video is the third installment of AMI’s “Ask the Meat Scientist” series, and a video outlining the different cuts of pork will be released next week, AMI said.
Chicken chain thinks inside the bun
By Dani Friedland on 5/4/2010
After occasionally offering sandwiches on a temporary basis, El Pollo Loco has jumped on the bun bandwagon, adding two chicken sandwiches to its permanent menu lineup.
Both sandwiches begin with a grilled, citrus-marinated chicken breast in a Mexican-style telera roll with shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Guacamole is then added to make the Guacamole Chicken Sandwich, while the Jalapeño Chicken Sandwich gets a dose of sliced peppers, Pepper Jack cheese and spicy sauce.
“There’s certainly no shortage of chicken sandwiches on today’s menus, which is why our team of culinary professionals wouldn’t settle for anything less than extraordinary when creating sandwiches featuring our award-winning flame-grilled chicken,” said Karen Eaden, El Pollo Loco’s chief marketing officer. “Our perseverance paid off. Our two new sandwiches truly pay homage to the chicken that put us on the map.”
El Pollo Loco serves a variety of meals including burritos, salads and tacos. The privately-held company operates more than 400 locations in 13 states.
Analyst sees blue skies for Tyson, Sanderson Farms
By Lisa M. Keefe on 5/4/2010
The financial picture looks brighter for Sanderson Farms Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc., according to BB&T Capital Markets equity analyst Heather Jones.
In reports to investors, Jones raised her earnings per share estimate for Sanderson’s fiscal 2010, ending Oct. 31, to $5.60 from $5.25, and EPS for fiscal 2011 to $5.90 from $5.40. Still, she noted, “We believe both our cost and pricing assumptions could ultimately prove conservative at this time.”
Breast meat and tender prices are boosting overall chicken value, even though wing prices are lower year-over-year, she said. Meanwhile, trends in the price of corn are keeping feed costs low.
Tyson benefits from “positive fundamentals” in all three of its primary segments, Jones said in another note to investors, for many of the same reasons. In addition, Tyson’s beef and pork margins remain solid, she said.
Jones boosted her earnings per share estimate for Tyson in fiscal 2010, ending at the end of September, to $1.65 from $1.47, and took her fiscal 2011 estimate to $1.75 from $1.55. In this case, too, Jones said she believes her estimates may prove low.
