AGP Executive Report

World Cup Breakfast Boom in Türkiye: Early-morning match times are pushing cafés, restaurants, bakeries and municipalities to open as early as 5 a.m., with special breakfast menus, overnight staffing and even free tea-and-soup plans for pre-dawn crowds. Food Safety Crackdown: India’s FDA stepped up enforcement on Mapusa street stalls, ordering five vendors to stop cooking after repeated hygiene and food-safety violations. Food Aid in Disaster Zones: A Philippine quake-hit town is asking for helicopter airlifts to deliver food to landslide-isolated villages where roads and power are still down. Charity Meets Tech to Cut Waste: FoodCloud’s model continues to connect surplus food from businesses with charities, aiming to reduce waste while feeding communities. Inflation Pressure on Small Food Businesses: A Pennsylvania food festival highlighted how higher energy, transport and wholesale costs are squeezing vendor margins even as foot traffic stays strong. SNAP Replacement for Storm Spoilage: North Dakota says SNAP recipients can get replacement benefits if power outages spoil perishable food, with claims tied to outage length and reporting deadlines. Beverage Industry Hiring: Cava plans to hire 2,500 workers and open 75+ units in 2026, adding an assistant general manager role to strengthen operations as growth accelerates. Beef Supply Worry: Texas screwworm cases are resurfacing livestock disruption fears, landing at a tough moment for restaurant chains already battling record beef costs.

Beverage Launch: Gopuff and Tom Brady are teaming up for an exclusive coconut water line, “Good Nut,” sold only on the delivery platform in original, chocolate and sparkling varieties. Restaurant Beverages: Dog Haus is rolling out a first-of-its-kind beverage platform with Keurig Dr Pepper, using the brand’s full portfolio across fountain, packaged drinks, coffee, energy and bar programs. Snacks Under Pressure: Campbell’s CEO says “tough decisions” are coming for its struggling snack business, including possible product portfolio rationalization and pack-size/pricing changes. Food Safety Recall: Costco Canada is recalling Lactantia UltraPur 2% protein & lactose-free milk due to over-fortification of vitamins A and D; customers are told not to consume and can return for a refund. Food Access & Community: Burrito Brigade bought a historic building in Eugene to turn it into a community food hub aimed at reducing food insecurity. Street-Food Oversight: Ahmedabad is letting residents use QR codes to submit hygiene and safety feedback for street vendors, with monitoring tied to registrations. Policy & Operations: Islamabad extended business hours under energy-saving rules, allowing restaurants and cafés to stay open until 11pm. Food Business Growth: Al Bayader is investing $50m in a Dubai food packaging hub to expand regional manufacturing and logistics for hospitality and food service. Global Brand Spotlight: Kantar BrandZ ranks China’s baijiu giant Moutai as the world’s most valuable alcohol brand, highlighting the category’s global brand strength.

Food Insecurity Fundraisers: Chicago’s West Side Food Aid Festival returns as a two-day music push against hunger, with Joe Pug headlining Day 1 and Shemekia Copeland on Day 2, benefiting groups including Oak Park Community Fridges and Westchester Food Pantry. Community Food Access: The Food Bank of Iowa will run a free pantry stop in Webster City on June 16 at St. Thomas Parish Center, with registration opening at 2:30 p.m. Local Pantry Rules: Kandiyohi County Food Shelf resumes Tuesday parking-lot giveaways with a streamlined, pre-bagged, one-bag-per-household-per-week approach. Hospitality Cost Pressure: UK pubs back calls to cut VAT on hospitality, arguing rising costs are keeping customers away. Beverage Business: Coca-Cola New Zealand reported a bumper $109.2m profit for 2025 and paid a $125m dividend to its parent, while also expanding into alcoholic RTDs. New Openings: Blandford’s Dolce Amore Gelateria e Caffè is set to open June 13, aiming to bring simple Italian food and artisanal ice cream to the town. Food Safety/Health: USDA confirmed H5N1 detections in commercial poultry flocks across 12 states, with egg and poultry price pressure likely to continue into summer. SNAP Support: Food Bank of Northern Nevada adds a Sparks walk-in SNAP help site two days a week, offering bilingual assistance with applications and recertifications.

Food Safety & Compliance: India’s FSSAI reiterated its ban on using newspapers to pack, serve, or store food, warning ink chemicals and germs can leach into meals—especially when food is hot, oily, or moist. Public Health Impact: The WHO said unsafe food sickens 860M people and kills about 1.5M annually, with major losses from productivity and work absences; it urged better water/sanitation, stronger food safety, and healthcare access. Workplace Food Operations: New Jersey inspectors found “conditional” issues at Delaney Hall’s ICE facility kitchen, citing concerns over cooling/reheating and limited access to housing/medical areas. Consumer Pricing Relief: Sri Lanka’s Lanka Sathosa will cut prices on 18 essential food items starting tomorrow to ease pressure from rising global costs. Hospitality Labor: A tentative deal averted a strike by SoFi Stadium food-and-beverage workers, with details pending ratification. Innovation in Food Waste: Green Space Innovations launched the UK’s first office food digester, turning on-site scraps into compost and tracking impact via its platform. New Food & Drink Concepts: A Japanese-inspired food hall is planned for Scottsdale in 2028, with 15+ stalls and chefs from across Japan. Policy Watch: A U.S. House bill would restrict retailers and delivery services from using personal data for dynamic grocery pricing, with FTC enforcement.

Food Security & Supply: Punjab approved buying 1 million metric tonnes of wheat from PASSCO to stabilize flour and bread prices, with flour mills set to receive wheat at Rs3,300 per maund. Food Safety Enforcement: Saudi SFDA says it found 1,753 non-compliant food establishments in Q1 and blocked 1,057 tons of unsafe products, citing contamination risks and storage/transport breaches. Community Food Access: Popeyes Foundation, Feed the Children and a Baton Rouge food bank delivered $125,000 in food and personal care to 400 families as part of a summer hunger tour. Hospitality & Consumer Pressure: UK retail sales rose 3.7% in May, with heatwave-driven boosts to food and drink alongside summer spending. Local Foodservice Operations: Singapore’s ABC Brickworks Market reopened after refurbishment, but some hawkers raised prices up to $1 amid higher ingredient and packaging costs. Regulation for Street Vendors: NSW’s Permit/Plug/Play program helped Lakemba Nights cut stallholder road-closure costs and improve event infrastructure, while Swanton council discussed a food-truck ordinance. Business Tech for Foodservice: Algebra AI launched from Dubai with $7M to build tailored AI systems for mid-market firms, including food & beverage operators.

Food Safety & Policy: EU and Germany-backed EU4Food Safety project (EUR 13.5m) launches to help Albania align with EU food-safety standards ahead of World Food Safety Day. Public Health Education: Nagaland marks World Food Safety Day with a push to turn unsafe-food “burden” into “solutions,” stressing hygiene, training, and safe sourcing. Regulation & Industry Impact: Nagaland’s chamber seeks clarity on a one-year ban on tobacco/nicotine-containing foods (gutkha/pan masala), warning an unclear start date could disrupt businesses overnight. Food Business Operations: PREP Kitchens highlights the “hidden costs” of moving from home-based food production to a permitted commercial kitchen, covering permits, storage, sanitation, insurance, and equipment. Retail & Trade: Canada expands market access for fish/seafood via new health certificate acceptance in Vietnam, plus additional gains in Oman, Brazil, Armenia and Costa Rica. Community & Access: Templeton honors pantry volunteers as “Citizens of the Year,” while multiple local food-pantries update lists and expand summer support. Hospitality & Events: Vaughan’s Lucky Lion Night Market brings 100+ food options to Assembly Park, and South Pasadena opens Neighbors & Friends Kitchen as a full-service, community-focused restaurant. Infrastructure: Kansas Turnpike Authority plans to demolish and rebuild the Emporia service area, closing key restaurants starting July 7.

Food Security & Disaster Response: The Philippines’ 7.8 earthquake triggered tsunami warnings, with DSWD prepositioning 1.1 million family food packs in Mindanao and preparing mobile kitchens and command centers as DOH raises crisis protocols. Hunger & Conflict Fallout: A new WFP analysis says Middle East-linked shocks are already driving millions into hunger in Somalia, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, with delivery costs and funding squeezes worsening the outlook. Food Safety Watch: Ghana’s Upper West Region reports 251 food handlers unfit to work after health screenings, while Zimbabwe’s Mpilo Hospital begins installing new radiotherapy machines after long treatment disruptions. Sustainable Packaging for Food Logistics: PlantSwitch will supply compostable PHA-based World Cup food service ware, and Greendot Biopak promotes home-compostable stretch film aimed at cutting plastic waste in supply chains. School Catering & Organic Rules: Riga amended school catering procurement after challenges over organic criteria and delivery distance, raising concerns about access to organic producers. Hospitality Costs: UK chefs back Andy Burnham’s push to cut VAT on hospitality from 20% to 10% as businesses struggle. Livestock Tech: Seoul-based BioData Now is rolling out an AI livestock platform using ingestible biosensing to improve health monitoring and farm productivity.

World Food Safety Day Push: Qatar’s Municipality and Kuwait’s Public Authority for Food and Nutrition used June 7 to stress round-the-clock inspections, lab testing, and public reporting via apps/call centers, while Oman: highlighted traceability and market withdrawals as key defenses. Food Safety Warnings: India’s FSSAI renewed its warning against wrapping or serving food in newspapers, citing ink chemicals and heavy metals like lead; Cyprus: a wedding catering incident was confirmed as salmonella-linked chicken à la crème plus bacteria in rice, with the supplier temporarily suspended. Local Food Safety Results: Cape Town reported a three-year low in foodborne illness cases, while UK hygiene ratings: Leeds and Widnes/Runcorn updates showed multiple venues hitting top scores. Policy & Costs: Nigeria’s CPPE urged lawmakers to reject the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Bill, warning it will raise costs and hurt jobs across the beverage value chain. Food Business & Community: Southwold’s fish-and-chip shop celebrated a first-year milestone under new owners; Pittsburgh: a $50,000 donation boosted summer meals via a local food bank partnership.

World Food Safety Day Push: Pakistan’s President Zardari urged shared responsibility across the food chain to strengthen safe-food compliance, spotlighting “From burden to solutions—safe food everywhere.” Food Safety in Practice: India’s FSSAI warned vendors against using newspapers for packing/serving after inspections, while Indore hosted a World Food Safety Day awareness event with adulteration demos and industry stalls. Mobile Food Rules: Oklahoma signed HB 3369 to let some mobile food vendors use alternative fire suppression methods if they carry Class K extinguishers and complete annual training. Foodborne Outbreak Update: Broome County jail reported a salmonella outbreak peaking at 320 sick inmates, with operations returning to normal as patients improve. Food Insecurity Pressure: Kansas advocates say nearly 22,000 Kansans lost SNAP after the “Big Beautiful Bill,” hitting families and the local food system. Local Food Access: Milpitas Food Pantry faces a rent hike discussion that could jump costs from a long-subsidized rate toward market levels. Hospitality & Taxes: UK hospitality leaders flagged an “overburden of taxes” and VAT unfairness to MPs after meetings with local hotels. Business Spotlight: A York avocado-on-toast cafe is up for sale after 18 months, while San Diego bars and restaurants are gearing up for World Cup-friendly crowds. Food Delivery Accountability: Alabama charged a delivery driver for allegedly selling alcohol to a teen who later drowned.

Food Safety Crackdown (India): FSSAI warned vendors nationwide to stop using newspapers to wrap or serve food, citing ink chemicals and heavy metals like lead plus hygiene risks; the advisory followed a Mumbai case. Packaging Rules (India): The Department of Consumer Affairs set standard pack sizes for edible oils to make price comparisons easier and improve transparency. Food Safety Incident (Hong Kong): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found sulphur dioxide in beef samples (including beef congee) and said the supplier factory suspended operations. Leftover Container Ban (Virginia): Virginia requires all food establishments to eliminate Styrofoam containers starting July 1, expanding beyond earlier chain-only limits. Consumer Protection (New York): New York lawmakers advanced a ban on “surveillance pricing” that uses personal data to set different prices, while digital shelf tags remain. Food Access (Hawai‘i): The USDA Summer Food Service Program kicks off with free meals for keiki at multiple sites across Hilo and Kona. Business & Community (Oman): Oman’s business leaders said the 2026 FIFA World Cup could boost restaurants, cafés, retail, events and tech services. Automation in Drinks (China): RobotAnno showcased AI beverage kiosks at FAIR plus 2026, pitching 24/7 unmanned service for coffee, milk tea, cocktails and ice cream. Food Security (UN): The World Food Programme warned Middle East conflict and oil-price shocks could push tens of millions more into acute hunger if the crisis drags on. Local Food Entrepreneurship (Canada): North Dakota’s Red River Regional Council launched a Food Entrepreneur Survey to shape a shared commercial kitchen for food producers and food truck operators. Food Service Events (UK/US): Burlington’s Wine & Food Festival returns June 27 with 75+ exhibitors, while San Leandro hosted a Southeast Asian community food-and-culture event.

Food Safety Crackdowns: Pakistan’s KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority seized and destroyed large quantities of unsafe and counterfeit drinks in Peshawar and Nowshera, including 5,000 kg of poor-quality items. Reopening After Violations: Hawaiʻi’s DOH cleared Ohana Sub & Deli, Inc. to reopen after critical issues like a nonfunctional handwashing sink and insufficient hot water were fixed. Hygiene Ratings: Dorset and Bradford published fresh food hygiene scores, with multiple venues earning top ratings. Summer Meals Access: A Pennsylvania school district kicks off its Summer Food Service Program Monday, while other local partners are running free meal pickups and sites during break. Food Insecurity Response: New Zealand’s Hamilton plans a “social supermarket” to help working families facing food insecurity, and Canada’s Central Okanagan Food Bank is raising $5.5M for a Food Rescue Centre to expand cold storage and distribution. Cost Pressures & Labor: Kenya’s COTU-backed minimum wage rise (12% general, 15% agricultural) is set to boost worker pay but raise business labor costs. Local Food Business Moves: Derby’s Bustler Market is set to welcome an American-style cookie brand, and Hawaiʻi’s Ewa Villages Golf Course opened Fairway Tavern for dine-in, takeout and catering. Waste & Public Health: Cuba’s fuel shortages have stalled trash pickup, leaving residents dealing with rotting waste and burning garbage.

Fast-Casual Throughput: Shake Shack says it’s not chasing “fast food,” but is trimming drive-thru wait disappointments by tightening in-store service. Supply Disruption: A rib shipment theft in Mexico nearly derailed demand for its BBQ rib sandwich, forcing rapid sourcing. AI at the Counter: A podcast debate spotlights whether AI drive-thru ordering can coexist with hospitality-first brands like McDonald’s. Summer Hunger Relief: Alpena’s Summer Food Service Program and Oregon’s Summer EBT both target child meal gaps during school breaks. Food Rescue Investment: Canada’s Central Okanagan Food Bank launches a $5.5M campaign for an 11,000 sq-ft Food Rescue Transformation Centre to cut waste and expand cold storage. Beverage Growth Watch: Dutch Bros reports strong traffic and same-store sales gains as beverage competition heats up. Mobile Food Rules: Texas opens applications for a statewide food truck license starting July 1, reducing the need for separate local permits. Food Safety & Livestock: Iowa says New World screwworm poses no food-safety risk while monitoring Texas developments. Infrastructure for Food Inputs: CN will move BHP’s Saskatchewan potash to West Coast terminals, supporting fertilizer supply chains tied to global crop yields. Local Food Business Openings: A new Happy Little Munchies food menu launches at Olde Salem Brewing’s Roanoke site.

Food Safety & Enforcement: A Chandigarh consumer court ordered Drools Pet Food to compensate a customer after a sealed dog-food packet was found “rotten and infested with worms and insects,” citing poor service and unfair trade practices. Public Health in Food Service: Broome County officials say the worst of a Salmonella outbreak at the Corrections Facility is behind them, with violations tied to improper food handling and storage by a contracted food service provider. Restaurant Policy & Animal Welfare: Portland City Council passed an ordinance banning the sale of force-fed foie gras in restaurants and retailers, with a 180-day compliance period and complaint-based enforcement. Food Access & Community Feeding: Maine’s SUN Bucks and SUN Meals programs are back for summer, while multiple U.S. pantries and mobile food drives expand distribution, including a new River Food Pantry facility opening in Wisconsin. Tech in Food Service: Dave’s Hot Chicken is refining its restaurant tech rollout after guests disliked drive-thru voice AI, showing innovation still has to match customer comfort. Business & Food Events: Burlington’s Wine & Food Festival returns June 27 with 75+ exhibitors, and a Belgian waffle shop opening highlights ongoing demand for specialty food experiences.

Food Policy & Retail: North Carolina lawmakers are urged to modernize outdated ready-to-drink canned cocktail rules so licensed stores and restaurants can sell sealed low-alcohol RTDs through existing channels. Food Access & Welfare: Southwest Missouri groups warn SNAP cuts will hit rural families hardest as food prices rise, with benefits averaging about $2 per meal. Supply Chain & Waste-to-Energy: Divert’s new Longview facility will turn up to 100,000 tons of unsold grocery food and organic material into renewable natural gas, aiming to reduce waste and support food banks. Industry & Consumer Spending: A Cornell study links GLP-1 adoption to lower grocery and restaurant spending, with fewer purchases of snacks and calorie-dense foods. Food Safety & Regulation: Center for Food Safety sues the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over missed deadlines to decide whether to protect the imperiled Iowa skipper butterfly from pesticide risk. Tech & Operations: Amazon expands same-day fresh grocery delivery in London, letting customers add produce, meat, dairy, and frozen items to existing orders. Community & Events: Toronto’s free Underground Night Market returns with all food and drink $10 and under, while Derby’s Bustler plans a new food hall in St James Yard featuring chef-led concepts. Food Service Innovation: Tipsy Scoop is set to open its first Boston franchise next spring, with boozy ice cream and sorbet available sooner via catering and delivery.

Retail Expansion: M&S is seeking approval to move into a larger, more food-focused format at Lakeland Retail Park in Enniskillen, aiming to boost weekly grocery shopping with a bigger range and more family-friendly facilities. Food Safety & Compliance: Auckland’s Levain bakery has been ordered to stay closed after cockroach-related issues, with reopening dependent on pest-control mitigation. Funding for Nutrition Startups: India’s protein snack brand Phab raised $4M in a pre-Series A to scale brand visibility, expand into new markets, and grow its team. Hospitality & Events: Burlington’s Wine & Food Festival returns June 27 with 75+ exhibitors and seminars; Malvern’s Great Malvern Food Festival runs July 4-5; Busan’s Port Village Busan 2026 brings food trucks and local brands to Pier 1 June 4-21. Local Business Pressure: Clover Food Lab will reopen some Boston and Cambridge locations June 9 after securing an investor deal following last week’s shutdown announcement. Consumer Trust & Service: A study using WeChat messages suggests customers trust service firms more when they can see employees coordinating behind the scenes.

Antitrust & Food Costs: A U.S. antitrust settlement bars Agri Stats from sharing sensitive data among competing meat processors, spotlighting how consolidation can squeeze competition and lift grocery prices. Inflation Pressure on Dining Out: New U.S. services data shows May expansion alongside a jump in prices paid, with energy-linked costs tied to Middle East disruptions feeding into shipping, packaging, groceries and fertilizer. Organic Demand: Canada’s organic market hit a record $11.88B in 2025, led by everyday staples like milk, coffee, eggs and yogurt, while frozen and bulk formats keep gaining. Food Safety & Allergen Rules: Burlington’s Board of Health renewed guidance for food establishments on U.S. allergen awareness requirements and inspections. Food Security Research: Saudi Almarai opened nominations for a $500,000 food security prize focused on dryland regions, with submissions due Aug. 21. Tech in Delivery: Serve Robotics is piloting laundry delivery in Los Angeles via its existing robot fleet, marking its first move beyond food. Community Hunger Relief: Stop & Shop kicked off NYC’s “Slam Dunk on Hunger” with a $19,812 lead gift to Food Bank For NYC. Retail & Brand Moves: Reports say Yum Brands is in exclusive talks to sell Pizza Hut, while McDonald’s opened a new Cornwall location creating 60 jobs.