Category: Uncategorized

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, July 25, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

Overall markets have remained relatively steady with the increased demand. Markets are expected to see an increase in the coming weeks due to increased demand as families finish last-minute vacations. The avocado market continues to show signs of adjustments due to higher availability of fruit in the market. Chile and bell pepper markets remain active. Supplies are light, especially green bell peppers.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Corn, soybeans and wheat moved lower last week. Growing weather for canola is ideal, softening the market.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Cheese markets have been lower with decreased demand and strong production. Weak foodservice demand has brought butter down. Both food service and retail demand has driven eggs up.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Prime continues to be hard to find. Packers seem to be hesitant of long-term commitments. Ribs and tenders are steady. Strips continue to have a strong demand.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Strong inventories have moved ribs down. Retail is driving loins up. Supply on butts is tight and may push the market up due to strong retail sales.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

The random breast market has dropped with excess demand. Tender available is very tight with high prices. Wings are approaching a 10 year low and readily available. Overall, excess supply has hit the market.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Domestic brown shrimp season has kicked off. Catches are heavy all around for shrimp.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, July 18, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

Overall demand is expected to increase over the next few weeks. There has been a lot of heat in the southeast that could bring crops early or damage them. . There is improving volume on mid-sized to small limes. Larger sizes will continue to be short. Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Corn, soybeans and wheat are moving lower.  Palm oil moved lower as Indonesian exports continue to increase. Soybean stocks were reported as being higher since the weather has been favorable for good soybeans.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Egg demand is strong from food service and retail. A lack of demand for butter has driven markets down. Exports ae strong for cheese.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Chucks are tight in supply. Retail and grinders are still looking for value cuts. Strips and tenders are in very tight supply. Packers and sellers are still trying to set expectations for future markets.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Exports on hams are up. There are strong inventory levels for ribs has demand has let up. The market could be pushed up due to the tight supply of boneless butts.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

Labor shortages have created a tight supply for portion-controlled breasts. Excess supply of random breasts has caused the market to drop. Tenders are running very tight with high prices. Prices are down for wings of all sizes this week.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Importers have brought in excess White and Tiger shrimp. The Spring Lobster Pack season has started for Maine and will last through November. The 2022 wild Sockeye salmon harvest is off to a strong start. Domestic brown shrimp season will kick off this week.  

Revamp Restaurant

Revamp Your Restaurant with These Savings Programs this Summer

It’s officially summer which means diners are starting to crowd restaurants again. Is your operation prepared to take on the rush?

At Consolidated Concepts, we offer savings programs that will help you revamp your restaurant with infinite solutions!

Need to liven up the atmosphere with a new paint job? Replace those light fixtures you’ve been putting off for years? We’ve got you covered.

Any HVAC and plumbing needs? Fountain maintenance? Cleaning supplies? Our programs are secured to help you fix, replace, and/or maintain all of your operational needs from A to Z.

Savings on ACE Hardware Products and Solutions

Did you know that Consolidated Concepts members get a 10% discount on products and solutions from ACE Hardware? That means you could be saving with top national brands on paint and supplies, lighting and electrical, hand and power towels, outdoor equipment and supplies, janitorial and sanitation, plumbing and HVAC, hardware, and much more!

ace hardware solutions

Solutions on Water Management and Supplies

If your operation has an outdoor pool or fountain, you’re in luck. Consolidated Concepts partners with Leslie’s Pool to give you exclusive savings on water management and maintenance. You get access to discounts on pool and spa chemicals, equipment, cleaning and maintenance solutions, and more, to ensure your water management needs are secured.

leslie's water supplies

Save on HVAC Systems with Carrier

Nobody wants to be sitting in their own sweat while enjoying a delicious bite at your restaurant this summer. Your HVAC system needs to be running efficiently so that your operation is properly climate controlled and at a suitable temperature for your diners. We’ve partnered with Carrier, the experts in HVAC, to give you exclusive savings and benefits on air conditioning, heating, and building controls. Satisfy your guests by setting the standard for performance, sustainability, and energy efficiency.

carrier HVAC solutions

Join Consolidated Concepts Today!

Whether it’s fixing the light fixture you’ve been putting off or maintaining your HVAC, at Consolidated Concepts, we offer our members exclusive savings and solutions to help revamp your operation to ensure boosted profits and repeat customers.

Join today!

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, July 11, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

Overall demand is expected to increase over the next few weeks. There has been a lot of heat in the southeast that could bring crops early or damage them. . There is improving volume on mid-sized to small limes. Larger sizes will continue to be short. Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Palm oil moved lower as Indonesian exports continue to increase. Soybean stocks were reported as being higher since the weather has been favorable for good soybeans.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Food service demand and good retail has pushed eggs higher. Good cream demand pushed the butter market higher this week. Cheese market rebounded this week due to increased exports.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Market price correction are expected to begin. Ribs, strips and tenders will remain steady or be slightly higher due to limited availability.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Ribs have a slight decrease as the summer buying season has slowed. Loins are moving up this week while boneless butts are strong. Butts did see a dip but should rebound.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

There are excess medium wings available. Tenders are on a very tight supply. Jumbo wing pricing has been mostly steady. Extremely hot weather could change the favorable buying dynamics. 2.5% of the turkey population has been lost due to the Avian Flu.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Catches on peeling shrimp continue to be good.  Scallop season has begun, but has been much slower than normal. The sizing of  is consistent with this past year, where majority are 10/20’s, or smaller. Canadian processing companies have stopped snow crab lines due to the strong decline in the market. They are dedicated to stabilizing the market and attempting to turn things around.

Tork Hygiene Solutions

Customer Perception is Everything – Invest in Tork Hygiene Solutions

According to Tork, 60% of consumers have higher expectations on restaurant hygiene due to Covid-19. Hopefully by now your operation has implemented a new cleaning process and invested in the right sanitation solutions to support the increased awareness your customers have when it comes to how clean a restaurant is – or is not.

Your guests want to see that you have taken the necessary steps to ensure their cleanliness. It builds trust and lets them know you care about their health and well-being. This can include staffing a full-time employee whose soul purpose is to clean the front-of-house at all seconds of the day or replacing all your high contact appliances and tools with solutions to ensure a more sanitary dining experience.

front of house technology

Tork Matic® Hand Towel Roll Dispenser with Intuition Sensor

You can make changes in every area of your restaurant – including the bathroom. Take hand towels vs. air dryers for instance. Tork reports that 70% of visitors wish more facilities offered paper hand towels as an alternative to air dryers. Why? Because jet air dryers can spread up to 10x more germs. Another reason customers prefer hand towels is that over half of consumers say they stop drying their hands before they are completely dry because air dryers take too long to dry their hands.

When you’re ready to swap out your restroom air dryers for hand towel dispensers, Tork has made the process easy by creating the Tork Matic® Hand Towel Roll Dispenser with Intuition Sensor. With a one-at-a-time automated dispenser, less hand towels will be used meaning less waste, clutter and best of all – cost.

restaurant safety

Tork Xpressnap & Tork Xpressnap Fit Dispensers

Embrace new front-of-house technology solutions to provide a more contactless dining experience. How many of us have gone to our favorite fast-food restaurant or ordered to-go, saw the napkin holder, and thought “let me just grab a few extra”. Then you grab a bunch of napkins, and some fall out of your hands and boom – now you have touched someone else’s napkins. This is not very sanitary.

Whether napkins are needed for your drive thru, dining room, or carry out windows, customers sometimes take more – and touch more – then they actually need. Tork has created solutions to help prevent customers from touching too many napkins at once with the Tork Xpressnap Dispensers. With one-at-a-time dispensing, guests always have a fresh napkin because they only touch the napkins they use. This controls waste with 50% less leftover napkins lying around giving a better guest experience and promoting hygiene.

restaurant sanitation

When it comes to choosing the right sanitary and hygiene solutions, Tork has products to help you improve every area of your operation. As a Consolidated Concepts member, you get access to exclusive savings on Tork solutions you need to make your operation a safer and cleaner environment.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, July 4, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

There has been a lot of heat in the southeast that could bring crops early or damage them. . There is improving volume on mid-sized to small limes. Larger sizes will continue to be short. Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Soybean oil futures fell . Canola prices started to move lower, too, falling in step with soybean and palm oils. Gains had a mostly down week with corn and wheat. Volatility on these items will persist. The soybean export season will get underway soon. Soybean oil traded higher last week but finished down sharply. Weather has improved in Canada for Canola, but no real pricing action has taken place.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Concerns about demand drove the butter and cheese markets weaker. Shell Egg markets continue to climb with good demand and less production. Cream and Culture pricing is increasing for July. The butter market was slightly weaker this week, but buying is aggressive.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Packers are doing the best they can to increase their margins. Ribs continue to remain steady. Loins remain strong and tight in supply. Tenderloin supply continues to keep trades active to keep them moving. Ends are steady.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

The butt market continues to move up. Ribs are coming down next week, as most of the ribs sold were pre-booked. Loins are coming off a weak week and now trending higher. Bellies have softened up going into this week.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

As of now product availability is good but  could change with extreme hot weather and a shortened July 4 production week. Wings pricing has been steady . Medium and small wings were down. Availability on tenders is very tight with high prices. The random breast market price drop has stabilized.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Scallop season has begun, but has been much slower than normal. The sizing of  is consistent with this past year, where majority are 10/20’s, or smaller. Canadian processing companies have stopped snow crab lines due to the strong decline in the market. They are dedicated to stabilizing the market and attempting to turn things around.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, June 27, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

There has been a lot of heat in the southeast that could bring crops early or damage them. . There is improving volume on mid-sized to small limes. Larger sizes will continue to be short. Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Gains had a mostly down week with corn and wheat. Volatility on these items will persist. The soybean export season will get underway soon. Soybean oil traded higher last week but finished down sharply. Weather has improved in Canada for Canola, but no real pricing action has taken place.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Block and barrel markets dropped this week. Butter prices are down slightly but cream remains tight. Prices on eggs continue to increase. Production will be stressed as the weather starts to turn warmer for most of the country.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Packers are trying to hold steady pricing for as long as possible. Chucks and rounds continue to trade steady. Tenderloin supply is outpacing sales. Packers hope to slow the drop in trade in the nearby month. Ribs continue steady. Ribs are steady.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Bellies are going up for next week. Loins have slipped as retail has backed off. Pork butts continue to move up as demand has steadily increased

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

The random breast market is high, but prices are starting to drop. Tenders’ availability is very tight with high prices. We are starting to see additional product availability as bird weights have improved and demand has softened.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Canadian processing companies have stopped snow crab lines due to the strong decline in the market. They are dedicated to stabilizing the market and attempting to turn things around.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, June 20, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

There is improving volume on mid-sized to small limes. Larger sizes will continue to be short. Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

Gains had a mostly down week with corn and wheat. Volatility on these items will persist. The soybean export season will get underway soon. Soybean oil traded higher last week but finished down sharply. Weather has improved in Canada for Canola, but no real pricing action has taken place.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

Spot Cheese prices were mixed but well supported at the end of last week. Butter prices continue to climb up due to tighter cream suppliers. Egg market increased this week with good demand.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Packers are trying to hold steady pricing for as long as possible. Chucks and rounds continue to trade steady. Tender supply is out pacing demand while strips show strength but could tail off in the upcoming weeks. Ribs are steady.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Hams are starting to decline while pork trimmings continue to increase. Back ribs continue to trend down for the week while loins have started to show some strength but remain relatively flat. Butts continued their upward momentum.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

Chicken breast prices are at a historic high. Production levels have not recovered from the pandemic and Avian Flu. The short production cycle will allow chicken to adjust quickly while seasonality shows that lower prices will most likely occur this month.  Avian Flu has had its worst outbreak since 2015. Turkey supply is extremely constrained across the market.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Seafood import prices are due shortly. The US ban on Russian imports will shift our demand to Canada. There has been a strong decline in the snow crab market. Canadian processing companies have stopped producing snow crab clusters. Domestic white shrimp season kicked off in Louisianna.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, June 13, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

Favorable weather conditions throughout the growing regions have fueled increased supplies for many commodities helping markets remain steady as we see increased summer demand. Harvest crews continue to wok product in the fields to mitigate quality issues.

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

The soybean oil market was very volatile last week, starting the week lower. Canola oil is still finding logistic issues in Canada. Indonesian exports are still not shipping on palm oil.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

The cheese markets have continued to slowly drop. Tighter cream supplies are forcing butter prices to climb. The egg market continues to remain down.

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Ribs and tenders are finding continued demand. A big question is how long will buyers pay current asking prices for middles with such a large harvest? Look for the steady range on chucks and rounds to hold true.  

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Hams are back up due to exports to Mexico. Bellies are still moving up as demand continues to increase. Loins remain flat while back ribs are slowing down and trending down for next week.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

There is continued constraint on whole bird supply. Avian Flu is having its worst outbreak since 2015. 5.5 million Turkeys have been lost so far. The Midwest has been the most affected by the Avian Flu. Portion controlled breasts are still in high demand and difficult to come by. The current market is strong and excess product is nonexistent.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Domestic shrimps’ season had kicked off in Louisiana. Landing on head-on shrimp for peeling continues to be good. This is signaling softening prices. There has been a record low harvest for Gulf Oysters due to mortality rate and fishing areas being shut down. Frozen tuna imports have started to arrive.

Freshly Picked image

Freshly Picked, June 6, 2022

Alerts & What’s Trending

Produce

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is produce.jpg

There us improving volume on mid-sized limes, though larger sizes will continue to be short throughout June. Tomato volume will be light as the growing season in Florida is coming to an end. Crop production in South Georgia has begun to ramp up. Cucumbers, squash, cabbage and bell peppers show good volume. The green bean market is showing short supply with high prices while corn quality is very nice

Grains

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Grains.jpg

The grain markets were lower this week. New corn crop export sales have tapered off. Soybean oil future had a dip this week but prices are still very high. Planting corn and beans from several states has been delayed due to weather.

Dairy

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Dairy.jpg

The cheese markets are down slightly, due to softening demand. There has been a slower export demand than usual. Butter prices are up due to tighter cream supplies. Egg continued a downward trend last week due to declines in retail demand and Avian Influenza

Beef

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Beef.jpg

Live cattle are expected to remain steadily priced this week. The warm weather and Memorial Day weekend is a reminder that grilling weather has arrived. Ribs, strips and tenders have benefited from better demand and a smaller harvest this week.

Pork

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Prk.jpg

Retail and food service demand is up after the Memorial Day Holiday. The retail sector has been holding loins up which continue to move. Supplies have increased for ribs which are on a slight decline since summer booking have been completed.

Poultry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Poultry.jpg

The random breast market is historically high but there was a decrease this week. Tender availability is very tight with higher prices. Bird weight has improved, and demand has softened causing additional product availability.

Seafood

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Seafood.jpg

Fishing zones for shrimp have all opened in Louisiana. So far there have been great catches. There has been a record low harvest for Gulf Oysters. Public fishing areas in Texas are all closed. Oyster companies are scrambling to get raw materials to freeze for the half-shell market.