• To help customers deal with inflationary food prices, Winn-Dixie said that it is "lowering prices on more than 150 everyday items. Through the grocer’s 'Down Down' program, customers can save more than 15% on average at their neighborhood store. Discounted products for the spring season include fresh produce and dairy items, pantry staples, frozen appetizers and meals, family favorite snacks, health and beauty products and essential household cleaning supplies. Items included in the 'Down Down' program are updated each season, giving shoppers more saving opportunities on their favorite products throughout the year.
• The Richmond Times DispatchI reports that "Wegmans is asking the Virginia Supreme Court to rethink a recent decision that could impact its $175 million distribution center under construction in Hanover County.
"Several homeowners sued the Hanover County Board of Supervisors saying that it illegally passed a special use permit paving the way for the Sliding Hill Road site’s construction near the Hanover Airport. The residents opposed the development for reasons like industrial traffic, noise pollution and environmental damage. Wegmans was later added to the case as a second defendant.
"The Hanover County Circuit Court initially ruled that the homeowners did not have the appropriate status to bring the suit against the board. Its decision to dismiss the case did not consider any of the eight ways the homeowners claim the board violated the law. A Virginia Supreme Court opinion in early February said the lower court erred when it decided not to hear the homeowners’ arguments. The court voted unanimously to remand the suit back to Hanover."
• From Food & Wine:
"When it comes to flavor, McCormick & Co. says Gen Z and millennials want one thing and one thing only: Spice, spice, and more spice. And it's ready to deliver with a slew of new partnerships and releases in 2023.
As part of the February Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference, McCormick & Co., which owns Frank's RedHot and Cholula, announced its fiery plans to grow the spicy food market in the coming year."
Brendan M. Foley, President & CEO of McCormick, said at the conference, "Gen Z and millennials are kicking up the demand for heat. They are more experimental and prefer authentic, bold, and spicy flavors more so than the generations before them. Their love of heat has driven growth in inherently hot foods like hot sauce as well as in foods with hot and spicy profiles like salty snacks. While 90% of consumers prefer some level of heat, consumers also want a balanced pairing of flavor and heat."
• Willamette Week reports that Portland, Oregon-based Zupan's wants to upgrade its customers' taste in beer.
Zupan's, the story says, "has launched a series of courses examining the fundamentals of the beverage, as well as different styles, that will be held monthly.
"The classes, which take place at the company’s subterranean events space at the West Burnside Street location called Cellar Z, are open to beer drinkers of all levels of expertise—and, yes, that even includes folks who don’t know the difference between a lager and an ale. Attendees will not only get to learn about the history of beer and various styles’ ingredients and processes; students also get the opportunity to educate their palates with numerous samples."
