Food prices have been rising for six months in a row and are up 2.3% from a year ago, according to the Consumer Price Index -- an official inflation measure calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics each month. But don't fear: Not all groceries are more expensive.
All the fixings for peanut butter and jelly are cheaper now.
White bread prices have fallen 2.8% over the last year and canned fruit (a category that includes jelly) prices have fallen 0.7%.
Meanwhile, peanut butter costs 3.8% less than it did last year, which is a big relief after producers hiked prices in 2011.
Top 5 Food Companies To Buy Right Now: Carrefour SA (CRERF)
Carrefour SA is a France-based company that is primarily engaged in retail distribution sector. The Company operates a network of hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount stores, convenience stores and cash-and-carry outlets and offers e-commerce services. The Company's hypermarkets named Carrefour offer a range of food and non-food products. Carrefour SA�� hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores are operating under the Carrefour city, Carrefour contact, Carrefour express, 8aHuit, Shopi, Marche Plus, Proxi banners and cash & carry stores are operating under the Promocash banner, which primarily offer food, clothing and household goods, among others. The Company operates in mainland France and French overseas territories, as well as in Europe, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East through a network of consolidated and franchised stores, and stores that Carrefour SA runs with partner companies. In January 2014, it acquired 129 convenience stores. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sophia Yan]
Carrefour (CRERF) has also shuttered many stores, and is reported to be exploring a sale of its China and Taiwan businesses.
Hypermarkets -- big box stores that combine supermarkets and department stores -- first opened up in China's largest cities over a decade ago. And it's no wonder companies such as Wal-Mart have been keen to get a slice of the market.
Top 5 Food Companies To Buy Right Now: H.J. Heinz Company (HNZ)
H. J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets food products for consumers, and foodservice and institutional customers in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company primarily offers ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, soups, beans and pasta meals, infant nutrition, and other food products. It sells its products through its sales organizations, independent brokers, agents, and distributors to chain, wholesale, cooperative, and independent grocery accounts; convenience stores; bakeries; pharmacies; mass merchants; club stores; foodservice distributors; and institutions, including hotels, restaurants, hospitals, health-care facilities, and government agencies. The company was founded in 1869 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
That's too bad, considering that DaVita was the first company I singled out in February as a potential acquisition candidate for Berkshire after it announced a joint arrangement with 3G Capital to acquire H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ ) .
Best Bank Stocks To Invest In 2015: Crumbs Bake Shop Inc (CRMB)
Crumbs Bake Shop, Inc., formerly 57th Street General Acquisition Corp., incorporated on October 29, 2009, is owner of Crumbs Holdings LLC (Crumbs), a neighborhood bakery and a retailer of cupcakes. As of November 1, 2011, Crumbs had 43 locations, including 29 locations in the New York Metro area, nine locations on the West Coast, three locations in Washington, D.C., one location in Virginia and one location in Chicago. The specialty of the house is cupcakes; however, the menu also includes a blend of baked goods. On May 5, 2011, the Company merged with Crumbs.
The Company offers a range of Signature and Taste size cupcakes. Signature cupcakes are ordered in increments of six. One can create its own individual six packs or choose a pre-selected assortment. Its Taste size cupcakes are offered by the dozen in pre-selected favorites assortments. There are more than 60 varieties of cupcakes baked fresh daily with a new cupcake of the week debuting each Monday.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]
Crumbs Bake Shop Inc.(CRMB) said interim Chief Executive Edward M. Slezak has been named permanently to post, while also announcing that its board has appointed Frederick G. Kraegel as chairman.
- [By Jack Kramer and Nick Martell]
2. Crumbs Cupcake stock continues to drop
Pour some sugar on me, baby, because the recent performance of cupcake-makin' chain Crumbs Bake Shop (NASDAQ: CRMB ) hasn't tasted good for investors. The stock has fallen nearly 30% in the past month, dropped 13.4% in the last week, and dipped almost 2% Monday on growing doubts the company can even stay in business.
Top 5 Food Companies To Buy Right Now: CVR Partners LP(UAN)
CVR Partners, LP engages in the production of nitrogen fertilizers including ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Sugar Land, Texas. CVR Partners, LP operates as a subsidiary of CVR Energy, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, nitrogen fertilizer producer CVR Partners (NYSE: UAN ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
- [By Susan J. Aluise]
CVI is structured into two Managed Limited Partnerships (MLPs): CVR Refining (CVRR) and the nitrogen fertilizer unit CVR Partners (UAN). CVR Energy owns 71% of CVR Refining and 53% of CVR Partners. This is an interesting play in the energy sector, given UAN�� lower cost of ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate and CVRR�� edge as an MLP refiner.
- [By Neha Chamaria]
To take advantage of UAN's better pricing, CF smartly cut down on urea to scale up UAN production during the last quarter. The capability to flex production mix according to market conditions is among CF's biggest strengths. UAN is a high-margin product, so focusing on it makes sense. In its last quarter, UAN specialist CVR Partners (NYSE: UAN ) converted 72% of ammonia produced to UAN. If that sounds incredible, there's more. From 80,700 tons of ammonia, CVR churned out a whopping 196,200 tons of UAN.
Top 5 Food Companies To Buy Right Now: Ingredion Inc (INGR)
Ingredion Incorporated (Ingredion), formerly Corn Products International, Inc., incorporated on March 27, 1997, is a global manufacturer and supplier of starch and sweetener ingredients to a range of industries, including packaged food, beverage, brewing and industrial customers. The Company's product line includes starches and sweeteners, animal feed products and edible corn oil.
The Company's starch-based products include both food-grade and industrial starches. The Company's sweetener products include glucose syrups, high maltose syrups, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), caramel color, dextrose, polyols, maltodextrins and glucose and syrup solids. The Company's products are derived primarily from the processing of corn and other starch-based materials, such as tapioca, potato and rice.
Sweetener Products
The Company's sweetener products represented approximately 44% of the Company's net sales for the year ended December 31, 2012. Glucose syrups are fundamental ingredients used in food products, such as baked goods, snack foods, beverages, canned fruits, condiments, candy and other sweets, dairy products, ice cream, jams and jellies, prepared mixes and table syrups. Glucose syrups offer functionality in addition to sweetness to processed foods. High Maltose Syrup is special type of glucose syrup, which is primarily used as a fermentable sugar in brewing beers. High maltose syrups are also used in the production of confections, canning and some other food processing applications. The Company's high maltose syrups actually speeds the fermentation process, allowing brewers to increase capacity without adding capital.
High fructose corn syrup is used in a variety of consumer products, including soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages, baked goods, dairy products, confections and other food and beverage products. In addition to sweetness and ease of use, high fructose corn syrup provides body,humectancy and aids in browning, freezing point and crystalliza! tion control.
Dextrose has a range of applications in the food and confection industries, in solutions for intravenous and other pharmaceutical applications, and numerous industrial applications like wallboard, biodegradable surface agents and moisture control agents. Dextrose functionality in foods, beverages and confectionary includes sweetness control; body and viscosity; acts as a bulking, drying and anti-caking agent; serves as a carrier; provides freezing point and crystallization control; and aids in fermentation. Dextrose is also a fermentation agent in the production of light beer. In pharmaceutical applications dextrose is used in IV solutions as well as an excipient suitable for direct compression in tableting.
Polyols products are sugar-free, reduced calorie sweeteners primarily derived from starch or sugar for the food, beverage, confectionery, industrial, personal and oral care, and nutritional supplement markets. In addition to sweetness, polyols inhibit crystallization; provide binding, humectancy and plasticity; add texture; extend shelf life; prevent moisture migration, and are an excipient suitable for tableting.
Maltodextrins and Glucose Syrup Solids products have a multitude of food applications, including formulations where liquid syrups cannot be used. Maltodextrins are resistant to browning, provide solubility, have a low hydroscopicity (do not retain moisture), and are ideal for their carrier/bulking properties. Glucose syrup solids have a bland flavor, remain clear in solution are easy to handle and provide bulking properties.
Starch Products
The Company's starch products represented approximately 37 % of the Company's net sales for 2012. Starches are an important component in a range of processed foods, where they are used for adhesions, clouding, dusting, expansion, fat replacement, freshness, gelling, glazing, mouth feel, stabilization and texture. Starches are also used in paper production to create a smooth s! urface fo! r printed communications and to improve strength in recycled papers. Specialty starches are used for enhanced drainage, fiber retention, oil and grease resistance, improved printability and biochemical oxygen demand control. Industrial starches are used in the production of construction materials, textiles, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as in mining, water filtration and oil and gas drilling. Specialty starches are used for biomaterial applications including biodegradable plastics, fabric softeners and detergents, hair and skin care applications, dusting powders for surgical gloves and in the production of glass fiber and insulation.
Co-Products and others
Co-products and others accounted for 19% of the Company's net sales for 2012. Refined corn oil (from germ) is sold to packers of cooking oil and to producers of margarine, salad dressings, shortening, mayonnaise and other foods. Corn gluten feed is sold as animal feed. Corn gluten meal is sold as high protein feed for chickens, pet food and aquaculture.
The Company competes with ADM Corn Processing Division (ADM), Cargill, Inc. and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
Memberships and Peers: ADM is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Bunge Limited (BG) with a 1.6% yield, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) with a 2.4% yield and Griffin Land & Nurseries Inc. (GRIF) with a 0.7% yield.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Ingredion (NYSE: INGR ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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