Food Safety Developments, Nostalgic Menu Launches and Expansion Lead Foodservice Headlines

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Since the last Foodservice Roundup, the foodservice sector has been shaped by a mix of major food safety developments, nostalgic menu innovation and continued restaurant expansion. Here's a look at the key developments influencing market dynamics.

Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell lettuce draws scrutiny

One of the most notable developments in the foodservice industry has been the growing fallout from a widespread cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to Taco Bell.

The outbreak has sickened thousands...

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House Committee Advances Bill to Delay Right Whale Gear Regulations for Lobster Fishery Until 2035

House Resolution 9436, the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote, advancing legislation that would extend the current regulatory moratorium protecting Maine lobstermen from new gear entanglement rules for North Atlantic right whales through 2035.

The bill was led by Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). It would extend a pause on new regulations first enacted in 2022 — originally under President Biden with bipartisan support from the Maine congressional...

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Conservation Groups Sue after Trump Administration Rolls Back ESA “Harm” Definition

The Departments of the Interior and Commerce have finalized a rule removing the regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a change the administration says will reduce burdens on landowners, businesses and fishermen.

According to Expana's report, the deleted interpretation had long treated indirect impacts (like habitat modification that impairs breeding, feeding or shelter) as "harm." The administration ties the rollback to the Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright decision, which narrowed deference to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes. Officials note that direct killing or...

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Ecuador's CNA Pushes for Technical Dialogue with China as Shrimp Export Restrictions Mount

Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) says it is permanently monitoring Chinese restrictions on Ecuadorian shrimp exporting companies and is backing efforts to establish a formal technical working group with Chinese authorities to resolve the situation, according to a statement released July 9.

The CNA was careful to frame the situation in measured terms. "This does not constitute a closure of the Chinese market," the organization stated. "Exports to that destination continue. However, the problem is serious and requires urgent attention, given the operational and commercial impact...

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Bills Giving FDA Authority to Destroy Food Imports Set to Advance on Capitol Hill

Two bipartisan bills that would allow the US Food and Drug Administration to destroy — not just reject — dangerous imported food products are poised to advance on Capitol Hill next week.

The first, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715), passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in May and now sits on the House suspension calendar for the week of July 20. The suspension calendar is typically used to quickly pass broadly bipartisan bills, with measures requiring a two-thirds majority and moving...

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US Court Allows New Zealand Seafood Imports to Continue While Dolphin Protection Case Proceeds

A US federal trade court has declined to immediately block seafood imports from New Zealand in a case centered on protections for the critically endangered Māui dolphin and the threatened Hector's dolphin, while allowing the underlying legal challenge to move forward.

Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves of the US Court of International Trade issued the ruling on July 13, denying a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the environmental group Māui and Hector's Dolphin Defenders NZ Inc...

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First Seafood Founder Leads Management Buyout from Insula

Norwegian seafood company First Seafood is under new ownership after founder Andreas Sundnes, the company's executive management team, and a group of industrial investors acquired Insula AS's 90.1% stake in the business, First Seafood announced on LinkedIn.

A concurrent capital increase of NOK 70 million ($7.3 million) was completed to strengthen the company's financial base and support future growth, according to iLaks.

Insula had been the majority shareholder since 2016, during which time First Seafood grew from an early-stage business into an international...

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FDA Issues Warning Letter to Houston Seafood Importer Over Repeated HACCP Violations

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to the president of a Houston-based seafood importing company after inspectors found repeated violations of federal seafood safety requirements.

The warning letter, dated May 26, 2026, was issued to Andy Luu, president of AD Import & Whole Co., following an FDA inspection conducted April 29-30, 2026. The agency posted details of the enforcement action on its website Tuesday.

According to the letter, inspectors identified several significant violations of the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control...

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Seafood Industry Wins Key Exemptions as US Imposes 25% Tariff on Brazilian Goods

The Trump Administration's 25% Section 301 tariff on Brazilian goods takes effect July 22 — and the US seafood industry secured meaningful relief, with many of Brazil's most commercially significant seafood export categories landing on the exemption list.

USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer announced the final action on July 15, following a yearlong investigation into Brazilian practices related to digital trade, anti-corruption enforcement, intellectual property, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation. After receiving more than 360 written comments and holding two public hearings...

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ANALYSIS: El Niño Threatens Fishmeal and Fish Oil Supply as Global Aquaculture Output Surges

Feed costs represent up to 55% of total production costs for white shrimp and Atlantic salmon. Diet formulation is species-specific; however, the same species may require different dietary compositions depending on the region. Ingredient selection is driven by cost considerations and the biological benefits for farmed aquatic animals. In recent years, consumer preferences regarding feed ingredients have also gained considerable importance in formulation decisions...

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Chile Strengthens AgroSalmon Alliance to Boost Domestic Aquafeed Supply Chain

Chile’s AgroSalmon Alliance is a collaborative initiative that brings together leading organizations from the country’s agriculture and salmon farming sectors.

Minister Jaime Campos of the Ministry of Agriculture convened a meeting to strengthen the alliance with industry representatives. Attendees included Antonio Walker, president of the National Society of Agriculture (SNA); Juan Pablo Matte, secretary general of the SNA; Ricardo Montesinos, president of SAGO; Loreto Seguel, executive president of the Salmon Council; representatives from the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (ODEPA); and leaders...

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Trump Administration Rescinds ESA "Harm" Definition, Commerce Secretary Cites Relief for Fishermen

The Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce have finalized a rule rescinding the regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, a move the Trump administration says will reduce burdens on landowners, businesses and fishermen.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pointed directly to the fishing industry in his statement on the rollback. "President Trump is rescinding overly broad and burdensome regulations that have restrained our fishermen for too long," Lutnick said, framing the change as a return to the ESA's "foundational purpose" without sacrificing economic...

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Nichirei Hit by Cyberattack, Logistics and Frozen Food Shipments Disrupted

Japanese frozen food giant Nichirei Foods said it was the victim of a cyberattack on July 13 that disrupted inbound and outbound operations at refrigerated warehouses run by its logistics arm, as well as frozen food shipments.

The company launched an investigation immediately, and on July 15 confirmed its servers had been compromised. To prevent further damage, Nichirei said it would not disclose details of the attack.

Parent company Nichirei Corporation said some of the affected servers stored personal information and that the matter had been reported to Japan's Personal...

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Traceability Inspection Leads Sernapesca to Seize 2,756 kg of Northern Octopus in Santiago

Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) in the Metropolitan Region seized 2,756 kilograms (about 2.76 metric tons) of frozen whole northern octopus after routine traceability inspections at a meatpacking facility in the commune of Independencia.

Inspectors determined the harvest lacked its required Accreditation of Legal Origin (AOL), a mandatory traceability document under Chilean seafood regulations. During the inspection of chamber No. 4, the team found the product stored without the requisite documentation. The items were being held by Comercial...

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EU Fish Sanctions Against Russia Stall as 21st Sanctions Package Hits Resistance

Proposed restrictions on Russian seafood imports — the first of their kind to be included in an EU sanctions package — appear set to be dropped or softened after EU foreign ministers failed to finalize the bloc's 21st sanctions package at their July 13 meeting in Brussels. The failure has added urgency to ongoing negotiations, with a Wednesday, July 15 deadline looming over the oil price cap on Russian crude, currently set at $44.10 per barrel. If no agreement is reached...

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The Retail Rundown: Grocers Push Promotions to Drive Summer and Back-to-School Baskets

As grilling season nears its peak, retailers are competing for consumer dollars with promotions aimed at increasingly value-conscious shoppers willing to switch proteins, or trade down within a protein category, to stretch grocery budgets.

Beef, along with several premium seafood products, command the highest retail prices, consistent with historical norms. However, price premiums have widened noticeably for several red meat and seafood categories, including steaks, shellfish, and finfish.

Retailers have limited flexibility to aggressively promote beef amid historically tight cattle supplies and elevated wholesale beef prices. While ground beef remains one of the strongest...

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Norway's World Cup Run Ends with a Seafood Feast Fit for the Occasion

Norway's remarkable run to the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals came to an end on July 11, when England edged past the team 2-1 in extra time in Miami, with Jude Bellingham scoring the decisive goal. But if the squad was going to bow out, they did so in style — with a farewell dinner loaded with Norwegian seafood.

The spread featured 15 kg of king crab, 20 kg of crayfish, 10 kg of snow crab, 3 kg of salmon fillet, and 3 kg of halibut fillet...

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DFO Enforcement Roundup: Snow Crab, Lobster, and Groundfish Violations Highlight Busy Start to July

Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has released a series of enforcement updates this month, covering incidents from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The actions span illegal snow crab offloading, lobster violations, groundfish monitoring failures, and an earlier elver smuggling conviction.

860 Pounds of Snow Crab Intercepted in Newfoundland

On July 1, fishery officers from the Springdale Detachment in Newfoundland and Labrador intercepted a fishing vessel returning to port in the Triton area carrying approximately 860 pounds...

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