McDonald's wants to fill 50K jobs on hiring day

McDonald's Corp. will hold its first national hiring day April 19 to fill 50,000 openings at its restaurants nationwide.

The company, based in Oak Brook, Ill., says it is making a concerted effort to add staff as its business improves and as more of its restaurants stay open 24 hours a day.

McDonald's is hiring restaurant crew and management for full-time and part-time positions. The company's hiring goal translates to between three and four new hires per restaurant.

Turnover slowed in the past few years because of the weak economy, the company says. McDonald's sees this event an opportunity to attract employees in a tough job market.

It is also trying to shed the negative connotation of employment at the fast-food chain, once dubbed "McJobs." About half of its franchisees and more than 75 percent of its managers started as store workers.

"A McJob is one with career growth and endless possibilities," the company said in a statement.

McDonald's held a similar event in its Western region last year. More than 60,000 people applied for the 13,000 positions.

Those who are interested can apply in stores or online. Some restaurants will hold events and interviews that day.

Making sure 'motel kids' don't go hungry

In the shadows of Disneyland, often referred to as the "happiest place on Earth," many children are living a reality that's far from carefree.

They are living in cheap motels more commonly associated with drug dealers, prostitutes and illicit affairs.

It's the only option for many families that are struggling financially and can't scrape together a deposit for an apartment. By living week to week in these cramped quarters, they stay one step ahead of homelessness.

"Some people are stuck, they have no money. They need to live in that room," said Bruno Serato, a local chef and restaurateur. "They've lost everything they have. They have no other chance. No choice."

While "motel kids" are found across the United States, the situation is very common in Orange County, California, a wealthy community with high rents and a large number of old motels. In 2009, local authorities estimated that more than 1,000 families lived in these conditions.

When Serato learned that these children often go hungry, he began serving up assistance, one plate at a time. To date, he's served more than 270,000 pasta dinners -- for free -- to those in need.

"Kids should not be suffering," Serato said. "[I had] to do something."

Serato, 55, has always given back to the community where he achieved his American dream. When the Italian immigrant arrived in the U.S. 30 years ago, his poor English skills forced him to settle for a job as a dishwasher. But within five years, he had become chef and owner of the Anaheim White House, an Italian restaurant that is now a local hot spot.

Groupon's ambitious plan to change how and when we eat

Groupon is fervently preparing for its most ambitious venture yet: the launch of a new mobile application that the company hopes will change when and how society chooses to eat, shop and play.

The application, known as Groupon Now, is remarkably and elegantly simple, yet it's a radical departure from Groupon's current deal-a-day business model. When a user opens up the smartphone app, he or she will be presented with just two buttons: "I'm hungry" and "I'm bored."

Clicking either button will open up a list of time-specific daily deals, based on his or her location.

The familiar $10 coupons for $20 worth of food are still there, but they're not one-time offers. Instead, businesses can choose when they want these deals to be available.

Say a restaurant is incredibly busy on Saturdays but could use more business on Wednesdays. With Groupon Now, that business can fill its seats during slow business days using time-specific deals.

That's the beauty of Groupon Now: local businesses have never really had a simple way to manage their perishable inventory, especially labor and food. Why waste those resources during slow periods when you can bring savings-savvy consumers through the doors with a highly targeted Groupon deal?

"For merchants, the daily deal is like teeth whitening, and Groupon Now is like brushing your teeth. It can be an everyday thing to keep your business going," Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason told Bloomberg Businessweek in an extensive interview on the new product.

The daily deals company has been on a tear recently -- in fact it is the fastest growing company in history -- but it faces stiff competition from companies with increasing muscle.

Bayer drops plan for toxic MIC production in W.Va.

Bayer CropScience said Friday it was abandoning plans to resume production in West Virginia of a toxic chemical that killed thousands of people in Bhopal, India, in 1984.

Bayer issued a release the same morning as the latest court hearing in a lawsuit by residents seeking to stop the company from restarting the unit that produces methyl isocyanate, or MIC

The company said in a news release that it will decommission the MIC unit and associated production units.

The plant in Institute is the only one in the nation that still stores MIC in large volumes. The chemical is used to make Temik, an insecticide.

Bayer said it could no longer expect to produce Temik in time for this year's growing season because of delays in restarting the MIC unit, which had been closed for renovations.

Residents had filed a lawsuit to halt the unit's restart. Bayer had argued that it already had significantly reduced the risks of an accident, slashing its MIC stockpile by 80 percent and eliminating all aboveground storage.

Diet Coke passes Pepsi at No. 2 soda in US

Diet Coke has topped rival Pepsi-Cola for the first time to become the second-most popular soft drink in the country behind Coca-Cola.

It marks a victory for Coca-Cola Co. as its sodas now hold the top two rankings, beating out its rival PepsiCo Inc.

A study by Beverage Digest released Thursday found that Coca-Cola sold nearly 927 million cases of the diet soda in 2010. PepsiCo sold roughly 892 million cases of Pepsi.

Sales of soft drinks in the U.S. have fallen for six straight years as consumers cut back on spending and switched to healthier alternatives. While both Diet Coke and Pepsi's sold less soda, Pepsi's fell more.

Restaurant serves pizza satirizing Italy scandal

A restaurant in Poland is selling a pizza it describes as a satirical commentary on a scandal centered on Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi.

Some of the ingredient names have sexual double meanings in Italian and Polish, and restaurant owner Walter Busalacchi says he is trying to make people "laugh about what is going on in Italy."

Italian prosecutors say Berlusconi paid for sex with a Moroccan minor and used his influence to try to cover it up. They have filed documents identifying 33 women who allegedly prostituted themselves during parties at Berlusconi's villa near Milan. Berlusconi has denied wrongdoing.

Wholesale prices spike on steep rise in food, oil

Higher energy costs and the steepest rise in food prices in nearly four decades drove wholesale prices up last month by the most in nearly two years. Excluding those categories, inflation was tame.

The Producer Price Index rose a seasonally adjusted 1.6 percent in February, the Labor Department said Wednesday. That's double the rise from the previous month and the biggest increase since June 2009.

Food prices soared 3.9 percent last month, the biggest gain since November 1974. Harsh winter freezes in Florida, Texas and other southern states sent fresh vegetable prices soaring, representing 70 percent of the increase. Tomatoes, green peppers and lettuce all more than doubled in price.

Meat and dairy costs also rose, reflecting higher prices for corn and soybean that are used in animal feed. Economists expect food prices to keep increasing for the rest of this year. Earlier this month, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said world food prices have risen to their highest point since 1990, when the agency first began tracking them.

Gas prices also spiked in February and are even higher now. The national average price was $3.55 a gallon Wednesday, up 42 cents from a month earlier, according to the AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge.

Sharper prices for basic necessities are limiting consumers' ability to spend on more discretionary goods. There was little sign of inflationary pressures outside of food and energy. Core prices have increased 1.8 percent in the past 12 months.

Berlusconi sex scandal reaches Poland _ on pizzas

Silvio Berlusconi has inspired a restaurant in Poland to create a "bunga bunga" pizza - a concoction as spicy and wild as the Italian leader's alleged sex parties.

Topped with anchovies, figs, prosciutto and a lot of black pepper, the pizza at the Warsaw pizzeria, A Modo Mio, has been a hot seller since owner Walter Busalacchi put in on the menu several weeks ago.

The Italian-Polish chef said Wednesday he created the pizza to "laugh about what is going on in Italy." Berlusconi goes on trial in Milan next month on charges he paid for sex with a minor.

He has denied wrongdoing and maintained his parties were dignified.

The pizza's flavor is heightened by figs and black pepper, words with sexual connotations in Italian and Polish slang, respectively.

PepsiCo unveils 100 percent plant-based bottle

Remember the Cola Wars? Get ready for the Bottle Wars.

PepsiCo Inc. on Tuesday unveiled a bottle made entirely of plant material, which it says bests the technology of competitor Coca-Cola and reduces its potential carbon footprint.

The bottle is made from switch grass, pine bark, corn husks and other materials. Ultimately, Pepsi plans to also use orange peels, oat hulls, potato scraps and other leftovers from its food business.

The new bottle looks, feels and protects the drink inside exactly the same as its current bottles, said Rocco Papalia, senior vice president of advanced research at PepsiCo. "It's indistinguishable."

PepsiCo says it is the world's first bottle of a common type of plastic called PET made entirely of plant-based materials. Coca-Cola Co. currently produces a bottle using 30 percent plant-based materials and recently estimated it would be several years before it has a 100 percent plant bottle that's commercially viable.

"We've cracked the code," said Papalia.

The discovery potentially changes the industry standard for plastic packaging. Traditional plastic, called PET, is used in beverage bottles, food pouches, coatings and other common products.

The plastic is the go-to because it's lightweight and shatter-resistant, its safety is well-researched and it doesn't affect flavors. It is not biodegradable or compostable. But it is fully recyclable, a characteristic both companies maintain in their new creations.

Traditional PET plastic is made using fossil fuels, like petroleum, a limited resource that's rising in price. By using plant material instead, companies reduce their environmental impact. Pepsi says the new plastic will cost about the same as traditional plastic.

Coca-Cola CEO's pay package increases 30 percent

Coca-Cola Co.'s Chairman and CEO, Muhtar Kent, received compensation valued at $19.2 million in the 2010 fiscal year, 30 percent more than the year before, as his bonus and stock awards increased, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Kent has been CEO of the world's biggest drink maker since July 2008.

Coca-Cola maintained his base salary at $1.2 million. His performance-based cash bonus increased 18 percent to $6.5 million, according to a regulatory filing submitted Wednesday.

Coca-Cola did not grant any stock awards to its executives in 2009. This year, Kent received stock awards valued at $5.1 million. He also received options awards valued at $5.7 million at the time they were granted, down from $7.4 million worth of options granted in 2009.

Kent also received perks, such as personal drivers, use of the company aircraft and financial planning services, worth $737,848. That's 12 percent higher than the $659,274 in perks a year earlier.

Coca-Cola and its rivals have suffered falling soft drink sales in the U.S. in recent years and it continues to face volatile ingredient costs and an uncertain economy. The company, however, has expanded its product lines increasingly into water, juices and teas, increased its push in international markets and acquired its largest bottlers.

The company's net income surged 73 percent to $11.81 billion in the most recent fiscal year, and revenue rose 13 percent to $35.12.

Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, is the world's biggest seller of drinks, with brands such as Coke, Sprite and Dasani bottled water.

The Associated Press formula is designed to isolate the value the company's board placed on the executive's total compensation package during the last fiscal year. It includes salary, bonus, performance-related bonus, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year.

Tons of dead fish pulled from California marina

It could take a week - and the smell could get pretty bad - before crews manage to scoop and vacuum up tons of dead sardines from a Southern California marina.

Net-wielding crews in rowboats and firefighting vessels began work Wednesday, hoping to remove the estimated one million fish before they rot and possibly poison remaining sea life in the harbor.

The cleanup came after the enormous school of sardines apparently suffocated in the confines of King Harbor, possibly while seeking shelter from a predator or simply becoming lost near a breakwater late Monday.

Instead of leaving, the fish crowded toward the back of the Redondo Beach marina and used all the oxygen in the water, marine experts have said.

A fire boat experimented with possible ways of retrieving the silvery corpses carpeting the bottom of the marina, including blasting them with a fire hose so they popped to the surface, police Sgt. Phil Keenan said.

"Some places, we have upward of 2 feet of dead fish on the bottom," he said.

State Department of Fish and Game officials sent samples of the fish to a lab to determine why they died, and strongly suggested the fish just got lost before landing in the marina.

But that didn't stop speculation about what drove the sardines.

An initial theory had them moving away from a toxic algae bloom outside the harbor - a so-called red tide such as one responsible for killing millions of fish in Redondo Beach in 2005.

However, fish and game experts said no red tide was detected.

Others suggested high winds and rough seas drove the sardines to seek shelter, while waves washing over the breakwater flushed seagull excrement into the harbor that further depleted the oxygen.

Larry Derr, 55, owner of In-Seine Bait Co., scoffed at that idea, saying he has fished in rough water and gotten fine catches.

"These fish don't care about weather. They're not walking on the water," he said. "Fish can handle the wind."

Revealed at last: The secret recipe for Coca-Cola

COCA-Cola is dismissive of a US radio show's claim it has discovered the secret recipe for the popular soft drink.

The photo published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1979
that reportedly shows the recipe for Coca-Cola: Picture:
This American Life

Coca-Cola South Pacific's public relations manager Susie Crumpton declined to comment on whether This American Life's recipe, which it claimed it had found in a 32-year-old newspaper, were genuine.

But she said the main ingredients used in the popular soft drink are no secret.

"The ingredients used in our beverages are listed on the product labels and many people have tried over time to crack the secret formula of Coca-Cola," said Ms Crumpton.

"That secret combination of ingredients holds a special place in the history and mythology of Coca-Cola – something we continue to celebrate as we mark our 125th anniversary this year."

See the "secret recipe" below

The US website today posted a photo of a book it said contained a hand-written replica of the original recipe for Coca-Cola. 

Maine and whoopie pie? Pa. says stick with lobster

It consists of two round, textbook-thick, palm-sized chocolate cakes that sandwich a creamy vanilla filling to create one sinfully rich snack. It's the whoopie pie, a snack so beloved that residents in two states have cooked up a good-natured tug of war over which place is its rightful home - Maine or Pennsylvania?

A state legislator in Maine whipped up passions when he introduced a bill in January to make the whoopie pie Maine's official state dessert. Like a group of chefs tweaking a recipe, a legislative committee has since dropped "dessert" in favor of making the snack Maine's official "treat."

No matter - residents in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County say that's just baloney. Those round mounds of cakey goodness originated from kitchens of the area's Amish families, dating back generations, they say.

Shoppers wary of GM foods find they're everywhere

You may not want to eat genetically engineered foods. Chances are, you are eating them anyway.

Genetically modified plants grown from seeds engineered in labs now provide much of the food we eat. Most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States have been genetically modified to resist pesticides or insects, and corn and soy are common food ingredients.

The Agriculture Department has approved three more genetically engineered crops in the past month, and the Food and Drug Administration could approve fast-growing genetically modified salmon for human consumption this year.

Agribusiness and the seed companies say their products help boost crop production, lower prices at the grocery store and feed the world, particularly in developing countries. The FDA and USDA say the engineered foods they've approved are safe - so safe, they don't even need to be labeled as such - and can't be significantly distinguished from conventional varieties.

Organic food companies, chefs and consumer groups have stepped up their efforts - so far, unsuccessfully - to get the government to exercise more oversight of engineered foods, arguing the seeds are floating from field to field and contaminating pure crops. The groups have been bolstered by a growing network of consumers who are wary of processed and modified foods.

Many of these opponents acknowledge that there isn't much solid evidence showing genetically modified foods are somehow dangerous or unhealthy. It just doesn't seem right, they say. It's an ethical issue.

Strawberry genome may lead to cheaper berries

Farmers have long struggled with getting ripe strawberries to market in good shape, but scientists say the recent mapping of the wild strawberry's genome may help them produce berries that are cheaper and easier to grow and arrive in stores in peak condition.

The woodland strawberry has become one of only a handful of food plants to have its genetic sequence charted, and scientists said the map could help them cut years off the time that it would take to produce similar results with traditional plant breeding techniques. But farmers and researchers also say the strawberry's genome isn't likely to be used to its full potential because of consumers' concerns about genetically modified foods.

Nate Nourse, who grows strawberries and other berries in Whately, Mass., said he saw a lot of potential in the strawberry genome map. Many of the strawberries he sells are what he calls June strawberries - sweet, sugary and something special for the few summer weeks they're available.

"But you can't hardly ship them because of the sugar content in them. The more sugar, the less shelf life," he said. He added, "This genetic stuff is going to help people understand what it is to make the sugars better."

He hoped the sequencing of the woodland strawberry genome would speed up the breeding process and make more reliable work that he describes now as a crap shoot. But, he said, that work can't include any sort of genetic modification - his customers wouldn't buy it.

Kevin Folta, an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Florida and one of the scientists who helped map the strawberry's genome, said that was one reason the strawberry industry contributed very little of the $200,000 needed to pay for the project. Growers didn't want to create a public relations problem for themselves.

China tries to stamp out 'Jasmine Revolution'

BEIJING – Jittery Chinese authorities wary of any domestic dissent staged a concerted show of force Sunday to squelch a mysterious online call for a "Jasmine Revolution" apparently modeled after pro-democracy demonstrations sweeping the Middle East.

Authorities detained activists, increased the number of police on the streets, disconnected some mobile phone text messaging services and censored Internet postings about the call to stage protests at 2 p.m. in Beijing, Shanghai and 11 other major cities.

The campaign did not gain much traction among ordinary citizens and the chances of overthrowing the Communist government are slim, considering Beijing's tight controls over the media and Internet. A student-led, pro-democracy movement in 1989 was crushed by the military and hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed.

On Sunday, police took at least three people away in Beijing, one of whom tried to lay down white jasmine flowers while hundreds of people milled about the protest gathering spot, outside a McDonald's on the capital's busiest shopping street. In Shanghai, police led away three people near the planned protest spot after they scuffled in an apparent bid to grab the attention of passers-by.

Diet Pepsi 'skinny' can stirs up big controversy

Diet Pepsi has introduced a new "skinny" can for Fashion Week, but some critics are giving it a big, fat "no."

The can is a "taller, sassier" version of the traditional can that the company says was made in "celebration of beautiful, confident women." Pepsi's equating of "skinny" and "beautiful" and "confident" is drawing criticism.

PepsiCo Inc. presented the new can at New York's Fashion Week, which began Thursday. It will be available to consumers nationwide in March.

The company, a Fashion Week sponsor, is hosting a series of events to launch the new can, include collaborations with popular designers such as Charlotte Ronson and Betsey Johnson.

Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo said in a statement that "our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today's most stylish looks, and we're excited to throw its coming-out party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world."

Critics say that sales pitch is nothing to celebrate.

The company's push may offend some consumers who don't back the "skinny is better" ethos. Brand critics praised the new design but say the company may be a bit off on its sales pitch.

The National Eating Disorders Association said it takes offense to the can and said the company's comments are both "thoughtless and irresponsible".

Libby Copeland summed up many of the criticisms in as article for Slate.

"Same old story - aspirational, looks-oriented advertising with a thin layer of faux-empowerment on top," Copeland wrote. "If you're confident on the inside, you'll be skinny on the outside, or something. Huh?"

The skinny can won't replace the traditional can.

Federal dietary guidelines target salt, saturated fats

The federal government unveiled new dietary guidelines Monday that urge certain people to cut down on salt.

The guidelines, which are updated every five years, recommend that people over age 51, African-Americans and people with a history of hypertension, diabetes or kidney problems limit their daily salt intake to a little over a half a teaspoon. For everyone else, the daily recommendation remains at 2,300 milligrams -- about one teaspoon of salt.

But that could be tough. A cup of spaghetti and meatballs has approximately 1,000 milligrams of salt in it, and an average frozen meal can have up to 1,500 milligrams in just one serving.

"Most of that salt comes from processed, packaged pre-prepared foods," said Cheryl Achterberg, dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. "So, cutting back a little bit on that and doing some more home-food preparation will make a big difference."

"I think it is attainable," Achterberg said of the guideline. "It's within reach of many, if not most Americans."

Former restaurant goers learn to love their ovens

Eating at home may be one of the few behavioral changes from the recession that stick.

Forced to eat more meals at home when money was tight, people learned new habits. Some discovered they enjoy cooking and dining in. As the economy improves and families have more spending money, they're still saving restaurants for special occasions.

Restaurants traditionally have led other types of businesses out of a recession. This time, they're at least a year and a half behind retailers. Sales of clothing grew 5 percent last year and autos rose 11 percent, as Americans started feeling better about their finances. At casual sit-down restaurants like Outback Steakhouse, the increase was just 1 percent. Some analysts say that could be the new norm.

President of her own marketing agency in Raleigh, N.C., Beverly Murray, 46, never thought she'd have time to cook. But in 2008, her business tanked. Suddenly dropping $10 or $20 on every meal was not an option. So she got to know her stove. Now she subscribes to Cooking Light magazine and even has a signature dish, chipotle seared chicken.

When she does go out, she says, it's a special occasion with friends. Having lost 30 pounds as a pleasant consequence of cooking at home, she is sticking to the new routine, even as business picks up.

"People are becoming not only accustomed to eating at home, they're enjoying it," says Darren Tristano, executive vice president of restaurant consulting firm Technomic Inc. "They can sit in front of their 50-inch flat-screens and not have to tip a waiter."

US seafood industry creates marketing coalition

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- The meat industry has its "Beef, It's What's for Dinner" promotion. Pork producers market their product as "the other white meat." Now, the U.S. seafood industry is preparing to cast its own marketing net in a bid to reel in more consumers.

More than 50 fishing and seafood organizations from 24 states have signed on to the National Seafood Marketing Coalition, a group that's working on a national plan to better market American seafood and is hoping for help from the federal government. Organizers say promotion, new product development, education and other marketing means will strengthen the U.S. seafood economy and generate jobs.

"Our experience is that a little bit of marketing goes a long way," said Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council who has been active with the national group. "Since nobody's doing much, when you do a little bit it's noticeable."

Americans eat a lot of seafood; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates they spent about $75.5 billion on fishery products in 2009.

In 2009, they consumed 4.8 billion pounds of fish and shellfish, or 15.8 pounds per person. However, 84 percent of that seafood was imported, up from 68 percent in 2000 and 54 percent in 1995, NOAA says.

But it's not just imports that domestic seafood producers are up against, said Bruce Schactler, a Kodiak, Alaska, fisherman who's serving as the coalition's volunteer director. The industry also competes against other proteins, such as meat, chicken and pork, as well as other foods, he said.