Friday’s checkout: The top food issues to watch during the presidential election

High grocery prices have been a hot topic among consumers in the city this year and have attracted the attention of politicians across the country. As the presidential election approaches, issues such as government aid, antitrust enforcement and tariffs could have a significant impact on the food industry, depending on who is elected to the White House.

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris made a splash with her proposal “Ban on inflating food prices” as part of its economic platform, but it is unclear what this ban would involve and how it would work. In her economic policy planHarris promised to “invest in building resilient food supply chains” as well as “reinvigorate competition on food and grocery prices,” which would include funding for small grocers and growers.

Republican Party candidate Donald Trump said at a September campaign event that he would lower grocery costs by this year imposing tariffs on food imports – proposal condemned by economists. USA imports about 15% of its food supply– says the Food and Drug Administration.

On antitrust issues, the Biden administration, of which Harris is now a part, has stepped up efforts to crack down on behavior it considers anticompetitive. The Federal Trade Commission’s challenge to the Kroger-Albertsons merger is the largest such attack in the grocery industry. The Department of Justice recently did so as well he went after the meat packers.

During Trump’s presidency major antitrust cases focusing on large technology companiessuch as Google and Facebook. Trump’s candidate JD Vance praised FTC Chair Lina Khanwho was appointed by the Biden administration.

Finally, candidates appear to vary greatly in their SNAP benefits. In 2019, the Trump administration proposed a controversial plan tighten the rules for obtaining SNAP benefitswhich The Biden administration has collapsed. Trump Cuts have been proposed in the 2021 budget for SNAP by more than $180 billion, or nearly 30%, over the next 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Harris, who has introduced several welfare bills in the Senate, supported the development of SNAP it would increase benefits for children by 27%, The Duke Chronicle reports.

In case you missed it

Brookshire Grocery Co. acquires four locations in West Texas

The company is acquisition of four Shoppin’ Baskit locations at Ranger, Coleman, Ballinger and De Leon in Texas with plans to convert them to Spring Market stores, local news site Coleman Today reported Monday.

According to the news site, each location will be temporarily closed in early December and will reopen under a new name within a few days. Brookshire also partnered with Ace Hardware on an expansion to continue offering the company’s products at the Ballinger store.

Where will Amazon’s former top grocery executive go next?

Tony Hoggett, who announced his departure last week from Amazon after three years who oversees the company’s grocery stores, will leave the food industry entirely in his next move.

On Monday, Fortune reported that Hoggett would join the Wonder restaurant chain that specializes in delivery director of operations. In this role, he will oversee the Technology, Supply Chain & Logistics, and Culinary Engineering divisions, as well as lead the company’s real estate and store operations teams.

Wonder founder and CEO Marc Lore told Fortune that Hoggett’s hiring does not mean the company that owns Blue Apron will expand into grocery, noting that Hoggett brings expertise in opening and operating storefronts equipped with technology.

Fresh Market moves to the former House

It’s time for the Chicago area to officially move on from Dom’s Kitchen & Market and welcome The Fresh Market. The specialty grocer opened a store in the former Debut House location at 2730 N. Halsted St., with a grand opening Wednesday, Chicago Block Club reported on Tuesday.

Opening signs Fresh Market’s fifth location in Illinois. It has a sixth store in Chicago, according to its website, and will be “coming soon” to Naperville.

Finding the impulse

You are what you eat on Halloween

The Austin, Texas resident and HEB fan decided to transform herself into a bag of HEB butter tortillas for Halloween — and the Internet ate it up.

Complete with a logo, near-identical text on the packaging, a plastic bag, and a tube of HEB queso as an accessory, artist and creator Sarah Baumann posted the story of making the costume on Instagram, noting that she used mostly recycled materials.

HEB followed the process, which took less than a month, and commented on Baumann’s first and last posts describing the creation of the costume. Seller’s Final Verdict: Baumann “Left No Crumbs.”