TORONTO — Today, Sept. 9, marks the birthday of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders who, at the age of 40, began selling home-cooked Kentucky Fried Chicken to travellers at his gas station in Corbin, Ky.

Soon after the launch of the company, the Governor of Kentucky made Harland Sanders a Kentucky Colonel, thanks to the popularity of his cuisine.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Convenience stores in the U.S. are rolling out their own branded foodservice programs to compete directly with restaurants, according to a report from Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com.

The report, Convenience Store Foodservice Trends in the U.S., estimates convenience store foodservice sales grew 5.6 per cent in 2010, and it forecasts sales will rise by 5.8 per cent in 2011 and 5.3 per cent in 2012. Building on an inherent strength in convenience, efficiency and 24/7 availability, the study purports C-stores can provide higher margins while also improving food quality and healthfulness.

CHICAGO — The Chicago-based North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) and Pennsylvania-based ASTM International have designed a Sustainability Calculator that provides a standard method for foodservice and equipment manufacturers to measure and report the environmental impact of products.

“Manufacturers and operators will use the Sustainability Calculator to communicate environmental impact information in a consistent fashion,” explains NAFEM president, Steven Follett, president, CEO and chairman, Follett Ice.

HOUSTON — The Conference of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association has been scheduled to take place from Nov. 6 to 9 at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The invite-only event is limited to 400 people and will focus on the consumer value shift. It will include award-winning chain operator panels and new findings on collaborative foodservice innovation.