Flu season has significant costs for employers. According to a National Business Group on Health report, the flu indirectly costs employers about $76.7 million a year in employee absenteeism, presenteeism, and other indirect costs. A typical employee has flu symptoms for five to six days and misses between a half day and five days of work.

Newly released social network and wine tasting app Wine Trail Adventures, is already starting to have a big impact on how wineries are marketing their winery, and how they are using social media. After the soft launch of the website last week, over 500 wineries have already claimed their free account on the website and they are starting to see an impact. With their account, wineries are able to brand the message that wine tasters read about their winery, communicate directly with followers of their winery and the people that are visiting their tasting rooms, get real time reports and analytics about the people that are tasting their wines, and most importantly... use their reviews and photos for their own marketing efforts on all of the social media sites. "We took the time to really understand the challenges that winery owners are facing when it comes to marketing their business," stated Natalia Osadchuk - co-owner of Wine Trail Adventures. She went on to say, "We wanted to create a platform that automated their marketing efforts and allowed winery owners to do what they do best... make great wine!"

In cooperation with the Reser's Fine Foods and Taylor Farmsrecalls of products that may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, Safeway is voluntarily recalling several products supplied by or containing ingredients supplied by Reser's Fine Foods or Taylor Farms. The items are displayed behind the glass at the full-service deli or in self-serve coolers in the deli department.

As a part of the Beverly Hills Wine & Food Festival, 'Mixology After Dark' offers a unique opportunity to soak up the ambiance of a night in one of Southern California's most luxurious enclaves. Guests will enjoy walk-around tastings as they sample the premiere spirits and haute-est cuisine available, prepared and presented by the culinary elite. Event participants can revel in offerings from classic distilleries such as Remy Martin and Bombay Sapphire, discover new and exciting flavors from local favorites like Moreno BHLV and Ventura Limoncello, or enjoy a cocktail that mixes any variety of these and other featured labels for a fresh fusion of flavor. Guests can expect an evening of unparalleled enjoyment as they mingle in an upscale environment that won't disappoint.

The approaching holiday season marks a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of celebrations. With the first day of Hanukkah falling on Thanksgiving this year - and less than one month before Christmas - party hosts and holiday travelers alike are in for a rare multiplicity of stress-inducing scenarios. In an effort to maintain 'the most wonderful time of the year,' New England Inns & Resorts has assembled a Thanksgivukkah Survival Guide to curb anxiety and avert mid-holiday meltdowns.

A catalog of cutting-edge products for the kitchen is being introduced this Winter by the coffee experts behind the Bonavita collection. Bonavita's 8 Cup Coffee Brewer has received accolades as a "Best Buy" from Cook's Illustrated magazine and as an "Editor's Favorite" in Food & Wine magazine. The brand's design-forward, yet classically-inspired Gooseneck Kettles have also received the nod from the Los Angeles Times "Daily Dish" column, which describes them as "for coffee geeks, the latest electric pour-over kettle."

Lenny's Sub Shop, a national sub sandwich franchise, is introducing a brand new menu item in all of its sub shops nationwide. By launching the Smoked Pork BBQ Sub, Lenny's is inserting a new hot sub option into the existing array of menu offerings to help warm up hungry guests this season.

Three Jerks Jerky introduces The Original Filet Mignon Beef Jerky with the launch of their ecommerce website www.threejerksjerky.com and in Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Lidia Bastianich's food emporium, Eataly NYC. The company produces gourmet beef jerky from 100% filet mignon and natural ingredients without the use of nitrates/nitrites or MSG. The business has grown from a successful Kickstarter campaign in July 2013 in which The Jerks raised 228% of their $20,000 goal.

There is an increasing need for the public and private sectors to collaborate to find and implement recycling solutions in communities across the country. A survey conducted by Research Data + Insights on behalf of the Carton Council of North America (CCNA) offers new findings that reveal that consumers overwhelmingly believe product companies and their brands play a crucial role in recycling. In the survey, which included 1,000 adults from across the U.S., 86 percent responded that they expect food and beverage brands to actively help increase the recycling of their packages.

FIKA (www.fikanyc.com), Manhattan's fastest growing lifestyle coffee, chocolate and restaurant chain makes a big impression at the International Chocolate Awards held in London by winning both the gold and silver medals for "FIKA" branded chocolates.

General Mills has improved the health profile of 73 percent of its U.S. Retail sales volume since 2005. These improvements include enhancing positive nutrition such as increasing protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, or reducing limiters such as calories, sodium, sugar and fat, all while ensuring great taste. In fiscal 2013 alone, the company improved more than 20 percent of its U.S. Retail sales volume and the nutritional improvements touched all General Mills U.S. Retail platforms, including Baking, Cereal, Dairy, Meals and Snacks.

Continuing this year's growth momentum, Seattle Chocolate Company is expanding their signature chocolate truffle bar line and increasing retail availability for their specialty chocolates along the West Coast. Two new milk and dark chocolate flavors Total Toffee and Salted Almond have been added to the Seattle Chocolates truffle bar collection, and more than 40 Whole Foods Markets, Powell's Sweet Shoppes and Nugget Market locations throughout the Northern California region have been added to the popular line's growing retail footprint.

Only one barrel of 16-year ABERFELDY Single Cask Highland Scotch whisky exists in the United States - and it is available exclusively to New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet customers. Thanks to record sales of DEWAR'S products, including ABERFELDY, the flagship single malt from DEWAR'S, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission was afforded the unique opportunity to select a cask of one of the most coveted Scotch whiskies ever produced. NH Liquor & Wine Outlet customers can reserve a bottle of this rare spirit online at http://www.liquorandwineoutlets.com/aberfeldy.

Nestle USA today announced that the company is relocating its Nestle Pizza Division from its present location in Northbrook, Illinois to Solon, Ohio. Nestle Pizza is the maker of America's most popular pizza brands, including DIGIORNO (the #1 frozen pizza brand in the U.S.), CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN, TOMBSTONE and JACK's. The move will be completed by mid-2014.

McDonald's Canada today announced that it will offer books in its Happy Meals at participating restaurants for a two-week promotion starting November 1, while supplies last. The promotion includes four limited edition books, offered in sequence, which feature Happy Meal original characters with fun and playful themes, and a focus on nutrition and imagination. The company is also introducing monthly e-books, which are available on McPlay, McDonald's Happy Meal app.

A long-time techie and self confessed connoisseur of comfort food, Shelly Wolcott is now fulfilling one of her life-long ambitions of being a business owner, and especially to own a company within the food industry that offers consumers a 'healthy solution' for preparing family meals. In March, Shelly purchased the assets of Healthy Solutions Spice Blends, a maker of 16 distinct spice blends that are recipe ready and made to cook with fish, beef, pork and poultry. Healthy Solutions Spice Blends can be found in such prominent Northeast retailers as Whole Food Markets, Market Basket, Hannaford Supermarkets and numerous franchise locations of The Meat House Neighborhood Butcher Shop from Maine to North Carolina.

We're all dressed up and ready to help you celebrate your holiday season with New Zealand's greatest vintage.

Young culinary school graduate Nichole Mantelle was disheartened with the food industry. Each job she landed in a kitchen had been the same thing, pre-packed entrees being reheated and served. Inspired by the growing street food movement in South Florida, she and her sister Michelle sought to create a menu that would speak to all ages and tastes.

Bruegger's Bagels kicks off its annual fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals today with a coffee campaign that benefits children's hospitals across the U.S. The bagel chain, known for its authentic, award-winning New York-style bagels, will donate a portion of proceeds from sales of its popular Bottomless Mugs through the end of the year, and will host its annual Free Coffee Day on Nov. 7.

Sterling-Rice Group (SRG)has identified the top ten food trends that will be served on restaurant menus and line supermarket shelves across the U.S. in 2014.With a breadth and depth of culinary experience, the brand strategy, research, innovation, and communications firm has counseled and created foods for companies ranging from organic startups to many of the world's largest food companies.

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL and Alfred Dunhill launched the JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL Limited Edition Collection designed by Alfred Dunhill in conjunction with the première of 'Celebrating a Journey Shared', a film which portrays a memorable journey of two exceptional men - John Walker and Alfred Dunhill - from the bustling city of London to the highlands of Scotland. The two iconic British luxury houses also unveiled CelebratingAJourneyShared.com, a digital concept space that showcases the great craft traditions of dedication, rich heritage and commitment to quality behind this exclusive range of collectors' items.

For the month of November, Strike A Chord, WFUV's public service campaign, is reporting on the subject of food assistance programs around New York City.

The chic wine lounge ENO, located at Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, 200 N. Columbus Drive, will feature a winter "Silk Road" series of spiced fondues made in-house daily with a different infused spice each month. Inspired by one of the world's oldest and most historically important trade routes, the "Silk Road" series takes guests on a journey to explore the delicate flavors of spices that are to be savored and appreciated for their influence on food and history. The wine room on the lobby level of the hotel is the perfect setting to enjoy a glass of wine and sweet or savory fondue after a day of shopping or sightseeing on Michigan Avenue.

Event showcases 36 Champagne brands showing strength and diversity of famous region

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and FOOD & WINE today announce that Chef Linton Hopkins is the winner of the "The Cabin Pressure Cook-Off," a culinary competition to find the next Delta chef. Chef Hopkins will join the Delta culinary team to consult on BusinessElite menus for flights between Atlanta and Europe beginning in February.