Consumer Headlines: Cat food recall, holiday sales boost, and price of cocoa reaches historic high

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Northwest Naturals has issued a recall for a line of cat food following the death of a cat linked to bird flu. Health officials in Oregon confirmed the cat’s death was due to bird flu, with testing revealing contamination in the food.

Health leaders discovered that Northwest Naturals’ Feline Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen Pet Food was contaminated.

According to Northwest Naturals’ website, the recalled raw pet food is sold locally at Pet Supplies Plus in Webster and Higbie Farm Supplies in North Chili. The affected products have a sell-by date between May 1, 2026, and June 23, 2026.

Northwest Naturals promotes its raw pet food for aiding digestion, boosting energy, and improving pets’ coats. However, the raw turkey can carry the virus from infected poultry, posing a risk to pets.

A reminder for pet owners: cooking poultry to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit will eliminate bird flu and other harmful bacteria and viruses.

Last-minute holiday shoppers played a significant role in boosting sales this season. According to Mastercard, holiday sales increased by nearly 4% compared to last year. Online sales saw an even larger jump, rising almost 7%.

Analysts attribute the rise to steep discounts and higher promotions. Shoppers splurged on clothing, jewelry, and electronics.

However, chocolate sales did not see the same boost. The price of cocoa has reached historic highs due to global production issues. Weather and disease outbreaks have affected cocoa trees in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, leading to a tough environment for chocolate makers.

Hershey’s stock price has dropped nearly 12% over the last three months.

The good news is that cocoa production is expected to improve in 2025, thanks to better weather conditions.

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