3 Summer Retail Trends to Watch in 2026
Lower income consumers are pulling back from fast food as years of price hikes push QSRs past their affordability threshold. Brands are scrambling to win them back with sharper value plays.

Lower income consumers are pulling back from fast food as years of price hikes push QSRs past their affordability threshold. Brands are scrambling to win them back with sharper value plays.

Global fertilizer chokepoints tied to the Strait of Hormuz crisis are putting 2026 crop yields and food inflation at real risk. Industry leaders are being urged to secure inputs early and rethink supply chains before the squeeze truly tightens.


Biofilms rarely make headlines on their own, but the contamination, spoilage, and recalls that they contribute to are part of the roughly $75B that the U.S. loses to foodborne illness every year, according to USDA estimates. Now, food producers are turning to digital twins to identify risks earlier – before they escalate into costly problems.

National brands are becoming more strategic in their battle to reclaim market share from private label and challenger brands. Meanwhile, as store brands capture 24% of the market, they’re leaning on some tactics of their own to support bottom lines.
Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe lays out the restaurant labor market, and challenges operators to view it not as a cost but as a strategic investment.
Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe lays out the restaurant labor market, and challenges operators to view it not as a cost but as a strategic investment.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on breakfast products’ ongoing move beyond the morning daypart, as brands are reformulating products for portability amid demand for all-day breakfast.
John Linehan, president of Irresistible Foods Group, explains how organizational charts are being supplanted in the Capability Era.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the encouraging reduction in egg prices in recent weeks, as farmers successfully replenished flocks.
Korn Ferry’s Sharon Aho, Senior Managing Director at Korn Ferry, discuses workforce strategy and talent excellence for F&B companies.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on new research that suggests stopping GLP-1 drugs abruptly may increase risks of heart attack and stroke.
Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, shares the story of his company’s founding, and how CPG partnerships continue to inspire fans.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on an eye-opening new report about the prevalence of pesticides and forever chemicals on produce.
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on Americans’ unrelenting love of candy, as evidenced by recent confectionery sales.