Plant-based brands, unique textures, and bold global flavors are reshaping the ice cream category. As billion-dollar deals churn, brands are focused on innovation in a competitive, sensory-driven market.
As automation and cost-cutting drive sweeping F&B layoffs, experts urge job seekers to sharpen their networking, recruiter outreach, and LinkedIn tactics. Even execs must rethink how they navigate today’s volatile hiring landscape.
Kelley Blue Book’s “Fork in the Road” guide spotlights the top car-friendly fast-food picks for mess-free mobile dining. Boneless bites are on the rise, highlighting shifting consumer preferences in QSR innovation.
A coffee chain in Hawaii is turning stale brew into a brand asset with its new “Rescube” campaign – coffee ice cubes that fight dilution and waste. It’s a strategic play on quality, sustainability, and storytelling.
In the latter stages of 2025, restaurant growth hinges on pairing value with innovation. From Taylor Swift tie-ins to smart nostalgia, brands that deliver memorable experiences at fair prices are winning foot traffic across formats.
Nearly half of U.S. adults now order kids’ meals, driven by inflation, smaller appetites, and a craving for comfort. Restaurants are responding with nostalgic offerings, downsized portions, and delivery deals to match.
Precision fermentation is transforming dairy, creating lactose-free milk made without cows. Strive Nutrition’s FREEMILK uses real dairy proteins – identical to those in cow’s milk but produced sustainably through fermentation – to offer the taste and nutrition of milk with fewer emissions and less sugar.
Floral flavors like rose and lavender are in full bloom, emerging in everything from pancakes and baked goods to lattes and lemonades. According to Rubix Foods’ NEXT Flavor Report, 67% of Gen Z diners want to see more floral notes on menus and shelves.
The U.S. mushroom supplement market hit $1.1 billion in 2023, growing at double-digit rates as functional foods move from niche to mainstream. Lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps mushrooms are now showing up in products ranging from chocolate to coffee.
Restaurants are redefining delivery with “hospitality beyond the four walls,” using personal touches like handwritten notes and smart packaging to boost satisfaction. The payoff? A warmer brand experience and repeat business.
Coffee, chicken, and Mexican restaurant chains sizzled early in 2025, but per-store traffic is cooling fast according to Placer.ai data. With coffee prices spiking, QSRs may be brewing a recipe for over-saturation.
This fall, the Gen Z food trends are smoky, global, and TikTok-approved, according to Chartwells’ 2025 campus dining forecast. From ube brunch items to Monster Matcha, flavor innovations are meeting students where they scroll.
Plant-based products often bear the brunt of the blame for the health issues associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs), but experts note that meat and dairy UPFs may pose greater risks. With competing definitions and a new non-UPF verification program in the works, consumer education remains key in understanding what really makes a food “ultra-processed.”
Chipotle and Moe’s are spicing up global growth with bold Tex-Mex debuts across Asia. Partnerships and localized menus will be key.
AI is already transforming foodservice, from smarter supply chains to real-time menu innovation. Industry leaders reveal how even small operators can harness data-driven tools to boost efficiency, agility, and competitive edge.
A new study suggests that eating a daily handful of walnuts may improve sleep quality by boosting melatonin levels and reducing daytime sleepiness. While more research is needed, walnuts also offer a wide range of other perks – from heart health to brain function – making them a smart choice either way.
As more consumers turn to GLP-1 medications, the demand for products high in fiber and protein is booming, but many traditional formulations contain allergens like gluten and dairy, making it difficult for some to find options. However, that’s changing.
Recent research has revealed that endurance athletes can improve their performance by consuming significantly more carbohydrates than previously advised, prompting a surge in energy gel sales. However, many athletes are reaching for a cheaper – and tastier – alternative found in kids’ lunch boxes.
Cracker Barrel’s recent logo revamp sparked a $100M backlash, forcing a swift return to its nostalgic “Old Timer.” The fiasco highlights the high stakes of brand identity in an era of cultural sensitivity.
Dubai chocolate’s viral rise is influencing menus worldwide with its craveable crunch and flair. However, climate-driven cocoa and pistachio shortages hint at deeper disruptions for the confectionery industry.
Despite economic headwinds, food retail is booming, as 94% of operators rate their business health as strong. Tech adoption and foodservice add-ons are fueling expansion, even as inflation and data challenges persist.
Taylor Swift’s sourdough obsession sparked Panera’s “Loaf Story Meal” and reignited consumer interest in fermented breads. With gut health and clean-label trends rising, sourdough’s pandemic-born momentum is evolving into a retail innovation boom.
Americans get over half their calories from ultra-processed foods. New research, guidelines, and expert advice offer a roadmap for healthier eating habits.
Millennials and Gen Z are snacking with style – treating pantry items as identity statements and status symbols. Brands that blend bold packaging with shared values are seizing this flavorful form of modern self-expression.
Honeycrisp apple prices have surged 160% amid crop shortages, rising labor costs, and limited imports. Retailers are pivoting to Cosmic Crisp, frozen produce, and private labels as shoppers seek relief from premium fruit sticker shock.
Multiple pro athletes have either invested in plant-based foodservice and food retail brands or launched their own brands in recent years, including John Salley, Tom Brady, Chris Paul, Ed McCaffrey, and Mike Tyson. Let’s take a look at a few of these business ventures – and the motivators behind them.
For Gen Z, eating and drinking are multi-sensory experiences – and texture is just as important as taste. Here are three textures the demographic can’t seem to get enough of.
Functional chocolate is on the rise, boasting add-ins like mushrooms and collagen. Experts weigh in on the science, the strategy, and whether it’s more hype than health.
When asked which foods and drinks Gen Zers wanted to experience in sauce form, 10% of survey respondents referenced a soda – some by its brand name; others by its flavor profile. Here are their top flavor choices.
While protein remains a top nutrition trend, health experts argue it’s often overhyped. Many Americans already get enough, and whole food sources may be healthier than processed protein products.
Cracker Barrel is attempting to modernize its brand with sleeker decor, streamlined retail, and booze on the menu. CEO Julie Felss Masino faces the challenge of evolution without eroding identity.
Banana milk is swinging into the coffee scene, turning nostalgic flavor into a retail phenomenon. Fueled by K-pop, global influence, and social media buzz, it’s reshaping what “comfort coffee” means for consumers.
Today’s consumers are seeking more nuanced, complex spice experiences – and brands are delivering them. For example, Arkay Beverages leverages capsaicin in its non-alcoholic spirits to replicate the kick of standard liquor, adding sensory thrills and functional perks to zero-proof cocktails in the process.
A new bipartisan bill approved by the Senate Ag Committee aims to expand access to plant-based milk in schools, offering relief to millions of lactose-intolerant students. If passed, it would require schools to provide non-dairy alternatives to students when requested by a parent, no doctor’s note needed.
Sour is trending, chocolate is complicated, and regional quirks abound: Kellanova’s new data reveals how generational tastes shape road-trip snacking – and what that means for category innovation. Nostalgia, “swalty,” and convenience drive the ride.
Once rooted in Filipino comfort food, ube is now infusing menus and retail shelves with color and cultural depth. F&B leaders are embracing it as both a flavor trend and storytelling vehicle.
