Food for Thought Leadership: 2026 Food Industry Outlook

The Food Institute editorial team shares their 2026 food industry outlook in the first Food for Thought Leadership episode of the new year.

Mediterranean, Savory Among Monin’s 2026 Flavor Projections

Monin’s 2026 Flavor Trends forecast points to a year defined by experiential drinking, from savory umami cocktails to Mediterranean profiles. For the F&B industry, the opportunity lies in pairing global inspiration with visually striking, social ready innovation.

Unwrapping the Global Snacking Scene

Sabine Schommer and Guido Hentschke explore how ISM, ISM Ingredients, and ProSweets Cologne serve as a meet-up for the snacking industry.

Food for Thought Leadership: How Mama’s Creations Is Reinventing the Deli Case

Adam Michaels, CEO of Mama’s Creations, shares how the deli category is evolving and is primed for innovation.

What Will Be the Biggest Animal Protein of 2026?

Chicken appears poised to keep its protein crown in 2026, buoyed by strong availability and foodservice versatility. But shifting consumer value dynamics and disease risks could elevate eggs and pork to unexpected growth.

Agentic AI Is Here – Are Food and Retail Brands Ready for What’s Next?

Agentic AI is shifting retail from answers to actions – transforming discovery, consideration, and conversion. For food brands, metadata mastery and AI literacy are now imperatives.

Food for Thought Leadership: AI Agents Are on the Rise in the Food Industry and Here’s Why

Barry Thomas, senior thought leader at Kantar, unpacks the rapid rise of agentic AI — a new class of AI systems that don’t just generate information, but take action on behalf of the user.

The Foodservice Industry Unites at DMA’s 2025 Fall Conference

SAN ANTONIO – Foodservice distributors, manufacturers, operators, and insights teams gathered at the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk Nov. 18-20, for Distribution Market Advantage’s 2025 Fall Conference. At the event, presentations and panel discussions focused on …

Food for Thought Leadership: How Lasso is Reinventing Food Manufacturing

Former Oatly U.S. President Mike Messersmith explores how Lasso’s SpinTech could transform food processing, creating sustainable, high-protein, clean-label innovations with new textures and ingredient possibilities.

The Return to Real: Authenticity Is Redefining the Food Industry

In The Food Institute’s latest Food for Thought Leadership episode, Robyn Carter of Jump Rope Innovation explains how consumers’ demand for authenticity and simplicity is reshaping food retail, restaurants, and wellness, and why “real” is the future of food.

The Art of Building a Brand for Foodservice

Mike Seidel of Performance Foodservice Corporate, shares how the company developed its most recent Mediterranean food brand Zebec. 

Food for Thought Leadership: The Return to Real with Robyn Carter

Robyn Carter, founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation, explores the concept of the “return to real” in today’s food industry.

Food for Thought Leadership: How SKU Is Shaping the Next Generation of CPG Brands

Kellanova vice president Dr. Deepali Palta shares how a focus on the consumer, business, and technology impact global innovation at the company.

Poultry Industry Outlook: Rising Demand Challenged by Disease, Inflation

Wayne-Sanderson Farms CFO T.J. Wolfe discusses inflation, disease, and the tech transforming the poultry industry.

The Future of Flavor: McCormick’s Recipe for Innovation

Valda Coryat reveals how curiosity powers McCormick’s foresight, why segmentation by “flavor personality” matters, and the future of flavor.

Food for Thought Leadership: Kellanova’s Deepali Palta on AI, Sustainability, and Growth

Kellanova vice president Dr. Deepali Palta shares how a focus on the consumer, business, and technology impact global innovation at the company.

Chicken, Consumers & Change: A Poultry Market Overview

City National Bank’s Eric Viergutz interviews Wayne-Sanderson Farms CFO T.J. Wolfe on the U.S. chicken market.

Food for Thought Leadership: Nostalgia vs. Novelty with Mike Kostyo

Menu Matters vice president Mike Kostyo joins Chris Campbell to discuss the push and pull between nostalgia and novelty in the food industry.

Culinary Innovation at Anuga 2025: The Flavor Fusion Culinary Showdown

JP Hartmann, Preeti Shah, and Nikki Jackson explain the Flavor Fusion Culinary Showdown at Anuga 2025, and U.S. involvement in the show.

Unraveling the Big Beautiful Bill’s Impact on F&B

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act spices up tax strategy for F&B businesses, unlocking R&D credits and full depreciation on production investments. Tip and overtime tax breaks sweeten the deal for frontline staff.

How Will the Big Beautiful Bill Impact Food & Beverage?

Jeff Pera and Patrick O’Reilly of CBIZ break down the implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and how it will impact the F&B space.

The Intersection of U.S. and International Food Trends

Anuga’s JP Hartmann spoke with FI’s Chris Campbell on the intersection of U.S. and international food trends, and the Anuga conference.

Are Consumers in a ‘Spending Recession’ for Food Items?

RBC’s Nik Modi breaks down how inflation, debt, and economic pressures are shaping grocery shopping habits and consumer behavior in the food industry.

Grocery Grit: What’s in the Cart When Money’s Tight?

Nik Modi of RBC Capital Markets breaks down grocery trends and consumer behavior amid inflation, tariffs, and more.

Digital Food and Beverage Show Takeaways: Agility, Community, Gen Z

At the 2025 Digital Food and Beverage show, industry leaders tackled topics like agility, as well as Gen Z’s love for raw, creator-led content. The takeaway? Adapt fast – or risk becoming a relic in the digital age.

The Three Keys to Data: Speed, Precision, and Efficiency

Tibersoft’s Suzanne Cwik details how your organization can harness the three keys to data: speed, efficiency, and precision.

Winning in Better-for-You Food: The Top Seedz Playbook

Rebecca Brady, founder and CEO of Top Seedz, shares how she turned a homegrown idea into a rapidly scaling snack brand.

5 Major Trends on Display at NRA 2025

The 2025 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago showcased groundbreaking foodservice innovations, from globally inspired comfort foods to cutting-edge pizza solutions. Business leaders also displayed the latest AI-driven data analytics, revealing a dynamic future in which tech drives growth in the industry.

Tariff Time: Unraveling the New Normal in Global Trade

Jodi Ader from RSM US LLP joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss which products and inputs are currently subject to tariffs, and how to best mitigate supply chain risks.

3 Key Themes from the International Pizza Expo

The Las Vegas Convention Center became the epicenter of the pizza world this week, as it hosted the International Pizza Expo. The event highlighted the latest, greatest, and most innovative pizza ingredients.

Cooking Up Creativity: Lessons From Bar & Restaurant Expo 2025

The 2025 Bar & Restaurant Expo featured celebrity chefs, expert mixologists, and food suppliers. Key themes included authenticity, “unreasonable hospitality,” and organically growing and cultivating a staff.

How Food and Beverage Can Contend with Uncertainty

Lou Biscotti from CBIZ explains how uncertainty, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and inflation are impacting the food and beverage industry.

Charting Natural Grocery Growth with Mother’s Market

City National Bank’s Justin D’Affronte steps in as guest host as he speaks with Mother’s Market CEO Dorothy Carlow about inflation, tariffs, consumer preferences, and more.

Ramping Your Brand

Dr. James Richardson, author of Ramping Your Brand and owner of Premium Growth Solutions, shares some of the pitfalls many early-stage CPG brands make, and highlights some of the pathways to success.

Data Collaboration is Key for Food Away from Home

Tibersoft’s Chris Hart traces the history of data collaboration in the food away from home industry, with an eye towards the future.

How to Empower Local Restaurants Through Technology

André Moraes of PepsiCo Digital Lab shares how experiences, microinfluencers, and the Local Eats program can help propel restaurants in 2025.