Big-box retailers have reported surprisingly strong first-quarter results as consumers – with more money from stimulus checks and rising optimism about a return to normal life – spent more in-store and online as COVID-19 cases fell and vaccination rates increased. And, while Walmart posted sector-leading earnings that surged past Wall Street estimates …
This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down restaurants’ labor shortage, mask mandates, and the plant-based protein market. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – May 20, …
Matt Thomas didn’t found his company, Brew Dr., thinking he would someday sell kombucha that’s infused with hemp derived CBD. In fact, in 2021, CBD-infused products still only make up roughly one-tenth of 1% of …
As if the lingering pandemic hasn’t caused enough headaches for restaurant operators, a new issue has emerged: Cicadas – lots and lots of cicadas. For the past 17 years, so-called Brood X cicadas have slowly …
This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down the impact of inflation, oat milk’s surge in popularity, rising consumption of coffee, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast …
Kerry Group recently released its 2021 Taste Trends report, highlighting food and beverage trends that are gaining traction in several regions worldwide. The annual report aims to highlight the key ingredients and tastes currently influencing …
Cryptocurrency is more than just a financial news talking point. It has real-world applications that are now being implemented in the food industry. And while the sky-high stock prices of crypto companies like Bitcoin and …
This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down record beef and pork exports, the persistent chicken wing shortage, Kroger’s new drone delivery program, and more. To listen, click the play/arrow …
Restaurants throughout America are dealing with a frustrating shortage of chicken wings that shows no signs of slowing. This has pushed executive chefs like Dan Miles to do what was previously unthinkable: either sell a …
Most consumers recognize the importance of addressing climate change. What may not be top of mind, however, is food waste’s impact on climate change. When food is wasted, so is the water, fuel and other resources that were used …
This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down the latest innovations in plant-based protein, a predicted slump for delivery apps, millennials’ favorite brands, and more. To listen, click the play/arrow button …
With Memorial Day around the corner and signs of the pandemic easing, the alcoholic beverage industry is gearing up for summer and beyond. Here are some recent highlights and innovations from the sector. Champagne sales are popping Whether it’s for meeting up with friends and loved ones in person or …
While COVID-19 has kept celebrities off the red carpet, a number of product collaborations, endorsements and corporate finance endeavors have kept them in the spotlight. And while star power has certainly proven to be a …
In the first installment of The Food Institute’s quick-hitting news podcast, we break down the trend of major food companies raising prices, worsening drought conditions in the western U.S., meatpacker JBS’ move into the plant-based …
While the concept of “food as medicine” has been around for centuries, the philosophy is gaining momentum of late. So much so, in fact, that The Food Institute will highlight the concept and the growing …
A vegan diet is essentially the strictest form of vegetarianism. That is, in addition to avoiding animal flesh, vegans also cut out dairy, eggs and animal-derived ingredients, such as gelatin whey and casein. And as …
In many ways, the pandemic has been a boom time for third-party delivery platforms, which have benefited from consumers largely hunkering down at home and summoning dinners to their doorstep. But business is rapidly changing …
A persistent kink in the global supply chain is getting straightened out – slowly, but relatively surely. The backlog at southern California ports appears to finally be easing, even as imports continue to flood into …
While grocery store owners benefited from a rush of customers throughout much of the past year as the pandemic raged, owners now have growing concern that their bottom line will look far less rosy in …
Gluten-free diets are all the rage, but aside from benefitting the small percentage of people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, there is little to no evidence showing that a gluten-free diet is effective …
Plant-based food and drink companies are tapping into rising consumer demand for animal product alternatives, including milk. In fact, sales of plant-based milks grew five percent in 2019, making up 14 percent of the entire milk category, according to …
Sure avocados, legumes and blueberries are superfoods, but can they solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges like climate change and food waste? Seaweed, the Asian cuisine superfood ingredient that’s starting to gain traction …
While it may seem like some of your friends and family are a little over the top when it comes to lavishing their four-legged friends with top-shelf pet foods and specialty items, they’re actually part …
On March 17, The Food Institute hosted a webinar on the prospects for mergers and acquisitions activity in the food industry. The event provided a deep dive into M&A trends, with analysis from Lech Czerski, …
Amid soil erosion, tens of millions of U.S. farmland acres lost to development, and global food demand rising upwards of 98% by 2050, there are serious concerns about how the agriculture industry will meet tomorrow’s …
Pet food recalls have become a concern for pet owners across the U.S. On Dec. 30, 2020, Midwestern Pet Foods announced a recall of Sportmix pet food products after the FDA received reports of dozens …
Just like grocery stores and restaurants have changed operational strategies during the pandemic, so have convenience stores. Whether it’s selling more ready-to-eat and heat-and-eat foodservice items to make a dent in lower gasoline sales or …
COVID-19 restrictions on parades, parties and pub crawls will likely dim the mood of many this St. Patrick’s Day. For the producers of no- and low-alcohol beverages, however, spirits remain high with a veritable pot …
While the gap between food insecurity and food waste is significant, increased government, industry and community efforts can narrow the divide. But with global food demand projected to rise anywhere between 59% to 98% by 2050 …
A mentoring session from nearly six months ago still sticks in the mind of Talita Ramos Erickson. When speaking with a recent business school graduate, Ramos Erickson was informed the fledgling professional wouldn’t even consider …
Fruit and vegetable production, like all agricultural practices, must adapt to climate change. That is, producers – already experiencing soil depletion and water supply issues – will also have to contend with severe weather disruptions …
The combination of wanting to eat a healthier diet and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change has led to a meteoric rise in meat alternatives. But while consumers are increasingly incorporating plant-based proteins …
Lizzy Freier, senior research manager of menu at Technomic, spoke with The Food Institute’s Susan Choi about the so-called chicken sandwich wars in the quick service restaurant segment, the impact of the pandemic on sales, …
On February 18, The Food Institute, in conjunction with DMA, hosted a webinar that examined the recent explosion of ghost kitchens and virtual brands. The event, which featured executives from Denny’s, Kitchen United, and Lettuce …
The food industry is one of many accelerating the use of special purpose acquisition companies. But with SPACs positioned to quadruple this year, are these companies poised to become the next Internet bubble or subprime …
Each February, Black History Month not only celebrates the achievements of African Americans, but also highlights some of the mistreatment African Americans have endured over the course of our history. Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that …
