As the holiday season approaches and retail projections begin rolling in, food sales look promising. That is, as long as the pandemic and its accompanying labor and supply constraints are kept in check. Overall, holiday …
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a big year for agtech M&A activity. According to AgFunder’s 2021 Farm Tech Investment Report, 37 agriculture technology M&A deals were completed in fiscal year 2020. As is often the case, …
While Amsterdam-based e-grocery platform Picnic recently made headlines by raising $707 million in a Series D funding round led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, perhaps the bigger news is how Picnic and other food …
Prior to the pandemic, canned tuna was fading as a staple of the American pantry, with younger generations seeking out fresher, less-processed food options. In fact, per capita consumption of canned tuna dropped 42% in …
Amid the growth of the “better for you” beverage category, one drink in particular has experienced massive gains. The kombucha category grew from $1 million in sales in 2014 to $1.8 billion in sales in …
Global fish consumption continues to rise faster than other proteins, driven by a growing and increasingly prosperous world population that recognizes the health benefits of eating seafood. In fact, since 1961, the average annual 3.1% …
Amid the pandemic, supply chain woes have been front and center. And while port constraints have dominated headlines, one of the biggest problems in the shipping industry has been the shortage of U.S. truck drivers. …
With signs of the beer industry slowing and hard seltzer fizzling out, what’s the next big thing for the alcoholic beverage market? It might be hard cider. Made from the fermented juice of apples, hard …
Since acquiring Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017, Amazon has been looking to further expand into the $900 billion U.S. grocery industry through its Amazon Fresh stores. And, with online grocery delivery growing about …
A rise in cases linked to the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant could result in a new wave of disruptions for the U.S. food industry, particularly in the U.S. Southeast. Less than 35% of the …
Pandemic-related restrictions pushed many people away from restaurants, out of their kitchens, and towards their backyard grills, a small comfort in a most unsettling time. And, whether for a simple change of scenery, a desire …
Among the factors behind soaring agricultural commodity prices this past year has been China’s food imports and its efforts to boost food security. And while pandemic-related supply constraints among exporters grabbed headlines, China has been …
Chick-fil-A was rated America’s top fast-food restaurant for a seventh straight year, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which provides customer satisfaction benchmarks for major companies in the foodservice sector. At the …
Two-thirds of Americans plan to return to normal Independence Day celebrations this weekend, according to Numerator. So, as pandemic restrictions ease and Americans resume their Fourth of July traditions, The Food Institute takes a closer …
While consumers have a general understanding of how Amazon.com disrupted the retail landscape, most probably don’t know how the company’s signature sales event, Prime Day, also forced the industry to pivot. And with e-commerce sales …
While The Food Institute has previously explored some NASA-inspired innovations in the agriculture industry, we’re going to stay somewhat closer to Earth and take a deeper dive into how The Internet of Things (IoT) has …
As COVID-19 eases in the U.S., retailers are preparing for business in a new, post-pandemic paradigm. Here are some recent highlights: Amazon Prime Day Amazon Prime Day always has a big impact on the company’s …
Today’s corporate leaders have a much different perspective on business than the CEOs of generations past. Gone is the mentality of profits at all costs and a general disdain for anything that cuts into the …
The modern concept of vertical farming was put forth in 1999 by Columbia University microbiologist Dickson Despommier, who along with his students, came up with a design of a skyscraper farm that could feed 50,000 people. …
Since the beginning of the year, foot traffic to U.S. food and beverage establishments is up 41 percent, according to Zenreach data. And with the weather getting nicer, vaccinations on the rise, and dining limitations slowly being lifted, restaurant traffic continues to soar. Restaurant …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
