CosMc’s: Unraveling the Hype for the “Skip the Buzz” Generation

The arrival of McDonald’s new CosMc’s concept sent a wave of excitement rippling through the fast-food world.

Scalding-hot Competition: Specialty Coffee Brands Battle to Stand Out

The specialty coffee category features no shortage of innovation, from fledgling brands hailing from southern CA, Vietnam, and beyond.

Fueling Change with Glanbia Nutritionals: The Shifting Dynamics of Energy Needs in Food and Beverage

The Food Institute had a spirited conversation with Bill Waltzek, senior customer marketing manager at Glanbia Nutritionals, during a webinar focused on the evolving energy landscape within the food and beverage market. Bill and Brian …

3 Key Takeaways from Expo West 2024

With consumers as focused as ever on improving their health and wellness, clean diets including foods like whole fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins have gained momentum. The show floor at Expo West illustrated that movement.

The 4-Day Workweek Has Reached F&B

Could a shorter, 4-day work week be the answer to employee happiness and increased productivity? The debate continues among experts.

Why Legacy Beverage Brands are Revamping Their Image

Dunkin’ Donuts’ shift to simply Dunkin’ serves as the gold standard in the contemporary rebranding landscape.

PepsiCo Execs Express Optimism in Earnings Call

PepsiCo’s latest earnings call revealed net revenue of $91.5 billion for the fiscal year and $27.9 billion in Q4.

Adapting to Ashwagandha

The Indian herbal supplement Ashwagandha gaining ground in the West these days as a dietary supplement for a variety of uses.

Craft Soda Market Bubbling Over With Potential

The craft soda market is showing potential of late, as noted by the surge in the category’s sales at companies like Sprecher Brewing.

Athletic Brewing – The King of NA Beer?

It comes down to how to make craft beer flavor and aroma become credible as a basic refreshment on occasions currently dominated by soft drinks. This is the real NA beverage battle the brand faces.

10 Top Trends and Innovations from CES 2024

CES 2024 wasn’t solely a showcase of robots and gadgets; it also served up a tantalizing array of innovative food technologies and trends that are set to redefine the way we eat.

Alcohol and No/Low Trends in 2024

Dozens of brands are experimenting in the nonalcoholic (NA) and low-alcohol space, offering consumers the opportunity to not so much choose sides but merely choose wisely according to their preferences, dietary needs, and personal goals. 

Technomic: Expect Drive-Thrus, Breakfast Daypart to ‘Boom’ in 2024

America is overflowing with beverage restaurant concepts of late, especially those targeting the breakfast daypart. Utah-based Swig is growing rapidly. Dutch Bros Coffee, founded in Oregon, saw 27% sales growth in 2022. Kung Fu Tea, …

Preparing for Launch: CosMc’s and the Next Wave of Beverage Chains

In terms of the beverage industry overall, this is a very smart play for McDonald’s and other brands will follow.

Analysis: Ozempic Likely to Impact Snack Manufacturers’ Bottom Line

The recent rise of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs started with blowout results that drove shares of their manufacturers higher, then wound up cascading across seemingly disparate sectors. In 2023, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of …

How Small Coffee Chains Can Compete

“We focus on listening to our customers as well as being the best version of ourselves. Being intentional every day with how you approach your customers is key.”

Stories of the Year: Can Bud Light Survive Its Marketing Controversy?

Anheuser-Busch InBev is trying to win back customers as major retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven are poised to reduce the amount of space.

AI Predicts 2024 FoodBev Trends

2023 was a big year for artificial intelligence in the food industry, and generative AI is slated to dominate the 2024 food and beverage marketing scene. “The emergence of generative AI offers a new reality …

Get Real! How to Achieve Authenticity & ‘Rizz’ in FoodBev

And that’s OK. In many ways, being authentic isn’t about the best product or service or value or lifestyle; it’s about being human, which is being vulnerable. Vulnerability is the heartbeat of authenticity, the subtle brand drumbeat that brand advocates and consumers can hear. Without a heartbeat – without being occasionally vulnerable – it will be hard to resonate and grow the brand in a way that feels organic, fresh, and authentic.

Liquid I.V. Exec: Better-For-You Beverage Market Growth Set to Accelerate

The boundless, expansive (and often expensive) world of beverages, both bottled and not, shows no signs of slowing down. It used to be easy to go to a grocery store, a C-store, or a retailer …

CEOs’ Secrets to Success in the New Year

“Remember that running a food and beverage business can sometimes be akin to ‘buying yourself a job;’ it may not always guarantee immediate or substantial returns on investment.”

Peppermint Becomes Ubiquitous Flavor of the Season

Move over, pumpkin spice: ’tis the season to deck the halls and sprinkle a little peppermint in every item possible.

Energy Drink Brands Making Inroads in Latin America

According to a Statista report, the global revenue of energy and sports drinks reached approximately $159 billion in 2021 and is estimated to increase to $233 billion by 2027. While the U.S. largely dominates the …

Consumer Pulse: Shining a Light on Gen X

Over the next two decades there will be a major transfer of wealth—collectively, around $84 trillion—from baby boomers to younger generations including their Gen X children.

Cider is the Next Craft Beer Movement

Like session beers, Guiver said many ciders feature a higher ABV than what many people are used to (or remember!). “We’re seeing more ciders with ABVs of 7% or more as customer trends change,” she added, “and cider is walking this line of tradition as well as approachability and innovation.”

Interest in Alternative Energy Drinks Surging

Across the U.S., consumers continue to seek out energy-boosting beverages. This persistent demand, coupled with a broader exploration of ingredients, is transforming the energy drink landscape.

Are U.S. Coffee Drinkers Addicted to Their Morning Brew?

For most American coffee drinkers—cue the old Folgers jingle—the best part of waking up really is the coffee in their cup. According to new research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of BUNN, four in five …

L’Eggo My Waffle-flavored Adult Beverage

Mountain Dew, Simply Orange, and SunnyD have all launched alcohol products recently which have drawn the ire of consumer advocates.

Coca-Cola Finds Marketing Success by Sidestepping Controversy

When was the last time you heard “controversy” and “Coca-Cola” in the same sentence? Not in recent months. The venerable company has made a concerted effort to avoid culture wars and political stances while also …

Kombucha Health Benefits Drive Market Growth

Kombucha tea continues to rise in popularity among mainstream consumers. With age-old ties to immunity and gut health, the fermented drink has also become a target for medical research.  The global kombucha market is expected …

Beliv Exec: Innovation, Sustainability Key to Growing Brands in Latin America

The non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink beverage category appears poised for significant growth. Consider: in 2023 the revenue in the non-alcoholic drinks market amounts to $53.1 billion dollars. Beliv, a fast-growing, better-for-you beverage brand, is eager to seize …

Trending Fall Flavors Beyond Pumpkin Spice

As the days get shorter and the sound of each crisp breeze rustling through the trees seems to whisper, “pumpkin spice,” it’s time to shine a light on the other fall flavors that consumers crave. …

The Champagne Party Is Over. Or Is It?

According to media reports, the “party” may be over in champagne. After two years of record sales, France’s Comite Champagne announced in late July that 2023 champagne sales will be down to about 314 million …

Starbucks Has Big Plans for Smalltown America

Starbucks appears poised to overtake Subway as America’s most prolific QSR. Smalltown locations could be key in helping the coffee chain reach its goals.

The Latin American Flavor Takeover: How Latam is Revolutionizing U.S. F&B

As the Hispanic Heritage Month approaches this September, the spotlight shines on the vibrant and ever-growing influence of Latin American cuisine on mainstream culinary trends in the U.S. The Food Institute’s upcoming Latam Food Week …

Regionality Sparks Sizzling Summer Food Trends

Summer travel in 2023 is more localized as attendance at recreational venues is up significantly across the country, from stadiums and amusement parks to local fairs and movie theaters. The elevated foot traffic is also boosting food sales and driving innovation in the space.