Focus Archive
Restaurants’ 3 Key Challenges for 2026
In late 2025, margins are getting squeezed from every direction – ingredients, wages, tariffs – and restaurants are feeling the burn. As costs climb, adaptability isn’t optional; it’s the only way to stay on the menu.
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.
Red Cup Reckoning: Unionized Starbucks Baristas Strike Ahead of Holiday Rush
More than 1,000 unionized Starbucks baristas will walk out on the job in over 40 U.S. cities in an open-ended strike. Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at more than 550 U.S. Starbucks stores, said the strike will begin at 4 p.m. local time.
Gen X: the New Powerhouse in Food Spending
Gen X is entering its peak spending years, favoring branded, practical food products that deliver real value. F&B leaders should act fast, because this discerning, high-ROI cohort won’t wait for promises to pan out.
Investors Urge Food Companies to Diversify with Alt-Protein Sources
As investors managing $11.5 trillion push food giants like Danone, Walmart, and Amazon to diversify their protein portfolios, the message is clear: Sustainability and resilience depend on innovation. From mycelium to electro-fermented proteins, emerging alt-protein technologies are reshaping the future of food production, and investors are hoping to fund it.
The Business Case for Agentic AI Domination
Agentic AI is reshaping food tech, driving smarter service and explosive growth. But as automation deepens, legal battles and leadership shakeups hint at a turbulent future.
Target Slashes Prices on 3,000 SKUs, Including Grocery Price Cuts
Target is slashing prices on 3,000 grocery and essentials SKUs ahead of a shaky holiday season, reigniting retail’s value wars. As inflation-weary consumers hunt for deals, global grocers are racing to stay in their baskets.
For Hain Celestial, The Debt Has Come Due
Once a natural foods juggernaut, Hain Celestial is now a cautionary tale of over-acquisition and underperformance. After a decade of turnarounds, the cupboard of fixes appears bare, and time is running out.
Cold, Deadly, and Hard to Kill: Listeria Outbreak Exposes Industry Gaps
A deadly Listeria outbreak tied to ready-to-eat pasta has triggered massive recalls and renewed scrutiny of sanitation lapses. Experts warn that cold-loving pathogens and hyper-efficient supply chains are a recipe for cross-brand disaster.
Fiber’s Metamorphosis From Metamucil to Mega Trend
Fiber is shedding its stodgy image and emerging as a gut-health powerhouse, flavor-forward snack hero, and even a microplastic-fighting ally. From baby formula to seaweed chips, it’s the next big thing in functional food.
From Nightlife to ‘Daylife’: Coffee Raves Redefine Social Gathering
Coffee raves are transforming cafés into wellness-driven, daytime social hubs and boosting margins in the process. As Gen Z redefines nightlife, savvy operators are brewing community, culture, and commerce, all in one.
2026 Innovative Trends: Value-Obsessed Shopper
3 Innovations Fueling the Growth of the Ice Cream Market
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.
‘Managed Services’ Represent Retail Media’s Next Big Shift
Retail media is evolving fast, and streaming platforms are the new battleground. With managed services and precision targeting, even small food brands can now play big in the personalized, data-driven media landscape of 2025.
The AI Kitchen Revolution Starts Here: Inside Gambit Robotics’ Vision
Two AI experts just made their boldest move yet: launching Gambit, a kitchen assistant that automates cooking with precision. It’s a game-changer for food technology innovation. Sponsored by Gambit Robotics.
McDonald’s Looks Backwards to Move Forward
McDonald’s is betting on nostalgia to reignite value leadership, reviving Snack Wraps and Extra Value Meals. But the real play is digital: boosting app usage to drive traffic and reshape consumer perception.
Plant-Based Faces Headwinds, Yet Pockets of Growth Persist
Now that the plant-based market has matured, it must contend with many of the same problems as the meat industry, including eking out margins as consumers tighten their wallets. However, dairy alternatives continue to be a bright spot for the sector.
The Strategic Case for the Grubhub, Instacart Team Up
Grubhub and Instacart’s unlikely alliance fills strategic gaps for both, fueling Wonder’s super app ambitions. It’s a calculated surrender on grocery that unlocks possibilities for a full-spectrum mealtime dominance.
KFC Struggles to Stop Its Multi-Decade U.S. Slide
KFC’s U.S. sales are in free fall, even as chicken sizzles across the industry. Yum! Brands’ bold pivot to “Saucy” signals a reinvention, but is it too late for KFC’s comeback?
Thanksgiving Preview: Connection, Cost-Consciousness Define 2025 Holiday
Consumers are craving connection and comfort as Thanksgiving approaches, but inflation is reshaping how they celebrate. Value-driven choices are influencing holiday traditions, resulting in predictions for pared-down menus.
Diners Demand Deals: Why ‘Worth It’ Is the New Must-Have
As diners tighten their belts, value-driven promotions and loyalty perks are proving key to filling restaurant seats. With rising costs and waning confidence, restaurants must deliver far more than just a meal.
3 Tips for Job Seekers in Light of Major F&B Layoffs
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.
2026 Innovative Trends: Geopolitical Impact
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GLP-1 Drugs Have Inspired Precision Eating: What F&B Leaders Need to Know
GLP-1 drugs are shrinking appetites and supercharging demand for nutrient-dense, snackable formats. Precision eating is rewriting menus and appears to be reshaping the future of food, drink, and wellness.
The Easiest Meals to Eat on the Go, According to Kelley Blue Book
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.
The New America: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Political perceptions are shaping how Americans define value – and it’s not just about price. Today’s consumers demand empathy, convenience, and strategic engagement across life stages.
The Fresh Frontier: How Augmented Reality is Transforming Grocery Execution
GoSpotCheck by FORM brings real-time visibility and control to produce and meat departments – helping grocers reduce shrink, optimize labor, and improve margins through data-driven execution.
Beyond Meat Joins the Bizarre World of Meme Stocks
Beyond Meat’s financial struggles haven’t stopped retail traders from sending its stock soaring more than 600% in a week. As the plant-based pioneer swaps debt for equity, it’s become the latest unlikely star in the bizarre saga of meme stocks.
3 Lessons From Michelob Ultra’s Marketing Dominance
Michelob Ultra didn’t just sell beer, it sold a lifestyle, and now it’s America’s best-selling beer, by volume. Its secret, according to marketing experts? Relentless consistency, wellness-driven branding, and staying in its lane.
Emerging Brands as Content Studios: The Trend Your Ad Agency Wants You to Ignore
Emerging brands are ditching ad agencies and building in-house content studios to control speed, cost, and creativity. Owned media is no longer optional – it’s the new engine of consumer marketing and brand memorability.
Cafe Chain Launches Ice Cubes Made of Coffee
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.
Gen Z, Millennial Consumers Leading ‘Anti-Algorithm’ Movement
Mintel’s 2026 forecast urges brands to embrace empowered aging, algorithm-free authenticity, and affection-driven design. Food leaders can tap into these shifts to craft experiences that nourish identity, connection, and purpose.
Value + Innovation: The Keys to Restaurant Growth in H2 2025
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.
How the Pizza Industry Suddenly Turned Cold
Pizza’s delivery dominance is melting fast, as third-party platforms slice into its turf. With legacy chains stagnating and investor appetite waning, the industry must cook up a fresh edge.
