The Future Is Swalty: 3 TikTok Trends Reshaping Food Retail
Viral social media trends can often translate to real-time impacts for brands – and TikTok’s algorithmic pull is particularly strong.
Focus Archive > Page 10
Cream of the Crop: The Latest Heavy Cream Alternatives
Plant-based heavy cream alternatives are on the rise as food scientists develop more realistic, whip-ready options using oats, legumes, and oils. Chef Jason Wrobel of Switch4Good shared his take regarding the latest innovations and the science behind replicating the taste and texture of traditional heavy whipping cream.
Energy Drink Makers Navigate a Choppy Environment
Energy drinks hit turbulence in 2024, with Celsius and Monster both facing unexpected sales slowdowns. While stock prices have rebounded, lingering consumer uncertainty raises questions about the sector’s long-term prospects.
Why 2025 is the ‘Year of the Sauce’
Sauces are no longer just a sidekick – they’re driving one of 2025’s biggest food trends, blending bold flavors with convenience and versatility. Food businesses that embrace this shift can captivate consumers and boost sales, according to both chefs and CEOs.
As Importers Race the Clock, Cargo Surges
Retailers are bracing for a summer cargo surge, but tariffs and cautious consumer spending may temper volume. With air freight disrupting traditional shipping channels, supply chains are scrambling to adapt before the holiday rush hits full speed.
Top 5 Healthiest Ice Creams
Once dismissed as an oxymoron, healthier ice cream is now a booming category. From high-protein formulas to cutting-edge fat replacers, brands are rethinking indulgence without sacrificing texture.
Wrap It Up: Fast-Food Chains Bet Big on Boneless Chicken
McDonald’s is bringing back its Snack Wrap after a nine-year hiatus, tapping into the booming demand for portable, boneless chicken options. With major chains embracing the wrap resurgence, savvy restaurant operators will leverage the trend for easy, profitable menu innovation.
Feeling Peachy: Summer Darling Leads Beverage Innovation
Peach-enhanced menu items are growing in popularity, now on 19.8% of foodservice menus, according to one report. The fruit has found its stride in beverage innovation, with legacy brands experimenting with the flavor.
5 Thriving Fast-Food Chains in 2025
Despite rising costs, 2025 is shaping up to be a fairly strong year for many restaurant chains, with top players like Cava and Chick-fil-A thriving by mastering efficiency, marketing, and customer experience. The smartest brands are pricing strategically and leveraging technology to drive success.
KIND Seeks to Continue Climb With Brand Revamp
As retail shelves continue to overflow with healthier-for-you snacks, KIND has launched new branding, with a new packaging initiative looming. One KIND executive told FI the brand aims to evolve to meet consumers’ growing demands for sustainability and health-claims such as “high-protein.”
Economic Strain: Food Bill Gets Unruly
Despite wage gains, food inflation continues to outpace earnings, leaving consumers increasingly anxious about grocery costs. Meanwhile, new tariffs threaten to disrupt the food industry, with stakeholders bracing for volatile pricing and potential shifts in shopper loyalty.
Mushrooms, Mycelium, and Bites: Plant-Based Trends From NRA 2025
At the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show, plant-based innovation moved beyond burgers and nuggets. Mushrooms, mycelium, and globally inspired bites took center stage, offering foodservice operators bold, flexitarian-friendly options.
Roark Capital’s Aggressive Buyout Strategy May Not Be Working
Roark Capital has built a restaurant empire rivaling McDonald’s in system-wide sales, yet questions linger over its investment strategy. With limited financial transparency and stalled IPOs, has Roark’s aggressive approach truly paid off for investors?
Experts Say Amazon Humanoid Workers Just Hype – For Now
Amazon is reportedly developing humanoid robots to streamline delivery operations, testing them in a “humanoid park” obstacle course. Experts remain skeptical, citing previous automation failures and questioning whether the hype will ever translate into real-world efficiency.
Meat Mania: Meat Makes Comeback With Focus on Protein
Meat is reclaiming its spot on consumers’ plates as the benefits of protein-heavy diets are noted on social media. With fresh meat sales projected to surpass $137 billion this year, the industry is sizzling.
Raising Smart Capital in the Food Space: Navigating Today’s Challenges
Investor enthusiasm for food brands is strong, but securing capital has never been more challenging. Amid market volatility and heightened scrutiny, only the most strategic and well-prepared companies will land the funding needed to thrive.
Brands Brace for Shrinkflation as Steel, Aluminum Levies Double
Steel and aluminum tariffs have risen significantly, and grocery prices may soon follow suit. From canned goods to premium imports, food brands face tough choices – shrinkflation, price hikes, or packaging pivots – to absorb escalating costs.
Steaks Are High: GLP-1 Drugs Reshape Beef Demand
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are reshaping consumer appetites, with nearly half of users eating less beef. As this trend accelerates, meat producers face a challenge, while plant-based brands are presented with an opportunity.
Tiny Tastemakers: Gen Alpha Dubbed ‘The Foodie Generation’
Gen Alpha’s distinct food and beverage preferences, coupled with its astonishing $5.5 trillion global market share by 2029, shape it up to drive a sustained impact on the food and beverage industry. Learn about why some are calling them “the foodie generation.”
Hot, Crispy, Conquering: The Chicken Chains Outpacing Competitors
Chicken QSRs are dominating, with chains like Dave’s Hot Chicken expanding rapidly to meet surging demand. The secret? Bold flavors, strong branding, and a winning suburban strategy that keeps customers flocking in droves.
Father’s Day Spending to Reach Record-breaking $24 Billion
With Father’s Day spending projected to hit new heights, consumers are looking past the uncertain state of the economy to celebrate with their loved ones. Analysis of industry reports suggests that food and beverage industry experiences will take center stage during the holiday.
BMO 2025: Plant-Based Folds into Macro Environment
At the recent 2025 BMO Farm to Market Conference, consumer interest in personal wellness created plant-based tailwinds. Kroger, SunOpta, and Remedy Organics were among businesses weighing in on the future of the sector.
Third-Party Delivery Giants Instacart, DoorDash Enter a Virtuous Circle
Despite consumer cost-consciousness in 2025, third-party delivery giants Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart have defied expectations with double-digit order growth. Now, investors are betting big on a future in which streamlined logistics keep customers engaged.
Healthy Snacking with Diabetes
The growing demand for diabetes-friendly snacks presents a lucrative opportunity for the food industry to merge taste with nutritional balance. With consumers increasingly seeking blood sugar-friendly options, a new movement related to snacking has taken root.
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Winner, Loser Disparity Widens Among Casual Dining Eateries
Casual-dining stocks have significantly outperformed the market over the past three years, with Brinker International especially posting eye-opening returns, while chains such as Applebee’s continue to struggle. Clearly, consumers are rewarding brands that offer differentiated experiences.
Euphoric Beverages: Threading the Needle Between Functional Energy and Non-Alcoholic Products
Euphoric beverages are emerging as a new category that blends functional ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals to offer mood-enhancing effects, potentially competing with both caffeinated drinks and alcohol. With a growing Gen Z consumer base seeking alcohol alternatives, the sector is poised for growth.
U.S. Brands in Canada: A Trade War is On, But the Market’s Not Closed
Despite escalating trade tensions and a growing Canadian consumer boycott of American products, U.S. brands still have opportunities in Canada, particularly in resilient categories like soft drinks. A poll by Leo & Dragon revealed that Millennials and Gen Z consumers remain open to purchasing American goods.
Food Dye Update: Natural Dyes Approved, Industry Responds
The FDA recently announced that three additional natural dyes have been approved for use in food and beverage products. While some stakeholders are quick to change their formulations, others are hesitant.
Spread the Pain: Walmart, Competitors Consider Global Price Hikes
Amid the latest round of tariffs, global retailers like Walmart are weighing controversial price hikes beyond the U.S., a move that could shake consumer trust. Experts warn that spreading costs globally may backfire, leading to unintended economic fallout.
Going Places: Grab-and-Go Products Evolve
Grab-and-go food has undergone a transformation, as consumers demand options that rival restaurant fare – leading to explosive growth in deli-prepared meals and bakery products.
Diageo Considers American Brand-Selling Strategy
Diageo, the spirits giant, is shifting its long-standing strategy by selectively selling off brands. The industry is watching closely to see whether this pivot will strengthen Diageo’s future or mirror the struggles of American food conglomerates.
“Table Talk” With the Founder of Sour Strips: Building the Sour Candy Brand That Led to a Sweet Deal
Global Plant-Based Sales Reach $28.6 Billion
In 2024, global plant-based retail sales reached $28.6 billion thanks to accelerated interest in meat analogs in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. Domestically, although sales stagnated in 2024, there are many indicators that it will soon rebound.
Tariff Talk, State of Ag at 2025 BMO Global Farm to Market Conference
Food industry leaders gathered at the 2025 BMO Farm to Market Conference to dissect key challenges, including tariff pressures. Despite economic uncertainties, brands and retailers are deploying strategic pivots to ensure continued growth.
Olipop Vs. Poppi: The First Social Media Driven Arms Race in The Beverage World
Olipop and Poppi’s social media arms race is a powerful reminder for founders of new brands that an energetic face-off competitor only energizes the entire space, according to FI’s resident CPG industry expert, Dr. James Richardson.
Korean Cuisine Takes Center Stage at NRA Show
Fusion-driven Korean entrees, cleaner frying oils, and multi-textured beverages were a few underrated trends on display at the recent NRA Show. From indulgent Gochujang Fried Chicken Sliders to Noli Fruit Oil’s eco-conscious frying solution and TikTok-worthy Fiery Dill Pickle Lemonade, brands tapped into recent trends.