We’ve been watching the avian influenza outbreak pretty closely here at the Food Institute. Although most people understood that poultry prices would rise in the wake of the flu, government efforts were focused specifically on …
If there’s one thing Millennials hate, it’s being lumped in with the rest of the cohort. Take it from me, your resident Millennial blogger. I’m sure Jennette agrees, too. It seems the neverending chorus constantly …
When it comes to branding and marketing, food companies often find themselves in a sea of change and uncertainty. It seems like every day, new rules and regulations emerge that make it more and more …
Amazon made its reputation by creating disruptive sales opportunities for consumers since day one. By offering items online at discounted prices and providing quick, reliable and affordable shipping, the online retailer has positioned itself as …
Today marks October 1st, the start of a new month. For many around the country, it also begins a fascination with ghouls, zombies, ghosts and other scary creatures as we ready ourselves for the culmination …
For most of my childhood, a bowl of cereal at breakfast was the perfect start to my day. I remember enjoying it as a snack after school on more than one occassion, too, but it …
Today is the Autumnal equinox, the official start of fall in the northern hemisphere. For the past few days in New Jersey, we’ve seen the indicators of the end of summer, with low humidity, falling …
The rise of the emoji is an interesting phenomenon in our tech-savy world. Our earliest ancestors utilized pictographs and ideograms to represent physical items and ideas. However, as the alphabet system evolved and spread through …
An interesting article in The Wall Street Journal today about the Aldi supermarket chain and the impact of the low cost retailer on British food retailers pointed out that the chain is expanding in the …
The American Dream is the national ethos and founding pillar upon our economic system. The ideals contained within the Dream spell out a path to prosperity, success and upward social mobility through hard work and …
It seems Google’s mission right from the start has been to disrupt as many conventional businesses with its technology as it can. One of those changes happened August 10, as the company formed the Alphabet …
Amazon has always had a penchant for quickly delivering and implementing radical changes to its business operations to improve their overall service, and over the past 48 hours, the company once again proved their ability …
Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend in New Orleans. It was my first trip to the city, and one of the first things that struck me was how beautiful …
Amazon is often cited as a disrupter in the online retail market, being one of the first to successfully establish themselves on the Internet as a legitimate retailer for the common American. The company continued …
Sugar has a strange history, with some estimates noting that it was first domesticated in 8,000 B.C. At one point, the granulated sweetener was considered an exotic novelty. Things began to change, however, in the …
Working for a food industry trade association comes with a lot of perks. I get to stay informed on agricultural market prices, restaurant chain expansions, new food product news and emerging trends from all over …
For some, 2015 may be remembered as the year of the drought. For others, it will remind them of the media’s obsession with how the drought could raise prices on specific crops, nuts, livestock… and …
Millennials are an interesting group, as most grew up experiencing the transition from the pre-Internet era to the social media culture we currently live in. They are thought to be early adopters of technology, disrupters …
The history of the hidden menu is often contested, but by most accounts, it began with In-N-Out Burger in the early 60s. The company’s bond with the public took on a life of its own …
Not many could foresee the growth Target would achieve in such a short timeframe. The company first opened in 1962 in Roseville, MN, and by 1972, the company had expanded to 46 locations. By 1982, …
In the food industry, one of the most important questions can be summed up as thus: “Where do my potential customers shop?” While new retail formats have sprung up in the past few years, and …
“Fight for $15” has become a popular rallying cry for laborers looking to increase their wages across the country. Although some proposals want to raise the minimum wage across the board, a surprising portion of …
College students tend to exhibit the traits associated with Millennials, but to an extreme. They are more likely to start their day later, try unique and foreign cuisines, snack throughout the day and put an …
From freight trucking services to the average Joe getting to work to road tripping Millennials, America is a nation on-the-go. The national reliance upon individual vehicles offers Americans a specific and unique freedom of mobility, …
Soda, once the quintessential American beverage, has had a long and storied history within our society. From humble beginnings as a medicinal tonic to the evolution of Coca-Cola as a global voice of unity, soda …
In a world that is increasingly dependent upon technology and convenience, it’s no surprise that online ordering is becoming a staple for the American consumer. Although brick-and-mortar locations will always be a viable choice for …
Grocery and meal delivery services are growing at an astonishing rate within the United States. Specifically, Millennials, who are often portrayed as having too much work and not enough time, seem eager to take full …
Every morning, in offices and homes alike, people turn to the convenience of K-Cup coffee pods and Keurig brewing machines to get their morning dose of caffeine. Just how many pods are used each year? …
At The Food Institute, we have a little saying we like to repeat: we cover the entire food industry, from farm to fork. But the distance between the two seems to be shrinking as American …
Several trends stood out at the 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show as companies capitalized on consumer demand. Some long-running flavors also made an appearance, whether continuing their existing trajectories or becoming slightly altered as consumers …
When you take a look into the shopping carts of U.S. consumers, you’re likely to find fewer packaged goods and more fresh produce, meats, seafood and dairy. U.S. fresh food sales have gone up in …
Walmart is not the only competitor grocers have to look out for. When Darden Restaurants reported last week that it expects one-fifth of its Olive Garden chain’s sales will come from takeout as it initiates …
The next time you’re sitting in line, waiting for the cashier to find an oddly-placed barcode on the snack package the customer in front of you so desperately craves, think of this: this dismal part …
Few countries tie in their national identity with their culinary history as closely as France. When you think of French cuisine, your mind probably focuses immediately on cheeses, wines and baguettes. That may need to …
Imagine, if you will, a small food market with about 200 items, including the staples: milk, fresh produce, eggs, bread and toiletries. Instead of cashiers, stock personnel and managers, however, shoppers order via a screen …
Food and technology have always been intrinsically linked. As humanity expanded its ability to manipulate the world around it, food was always a logical place to apply new tools. From human ancestors learning that cooking …
