Collaboration and Transparency Showcased at IFMA Presidents Conference

Blumenthal said one of the major positive shifts he had seen since the pandemic was an increased focus on collaboration across the foodservice continuum.

A Roadmap for Entrepreneurs: Navigating Business Growth with Insights from “The State of Food, Beverage & Beauty”

Anchin, a premier accounting, tax, and advisory firm serving the Food & Beverage and Beauty, Health and Wellness industries, hosted its “State of Food, Beverage and Beauty” in November.

3 Key Cybersecurity Tactics for 2024

According to the 2022 Internet Crime Report by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the potential total loss from cybercrime in the U.S. increased from $6.9 billion in 2021 to more than $10.2 billion a year later. Current projections suggest that the cybercrime problem will only worsen.

Understanding the Climate Change Paradigm: A Guide for the F&B Industry

Climate change is shifting from being a looming threat to an active influencer of consumer choices. The most recent EY Future Consumer Index offers a deep dive into the ways climate change is starting to …

Analysis: Automation Could Cure Labor Shortages in Manufacturing

Automation offers companies the opportunity to attract talent with the right skills and assign those skills to the most appropriate areas of the business.

Rash of Restaurant Bankruptcies Festers

Fast-food businesses that focus on creating a positive workplace culture, improving the overall employee experience, and nurturing strong employer-employee relationships are better positioned to attract and retain top talent.

The Rich History of National Butter Day

U.S. milk and butterfat production experienced parallel growth at 24% from 1995 to 2010. Since then, however, production has exploded, particularly for butterfat, pushing 27% growth.

Zepbound: Latest Weapon in Weight-Loss Drug Arsenal

Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, recently approved by the FDA, is the most potent weight-loss drug yet. Could it impact the food industry? At least one expert says ‘yes.’

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.

Walmart Commits to Reducing Food Waste

In an era of increased greenwashing and many companies abandoning once-ambitious ESG plans altogether, Walmart appears to be making real strides toward helping reduce food waste, solve food deserts, and burnishing its worldwide brand a little more.

Thanksgiving 2023: Expect Expensive Meals

Food manufacturers have seen their profits fall in the past year, forcing them to pass along increases for raw materials, energy, transportation, and packaging.

How the Food Industry Can Use AI to Improve Holiday Sales

LSEG analysts estimated Amazon’s advertising business will increase nearly $3 billion over last year’s fourth quarter to $14.2 billion as a result, Reuters reported.

Instant Noodles Gather Steam: 5 Popular Options

Demand for instant noodles jumped 2.6% globally to a record high of 121.2 billion servings last year, according to the World Instant Noodles Association, and 2023 marked the seventh consecutive year of instant noodle growth and consumption.

Kraft Heinz Aims at Convenience for Kids

Reports continue to show that consumers place a high premium on convenience, even in the face of inflation, and Kraft Heinz is betting that kids’ snacks are no exception. The multinational food company is expanding …

Get Rite: Pharmacy Chain Rite Aid Fights to Regain Top Spot

Rite Aid, one of the largest pharmacy chains in America, is facing a major financial restructuring, with plans to close 154 stores. The 61-year-old pharmacy chain recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and named new …

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.”

‘Sweet Heat’ Trend on Full Display at Food Supplier Event

MINNEAPOLIS – Chef Jeff Baker’s average customer is getting more adventurous – even in the Upper Midwest, where ketchup and black pepper qualify as “spicy” in some circles. The evolution of the American consumer’s palate …

California Wage Law: The Dominos Are Poised to Fall

QSR jobs will be in high demand once the law passes as workers try to reduce their dining expenses in lieu of high food costs and an inflationary environment. More importantly, however, California just bolstered the prospects of hundreds of thousands of current and (more importantly) future fast-food workers.

Analysis: How to Manage Risk in Food Supply Chains Moving Forward

The food industry relies on stable and safe supply chains to operate unhindered, but there is inherent risk in the transportation and handling of foodstuffs. If the supply chain breaks down in any way, business …

Corporate Transparency Act Bringing Big Change to F&B Businesses

Add “Compliance with Corporate Transparency Act” to your New Year’s resolution list. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, businesses across all industries will need to file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOI Report) with the U.S. …

Loitering Encouraged: Have a Seat at the C-Store

The contemporary C-store is not just a place of commerce and connection, but community and expanded food/bev services. No Loitering signs are giving way to invitations to pull up, sit down, and stay a while.

Analysis: Beyond Meat Bit Off More Than it Can Chew

When Beyond Meat went public in May 2019, investors went a little crazy. On its first day of trading, the company’s stock rose 163%. That was the kind of move that hadn’t been seen since …

Goodles: Brave New Mac-n-Cheese Segment or Celebrity Fad?

Correction: Gooder Foods notes that the Goodles’ retail distribution is 35,000 distribution points, not store locations. This means their brand velocities are most likely higher than depicted below in the original piece.  If Gooder Foods …

American Restaurant Chains Thriving in India


While 40% of India’s residents are vegetarian, there’s still a large addressable market open to omnivore cuisine. Plus, much of the country is infatuated with western culture – a fact QSRs are taking note of.

Is the Greenwashing Wave Crashing?

In the age of transparency, nearly half (45%) of shoppers have heard of greenwashing and one-third (33%) are skeptical of green labels and sustainability claims.

Top Trends at Expo East 2023

What are the major trends shaping the natural and organic products industry today? The Food Institute checked in with industry analysts on the floor at Expo East 2023 to glean the top trends and takeaways …

How F&B Companies Can Leverage Generative AI

Generative AI burst onto the scene this year as programs like ChatGPT, Bard, and Midjourney demonstrated the vast potential of this emerging technology. Many experts predict that generative AI will soon transform how businesses operate, making right now the perfect time to get ahead of the competition.

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 …

COLUMN: What F&B Companies Can Learn from Jimmy Buffett

No matter how you feel about Jimmy Buffett and “Margaritaville,” the man built a billion-dollar empire from a napkin.

Under the Influence: Protecting Business from Poor Influencers

It’s the influencers’ world and we’re just living in it. Here’s how to avoid the next Fyre Festival with your brand.

Top 5 Highest-Grossing U.S. Fast-Food Chains

Average unit volume (AUV) speaks to a chain’s operational efficiency and overall success, indicating the average annual sales that a brand earns per restaurant—a reflection of how consumers feel about the brand itself. These are the top five highest-grossing fast-food chains in the U.S. by AUV.

The Consumer Curiosity Report Reveals Future Food Trends

The Consumer Curiosity Report was the first inaugural report developed by Curious Plot to not only learn how food-forward consumers think and behave, but to help establish, foster, and share new food trends from home to aisle, retail to restaurant.

Column: Leaders Must Prepare for The Great Separation in 2023

What companies need in 2023 are strategic leaders that can challenge the status quo and aren’t institutionalized by conventional wisdom.