Plant-Based Treats Take Center Stage at Summer Shows

Vegan indulgences are a hot trend this summer. Here are a few featured products and award winners from the Sweets & Snacks Expo and NRA Show.

OPINION: Chicago Reclaiming Title as ‘US Food Capital’

Chicago is reclaiming its role as a national leader in food production and access. But it needs more help from the city’s leadership, according to one industry insider.

The Food Institute Retains Ivonne Kinser as Innovation Advisor

New York City, June 12, 2023 (FI NEWSWIRE) – The Food Institute, a leading food industry research and media company, is pleased to announce that it has retained Ivonne Kinser as an Innovation Advisor. With …

Four Key Takeaways from the BMO Farm to Market Conference

NEW YORK CITY – At the 2023 BMO Farm to Market Conference, new seafood production techniques, expanded use of greenhouses, upcycling opportunities and more were on the menu. BMO hosted the 18th iteration of the …

The Route to Market (& Me) – Amazon Fresh & The Evolving Consumer

“What is the route to market?” Carroll wondered. “That’s what we all used to say – ‘what is the route to market?’ Today, though, it’s the route to me. Give me what I want, when I want it, as conveniently as possible.”

Analysis: Asian Food Winning Over America

New research illustrates the palate Americans have developed for Asian food over the years. Pew Research found that nearly three-quarters of all U.S. counties (73%) now have at least one Asian restaurant of some kind. …

Lifelong Vegetarian Tries Lab-Grown Wagyu Beef

Vegetarian and FI business writer, Christine Zulkosky, sampled Ohayo Valley’s lab-grown wagyu beef at the Vegan Women Summit in Brooklyn, NY.

Latest Customer Demand: Old-school Service

During the pandemic, many Americans did what they could to support their favorite restaurants. Now, however, many of these same consumers who were sympathetic to a struggling industry are fed up with the lack of …

4 Movements Impacting Retail in Latin America

Adapting to inflation, changing consumer preferences, and omnichannel has been a challenge for Latin America’s grocery industry. Nevertheless, in the past few years, retailers in Latin America have developed innovative strategies to create resilient products …

How to Compete with Aldi’s Sweeping Price Cuts

Aldi is cutting prices on more than 250 products, ranging from snacks to meals, and the move is putting even more pressure on an industry facing inflation.

Poll Shows Americans Have Become Adventurous Eaters

A recent survey suggests there’s pent-up demand to eat out — and to try new flavors — as American consumers become more adventurous eaters. Nearly half of the survey’s respondents (47%) said they’re tired of …

Restaurant Show Offered Plenty of Plant-Based Alternatives

Restaurant operators looking to add plant-based options to their menus had no shortage of options at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

Meat Producers Look For A Bottom — And For Answers

The cycle has turned against meat producers with a perhaps unprecedented vengeance. In response, investors and industry participants face two key questions. First, when does the cycle turn? More importantly, what can meat producers do …

Is the Trucking Demand Slowdown a Bellwether for the Economy?

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s effort to slow the economy by raising interest rates without triggering a recession may have failed if conditions in the trucking industry are any indication.

Lessons Learned: Why Flip’d by IHOP Flop’d

At the height of the pandemic, IHOP debuted what it expected to be a can’t-miss concept: Flip’d, an all-day IHOP inspired menu taking advantage of the COVID-inspired growth in take-out. The menu included favorites from …

QR Codes: ReliQ or Revolutionary?

How, and why, should some businesses do away with table- or barside QR codes, and what should be expected from both business and consumer? The QR Qonundrum doesn’t have to be an all-in or all-out decision, however – a hybrid approach, using lessons from the business side of the pandemic and the consumer side of hospitality, may be a viable way forward for businesses large and small.

Beef Prices Expected to Stay High

A quick trip to the grocery store’s meat aisle confirms beef prices are at record highs as packers scramble to find higher grade cattle.

Study: Most Americans Are Interested in Sober Bars

It appears many Americans are rather intrigued by the “sober curious” movement. A new study reveals that 51% of Americans wish they had access to a sober bar as an alternative to traditional watering holes …

3 Key Takeaways from the 2023 Sweets & Snacks Expo

CHICAGO – Nearly 18,000 people attended the National Confectioners Association’s 2023 Sweets & Snacks Expo recently, the final show to be held in Chicago before moving to Indianapolis (2024, 2025) and Las Vegas (2026). At …

Grocers Take Loyalty Programs to Next Level

Offerings such as member pricing boast potential to simultaneously grow market share and increase loyalty program penetration for grocers.

Exec: Upcycled Food Movement Set to Gain Major Momentum

As consumers exhibit growing interest in waste and sustainability, companies are looking at taking what would once have been discarded and creating a new product – and the food industry is part of this approach, …

Study: Plant-Based Attains Popularity with Gen Z

An eye-opening 81% of college students will choose a plant-based food offering when it’s the default option, according to a recent study led by foodservice provider Sodexo. And these Gen Zers are more interested in …

3 Key Trends on Display at 2023 National Restaurant Association Show

CHICAGO – A majority (62%) of foodservice operators are currently understaffed, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Restaurant Industry Report, 2023. Foodservice operators gathered in Chicago for the 2023 National Restaurant Association …

Study: Lab-Grown Meat Potentially Worse for Environment than Retail Beef

If proper technology and facilities can be developed to lessen the current emissions costs of lab-grown products, then yes, the research team found cultured meat to be much more environmentally competitive and with a potential wide range of applications. Today, though, the scientific/environmental/cultural jump “from pharma to food” remains an expensive and taxing endeavor for mother Earth.

Analysis: The Healthiest Superfoods

Eat a balanced diet. We’ve heard that edict since we were children, but now all the shouting is about superfoods and supplements that can do everything from lower blood pressure to improve gut health to …

3 Key Trends Reshaping Latin Cuisine

Latin America has a large cultural richness which is reflected in its cuisine. Every dish tells a story of the region’s cultural heritage. Latin American cuisine is characterized by diversity of flavors, textures and colors …

‘Climavore’ Lifestyle Growing Rapidly

“Climavorism” – in which consumers make food choices based on climate impacts – is a concept that’s gaining traction. Climavores are as prevalent as ever, judging by a recent survey by consulting firm Kearney Inc. …

Drive Impulse Purchases Using Urgency and Store Layout

Despite inflation, impulse purchases remain a key opportunity for maximizing basket sizes. A study by Ipsos found that while 56% of consumers say they’re making fewer impulse buys, one-third still made one in the past …

Survey: Amid Inflation, Most Americans Call Healthy Food ‘a Luxury’

A new survey offers insight into Americans’ current challenges when trying to maintain access to healthy food. While most people are well aware of the importance of eating healthy food in 2023, recent findings from …

5 Plant-Forward Alt-Meat Innovations

Innovators are shaking up the alt-meat category with plant-forward creations that contain more whole foods and less processed ingredients. Here are five companies to watch.

Analysis: Why CAVA’s Revenue is Steadily Rising

The CAVA restaurant chain is killin’ it, seizing upon the growing popularity of Mediterranean food, as well as the build-your-own-meal concept. CAVA has officially announced plans to go forward with an initial public offering after …

Why Overlooking Baby Boomer Consumers is a Big Mistake

The tastes of Baby Boomer consumers are evolving in a manner that defies stereotypes. “With nearly sixty percent of Boomers using digital promotions, and that usage increasing rapidly – surpassing paper usage last year – …

When Wallets Are Tight, Concentrate on Quality & Convenience

When consumers start tightening their wallets due to economic conditions, they start choosing between price and convenience. And in the case of major retailers, it becomes a struggle to decide where to concentrate efforts. “Companies …

Groundbreaking Consumer Insight: The Snack 50 Psychological Ranking

According to Circana Group and reported by The Wall Street Journal, nearly half of American consumers snack three times or more every day, a figure up 8% in the past two years. Last year, U.S. snack sales soared to over $180 billion, up 11% from the previous year.

Amazon Delivery Strategy a Model for Other Retailers

Robotics, machine learning, and data analytics helped optimize the Amazon delivery process in recent months. Now, the e-commerce giant’s model could be a standard other retailers look to emulate. Amazon managed to speed its deliveries …

American Jerk: The Salty, Smoky, Spicy, and Thriving Business of Jerky

There are many notable jerky and meat snack companies out there and most are thriving as the snackification of America continues apace. Jerky in any form has been a staple snack since navigators used sextets to sail the seven seas and discover more jerky, as John Smith is purported to have in the early 1600s when he marked a map of Virginia and wrote, “as drie as their jerkin beefe in the West Indies.”