Shopper experience in the physical store is often what truly differentiates the independent grocer from brick-and-mortar chain stores and online e-commerce competitors like Amazon. The right mix of products, priced right, offered in the right place, and services delivered by welcoming staff in a pleasant environment are essential to building sales and customer loyalty.
Many consumers feel they can’t win on cost alone – they also need an experience, or at least a decent reason to visit a brick-and-mortar store.
Ajvar is a Yugoslavian relish that became popular after World War II. Made primarily from sweet bell peppers and eggplants, ajvar can be sweet (traditional), piquant (common), or scorching hot. Ajvar can be spread on bread or enjoyed as a side dish due to its thicker and more viscous texture.
Researchers have created a way to make 3D-printed food, including cookies, out of plastic waste. It could be the answer to multiple global issues.
On Thursday, May 16, The Food Institute is taking over the headquarters of Hugo Boss in downtown Manhattan to discuss food, finance, and fashion.
Casey’s and Maverik are highlighting breakfast while Buc-ee’s and Rutter’s are leveraging increased square footage and store footprints to drive sales and steal market share away from grocers and retailers.
Novel proteins including cultivated meat, mycelium, and dairy bioidenticals are advancing further into the market, and some state governments are pushing back. A new survey by McKinsey & Company explores how consumers perceive these ingredients—and their willingness to trial them.
One thing that food industry consultants learn quickly is that public holding companies focus most of their resources on their Power Brands – the $1 billion+ revenue-generating giants whose slightest change in profit or topline …
Dr. Rodriguez is thrilled to live in a time when underrepresented voices, cultures, and cuisines can easily take the world by viral storm. She’s quick to point out that for many cuisines, blanket terms like “Mexican” or “Asian” just don’t do it anymore – the people, and the food, deserve more.
Could a zero-sugar energy drink be the future of the heavily saturated beverage market? Possibly. KEY, an energy drink start-up, recently emerged with $4 million in funding, according to an article by AFN. The start-up, …
In the wild world of beverages, any edge on the competition may be enough to resurrect an LTO from the past or push it into full-time production.
Shoppers seeking convenience are in the market for readymade plant-based meals — and the frozen food aisle is a prime target for innovation.
Consumers in the U.S. and Canada say that they are willing to pay more for products that practice eco-friendly sustainability and ethics in their development, packaging, and sale of products, particularly around animal cruelty and ocean pollution.
Asian cuisines like Thai, Korean, and Chinese have long used swicy foods as an enticing way to attract new and long-time patrons, and many mainstream and fusion restaurants are combining classic American fare with these staple flavors from across the world.
“Was it the six-pack of wine called ‘Mommy’s Little Helper?’ Or ‘Mommy’s Time Out’ wine? Was it the funny phrase, ‘The most expensive part of having kids is all the wine you have to drink?’ The clothes and other goodies branded with, ‘Who is moderation?’ or ‘This is how you adult?’ Our society thinks it’s funny when women drink heavily,” Pengov said.
Daiya’s newest alt-cheese recipe utilizes proprietary fermentation technology to mimic the texture and meltability of traditional dairy cheese. Could it be a game-changer for the plant-based cheese category?
For the first time in the report’s history, the top six brands – all of them – are store brands, from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target.
A regular feature in shopping carts from coast to coast, the humble banana has long been a reliable source of nutrition, convenience, and affordability. Yet beneath its cheerful exterior lies a complex tale of botanical intrigue, economic uncertainty, and environmental peril.
Some of the takeaways from the Circana report indicate that inflation has generally gone pretty easy on the beverage category, prompting marketing teams to “promote their relative price stability and find ways to demonstrate value, recognizing that ‘value’ doesn’t always mean lower price,” and that premium categories continue to outperform more value-based brand propositions.
Plant-based milks largely stole the spotlight at the recent Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago. Along with the familiar oat and almond milks, exhibitors offered plant-based milks made with bananas, chickpeas, coconut, macadamias, and pistachios.
Today’s consumers seek snacks that not only satisfy but also nourish, blending convenience with balanced nutrition and illustrated by the emergence of breakfast bars and protein snack boxes.
Through its unique product offerings and strategic influencer partnerships, Kodiak Cakes has differentiated itself and created a strong brand persona that resonates deeply with modern consumers.
Among CPG energy drink brands, Celsius over-indexes with teens, with 17% citing it as their favorite energy drink brand (vs. ~12% market share) while Monster and Red Bull under-index. Among snack brands, Campbell’s Goldfish are still most preferred. Teens report highest intentions to eat more or the same amount of Mondelez’s Clif Bar and Hershey’s products.
While the rest of us were getting our morning jolt from a decent cuppa, decaf drinkers quietly (and deliciously) infiltrated the greater consumer market. Skyquest Technology recently predicted that the decaf coffee market will continue to grow to a $28.86 billion industry by the end of the decade.
CPG producers are veganizing macaroni and cheese by removing dairy ingredients, adding gluten-free pasta and, in some cases, boosting the nutritional value of the popular comfort food.
Other noteworthy shifts include the emergence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha as influential consumer groups. These young consumers are influencing market trends such as the push for labeling transparency and ethical production.
For starters, the global demographic landscape is undergoing a noteworthy transformation, with “second lifers” – those embarking on new chapters post-retirement – emerging as a powerful group of consumers. By 2050, the over-60 demographic is expected to double. This shift is pushing the market towards balanced nutrition.
Magic Spoon cereal is twice as expensive as most other name brands. Many regard its flavor as questionable and its better-for-you status isn’t as rock solid as consumers would like to believe.
Advanced plastic recycling remains a dream for many F&B companies, but Nestle, for one, plans to implement major changes along those lines by 2030.
Demand for frozen chicken nuggets is strong, giving alternative varieties a significant runway for lift off — but sales remain grounded.
Plant-based brand Konscious Foods has enjoyed a meteoric rise. Focusing on achieving price and taste parity with traditional meat has been key, the brand’s founder explained.
According to brand strategy experts, Gen Z consumers currently seek experiences and cultural relevance from CPG companies.
Debate surrounding California’s impending food additive ban is heating up as state-level copycat proposals rise across the U.S. Last month, the National Confectioners Association spoke out against the ban, calling it “an emotionally-driven campaign that lacks scientific backing.”
Clean-label initiatives continue to rise within the plant-based category and beyond as concerns surrounding ultra-processed foods intensify and more consumers prioritize what’s NOT in their products.
Served as an LTO, in a restaurant, or at a ball game, fired in a brick oven at 800 degrees or reheated Sunday morning in a battered collegiate microwave after a late night, pizza is a tough business that can yield great rewards, revenue, and satisfaction.
Fresh orange juice producers continue to walk a fine line between supply and demand while consumer beverage preferences fluctuate widely.
