Focus Archive > Page 36

Demand Growing for Clean Label Meat Alternatives

As a broader variety of plant-based protein alternatives enter the market, health-conscious flexitarians are turning a more critical eye towards ingredients and production methods. In 2021, consumer interest in clean label grew by 86% within …

Experts: Autonomous Equipment Could Be Game Changer in Ag

Innovation is making it easier for farmers to optimize efficiency. And with that in mind, new agricultural technologies are the focus of The Food Institute’s report this month, which will be available to members starting April 19 …

Analyzing Whole Foods Foot Traffic

A new report from Placer.ai, titled Placer Spotlight: Whole Foods’ Journey Since the Amazon Deal, takes a closer look at Whole Foods foot traffic data over the past several years. Here are some key takeaways: …

Is Easter the MVP of Holiday Candy Sales?

In the seasonal candy playing field, Easter has been knocking it out of the park. Per IRI data, combined sales for chocolate and non-chocolate seasonal candy totaled $1.3 billion in the 7-week period ending April …

Teen Spending Up, Interest in Plant-Based Down

Teens are spending more money (+9%) and food is a top priority, according to Piper Sandler’s Taking Stock with Teens Spring 2022 survey. With these themes in mind, below are key findings that food industry …

When Will Perfect Storm of Food Inflation Subside?

Call it a perfect storm: COVID led to labor shortages and supply chain issues and to fuel shortages, all of which contributed to inflation. Factor in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and unpredictable weather, and food …

Why Restaurant Chain CEOs are Jumping Ship

While leadership changes are nothing new for restaurant chains, CEOs have been resigning in spades over the past two months, including departures from prominent brands like Starbucks, Dominos, Denny’s, Red Lobster, and Wingstop. What’s behind …

A Clear-Headed Look at the ‘Sober Curious’ Movement

The term “sober curious” has become part of the national lexicon in recent months. What is it, exactly? “Sober curious” is a social wellness movement that involves self-selecting out of alcohol consumption at times, without …

Why Coaching Frontline Managers Is a Must in the Food Industry

This article is written and sponsored by Proaction International. We’re all familiar with the job market buzzwords dominating today’s food and beverage industry headlines: The Great Resignation, tight labor markets, concerns about returning to the workforce …

Plant-Based Snacks Enjoying Steady Growth

As consumers continue to blur the line between snacks and meals, the plant-based category is playing an active role in the space between. Seventy-eight percent of global consumers say their definition of snacks has evolved …

The Rise of Food Packaging Sustainability

From antiquity’s gourd shells to modernity’s plastic soda bottles, humanity has created numerous ways to store food and beverages. In 2022, consumers are on the lookout for the most sustainable food containers possible. The Freedonia …

Deli Prepared Foods Thriving Despite Inflationary Squeeze

As rampant inflation tightens its grip across the food industry, many consumers are cutting back on grocery staples and trading down to cheaper items. All the while, higher-ticket prepared food sales are soaring. Comparative unit …

CPG Food Brand Loyalty Taking Hit Amid Rising Inflation

With inflation raging, consumers are beginning to cut costs on everyday CPG food items. And as a result, brand loyalty is taking a hit. Private-label brands, after two pandemic years in which they lost market …

Why Restaurants are Venturing into the Metaverse

Restaurant chains are entering the great unknown, taking bold leaps into the “metaverse.” It’s the latest endeavor by fast-food brands to reach potential customers where they’re at. The Food Institute investigated exactly how the strategy …

As Bird Flu Outbreak Grows, Egg Prices Spike

In the last week, the USDA has added six states to the list where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the presence of bird flu …

Remembering Bill Bishop

Upon returning from vacation, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Bill Bishop, an industry legend who also happened to be one of the nicest guys I ever met. To be fair, many …

Projecting the Plant-Based Future

Plant-based meats are about to become much more mainstream – Christina Russo is convinced of it. As alt-meats have found their way onto the menus of fast-food chains like Burger King, McDonald’s and KFC, plant-based ...

No Cap in Sight for Booming Mushroom Market

Retailers are digging up new ways to boost fresh mushrooms sales in the produce department and beyond, as consumer interest in fungi functionality continues to thrive. The global mushroom market size is expected to reach …

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7 Ways CPG Companies Accelerated Growth in 2021

In a recent IRI webinar on consumer packaged goods (CPG) company performance in 2021, senior leaders from three of the category’s top performing companies — Michael Del Pozzo from PepsiCo, Gary Osifchin from Reckitt, and …

Is Beyond Meat Beyond Repair?

Investors appear to have soured on Beyond Meat, sending its stock price from a $160.28 to as low as $35.74 in the last year, as competition in the alternative-meat sector has increased and the company’s …

Is the Future Consumer Flexitarian?

As reported in a recent FoodThink white paper, flexibility is among the top priorities for U.S. consumers when it comes to food shopping and eating behaviors. With food habits and social wellness trends evolving rapidly, …

Rapid Shutdowns for Rapid Delivery

When U.S. delivery startup Zero Grocery abruptly closed recently, it stunned northern California businesses that sold its products. Many were owed money and questioned what went wrong with the fast-growing startup, reported San Francisco Chronicle (March …

CPG Brands Aligning with Mental Wellness

Society has come a long way on normalizing discussions about mental health. With that, a growing list of brands are highlighting mental wellness in their marketing. As the issue is increasingly destigmatized—with celebrities and athletes openly discussing their …

Seafood Prices Spiking Amid Russian Sanctions

Sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine are hitting the supply of seafood in the U.S., sending prices higher. Data from IRI pegs fresh fish volume prices up 8.9% for the 52 weeks ended …

Goat Milk Gaining Steam, Due to Versatility

We might be seeing more goat milk products in the near future. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6% and reach $17.9 billion by 2030, according to a new report by …

3 Keys for Successful Social Media Marketing

Food businesses are losing faith in Instagram following a change in its algorithm. The social media platform’s choice to prioritize videos over photos has created unforeseen costs for small businesses, leaving many owners frustrated, reported …

Why One Company is Going All-In on ‘Bee-Less’ Honey

If all the world’s bees were to die, the face of the earth would resemble Mars, the website for MeliBio bee-less honey maintains. It’s imperative to save the roughly 20,000 native and wild bee species, …

IFMA CEO: 3 Key Issues Likely to Drive Foodservice Forward

Phil Kafarakis knows the pandemic has created dire situations for many restaurants. At the same time, he’s also encouraged by the resilience displayed by many operators. “I think this pandemic gave people an opportunity to …

Recent Economic Data Could Be a Good Sign for Hiring Managers

While there certainly are signs of improving labor market conditions in the food industry, pandemic-inspired trends are causing headaches for hiring managers. In fact, the pandemic changed the way a lot of people think about ...