The Business Case for Agentic AI Domination
Agentic AI is reshaping food tech, driving smarter service and explosive growth. But as automation deepens, legal battles and leadership shakeups hint at a turbulent future.
Focus Archive > Page 5
Target Slashes Prices on 3,000 SKUs, Including Grocery Price Cuts
Target is slashing prices on 3,000 grocery and essentials SKUs ahead of a shaky holiday season, reigniting retail’s value wars. As inflation-weary consumers hunt for deals, global grocers are racing to stay in their baskets.
For Hain Celestial, The Debt Has Come Due
Once a natural foods juggernaut, Hain Celestial is now a cautionary tale of over-acquisition and underperformance. After a decade of turnarounds, the cupboard of fixes appears bare, and time is running out.
Cold, Deadly, and Hard to Kill: Listeria Outbreak Exposes Industry Gaps
A deadly Listeria outbreak tied to ready-to-eat pasta has triggered massive recalls and renewed scrutiny of sanitation lapses. Experts warn that cold-loving pathogens and hyper-efficient supply chains are a recipe for cross-brand disaster.
Fiber’s Metamorphosis From Metamucil to Mega Trend
Fiber is shedding its stodgy image and emerging as a gut-health powerhouse, flavor-forward snack hero, and even a microplastic-fighting ally. From baby formula to seaweed chips, it’s the next big thing in functional food.
From Nightlife to ‘Daylife’: Coffee Raves Redefine Social Gathering
Coffee raves are transforming cafés into wellness-driven, daytime social hubs and boosting margins in the process. As Gen Z redefines nightlife, savvy operators are brewing community, culture, and commerce, all in one.
2026 Innovative Trends: Value-Obsessed Shopper
3 Innovations Fueling the Growth of the Ice Cream Market
Plant-based brands, unique textures, and bold global flavors are reshaping the ice cream category. As billion-dollar deals churn, brands are focused on innovation in a competitive, sensory-driven market.
‘Managed Services’ Represent Retail Media’s Next Big Shift
Retail media is evolving fast, and streaming platforms are the new battleground. With managed services and precision targeting, even small food brands can now play big in the personalized, data-driven media landscape of 2025.
The AI Kitchen Revolution Starts Here: Inside Gambit Robotics’ Vision
Two AI experts just made their boldest move yet: launching Gambit, a kitchen assistant that automates cooking with precision. It’s a game-changer for food technology innovation. Sponsored by Gambit Robotics.
McDonald’s Looks Backwards to Move Forward
McDonald’s is betting on nostalgia to reignite value leadership, reviving Snack Wraps and Extra Value Meals. But the real play is digital: boosting app usage to drive traffic and reshape consumer perception.
Plant-Based Faces Headwinds, Yet Pockets of Growth Persist
Now that the plant-based market has matured, it must contend with many of the same problems as the meat industry, including eking out margins as consumers tighten their wallets. However, dairy alternatives continue to be a bright spot for the sector.
The Strategic Case for the Grubhub, Instacart Team Up
Grubhub and Instacart’s unlikely alliance fills strategic gaps for both, fueling Wonder’s super app ambitions. It’s a calculated surrender on grocery that unlocks possibilities for a full-spectrum mealtime dominance.
KFC Struggles to Stop Its Multi-Decade U.S. Slide
KFC’s U.S. sales are in free fall, even as chicken sizzles across the industry. Yum! Brands’ bold pivot to “Saucy” signals a reinvention, but is it too late for KFC’s comeback?
Thanksgiving Preview: Connection, Cost-Consciousness Define 2025 Holiday
Consumers are craving connection and comfort as Thanksgiving approaches, but inflation is reshaping how they celebrate. Value-driven choices are influencing holiday traditions, resulting in predictions for pared-down menus.
Diners Demand Deals: Why ‘Worth It’ Is the New Must-Have
As diners tighten their belts, value-driven promotions and loyalty perks are proving key to filling restaurant seats. With rising costs and waning confidence, restaurants must deliver far more than just a meal.
3 Tips for Job Seekers in Light of Major F&B Layoffs
As automation and cost-cutting drive sweeping F&B layoffs, experts urge job seekers to sharpen their networking, recruiter outreach, and LinkedIn tactics. Even execs must rethink how they navigate today’s volatile hiring landscape.
2026 Innovative Trends: Geopolitical Impact
GLP-1 Drugs Have Inspired Precision Eating: What F&B Leaders Need to Know
GLP-1 drugs are shrinking appetites and supercharging demand for nutrient-dense, snackable formats. Precision eating is rewriting menus and appears to be reshaping the future of food, drink, and wellness.
The Easiest Meals to Eat on the Go, According to Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book’s “Fork in the Road” guide spotlights the top car-friendly fast-food picks for mess-free mobile dining. Boneless bites are on the rise, highlighting shifting consumer preferences in QSR innovation.
The New America: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Political perceptions are shaping how Americans define value – and it’s not just about price. Today’s consumers demand empathy, convenience, and strategic engagement across life stages.
The Fresh Frontier: How Augmented Reality is Transforming Grocery Execution
GoSpotCheck by FORM brings real-time visibility and control to produce and meat departments – helping grocers reduce shrink, optimize labor, and improve margins through data-driven execution.
Beyond Meat Joins the Bizarre World of Meme Stocks
Beyond Meat’s financial struggles haven’t stopped retail traders from sending its stock soaring more than 600% in a week. As the plant-based pioneer swaps debt for equity, it’s become the latest unlikely star in the bizarre saga of meme stocks.
3 Lessons From Michelob Ultra’s Marketing Dominance
Michelob Ultra didn’t just sell beer, it sold a lifestyle, and now it’s America’s best-selling beer, by volume. Its secret, according to marketing experts? Relentless consistency, wellness-driven branding, and staying in its lane.
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Emerging Brands as Content Studios: The Trend Your Ad Agency Wants You to Ignore
Emerging brands are ditching ad agencies and building in-house content studios to control speed, cost, and creativity. Owned media is no longer optional – it’s the new engine of consumer marketing and brand memorability.
Cafe Chain Launches Ice Cubes Made of Coffee
A coffee chain in Hawaii is turning stale brew into a brand asset with its new “Rescube” campaign – coffee ice cubes that fight dilution and waste. It’s a strategic play on quality, sustainability, and storytelling.
Gen Z, Millennial Consumers Leading ‘Anti-Algorithm’ Movement
Mintel’s 2026 forecast urges brands to embrace empowered aging, algorithm-free authenticity, and affection-driven design. Food leaders can tap into these shifts to craft experiences that nourish identity, connection, and purpose.
Value + Innovation: The Keys to Restaurant Growth in H2 2025
In the latter stages of 2025, restaurant growth hinges on pairing value with innovation. From Taylor Swift tie-ins to smart nostalgia, brands that deliver memorable experiences at fair prices are winning foot traffic across formats.
How the Pizza Industry Suddenly Turned Cold
Pizza’s delivery dominance is melting fast, as third-party platforms slice into its turf. With legacy chains stagnating and investor appetite waning, the industry must cook up a fresh edge.
2026 Innovative Trends: GLP-1
President Trump Eyes Argentine Beef to Solve Domestic Crisis
Beef prices are sizzling at $6.30/lb, and President Donald Trump’s fix – importing Argentine cattle – is sparking bipartisan backlash. Industry leaders warn the move may fuel geopolitical tensions without lowering consumer costs.
AI: The Fastest-Growing Ingredient in Food
AI is transforming food industry operations, marketing, and media fast and affordably. Brands that reinvest AI-driven savings into quality, transparency, and innovation will lead the next wave of consumer trust and growth.
Impossible Foods Founder Insists Plant-Based Meat Isn’t Dead; Here’s Why
Despite investor jitters and industry shakeouts, Impossible Foods founder Patrick Brown recently told FI he remains bullish on alt-meat’s future. With tech advancements and health-driven messaging, plant-based protein may yet win over skeptical consumers.
Gen X: The New MVP of Food Industry Spending
Gen Xers may represent the “forgotten generation,” but their loyalty, functionality-first mindset, and $39 trillion inheritance make them a retail force. Ignore their evolving wellness habits and omnichannel expectations at your brand’s peril.
3 Sustainability Ideas That Could be Widely Impactful
Green hydrogen, carbon removal, and circular design are reshaping sustainability – but not without hurdles. Experts urge food industry leaders to embrace regenerative models and rethink profitability through the lens of strong sustainability.
NACS Show Observations: Protein, Caffeine Everywhere
At the 2025 NACS Show, protein-packed innovation and caffeine reinvention stole the spotlight, catering to health-conscious and novelty-seeking consumers alike. More than anything, convenience retail is getting a functional facelift.