What’s Driving Beyond Meat’s Slide?

What’s going on at Beyond Meat? A week ago, the company’s stock price fell 12% after it warned that third-quarter revenue should come in at $106 million—far lower than its prior outlook and the nearly …

Subway Continues Brand Refresh with Unique New Bread

Subway is getting back to the diet business, becoming the first quick-serve restaurant to offer a 1-net-carb bread. The sandwich chain, which has nearly 40,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries operated by franchisees, always …

Amazon Fresh a Bright Spot for Company Amid Challenging Q3

Since the first Amazon Fresh opened in September 2020, Amazon has expanded the number of brick-and-mortar grocery store concepts to 19 stores nationwide — and foot traffic has been increasing. Physical store sales were a …

Is Frozen Food’s Hot Streak Starting to Cool?

Although the frozen food aisle showcased a 3% increase in dollar sales for the 52 weeks ending Oct. 17, a 0.5% drop in unit sales indicates demand in the red-hot frozen sector could be cooling, …

Analysis: Assessing Sweetgreen’s Unique Business Model, Ahead of IPO

Sweetgreen, the quick-serve salad chain out to take advantage of consumer interest in sustainability, this week became the latest restaurant chain to file for an initial public offering. And, experts say the move couldn’t come …

Projections Suggest Global Boom for Frozen Pizza Over Next Decade

Frozen food witnessed a surge in 2020, largely due to COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns that led to storage of food at home. Frozen pizza, especially, fit in quite nicely to quarantine life, as the coronavirus …

Are Climate Conditions Affecting Coffee?

A new study suggests changing climate conditions might be affecting the taste, aroma, and overall quality of coffee. Trends found by researchers from Tufts and Montana State University indicated that farms at higher altitudes were …

CEO Declares ‘Milestone’ Moment for Eat Just, Plant-Based Movement

The question about whether the chicken or the egg came first is quickly becoming moot. The European Union recently declared JUST Egg’s key ingredient – mung beans – safe, San Francisco-based Eat Just Inc. announced. …

How Can Salmonella Outbreaks Be Prevented?

Onions from Mexico have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak in 37 U.S. states and officials have connected 652 patients to the surge, 129 of whom have been hospitalized. Health officials said the onions, sold to …

Analysis: What’s Influencing Increased Candy Sales this Year

It appears many consumers have a sweet tooth ahead of Halloween 2021. The pre-Halloween candy buying period is drawing more consumers this year than ever before, according to Numerator’s Candy Tracker. Omnichannel seasonal candy sales …

Author Naessens Sees Keto Diet as ‘a Journey’

When asked why she feels the keto diet has become so popular, noted author Pascale Naessens smiled, then said: “Because it’s going viral. And, it works.” Naessens, co-author of The Keto Cure, acknowledges that the …

Survey: Consumers Seeking Value This Holiday Season

Based on her company’s work studying consumer trends, Sarah O’Grady sees consumers on the hunt for deals this holiday season. “Last year, lockdowns made in-person shopping challenging,” said O’Grady, vice president of brand marketing at …

Defending Ultra-Processed Foods

In line with pandemic-inspired gains in snacking, Americans are eating more ultra-processed foods. Yet, the rise in consumption has been trending higher for years. Researchers at the NYU School of Global Public Health analyzed dietary …

Big Food Companies See ESG ‘Halo’ as Key to Building Brands

In recent years, the uptick in consumer demand for purpose-driven brands has been profound, and food and beverage companies are no exception to the rule. “Consumers under 35 want companies to be a force for …

Foodservice Distributors Face Challenges Despite Better 2022 Outlook

Although the 2022 prospects for foodservice distributors are on the rise, the industry still faces several challenges, according to Technomic Principal Wade Hanson. Hanson, speaking on a webinar hosted by the International Foodservice Distributors Association …

Food Industry Execs: Inflation Could Worsen Yet

Overall CPI rose 0.4% in September, slightly ahead of estimates of 0.3%, with the indexes for food and shelter contributing to more than half of the monthly increase. The food price index climbed 0.8%, with …

Seafood Sales Riding Wave of ‘Blue Food’ Movement

Seafood sales continue to trend upward at the grocery store as health and environmental benefits sway more consumers towards so-called “blue foods” and restaurant accessibility remains in flux. Overall sales for the category totaled $16.8 …

As Grocery Inflation Nears a Tipping Point, CEOs Weigh In

Food inflation is approaching pivotal levels in the U.S., with prices for food consumed in the home increasing 4.5% in September compared with the same month of 2020. As input costs continue to rise, more …

Why Worker Strikes are Running Rampant Throughout America

A total of 178 strikes have taken place this year, as workers are demanding higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions, according to Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The Bureau of …

How Long Will Supply Chain Woes Last?

Merchants were poised for a blow-out holiday season this year. There’s just one glitch: Much of the merchandise they ordered is either stuck in ports or ships at sea because of snarls in land transportation …

Whole Foods Unveils Top 10 Food Trends for 2022

Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council unveiled its seventh annual top 10 anticipated food trends for 2022. “Last year, we saw tremendous pandemic-related shifts in grocery buying habits as the world adjusted to spending more time …

Something to Nibble on: the Rise of Snacking

The snack market experienced an uptick during the pandemic, as many consumers found comfort from items like popcorn during lockdowns. The global snack food market was valued at approximately $427 billion in 2020 and, according …

Did Amazon Lie to Congress About Business Practices?

Five members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee wrote to Amazon.com’s chief executive and accused the company’s top executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, of either misleading Congress or possibly lying to it about Amazon’s business practices, reported …

Why Chipotle’s Nutrition Filters Hint at Menus of the Future

Jennifer Kaplan, a former instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California, thinks Chipotle just released a menu upgrade that’ll be well-received. The chain recently added nutrition filters to its app and …

QSRs Look to Artificial Intelligence to Boost Customer Experience

Quick service restaurants have always adopted new technologies. With the latest innovations, however, the industry is likely to move away from tactics like cashiers asking whether you want fries with your order to complex algorithms …

Q&A: Kellogg Exec Notes How Pandemic Has Altered Snacking

Nigel Hughes had an uncomfortable thought at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. The SVP of global research and development at The Kellogg Company feared his company might struggle in the snack space amid pandemic lockdowns, since …

FI Webinar Recap: ADM, InnovaFeed ‘Unlocking’ Insect Protein Potential

The global market for edible insects is projected to surpass $1.5 billion by year’s end, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations notes that insects currently supplement the diets of approximately two …

BREAKING: McDonald’s to Trial Plant-Based Burger in U.S.

McDonald’s will test the McPlant burger in partnership with Beyond Meat in eight U.S. locations next month. Beginning November 3, customers in Irving, Texas; Carrollton, Texas; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jennings, Louisiana; Lake Charles, Louisiana; El …

Spike in Fertilizer Prices Causing Concern in Europe

A spike in fertilizer prices has hit European farmers, leaving some to question whether to curb planting plans. Winter wheat and barley crops are being sown as many nitrogen fertilizer plants in Europe shut as …

COVID-19 May Have Changed Restaurant Dining Forever

The latest National Restaurant Association overview of the industry indicates the pandemic may have changed dining forever, and experts say many of the changes implemented as a survival tool are here to stay. “These external …

Author: Gen Z Consumers Seek Brands with Clear Purpose

Following in the footsteps of Millennials, Gen Z has taken a liking to chains such as Olive Garden and Starbucks, proving everything is cyclical, according to Piper Sandler’s latest Taking Stock with Teens survey. The Food …

Retailers Charter Vessels in Next Chapter of “Containergeddon”

Port congestion continues on both U.S. coasts and the situation won’t be resolved any time soon. To deal with the pandemic-driven slowdown of sea networks — or, as Steve Ferreira of shipping consultancy Ocean Audit describes …

Fish Supply in Jeopardy Amid Border Dispute

The U.S. is experiencing disputes over the fish supply at the Canadian border, mainly due to what’s known as the Jones Act. Here’s a look at the issues at play and how they could impact …

Why Black Friday Sales are Starting Earlier than Ever

Your calendar may say October, but retailers worried about supply chain issues are thinking Black Friday and relentlessly pushing the holiday shopping season to begin early. The news last year was filled with stories about …

Holiday Food Sales Seen Rising if Pandemic Constraints Kept in Check

As the holiday season approaches and retail projections begin rolling in, food sales look promising. That is, as long as the pandemic and its accompanying labor and supply constraints are kept in check. Overall, holiday …

Plant-Based Meat Deceleration Signals Niche Future

Plant-based meat sales in restaurants and retail are beginning to plateau following a meteoric rise throughout the pandemic period, while traditional meat engagement remains strong. Data and supporting analyst insights from IRI suggest that this …