How Americans are Combatting Meal Prep Fatigue

After two years of more cooking at home, it looks like Americans are getting tired of meal prep. A survey by OnePoll on behalf of Jennie-O found that six in 10 respondents admitted feeling “burnt …

5 Takeaways From Natural Products Expo West 2022

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Natural Products Expo West 2022 was a welcome moment of normalcy for the food industry. The Anaheim Convention Center buzzed with an energy that hadn’t been felt since 2019 – when the …

The Restaurant ‘Experience’ Returns

Editor’s note: This article is a free, one-time preview of The Food Institute’s new Premium articles, which will be available to members. To join FI, click here.  After nearly two years of intermittent pandemic-related lockdowns, consumers are seeking …

UPDATE: Global Food Supply Concerns Intensify Amid Ukraine Crisis

The conflict in Ukraine could cause food and feed prices to rise up to 20%, according to the United Nations food agency. The Food and Agriculture Organization said it was unclear whether Ukraine would be …

Is Plant-Based Meat at a Retail Crossroads?

Alternative meat sales continue to plateau at retail following strong performance in recent years. Has plant-based meat reached its peak, or is this just a lengthy chapter in the emerging category’s evolutionary process? According to …

Webinar Recap: Health Remains Top Reason for Consuming Probiotics

With consumers prioritizing health more than ever, food makers are turning to functional ingredients like probiotics to provide documented health benefits in food and beverages. In an exclusive Food Institute webinar, bioscience company Chr. Hansen …

Experts Offer Solutions for Surviving the Labor Shortage

As the labor shortage rages on, Andrew Lokenauth can’t help but think it’s time for many U.S. businesses to rethink their hiring strategies. After all, Lokenauth – a hiring manager who has held senior positions at institutions from Goldman …

The Toll of Rising Inflation and Gas Prices for Consumers

The one-two punch of soaring inflation and record-breaking gasoline prices is likely to have an increasingly painful impact on consumers. In fact, the Labor Department reported Thursday that the Consumer Price Index, or CPI — …

Baby Boomers Eager to Eat Healthy and Dine Out in 2022

Bracha Goetz is as active as ever at the age of 66, and she’d like to keep it that way. That’s why the Harvard-educated author – like many baby boomers – is eating as healthily …

Drive-Thrus Could Give Full-Service Chains New Opportunities for Growth

The drive-thru lane is no longer exclusive to fast-food chains. Applebee’s recently revealed it would be “aggressively” leaning into drive-thrus as it gets back to new unit growth, reported Forbes (March 3). The chain will …

Can Meat Industry Maintain Record-Setting Sales?

The recently released 2022 Power of Meat report indicated pandemic-induced inflation sent meat prices soaring, with sales hitting a record $81.8 billion in 2021, an increase of 0.3% from the previous year. Those record sales …

Food Product Placements Increasingly Supplant Traditional Ads

Can the sight of a strategically placed bag of chips on-screen cause consumers to crave the snack? Companies using product placement in advertising are betting on it—and they’re usually right, experts said. BEN, a product …

Analysis: Putting the ‘Pegan’ Diet Craze Under the Microscope

In recent years, many diets have become popular for anticipated benefits and attractive trade-offs, as people try to balance proper nutrition with habits that align with their lifestyle values. In today’s market, methods of food …

Restaurant Sales Improve Following January Slump

After ten consecutive months of traffic gains, the U.S. restaurant industry’s recovery slowed in January, according to The NPD Group. However, things are looking up. OMICRON-INDUCED SLOW DOWN IN JANUARY The surge of the COVID-19 …

From Kimchi to Bulgogi, Korean Cuisine Gaining Steam

Korean cuisine had its moment in 2021, and all indications suggest that popularity could last for the foreseeable future. According to new data from analytics company Spoonshot, interest in Korean cuisine spiked nearly 90% in …

CPG Companies Eye Plant-Based Market with Different Goals

More major CPG companies are playing in plant-based, flagging the alt-protein category as a potential catalyst for growth. But industrywide, the depth of that value is not easily measured in broad strokes. “When you factor …

Ultrafast Food Delivery May Be Slowing Down

For some time, it seemed like there was a new app every week promising New Yorkers food and other deliveries in 15 minutes or less. Now, it looks like there could be a bump in …

Inflation Is Surging and Dollar Store Sales are Too

With inflation running at its highest level in four decades, consumers are pinching their pennies and looking to dollar stores to stretch tightening budgets. With inflation currently running at 7.5%, consumers are getting nervous about …

Grain Markets Monitor Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S. consumer support for domestic agriculture has grown stronger, according to a  new survey from the United Soybean Board. In fact, 78% of respondents said it’s important to purchase U.S.-grown food, an 8% increase from a …

Analysis: What are the Benefits of Precision Fermentation?

The process used to create precision fermentation is akin to alchemists transforming basic metals into gold. In this case, however, scientists are transforming sugar and fungus into hamburgers. According to RethinkX, a think tank that …

What’s Next in Pizza?

Consumers are getting more adventurous with their pizza. In fact, Slice’s 2022 Slice of The Union report indicates that three types of not-so-traditional pizza had their best year ever: Dairy-free pizza was 333% more popular New …

Why Are Private Label Products Not Thriving Amidst Inflation?

Shoppers have historically gravitated to store brands when economic times get tough. But despite record-high prices, private label food and beverage sales continue to dip below their national counterparts at retail. Overall, store brand dollar …

Port Delays Continue to Pile Up

Global shipping is likely to take another hit in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The invasion adds a level of complexity to an industry already navigating changing consumer demand, inflation, and the ongoing effects …

Will New Hemp-Infused Drink be a Trendsetter Among Big Brands?

These days, non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers, like PepsiCo and Coke, are seeking to expand their production amid shrinking soda consumption. And, taking that strategy a step further, Pepsi is now hoping to attract younger female consumers …

Grocery Stores Have More Work to Do on Sustainability Efforts

Consumers think grocery stores have a lot more work to do on sustainability, according to a recent survey from Retail Insight. More than half of respondents said grocery stores must improve their sustainability claims and …

Will Restaurants Become the Focus at Malls?

For much of the 1980s and ‘90s, American malls were where seminal moments occurred in the lives of adolescents. They bought puppies at the basement pet store. They rented tuxedos for proms. And they socialized in …

What Do Consumers Want from Loyalty Programs?

Newsweek recently released its America’s Best Loyalty Programs 2022 list and several food brands stood out. In the grocery category, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market and Publix Super Markets landed the top spots, while Jersey Mike’s …

Growth Prospects Strong for Plant-Based Cheese

Cheese is pegged as the next growth category for plant-based dairy at retail, as quality innovations flourish and big players start to make inroads. Globally, the vegan cheese market is expected to expand at a …

The Food Institute Secures Second Investment from Gellert Family to Accelerate Growth

PINE BROOK, N.J., Mar. 1, 2022/FINewswire/– The Food Institute, the leading source for food industry news, data, and trends, announced today that the company has secured a second round of investment capital from the Gellert …

Consumer Purchasing Behavior Appears to Be Unchanged Despite Inflation Woes

Inflation is still a major concern for consumers, but it’s not stopping them from spending. INFLATION A CONCERN FOR 9 OF 10 AMERICANS Almost 90 percent of all adults in the U.S. are concerned about …

Las Vegas Event Illustrates Push for Sustainable Food Products

LAS VEGAS – The specialty food industry gathered en masse at the recent Winter Fancy Food Show earlier this month, and some noteworthy industry transformations were apparent, influenced by the pandemic and changing consumer preferences. …

Analysis: Industry Flocked to Gulfood Event

DUBAI—Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and beverage sourcing event, rebounded in a big way from the pandemic this year. The show, which concluded on February 17, featured 4,000 exhibiting companies from 120 countries, up …

Restaurants Work New Strategies to Retain Staff

Hiring new employees is hard for businesses across the food landscape. Retaining them is even harder. And if you are a restaurant operator amid the current worker shortage, your staffing problems are the hardest. The …

Russia Invasion of Ukraine to Push up Energy, Food Prices

The United States and its allies are escalating sanctions against Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine that could ripple through the world economy, aggravating inflation and supply chain issues, and prompting consumer …

How Food Companies Can Prepare for Retaliatory Cyberattacks from Russia

U.S. companies should be prepared for retaliatory cyberattacks following Biden Administration sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine. U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said private companies should be …

Super Bowl Ads Provide Big Boost to Food Companies

A few food companies scored big thanks to this year’s Super Bowl. AdAdapted, a shopping list marketing and insights platform, recently researched the influence of this year’s Super Bowl commercials and found two chip brands, …