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Guac Gets Gamified, Avocado Imports Surge Ahead of Super Bowl
Mexican avocado imports are set to smash records ahead of the 2026 Super Bowl, signaling strong supply-chain confidence and sustained U.S. demand. Avocados From Mexico is pairing that momentum with an AI-powered fan experience designed to drive even more guac consumption.
3 Key Takeaways from NRF 2026 – Retail’s Big Show
Retail’s biggest show, NRF 2026, signaled a reset, with economists forecasting steadier growth as AI, health-forward innovation, and omnichannel discipline reshape how food retailers compete. Leaders left aligned on one theme: 2026 belongs to operators who cut friction, elevate fresh, and deploy tech with purpose.
AI, Automation Dominate F&B Innovations at CES 2026
From autonomous convenience stores to robotic baristas and ingredient traceability platforms, CES 2026 highlighted how automation and AI are moving deeper into food, retail, and supply chain operations.
Food Leaders Eye Workforce Fallout as US Blocks Visas From 75 Countries
A sweeping U.S. visa freeze across 75 countries signals deeper turbulence in global labor mobility. Food and beverage leaders may face fresh uncertainty as immigration scrutiny tightens and long term workforce pipelines grow less predictable.
Double Trouble: Cheese, Chocolate Recalls Expanded Due to Deadly Risk
Two major recalls – Salmonella‑linked chocolate bars and Listeria‑tainted cheeses – are putting food safety back in the spotlight. With Class I risks in play, brands are reminded how quickly routine testing can become a reputational stress test.
Bigger, Bolder Menu Revamps: Foodservice Gets a Facelift
Foodservice chains are charging into 2026 with bold menu revamps that tap breakfast demand, nostalgia, and the protein boom to spark traffic and repeat visits. From Dutch Bros to Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack, operators are leaning hard into trend-driven innovation to stay competitive.
See the Coffee Chain Building a Next Gen Drive Thru Empire
Dutch Bros is rewriting the coffee playbook with tiny, hyper efficient drive thru huts built for speed and Gen Z friendly indulgence. Its rise signals that the next big coffee chain may look more like an energy drink competitor than a café.
Teetotaling, Tea Drinking on the Rise as Dry January Participation Surges
Dry January has inspired a cultural reset, with consumers swapping booze for tea, soda, and other NA options. Health, cost‑cutting, and medication‑assisted moderation are accelerating the shift, creating fresh whitespace for beverage innovators.
Target’s Wellness Push Stokes War With Whole Foods
Target is muscling into Whole Foods territory with a major wellness expansion, betting that value priced “better for you” goods can revive slipping sales. But with Walmart and Amazon escalating their own health pushes, the retailer’s path to growth remains anything but simple.
AI-Enabled Robotics: A Solution for the Food Manufacturing Labor Crisis
The food manufacturing industry’s most pressing challenges—labor shortages and high turnover, inconsistent quality, food giveaway, and constrained throughput—now have a proven solution. Chef Robotics has developed AI-enabled robots for meal assembly to flexibly automate production …
State of the Consumer: Health, Always
Health and wellness are top of mind as consumers consider their food and beverage purchases.
2026 Pizza Playbook: Quality Beats Speed, Mid-Sized Chains Bring the Heat
Mid‑sized pizza chains are gaining ground as consumers prioritize hot, high‑quality pizza over sheer delivery speed. With giants slowing and carryout times rising, operational discipline is becoming the new competitive edge.
New Food Pyramid Sends Shockwaves Through F&B, Pressures Processors
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s flipped food pyramid champions whole foods and fuller fat proteins, but nutrition experts warn the shift could spike chronic disease risks. The shake-up also raises big implications for producers, as federal guidance realigns around less processing.
2026 Bound to be Better for Food Investors
Food companies limped through a bruising 2025 as CPG giants, grocers, and fast casual chains saw valuations crumble under weak demand and structural headwinds. Yet, recent weeks hint at selective rebounds, rewarding the players best positioned to execute in a more fragmented market.
Western Canada Shatters Crop Records as Innovation Outpaces Climate Stress
Canadian farmers enjoyed record harvests recently, despite floods, drought, and extreme heat, thanks to high tech farming and advanced seed genetics. As climate volatility accelerates, northern growers expect similarly bountiful harvests in the future.
Produce Powerhouse: Broccolini Named 2026 Vegetable of the Year
Health-driven consumer habits are shaping produce trends, with broccolini selected as the 2026 Vegetable of the Year and sweet potatoes earning a spot as the honorable mention. FullTilt Marketing also identified the kabocha squash and endive as vegetables to watch this year.
McRib or McFib? How McDonald’s Limited-Time Sandwich Sparked a Lawsuit
The well-publicized lawsuit that claims McDonald’s misleads consumers with the McRib’s name has sparked debate over transparency in QSR marketing. While legal impact may be minimal, experts say perception risks could force tighter messaging and PR control.
Sign of the Times: Fast-Food Chains Bet Big on Digital Displays
Digital signage is becoming core QSR infrastructure, boosting ticket sizes, reducing decision fatigue, and strengthening guest trust through real time updates. Operators leveraging dynamic menus and time sensitive promos are benefitting.
AI Assistants, ‘Zebra Striping’ Set the Tone in 2026 for Restaurants
AI-powered personalization, shifting health behaviors, and cost pressures are impacting restaurant strategies in 2026. Operators eye takeout growth and rising non alcoholic demand as key levers for expansion.
New Minimum Wage Hikes to Impact Millions of American Workers
Minimum wage hikes that took effect Jan. 1 will boost pay for more than 8 million workers, but economists warn they may squeeze employment. Operators are bracing with pricing adjustments and selective automation to offset rising labor costs.
Built to Trace: Why Food Manufacturers Need Integrated Visibility from Ingredient to Invoice
iTradeNetwork examines how integrated traceability is reshaping food manufacturing by strengthening data accuracy, accelerating issue resolution, and supporting stronger customer confidence across the supply chain.
TikTok Is the New Food R&D Lab – And It’s Moving Lightning Fast
TikTok has become the fastest-moving food R&D engine, turning creator-born trends into menu items and CPG products at unprecedented speed. Brands that prototype quickly, leverage LTOs, and collaborate with creators are capturing outsized upside.
State of the Consumer: Private Label, Challengers
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Mediterranean, Savory Among Monin’s 2026 Flavor Projections
Monin’s 2026 Flavor Trends forecast points to a year defined by experiential drinking, from savory umami cocktails to Mediterranean profiles. For the F&B industry, the opportunity lies in pairing global inspiration with visually striking, social ready innovation.
Nutrition + New Year’s Tradition: Data, Personalization Drive Smarter Choices in 2026
Weight loss and personal health are top-of-mind for Americans making New Year’s resolutions this year. Empowering personalization with data will be a big trend heading into 2026, especially to understand how food choices affect blood sugar, energy, and metabolic health.
5 Gen Alpha Food Trends to Watch in 2026, According to Chartwells K12
The newest generation of tiny tastemakers, Gen Alpha, are balancing fun, flavor, and function into their food occasions. Some trends from the year ahead endeavor to make unique experiences more accessible.
Nostalgia Meets Neurogastronomy: The Psychology, Science of Flavor Recreation
Nostalgia is booming, but recreating “childhood flavors” is far more complex than matching ingredients. As neurogastronomy shows, brands are really chasing memories and emotions—making retro hits powerful, but notoriously hard to get right.
A Key to 2026 F&B Success: The ‘Uncommitted Customer’
Consumers have become “uncommitted,” hopping between retailers and restaurants as price pressure, tariffs, and value seeking behaviors reshape spending. To win them back, brands must deliver sharper value, smarter incentives, and experiences that meet shoppers exactly where their needs are shifting.
McCormick Flavor Strategy Regaining Sizzle
McCormick’s once faded growth story is regaining heat, as consumer volumes stabilize and younger generations fuel long term demand for bold, global flavors.
Independent Grocers Have a Secret Weapon: Trust
Independent grocers are gaining ground as cost-pressed shoppers place more trust in local stores than national chains. To keep that edge in 2026, independents must pair community credibility with digital convenience, personalized value, and smarter savings tools.
Circana Predicts Slowing F&B Growth in 2026 – But Opportunities Remain
Circana forecasts slower F&B growth in 2026 as economic pressure and supply chain complexity reshape the competitive landscape. Still, experts say brands that balance pricing and evolving consumption “moments” for customers can still thrive.
How Online Grocery Is Getting a Whole Lot Better
Online grocery is accelerating into 2026 as retailers lean into functional beverages, agentic AI, and ever faster fulfillment to boost loyalty. The winners will be those who blend smarter tech with sharper product strategy to meet rising consumer expectations.
4 F&B Trends to Watch in 2026, According to MenuData
MenuData predicts four forces will shape 2026 menus, from texture‑obsessed consumers and nostalgia‑driven LTOs to the resurgence of animal fats and the growing influence of GLP‑1 users. For brands, these shifts signal major opportunities for innovation—and risks for those who fall behind.
The Intersection of Liability and Product Recall
When contamination strikes, having both General Liability and Product Recall Insurance can mean the difference between recovery and ruin. Smart food companies treat them as a dynamic duo – not a redundant expense. Sponsored by Coughlin Insurance Services
Instacart AI Pricing Could Trigger Backlash
Instacart’s AI driven pricing tests are drawing FTC scrutiny and risking a consumer trust meltdown as shoppers balk at higher than expected costs. Experts warn that without transparency, retailers could push customers toward cheaper rivals and curbside alternatives.