DoorDash Raises $3.4 Billion in IPO

DoorDash raised $3.4 billion in its IPO, making it the second highest IPO in 2020, according to Renaissance Capital. The IPO represents a year of massive growth for the food delivery company. In the first …

McDonald’s Franchisees to Raise Happy Meal Prices

Some McDonald’s franchisees said they would raise prices on Happy Meals after the company revoked a longstanding rebate to subsidize the cost of toys, reported The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 8). In January, the company …

Online Grocery Sales Top $8B in November

U.S. online grocery sales reached $8.1 billion during November, continuing a trend of more than $8 billion in monthly sales dating back to May, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. The survey …

Trade Improves Between U.S. and China

China has started buying U.S. supplies of soybeans from next year’s crop much earlier than usual, reported Bloomberg (Dec. 7). The world’s top importer is loading up on U.S. crops, including corn and soybeans, to …

Over 100,000 Restaurants Close During Pandemic, While Others Adapt

More than 110,000 restaurants have closed permanently or for a long period of time throughout  the U.S. as the industry is contending with the coronavirus pandemic, says the National Restaurant Association. The total, which represents …

Companies Look to Recoup Losses Following Poultry Price-Fixing Charges

Chick-fil-A filed a federal lawsuit accusing 16 poultry suppliers of inflating prices on billions of dollars of chicken that it bought, reported The New York Times (Nov. 6). The suit accuses the producers of violating …

Financing for Franchisees Back Up, While McDonald’s Plans to Pass Along More Fees

Financing for large and mid-tier restaurant franchisees is back to near pre-pandemic levels, according to the head of restaurant finance for Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Brian Geraghty. Geraghty pointed out factors including aggressive loan terms, …

Chicken Sandwiches Reigned Supreme in 2020 Delivery

Grubhub released its 2020 Year in Food report, analyzing what foods were most popular with diners this year. Consumers turned back to comfort foods and caffeine to get through the pandemic, turning away from vegan …

Cultured Meat is Cooking Up

Amazing breakthroughs in the world of food are becoming available to consumers daily. While plant-based food innovation is ramping up, another area gathering steam is cell-cultured meat production in labs. The Food and Agriculture Organization …

Restaurants Combining with Retail Stores to Drum up Sales

As COVID-19 continues to dampen sales at restaurants, some are trying a new strategy by opening in retail stores, which have profited from the pandemic. Hy-Vee Inc. is preparing to open its 20th Wahlburgers at …

Food Industry Targets Sustainability

Several major food companies have recently announced new better-for-the-planet initiatives. Nestle Nestle will invest $3.6 billion over the next five years in an effort to fight climate change and plans to halve its carbon emissions …

Global Cuisines Travel to Consumers’ Plates

One trend to look out for in 2021 is the rise of global cuisines. With consumers mostly stuck at home, many foodies will look to get their travel fix at home through international flavors. “With …

Ghost Kitchens Expanding Across the U.S.

While the pandemic continues, food delivery and ghost kitchens are gaining in popularity as 2020 comes to a close. Media company Thrillist is working with New York-based ghost kitchen company Zuul to open a ghost …

Grocery Stores Prepare to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines

Neighborhood grocery stores will likely serve as major providers of COVID-19 vaccinations, reported The Wall Street Journal (Nov. 30). Supermarkets are working to secure storage materials for the vaccines, and other medical gear required for …

Will Consumers Be Attracted to Buy Restaurant Gift Cards this Holiday Season?

Weak gift card sales could be an obstacle to full recovery for restaurant chains, reported The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 1). As COVID-19 cases rise, more restrictions are being placed on restaurants and less people …

Retailers Bring Back Hazard Pay and Bonuses

Several companies have recently made announcements regarding bonuses and hazard pay, following reports of retailers not sharing enough of their pandemic profit with their employees. Here are a few: Amazon After ending its $2-an-hour pay …

Black Friday 2020 Online Sales Break All-Time Record

U.S. consumers spent an estimated $9 billion this year on U.S. retail websites for Black Friday, according to Adobe Analytics, reported AL.com (Nov. 28). The spend represents a 22% increase over a record $7.4 billion …

Tofurky Sales Up for Thanksgiving

Tofurky sales are up 32% in 2020, representing its best Thanksgiving bump since 2017, according to Nielsen data. While the company is now 40 years old, it remains smaller than other players in the plant-based …

McCormick Gets Spicy with Cholula Acquisition

McCormick will buy hot sauce maker Cholula for $800 million, reported CNBC (Nov. 24). The company, which already owns the Frank’s RedHot and Old Bay hot sauce brands, reported an 8% sales increase its latest …

Holiday Shopping Expected to Rise During COVID-19

The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects holiday sales will rise in 2020 when compared to 2019 as consumers search for reasons to celebrate during the pandemic. The group forecast holiday sales in November and December …

Walmart Continues to Advance its Businesses During the Pandemic

Walmart has made several business moves recently that involve a delivery acquisition and a COVID-19 testing-related investment. Walmart acquired select assets of JoyRun in a bid to incorporate its peer-to-peer food and drink delivery service …

Starbucks has Most Advanced Digital Capabilities Among Limited Service Chains

With about 25% of restaurant locations expected to shut in the U.S., there has been huge growth in digital sales during the pandemic, according to the Limited Service Restaurant Digital Maturity Benchmark, 2020 report from …

COVID-19 is Increasing, but Hazard Pay for Retail Employees is Not

Despite rising coronavirus cases across the country, hazard pay for retail workers is not keeping pace. Industry observers say many retailers are not sharing enough of the profits they have earned during the pandemic with …

Breakfast Delivery is Ramping Up

The year 2020 has been like no other in recent memory.  The pandemic has left Americans with many new government-enacted laws which were instituted in order to keep people as safe as possible and they …

Interest in Delivery Companies Continues

Ahold Delhaize will acquire a majority stake in FreshDirect, with plans to accelerate its growth online and around New York, reported Winsight Grocery Business (Nov. 18). The acquisition will allow Ahold Delhaize to begin its …

The Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner is Down This Year

Although overall food prices are on the rise, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner is down 4%, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual cost survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving …

Key Lessons from the KIND Acquisition by Mars

Mars’ acquisition of the KIND brand is more than the latest or the largest strategic acquisition by a large food company. In this acquisition, the real “news” is the lessons its 16-year development contains for …

Mars to Acquire KIND North America

Mars Inc. has agreed to acquire KIND North America. The companies have partnered over the last three years to bring KIND into new geographies and categories. As a result, KIND has expanded into more than …

Cities, States Renew Lockdown Orders with COVID-19 on the Rise

Across the nation, mayors of cities and governors of states are restricting hours for businesses in an effort to tamp down on a rising trend of COVID-19 infections. The legislation was not unwarranted. With the …

Amazon Cuts into the Pharmacy Business

Amazon opened an online pharmacy Nov. 16, allowing customers to order medications and prescription refills for delivery, reported CNBC (Nov. 17). The retail giant has been building its pharmacy offering for several years now. In …

New Plant-Based Products Enter the Market

Nearly a quarter of the U.S. population are trying new plant-based meat alternatives, according to a study from Herbalife Nutrition. Since the pandemic, buying spree sales of plant-based foods are up 35% as more Americans …

Walmart is Shedding Global Operations, Focusing on Digital

Walmart has recently made business moves that  indicate it’s shifting its focus from international markets to digital operations. International Divestures In 2018, Walmart sold an 80% stake in its Brazilian operations to a global profit …

DoorDash Files for IPO, but Still Losing Money

DoorDashfiled for its IPO on Nov. 13, reported The Wall Street Journal (Nov. 13). The filing revealed the company’s rapid growth during the pandemic, as revenue for the September quarter more than tripled from the …

Have the Coffee Wars Come Home?

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down, but that hasn’t stopped the global consumption of roughly 2.25 billion cups of coffee per day. What has certainly changed during this 2020 crisis is how …

Consumers Shift to Premium Brands While Grocers Reinstate Purchase Limits

Grocery shoppers are gravitating towards more premium products, according to data from IRI. Unlike the beginning of the pandemic, when consumers raced to stock up on household staples, shoppers are now turning toward specialty items …

More Opportunity for Delivery Amid New COVID Restrictions

Rising COVID-19 cases in several states have led to lockdown measures being reinstated, providing more opportunity for delivery and online shopping. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new restrictions, some of which target restaurants …