Are You Ready for 3-D Printed Steak?

Lab-grown meat is getting closer to reaching consumers, and it looks like the world’s first 3-D printed ribeye is up next. Here’s a look at how we got to this point. ISRAEL: A MAJOR INNOVATOR …

Why ESG Initiatives Matter for the Food Industry

Historically, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors have taken a back seat to financial performance in the corporate world. And in the interest of performance measurement, companies have often made short-term profit decisions at the …

Pandemic Inspiring Unique Partnerships Among Restaurants and Hotels

Hotel occupancy in the U.S. fell to a record low 44% in 2020, according to travel research firm STR. “2020 was a complete wash due to international travel restrictions amongst various countries and also within …

Food Companies Push ESG Movement Forward

Major food companies are increasingly placing importance on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. Corporations like Nestle, Danone, and McDonald’s have found that ESG initiatives are necessary to meet the demands of today’s consumers. Nestle, …

Super Bowl Showcases Changing of the Guard for NFL (and Food Industry)

While Sunday’s Super Bowl will be the perfect platform to highlight the changing of the guard between superstar NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, the food industry will also have some significant changes on …

Supply Chain Pain: Freight Rates, Delivery Delays Frustrate Food Industry

Food businesses are facing logistics issues regarding rising freight costs on top of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Rising freight rates and delivery delays have led to global backlash from companies frustrated about the mix of …

$15 Minimum Wage Debate Heating Up in Restaurant Industry

By most accounts, it’s not a matter of if, but when.   The minimum wage appears to be headed towards $15 in much of the U.S., if not all, in the near future. And restaurant chains are bracing for that impact.   “Restaurants need to engineer …

Report: Hormel in Talks to Buy Planters, Continuing Greater Snack Acquisition Trend

Hormel is reportedly in talks to buy Planters from Kraft Heinz for approximately $3 billion. Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal said the deal could be announced as early as next …

Can U.S. Retailers Net Record Seafood Sales Again in 2021?

Retailers across the U.S. posted record seafood sales in 2020, according to data presented at the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Marketing Conference. Sales rose across all categories. Frozen seafood sales soared 35% to $7 …

Did the Meat Industry Do Enough to Protect Workers from COVID?

About 270 workers have died in meatpacking plants since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and research from the CDC suggests plants at times served as transmitters to spread the virus in surrounding communities. Cold temperatures, cramped …

Distillers Raise Their Glasses to At-Home Spirits Growth

With the pandemic keeping consumers away from restaurants, bars and other establishments, the growth in at-home alcohol consumption continues. When the pandemic began, Americans turned to convenient, familiar alcohol and bought name brand items in …

Food Tech Driving Down Price of Alt Protein

As the demand for alternative meat products continues to grow, companies are cutting prices to keep up with competition and to become more accessible to all consumers. PLANT-BASED MEAT REDUCES RETAIL PRICES Impossible Foods recently …

Walmart Sharing Shopper Data with Brands as Part of New Advertising Strategy

Several food retailers are revamping their advertising businesses and appear to be modeling their approach after companies like Google and Amazon. Walmart is the latest to do so, which could have far-reaching business implications. The …

As Senior Citizen Demo Grows, CPG Companies Take Note

The number of people aged 65 years or older has surpassed those under five globally for the first time since 2018, according to United Nations data. The number of countries with over 20% of the …

COVID-19 Spurs Immunity-Boosting Food Products Market

We’ve come a long way from fighting off a cold with grandma’s chicken soup. From the healthier products touted by food and beverage companies to the renewed focus of consumers on better nutrition and wellness …

CPG Companies Gained in 2020; In 2021, Will It Continue?

Big CPG companies did well in the first half of 2020, but they failed to meet consumer demand in the year’s second half, giving way, to an extent, to upstart CPGs. CPG sales increased by …

What Will Americans Eat During the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl parties may look different this year, but food will still be a major part of them. Frito-Lay estimates a 21% increase in snacking vs. previous Super Bowls as more consumers plan to watch …

Restaurant Earnings Show Continued Recovery  

Foodservices’ latest quarters have seen mixed results as restaurants continue to cope with pandemic-related losses. In 2020, restaurant and foodservice industry sales fell by $240 billion, from an expected level of $899 billion, according to …

Consultants: Restaurants Must Adapt Quickly to Pandemic-Era Changes

Tim Hand and Bruce Reinstein, partners with food industry consulting firm Kinetic12, and Wade Hanson, principal with foodservice consulting firm Technomic, participated in a webinar yesterday hosted by The Food Institute and DMA titled “2021 …

Direct-to-Consumer Model Picks Up Speed

As consumers largely continue to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic, several food brands have shifted to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model. Bimbo Bakeries USA was one such brand who recently launched a DTC platform. And, …

ADM Fourth-Quarter Profit Bolstered By Growth in Nutrition Segment

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company reported fourth quarter earnings of $687 million. Here are some highlights from the report: NUTRITION ADM’s Nutrition business delivered 24% year-over-year operating profit growth. “Our Nutrition business continued to harvest investments, lead in …

Beyond Meat, PepsiCo Team up on Plant-Based Products

The plant-based protein trend continued to gather momentum this week, when Beyond Meat and PepsiCo announced a joint venture to sell snacks and drinks made from plant-based protein. A WIN-WIN FOR TWO MAJOR PLAYERS The …

Major Brands Sack Super Bowl Ads as Upstarts Kick Off for First Time

Some upstart brands that saw strong sales in 2020 will keep the momentum going by airing Super Bowl advertisements for the very first time. Other, more established brands are directing traditional ad budgets for the …

Rising Commodity Prices Bring Relief to Farmers

Soybeans and other commodities are seeing a jump in prices due to dry weather and strong export demand from China. Could this lead to higher prices for consumers? RISING COMMODITY PRICES ​Prices for corn, soybeans, …

FI Agriculture Roundup: Vilsack Focused on Climate Change

Tom Vilsack, President Joe Biden’s nominee for U.S. agriculture secretary, pledged this week to increase USDA programs to combat climate change, expressing confidence that farmers will embrace the chance to make money by sequestering carbon within …

Will 2021 Be the Breakout Year for Meal Kits and Fresh Food?

The meal kit and fresh food segments have experienced tremendous growth over the course of the pandemic on a combination of limited dining-out options, families with little time to spare for preparing and cooking food, …

Give Peas a Chance: Global Pea Protein Market Primed to Surge

Could pea protein be the next big plant-based alternative? One major food company appears to be banking on it. WORLD’S LARGEST PEA PROTEIN PLANT BEGINS OPERATIONS Roquette, a France-based food ingredient company, has begun operations …

CBD Market Likely to Expand Under Biden Administration

More consumers are trying hemp-derived CBD products, inspiring supermarket chains like Fresh Thyme Farmers Market to increase CBD offerings, reported Forbes (Jan. 18). PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET Brightfield Group estimates the total U.S. CBD market …

Restaurants Receive Boost from Stimulus, But Can it Last?

Restaurant chains are getting a sales bump from the latest round of stimulus money, but if patterns mimic the first round, the lift could be short-lived. STIMULUS IMPACT While the amounts given in the roughly …

How Healthy Are Plant-Based Diets as They Grow in Popularity?

A record 54% of Americans between the ages of 24-39 are incorporating more plant-based foods into their diets this year, according to a survey commissioned by Sprouts Farmers Market. WHY ARE CONSUMERS ALIGNING WITH THE …

BlueNalu Raises $60M, Pushing Cell-Based Seafood Closer to Mainstream

First came plant-based seafood. Now, cell-based seafood is riding a wave of momentum. Cell-based, or lab-grown, meat is produced by harvesting animal stem cells in nutrient-dense bioreactors. Startups like Mosa Meat, Aleph Farms, and BlueNalu …

Carbon Footprint Labeling for Food Manufacturers and the Foodservice Industry

Editor’s Note: This article was excerpted from the January 2021 edition of the Food Institute Report. To read more articles regarding food industry news, leadership, markets, commodities, and regulatory issues, consider a membership with the …

Gene Editing for Hogs Just Around the Corner

At least five other nations are moving toward gene editing hogs, which could put them miles ahead of the U.S. in producing disease-resistant and faster-growing hogs that cost less to grow, the National Pork Producers …

Citrus Market Seeing Surge in Demand

The citrus market is on the rise, as consumers look to get their vitamin C fix. New data show the citrus category across all varieties saw increased demand in 2020, with more than 20% increases …

Food Companies Incentivizing Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccinations

Though not requiring workers to get COVID-19 vaccinations, some food retailers are incentivizing them to get the shots. Among the first to do so was Dollar General, which offered employees four hours of pay to …

Major C-Store Operators Look to Expand

During the COVID-19 pandemic, gas stations emerged as key, profitable parts of oil companies’ operations as more consumers turned to them for food and drink purchases that were a bit closer to home. While fuel …