Just two days ago I called Chipotle’s 2015 “tumultuous.” I think it’s fair to say that 2016 has also seen a whirlwind of news activity regarding the popular Mexican quick-service chain, with information leaking about …
“Tumultous” is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Chipotle’s performance in 2015. The company’s much-lauded move to a menu free of all GMO ingredients was quickly followed up by norovirus and …
Not too long ago, I think most consumers saw “organic” and “natural” products as luxury items for those who could afford them. I know that I was in that camp, and although I understood that …
Researching and learning about food product recalls is part of the daily routine here at the Food Institute, and a majority of those stories never reach the national news. Often, the products are recalled due …
Sales in the grocery industry are never easy to come by. It takes an experienced leadership team, motivated department managers, an effective supply chain and qualified employees to find those sales. That doesn’t even take …
Just shy of a year after its creation, the Kraft Heinz Company is already making waves in the food industry. The company is working with a new advertising budget for its updated, natural product formulations. …
It’s hard to believe that the Food Institute Blog is already over a year old. One of the topics we covered heavily in the early days of the blog concerned the West Coast port slowdown. …
The Dash Button ordering system. The face of American drone research. One-hour delivery to select markets. Whether it’s food-related or not, Amazon serves as a weathervane for today’s retail landscape. The company generates a surprising …
My last name has lead to a variety of interactions over the years, ranging from questions about my relationship to the classic soup maker (spoiler alert: nope, not related) to the gifting of a Andy …
The Kroger Co., by all accounts, is a giant. Born in 1883 in Cincinnati, OH, The Kroger Company is now the country’s largest supermarket chain by revenue and operates over 2,620 supermarkets and multi-department stores. …
What a wild ride the last twelve months have been for Chipotle. From GMO-free to E. coli-laced with a touch of norovirus in between, much has been written about Chipotle Mexican Grill’s wild year. Once …
If you take a look through past editions of the Food Institute’s Today in Food daily newsletter, you won’t run out of stories concerning meal delivery, grocery shopping and other food-related technology. For example, our …
In 2015, a number of major companies in the food industry were forced to deal with the backlash surrounding a foodborne illness tied to their products. Chipotle Mexican Grill was the focus of scrutiny following …
If you are a lover of soda, social media and live entertainment, PepsiCo is about to make your dreams come true. The company unveiled plans for its first Kola House, an experimental kola bar, restaurant, …
When it comes to food labeling discussions, GMOs are all the rage and both sides have equally-fervent advocates. GMO supporters claim the modified ingredients don’t harm anyone and mandatory labeling efforts could hurt producers by …
Last year, McDonald’s tested a breakfast bowl with kale in Southern California. It was not surprising, considering that the trendy vegetable has been added to the menus of numerous more upscale quick-serve restaurants like Panera …
Americans relied upon brand-name diets for years, jumping from Jenny Craig to Lean Cuisine to Weight Watchers in an effort to help lose weight. The days of Americans leaning on promises of shredding fat through …
As consumers change, so do companies. Staying relevant and in-touch with consumers is imperative for any brand, and recently, consumers have started to showcase a desire for dealing with companies that are environmentally and socially …
Everyone in the food industry knows that prices, to an extent, are flexible. Different types of food are subject to market fluctuations, tariffs, taxes, shipping costs and more. These prices can vary from state to …
The vegan diet was once reserved for people who avoided all products sourced from or tested on animals due to ethical reasons. The removal of dairy, meats and all other animal byproducts from one’s entire …
It’s an oft-cited cliche, but it’s often cited for a reason: Americans love to make New Year’s resolutions every January 1, and those resolutions are usually tied to weight management in some form. New diets, …
It’s finally dropped below freezing in the Northeast, and I for one know my grocery shopping habits are changing. During the warmer months, I employ a semi-daily shopping routine, grabbing a few items for the …
As 2015 quietly passes into the record books and 2016 begins, we at the Food Institute are are settling back into the groove. In many ways, the first week of the year is a great …
It’s almost the end of 2015. Companies are finishing up their holiday parties, employees are setting their out-of-office notices and business takes a short-yet-needed respite. The month of December brings with it ugly sweater contests …
Just how health is the U.S. market for new meal delivery services? It’s an interesting question posed in the December issue of Entrepreneur. In some ways, 2015 was the year of the meal delivery kit, …
By many accounts, 2015 was the year of the gig economy. Instead of relying on yellow cabs, we turned to Uber. Instead of buying groceries ourselves, we turned to food delivery companies. Instead of handling …
It’s a Wednesday morning in December, and that can mean its a pretty dry day in the news when it comes to fresh fruit and veggies. Sure, there are always some interesting stories coming through …
The advent of the gluten-free diet is an interesting one. Although the science behind celiac disease has long been understood, in recent years consumers have begun to associate a gluten-free diet with a number of …
Food labeling can be a bit of a struggle in the United States. Consumer consensus rings fairly clear when it comes to what “all-natural” claims should mean, but that term can be considerably variable and …
The last twelve months have not been kind to the Florida citrus industry, as it appears to be beset with an unending barrage of bad news. From lowered production numbers to the ever-present threat of …
Competition in the foodservice industry, especially for quick-service restaurants, has never been fiercer. Consumers, particularly the surging purchasing power associated with the Millennial generation, are looking for a different experience than their predecessors. Supply chain …
Oft-maligned, poorly understood and apparently a powerhouse in spending, once again the Millennial generation comes into focus with the release of a report by market research group Turn, noting that advertisers spend up to 500% …
Food enthusiasts (commonly known as “foodies”) are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s American culture. The rise of cooking TV channels, social media recipe swap groups and myriad publications on specialty and otherwise-unknown foods …
If you live on either the East or the West Coast, it’s quite likely that your local supermarket scene is in a state of change. Some may call it a state of turmoil. With A&P …
The modern advertising truism is simple: be ready for the Millennials! In 2015, the U.S. is said to contain nearly 83.1 million Millennials, and although we can be a bit finicky about where our meals …
Chipotle Mexican Grill is facing a supply chain nightmare in the wake of a recent E. coli outbreak in Washington state and Oregon. The company’s woes began as initial reports on Oct. 31 counted 22 …
