FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 23, 2022

The latest FI news podcast touches on the rising demand for ingredients like chocolate within the ice cream industry.

FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 16, 2022

The latest FI news podcast updates the push toward automation throughout multiple elements of the food industry.

Column: Why Investors are Wary of Kroger-Albertsons Merger

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will need to approve Kroger and Albertsons’ planned merger, and that agency has taken a skeptical view of corporate consolidation in recent years.

The Keys to Marketing to Gen Z Consumers

Which brands are most popular among Gen Z? That question was examined in depth in a recent Morning Consult report. And, included among social media brands like TikTok and gaming entities like Twitch, plenty of …

As Food Recalls Mount, Experts Urge Food Safety ‘Culture’ Change

Recent food recalls illustrate a “disturbing” lack of food safety culture, according to Dr. Vanessa Coffman. One in six Americans fall ill from foodborne illness annually these days. Making matters worse, the public is often …

Retail Loyalty Programs Now Include… Video Streaming?

Retailers are looking to outside partnerships and personalized benefits as ways to boost the perceived value of their subscription offerings.

The Plunge in Plant-Based Stocks is All About Expectations

What the stock market is indicating in 2022 is that plant-based stocks aren’t likely to displace traditional offerings – only complement them.

FI Fast Break audio news: July 13, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine food companies’ sustainability initiatives, growing economic pessimism, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – July 13, 2022 The …

Amazon’s Grubhub+ Offering Signals New Approach to Loyalty

Food-based add-ins are playing a larger part in Amazon’s subscription plan, as retailers across the industry seek ways to combat fading customer loyalty and reduced spending. The addition of a year of Grubhub+ to Prime …

Amazon Expands Food Operations with Grubhub Deal

Amazon.com is expanding its food-related operations. The online commerce giant agreed to add Grubhub to its suite of Prime services in the U.S., in a deal aimed at expanding the food-ordering company’s reach by tapping …

FI Fast Break audio news: July 6, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine the restaurant industry’s evolution, the growth of frozen breakfast foods, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – July …

Cashierless Tech Creating New Channel for Growth

Image courtesy of Whole Foods Market Cashierless stores are a promising technology that could redefine how shoppers interact with grocery stores, but the field is still in its relative infancy, with experimentation ongoing. While solutions …

Analyzing Whole Foods Foot Traffic

A new report from Placer.ai, titled Placer Spotlight: Whole Foods’ Journey Since the Amazon Deal, takes a closer look at Whole Foods foot traffic data over the past several years. Here are some key takeaways: …

Teen Spending Up, Interest in Plant-Based Down

Teens are spending more money (+9%) and food is a top priority, according to Piper Sandler’s Taking Stock with Teens Spring 2022 survey. With these themes in mind, below are key findings that food industry …

Drone Deliveries to Take Flight by 2025 – at Steep Cost

We may not have George Jetson’s flying car quite yet, but we could soon be getting a significant amount of our deliveries by drone if Amazon and Chili’s have their way. Amazon has been talking …

Expert: Amazon Unionization Unlikely to Alter Labor Movement

The successful unionization effort at Amazon’s Staten Island, New York, JFK8 warehouse – a first at the company in the U.S. despite years of activism – may have been a major victory, but it doesn’t …

Can Plant-Based Innovation Boost Store Brand Sales?

On the heels of a stagnant sales year for store brands, Amazon and Kroger are bulking up their private label portfolios with plant-based products. Is category innovation on the horizon? The Food Institute Podcast · …

Amazon Reports Higher Sales and Prime Membership Price Hike

Amazon sales continue to rise, with the e-commerce giant reporting fourth-quarter sales grew 9.4% to $137.4 billion. Notably, Amazon had its biggest-ever Black Friday to Cyber Monday holiday shopping weekend. Further, during the holiday season, …

Retail Rankings: Value, Digital Strategies Key Factors in Winning Customers

The past year has been hugely impactful on the world of grocery. Dunnhumby’s latest Retailer Preference Index (RPI) dives into who saw success this year and how they got there, as well as the effects …

Are Autonomous Vehicles the Next Big Thing in Delivery?

Third-party delivery services like Instacart, UberEats and DoorDash have taken the world of grocery, retail and restaurants by storm. So, what’s the next great innovation for these segments? It could be autonomous delivery, using vehicles …

Amazon Fresh a Bright Spot for Company Amid Challenging Q3

Since the first Amazon Fresh opened in September 2020, Amazon has expanded the number of brick-and-mortar grocery store concepts to 19 stores nationwide — and foot traffic has been increasing. Physical store sales were a …

Did Amazon Lie to Congress About Business Practices?

Five members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee wrote to Amazon.com’s chief executive and accused the company’s top executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, of either misleading Congress or possibly lying to it about Amazon’s business practices, reported …

Survey: Instacart, Facing Stiff Competition, Could See Decline

Consumers flocked to Instacart during the pandemic, but with growing competition and consumers’ sensitivity to prices and aversion to fees, the grocery delivery pioneer could see its market share decline, a recent survey by Barclays …

Warehouse Operators Get Creative to Prep for Hectic Holiday Season

As they brace for what’s expected to be intense holiday demand, warehouse operators are boosting pay, acquiring more talent, and enlisting robots, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 26). TALENT ACQUISITION PUSH Demand for distribution …

Major Retailers Begin Intense Hiring Push

The retail industry is hiring at a record pace. In June, the industry saw 1.1 million job openings even after more than 1.1 million workers got hired in a massive hiring spree, reported NPR (Aug. 26). Still, employment …

How Amazon is Changing the Grocery Landscape

A detour to the grocery store on the way home from work used to be just part of the daily grind, but all that has changed, and Amazon’s entry into the grocery business is moving …

Major Food Companies Turning to Unprecedented Measures to Find New Hires

Dealing with a shallow labor pool, major companies are increasingly turning to creative – and, in some cases, controversial – measures to attract new hires. Here’s a look at some unique moves made recently along …

Walmart Makes Major Play in Last-Mile Delivery

Walmart plans to open up its in-house delivery platform, Spark Driver, to other businesses. The retailer is doing so to allow the independent contractors out delivering Walmart merchandise to make additional deliveries along the way, …

FI Fast Break audio news: Aug. 18, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine the historic recent jump in menu prices, equipment shortages at restaurants, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – …

Online Delivery Boosts Prospects for Amazon Fresh

Since acquiring Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017, Amazon has been looking to further expand into the $900 billion U.S. grocery industry through its Amazon Fresh stores. And, with online grocery delivery growing about …

Amazon’s Push for Automated Checkout Inspiring Competition

Amazon broke new ground in the retail space with the recent debut of its “Just Walk Out,” cashierless checkout system at a grocery store in Bellevue, Washington. Amazon’s VP of Physical Retail and Technology, Dilip …

Against the Backdrop of Prime Day, Amazon Eyes Online Grocery Sales

While consumers have a general understanding of how Amazon.com disrupted the retail landscape, most probably don’t know how the company’s signature sales event, Prime Day, also forced the industry to pivot. And with e-commerce sales …

FI Fast Break news: June 23, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down one QSR’s solution to the hot wing shortage, food suppliers’ desperate search for truck drivers, and Amazon’s bold autonomous trucking plans. The …

FI Retail Roundup: Amazon’s Prime Day Plans Prompting Shift in Competitors’ Mindset

As COVID-19 eases in the U.S., retailers are preparing for business in a new, post-pandemic paradigm. Here are some recent highlights: Amazon Prime Day Amazon Prime Day always has a big impact on the company’s …

FI Fast Break: May 13, 2021

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we break down the impact of inflation, oat milk’s surge in popularity, rising consumption of coffee, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast …

Latest Delivery Innovations Bring Groceries to Your Garage, Fridge

Recent delivery innovations by Amazon, Kroger, and Walmart are bringing groceries beyond consumers’ doorstep. Sales from grocery deliveries surged throughout 2020 and demand for the service remains high. In February 2021, online grocery deliveries and …