FI Fast Break audio news: Oct. 23, 2024

The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on the soaring price of cocoa ahead of Halloween.

Sugar Rush: Consumers Kick Off Halloween Shopping Earlier Than Ever

Halloween spending is expected to hit $11.6 billion this year, with nearly half of shoppers starting early to embrace the season. Confectionery sales are anticipated to grow by 3-5%.

How Paccari Strives to Be the Best Chocolate for the World

Join The Food Institute as we explore Paccari, a company which makes chocolate entirely from Ecuadorian cacao. Ecuador is one of the world’s leading producers of fine flavor cacao, and Paccari highlights this in their …

FI Fast Break audio news: July 24, 2024

The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast touches on the latest update related to weight-loss drugs.

Snacking Survey: Products and Innovations Today’s Consumers Crave

Today’s consumers are snacking around the clock, according to a shopper survey that notes which new innovations shoppers are craving.

Sustainably Sourced Chocolate: An Evergreen ESG Splurge?

Consumers frequently express a willingness to pay extra for products they perceive to be sustainable, but actual shopping behavior often tells a different story. What sets sustainably sourced chocolate apart from the rest?

Choc Full of Benefits: Functional Chocolate Has Arrived

Functional chocolate is becoming a staple of health-conscious diets. Manufacturing the healthier-for-you chocolate often requires much trial and error, however.

Easter Sticker Shock: Cocoa Prices Still Skyrocketing

How much money is the Easter candy market worth? Hold onto your Easter baskets – in the United States alone, 2024 Easter candy sales are expected to exceed $3.3 billion (Statista)

Candy Crush: Confectionery Producing Record Sales  

“Consumers seek out chocolate and candy to help enhance holiday seasons, family celebrations, and those important ‘treat yourself’ moments,” said John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association, in a statement.

FI Fast Break audio news: March 13, 2024

The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on HelloFresh’s market meltdown, an uptick in consumer spending, and more.

Dark Chocolate Outlook: Soaring Cost of Cocoa Challenges Candy Makers

Cocoa prices are nearly 65% higher than they were one year ago, and New York futures prices have hit a 46-year high.

Chocolate Purchases Dip Despite Candy Viewed as Energy Boost

A new report from Mintel suggests one-third of Americans rationalize purchasing chocolate as an energy boost. Meanwhile, new research suggests a direct connection between dark chocolate and reducing factors that contribute to essential hypertension.

The Consumer ‘Feels’ Behind the High-flying Feastables Brand

Let’s take a look at the consumer perceptions driving disruptive brands, like Feastables chocolate from MrBeast. Manufacturers are feeling pressure on both price and experience: Food and beverage manufacturers are feeling pressure from both store …

FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 1, 2023

The latest Fast Break Food Institute news podcast touches on “The Ozempic Effect” on the food and beverage industry.

How to Win in the 2023 Snacking Universe

“Snacking is still a lifestyle in the U.S., fueled by the younger generation,” Wyatt began. “We’re in an unprecedented situation as price hikes in this category are outpacing other food/bev categories.”

Mondelēz Report: Consumers Prioritizing Snacking

Mondelēz’s latest State of Snacking report reveals that a majority of consumers continue to prioritize snacking, even amid rising prices.

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.

Case Study: How Stuckey’s Revived its Company Brand

Stuckey’s CEO Stephanie Stuckey has learned a lot about social media over the last three years, like the importance of telling compelling and sometimes personal stories.

Can Indulgent Treats Improve Health and Wellness?

The pandemic era strengthened food and beverage trends like health, wellness and nostalgic indulgence. While contradictory at first glance, these behaviors are finding alignment as consumers redefine what constitutes “healthy” behavior. Health and wellness are …

From Breakfast Staple to Gourmet Ingredient – Spreads Have Come a Long Way

This article is written and sponsored by Future Market Insights. Some time around 8000 B.C., among the rolling hills of ancient Africa, a dusty traveler made an accidental, yet incredible gastronomic discovery. The weary herdsman – …

Is MrBeast Changing the Game in Food Marketing?

YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson – better known as MrBeast – is getting back into the food space with a better-for-you snack brand. Following the success of his virtual restaurant brand, MrBeast Burger, Donaldson is introducing …

Chocolate Industry Observers Eye Lab-Grown and Single-Origin Products

First there was lab-grown meat. Then, lab-grown dairy came along. Now, it appears chocolate is next. LAB-GROWN CHOCOLATE GETS CLOSER TO REALITY California Cultured, the U.S. company making lab-grown chocolate, has raised $4 million in …

Analysis: What’s Influencing Increased Candy Sales this Year

It appears many consumers have a sweet tooth ahead of Halloween 2021. The pre-Halloween candy buying period is drawing more consumers this year than ever before, according to Numerator’s Candy Tracker. Omnichannel seasonal candy sales …

Chew on This: Gum Sales Plunge Amid Pandemic; Sugar-Free Chocolate Surges

Joanna Lepore feels consumers these days are experiencing a “massive moment of introspection.” The coronavirus pandemic, she explained, has made most people pause, examine what they want out of life, and search for moments of …

Report: Vegan Chocolate Increasingly Popular

The global chocolate confectionery market is anticipated to reach $154.5 billion (USD) by 2025. Its growth has been aided by the pandemic, during which consumers have often turned to comforting, indulgent foods, like milk chocolate …

The Newest Plant-Based Innovation: A Vegan KitKat

Next Valentine’s Day, plant-based consumers will have even more chocolate options, thanks to Nestle’s latest development: a vegan KitKat. NESTLE TAKES PLANT-BASED CHOCOLATE MAINSTREAM A plant-based candy bar, called KitKat V, will be Nestle’s first …

Shifting Retail Trends Hurting Chocolatiers Despite Strong Chocolate Market

To no one’s surprise, the consumption of chocolate and other comfort food is on the rise as consumers lean more on guilty pleasures to cope with pandemic-related anxiety. In fact, the stress of 2020 coupled …

Consumers Turn to Sweets During Pandemic

Sales of chocolate and candy increased during the pandemic as consumers look for products to boost their mood and lighten perspectives, according to data from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). Overall sales of chocolate and …

Consumers Turn to Comfort Food

Food Institute Focus – Consumers Turn to Comfort Food

Snacks and Soda Sales Soar

Food Institute Focus – Snacks and Soda Sales Soar

America Intensifies its Snacking Habits

Food Institute Focus – America Intensifies its Snacking Habits