FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 19, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the growing list of restaurant chains and operating groups that have filed for bankruptcy.
Tag: Gen Z
Emerging Brands as Content Studios: The Trend Your Ad Agency Wants You to Ignore
Emerging brands are ditching ad agencies and building in-house content studios to control speed, cost, and creativity. Owned media is no longer optional – it’s the new engine of consumer marketing and brand memorability.
Gen Z, Millennial Consumers Leading ‘Anti-Algorithm’ Movement
Mintel’s 2026 forecast urges brands to embrace empowered aging, algorithm-free authenticity, and affection-driven design. Food leaders can tap into these shifts to craft experiences that nourish identity, connection, and purpose.
Millennials, Gen Z Prefer Functional Foods to Supplements
Millennials and Gen Z are often ditching traditional pill bottles, instead opting for functional foods that blend wellness with daily routines. Brands that deliver science-backed, snackable nutrition are winning over younger consumers.
Tex-Mex Takeover: Moe’s, Chipotle Announce Global Expansion Plans
Chipotle and Moe’s are spicing up global growth with bold Tex-Mex debuts across Asia. Partnerships and localized menus will be key.
Gen Z Puts LATAM Flavors Front and Center
Latin American consumers are reshaping the U.S. food landscape, driving flavor trends and outpacing growth across F&B sectors. Their cultural influence is now a bottom-line opportunity businesses can’t afford to overlook
Gen Z Wants to Turn Everything into a Sauce, Including Soda
When asked which foods and drinks Gen Zers wanted to experience in sauce form, 10% of survey respondents referenced a soda – some by its brand name; others by its flavor profile. Here are their top flavor choices.
Digital Food and Beverage Show Takeaways: Agility, Community, Gen Z
At the 2025 Digital Food and Beverage show, industry leaders tackled topics like agility, as well as Gen Z’s love for raw, creator-led content. The takeaway? Adapt fast – or risk becoming a relic in the digital age.
The Future Is Swalty: 3 TikTok Trends Reshaping Food Retail
Viral social media trends can often translate to real-time impacts for brands – and TikTok’s algorithmic pull is particularly strong.
Meat Mania: Meat Makes Comeback With Focus on Protein
Meat is reclaiming its spot on consumers’ plates as the benefits of protein-heavy diets are noted on social media. With fresh meat sales projected to surpass $137 billion this year, the industry is sizzling.
Tiny Tastemakers: Gen Alpha Dubbed ‘The Foodie Generation’
Gen Alpha’s distinct food and beverage preferences, coupled with its astonishing $5.5 trillion global market share by 2029, shape it up to drive a sustained impact on the food and beverage industry. Learn about why some are calling them “the foodie generation.”
FI Fast Break audio news: May 28, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on a new study suggesting that many GLP-1 drug users have reduced their beef intake.
Korean Cuisine Takes Center Stage at NRA Show
Fusion-driven Korean entrees, cleaner frying oils, and multi-textured beverages were a few underrated trends on display at the recent NRA Show. From indulgent Gochujang Fried Chicken Sliders to Noli Fruit Oil’s eco-conscious frying solution and TikTok-worthy Fiery Dill Pickle Lemonade, brands tapped into recent trends.
FI Fast Break audio news: May 21, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast discusses how trade tensions continue to drive consumers to tighten their wallets.
The ‘Return to Real’ Trend: Why ‘Simple’ is the New Superfood
The “Return to Real” trend signals a growing consumer shift toward authenticity–favoring simple, transparent ingredients and tangible, in-person experiences over hyper-enhanced, tech-driven products. For food industry leaders, this presents a chance to embrace nostalgia, highlight natural ingredients, and rethink marketing strategies to align with consumers’ craving for genuine connection.
Meet New Masculinity: Gen Z Men Fuel Beef Renaissance
Gen Z men are increasingly embracing meat consumption as part of a shift toward hyper-masculinity, fueled by online influencers and rebranded narratives that position beef as essential for peak physical performance. The trend presents a key opportunity for the food industry.
7-Eleven, Live Nation Partnership Exemplifies Experiential Marketing
7-Eleven is redefining experiential marketing by embedding its brand into live music culture as it works to appeal to to younger consumers.
FI Fast Break audio news: May 14, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on thawing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, and more trending industry news.
FI Fast Break audio news: May 7, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on Starbucks’ big plans to boost afternoon traffic, an uptick in cyberattacks, and more.
Grocers’ Gen Z Digital Playbook
Grocers are rethinking the shopping experience to engage with Gen Z, which wields $984 billion in spending power and demands digital-infused interactions.
New and Next by Nestlé: Serving up the ‘Hottest’ Cold Beverages
The beverage industry is witnessing a seismic shift as younger, socially conscious consumers favor cold drinks, like cold brew coffee and functional juices. Nestlé Professional Solutions has capitalized on this momentum with innovative product launches that expand opportunities for foodservice businesses.
FI Fast Break audio news: April 28, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on what, exactly, defines the latest U.S. “vibecession,” as well as more industry news.
Zebra Striping: Gen Z’s Strategy for Moderating Alcohol Intake
Gen Z is redefining alcohol consumption with “zebra striping,” a trend where individuals alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages during social outings, effectively halving their intake while embracing a sober-curious mindset. This shift presents unique opportunities for F&B brands to innovate.
FI Fast Break audio news: April 16, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on a study that puts the impact of recent strikes in an eye-opening perspective.
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Beyond the Buzz: What’s Next for the Non-Alcoholic Beverage Market?
Violife’s Plant-Based Marketing and Influencer Playbook
Dairy-free cheese maker Violife debuted a line of lentil-based coffee creamers, Violife Supreme Coffee Creamers. To spread the word, the brand launched Creamy Confessions, a nationwide ad campaign featuring a series of reality TV stars, social media influencers, and online content creators.
3 New Keys to Connecting with Gen Z Consumers
Gen Z consumers demand authenticity from brands, viewing them as extensions of their personal identity. One restaurant consultant notes that, to capture Gen Z’s loyalty, businesses must align with their values and leverage micro-influencers for genuine connections.
FI Fast Break audio news: March 19, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast notes new research that points to the link between diet and lung cancer.
How McDonald’s Won Over Gen Z Consumers
The Magnetic 100: Restaurants report by dcdx reveals the top brands captivating Gen Z, with McDonald’s, Wingstop, and Starbucks leading the pack due to their organic online engagement and unique customer interactions.
FI Fast Break audio news: March 12, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the smaller and regional brands that have begun to emerge as consumers seek affordability.
Flower Power: Gen Z Craves Floral Menu Innovations
As consumers wish for better spring weather, recent data shows that floral flavors are growing in popularity, particularly among Gen Z and younger consumers. FI spoke with an industry expert about these nascent trends and their deeper implications.
Galentine’s Day + Valentine’s Day: Lucrative Opportunities for F&B
So-called “Galentine’s Day” has evolved into a lucrative dining phenomenon as group reservations surge and Gen Z fuels a rise in double dates – which offers foodservice operators a prime opportunity to capitalize on this nontraditional celebration.
Value 2.0: Catering to Shoppers’ Personal Priorities
In 2025, consumers will redefine “value,” prioritizing brands that align with their personal values, according to Acosta Group. Retailers must embrace this shift by enhancing experiences through personalized retail media, leveraging social commerce, and addressing health-conscious demands with transparency.
Stories of the Year: Dr Pepper Overtakes Pepsi as No. 2 Soda in America
Dr. Pepper: call it soda or call it pop, but either way, there’s a new no. 2 soda in America, and it isn’t Pepsi.
‘Bed Rotting’ Culture: What the F&B Industry Needs to Know
A common social media trend, so-called “bed rotting” has taken over Gen Z and Millennial culture, granting a permissible indulgence in snacking and scrolling. The food industry is reacting accordingly.
Fusion 2.0: ‘Chaos Cooking’ Turns Global Flavors on Their Heads
Chaos cooking, a culinary movement popularized by TikTok, involves combining unexpected ingredients to create bold, experimental dishes like birria ramen. Its playful fusion especially resonates with Gen Z.