Catching Lightning: TikTok & Blowing Up Your Brand

The TikTok algorithm doesn’t care about followers; it cares about what you watch. The No. 1 thing consumers watch is authentic brands and people.

Drinking Less Isn’t Reserved for ‘Dry January’ Anymore

Less people are participating in Dry January this year, but data suggests that’s because drinking less alcohol is now on-trend year round.

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.

Blaze Pizza Favorite QSR Among Gen Z

Blaze Pizza, in the opinion of college kids, is “lit.” And sandwiches from Five Guys and Jersey Mike’s, apparently, “just hit different.”

Schnucks’ ‘Flexforce’ Answers Gen Z’s Calls for Flexibility

Schnucks is giving workers the flexibility to choose shifts at a time and store location that works for them with the expansion of its “Flexforce” employment option.

Grocery Sticker Shock Has Changed Buyer Habits

Consumers who want to save money on groceries are turning to coupons, loyalty programs, and rewards while cutting back on snacks, a survey by Seattle retail technology platform Swiftly indicates. The online True Cost of …

Consumers Largely Positive Heading into 2023

Consumer spending habits and behaviors are shifting, with frugality taking a front seat in the face of rising prices and uncertainty over the economy, a new survey of consumer trends by Attest indicates. “Frugality is …

2023 Labor Outlook: Layoffs, Automation on Horizon

Inflation threw a wrench into pandemic recovery, and with interest rates rising and the threat of a recession looming, the 2023 labor market could look very different than it does today. Major tech companies have …

High Tolerance: How Functional THC-infused Drinks & Snacks Could Alter the Industry

THC is one of the fastest growing ingredients in foodservice, increasingly legal, and visible amid a key demo—the millennials.

Survey: Despite Inflation, Americans Embracing Food Delivery

According to a new survey, on average, consumers spend $13 per order on so-called “hidden” delivery fees. Despite such fees, young adults seem willing to pay.

Survey: Tracking Gen Z Food Preferences

Here are key stats on what, and where, Gen Z is eating these days, according to Piper Sandler’s Fall Taking Stock with Teens survey.

Report: Loyalty Members Defying Inflation with Higher Spending

Loyalty spending reached the highest point on record across all restaurant and convenience store concepts in 2021. This traction reflects the value of loyalty programs as a source of revenue during inflationary periods. According to …

Restaurants Get Creative to Aid Consumers Reeling from Inflation

It’s been a year of shifting priorities as inflation firmly holds its grip on the US economy. For those in the food industry, it’s a battle over managing prices while facing limited supplies and labor. …

Gen Z Expert: Authenticity Key to Effective Influencer Endorsements

Six months into the Kim Kardashian Chief Taste Consultant experiment for Beyond Meat, the stock is trading lower than ever. In today’s truth- and value-centered market, do influencer endorsements help or hinder a product?

Millennials, Gen Z Key to Plant-Based Advancement

Despite industry-wide challenges, both dairy and meat plant-based alternatives are forecast to grow through 2024, driven almost entirely by Millennials and Gen Zers. According to a recent report by The NPD Group, these plant-based consumers …

FI Fast Break audio news: Oct. 5, 2022

The latest Food Institute news podcast updates the second wave of the bird flu, and offers tips for marketing to Gen Z.

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 …

Study: Gen Z Flocking to Fast-Casual Restaurants

These days, members of Gen Z are flocking to quick-service restaurants. In the 12 months ending July 2022, Gen Z consumers made 5 billion total restaurant visits, and 4.3 billion of those visits were to …

Amid Labor Shortage, Gen Z Demanding ‘EWA’ Pay

Companies like McDonald’s are allowing workers to access hourly pay on demand in the hopes of shoring up the ongoing labor shortage.

What U.S. Restaurants Can Learn from the U.K.

Struggling U.S. restaurateurs could learn a lesson or two from their counterparts in the U.K., where COVID, labor shortages, supply chain and energy issues, and Brexit, have complicated survival, experts say.

Young Adults Embracing No- and Low-Alcohol Products

The low- and no-alcohol trend has only heated up in recent months, according to one industry expert.

Tea-Infused Cocktails Take TikTok by Storm

Tea-infused cocktails are the latest drink trend on TikTok, signaling that healthy, affordable beverages resonate with consumers.

CEO: Recipes are Key to Private Label Success

Private label is arguably more important than ever in the face of inflation, and digital recipes tend to get those products onto consumers’ plates.

Gen Z Among the Hardest Hit By Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a growing global problem, and within the U.S., Gen Z is among the hardest hit. That’s according to Purdue University’s Consumer Foods Insight report, which reported 30% of Gen Z adults had …

Analysis: Why Dieting is on the Rise

Roughly 52 percent of respondents in The International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) Food & Health Survey 2022 said they followed a diet or eating pattern in the last year — up 13% from the year …

Restaurateur Stephen Schrutt on What Makes Gen-Z Tick

Every generation brings change, but Generation Z has an important distinction: It’s the first generation to have grown up in the digital era and members have high standards for how to spend their time online. …

TikTok Expert: Authenticity Key for Food Brands Marketing to Gen Z

With an endless supply of content and more than 50 million daily users, there is no shortage of ways for brands to market themselves on TikTok – particularly to Gen Z. In fact, half of …

Gen Z Stakes Its Claim as The ‘Foodie’ Generation

Being a “foodie” is now a central component of the Gen Z identity, according to a recent study from Cassandra by Big Village. According to the report, Young & Hungry, Gen Z considers themselves the …

As U.S. Food Allergies Rise, So Do Opportunities for Food Companies

Food allergies are taking a toll on the U.S. Approximately 32 million Americans have some type of food allergy, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “In the years ahead, the need to …

Alcohol Outlook: Gen Z Pregaming and Exploring New Flavors

City National Bank’ Steve Ramirez and RBC Capital Markets’ Nik Modi discuss the alcohol outlook for beer, wine, and spirits.

Automation, Marketing to Gen Z Key Themes at Restaurant Show

CHICAGO – Members of the restaurant industry gathered in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show between in late May to taste the latest in culinary trends. Major themes at the show included automation, marketing …

Food-Centric App Mixo Set to Join Social-Media Fray

Social media platforms that cater specifically to food are limited. Mixo co-founder Shirley Romig would like to change that. “Food is fundamental to our everyday lives. People spend so much time on social media, and …

A Closer Look at Alcoholic Beverage Trends

Steve Ramirez is a Vice President and Relationship Manager with City National Bank’s food and beverage group. Based in Los Angeles, he provides cash flow, asset-based lending, real estate and equipment financing expertise to family …

Q&A: Plant-Based Menu Innovations Gen Z Students Love

Colleges and universities are on the frontline of plant-based foodservice innovation as they cater to the Gen Z students who will help shape the future of menus. For additional insights, The Food Institute spoke with …

3 Keys for Marketing to Millennial Parents

Millennial parents have become massively impactful consumers. Several stats speak to the generation’s purchasing power. First, millennials in general are the largest adult cohort worldwide, with 23% of the global population – or 1.8 billion …

Study: Meal Kits Gaining Momentum with Gen Z, Millennials

New consumer research suggests that meal kits are gaining momentum – especially with young adults. According to research from Culinary Visions, an insights and trends forecasting practice, 49% of consumers ages 18-34 say meal kits …