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 …

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 …

Report: QR Code Usage on the Rise for Young Consumers

One of the lasting pandemic-related changes in consumer behavior could be the adoption of the QR code, according to a new FoodBytes report from Datassential. A year ago, just a quarter of consumers had encountered …

Poll: Most Americans Have ‘Trust Gap’ Over Food-Source Information

According to a new poll, less than 25% of U.S. adults strongly trust information about where their food is grown and how it’s produced. The recent University of Minnesota survey of 1,022 Americans revealed that …

Why Are Private Label Products Not Thriving Amidst Inflation?

Shoppers have historically gravitated to store brands when economic times get tough. But despite record-high prices, private label food and beverage sales continue to dip below their national counterparts at retail. Overall, store brand dollar …

New Findings Show Gen Z Researches Brands Extensively

New Qualtrics research shows that Gen Z consumers are more digitally connected, more socially conscious and willing to do more research before making purchases than other generational cohorts. In a Food Institute article from late …

Restaurant Sales Expected to Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2022

Things are looking up in the world of foodservice. Restaurant industry sales are expected to hit $898 billion this year, up from $864 billion in 2019, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the …

How Much Are People Willing to Pay for Cereal? 

A new report sheds light on just how much consumers are willing to pay for their favorite cereals in the current inflationary environment. Veylinx, a consumer insights platform that uses behavioral research to predict purchasing …

Consumers Continue to Spend Despite Drop in Economic Optimism

Consumers are making purchases at a record clip, but economic sentiment continues to wane. Spending across Bank of America’s network of debit and credit cards has surged — mainly in entertainment, travel, and restaurants — …

Plant-based Milk Market Poised for Continued Growth

This article is written and sponsored by Transparency Market Research. Growing concerns about the overall health profile of traditional dairy products and rising consumer adoption of plant-based diets are generating considerable opportunities for companies in the …