Grocers Tap into Health and Wellness Trends

Grocers looking to stand out can tap into two trends: the demand for healthy foods and growing interest in cooking at home.

FI Fast Break audio news: April 12, 2023

The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on the growing popularity of Asian food items like wagyu beef in America.

FI Fast Break audio news: April 5, 2023

The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on the trend of nostalgic breakfast products from brands like Lucky Charms.

Top Lessons Grocers Can Take From Walmart, Dollar General, and Kroger

Walmart, Dollar General, and Kroger are juggernauts in the grocery space, but each operates a very different format and each can provide lessons for other retailers.

Analysis: What’s Behind Mass Layoffs in Warehouse, Tech Sectors

As the U.S. Federal Reserve attempts to slow the economy in the battle against inflation, major e-commerce, tech companies and other businesses have announced tens of thousands of layoffs. Is the wave of job cuts …

FI Newscast (March 24, 2023) – Featuring David Bishop, Brick Meet Click

Welcome to the FI Newscast! Each week, we note the latest industry trends and consumer insights, with guest appearances by the foremost industry experts. This week’s guest was David Bishop, Partner of Brick Meets Click. …

Driverless Delivery Trucks Quickly Becoming a Reality

Autonomous trucks with an empty driver’s seat may sound futuristic and far-off, but they’re already on the roads making deliveries in Arkansas and Ontario. Next stop? Kroger, in Dallas.

Upping the Ante: Walmart Joins List of Retailers Increasing Pay

Now that Walmart has joined Target and Costco by raising their minimum pay to about double the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, fast-food outlets may have to consider boosting their minimum to $20 to …

Self-Checkouts Often Inaccessible to Disabled Shoppers

Disability-advocacy groups are calling upon retailers to address the issue of inaccessible self-checkout lanes.

AR Offers Worlds of Possibilities in Food Industry

My augmented reality (AR) journey with a pear began easily enough. Scan to Experience the Vortex of Augmented Reality, reads the QR code on the homepage of usapears.org. I’ve always wanted to enter a vortex, …

Robots Can Benefit Grocers If They Can Master the Process

Retailers including Walmart and Kroger have embraced in-store robots to help keep stores clean on a consistent schedule, and the automated tools offer benefits for any retailer to enhance its operations.

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 …

Walmart Shoppable Livestreams: a New Era in Digital Marketing?

As retailers seek to increase sales via digital channels, Walmart will use livestream video to create immersive shoppable experiences.

Is Wegmans Leading the Charge to Ban Plastic Bags?

Regional grocer Wegmans will complete its mission to eliminate plastic bags companywide by the end of the year. Now, the question remains: Will other U.S. grocers follow suit?

FI Fast Break audio news: Sept. 21, 2022

The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on Walmart’s innovative livestream video “shoppertainment” plans.

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.

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.

Supermarket Stocks Flip the Script on Big Box Retailers

The trend of pure play grocers struggling has flipped since 2020, with supermarket stocks for grocers like Albertsons holding their own.

FI Fast Break audio news: July 27, 2022

The most recent FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the evolution of the food hall concept.

Plant-Based Meat Growth Expected to Continue Despite Obstacles

The plant-based meat category is experiencing some growing pains. Through the early weeks of the pandemic, alt-meat sales grew some 200% at retail outlets, and the hype around that helped the category secure more than …

Meal Kit Services Pivot as Pandemic Eases

Despite stronger sales earlier in the pandemic, the meal kit industry still has room to grow, with Statista projecting the U.S. market to reach more than $10 billion by 2024, compared to $6.9 billion in …

Retailers Overloaded with Inventory at Summer’s Outset

Who doesn’t love a bargain? Consumers likely will be in luck this summer as retailers, whose inventories have swollen largely due to the pandemic and shifts in buying behaviors, try to rationalize their stocks amid …

Food Industry Automation Gaining Momentum Amid Labor Shortage

Image courtesy of Miso Robotics Amid the pandemic-related labor shortage, investment in automation continues to gain momentum, particularly in the restaurant space. In fact, the food automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR …

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 …

FI Fast Break audio news: March 16, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine the impact the crisis in the Ukraine is having on the global food supply, coin circulation challenges, and more. The Food Institute Podcast …

FI Fast Break audio news: March 9, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine restaurant chains’ recent appeal to video gamers, increasing support for U.S. agriculture, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News …

Consumer Purchasing Behavior Appears to Be Unchanged Despite Inflation Woes

Inflation is still a major concern for consumers, but it’s not stopping them from spending. INFLATION A CONCERN FOR 9 OF 10 AMERICANS Almost 90 percent of all adults in the U.S. are concerned about …

FI Fast Break audio news: Feb. 23, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we update the ongoing bird flu outbreak, the restaurant industry’s recovery, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – Feb. 23, …

FI Fast Break audio news: Feb. 16, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine America’s bird flu outbreak, inflation, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – Feb. 16, 2022 The FI Fast …

FI Fast Break audio news: Feb. 9, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine Walmart’s online grocery growth, the popularity of Veganuary, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – Feb. 9, 2022 …

FI Fast Break audio news: Feb. 2, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine the restaurant industry’s outlook for 2022, labor shortage strategies, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – Feb. 2, …

FDA: Blockchain-Based Food Tracking Bound for Widespread Adoption

A new rule could boost blockchain-based food tracking. The rule, expected next November, would require the food industry to maintain records associated with the critical tracking events on the supply chain, according to Frank Yiannas, …

FI Fast Break audio news: Jan. 26, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine Coca-Cola’s experiment with alcohol, Walmart’s investment in indoor farming, and more. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break News – Jan. 26, …

FI Small Bites: Is Walmart Getting into the “Metaverse?”

Walmart recently filed applications to engage in business in the virtual world, a significant move amidst Facebook’s new launch of Meta.

Dearth of Rural Drug Stores Creates Opportunity for Chains

Where have all the corner drug stores gone? Those of a certain age remember the traditional corner drug store – the place you went after school, nickels clutched in hand, to buy a piece of …