Why American Diners are Skipping Breakfast

Breakfast is losing its sizzle for many restaurants, as diners skip morning meals amid shifting habits. But with smart value strategies, restaurant brands still have a shot at reclaiming the morning crowd.

Can Congress Fix Runaway Coffee Inflation?

Congress brewed up the “No Coffee Tax Act” to slash tariffs and tame surging bean prices. But with climate shocks and record demand, the fix may need more than a legislative shot.

GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Ride Health, Wellness Wave

As consumers continue to take their health and wellness goals seriously, GLP-1 drug usage will continue to grow. With as much as 20% of U.S. adults taking or considering the medication, the food and beverage industry must adapt to these consumer need states.

Beef Prices Shock Food Inflation Metrics

Beef prices have shot past inflation benchmarks, driven by supply shocks, tariffs, and parasite outbreaks. As consumers pivot to poultry, food leaders face a meaty challenge in forecasting demand and managing margins.

US, China Reach TikTok Deal ‘Framework,’ Industry Reacts

TikTok’s reported U.S. transfer deal clears a path for continued growth in food-driven commerce and influencer marketing. With $24 billion in economic impact, the app remains a vital ingredient in Gen Z engagement and restaurant discovery.

Starbucks Gets Behind ‘Proffee’ Craze

Starbucks is diving into the booming “proffee” trend with protein-packed lattes and cold foam, now a permanent menu fixture. As rivals race to meet protein-hungry consumers, functional coffee is brewing billion-dollar growth.

Hispanic Shoppers’ Health Priorities Shake Up Industry

Hispanic consumers are reshaping the food industry with health-driven choices, flavor curiosity, and rising purchasing power. Brands ignoring this shift risk falling behind as authenticity and wellness become the new growth frontier.

The Top 5 Flavors Taking Over Fall

Fall flavor innovation is heating up as brands blend nostalgia with novelty – think cranberry punch, chai spice, and pumpkin chipotle. With 66% of consumers shifting food habits, the time appears right to capture seasonal cravings.

Energy Drinks Put ‘Value’ Back in ‘Value Proposition’

Energy drinks are thriving as price-conscious consumers pivot from costly coffee to functional, flavorful alternatives. With wellness claims and nostalgic flavors, the category is stealing share from traditional caffeine formats.

Plant-Based Dairy Defies Category Trends

Plant-based dairy is driving the next generation of plant-based growth through innovations in milk, yogurt, and cheese, eclipsing plant-based meat’s claim on the market. Despite yogurt and cheese’s modest menu penetration, they represent the fastest growers in the category.

Brands Are Dying to Work with Liquid Death

Despite its ghoulish aesthetics, Liquid Death’s community is surprisingly wide: “people drink things and they like to laugh,” adroitly summarized Liquid Death creative VP Andy Pearson in an interview with The Food Institute. This has …

Taco Bell Digs Deeper With Nostalgia-Fueled Menu Revival

Taco Bell is revamping last year’s Decades Menu with a Y2K spin, featuring iconic menu items from 2001-2010. The overt play for nostalgia has been effective for the QSR chain in the past, and this year it’s doing more to support the initiative.

Spinach, Lettuce Get the Inflation Treatment

Spinach and lettuce prices spiked dramatically in July, with producer prices rising over 130% month over month due to tariffs, labor shortages, and climate-related stress. As fresh vegetable inflation accelerates, analysts warn of looming price hikes for consumers and intensified strain on the produce supply chain.

Move Over Pumpkin Spice, This Texas Staple Goes National

Pumpkin spice may still reign, but pecan is surging as fall’s breakout flavor, with a 28% spike in DoorDash orders. From Snickers to Starbucks, operators are betting big on this Southern staple’s appeal.

Amazon Grocery Bets on Fresh in $10 Billion E-Grocery Market Bid

Amazon’s $10B grocery blitz just got fresher, as Prime members in 1,000+ cities now get free Same-Day Delivery on perishables. With Whole Foods integration and bold logistics, Amazon’s rivals have cause for concern.

Tariff Trouble: Vexed Shoppers, Countrywide Bans

Tariffs are rattling global supply chains and inflating costs across the food industry, with India boycotts and U.S. shoppers trading down. As inflation bites, legacy brands brace for deeper margin pressure.

Beyond Religion: Considering Halal Certification in Today’s Market

Halal certification is gradually becoming a coveted recognition as the population of Muslim consumers continues to grow globally. The secular business case for the certification, however, is equally as compelling, as shoppers care more about the traceability and humane standards of the products in their cart.

A Fresh Perspective: Consumers Value Premium, Minimally Processed Foods

Within the grocery environment, fresh grocers in the first half of the year greatly outperformed their competitors, thanks to industry tailwinds prioritizing unique offerings and healthy food. In a recent webinar, two industry powerhouses discussed the implications of these macrotrends on the F&B landscape.

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

Imagining a BFY Future, Good Food Collective Battles Front-Of-Pack Labels

Nutrition labels are under fire, and the Good Food Collective is offering what it feels is a smarter, QR-powered alternative. The fast-growing coalition aims to rewrite food transparency and challenge outdated FDA standards.

Amazon Grocery Business Goes All In

Amazon has ramped up its grocery game with faster delivery, Whole Foods synergy, and a “One Grocery” strategy aimed at efficiency and scale. Meanwhile, emerging players like Temu are stirring up fresh competition in global fulfillment.

Specialty Cheese Is In, Top Challengers Up 9.2% YoY

Specialty cheese challengers are surging, outpacing legacy brands with innovation and indulgent appeal as the market nears $41.1 billion. Consumers are trading up for emotional satisfaction, fueling growth in premium formats and adventurous milk blends.

Online Grocery Booms 28% YoY, Headwinds Hamper Total Takeover

Online grocery sales jumped by an eye-opening 28% YoY in June. However, experts feel barriers like fees, low personalization, and loyalty gaps leave growth on the table.

Competitive Beverage Dynamics: Chinese Chains Vs. Starbucks

Chinese café disruptors Luckin and Cotti are muscling into the U.S. market with tech-driven formats and inventive drinks, challenging Starbucks’ experience-first playbook. Can hyper-local pricing and automation rewrite America’s morning routine?

Amazon Prime Day 2025 Inspires Nearly 155K Orders

Amazon Prime Day 2025 smashed records with over $24 billion in sales, fueled by influencer-led campaigns and F&B category dominance. Grocery deals drove traffic, while Premier Protein Shakes emerged as the event’s MVP.

Mid-Year Update: The State of the Specialty Food Industry

At the recent Summer Fancy Food Show, industry leaders discussed the promising future for specialty food makers. Despite economic headwinds, consumers are expected to largely increase or maintain their consumption in many key categories.

Ferrero Group to Acquire Kellogg

Ferrero’s $3.1B bid for WK Kellogg Co. signals bold ambition amid cereal’s slump and health backlash. As big brands consolidate, legacy CPGs chase reinvention and reformulation in a shifting consumer wellness landscape.

Meat-ish, Dairy-ish: Is There a Market for Hybrid Plant-Based?

Recently, the F&B industry has seen an uptick in hybrid plant-based products, which blend standard meat and dairy with meatless and dairy-free versions. But will consumers embrace them?

CPG Giants Pledge to Remove Food Dyes

Over the past few weeks, CPG giants have pledged their support in removing select artificial food dyes in an apparent bid to align their practices with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and …

EY: CPG Brand Relevance Faces ‘Negative Drift’

Legacy CPGs are losing consumer relevance to agile upstarts – but AI, innovation, and a shift to “disruptive optimism” offer hope. EY’s latest report calls on brands to earn loyalty daily or drift into obscurity.

Foodservice Focus: Consumers Can’t Get Enough of Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A

Legacy chains like Chick-fil-A are seeing customer satisfaction scores hold even as growth slows, opening doors for challenger QSRs. Meanwhile, full-service dining has largely stumbled amid rising prices.

Baby Boomers: A Restaurant’s Reliable Friend

Baby Boomers offer restaurants a loyal customer who tends to be more resilient compared to younger cohorts. Contrary to popular belief, data suggests that this cohort is excited by innovative dishes, particularly those that invoke nostalgia, comfort, or function.

As Importers Race the Clock, Cargo Surges

Retailers are bracing for a summer cargo surge, but tariffs and cautious consumer spending may temper volume. With air freight disrupting traditional shipping channels, supply chains are scrambling to adapt before the holiday rush hits full speed.

Feeling Peachy: Summer Darling Leads Beverage Innovation

Peach-enhanced menu items are growing in popularity, now on 19.8% of foodservice menus, according to one report. The fruit has found its stride in beverage innovation, with legacy brands experimenting with the flavor.

Economic Strain: Food Bill Gets Unruly

Despite wage gains, food inflation continues to outpace earnings, leaving consumers increasingly anxious about grocery costs. Meanwhile, new tariffs threaten to disrupt the food industry, with stakeholders bracing for volatile pricing and potential shifts in shopper loyalty.

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.”