Retail has long been beholden to a simple rule regarding economies of scale: bigger is better. However, with advancing technology over the past 10 to 15 years, the retail landscape has changed. Improvements in the …
Figuring out how to feed a family is no easy task. Often, it’s a juggling act, with the needs of nutrition, variety, personal taste and cost all competing for what ends up on the plate. …
The Harris Poll released The Harris Poll 2016 EquiTrend Study on June 9, its listing of the top restaurant brands for 2016. While some winners are customary favorites, there were a few surprises in this …
Take a quick look around your office and see what your coworkers are drinking. Yes, I’m sure coworkers are drinking coffee, but how many of them are slugging down sodas, sweet teas and other sugar-added …
A lot has been said about Millennials, and rightfully so: in the coming years, the demographic will become the dominating force in the American economy, not to mention its politics. But as retailers scramble to …
We’re back in action over here at the Food Institute following a much-needed Memorial Day weekend, and it seems like summer is finally here for good. Despite some up-and-down weather this spring across the nation, …
On May 20, the FDA finally unveiled long-awaited changes to the trusty and omnipresent Nutrition Facts labels Americans rely on for information regarding their food. Over the past twenty years, the minimalist, black-and-white label served …
What type of juice is selling best? What are frozen fruit sales numbers looking like? Which brand of canned corn should we sell? Whether you work in the grocery sector, the manufacturing arm or the …
Restaurateurs are constantly looking for new concepts to increase their popularity, and ultimately, their bottom line. With the advent of social media, the demand for these unusual locales and the unique experiences they offer is …
Borders. Tower Records. Gamestop. What do these companies have in common? Amazon successfully disrupted each of their businesses (or is in the process of doing so). Amazon started by delivering books to your door, and …
When consumers are pleased, they may tell a few people about their experience with a store. When they are dissatisfied, you can count on that number increasing exponentially. In the case of food-borne illness, you …
The month of October 2015 was supposed to be a reckoning of sorts for the retail industry: retailers were told to transition to the new chip-based EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) cards and associated devices …
Meal kit, food and grocery delivery services are all the rage: from Uber to GrubHub to Blue Apron and every startup in between, food producers are looking for innovative ways to bring their products directly …
Making a claim about a product is at the center of marketing, and for food sector businesses, this couldn’t be more true. Consumers are constantly on the lookout for healthier products, more natural foods and …
These days, it seems we can’t go a week (or sometimes, even a day) without an update on two of the nation’s most important restaurant chains. Yes, I’m talking about Chipotle Mexican Grill and McDonald’s. …
McDonald’s released it’s first quarter earnings report on April 22, and although we’ve pondered what changes could be coming for the brand, we now have a look at how some of the company’s earliest changes …
McDonald’s is constantly under the microscope, and rightfully so: as one of the largest fast-food chains in the U.S. (not to mention across the globe), the choices it makes can have reverberating consequences for competitors, …
It’s a tumultuous time in the beverage industry. With health regulators, city officials and the average consumer expressing backlash against sugar-laden beverages, many are looking to health drinks with a specific focus on organic drinks …
In 1990’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Michaelangelo gives his delivery man some sage advise: “Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.” Although he was speaking to a local pizza delivery man, …
In recent years, Americans have shifted their food purchasing habits. What was once the hallmark of the American food industry, grocery stores have taken a backseat in the news as fast-casual eateries, farmers markets, specialty …
The phenomena of e-commerce is an incredible boon for consumers: customers can now quickly and easily find, research, purchase and use products in record time, with some areas of the U.S. already getting used to …
Amazon is a fairly constant topic here at the Food Institute Blog, and within the past few weeks, the company gave us plenty to write about. From the expansion of Amazon Payments to new products …
Last night, the Kansas City Royals defended their World Series crown against the New York Mets in a 4-3 game, officially launching the Major League Baseball season. As the 162-game campaign begins, fans round the …
This morning, the news broke that Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. was seeking a trademark for the name “Better Burger,” and the internet reacted in the way we’ve come to expect when it comes to the …
Ever-controversial and endlessly debated, it would would appear that the GMO-labeling crowd gained a narrow victory over the past few weeks even though attempts at nationwide regulations failed. A number of major food companies unveiled …
Grocery shops, drug stores, restaurants and fast-food stores are all battling for a share of consumers’ stomachs, and in this battle, retailers seem to have the upper hand, according to an updated study from Technomic. …
Over the past few years, American consumers have made a conscious decision to focus on natural, good-for-you brands and healthy foods. Generally speaking, this move can be lauded as a positive for the nation’s health, …
Just two days ago I called Chipotle’s 2015 “tumultuous.” I think it’s fair to say that 2016 has also seen a whirlwind of news activity regarding the popular Mexican quick-service chain, with information leaking about …
“Tumultous” is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Chipotle’s performance in 2015. The company’s much-lauded move to a menu free of all GMO ingredients was quickly followed up by norovirus and …
Not too long ago, I think most consumers saw “organic” and “natural” products as luxury items for those who could afford them. I know that I was in that camp, and although I understood that …
Researching and learning about food product recalls is part of the daily routine here at the Food Institute, and a majority of those stories never reach the national news. Often, the products are recalled due …
Sales in the grocery industry are never easy to come by. It takes an experienced leadership team, motivated department managers, an effective supply chain and qualified employees to find those sales. That doesn’t even take …
Just shy of a year after its creation, the Kraft Heinz Company is already making waves in the food industry. The company is working with a new advertising budget for its updated, natural product formulations. …
It’s hard to believe that the Food Institute Blog is already over a year old. One of the topics we covered heavily in the early days of the blog concerned the West Coast port slowdown. …
The Dash Button ordering system. The face of American drone research. One-hour delivery to select markets. Whether it’s food-related or not, Amazon serves as a weathervane for today’s retail landscape. The company generates a surprising …
My last name has lead to a variety of interactions over the years, ranging from questions about my relationship to the classic soup maker (spoiler alert: nope, not related) to the gifting of a Andy …
