More Cheese, Please: 2024 Cheese Insights

People eat cheese for all sorts of reasons; this year, however, taste and health were the primary ones as 33% of consumers around the world considered it a necessary staple in their diets.

Seen at CES 2024: AI, and Everything Else

This week, The Food Institute’s CEO, Brian Choi, and Digital Media Director Susan Choi are attending the hottest trade show in North America – CES 2024, presented by the Consumer Technology Association. This year’s show …

Innovation Tips for Plant-Based Bakery Treats

Sweet baked goods are a hotspot for indulgence-happy consumers, making convenient, sharable treats like cookies a prime target for plant-based innovation.

Technomic: Expect Drive-Thrus, Breakfast Daypart to ‘Boom’ in 2024

America is overflowing with beverage restaurant concepts of late, especially those targeting the breakfast daypart. Utah-based Swig is growing rapidly. Dutch Bros Coffee, founded in Oregon, saw 27% sales growth in 2022. Kung Fu Tea, …

Mochi Mania Reaches Donut Shops

Mochi donuts are a mix between American-style donuts and Japanese mochi and originated in Hawaii. Mochi donuts are typically circular, like an American donut, but are pieced together with eight small balls that can be pulled apart and come in many different flavors. 

Understanding Gen Z’s ‘Menu Anxiety’

Gen Z reportedly suffers from “menu anxiety,” and some young people are scared to order their own food at restaurants, according to a study by Prezzo Italian Restaurant. The idea of paralyzing menu anxiety may …

Preparing for Launch: CosMc’s and the Next Wave of Beverage Chains

In terms of the beverage industry overall, this is a very smart play for McDonald’s and other brands will follow.

2024 Trends to Watch: Bold Soups, Spices, and Global Flavors

The new year has arrived and with it all manner of prognostications regarding what’s hot, what’s not, and what’s just around the bend. Here’s a look at 2024 trends that consumers demand, what grocers should …

Latin Comfort Foods Winning Over Gen Z Americans

Mac-and-cheese, meatloaf, grilled cheese and tomato soup: quintessential comfort foods. But the U.S. palate is evolving trending toward spicier concoctions, especially those that hail from Latin America, explaining the rising popularity of such items as …

Analysis: Ozempic Likely to Impact Snack Manufacturers’ Bottom Line

The recent rise of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs started with blowout results that drove shares of their manufacturers higher, then wound up cascading across seemingly disparate sectors. In 2023, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of …

How Small Coffee Chains Can Compete

“We focus on listening to our customers as well as being the best version of ourselves. Being intentional every day with how you approach your customers is key.”

The Struggle is Real: Affording Groceries in America

Regardless of when costs come down, consumer behavior has been altered and shoppers will continue to look for the best savings in 2024.

Plant-Based Trends to Watch in 2024

What key topics will drive plant-based evolution in the year ahead? The Food Institute spoke with several industry analysts and thought leaders to outline major trends to watch in 2024 — and beyond.

Will Beef Prices Stay Elevated into 2024?

Looking ahead, Zimmerman noted that prices would likely increase in the new year, but the magnitude of that increase would likely be more subtle in 2024.

Prominent Doctor Fears Impact of TikTok Diet Trends

Americans are getting away from healthy habits like meal prepping and perusing produce aisles. Instead, many consumers opt for quicker, more convenient food that often include preservatives and copious amounts of sugar or oils.

Stories of the Year: Plant Enzymes Can Turn Sugar to Fiber

Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, in a study funded by the Kraft-Heinz Co., found sugar exposed to encapsulated plant enzymes in the gut can be turned into fiber.

So You Want to Start a CPG Company

“It’s not KETO, it’s not gluten-free, it’s not upcycled grain or something super narrow – it’s a business at the end of the day that needs to make money,” he said, “and if it’s good enough for Erewhon, it should be good enough for many people.”

Stories of the Year: Can Bud Light Survive Its Marketing Controversy?

Anheuser-Busch InBev is trying to win back customers as major retailers like Walmart and 7-Eleven are poised to reduce the amount of space.

Private Label Driving Alt-Dairy Innovation

The alt-dairy category experienced significant economic pressure in 2023, but private label performance was strong. Here are a few featured products from the November Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) show.

Stories of the Year: What Does AeroFarms’ Bankruptcy Signal for CEA’s Future?

Henry Gordon-Smith’s exploration of the bankruptcy at AeroFarms offered crisp context to the international state of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) before one of its most notable innovators declared bankruptcy.

Avocado Growing Destroying Mexican Forests

From avocado toast to tortilla chips and guacamole, Americans love avocados – and that love affair is destroying Mexico’s forests, draining water supplies from traditional crops and creating a new revenue stream for the drug …

AI Predicts 2024 FoodBev Trends

2023 was a big year for artificial intelligence in the food industry, and generative AI is slated to dominate the 2024 food and beverage marketing scene. “The emergence of generative AI offers a new reality …

Texas Roadhouse Shows Good Restaurant Operators Can Still Succeed — Even Now

Texas Roadhouse has built itself into one of the two best operators in casual dining, and one of the best operators in its entire industry.

How to Shelf Actualize in Grocery & Retail

“Grocers now have more technology at their disposal than ever before, and effectively leveraging this data to drive in-store performance has become increasingly difficult,” Boyle said.

Who’s Buying Alt-Meat? Unpacking Consumer Motivations

When it comes to consumers, the alt-meat category has more than its fair share of challenges — and supporters. Who’s buying meat alternatives today and why? Here’s the latest stats from Brightfield Group’s quarterly shopper survey.

Column: How to Retain Restaurant Workers in 2024

Scrolling through Indeed.com is an eye-opening experience. Every employer is trying to find workers because employees have a ton of options in 2023. I’ve worked with franchises for nearly 30 years, and labor has always …

Small But Powerful: Retailers Turning to Smaller Formats

When it comes to the food industry, Kohen said food and restaurant retailers can take advantage of smaller formats in neighborhoods and lifestyle centers, providing a dining experience to the shopping journey.

CES 2024 Preview: Expect Big Turnout, AI Exhibits Galore

Brian Comiskey, an exec with the Consumer Technology Association, recently sat down to chat with FI about the upcoming CES 2024 Show.

A Hallmark Movie, but Make it Shoppable: Walmart’s Add to Heart

Airing on three platforms (YouTube, Roku, and the pocket-laden TikTok) and also playing in stores, Add to Heart is nothing if not a bold step into the media-laden retail environment increasingly influenced by in-store retail media networks.

8 Innovation Lessons from the World’s Largest C-Store Brand, 7-Eleven

Marissa Jarratt, 7-Eleven chief marketing & sustainability officer, explains the company’s ascent amid a digital revolution.

Analysis: 3 Foodservice Delivery Trends in 2023, according to Third-Party Delivery

Even in the face of record inflation, consumers have remained resilient and have stuck with third-party delivery apps for the convenience of a delivered meal. But what exactly did they order in 2023?

The Future of Food: Health, Wellness, and the Trillion-Dollar Opportunity

The global health and wellness food market was $940 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a 5% CAGR, hitting $1.47 trillion in 2027.

2024 Tech & Digital Trends in Restaurant & Retail, Part 3: The Loyalty-free Consumer

Monolithic allegiance has given way to the brands and companies that can provide the best, most convenient, and value-driven experiences, making every consumer a seven-headed hydra.

Understanding Gen X’s Unique Food Preferences

Food preferences are a complex interplay of taste, health, value, and convenience. While these factors are universally important, the way they manifest can vary across generations due to differences in life stage, culture, macro-economic conditions, …

Consumers’ Cookie Craze Picks Up the Pace

Nostalgia and fond memories have kept cookies popular and the treats remain a favorite because of their portability and versatility. 

Case Study: Rebellyous Foods & Engineering the Future

What does it take to design a novel system for alternative protein production? Christie Lagally, CEO of alt-chicken company Rebellyous Foods, spoke with FI about poor alt-meat infrastructure and what her company is doing about it.