Halloween Havoc: Why Kit Kats Could Be Hard to Find This Fall

Hershey is in store for a Halloween nightmare of sorts, saying it won’t be able to meet consumer demand this October.

Analysis: After McPlant Struggles, What’s Next for Beyond Meat?

Beyond Meat shares made a slight recovery after falling on news McDonald’s may ditch its McPlant burger amid tepid results.

Analysis: 2022’s Top Upcycled Food Innovations

Food manufacturers are looking to ingredient suppliers to provide sustainable options with the use of upcycling and regenerative agriculture.

Amid Inflation, Consumers Have a Beef with Beef Prices

Beef eaters have a tough choice to make these days: switch to cheaper proteins or swallow the more than 11% increase in prices from 2020 levels, averaging $5.40 a pound in June.

Is Plant-Based Meat Ripe for Expansion?

While sales of plant-based meats have slowed, the category could be ripe for expansion as pricing moves closer to that of traditional meats.

Concerns About Discretionary Spending Jolt Coffee Chains

Consumer concerns about discretionary spending pushed Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks traffic lower in June, new data show.

Survey: Amid Inflation, Consumers Changing Deep-Seated Habits

Sixty-one percent of shoppers in a Vericast survey said that one of their biggest challenges this year is rising price.

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.

Investment in Lab-Grown Meat Intensifying

Investments in plant-based meats have cooled off in the last year with many venture capitalists turning their attention to lab-grown meat.

Case Study: How Stuckey’s Revived its Company Brand

Stuckey’s CEO Stephanie Stuckey has learned a lot about social media over the last three years, like the importance of telling compelling and sometimes personal stories.

Why Allulose Could be the Next Big Thing in Sweeteners

The twin crop production enemies, drought and excessive heat, are putting unprecedented pressure on the global food supply via “heatflation.”

Analysis: How ‘Heatflation’ is Heating up Food Prices

The twin crop production enemies, drought and excessive heat, are putting unprecedented pressure on the global food supply via “heatflation.”

Upcycling Gains Traction as Key Sustainability Initiative

Ingredient upcycling for food products is gaining traction among consumers.

Case Study: Schnucks Using Prepared Food to Enhance Delivery Options

Time-sensitive customers want their food faster than ever, and Schnucks Markets is responding to that need by expanding its offerings.

New Plant-Based Egg Challengers Enter the Market

While plant-based egg products are hitting the market, it remains to be seen whether consumers will adopt these products en masse.

Restaurants Grow More Concerned About Economy

Despite some positive indicators, an increasing number of restaurant operators are growing more concerned about inflation and the prospects for the economy. Employment in the restaurant industry and overall economy continued to rise at a …

Grocery Stores Diversify Pizza Offerings to Stay Competitive

As Americans aim to save on dining out amid inflation and restaurants battle labor and supply shortages, grocery stores strategize to please consumers’ pizza palates with frozen variety to deli and delivery convenience. Deli pizza …

Amazon’s Grubhub+ Offering Signals New Approach to Loyalty

Food-based add-ins are playing a larger part in Amazon’s subscription plan, as retailers across the industry seek ways to combat fading customer loyalty and reduced spending. The addition of a year of Grubhub+ to Prime …

Amazon Expands Food Operations with Grubhub Deal

Amazon.com is expanding its food-related operations. The online commerce giant agreed to add Grubhub to its suite of Prime services in the U.S., in a deal aimed at expanding the food-ordering company’s reach by tapping …

Why Agility Should Be Top-of-Mind for Both CPGs and Retailers

Amid rising demand for fresher food products, companies need to ensure their inventory is data-driven, with technology and procedures in place to adapt to a rapidly-changing market, according to Venky Ramesh, head of strategic business advisory …

Innovation Continues to Drive Beverage Category Growth

From bottled water and better-for-you bubblies to convenient coffees and cocktails, the beverage market is booming. Total sales for center store beverages reached $86 billion in the 52-week period ending June 12, per IRI, making …

Rising Inflation Inspires C-Store Innovation

Add convenience stores to the growing list of businesses slammed by skyrocketing gasoline prices. Fifty-nine percent of convenience retailers say customer traffic has decreased in stores over the past three months, according to the Q3 2022 …

Industry Experts: Strong Incentives Can Aid Retail Hiring

Grocers looking to hire for the summer months will be operating in a competitive environment with a tight labor pool across the entire retail industry. A study by Snagajob found that there are 1.9 open …

Inflation Pushing Up Costs for Independence Day Cookouts

The price for a typical Fourth of July cookout could be 11% to 17% higher than a year ago, depending on what’s in your basket. That’s according to recent reports from Wells Fargo and the …

‘Everything Shortage’ Intensifying, from Condiments to Corn

Add condiments and corn to the abundance of shortages from the international supply chain crises. Australia’s low on lettuce, the Philippines are short on sugar, and sunflower oil is scarce in Spain, Bloomberg reported. Inflation, …

Uber Exec: On-Demand Delivery Requires Grocers to Consider Holidays, Loyalty

Grocers have been speeding up delivery, and on-demand is becoming a vital part of every delivery program. Shoppers who have become used to groceries arriving on their doorstep now expect that option to be available …

Atalanta’s DeMaio on the Importance of Innovative, Cost-Effective Products

NEW YORK CITY – As Marissa DeMaio provided a tour of Atalanta Corp.’s event booth at last week’s Specialty Food Association Summer Fancy Food Show, she noted that smoked food products, like cheeses, are “on …

Summer Fancy Food Show Highlights What’s Next in Plant-Based

Plant-based was a unifying theme at the Specialty Food Association’s 2022 Summer Fancy Food show last week, with companies showcasing unique innovations across multiple food and beverage categories. With that, the plant-based specialty retail market …

Rising Gas Prices Prompt Changes in Shopping Habits

With gasoline prices topping $6 a gallon in some parts of the U.S., consumers have been rethinking their shopping habits, opting against multiple trips and turning to superstores and online solutions to cut down on …

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 …

Gamification Can Make Loyalty Programs Stand Out

Loyalty programs are becoming more important than ever as rising inflation causes shoppers to seek the best deals possible, but too many offer the same, uninspired benefits — leading to 50% of consumers believing that …

3 Key Takeaways from Summer Fancy Food Show

NEW YORK CITY – The lingering pandemic has done little to dampen consumer demand for specialty food. This was certainly apparent Monday at Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show. The Javits Center was abuzz …

Digital Ordering Key Factor in Restaurant Gains

A growing number of consumers prefer digital ordering over in-store experiences, according to a recent report from Paytronix. The 2022 Paytronix Order & Delivery Report found that, while digital orders at restaurants and c-stores have …

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 …

Building Private Label Value Beyond the Price Tag

As consumer spending buckles under the weight of inflation, store brands must work harder than ever to capture market share. In first quarter of 2022, consumers across all outlets were spending more but buying less …

Dollar Stores Cashing in Amid Inflation

Price-squeezed Americans are increasingly turning to discount stores, leading Dollar Tree and Dollar General to increase sales forecasts for the year. Dollar General even plans to open 1,110 new stores during the 2022 fiscal year, …