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, …

Simplicity Is Key to Trader Joe’s Success

As Amazon leans into technology and major grocers like Kroger and Albertsons keep increasing square footage and introducing more product lines, Trader Joe’s is a throwback to simpler times. And that just may be the …

Third-Party Delivery Apps Facing Uncertain Future

Third-party delivery firms are making headlines again. A growing number of investors, customers, and workers are fed up as the companies hemorrhage money and relentlessly chase growth— burning cash, customers, and vendors along the way …

Consumers Diving into Frozen Desserts

Consumers’ perpetual sweet tooth for frozen treats continues to drive category sales, despite equally persistent supply chain challenges. In particular, the frozen novelty segment has been a powerhouse over the past few years, with April …

Why Automation, Capacity and Flexibility Are the Key Enablers of Same-Day Delivery

Same-day delivery is quickly morphing from a key differentiator to table stakes in the grocery industry, and surveys of both retailers and delivery providers echo this sentiment. Only 26% of U.S. retailers offered same-day delivery …

Food Retailers Rank High in Annual Reputable Companies Survey

Food companies turned out to be some of the most reputable companies in the eyes of Americans in this years’ Axios Harris Poll 100 survey which gauges the reputation of the most visible brands in …

Predicted Increase in Travel Could Benefit QSRs

U.S. gas prices breached $4 per gallon in every state in March, according to AAA, while JP Morgan predicts they could surpass $6 by the end of the summer. Regardless, after two years of COVID …

Blackouts in the Forecast for Summer

The food industry should be on high alert this summer amid warnings from the North American Electric Corp. that high temperatures, drought and the prospects of extreme weather could contribute to blackouts across the continent. …

3 Key Takeaways from the Sweets & Snacks Expo

CHICAGO – A sign at the Sweets & Snacks Expo on Tuesday spoke volumes about current trends in the food industry. The banner simply stated: “INTENSE indulgence … MINDFUL indulgence … HEALTHY indulgence.” Clearly, snacking …

How Albertsons Aims to Conquer Digital Grocery

The past few years have primed grocers to explore new opportunities that can better meet changing shopper habits. Albertsons is planning to draw on customers’ newfound comfort with ordering online, combined with their interest in …

Convenience Store ‘Grab-and-Go’ a Growing Meal Option

The convenience store long has been a place where one could grab a quick slushy on the way home from school or a bag of chips on the road. But a funny thing has happened: …

Analysis: What’s Driving Growth in Specialty Food

Once a niche, hard-to-find category, specialty food is becoming a staple in consumers’ kitchens. KeHE Distributors President and CEO Brandon Barnholt recently joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss specialty food trends, factors affecting the industry, and …

Keys to Combatting Inflation for Grocers

Inflation is causing shoppers to rethink their buying journeys, which has made price a more important factor than ever. That is affecting how shoppers both plan and execute their supermarket trips, and grocers must start …

Bloomberg Boosts 10-Year Plant-Based Market Forecast to $166 Billion

The global plant-based alternatives market could swell to $166 billion in the next decade, according to an updated forecast by Bloomberg Intelligence. Bloomberg’s May 2022 projections incorporated 2021 results into the Plant-Based Foods Poised for …

IRI: Global Snacking Trends to Watch

A recent webinar from market research firm IRI unpacked various snacking opportunities around the globe that are enticing shoppers amid current economic challenges and new patterns of consumption. Here are a few key takeaways: The …

Influx of Teens Impacting Workforce

Everyone remembers that first job: the first whiff of responsibility outside school or home, the ability to put cash in one’s pocket that didn’t come from mom or dad, that incredible flush of independence. But …

Analyst: Third-Party Delivery Not Seeking Profitability, at Least Yet

Remaining Unprofitable The global market for third-party delivery companies swelled to $150 billion as of September 2021, tripling since 2017, according to research from McKinsey & Company. While restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic helped …

Omnichannel Fulfillment Changing the Face of Inventory Management

The rise of in-store fulfillment was rapid, and it created new challenges alongside new sales opportunities. Customers are demanding faster speeds and more convenience while grocers now need to juggle multiple fulfillment options while keeping …

Amid Inflation, Loyalty Programs as Popular as Ever

Loyalty and subscription services helped companies retain current customers and attract new ones, even as the pandemic upended many business models. “Loyalty programs are popular right now for several reasons,” Jacob Borgeson, director of product …

Study: Meal Kits Gaining Momentum with Gen Z, Millennials

New consumer research suggests that meal kits are gaining momentum – especially with young adults. According to research from Culinary Visions, an insights and trends forecasting practice, 49% of consumers ages 18-34 say meal kits …

Restaurants Roll the Dice on Gambling Partnerships

In the same vein as national restaurant brands increasingly marketing to marijuana users as states continue to legalize the drug, the restaurant industry is aligning with sports betting to help boost revenue. And with good …

Fresh Berry Category Ripe for Summertime Success

Berries were a powerhouse throughout the pandemic and the category continues to thrive as convenience and nutritional appeal keep consumers coming back for more. According to an April report by IRI, fresh berries are the …

As Inflation Rises, Consumers and Food Companies Pivot

It’s been four decades since consumers were slapped with a double whammy of rapidly rising food and gas prices. In the 1970s and early 1980s consumers coped by switching to generics, changing their diets, and …

Cashierless Tech Creating New Channel for Growth

Image courtesy of Whole Foods Market Cashierless stores are a promising technology that could redefine how shoppers interact with grocery stores, but the field is still in its relative infancy, with experimentation ongoing. While solutions …

Kroger’s Restaurant Supply Business Could Disrupt Foodservice Distribution

Image courtesy of The Kroger Co.   Kroger is trying its hand at foodservice distribution. The grocer recently launched a restaurant supply business that offers next-day delivery to businesses in the greater Dallas area. Kroger …

What Are the Top Online Grocery Pain Points?

It’s been over two years since the start of the pandemic, a span in which many consumers began ordering groceries online for the first time. Though significant improvements have been made along the way, there …

Restaurant Expert Sees NYC Finding Its Way on Outdoor Dining

For New York City restaurants, one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic has been the realization that Big Apple residents enjoy eating outdoors. “It’s an awesome example of what the great …

Consumers Lapping Up Super Premium Waters

Beverage companies looking to recapture consumers who have rejected sweet sodas are turning to sparkling waters to up their bottom lines. Market research firm Euromonitor International reported flavored sparkling water is outpacing bottled still water …

Report: 40% of Consumers Buying Plant-Based Foods

Nearly half of consumers are buying plant-based products in 2022. A new report from Acosta found that 40 percent of consumers surveyed in March purchased plant-based protein and/or dairy alternatives within the last six months, …

Plant-Based Milk Sales Soared During Pandemic, Continue to Rise

The pandemic era has seen a significant rise in the sales of plant-based milks and cheeses, experts said, attributing the upward trend to consumers developing more healthful habits after having eaten indulgently at the beginning …