Why AI Is the New Grocery Gatekeeper
AI is fast becoming shoppers’ trusted assistant, especially in grocery. As a result, brands must now master AI algorithms, build trust, and optimize for voice-driven, chatbot-powered discovery.
Focus Archive > Page 2
LATAM Influence: Unpacking CPG Impact
Constellation Brands Faces Sobering Reality Amid Alcohol’s Downturn
Constellation Brands blames weak beer sales on tariffs and shifting Hispanic demographics, but Wall Street sees deeper cracks. With alcohol consumption trending down, investors aren’t buying the company’s optimism.
Gen Z Magnetism Report: Authenticity Often Beats Advertising
Gen Z’s brand loyalty hinges on authentic user-generated content, not legacy clout. Food giants like Oreo and McDonald’s are losing steam – while Disney thrives by treating fans like community, not consumers.
Morning Diners Losing Patience with Restaurants
IHOP tops the list of slowest chains, exposing breakfast service bottlenecks that frustrate time-sensitive morning diners. Experts say understaffed models and flawed labor assumptions are costing chains millions in lost loyalty.
A Bundle of Fungi: Demand for Functional Mushrooms Surges
The U.S. mushroom supplement market hit $1.1 billion in 2023, growing at double-digit rates as functional foods move from niche to mainstream. Lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps mushrooms are now showing up in products ranging from chocolate to coffee.
Post’s Long-Term Outperformance Seems at Risk
Post Holdings has long defied gravity in packaged foods – but even its stellar acquisition record can’t outrun cereal’s decline. As M&A slows, investors are asking: has Post finally met its match?
Restaurants Leverage ‘Personal Touches’ to Level Up the Delivery Experience
Restaurants are redefining delivery with “hospitality beyond the four walls,” using personal touches like handwritten notes and smart packaging to boost satisfaction. The payoff? A warmer brand experience and repeat business.
3 Key Takeaways from Groceryshop 2025
At Groceryshop 2025, leaders tackled topics such as value-driven shoppers, evolving retail media, and AI’s seismic impact on grocery. From TikTok disruption to digital twins, the future of food retail is already knocking.
PepsiCo, NatGeo Bet Big on Regenerative Agriculture
PepsiCo has helped launch Food For Tomorrow to champion regenerative agriculture across 10 million acres by 2030. The initiative blends data, storytelling, and science to future-proof farming and the global food supply.
The Top 3 Fastest-Growing QSR Categories of 2025
Coffee, chicken, and Mexican restaurant chains sizzled early in 2025, but per-store traffic is cooling fast according to Placer.ai data. With coffee prices spiking, QSRs may be brewing a recipe for over-saturation.
LATAM Influence: Attracting the LATAM/Hispanic Consumer
The Latin American consumer is complex and multifaceted, reflecting the many cultures of the region.
Halloween 2025: Consumers Crave Flavor Mashups, Value
Halloween spending is rather strategic in 2025, with consumers craving novelty, better-for-you treats, and – above all else – value. Budget-conscious buying is especially reshaping the candy aisle.
Investors Can’t Get Much More Impressed With Costco
Costco has emerged as a clear winner of today’s difficult macroeconomic environment, enjoying 7.3% same-store sales growth over the year. The club store’s aggressive strategy to expand to 20 more markets indicate it will only get bigger.
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.
The Top 5 Gen Z Food Trends This Fall, According to Chartwells
This fall, the Gen Z food trends are smoky, global, and TikTok-approved, according to Chartwells’ 2025 campus dining forecast. From ube brunch items to Monster Matcha, flavor innovations are meeting students where they scroll.
Smithfield Is Still Proving Itself to Investors
Smithfield’s IPO stumbled, but its pivot to packaged meats is winning over Wall Street – slowly. Despite strong returns, investors remain wary of ownership optics, GLP-1 headwinds, and valuation lag.
Ultra-Processed Update: MAHA Definitions, Non-UPF Verification
Plant-based products often bear the brunt of the blame for the health issues associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs), but experts note that meat and dairy UPFs may pose greater risks. With competing definitions and a new non-UPF verification program in the works, consumer education remains key in understanding what really makes a food “ultra-processed.”
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.
Fast-Food Chains Feeling Pain in ‘Two-Tier Economy’
As budget-conscious diners trade down, QSRs face a traffic slump while casual-dining chains surge with value bundles. The winners? Brands that nail the value equation in a fiercely discerning dining economy.
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.
Millennials, Gen Z Prefer Functional Foods to Supplements
Millennials and Gen Z are often ditching traditional pill bottles, instead opting for functional foods that blend wellness with daily routines. Brands that deliver science-backed, snackable nutrition are winning over younger consumers.
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.
LATAM Influence: The Latin American Consumer
Advertisement
FI-Home-NEW-2020Gaps
Advertisement
Eatertainment Implosion: Pinstripes, Rival Interactive Dining Chains Feel Pain
Pinstripes’ Chapter 11 filing underscores the eatertainment sector’s struggle with rising costs, weak food offerings, and shifting consumer habits. Experts say the concept needs reinvention – or risk becoming yesterday’s novelty.
Ranking the Highest-Rising Restaurant Menu Prices
Restaurant menu prices are climbing, with burgers, wings, and burritos leading the charge amid rising ingredient costs. New data reveals inflation’s bite is hitting both entrees and profits.
Tex-Mex Takeover: Moe’s, Chipotle Announce Global Expansion Plans
Chipotle and Moe’s are spicing up global growth with bold Tex-Mex debuts across Asia. Partnerships and localized menus will be key.
Artificial Intelligence, Real Insight: AI Fuels Foodservice Efficiency, Innovation
AI is already transforming foodservice, from smarter supply chains to real-time menu innovation. Industry leaders reveal how even small operators can harness data-driven tools to boost efficiency, agility, and competitive edge.
Cracking Open the Connection Between Walnuts and Sleep
A new study suggests that eating a daily handful of walnuts may improve sleep quality by boosting melatonin levels and reducing daytime sleepiness. While more research is needed, walnuts also offer a wide range of other perks – from heart health to brain function – making them a smart choice either way.
The 5 Fastest-Growing F&B Brands of 2025
From prebiotic sodas to clean-label meat sticks, 2025’s fastest-growing F&B brands are rewriting the rules of consumer engagement. Authenticity, health-forward innovation, and bold storytelling are fueling the brands’ momentum.
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.
Pressure Points: Why CEO Tenures are Shrinking
CEO turnover is accelerating as boardroom patience thins, and economic headwinds intensify. In 2025, only the bold, empathetic, and fast-moving F&B leaders survive the pressure cooker of modern corporate leadership.
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.
Why Tariffs Have Mattered for a Seemingly Insulated Food Industry
The ripple effects of tariffs are biting the food industry. From cost pressures to shifting consumer habits, even insulated players are feeling the squeeze in a market that’s quietly turning recessionary.
Can the Kelce Brothers’ Garage Beer Go the Distance?
Garage Beer, backed by NFL stars and Taylor Swift buzz, is gunning for shelf space in a margin-thin market. But without distributor loyalty and retail muscle, this celebrity-fueled brand may fizzle fast, according to industry insiders.
‘The Great Flattening’ Upon Us: Middle Managers Fired En Masse
AI-driven cuts to middle management may boost short-term efficiency, but experts warn of burnout, disengagement, and workflow chaos. As “The Great Flattening” of organizational charts gains steam, food industry leaders must weigh tech gains against human costs.