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Mergers, Acquisitions, Startups & Layoffs: What to Expect in 2023
Inflation is ebbing and the economy is weathering the rate hikes well. Unemployment is at a 50-year low, and recent tech layoffs are minimal compared to the volume of employees hired by those same companies the past several years.
The Teens Have Spoken: Chick-fil-A Remains Favorite Restaurant
Three things remain constant in life: death, taxes, and Chick-fil-A. In Piper-Sandler’s recent survey of teen spending in the U.S., the Georgia-based restaurant chain still struts its stuff above Starbucks and Chipotle and accounts for …
Frozen Pizza’s Popularity Spikes Amid Inflation
A new report by Vericast illustrated the lengths consumers are going to save amid inflation. More than anything, many consumers are bypassing restaurants in favor of cooking frozen pizza at home. Vericast’s 2023 Restaurant TrendWatch …
The Food Institute Launches FI Latam Content Platform
NEW YORK, April 13, 2023/FINewswire/– The Food Institute, the leading source for food industry news, data, and trends, announced today the official launch of “FI Latam” – The Food Institute’s Latin America-focused content platform. Elements …
Treat Yourself: 2023 is the Year of Record-setting Candy Consumption
Even amid inflation, candy consumption is occurring at a record-setting pace. Confectionery shoppers are looking for deals, but they remain committed to their candy consumption. According to the National Confectioners Association’s recently released 2023 State …
How to Use Automation & Tech to Profit From Markdowns
For grocers, surplus food can lead to panic because they know that the longer products stay on the shelves, the less profit they yield. Many grocers still treat markdowns as an afterthought, however, which leaves …
Report: Food Prices Surge in Urban Areas
The pain of high food prices is especially acute in some major metropolitan areas, with August 2021 to August 2022 seeing the largest annual increase since the 1980s, a U.S. Government Accountability Office report found. …
Survey: Boosting Alt-Meat Adoption
A new survey by Sweet Earth explores the decline in alt-meat adoption to source potential solutions to reignite consumer interest.
5 Food Trends Displayed at CHFA NOW Event
VANCOUVER – Canada has, historically, been a follower when it comes to food industry innovation. Clearly, however, times are starting to change. In recent years we have seen many innovative brands, product concepts, and progressive …
Vietnamese Cuisine is Exploding, Flavorfully, in America
If the U.S. is truly a melting pot, sandwiches like the banh mi could be considered quintessential American fare. It also makes sense that another menu item of Vietnamese origin – pho (soup featuring rice …
5 Secrets to Winning Over ‘Zoomer’ Consumers
At the recent Future Menus 2023 – a gathering of menu innovators from around the world – emerging food trends were discussed. This year, it was all about offering “arm candy”, as well as appealing …
California Strawberry Crop “at the Mercy of Mother Nature”
The California strawberry crop is “at the mercy of Mother Nature” this year, but production should reach normal levels by the summer. That’s according to Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager Brad Rubin, who noted …
Webinar Shows ‘Healthy’ Top of Mind for Consumers
The Food Institute was recently joined by two registered dieticians to discuss the state of wellness for the Food Industry. Marie Molde (MBA, RD) from Datassential and Barbara Ruhs (MS, RDN, RD) from Avocados from …
Social Media Holds Untapped Marketing Potential for Grocers
A new grocery insights report by MikMak noted key ways retailers can improve their social media marketing strategies – especially by utilizing YouTube.
Basket Case: Consumers’ Top 10 Easter Candies
Easter is right around the corner on April 9, and with that comes baskets and egg hunts filled with oodles of candy. Roughly 85% of consumers plan to celebrate Easter this year, and 50% of …
FI First Look: Plant-Based Whole-Cut Loin
European brand Juicy Marbles aims to disrupt the alt-meat category by focusing on whole cuts. Will its competitors follow suit?
Food and Beverage Becomes Top Target for Cargo Thefts
As cargo thefts surge around the U.S., food and beverage commodities have become the top target, according to the latest CargoNet data. And the trend doesn’t show signs of slowing. CargoNet’s theft report revealed an …
CPG Companies Increasing use of Eco-Friendly Packaging
Food manufacturers are working on eco-friendly packaging – made out of materials such as corn starch, cane sugar pulp and calcium carbonate – to cut down on waste.
Execs Offer 4 Steps to Survive a Recession
With some financial experts predicting a fairly significant downturn soon, here’s advice for recession-proofing your business.
Keto 2.0 Is Less Restrictive Than Keto – Is It Less Effective, Too?
In many ways, keto 2.0 attempts to remedy the pitfalls of the traditional keto diet. This new take on a ketogenic diet is less extreme and more well-rounded, but is it as effective for weight …
The Future of 3D-Printed Food Looks Sweet
Engineers at Columbia University have demonstrated the future of digital cooking by 3D printing a seven-ingredient slice of cheesecake.
Gen Alpha Kids Are Already Influential Consumers
Gen Alpha kids – comprised of children with birth years starting in 2013 – have already developed powerful brand affinities, according to the latest survey from Morning Consult. By 2025, Gen Alpha will number more …
Top Lessons Grocers Can Take From Walmart, Dollar General, and Kroger
Walmart, Dollar General, and Kroger are juggernauts in the grocery space, but each operates a very different format and each can provide lessons for other retailers.
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Natural, Organic Food Sales on the Rise
Once was a niche product category, natural and organic foods have now become a thriving sector.
CEO: Keys to Perfecting Vegan Cheese Include Texture, Aftertaste
The vegan cheese category has become rather crowded, yet opportunities remain for savvy producers, according to one CEO.
Column: Meat Producers Will Bounce Back – Eventually
If anyone needed a reminder that meat producers are cyclical businesses, fourth quarter results provided it. Across the space, profits deteriorated at a shocking pace. For Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest food company by …
Column: The Food Industry is at a Crossroads
Food industry leaders face myriad challenges in the months ahead, like elevated inflation, geopolitical risks, and economic recession. How leaders act could serve as a litmus test for long-term success or failure.
Analysis: What’s Behind Mass Layoffs in Warehouse, Tech Sectors
As the U.S. Federal Reserve attempts to slow the economy in the battle against inflation, major e-commerce, tech companies and other businesses have announced tens of thousands of layoffs. Is the wave of job cuts …
Vegetable Oil Shortage a Growing Industry Concern
Vegetable oil, an essential in everything from pizza dough to shampoo, is in short supply largely because of weather disasters and the growing use of biofuels to replace fossil fuels as the fight against climate …
Driverless Delivery Trucks Quickly Becoming a Reality
Autonomous trucks with an empty driver’s seat may sound futuristic and far-off, but they’re already on the roads making deliveries in Arkansas and Ontario. Next stop? Kroger, in Dallas.
Unions: Could ‘Sectoral Bargaining’ Transform Labor Landscape?
The explosive growth of ride-hailing services disrupted the age-old taxi industry. Now, the drivers at Uber, Lyft and similar companies could disrupt another age-old concept: collective bargaining. Low-wage workers, including those working for fast-food chains …
Carrefour Aims for Era of Profitability
Grocery giant Carrefour is shifting its focus from growth to profitability – and other companies may want to follow suit, according to industry executives.
International Cuisine, Natural Ingredients Could Define 2023
A new report suggests healthful ingredients, indulgent dishes, and exotic international cuisine could dominate menus in the months ahead. Cozymeal’s 23 Food Trends for 2023 report made it clear that products catering to the health …
New Technology Could Revolutionize Food-Allergen Testing
Study Suggests Plant-Based Category Losing Luster
The Food Institute spoke with Rob Dongoski, Agribusiness Leader at EY, about the future of alternative proteins and whether consumers have moved on.