Investors See Cava as the “Next Chipotle”

Cava has intrigued investors, as CEO Brett Schulman has argued that Mediterranean food is the “next large-scale cultural cuisine category.”

A Fork in the Road to Sustainability: Nestlé’s New Plant-Based Fork

The innovation is a key part of its commitment to eliminate or reduce plastics in packaging while scaling reusable and refillable systems.

BellRing, Simply Good Brands Illustrate Boundless Opportunities Within ‘Active Nutrition’ Category

Active nutrition brands BellRing and Simply Good Foods are thriving after acquisitions, providing a roadmap to success for other brands, too.

Certified Organic Products Break U.S. Sales Record in 2023

U.S. dollar sales for organic products approached $70 billion in 2023, marking a 3.4% increase YoY and setting a record for the sector.

Breaking the Ice: The Chill, Crunch, and Pleasure of Freeze-Dried Candy

When scanning a candy store in 2024, customers will notice a developing trend: freeze-dried products, apparently, are the coolest. Candies like Skittles and Jolly Ranchers can now be found in freeze-dried variations.

Drinks Catering to Gen Z Steal the Show in Chicago

The event’s exhibitors focused on foods, drinks, and equipment designed to help foodservice operators create unique taste experiences. Beyond offering crave-worthy fusion dishes and fun iced beverages, exhibitors offered a wide array of vending machines on the show floor.

Falling Stars: Inflation Cuts Into Retailers’ Ratings

The most recent rising trend in retail is lowering one’s expectations of retail. This year, clothing companies tended to fall the worst, followed closely by QSRs, big box stores, and grocers, in that order.

Three Key Trends from NRA 2024

The food-away-from home industry gathered in Chicago between May 18 and May 21 for the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show (NRA 2024).

Bold BBQ Sauce Flavors Winning Over Consumers

Barbecue sauce is ubiquitous in retail and many brands want in on the party. The battle for the barbecue-sauce dollar has inspired brands to get creative, often taking spiciness to the next level.

Consumers Have Forced the Value Wars

Food prices are up; consumer confidence is down. Many QSRs and retail outlets reported losses in the last quarter. The Value Wars are here.

Anti-Diet Movement: Marketing Ploy or Healthier Relationship with Food?

The so-called “anti-diet” movement aims to move people away from an obsession with weight loss and toward a healthier relationship with food.

Cooking Up a Storm: Gen Alpha Kids Have Become Tiny Tastemakers

Don’t look now, but Gen Alpha’s influence in the food industry is rising due to its increasing interest in cooking.

Walmart Earnings Seem Optimistic for The Food Industry. Its Strategy Might Not Be

Retail giant Walmart is hardly moving like a lumbering incumbent, but rather at a pace more like that of a startup. That seems a terrifying prospect for the rest of the industry, said FI’s resident stock analyst.

Key Takeaways from The NGA Show 2024: Improving Shopper Experience

Shopper experience in the physical store is often what truly differentiates the independent grocer from brick-and-mortar chain stores and online e-commerce competitors like Amazon.  The right mix of products, priced right, offered in the right place, and services delivered by welcoming staff in a pleasant environment are essential to building sales and customer loyalty.

In Today’s Market, What Defines Value?

Many consumers feel they can’t win on cost alone – they also need an experience, or at least a decent reason to visit a brick-and-mortar store.

To Many Americans, Eating Fast Food is Now a Luxury

According to a new survey from Lending Tree, a staggering 80% of consumers now consider fast food a luxury because it’s so expensive.

Behold, ‘Kitchen Table Travelers’: Ajvar Is Spreading

Ajvar is a Yugoslavian relish that became popular after World War II. Made primarily from sweet bell peppers and eggplants, ajvar can be sweet (traditional), piquant (common), or scorching hot. Ajvar can be spread on bread or enjoyed as a side dish due to its thicker and more viscous texture.

Opinion: Automation Serving up Invaluable Efficiency for Restaurants

Restaurant automation reduces service time, increases consistency, and eliminates labor from the restaurants that use it.

Food Meets Fashion in NYC

On Thursday, May 16, The Food Institute is taking over the headquarters of Hugo Boss in downtown Manhattan to discuss food, finance, and fashion.

C-Stores Draw Market Share From Grocery, Retail

Casey’s and Maverik are highlighting breakfast while Buc-ee’s and Rutter’s are leveraging increased square footage and store footprints to drive sales and steal market share away from grocers and retailers.

The Next Big Thing in CPG? Shelf-Stable Products

With grocery refrigeration space tight, manufacturers are looking at producing shelf-stable products to cut waste and improve profits.

belVita – The Next Billion-Dollar Food Brand?

One thing that food industry consultants learn quickly is that public holding companies focus most of their resources on their Power Brands – the $1 billion+ revenue-generating giants whose slightest change in profit or topline …

Why Hormel Foods Employs a Cultural Anthropologist

Dr. Rodriguez is thrilled to live in a time when underrepresented voices, cultures, and cuisines can easily take the world by viral storm. She’s quick to point out that for many cuisines, blanket terms like “Mexican” or “Asian” just don’t do it anymore – the people, and the food, deserve more.

KEY: The Startup with Zero Sugar and $4 Million in Funding

Could a zero-sugar energy drink be the future of the heavily saturated beverage market? Possibly. KEY, an energy drink start-up, recently emerged with $4 million in funding, according to an article by AFN. The start-up, …

What’s Playing? The Role of Music in Retail

“The power of audio in retail goes beyond just music,” Elsley said. “Incorporating carefully crafted messaging and advertisements into the auditory experience can further enhance customer engagement and drive sales.”

Don’t Call It ‘New Sprite’ – Coca-Cola Debuts Sprite Chill

In the wild world of beverages, any edge on the competition may be enough to resurrect an LTO from the past or push it into full-time production.

The Future of Food Delivery: Are Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart Destined to Win the Delivery War?

For now, third-party delivery companies are operating full speed ahead. But how much are consumers willing to pay for convenience?

How Much Does Sustainability Influence Consumer Shopping Habits?

Consumers in the U.S. and Canada say that they are willing to pay more for products that practice eco-friendly sustainability and ethics in their development, packaging, and sale of products, particularly around animal cruelty and ocean pollution.

The Summer of Swicy

Asian cuisines like Thai, Korean, and Chinese have long used swicy foods as an enticing way to attract new and long-time patrons, and many mainstream and fusion restaurants are combining classic American fare with these staple flavors from across the world.

Kombucha: An Ancient Elixir Finds Modern Appeal

The origins of kombucha are shrouded in legend, and the drink’s murky beginnings remained in relative obscurity—at least to western palates—until its rediscovery in the 20th century in something of a cultural phenomenon.

Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Increasing Sharply Among Women

“Was it the six-pack of wine called ‘Mommy’s Little Helper?’ Or ‘Mommy’s Time Out’ wine? Was it the funny phrase, ‘The most expensive part of having kids is all the wine you have to drink?’ The clothes and other goodies branded with, ‘Who is moderation?’ or ‘This is how you adult?’ Our society thinks it’s funny when women drink heavily,” Pengov said.

Is the Future of Retail Bionic?

As more work is being published (and more health-focused products manufactured) to improve health and happiness, we may be entering an era in which the average human life can not only be improved, but extended. Are store managers ready for what that means?

Consumer Shift: Private-Label Snacks See Unprecedented Popularity

For the first time in the report’s history, the top six brands – all of them – are store brands, from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target.

Peeling Apart the Complex History (and Future) of the Banana

A regular feature in shopping carts from coast to coast, the humble banana has long been a reliable source of nutrition, convenience, and affordability. Yet beneath its cheerful exterior lies a complex tale of botanical intrigue, economic uncertainty, and environmental peril.

For Gen Z, Variety Packs Rule Retail

Some of the takeaways from the Circana report indicate that inflation has generally gone pretty easy on the beverage category, prompting marketing teams to “promote their relative price stability and find ways to demonstrate value, recognizing that ‘value’ doesn’t always mean lower price,” and that premium categories continue to outperform more value-based brand propositions. 

BREAKING: Foxtrot, Dom’s Kitchen & Market to Close

Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market have closed their doors effective immediately. The closure will affect 33 Foxtrot locations and 2 Dom’s locations across Chicago, Austin, Dallas and D.C. areas.