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.

Sustainability in the Snack Aisle: Eco-friendly Food Gains Momentum

It’s apparent in grocery store checkout lines, in social media, and in marketing campaigns: consumers demand eco-friendly food.

Supply Side East 2024 Recap: Adapting to Evolving Trends in the Supplement Market

Supply Side East 2024: consumers are health-conscious and looking for products to support their well-being.

The Supplement Market is Booming

From GLP-1 injectables to mushroom-based coffee alternatives, the booming supplement market is making nutrition easier to manipulate.

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. 

On-the-Go Gourmet: Rapid Pace of Life Fuels Demand for Convenient Foods

Today’s consumers seek snacks that not only satisfy but also nourish, blending convenience with balanced nutrition and illustrated by the emergence of breakfast bars and protein snack boxes.

Restaurant Chains Dominate Top 10 Fastest-Growing Retail Brands

Yelp has released its first-ever list of the 50 fastest-growing brands in the U.S. Restaurant chains dominate the top ten, half of which are “challenger brands” – businesses that are not market leaders but aim to compete by disrupting their industries.

Feeding the Soul: The Transformation of Food in the Experience Economy

Many consumers are less concerned about material possessions and are instead turning toward experiences for fulfillment, sparking a resurgence of the so-called “experience economy,” which is also evident in food and snacking choices. In the …

Walmart Exec: Shoppable Content a Retail Game-Changer

The future of marketing was examined by executives during this week’s Possible Conference. A key takeaway: shoppable content.

Gen Z Teens Reducing Spend, Supporting Smaller Brands

Among CPG energy drink brands, Celsius over-indexes with teens, with 17% citing it as their favorite energy drink brand (vs. ~12% market share) while Monster and Red Bull under-index. Among snack brands, Campbell’s Goldfish are still most preferred. Teens report highest intentions to eat more or the same amount of Mondelez’s Clif Bar and Hershey’s products.

Why the All-Night Diner is Dying

The all-night diner is all but dead in America, with Yelp revealing that the number of 24-hour eateries is down 18% since 2020.

An Evolution Explained: Mondelēz Report Reveals Changing Consumption Habits

Other noteworthy shifts include the emergence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha as influential consumer groups. These young consumers are influencing market trends such as the push for labeling transparency and ethical production.

Premium, Ethical, and On-Demand: The New Age of Snacking Unwrapped

For starters, the global demographic landscape is undergoing a noteworthy transformation, with “second lifers” – those embarking on new chapters post-retirement – emerging as a powerful group of consumers. By 2050, the over-60 demographic is expected to double. This shift is pushing the market towards balanced nutrition.

5 Functional Food Trends to Watch

The statistics send a clear message: consumers the world over are searching for functional foods and beverages in 2024

$85 Million to the Clearance Bin – Is Magic Spoon Done?

Magic Spoon cereal is twice as expensive as most other name brands. Many regard its flavor as questionable and its better-for-you status isn’t as rock solid as consumers would like to believe.

Co-Branding a Powerful Tool to Pique Consumer Interest

Co-Branding is a powerful tool to pique consumer interest, from Oreo and Breyers Ice Cream, to Mike’s Hot Honey and Lou Malnati’s pizza,

Fast-Food Chains’ ‘Wrap Battle’ Has Commenced

A wrap battle is booming in the QSR arena. By remixing preexisting ingredients with build-your-own appeal, major players are producing flavor-drenched “hunger hacks” and fresh affordable snacks that span dayparts.

Food Producers, WIC Officers Recalibrate Offerings as Food Insecurity Hobbles Consumer Spending

Across the US, inflation-weary consumers continue to push back on years of price hikes, cooking from home or simply buying less to save more.

How One Florida Restaurant is Redefining Fine Dining

By offering authentic, boldly flavored dishes, Nolita in Florida is proving that fine dining is alive and well post-pandemic.

Unlocking Gen Z Loyalty: Why Experiential Branding is the Future

According to brand strategy experts, Gen Z consumers currently seek experiences and cultural relevance from CPG companies.

Wading in Shallow Waters: New Seafood Challenges Consumers

The high cost of seafood and the very clear preference for certain fish is the reason behind the caution, but it could be a lost opportunity for restaurants to stand out and become true destinations for seafood.

Clean Label Takes Center Stage as Ultra-Processed Stigma Grows

Clean-label initiatives continue to rise within the plant-based category and beyond as concerns surrounding ultra-processed foods intensify and more consumers prioritize what’s NOT in their products.

Study Shows Consumers Craving Convenient, Traditional Meats

Try as plant-based brands might, traditional meats remain the largest generator of revenue in fresh departments, according to recent findings.

Fresh OJ Deep Dive: Brand Leaders Feeling the Squeeze

Fresh orange juice producers continue to walk a fine line between supply and demand while consumer beverage preferences fluctuate widely.

CosMc’s: Unraveling the Hype for the “Skip the Buzz” Generation

The arrival of McDonald’s new CosMc’s concept sent a wave of excitement rippling through the fast-food world.

Heartbroken over Data: Why the AHA is Wrong about Intermittent Fasting

The AHA is wrong about fasting: what religions have preached for millennia is been embraced by the scientific community as well.

Limited-Time Offers Providing Major Appeal

Limited-time offers (LTOs) continue to drum up significant business for restaurants, particularly among fast-food chains, in 2024.

Mochiko: First Mochi-Crust Pizza

There’s a new variable in the $45.1 billion pizzaverse: an Asian-influenced variety that utilizes a mochi pizza crust.

Say Cheese: Report Reveals Biggest Cheese-Loving Nations

According to the USDA, global cheese consumption is projected to reach a record high of 21.6 million metric tons this year. Cheese consumption is up 5.7% compared to five years ago.

IFMA COEX 2024: Key Themes and Industry Trends

Josh Linkner issued the opening keynote for the COEX 2024 and noted that creativity and innovation was critical for continued growth and success. He also noted that research had found all humans are naturally drawn to creativity, but that it manifested in different ways.

The 4-Day Workweek Has Reached F&B

Could a shorter, 4-day work week be the answer to employee happiness and increased productivity? The debate continues among experts.

‘Drip Pricing’ Has the Attention of Regulators, Consumers as Inflation Lingers

How many times have you heard: If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. And nowhere is that more apparent than when companies practice “drip pricing,” the practice of luring the …

Column: Wendy’s Surge Pricing Plan a Risky Endeavor

Update: Since its recent earnings call, Wendy’s released a statement that noted “Any features we may test in the future would be designed to benefit our customers. … Digital menuboards could allow us to change …

Bowled Over: Bowl Chains Win Over Restaurant Goers

Juice It Up!, a restaurant chain focused on healthier-for-you offerings like super fruit bowls, has recently enjoyed a 38% sales surge.

Three Key Grocery Shopper Trends in 2024

Grocery shoppers are adapting their buying patterns in response to economic uncertainties and external influences in 2024.

Column: How to Effectively Handle High Food Prices

The other day, I took my son to Five Guys and he got a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. It was almost $20 … yet there was a line all the way to the door. …