Inflation Pushing Up Costs for Independence Day Cookouts
The price for a typical Fourth of July cookout could be 11% to 17% higher than a year ago, depending on what’s in your basket. That’s according to recent reports from Wells Fargo and the …
Focus Archive > Page 51
Can Breeding Super Seeds Improve Plant-Based Foods?
Plant-based protein is popping up in more products than ever before, but challenges related to flavor and texture have left a bad taste in the mouths of many consumers. In response, some companies are utilizing …
Industry CEO: Baby Formula Shortage Illustrates ‘Broken System’
Abbott Laboratories, which stopped the production of Elecare powdered specialty baby formula after its southwest Michigan facility was flooded recently, said it had enough formula supply on hand to meet current needs. Heavy rains and …
TikTok Expert: Authenticity Key for Food Brands Marketing to Gen Z
With an endless supply of content and more than 50 million daily users, there is no shortage of ways for brands to market themselves on TikTok – particularly to Gen Z. In fact, half of …
Plant-Based Meat Growth Expected to Continue Despite Obstacles
The plant-based meat category is experiencing some growing pains. Through the early weeks of the pandemic, alt-meat sales grew some 200% at retail outlets, and the hype around that helped the category secure more than …
CPGs Refocusing on Faster-Growing Categories
The pandemic changed a lot of consumers’ attitudes towards foods and snacks, focusing more attention on healthier living and alternatives to traditional foodstuffs. As those trends accelerate, CPG companies are rethinking their structures and offerings …
Canned Cocktails Seen Growing on Convenience, Health Halo
Coca-Cola is teaming up with Jack Daniel’s distiller Brown-Forman to make a Jack-and-Coke cocktail in a can. The mashup is the latest development in the rapidly growing canned cocktail segment. In fact, the ready-to-drink cocktail …
‘Everything Shortage’ Intensifying, from Condiments to Corn
Add condiments and corn to the abundance of shortages from the international supply chain crises. Australia’s low on lettuce, the Philippines are short on sugar, and sunflower oil is scarce in Spain, Bloomberg reported. Inflation, …
Egg and Meat Prices Likely to Ease by End of Summer
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which spread widely across the northern U.S. and pushed poultry and egg prices skyward, may be winding down, a USDA official said. Some 40 million birds have been culled, about 6% …
Cold Brew Coffee Waking Up Summer Menus
The cold brew coffee trend is gaining serious momentum. Market research company Technavio recently released a report predicting the cold brew trend’s trajectory — 57% by 2025 — after 26% YoY growth in 2021. The …
Tips for Capitalizing on Plant-Based Products
Uber Exec: On-Demand Delivery Requires Grocers to Consider Holidays, Loyalty
Grocers have been speeding up delivery, and on-demand is becoming a vital part of every delivery program. Shoppers who have become used to groceries arriving on their doorstep now expect that option to be available …
Atalanta’s DeMaio on the Importance of Innovative, Cost-Effective Products
NEW YORK CITY – As Marissa DeMaio provided a tour of Atalanta Corp.’s event booth at last week’s Specialty Food Association Summer Fancy Food Show, she noted that smoked food products, like cheeses, are “on …
Gen Z Stakes Its Claim as The ‘Foodie’ Generation
Being a “foodie” is now a central component of the Gen Z identity, according to a recent study from Cassandra by Big Village. According to the report, Young & Hungry, Gen Z considers themselves the …
Summer Fancy Food Show Highlights What’s Next in Plant-Based
Plant-based was a unifying theme at the Specialty Food Association’s 2022 Summer Fancy Food show last week, with companies showcasing unique innovations across multiple food and beverage categories. With that, the plant-based specialty retail market …
As U.S. Food Allergies Rise, So Do Opportunities for Food Companies
Food allergies are taking a toll on the U.S. Approximately 32 million Americans have some type of food allergy, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “In the years ahead, the need to …
Rising Gas Prices Prompt Changes in Shopping Habits
With gasoline prices topping $6 a gallon in some parts of the U.S., consumers have been rethinking their shopping habits, opting against multiple trips and turning to superstores and online solutions to cut down on …
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 …
Menu Innovation Spurring Breakfast’s Revival at Restaurants
As professionals return to offices and on-site work post-pandemic-peak, restaurants are revitalizing breakfast service in a trend back toward innovative items with international influences. Chains are driving morning traffic back with discounts and deals, TODAY …
New Food Trend Alert: Caviar ‘Bumps’ Hit NYC Bars and Restaurants
Eating caviar is the latest status symbol for millennials and Gen Z. Caviar has become more affordable and accessible in recent years, with a small serving costing $20 at some New York City bars, reported The New …
Drive-Thru or Dining Rooms? QSRs, Casual Dining Going Different Routes
Hot dog stands and early hamburger joints had one thing in common besides the fries and colas: They were walk up counters where customers would place their orders and stroll off with food to be …
Is Beefalo the Next Big Thing in Meat?
In an era in where veganism is increasing and protein alternatives are making inroads, some in the agriculture realm believe they’ve found the future of traditional meat production. Proponents of a crossbreed of bison and …
Analysts: Expect Continued Demand for Eggs Despite High Prices
Consumer demand for shell eggs should remain strong in the near-term despite year-over-year price increases, due in part to the value proposition eggs provide for consumers searching for protein options, according to industry analysts. Eggs …
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 …
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Inflation Alters Plans for Two Meat Processors
National Beef Packing Co. LLC has postponed the planned $100 million expansion of its Tama, Iowa, plant, citing rising costs, Meat+Poultry reported (June 10). In March 2021, the company announced the expansion, which would have …
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 …
Sunny Side Definitely Up for Plant-Based Egg Market
In a quiet evolution from shelf stable baking substitutes to refrigerated scrambles and beyond, plant-based eggs are on the rise. Consumer awareness of plant-based egg products has been increasing, but it is still a small …
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 …
Can Subway Reset as Competition Gains Steam?
Just months after revamping its menu and tapping new pitchmen, Subway is making more bold moves, as competing sandwich chains like Firehouse Subs, Jimmy John’s, and Jersey Mike’s gain market share. The world’s largest sandwich …
Solving Taste Challenges with Flavor Modulation
This article is written and sponsored by Kerry. Taste is what drives consumers to purchase their favorite foods and beverages. However, great taste isn’t always easy to achieve. In fact, categories like plant-based meat and dairy …
Plant-Based, Environment Top Issues in FI’s Emerging Food Leaders Survey
Plant-based products and environmental concerns are top-of-mind for the next generation of food industry leaders, according to The Food Institute’s 2022 Emerging Food Leaders Survey. But first, let’s rehash a little history. We started our …
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 …
Gut Health, Fashion and ‘Phygital’ Solutions Among Top 2022 Food Trends
As we approach the midway point of the year, it’s time to take a closer look at some of the top food industry trends. With that, here are key findings from Trendincite’s recently-released Top 5 …
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 …
Analysis: Gummies, TikTok Stole Show in Chicago
CHICAGO – Bright, multi-colored displays of gummies and exhibitors touting their presence on TikTok largely stole the spotlight at the recent National Confectioners Association’s Sweets & Snacks Expo. Gummies are big business, included in the …
Consumer Spending Shifts as Recession Warnings Loom
With COVID and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine buffeting supply chains, food availability and energy prices, economists are warning of dire times ahead as consumers shift spending patterns to cope with inflation. JPMorgan Chase & Co. …