Scalding-hot Competition: Specialty Coffee Brands Battle to Stand Out

The specialty coffee category features no shortage of innovation, from fledgling brands hailing from southern CA, Vietnam, and beyond.

Easter Sticker Shock: Cocoa Prices Still Skyrocketing

How much money is the Easter candy market worth? Hold onto your Easter baskets – in the United States alone, 2024 Easter candy sales are expected to exceed $3.3 billion (Statista)

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.

From Panic to Plate: How Xolair is Changing the Menu for Allergy Sufferers

The treatment represents an impressive scientific achievement, however, borne from human perseverance to solve major quality-of-life issues. Xolair transcends mere new medical knowledge—it’s a step towards allowing food allergy sufferers to live more freely.

Why is Florida Trying to Ban Cultivated Meat?

The Florida House has approved a wide-ranging bill that would ban the sale and production of cultivated meat in the state. How will alt-meat innovations be impacted if it is signed into law?

The Future of Retail, Part 2- Tomorrow’s Tech

To further understand how inventory and supply chain will change, Jarvis said the end of data silos must be achieved “to create a holistic understanding of each shopper, their interactions, and the stream of information being shared with them.

Scottish Cuisine Has Burst onto the American Scene

Not only is Scotland home to world-famous cattle breeds and celebrated wild-caught game, but the neighboring North Sea and Atlantic Ocean ensure that the country of roughly 5.5 million residents boasts stellar oysters and mussels. 

8 Truly Innovative Products at Expo West 2024

Expo West 2024 in Anaheim featured no shortage of creative and innovative products, like mycelium bacon, caffeinated breath spray, and more.

America is Poised to Embrace Tofu

In today’s alternative protein space, the possibilities tofu offers are turning heads. More flavorful than most plant-based products, more rewarding than a perfect burger alternative, and much more affordable than a meat-based option, tofu checks a lot of boxes as a middle-of-the-road protein alternative that doesn’t necessarily have to market itself as a one-size-fits-all plant-based option.

Big Opportunity Remains in Beef Jerky Category

“Jerky brands come and go because the barriers of entry to the industry are small,” Cawley said. “A good recipe, some packaging, and a solid manufacturing partner, and you can start selling legally and usually get traction locally.” Once early consumer adopters are exhausted, however, it often becomes difficult for fledgling jerky brands to earn retail shelf space, keep it, and create a compelling value proposition that resonates with shoppers nationwide.

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.

3 Key Takeaways from Expo West 2024

With consumers as focused as ever on improving their health and wellness, clean diets including foods like whole fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins have gained momentum. The show floor at Expo West illustrated that movement.

What the Jal? Jalapenos Aren’t Hot Anymore

Why aren’t many store-bought jalapenos hot anymore? The answer lies in changing palates and products bred for consistency, not flavor.

The Future of Retail – The 10,000-ft. View

“By 2030, visiting a Target, Walmart, or Costco won’t just be about shopping,” said Diana Zheng, head of marketing at Stallion Express, a leading e-commerce shipping company from Canada, “It will be an experience. An immersive experience. A personalized experience, even a social experience.”

Candy Crush: Confectionery Producing Record Sales  

“Consumers seek out chocolate and candy to help enhance holiday seasons, family celebrations, and those important ‘treat yourself’ moments,” said John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association, in a statement.

Column: Loyalty Apps Becoming a Boon for Fast-Food Restaurants 

One great benefit of loyalty programs is that they help businesses, like restaurant chains, build a relationship with a customer. To inspire consumers to join your program you can use price or other incentives.

Rated C for Candy – AMC Theatres Launches Private-Label Brand

The current line of Cinema Sweets launched in December and sales have been brisk. “We’re quite pleased,” he said, brandishing an R2-D2 popcorn holder from a Star Wars release years ago, “and it’s definitely been a good launch for us across more than 550 domestic theaters.”

Cereal Offender: Why is Chlormequat in our Oats?   

Informed consumers, concerned about the potential health risks associated with chlormequat, are increasingly turning toward organic oat products as a precautionary measure to minimize exposure to this and other chemicals of concern.

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.

Fast-Food Kiosks Will be Prevalent by 2025

The annual State of Digital Report by Qu revealed that food kiosks are the top priority this year for QSRs and fast-casual restaurants.

How Hormel and JM Smucker Are Beating the Market

It’s not hard to understand why these companies have found success in a challenging environment. These are comfort food manufacturers (among other things!) whose identities, infrastructure, and revenue are built upon foods people reach for when they’re feeling down, feeling squeezed, or both.

As Aquaculture Gains Global Momentum, American Segment Snagged

“There’s no question that aquaculture needs to grow, and I think it’s just a matter of time before it takes off in the U.S.,” Austin Caperton, the CEO of Appalachian Salmon in West Virginia, told FI.

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.

Cloud Bread to Burn-away Cakes: Tomorrow’s TikTok Trends in Restaurant & Retail

From chefs to retailers to restaurant operators, catching fire with a dish that went viral on TikTok can ignite a fan base (and bolster quarterly revenue).

Beef Rice & Dairy Plants—Frankenfood or Food Science Breakthrough?

Such a fusion of different species opens new possibilities for sustainable food production, addressing issues such as food scarcity, environmental impact, and ethical concerns associated with traditional agriculture practices.

CPGs Need Fresh Strategies Beyond Price Increases in 2024

“Tomorrow’s winners will vary how they generate demand across their portfolios, with mass activation for their biggest brands and more targeted treatment for niche and insurgent brands,” Kyle Weza, global co-lead and brand accelerator for Bain & Company, said in the report.

Feel This Moment – Walmart Teams Up with Pitbull, Again

The Pitbull-launched intra-store restaurant is part of a larger, $9 billion plan to make “upscale changes” to stores and bring in more recognizable and coveted brands and influencers. For Walmart, pairing with the king of collaborations is a natural choice.

Great Plains Debate: Should Bison Become ‘The Other Red Meat’?

Nutritionists hail bison as the other red meat, not that different in taste and nutrients from beef, but with a greater concentration of iron and fatty acids along with less fat.

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.

Carb-Friendly Atlantic Diet Rivals Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet

A new study indicates that the Atlantic diet could be as healthy as the Mediterranean diet, despite Atlantic’s higher allowance of carbs and dairy products.

Appetite for Reduction: GLP-1 Drugs Fuel Grocery Decrease

The market for GLP-1 drugs is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030. Manufacturers and brands who want a piece of the low-sugar pie, so to speak, will have to offer the same.

Cereal Manufacturers Desperate to Boost Sales

Americans are turning away from breakfast cereal, and that’s got cereal manufacturers seeking fresh innovation to bring consumers back to their bowls and the breakfast table.

Understanding Why Regenerative Agriculture is the Fastest-Growing Green Theme

“Brands that genuinely commit to regenerative agriculture can build strong connections with consumers who prioritize regeneration,” says Michael Ham of Wild Orchard Tea Company. “This can result in long-term brand loyalty and positive associations with environmental responsibility.”

Report Reveals Scarcity of Retail Innovation

From number-crunching untold volumes of data to helping streamline inventory, supply chain, and predictive market trends, there is no digital limit to what AI can help operators achieve.

How Post Holdings Claimed the Best Packaged Food Stock in the Market

Since its spin-off from Ralcorp, Post has spent over $10 billion on acquisitions. It has taken impairment changes relative to acquired assets of less than $300 million. Meanwhile, off a cereal business worth about $2 billion, Post and Bellring are now worth over $20 billion combined (including the respective companies’ debt).