It’s almost the end of 2015. Companies are finishing up their holiday parties, employees are setting their out-of-office notices and business takes a short-yet-needed respite. The month of December brings with it ugly sweater contests …
Just how health is the U.S. market for new meal delivery services? It’s an interesting question posed in the December issue of Entrepreneur. In some ways, 2015 was the year of the meal delivery kit, …
By many accounts, 2015 was the year of the gig economy. Instead of relying on yellow cabs, we turned to Uber. Instead of buying groceries ourselves, we turned to food delivery companies. Instead of handling …
It’s a Wednesday morning in December, and that can mean its a pretty dry day in the news when it comes to fresh fruit and veggies. Sure, there are always some interesting stories coming through …
The advent of the gluten-free diet is an interesting one. Although the science behind celiac disease has long been understood, in recent years consumers have begun to associate a gluten-free diet with a number of …
Food labeling can be a bit of a struggle in the United States. Consumer consensus rings fairly clear when it comes to what “all-natural” claims should mean, but that term can be considerably variable and …
The last twelve months have not been kind to the Florida citrus industry, as it appears to be beset with an unending barrage of bad news. From lowered production numbers to the ever-present threat of …
Competition in the foodservice industry, especially for quick-service restaurants, has never been fiercer. Consumers, particularly the surging purchasing power associated with the Millennial generation, are looking for a different experience than their predecessors. Supply chain …
Oft-maligned, poorly understood and apparently a powerhouse in spending, once again the Millennial generation comes into focus with the release of a report by market research group Turn, noting that advertisers spend up to 500% …
Food enthusiasts (commonly known as “foodies”) are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s American culture. The rise of cooking TV channels, social media recipe swap groups and myriad publications on specialty and otherwise-unknown foods …
If you live on either the East or the West Coast, it’s quite likely that your local supermarket scene is in a state of change. Some may call it a state of turmoil. With A&P …
The modern advertising truism is simple: be ready for the Millennials! In 2015, the U.S. is said to contain nearly 83.1 million Millennials, and although we can be a bit finicky about where our meals …
Chipotle Mexican Grill is facing a supply chain nightmare in the wake of a recent E. coli outbreak in Washington state and Oregon. The company’s woes began as initial reports on Oct. 31 counted 22 …
Perhaps no crop and state have such an intimate relationship as Florida has with its beloved citrus groves. Even the license plates in the Sunshine State feature two bright oranges connected to a branch in …
The A&P Bankruptcy proceedings have hit home in this area, and I’ve found myself looking for a new grocery store as my go-to shopping destination is in the process of liquidating itself. This week, I …
The sugar beet harvest in the U.S. is currently underway, and reports from across the country seem to indicate this year’s crop will be sweeter than usual. USDA estimates that beet sugar production will account …
We’ve been watching the avian influenza outbreak pretty closely here at the Food Institute. Although most people understood that poultry prices would rise in the wake of the flu, government efforts were focused specifically on …
If there’s one thing Millennials hate, it’s being lumped in with the rest of the cohort. Take it from me, your resident Millennial blogger. I’m sure Jennette agrees, too. It seems the neverending chorus constantly …
When it comes to branding and marketing, food companies often find themselves in a sea of change and uncertainty. It seems like every day, new rules and regulations emerge that make it more and more …
Amazon made its reputation by creating disruptive sales opportunities for consumers since day one. By offering items online at discounted prices and providing quick, reliable and affordable shipping, the online retailer has positioned itself as …
Today marks October 1st, the start of a new month. For many around the country, it also begins a fascination with ghouls, zombies, ghosts and other scary creatures as we ready ourselves for the culmination …
For most of my childhood, a bowl of cereal at breakfast was the perfect start to my day. I remember enjoying it as a snack after school on more than one occassion, too, but it …
Today is the Autumnal equinox, the official start of fall in the northern hemisphere. For the past few days in New Jersey, we’ve seen the indicators of the end of summer, with low humidity, falling …
The rise of the emoji is an interesting phenomenon in our tech-savy world. Our earliest ancestors utilized pictographs and ideograms to represent physical items and ideas. However, as the alphabet system evolved and spread through …
An interesting article in The Wall Street Journal today about the Aldi supermarket chain and the impact of the low cost retailer on British food retailers pointed out that the chain is expanding in the …
The American Dream is the national ethos and founding pillar upon our economic system. The ideals contained within the Dream spell out a path to prosperity, success and upward social mobility through hard work and …
It seems Google’s mission right from the start has been to disrupt as many conventional businesses with its technology as it can. One of those changes happened August 10, as the company formed the Alphabet …
Amazon has always had a penchant for quickly delivering and implementing radical changes to its business operations to improve their overall service, and over the past 48 hours, the company once again proved their ability …
Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend in New Orleans. It was my first trip to the city, and one of the first things that struck me was how beautiful …
Amazon is often cited as a disrupter in the online retail market, being one of the first to successfully establish themselves on the Internet as a legitimate retailer for the common American. The company continued …
Sugar has a strange history, with some estimates noting that it was first domesticated in 8,000 B.C. At one point, the granulated sweetener was considered an exotic novelty. Things began to change, however, in the …
Working for a food industry trade association comes with a lot of perks. I get to stay informed on agricultural market prices, restaurant chain expansions, new food product news and emerging trends from all over …
For some, 2015 may be remembered as the year of the drought. For others, it will remind them of the media’s obsession with how the drought could raise prices on specific crops, nuts, livestock… and …
Millennials are an interesting group, as most grew up experiencing the transition from the pre-Internet era to the social media culture we currently live in. They are thought to be early adopters of technology, disrupters …
The history of the hidden menu is often contested, but by most accounts, it began with In-N-Out Burger in the early 60s. The company’s bond with the public took on a life of its own …
Not many could foresee the growth Target would achieve in such a short timeframe. The company first opened in 1962 in Roseville, MN, and by 1972, the company had expanded to 46 locations. By 1982, …
