Consumer Insights
Ice cream’s resurgence through flavor, better-for-you innovation
As the ice cream industry embraces indulgence, health, sustainability and new formats, innovation and adaptability will guide its flavorful future.
Food
Food
Fried chicken is a vehicle for sharing culinary cultures
Culinary experts at the Worlds of Flavor conference hosted by the Culinary Institute of America discussed how their restaurants use fried chicken as a vehicle for introducing diners to flavors from around the globe.
Food
Q&A: Checking in on trends, resources for wine and beverage professionals
Program Director for the CIA Wine & Beverage Summit Maryam Ahmed gives a sneak peek at what attendees can expect next year and discusses wine and beverage trends that are on the rise.
Sponsored
Q&A: Workday exec talks hospitality and automated, scalable finance
Workday executive discusses the importance for hospitality industry keeping a focus on productivity and costs as well as the benefits of automated, scalable finance.
CPG
Unlocking brain health: The nootropic revolution
A driving force behind the growth of functional beverages is the rise of nootropic ingredients that support cognitive function.
Consumer Insights
It’s not too early to talk about winter flavor trends
The most prepared restaurant operators are thinking past the flavors of fall to what’s ahead for the critical holiday and winter flavor trends.
Food
Getting the most out of urban grocery store design
Architecture and construction executives shared case studies and advice for getting the most out of urban grocery store design at the FMI Energy & Store Design Conference.
Food
Building the refrigeration technician workforce of tomorrow
Finding ways to recruit and retain refrigeration technicians will be key for HVAC and refrigeration suppliers and the retailers they serve, especially as they make the transition to natural refrigerants, a panel of experts said during a session at FMI -- The Food Industry Association's Energy & Store Development Conference this week in Baltimore.
Food
FMI’s pitch competition propels technology in the grocery industry
What tech startups will be the next to make waves in the grocery industry? The FMItech Pitch Competition will make its return to the Midwinter Executive Conference as the annual meeting moves from Orlando to Marco Island, Fla., in January of 2024.
Food
Retailers get creative with savory fall flavors
This fall, shoppers can see signs of innovation in seasonal private-label products that not only include sweet treats designed to foster warm and cozy feelings, but also branch into new categories that build on consumer desire for savory fall flavors.
Food
Restaurant loyalty programs evolve with a spectrum of perks
Eateries of all types are adding and updating their loyalty programs to lure customers with a range of perks.
CPG
How brands are innovating to meet consumer dietary needs
Consumer demand for allergy-friendly and allergen-free products is on the rise and brands are responding with innovative new products.
Food
AI revolutionizes food and beverage industry with personalization, efficiency
Companies like Tastewise and BevSuite are harnessing AI to transform consumer insights, marketing, and operations in food and beverage.
Consumer Insights
How plant-based food brands are riding the next wave
Plant-based food companies are innovating to ride the next wave.
![Paving the way for a more inclusive wine industry [Image: wine bottles on a shelf]](https://corp.smartbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/pexels-florent-b-2664149-241x136.jpg)
Food
Paving the way for a more inclusive wine industry
Efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the wine industry have been gaining traction for the past several years, but continued effort is essential to creating meaningful, lasting change.
Consumer Insights
The evolution of grocery brand loyalty
Shifts in consumer behavior have driven loyalty to no longer be exclusive to one food brand or retailer.
Food
How will AI transform the food industry?
AI Impact is a new, virtual event from SmartBrief that will separate hype from reality, and deliver insights into how industries and business functions will be enhanced and tested in the age of AI.
Food
Sweetening sustainability: Infuse optimism for lasting ESG impact
The Hartman Group outlines a few key ways to give your sustainability strategy its personality back.
CPG
Better-for-you beverage options quench consumers’ thirst
Several brands have entered the better-for-you beverage market to fulfill shoppers' need to address specific health issues.
Consumer Insights
What generation shifts mean for predicting food trends
Food preferences can change drastically between generations, and industry professionals need to know their customers in order to effectively market to them.
![How restaurants are using AI, from menu development to marketing [Two coffee shop employees look at a laptop screen]](https://corp.smartbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4353590-241x136.jpg)
Food
How restaurants are using AI, from menu development to marketing
Restaurants are using artificial intelligence to streamline tasks and generate everything from menu ideas to marketing copy as they look for ways to innovate and ease employees’ workload.
Consumer Insights
Need states are the “why” behind today’s beverage choices
How and why do consumers choose one beverage among a sea of options? The answer lies in understanding the interconnected beverage need states.
Consumer Insights
How stories are selling the new crop of fancy foods
Specialty food brands and their founders told their compelling startup stories at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City last month.
Sponsored
Online recipes influence what home cooks add to carts
Consumers are increasingly turning to online recipes for home cooking inspiration, and these recipes directly influence what they put in their grocery carts. Chicory’s “2023 State of Online Recipes” report explores how consumer packaged goods brands can tap into the power of online recipes to connect with consumers.
![Are better burgers, desserts the key to more nutritious, sustainable eating? [Photo of a cookie with a heart shape dusted on in powdered sugar]](https://corp.smartbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cookie-g938b4bd80_1280-241x136.jpg)
Consumer Insights
Are better burgers, desserts the key to more nutritious, sustainable eating?
Making the appealing option a little healthier and better for the planet could be the key to moving the needle on the American diet, experts said at the 11th annual Menus of Change conference at The Culinary Institute of America.
CPG
Gluten-free snacks go beyond consumers with dietary restrictions
The gluten-free CPG category helps those with specific diets and those seeking better-for-you snack alternatives.
Food
What’s on the menu at the 67th Summer Fancy Food Show?
This year's Summer Fancy Food Show by the Specialty Food Association will highlight the latest trends in the industry and feature some famous faces.
Consumer Insights
FMI leader lays out 6 imperatives facing the food industry today
Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI -- The Food Industry Association -- lays out six imperatives facing the food industry today and how the association is working with members to address them with a big-picture outlook.
Consumer Insights
Consumer trade-offs in the face of inflation
As consumers are feeling the squeeze of inflation, their food choices and grocery shopping habits are shifting.
CPG
What is driving candy and snack purchases?
Inflation and product innovation were some of the key topics at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo organized by the National Confectioners Association.
Food
Plant-based steak, seaweed products and customizable drinks on display at restaurant show
Meatless takes on steak, foods made with seaweed and beverage options designed to appeal to both drinkers and non-drinkers were among the top trends on display at the National Restaurant Association Show.
Food
Combining automation and AI with the human touch
Restaurant operators and representatives from tech companies discussed the benefits of ordering kiosks and artificial intelligence-driven marketing assistants at the National Restaurant Association Show.
Sponsored
Pompeian blazes a trail for the olive oil industry with Sustainably Grown Certification
Pompeian is helping set the standard for sustainable olive tree farming and olive oil production by becoming the first Sustainably Grown Certified olive farm and olive oil offering in North America, and currently the only one in the world.
CPG
Exclusive: What NCA’s John Downs is most looking forward to at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo
NCA's John Downs reveals what he is most looking forward to at this year's Sweets & Snacks Expo
CPG
The reasons why CPG brands are returning to retail
Sweet Nothings shares the three core reasons behind the brand's decision to cease its frozen DTC operations.
Consumer Insights
Health and wellness: 4 trends for our times
A recent reset is driven by four trends that impact how consumers think about and act on their health and wellness.
Food
How ultraviolet light is improving food production and safety
Scientists are increasingly using ultraviolet light to aid in food production and safety from farm to table.
Food
Fostering a sustainable future for wine and beverages – from the field to the glass
Supporting brands that prioritize sustainable farming practices, opting for beverages in more environmentally-friendly packaging and seeking out local producers doing their part are some of the ways bars and restaurants can build a more sustainable beverage program, according to experts from the Culinary Institute of America.
Food
The complicated business of foodservice coffee
As fewer consumers opt to go to a cafe or a drive-through for their daily cup of coffee, what can foodservice operators do to drive traffic?
CPG
Sleep health foods and drinks transform how we rest
Consumers are looking to address their sleep issues, and consumer packaged goods brands are introducing food and beverage products to meet the needs of those customers.
Consumer Insights
How plant-based meat is evolving for the future
The future for plant-based meat goes way beyond burgers, chicken nuggets and traditional retail channels.
Food
Food retailers infiltrate new categories with private-label products
Store brands. Own brands. Private labels. However food retailers refer to their own lines of product offerings, they are anything but generic, and, bolstered by a number of factors, they are enjoying their time in the spotlight and food retailers are taking advantage of the attention by innovating in more product categories than ever before.