Food
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Food
CPG
Brand relevance today: The role of “brand” in guiding shoppers’ choices
Brands are working harder than ever to gain attention and loyalty, regardless of whether they are national, name brands or a retailer’s own private brand.
Consumer Insights
Kids food, beverage brands focus on taste, nutrition
The market for foods and beverages designed for children is poised to experience significant growth, and businesses are appealing to kids and adults with healthy options that taste great.
Food
Top 10: PPP loans, COVID-19 vaccines, Wegmans takes Manhattan
The coronavirus pandemic again figured prominently into this week’s Top 10 most-clicked stories among SmartBrief’s food and beverage readers.
Restaurant and Foodservice
Restaurants embrace plant-based meat alternatives tailored to their brands
Shipments of plant-based meat alternatives to US restaurants soared in April, according to NPD Group data.
Restaurant and Foodservice
How the pandemic has reshaped the future of restaurants
Whether it’s new or expanded channels for off-premises that cater to lasting demand for convenient meal options or programs that serve the local community, here’s a look at some of the concepts and innovations that are defining the future of foodservice.
Food
Top 10: Campbell’s Soup’s new look, Walmart’s education investment and a new team at McDonald’s
Campbell's Soup cans got their first update in about 50 years.
Consumer Insights
Why consumers are still reaching for canned alcoholic drinks
The ready-to-drink hard seltzer and cocktail market appeals to consumers’ desire for convenience and portability.
Food
Keeping up with consumer preferences means understanding changing ideas on health
Health innovation is now about touting beneficial nutrients, functional attributes and production methods.
Food
COVID-19’s disparate toll on household routines and Americans’ paths to well-being
Despite heightened public attention to the pandemic’s negative effects on consumers’ health, a substantial portion of Americans actually feel their health and wellness improved during the pandemic.
Sponsored
Stoke student excitement for school meals with fun, familiar additions to the menu
Menus that feature foods and flavors that are familiar while still offering enough variety to keep students interested are sure to boost excitement around school meals.
Food
Top 10: Unilever’s workplace culture, Subway’s menu makeover
News from Unilever, Subway and J. Alexander's stood out to SmartBrief's food and beverage readers this week.
Restaurant and Foodservice
SmartBrief, MFHA unveil Foodservice and Hospitality Diversity and Cultural Intelligence Report
martBrief and MFHA have collaborated on an in-depth survey to create a report on the state of diversity in foodservice and hospitality.
Consumer Insights
Consumers’ appetite for pizza grows, but split between desire for healthy vs. indulgent
There were few bright spots for the restaurant industry in 2020, but pizza was one of them.
Food
Top 10: Mondelez’ in-store bakeries, BBQ Holdings’ $13.5M deal and P.F. Chang’s To Go
Mondelez' plans to grow its Give & Go in-store bakery business includes adding brands like Oreo to the lineup.
Food Retail
3 trends keeping shoppers in the frozen food aisle
RangeMe’s Brandon Leong looks at how the coronavirus pandemic spurred consumer interest in frozen foods -- and that demand is not slowing down. He details three top trends.
Consumer Insights
TikTok brings unexpected success for food, beverage industry
The social media platform has produced a new way for online creators to share food and beverage trends -- and brands -- that can become popular almost instantaneously.
Food
Top 10: Sweets & Snacks, post-pandemic trends and food prices
New sweet treats from CPG and candy brands caught readers' attention this week.
CPG
Trends report: The latest in sweets and snacks
From combination flavors to better-for-you treats, the sweets and snacks category is seeing a bevy of new trends.
Restaurant and Foodservice
Restaurants roll back restrictions as more people get vaccinated, but most stop short of requiring proof
Many US restaurants are taking an “honor system” approach when it comes to customers’ vaccination status in an effort to avoid pushback from guests and the possibility of running afoul of state rules against asking for proof of vaccination.
Food Retail
Grocers continue to make e-commerce moves
The pandemic has upended the grocery industry and food retailers large and small are catering to a more digital clientele.
Restaurant and Foodservice
How restaurants can encourage and empower employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19
Many US restaurants are encouraging employees and patrons to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and providing incentives for those who do. However, legal complications are keeping most restaurant operators from making vaccination mandatory.
Food
Top 10: Grocer growth plans, Wendy’s new ad
News of expansion from ALDI and Lidl, as well as a new Wendy's ad, made news this week.
Consumer Insights
5 food & beverage trends accelerated, altered or accentuated by the pandemic
We are living through an unprecedented time in which the pandemic has accelerated, altered or accentuated trends in many spheres of food and beverage culture.
CPG
Investors see the potential in plant-based alternatives
Investor interest in plant-based foods continues to grow after high-profile IPOs and growing consumer demand.
Food
Post-pandemic restaurant success means balancing the new normal with old habits
Findings from Datassential’s Firefly 500+ report reveal an analysis of the country’s 500 largest restaurant chains and the most pressing industry trends.
Food
SmartSummit: Fighting racism through the food and hospitality industries
Last week, experts gathered at SmartBrief’s Food & Beverage SmartSummit to discusswhat actions the industry take to make meaningful contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Food
Top 10: High-ranking grocers, restaurant mask guidance, Hershey’s acquisition
Tales of grocers, restaurant mask guidance and Hershey grabbed reader attention this week.
Consumer Insights
Indoor gardening is here to stay
In a time when food and beverage consumers valued essential products, healthy eating, convenience and home-cooked meals, the indoor gardening market was poised for significant growth.
Consumer Insights
Will the future food supply chain reflect pandemic-era changes?
Innovative food companies and delivery platforms took lead roles in the pandemic.
Food
Top 10: School meals, vegan food at Target and Chipotle’s wage increases
School nutrition, new plant-based foods at Target and Chipotle's pay raises made news this week.
Consumer Insights
Health & wellness in the US today: Cultural shifts and the COVID-19 pandemic
Several long-term shifts have been reshaping the American health and wellness landscape over the past two decades.
Sponsored
How milk nourishes people and planet
Yin Rani, CEO of MilkPEP, discusses some of the sustainability success stories in the US dairy industry and how farmers and processors are working to further reduce their carbon footprint.
Restaurant and Foodservice
Creating plant-forward menus that serve the planet, consumers and the bottom line
Finding ways to cater to customers’ plant-forward tastes and innovate with new dishes and practices that benefit the environment and boost the bottom line will be key to the next chapter of the plant-forward movement, a panel of chefs said.
Sponsored
From recalls to rebrands: The evolution of crisis and issues management
In this interview, Premiere Response co-founder and Executive Vice President of Customer Engagement Beth Ziff discusses how working with a customer relationship management firm can give brands an edge when dealing with recalls and other issues.
Food
Top 10: Clorox prices, Target’s new stores, chicken sandwiches
News about Clorox, Target and the world of crispy chicken sandwiches piqued SmartBrief readers' interest this week.
CPG
Is the future of produce all in the genes?
Gene-editing tool Crispr could be responsible for more of what's in consumers' crisper drawers.
Sponsored
Q&A: What brands need to adapt to today’s unpredictable and accelerating pace of change
In this interview, Acosta Chief Growth Officer John Carroll discusses the changes that the grocery retail industry has experienced over the past year, and what brands -- and Acosta -- are doing to keep pace with the changing landscape.
CPG
Why consumer data is key to growth for F&B companies
The ability to speedily gather, analyze and act on massive amounts of information is permanently changing the food and beverage landscape.
Sponsored
Q&A: Exploring the pandemic’s effect on the frozen food category
Acosta Senior Manager of Business Intelligence Christina Davis discusses what factors are driving growth in the frozen food category and what retailers and frozen food brands can do to maintain growth and attract new customers.
Food
Top 10: Free school meals, sustainability goals, Reese’s-themed makeup
Read this week's 10 most popular food-and-beverage stories on SmartBrief.
Sponsored
Q&A: Why the POS of the past doesn’t work for today’s ghost kitchens
In this interview, OrderB4 founder and CEO Randy Murphy discusses the virtual kitchen system's origins in restaurants and what makes it an ideal solution for brands, ghost kitchen operators and consumers.