Technology
What’s ahead in food technology?
The Hartman Group outlines how consumers feel about food technology and where the industry is headed.
Results for "foodservice"
Consumer Insights
Seaweed wave: Health, sustainability spur algae’s popularity
Seaweed has been gaining popularity on menus and store shelves over the past few years, but this year could bring a tidal wave of new products and culinary applications as food companies look to cash in on algae’s health and sustainability benefits.
Consumer Insights
Datassential forecasts 2023 macro trends for the food industry
The market researcher unveils the tentpole themes that will impact the food industry in the coming year.
Consumer Insights
5 food and beverage trends to watch for 2023
Five of the top food and beverage trends to watch for 2023 include a beverage category that will continue to gain popularity and the social media platform that experts think will most influence where and what consumers want to eat.
Food
National Restaurant Association’s tech and innovation policy lead looks back at 2022, ahead to 2023
Brennan Duckett, director of technology and innovation policy at the National Restaurant Association, discusses the major legislative policies that affected the industry in 2022 and what policy issues restaurants should have on their radar for 2023.
Food
Q&A: CIA faculty discuss challenges, opportunities facing the culinary industry in 2023
Many of the issues that mattered most to chefs and other culinary professionals this past year will continue to shape the culinary industry in 2023, according to faculty members at the Culinary Institute of America.
Food
Restaurants craft proprietary plant-based proteins that go beyond off-the-shelf products
In the quest to offer more meatless options, some restaurants are producing proprietary plant-based proteins, which allows them to tweak recipes to suit customers’ palates and values, and can offer more control when it comes to costs and product availability.
Consumer Insights
Plant-based meat trends go beyond the burger
The plant-based meat category is growing beyond burgers to feed consumers' cravings for more exotic fare.
Food
Food retailers fight inflation with creative solutions
Find out how grocers are overcoming inflation-related obstacles and boosting customer relations via innovation to meet shifting behaviors.
Food
What do restaurant menu trends look like post-pandemic? Omelets, nachos hold clues
A Datassential analysis of restaurant menu trends reveals that the industry is on its way to normalcy.
Food
How chefs can reclaim the past, craft the future of Black foodways
Chefs discussed how to shape a culinary future that celebrates Black foodways at the Culinary Institute of America's Worlds of Flavor conference.
Consumer Insights
Consumer trends in food shopping today
From inflation to COVID-19, various factors are shaping food shopping preferences and behaviors, presenting both challenges and opportunities for food retailers and foodservice operators alike.
Food
2022 Innovation Awards for Foodservice winners announced
Sign up for Restaurant SmartBrief today, free. SmartBrief and The National Restaurant Association are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Innovation Awards for...
Food
Craft brewers cheer the return of in-person drinking, festivals
Craft beer sales rebounded in 2021 and 2022 saw the return of Oktoberfest and the Great American Beer Festival.
Food
Pet-friendly restaurants must consider both rules and rewards
The restaurant industry is facing increasing calls to make their establishments pet-friendly. But how does a restaurant grow more pet-friendly without alienating customers that want to dine with humans only?
Food
Datassential: The next big trend in BBQ is forgetting the “rules”
Restaurants have a new audience of BBQ enthusiasts, and restaurants and pitmasters are stepping up their game.
Food
Restaurants reallocate some tasks to robots to deal with staffing shortages
As restaurants adjust to changing business conditions some operators are using robots and other automation technologies to reallocate some tasks and maximize efficiency.
Consumer Insights
Consumer vs. restaurant: Hartman research on the challenges of eating out
Americans love to eat out, yet research from The Hartman Group shows how restaurant offerings often present challenges to individual eating approaches.
Technology
Exploring the next generation of plant-based innovation
Exhibitors at this year's Plant Based World Expo showed off the growing array of options designed to feed the cravings of all types of eaters.
Technology
Delivery services set their sights on autonomous tech
Restaurants and retailers are tapping into driverless vehicles and drones to deliver food via quicker, more affordable methods.
Consumer Insights
What’s ahead in grocery shopping and food procurement?
As macro forces impact consumer behavior, shoppers traverse a hybrid world of in-person and online grocery shopping and seek inspiration from an ever-growing number of sources.
Technology
The changing face of plant-based dining in the digital age
Author and researcher Eve Turow-Paul shared insights into the way digital technology has influenced the way millennials and Gen Z experience food.
Restaurant and Foodservice
Q&A: MFHA’s president on the 2022 DEI Survey Report’s most surprising findings
We asked Gerry Fernandez, president of MFHA, a few questions about the survey, the state of DEI in the industry today and what’s next.
Consumer Insights
Plant-based foods that emphasize plants appeal to consumers seeking less-processed foods
As the plant-based category evolves, food manufacturers and foodservice operators would do well to keep in mind their customers who are craving plant-based foods that emphasize plants, rather than attempt to replicate the experience of eating meat.
Food
Checking in on 2021 Foodservice Innovation Awards winners
Last year’s Foodservice Innovation Awards winners ran the gamut from an automated cooking robot to biodegradable drinking straws, and in the past year many of the winning companies have seen their products adopted by new foodservice clients and expanded their product lines to build on their original offerings.
Food
The ingredients for a winning limited-time offer
Restaurant operators don’t have to create a new item from scratch to reap the rewards of increased sales and traffic from an LTO.
Technology
SmartSummit: The role of technology in restaurant recruitment and retention
Three experts from the restaurant industry spoke about the role technology tools can play in recruiting and retaining employees during SmartBrief’s SmartSummit, “The role of technology in restaurant recruitment and retention."
Consumer Insights
Closing the gap in sustainability: Opportunities to connect with consumers
The Hartman Group looks at how consumer familiarity with “sustainability” has grown steadily, but their confidence in identifying specific sustainable products and companies continues to lag behind.
CPG
Fancy food brands find growth potential in the pandemic
Fancy food startups found their way during the pandemic with mission-driven models.
Food
SmartBrief’s Foodservice Innovation Awards 2022 to celebrate smart solutions
This year’s SmartBrief Foodservice Innovation Awards, now open for nominations, aims to celebrate exceptional products that help foodservice operators and professionals work smarter, safer and more sustainably.
Sponsored
Q&A: How Chicken of the Sea is catering to customers’ evolving seafood needs
Bryan Rosenberg, president and CEO of Thai Union North America, parent company to Chicken of the Sea International and Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods, discusses the findings of a survey of food executives and buyers, how Chicken of the Sea has adjusted amid the volatility of the last two years and how the brand stays connected to its customers.
Food
Personal, planetary health drive appetite for plant-based foods
Concerns about personal health and climate change are key drivers for consumers to choose plant-based food and beverage options, according to Datassential's “2022 Plant-Forward Opportunity” report.
CPG
How fancy food brands are faring amid the shifting supply chain
(Image credit: Angel Planet Foods) Sign up for Restaurant SmartBrief today, free. The specialty food industry is still growing and winning new startups,...
Consumer Insights
What defines the American meal? Protein, paper towels and TV
Datassential’s “The American Meal” report surveyed thousands of consumers about their eating habits both at and away from home.
Restaurant and Foodservice
Labor-saving tech, plant-based chicken and eggs among restaurant show’s top trends
Plant-based poultry and egg alternatives, sustainable packaging items and technology tools aimed at reducing labor needs were among the top trends on the show floor at the 2022 National Restaurant Association Show.
Food
Datassential’s Firefly 500+: Restaurants focus on unit growth and a bit of indulgence
Sign up for Restaurant SmartBrief today, free. The pandemic has changed the restaurant industry forever, causing seismic shifts in nearly every industry segment and...
Food
Do more with less using the 5 Ps of menu innovation
Menu innovation doesn’t require a huge menu overhaul if new options are introduced in a strategic way, a panel of experts said during a session at the National Restaurant Association Show.
Food
Q&A: IFA CEO on what’s ahead for franchise businesses
Matthew Haller, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association, discusses the growth outlook for franchising, the group’s advocacy efforts and the advantages of franchised businesses.
Consumer Insights
Into the mainstream: What’s next for organic foods and beverages?
Organic foods and beverages across categories are more accessible than ever before in terms of both availability and price.
Food
Chef Spike Mendelsohn on the magic of mushrooms for plant-forward cooking
Chef and PLNT Burger founder Spike Mendelsohn spoke about the versatility of mushrooms for creating craveable, plant-forward dishes during the Global Plant-Forward Culinary Summit at the Culinary Institute of America.
Food
SmartSummit: How chefs and restaurants are working toward a more sustainable food system
A panel of experts discussed what is driving the call for a more sustainable food system and how restaurants can be a part of it during SmartBrief’s virtual SmartSummit, “The Future of Food: The Role of Restaurants in Creating a Sustainable Food System.”
Food
New master’s program aims to give culinary professionals the tools to build a better food system
A new online master's program from the Culinary Institute of America aims to give current and future chefs and food industry leaders the tools to make positive changes in our food systems. The CIA's Cathy Jörin discusses the ideal candidate for the master’s in sustainable food systems and how a panel of sustainability leaders are helping to shape the curriculum.