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?
foodservice
Food
Off-premises dining will continue to help restaurants grow in 2023
The takeout and delivery sales that helped many restaurants weather pandemic shutdowns will continue to play an important role in post-pandemic recovery, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2023 State of the Industry report.
Technology
Automation elevates on-demand foodservice options
Automation is paving the way for appetizing on-demand food options that are miles ahead of traditional vending machines.
Sponsored
Great American Plant Company wants to help restaurants, retailers offer delicious, affordable plant-based proteins under their own brands
To help its retail and restaurant customers succeed, private-label brand Great American Plant Company brought on Chief Sales Officer Armetha Pihlstrom, who discusses how the company empowers its customers to make their brands household names in the plant-based category.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Retail
Wine subscriptions maintain consumer interest
Many consumers sought out wine subscriptions during pandemic lockdowns, and continue to find value in curated wine delivery services.
Consumer Insights
Cooking today: Ideal meal aspirations and challenges
The Hartman Group's recent research shows how the pandemic has affected America's approach to meals today, making the ideal meal encompass a broader range of diverse needs and expectations than in years past.
Sponsored
Eating at home, grocery shopping online will continue in 2022
Foodservice sales are projected to accelerate as restaurant traffic rebounds, but at-home eating habits formed during the pandemic are here to stay, according to Acosta’s 2022 trend predictions. Retail innovations to support e-commerce and upgrades to the in-store shopping experience are also among top predictions for this year.
Consumer Insights
Consumers, restaurant operators feel the pinch of rising prices
Datassential’s Five in Focus Post-COVID inflation report reveals how consumers and restaurant operators have perceived rising prices.