It looks like meal kits are digging in for the long haul—and the future could be a feast of subscription revenue. Designed to deliver fresh, pre-measured ingredients to time-strapped consumers hungry for convenient meal solutions, the global meal kit market topped $1 billion in 2015, according to the market research firm Technomic.¹

Topics: Restaurant Operations, Snacking, Trends

Indian cuisine is hot, spicing up the U.S. foodservice industry with its plentiful flavor profiles and huge sales potential. Currently America’s largest pool of new immigrants with the highest income level of any demographic group, Indian consumers represent a coveted, affluent market.¹

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

Snacking is in a state of flux. Its frequency is accelerating (94% of survey respondents snack at least once daily;¹ one in four millennial snackers partake four or more times a day²) as shifting demographics and busy lifestyles upend traditional eating patterns. As a result, foodservice operations face new challenges and opportunities to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand for tantalizingly unique flavor experiences.

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

“Merchandising steers customers to the items they want and your operation to the sales you need.”

Topics: Millennials, Merchandising, Snacking

There’s a lot of buzz these days about snack trends. A smorgasbord of juicy buzzwords, including grab-and-go, wellness, mash-up, hybrid, clean label, international inspiration and numerous others, feeds the need for foodservice operators to keep pace with consumer demand for menu innovation.

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

“As the largest and most diverse consumer demographic, millennials are global snacking adventurers in search of bold flavors.”

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

Business has become a little too relaxed for the casual dining sector. For nearly a decade, casual dining chains have been a casualty of seismic shifts in the restaurant industry.¹ The recession eroded business and a tepid recovery failed to jump-start sales as competition from a rapidly expanding variety of limited-service options siphoned off the traffic the segment relied upon for years.¹

Topics: Millennials

No longer limited to the occasional treat meant to tide consumers over until the next meal, snacking has become an integral part of their daily eating patterns. With nearly every American (94%) snacking on a daily basis¹ and one in four millennials (the Super Snackers!) partaking four or more times per day,² snacks are now defined more flexibly and enjoyed more frequently than ever.

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

What could possibly be better than better-for-you foods? Superfoods have taken the better-for-you foodservice trend driven by millennial demand to new heights. The market growth of these nutrient-rich “wonder” items provides some juicy food for thought for operators and manufacturers.

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends

With the global market for snacks expected to reach $138.2 billion by 2020 -- a significant jump from $94.5 billion in 2015 -- the snacking industry seems poised to grow stronger and more vibrant. ¹ And with 94% of Americans snacking at least once a day, it’s easy to see why we should expect the snack fest to continue. ²

Topics: Millennials, Snacking, Trends