Fast casual has been quick to turn a buck. As a subset of the limited service category, the segment seems to be feasting on market share. At a time when consumers hunger for quick and easy meal solutions that balance taste and nutrition, can an emphasis on good food fast be anything but a boon to the bottom line?

In a jam when it comes to boosting sales? Chances are jelly can spread them thick and sweet. Expected to reach $8.7 billion by 2021, the global jam, jelly and preserves market is projected to grow at a 3.2% compound annual growth during a six-year forecast period.¹

Foodservice may be in flux, what with shifting demographics, economic unpredictability and technological advances. But while foodservice operators can sometimes feel like their plates are piled high with uncertainty, there’s one thing they can count on: Flavor is always in favor, and 2018 is poised to be no exception. In fact, it seems on course to serve up a flavor fest.

Consumer interest in traditional approaches to diet and nutrition seems to be thinning out. While the focus for many weight-conscious consumers tended to be concentrated almost entirely on calorie intake, attention is shifting to a more holistic approach to wellness-oriented food consumption.

Good things come in small foodservice establishments, consumers seem to be saying. Despite a 4% falloff in total independent restaurant unit counts in 2017 compared to the previous year,¹ it looks like consumer demand for micro restaurants is having a sizable impact. According to the global industry analysis and advisory firm NPD Group, micro-chains are breaking the lock larger chains once had on growth.

Peanut butter is one of those perennial favorites that brings back fond childhood memories yet stays forever fresh and contemporary, lending itself to an endless array of flavorful pairings. With so many applications, from cookies to confections, donuts to delicacies, chicken to burgers and beyond, it’s no wonder consumers keep going nuts for peanut butter and find new ways to enjoy it.

As competition heats up, labor costs rise and demand for quick, convenient snack and meal options grows, operators across segments are turning to technology for solutions. The faster and more efficiently they can serve customers, the more robust the bottom line is likely to be. High tech, higher check average, lower costs seems a suitable mantra for foodservice operators in the digital age.

It wasn’t that long ago when the word “super” applied to especially big servings of fast food. The idea seemed to be to power sales with mammoth portions, until an increasingly wellness-conscious consumer base sent demand for better-for-you options soaring and the industry took the high ground, trimming caloric content and boosting nutritional value to beef up sales.

In the age of grab-and-go, when millennials demand foodservice operators cater to the need for speed in their busy lifestyles, self-service kiosks seem to be just what the foodservice customer ordered. Grab-and-go was bound to give way to tap-and-go, an even-more-streamlined ordering process for the $230 billion fast-food industry, where young customers are putting ever-greater emphasis on “fast.”¹

Soggy sales are putting a damper on the cereal market, sinking business for some major brands. The popularity of this once-perennial staple has been declining for years as consumer preferences have shifted to better-for-you and grab-and-go breakfast options.