As the grab-and-go foodservice trend continues to take hold of busy millennials, the definition of snacking seems to shift further from between-meal treat to convenient meal replacement. Recent survey results show that 92% of millennials eat snacks as meals at least once a week, 50% four times a week and 26% a minimum of seven times a week.¹

With close to 40% of millennial survey participants saying a sit-down meal is too time-consuming and 17% “can’t be bothered to cook a meal,” speed and convenience are key reasons for the snack-as-meal-substitute phenomenon.¹ Snacks present a low-cost, smaller portioned food solution that fits their active lifestyles. Nearly half rank convenience as the most important factor in choosing a snack.²

Topics: Desserts, Millennials, Restaurant Operations, Snacking

Limited-time offers have gone a long way for a long time, and foodservice operators continue to get a lot of mileage out of them as go-to business boosters.

Topics: Desserts, Millennials, Snacking, Trends, Marketing

Donuts are on the rise. Though a longtime traditional staple of the breakfast daypart, they’re sweetening sales numbers at later hours too with endless varieties and flavor combinations. Innovative donut shops and donut-driven foodservice operations are baking big business across the country, and U.S. retail sales are soaring.¹

Topics: Desserts, Snacking, Trends

In-store bakery sales are on the rise—so much so, sales exceeded $13.54 billion in 2015 and the market is expected to reach $18.4 billion in sales by 2020, a 45% jump over the course of a decade.¹ Confidence among retailers is high, with 56% of those surveyed reporting that they consider in-store bakeries a leading driver of traffic and an important point of differentiation for their stores and the way they market to consumers.²  

Topics: Desserts, Snacking, Trends

Given the insatiable millennial appetite for exciting new flavor experiences and interesting twists on traditional favorites, a fresh idea in ice cream should be milked for all it’s worth—and it could be worth a lot. According to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), about 1.54 billion gallons of ice cream and related frozen desserts were produced in 2015 alone, and the average American consumes more than 23 pounds of ice cream yearly.¹

Topics: Desserts, Snacking, Trends

"Consumers today, especially millennials, are eager to spread the word about new dessert experiences."

Topics: Desserts, Snacking, Trends

"Today's consumers are willing to experiment with new dessert flavors and ingredients, but foodservice operators should optimize their assortments with trusted brand names and familiar products."

Topics: Desserts, Millennials, Trends

Let’s face it: Snack trends may come and go, but there’s one constant foodservice operators can rely on, and that’s the pivotal importance of taste and flavor in driving the consumer’s snack choices. 

Topics: Desserts, Restaurant Operations, Snacking

Topics: Desserts, Millennials, Trends

Get Recipe

A perennial favorite, ice cream has a long history as the cold snack that consumers stay hot for. It's no wonder that when New York’s Museum of Ice Cream debuted last year, fans of the creamy favorite scooped up all 30,000 tickets in five days.¹ The joy of ice cream continues to captivate imaginations and tantalize taste buds.

Topics: Desserts, Millennials, Snacking, Trends