Nine in 10 adults now snack more often than before the COVID-19 pandemic1—and due to efforts to limit close contact to reduce the virus’ spread, prepackaged items have become a popular choice.
Foodservice provider Morrison Healthcare, which works with more than 800 hospitals and healthcare systems, has seen a notable uptick in prepackaged snack interest during the past 18 months—although Jeffrey Quasha, Morrison’s director of retail culinary innovation, says customers have actually been drawn to prepackaged options for several years.
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Topics:
Snacking,
Vending,
Noncommercial,
Specialty Coffee Shop,
Business & Industry,
College & University,
Healthcare,
Lodging,
Commercial,
Snack,
Single-Serve,
belVita Breakfast Biscuits,
OREO,
Senior Living,
Grab-and-Go,
Labor,
Convenience,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu,
Customer Experience,
Flavors & Ingredients,
Food & Beverage,
Micro Markets & Vending,
Packaging,
Sales & Profitability,
Operations,
Coronavirus,
Indulgence,
Limited Time Offers (LTOs),
Prepackaged,
Safety & Sanitation,
Food Waste,
Waste Reduction,
Functional,
Healthful,
Micro Market,
Cafeteria,
Office Coffee Service (OCS),
Healthful Snacking,
Grocery,
State of SnackingTM Report
In 2020, the foodservice industry experienced its sharpest sales decline in history, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Signs indicate sales are on the rise within the sector. However, ongoing labor shortages may be preventing some operators from reaching their pre-pandemic volume level.
Turnover rates have reached 144% at limited-service establishments and 106% at full-service restaurants—which are operating with six fewer employees in the back of the house and roughly three less front-of-house workers than in 2019.
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Topics:
Technology,
Noncommercial,
Promotions,
Family Restaurant,
Business & Industry,
Healthcare,
Commercial,
Casual Dining Restaurant,
Grab-and-Go,
Labor,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu,
Customer Experience,
Menu Strategy,
Retail,
Sales & Profitability,
Recruitment & Retention,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Off-Premises,
Limited Time Offers (LTOs),
Prepackaged,
Digital/Online Ordering,
Touchless,
On-Premises,
Foodservice,
Workplace,
Contactless Payments
Over the past year and a half, operators have addressed emerging pandemic-related consumer preference, safety and other needs by introducing innovative menu and operational changes—and a number have shown some staying power.
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Topics:
Technology,
Promotions,
Marketing & Communications,
Mobile,
Independents,
Family Restaurant,
Takeout,
Business & Industry,
Quick Service Restaurant,
Casual Dining Restaurant,
Ice Cream/Yogurt Shop,
Delivery,
Meal Kits,
Donuts/Pancakes/Waffles,
Cookies/Bars/Snacks,
Ice Cream Desserts,
Cakes/Cupcakes,
Breakfast,
Dessert,
Snack,
Holidays,
Chocolate,
CHIPS AHOY!,
OREO,
Family,
Cookies,
Dessert Ingredients,
Grab-and-Go,
Labor,
Convenience,
Foodservice Industry,
Menu,
Creative Inspiration,
Customer Experience,
Consumer,
Flavors & Ingredients,
Menu Strategy,
Food & Beverage,
Sales & Profitability,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Curbside Pickup,
Fast-Casual Restaurant,
Off-Premises,
Consumer Behavior,
Value,
Limited Time Offers (LTOs),
Nostalgia,
Digital/Online Ordering,
Touchless,
On-Premises,
Foodservice,
Sweet,
Fresh
Even as the road to recovery opens up, the pandemic continues to have its twists and turns for foodservice operators. The light at the end of the tunnel has turned into a summer swell of foot traffic returning to restaurants. With restrictions lifting as the temperature rises, consumers seem more likely to make reservations than have reservations about dining in.
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Topics:
Restaurant Operations,
Labor,
Operations,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus
Major restaurant chains had no choice but to flex their off-premises muscle when COVID-19 hit. As discussed in a previous post, bigger proved to be better during the pandemic, as large chains were able to rely on and build out their already well-developed delivery, takeout and drive-thru capabilities. Digital ordering linked consumers to foodservice with contactless ease and became a lifeline that made the difference in whether operations sank or swam in a rising tide of restrictions and infection rates.
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Topics:
Takeout,
Delivery,
Labor,
Sales & Profitability,
Operations,
Drive-Thru,
COVID-19,
Coronavirus,
Off-Premises,
Digital/Online Ordering
