It’s comforting to think that however much the foodservice landscape shifts, comfort food retains its appeal and can be counted on by operators to serve up sales.
Growth Spurt Alert: Flourishing Plant-Based Foods Sure to Keep Mushrooming on Menus
Topics: Trends, Vegan, Vegetarian, Foodservice Industry, Retail, Health & Wellness, Functional, Plant-Based
Labor Challenges and the Impact They’re Having on the Road to Recovery
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.
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
Snacking Comes of Age: Understand Generational Preferences to Position Your Menu for Success
Snacking has become increasingly popular in recent years—and shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2018, 80% of consumers snacked at least once a day.1 Two years later, 88% of adults surveyed for Mondelēz International’s 2020 State of Snacking™ report said they were noshing between meals just as much as—or more than—they did in 2019.2
Topics: Millennials, Trends, Promotions, Marketing & Communications, Side Dishes, Quick Service Restaurant, Appetizers/Snacks, Snack, Gen Z, Gen X, Baby Boomers, Gum & Candy, Single-Serve, OREO, Dessert Ingredients, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Consumer, Demographic, Flavors & Ingredients, Menu Strategy, Retail, Operations, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Branded Ingredients, Mashups, Flavor Profiles, Personalization, Consumer Behavior, Value, Indulgence, Customization, Limited Time Offers (LTOs)
Foodservice Wake-Up Call: Cereal Struggles to Bowl over Consumers
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.
Topics: Breakfast, Better-for-You, Breakfast Biscuits, Bars, belVita Breakfast Biscuits, OREO, Foodservice Industry, Retail
Brand Slam: Covering the Bases of Branded Snack Trends
Challenges and opportunities loom large for big food sellers. While the 25 largest players feasted on 63% of $495 billion in U.S. food and beverage sales in 2016, their share declined from 66% in 2012.1 Private label products, meanwhile, have seen a 3.5% year-over-year expansion of shelf space since 2012.1 Increasing price pressure from upstart store brands and retailers insisting on lower prices are turning up the competitive heat.1
Topics: Millennials, Mobile, Gen Z, Better-for-You, Social Media, Retail, Packaging