DoorDash Unveils What -- and How -- Americans Have Been Ordering Online This Year

Today, DoorDash released its second annual Restaurant Online Ordering Trends Report which takes a deep dive into consumer online ordering preferences and emerging dining trends as to what Americans are ordering online and eating now.

The restaurant industry has dramatically changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and off-premise dining is now more important than ever for both restaurants and customers. In fact, in Q1, more consumers than ever before were ordering on DoorDash and there are more DashPass members than ever before...

New Acosta Report Explores the Rising Impact of Inflation on Consumer Dining Habits

Acosta, a global integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, today released its sixth edition of The Why? Behind the Dine, a research report providing foodservice-specific insight bolstered by the expertise of its CORE Foodservice division.

Acosta's findings show that while most consumers (54%) are dining out less often due to inflation, about one-third are choosing to trade down rather than trade out, opting for less expensive restaurant and meal options to counter rising prices...

Mintel Announces 2022 Global Food and Drink Trends

In Southeast Asia, more than 50% percent of consumers* in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore worry that life will not be the same as it was before the pandemic, according to Mintel Global Consumer research on the holistic consumer.

A period of time that saw lockdowns, food panic buying and homes becoming offices impacted consumer behavior in a multitude of ways, including food becoming more than a source of sustenance, but also a source of reassurance. Mintel’s 2022 Global Consumer Trends explores these behavioral changes, with insight and recommendations for food, drink and...

New Acosta Report Finds 40% of Shoppers Buy Plant-Based Products

Acosta, a global integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, today released its latest research report, Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad? The report explores consumers' increased interest in purchasing plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. According to Acosta's research, 40% of today's shoppers buy plant-based meat and/or dairy products, citing health as their key motivating factor.

"Consumers' focus on healthy living increased significantly since the onset of COVID-19," said Kathy Risch, Senior Vice...

Technomic Reports Top 500 Chain Restaurant Sales Recovered Past Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2021

Technomic has released one of its most highly anticipated reports, the 2022 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, which includes expert findings and insights into the sales performance of U.S. chain restaurants in 2021. The report is built using decades of historical data, providing a detailed analysis of the foodservice industry and overarching trends; annual sales and unit counts by chain and segment; and pandemic-related recovery metrics.  

“2021 was a year like no other for the Top 500 chain restaurants,” said Kevin Schimpf, director, industry research...

As the Director of Commodity Analysis and Strategic Procurement at BJ’s Wholesale Club, Allen Ligon has a full understanding of what consumers are looking for right now in their animal protein products. We took some time to chat with Allen to gain his opinion on the market and learn more about the upcoming All-Star Buyers Panel at the Urner Barry Executive Conference.

Hormel Foods Pizza Expert Talks Toppings Trends

Hormel Foods Corporation, a global branded food company and the maker of the best-selling retail pepperoni in the United States, is talking about pizza trends on the heels of its annual showing at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Brand Manager Anthony Panichelli, who for years has focused on the company's industry-leading pizza-toppings portfolio, offered five trends to watch in the coming months.

Plant-based pizza toppings
The plant-based market is continuing to boom as curious consumers experiment with meat alternatives to add more plant-based protein...

Convenience, Technology and Engagement are the Changing Face of Grocery Shopping in India

Grocery shopping has entered a new era in India, influenced by factors such as the fast-paced changes in technology and evolving consumer behaviour. Here, we explore the key trends that are influencing Indian consumers’ online and in-store grocery shopping habits.

Engaging experiences, convenient delivery
The pandemic has given rise to a number of ordering and delivery services – bringing home-bound consumers everything from medicines to groceries. Two in five Indian consumers find using online grocery shopping apps convenient. At the same time, nearly two-thirds...

Jersey Mike's Subs Appoints SOCi as New Global Platform of Record for Localized Marketing

Today, Jersey Mike's Subs announced it has appointed SOCi, Inc. as its global platform of record for localized marketing. Jersey Mike's, known for its authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, operates more than 2,000 locations nationwide. SOCi, the marketing platform for multi-location brands, will help simplify and streamline Jersey Mike's localized marketing strategy, including local listings, social and reputation management, and social advertising across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google Business Profile, and Yelp.

The past 24 months have greatly accelerated the development of new and...

Research Finds More Consumers Weighing Sustainability Claims on Packaged Food Choices

Sustainability considerations now influence the majority of the world’s grocery shoppers when buying packaged foods such as potato chips and cookies, according to Cargill’s most recent global FATitudes™ survey. The proprietary research finds 55% of consumers indicate they’re more likely to purchase a packaged food item if it includes a sustainability claim, a four-point jump since the company last fielded this research in 2019.

“Our latest findings clearly demonstrate that messages surrounding sustainability are having an impact on consumers,” said Nese Tagma, managing...

Americans Projected to Eat 1.42 Billion Chicken Wings for Super Bowl LVI

Football fans might be surprised at the matchup, but one thing is not surprising: America’s love for chicken wings. This is never more apparent than on Super Bowl weekend, when wings are at their hottest. Americans are anticipated to devour 1.42 billion wings while watching the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams battle for the Lombardi Trophy, according the National Chicken Council’s (NCC) 2022 Wing Report.

“There will be no wing shortage,” said NCC spokesperson Tom Super. “Like almost anything else you buy right now, wings might be..."

Packaged Facts Reports Children's Food and Beverage Market Rises to $70 Billion

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020 and 2021, retail sales of children's food and beverage products expanded faster than average due to increased spending at food stores and growing desires for healthy products for the whole family.

In 2021, sales reached $70 billion on the strength of pandemic trends as reported by Packaged Facts' new report Children's Food and Beverage Market: Trends and Opportunities. Products marketed for children are primarily purchased by their parents/guardians...

Wholesale Plant-Based Protein Producers Seizing Upon Market's Insatiable Appetite for Vegan Options

The market for plant-based protein supplies is set to grow at a near-double-digit pace over the next 6-7 years, according to a new report from Meticulous Research. Accelerated by a CAGR of 9.7%, the plant-based protein market is expected to hit $23.4 billion by 2028. Another report from Market Research Future goes even further, predicting the market will grow by 10.2% CAGR through to close to $38 billion by 2027. While much of the media attention has focused on product...

Kroger Announces 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2022

The Kroger Co., America's largest grocery retailer, today announced its 2022 Food Trends Report, which predicts emerging food trends, consumer behaviors and popular items for the year ahead. This fourth-annual report centers on the continued dominance of at-home meals, powered by convenience, affordability, social gatherings, and the desire for sustainable and nutrient-rich food items.

Kroger's 2022 Food Trends Report is thoughtfully curated by Kroger's food experts – from Our Brands product developers to culinary specialists. The report contains 10 top trends that will influence consumer food purchases in 2022...

The Rise of Low-Carb, Keto, and Paleo Snack Trends

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of consumer behavior and daily life. The grocery market experienced much faster than average growth in 2020 since people were staying at home more than usual due to remote work and schooling. Consumers are also snacking more when home more during the pandemic, and some have gained weight.

Interest in low-carb eating plans has increased as consumers are making efforts to improve their health or shed pandemic pounds. The keto and paleo diet both feature lower carb content and have a...

People Love New Food Ordering and Pick-Up Tech, but it's Making Them Impatient

A new survey shows that Americans love new tech-driven options for ordering and retrieving food, but the flipside is that it is making them more impatient. Of those surveyed, 64% don't want to wait more than five minutes to order at the counter or drive-thru window, while 71% of in-house diners were upset if they had to wait more than 10 minutes. More than half (55%) said they were fed up after five minutes of waiting for food in a drive-thru...

Hopdoddy Burger Bar Predicts 2022 Restaurant Trends

After a rebuilding year for many restaurant brands, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, a leader in the better burger space, is predicting a new year filled with opportunities and challenges brought on by greater consumer expectations, supply chain issues and the next step in the craft beer movement.

"The past year has been all about recovery from the pandemic and looking at every facet of our business — especially when it comes to top-notch suppliers — to determine where to go from here," said Hopdoddy Vice President of Culinary Operations Matt Schweitzer. "Looking forward, we are..."

Grubhub Releases Annual Year in Food Report Detailing the Top Trends of 2021

The end of the year is near, but before we say goodbye to 2021, we're rewinding to see how we ate and drank our way through another year of change. Grubhub, a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace, today released findings from its annual "Year in Food" report. Grubhub analyzed orders from over 32 million diners to see what rose in popularity throughout the year while highlighting Grubhub diners' generosity and how they gave back to communities and restaurants in need. In addition...

Technomic: 2022 Global Restaurant Trends Forecast

The world has faced nearly two years of disruption and uncertainty, cautious optimism and unexpected challenges. As we enter another year, the pandemic continues to loom large, informing operations, planning, decision-making and forecasting for operators and suppliers alike. And yet, with so much uncertainty still in the air, it finally seems as though the steady recovery many had expected to make 2021 the bounce-back year may actually have a good chance at materializing in 2022. Vaccinations are rolling out; people are continuing to return to offices, schools and global travel...

Foodservice Industry Performance in October Slightly Declined from the Month Before

According to Technomic’s latest TIndex, its index on foodservice industry health, performance in October declined slightly compared to September, dropping to 97.8 from 98.9. The decline could be due to a few key factors, including softness in the travel and leisure segments as well as slight traffic moderation among independent restaurants.

“Based on this data, the industry is down 2.2% over a two-year basis,” explains Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic. “With that being said, however, foodservice has grown by 18.5% compared to the same..."

Maple Leaf Foods Announces National Bacon Month in December 

Maple Leaf Foods today declared December as National Bacon Month, a time to celebrate what Canadians have made clear in new polling: bacon is unquestionably one of Canada's favourite foods. The Canadian producer of top-quality natural pork bacon products released an array of sizzling new facts and statistics to mark the beginning of National Bacon Month and the leadup to National Bacon Day on December 30.

The results are in: Canadians are 'hog wild' over bacon!

Bacon's story dates back to 1500 B.C in China, where pork belly was...

Jackson & Partners Innovative Food Products Scoring Big with Retailers, Consumers and Inves

Jackson & Partners, a U.S.-based multinational food and beverage manufacturing and marketing company with nine distinct brands that include beef, seafood, appetizers and plant-based products, announced today that sales for 4th Quarter 2021 are expected to exceed forecasts by 40% due to a large influx in retail and food service contracts, according to Alexander Cook, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Founded by former MLB and NFL superstar and longtime food entrepreneur Vincent “Bo” Jackson in July 2020, Jackson & Partners’ explosive growth during the pandemic, when...

Survey Says Americans Want Chicken on their Friendsgiving Plates

Please pass the…chicken! As Americans kick-off the holiday season, many are also gearing up for Friendsgiving – a moment to appreciate our friends that matter most. And this year, friends are choosing chicken as their Friendsgiving centerpiece.

A recent survey of more than 1,000 people across America revealed 65% of people who celebrate Friendsgiving want chicken during the holidays and 77% want to create new traditions, which may include anything from who is at the table to decorations to games played. More than two thirds want...

A Record Percentage of Americans to Host Thanksgiving Dinner This Year, Spending $392 on Average

Thanksgiving 2020 is a blur for many families who decided to scale things back or cancel the holiday altogether because of the coronavirus pandemic. But this year, Turkey Day is poised to make a comeback — a record percentage of Americans plan to host the holiday, according to LendingTree's latest survey of more than 2,000 Americans.

Key findings

- A record percentage of Americans plan to host Thanksgiving dinner this year. Nearly half — 47% — expect guests, up from 41% in 2020 and 33% in 2019... 

Restaurant and More Convenient Lunch Meals Are Returning After A Pandemic Induced Hiatus

Before the pandemic, grabbing lunch from a restaurant or prepared foods from a grocery store was frequent because consumers were at work, school, or out and about. Restaurant lunch visits experienced steep declines early in the pandemic when 78% of lunches were prepared and eaten at home, but with more consumers returning to worksites, schools, and regular midday routines, restaurant and other convenient lunches are recovering, reports The NPD Group.

Online and physical restaurant visits during lunch increased by 4% in the year ending September 2021...

IRI Releases New Grocery Trends Data Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday

IRI®, a global leader in innovative solutions and services for consumer, retail and media companies, today announced new insights on Thanksgiving-related grocery trends. As the holiday season approaches and widespread supply chain challenges continue to impact industries across the economy, IRI has been tracking a variety of holiday-related items to gauge their availability, demand, price and promotion for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The resulting important insights will enable retailers and manufacturers to make better decisions about merchandising, promotional activity, and other variables to drive growth and profitability...

2022: The Year of the Climb

If 2020 and 2021 were the years that emphasized uncertainty, 2022 will be the year the foodservice industry focuses on new, ingenious solutions to head off challenges on multiple fronts. As operators across channels essentially do more with fewer resources, they’ll seek out strategies and partnerships that will help them innovate around menu shortages, labor constraints and the ever-shifting expectations and needs of the consumer.

What are some of the trends on the horizon for 2022, from the state of the industry and operations to menu optimization and enhancing the guest experience...

Technomic Reveals Global Opportunities for the Burger Menu Category

Technomic released the 2021 Burger Global Menu Category Report exploring an in-depth look into global sales, consumer preferences, menu trends, operator insights and brands to watch related to the burger category.

“Burger is one of the largest and most dynamic menu categories on the global stage, and restaurant operators have significant opportunities as recovery scenarios begin to set in across international markets” explains Aaron Jourden, senior research manager of global at Technomic. “The new Global Burger Menu Category Report allows operators and suppliers alike to..."

Sysco Offers New and Innovative Products For Fall 2021 Through Cutting Edge Solutions Platform

Sysco Corporation, the leading global foodservice distribution company, announced today the nationwide launch of eight innovative concepts exclusively for Sysco customers through the company’s Cutting Edge Solutions platform. These chef-tested and exclusive products provide foodservice operators with on-trend menu options such as plant-based ingredients as well as innovative to-go solutions that will help them stand out in the ever-evolving foodservice environment.

“Our Cutting Edge Solutions platform helps our customers stay on-trend and ahead of the competition with new and..."

Jennie-O Turkey Store Shares 2021 Thanksgiving Trends And Predictions

Jennie-O Turkey Store, one of the most beloved turkey brands in the world, today announced its Thanksgiving survey results. The surprising answers revealed how people across the country feel about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, how they plan to celebrate, the dishes they find most intimidating and even how many pounds of food a single person plans to eat during the meal. The survey of 2,000 consumers was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Jennie-O.

CELEBRATION: To Be or Not To Be (In Person)
- The majority of those polled...

Better-for-You Snacks Market Rises to $39 Billion

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020 especially, more people looked to improve their health to prevent or lessen the severity of illness. Consumers are buying more better-for-you snacks that have health claims or label claims perceived to be healthier to improve health and hopefully ward off illness. Snacks with claims that are better-for-you feature good taste, indulgence, and convenience while being healthier than standard snacks by virtue of nutrition or portion sizes.

In 2020, sales reached $39 billion on the strength of pandemic trends as reported by Packaged Facts' new report Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities. Snack products in the scope of this report include...

US Foods Fall Scoop Designed to Help Operators Appeal to Gen Z and Millennial Diners

US Foods Holding Corp. announced the launch of Fall Scoop, the company’s 10th annual edition of Scoop. Themed, “Next-Gen Ideas for Next-Gen Diners,” Fall Scoop features 23 products that cater to the next generation of diners, Gen Z and Millennials. More than half of the nation’s total population are now members of the millennial generation or younger, making them the largest age group of diners who can drive important revenue opportunities for operators. This generation of diners is different than their predecessors – they want familiar menu items with a twist, sustainable and meatless items, and social media-worthy presentations. Fall Scoop products deliver on these demands to entice, attract, and delight this younger generation of dining enthusiasts and help operators “Make It.”

“We’re bringing fresh ideas to our operators that provide the labor savings and versatility they need today with the innovation they’ll need moving forward as they cater to the next generation of diners,” said Stacey Kinkaid, vice president, product development and innovation, US Foods. “To support our Fall Scoop theme...

The Pandemic Lifted Average Retail Spending Per Shopping Occasion, Reports NPD

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the average amount U.S. consumers spend on each shopping occasion, whether it is a trip to a physical store or a visit to an online shopping site. Since reaching $34 in March of 2020, average shopping occasion spending has remained elevated at or above that amount through July 2021, according to The NPD Group. This increase is partially due to a general shift toward online purchasing, where average selling prices (ASPs) and the amount spent on each transaction...

The Factors Propelling Retail Food Sales Forward

Sales spiked significantly in 2020 (+14% from 2019 levels) due to the impact of the coronavirus, according to the update of Packaged Facts' benchmark coverage of retail food sales in Food Market Outlook 2021: Grocery Shopping, Home Cooking, & Food Preferences in the Waning Pandemic Period.

Consumers sharply curtailed dining out or using school cafeterias and instead did more grocery shopping to prepare and eat most meals and snacks at home. Going forward, retail grocery sales are projected to increase at a significantly lower rate in 2021 from this high base as...

Campbell's® Chunky® Debuts New Campaign: Lunchtime Is Your Halftime

Since 1997, Campbell's® Chunky®, the Official Soup Sponsor of the NFL, has partnered with numerous, high-profile NFL players and their moms. To kick off the 2021 NFL season tonight, Chunky will officially launch its latest nationwide advertising campaign, "Lunchtime Is Your Halftime," featuring Head Coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams. This marks the first time a coach has starred in a Chunky spot, as the brand has also featured Chunky Mama's Boys and the regular everyday Champions of Chunky.

In an effort to continue...

Walmart and Meredith Corporation Partner To Help Answer the Question: ‘What’s for Dinner?’

Walmart Inc., the No. 1 U.S. retailer and world’s largest grocer, today announced a cross-platform partnership with Meredith Corporation, the leading multi-platform media company reaching nearly 95% of women in the U.S., to help millions of busy families plan and prepare meals faster and more easily through AI-powered meal planning, shoppable recipes, visual search, chatbots, and more. The partnership pairs Meredith’s expertise in food content, hyper-local consumer insights and proprietary technology platform with Walmart’s wide customer reach, omnichannel presence, deep product assortment, convenient...

Aeros: The Backbone of the Back Office for Egg & Poultry Companies

As we move out of the pandemic, companies can put their priorities back on track. But how have priorities changed? What advancements are being considered as we return to normal? Urner Barry spoke with Aeros, a leader in technological solutions for the egg & poultry industry, to understand more about the changing industry.

Given your knowledge of the industry, what can you identify as being the major changes in trends?

We’ve seen the rise of specialty eggs. Feeding programs initially designed to produce eggs with unique nutritional characteristics have now grown and are driving a major transition from conventional eggs. This change required operations to have a deeper engagement with contract growers. Over time producers built new housing and devised growing programs for cage free flocks. These changes brought additional revenue, but a higher cost in housing...

White Castle's 'Crave Clutch™' Comes in Clutch for Smaller Gatherings with Friends and Family

A year after its launch, White Castle's Crave Clutch has proven to be a popular addition to the brand's lineup of iconic packaging. Customers have embraced the colorful carryout box, which holds 20 Sliders, because it's an ideal size for family meals and smaller friend gatherings that have been so common during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In honor of the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Crave Clutch, White Castle is giving customers $4 off of White Castle's Share-A-Meal #9...

The Majority of Meals Will be Consumed at Home For the Foreseeable Future

Most analyses during the pandemic have focused on discerning its impact on consumer behavior and forecasting how this might change going forward. However, before the pandemic structural changes in the workforce and the aging population already contributed to a home-centric lifestyle, and COVID accelerated it, reports The NPD Group. These long-term trends will continue to influence consumer eating patterns and how they use their homes well into the future, according to NPD’s recently released 36th edition of Eating Patterns in America.

“Our life stage and workplace behavior has a lot to do with how, where, and when we consume foods and beverages, and what we buy to help us...

Foodservice Industry 1.1% Larger in July 2021 than July 2019

Technomic’s TIndex, the index on total foodservice industry reported monthly, was down slightly in July from June. However, this number still represents strong industry results versus 2019. The foodservice industry was 1.1% larger in July 2021 compared to 2019 and 31% larger compared to 2020.

“Softening in some noncommercial segments is the reason for the drop in the TIndex, but restaurant sales remain strong,” explains Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic. “As of the end of July, there has been...

New Acosta Report Details the Evolving Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behavior

Acosta, a global integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, today released its latest COVID-19 Shopper Insights report, COVID-19 Shopper Insights: Which Habits Are Sticking? The report examines pandemic-related shopping behaviors that are continuing to impact the CPG industry as COVID-19 evolves. According to Acosta's research, about 45% of consumers have increased their online grocery shopping and reduced trips to traditional CPG channels since pre-pandemic, indicating convenience and safety remain important considerations for consumers.

"COVID-19 has significantly impacted consumer behavior and accelerated trends we were seeing prior to March 2020," said Colin Stewart, Executive Vice President, Business Intelligence at Acosta. "While many believe we're headed towards normalcy, it is highly likely that...

Surging Delta Variant Continues to Impact the Way Consumers Shop

Just as normalcy appeared to be on the horizon, surges of COVID-19 cases brought by the Delta variant are once again leaving many Americans in fear of what’s to come. Thirty percent of shoppers are more worried about COVID as Delta cases continue to rise, and 40 percent report feeling the same level of discomfort as they did one month ago. Of those concerned Americans, 43 percent report that the Delta variant is impacting the way they shop, and nearly half (47 percent) are more worried about shopping...

Consumers Are Accessorizing Amplified Grilling and Outdoor Cooking Needs in 2021

After taking grilling to new levels last year, consumers now seem to be adapting to the growing needs of accessorizing their outdoor cooking activities. Between January and June 2021, consumer spending on grilling accessories consistently outperformed last year’s numbers, delivering a 28% increase in sales revenue, according to The NPD Group.

“The pandemic compelled consumers to spend on grilling and outdoor cooking, as a way to gather safely, create new experiences with family, and even learn new skills, during...

Plant-based Foods Market to Hit $162 Billion in Next Decade, Projects Bloomberg Intelligence

The plant-based foods market could make up to 7.7% of the global protein market by 2030, with a value of over $162 billion, up from $29.4 billion in 2020, according to a new report by Bloomberg Intelligence (BI). The report Plant-Based Foods Poised for Explosive Growth identifies growth expectations for the plant-based foods market through 2030, as global animal and dairy protein demand is poised to reach $1.2 trillion by then.

According to the new report...

Broadline Shipments of Plant Proteins to U.S. Pizza Operators Jump in Q2 2021 

Pizza has repeatedly ranked in the top foods ordered at U.S. restaurants. According to The NPD Group, in the quarter ending June 2021, there were 1.2 billion servings of pizza ordered, up +4% from the same quarter last year. An aspect of pizza’s popularity is that it can be customized to serve many different tastes and needs, like the growing interest in plant-based proteins. Units of plant-based protein meat analogues and ingredients shipped from broadline foodservice distributors to pizza operators increased by +56% in the second quarter compared to a year ago, reports NPD.

There is a lot of attention in the marketplace and media about plant-based foods, but there is also interest in these foods from consumers, chefs, and restaurant operators. Based on NPD research, about 20% of consumers say...

Canada’s Foodservice Industry Shows Promising Recovery in the Second Quarter Compared to Last Year

Through lockdowns, COVID-19 restrictions, and eventual reopening, Canadians released their pent-up demand and ordered from or visited restaurants and other foodservice outlets in the April-May-June quarter reports The NPD Group. Consumer spending at restaurants and other foodservice outlets increased by +43% in the second quarter of the year compared to the same quarter last year when spending declined by -41% from the year before. Visits, dining in and off-premises orders, improved by +31% compared to the second quarter year ago when traffic declined by -36%, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the foodservice industry.

Each area of the commercial foodservice market is recovering at a different pace. Quick service restaurants (QSR), many of which had well-developed off-premises services like carry-out and...

The U.S. Restaurant Industry Recovery Through Second Quarter has Been Slow and Steady

The second quarter of this year reflects a period during which state and local governments lifted pandemic restrictions, restaurants reopened, people got vaccinated, and consumers used restaurants more than they did throughout the pandemic, reports The NPD Group. Consumer spending at restaurants was up +32% in the April-May-June 2021 quarter compared to the same quarter last year, and for a pre-pandemic view, flat compared to the same quarter in 2019. Restaurant visits, dining in or off-premises, increased by +22% in the quarter compared to the same quarter last year and were down -7% compared to the second quarter of 2019, according to NPD’s daily tracking of the U.S. foodservice industry.

Quick service restaurants (QSRs), representing 81% of restaurant visits in the U.S., realized a gain of +15% in visits in the second quarter compared to a year ago and a -5% decline compared to the second quarter of 2019. Throughout the pandemic, QSR restaurants, particularly...

Online Grocery Start-ups Could be One Of the Enduring Legacies Of the COVID-19 Era 

Alongside the trends too much greater digitalisation, reduced contact through more self-checkouts, automation and a more cashless society, the ultra-fast start-ups could be one of the enduring legacies of the Covid-19 era impacting retail in a future post-pandemic.

The sector will develop strongly on the back of the Covid push and all these players will benefit from a rising tide lifting all boats.

Rather this report deals with the ultra-fast delivery startups, attracting record levels of investment, shoppers and interest. The pandemic has boosted a new dynamic in online grocery, reflected in the rise of GoPuff and its various clones. These players are first and foremost about...

Chicken Marketers Urged to Meet Needs Emerging from the Pandemic

With an estimated 20% of the workforce working at home beyond 2021, there will be 30 million meal occasions daily that used to be lunches consumed away from home. According to research presented today at the 2021 Chicken Marketing Summit, this presents an unprecedented opportunity for innovation for the poultry industry.

The National Chicken Council (NCC) and WATT Global Media presented the results of a study that focused on anticipated US consumer behavior post-pandemic to identify opportunities for chicken to gain market share in home food preparation and the upcoming...

Consumer Confidence Relatively Unchanged in July

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index was relatively unchanged in July, following gains in each of the prior five months. The Index now stands at 129.1 (1985=100), up from 128.9 in June. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions—rose from 159.6 to 160.3. The Expectations Index—based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—was virtually unchanged at 108.4, compared to 108.5 last month.

Consumer confidence was flat in July but remains at its highest level since February 2020 (132.6),” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “Consumers’ appraisal of present-day conditions held steady, suggesting...

Technomic Reveals How the Global Chicken Menu Category is Poised for Growth

Technomic released a deep dive into the chicken menu category uncovering global foodservice sales, COVID-19’s impact on the category, consumer consumption insights and preferences, menu trends, and the top global and leading local chains, with the 2021 Chicken Global Menu Category Report. This report is a deliverable of the Global Foodservice Navigator program, which offers the tools and guidance to remain ahead of consumer, menu and operator trends across 25 countries.

“Chicken chains have been resilient amid the pandemic and the menu category remains primed for future growth,” explains Aaron Jourden, senior research manager of global at Technomic. “With accelerating competition among...

Canada’s Restaurant Count Declined by 5,000 Units in 2020

Before the pandemic, Canada’s restaurant count held steady at 66,000 units since 2016, but then 2020 happened, and the industry lost 5,000 units, a decline of -8%, reports The NPD Group. Independent restaurants lost 3,000 units, representing the bulk of the slide, according to NPD’s ReCount®2020 restaurant census, which tracked Canadian restaurants opened as of December 2020.

The restaurant categories hardest hit by closures are those that relied heavily on customers’ regular day-to-day routines, such as shopping, working, or schooling... 

Packaged Facts: The Future of Grocery 

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of consumer behavior and daily life. In 2020, many consumers were suddenly faced with more time at home.

• Office workers and those with jobs that can be done from home began to work from home full-time.
• Many schools and daycares closed, meaning that students and children were now spending their days at home.
• Restaurants, cafeterias, and other foodservice operations closed to dine-in service in many areas.
• With these changes, families across the U.S. were eating at home more often, cooking more, and sometimes feeding more people than usual throughout the day. As a result...

The Online Grocery Market Nearly Tripled in 2020

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020, more consumers than ever before were deciding to order food and beverage items online to avoid grocery shopping in crowded stores, where they might be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. As reported by Packaged Facts' new report The Future of Grocery: Online Grocery, Meal Kits, & Direct-to-Consumer Food, the online grocery market nearly tripled in 2020.

Packaged Facts projects that online sales of food and beverages will...

U.S. Restaurant Industry Recovery Will Depend on Strength of Key Dayparts

The U.S. restaurant industry has shown remarkable resiliency, having lost as much as 35% of visits at the beginning of the pandemic, but still has a ways to go to get back to pre-pandemic levels, reports The NPD Group. Total restaurant visits were down -6 percent in May 2021 compared to May 2019 but were up +23% from a year ago, recovering from a -23% decline in May 2020. The key to the industry’s recovery will be the strength of each daypart. Each daypart — morning meal, lunch, dinner, and P.M. Snack — will recover differently depending on the new rhythms of home, school, and work-life, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the U.S. foodservice industry.

Visits, online or physical, at morning meal, which includes the breakfast and A.M. Snack periods, were down -5% in May 2021 compared to May 2020, and for a pre-pandemic view, down...

US Food Retail: Where Did Consumers Go During Covid-19? 

While the fact that food retailers have benefited enormously from stay-at-home orders and restaurant closures is hardly news, a deeper look into credit/debit card transactions reveals their different impacts across food retail categories in both brick-and-mortar and online environments. We translated these data points into six learnings from the most eventful year in the food industry in generations, as well as into insights as to how players can sustain the momentum in a post-Covid economy.

- Online is the big winner, but summer may bring a temporary halt. Recent data indicates a likely temporary halt to this expansion in Q2 2021, as cases...

Awareness and Retention Rate for Plant-Based Protein on the Rise in China

According to China Plant-based Protein Topical Report from The NPD Group, plant-based proteins are gaining acceptance in China as Chinese consumers seek more protein in their diets, and plant-based foods become more available and appealing. Although plant-based protein currently has a small serving share compared to meat proteins in China, awareness has reached 90%; and the retention rate for plant-based proteins is on the rise, increasing from 53% in October 2020, to 68% in January 2021.

“There is no doubt that consumers in China view plant-based proteins as healthier alternatives to traditional meat protein,” said Gimantha Jayasinghe, Senior Vice President of APAC Foodservice at The NPD Group. “Though these products have a long way to go in terms of...

Grubhub Releases Third Annual State of the Plate Report

As we approach a new normal and restaurants reopen, there's a lot to look forward to for the rest of the year. Before looking ahead, let's rewind to see how diners ate their way through the last six months. Grubhub, part of leading global online food delivery marketplace Just Eat Takeaway.com, launched the third annual "State of the Plate" report. Looking at trends from hundreds of thousands average daily orders, Grubhub's mid-year report checks in on what has shaped 2021 thus far, including the top trending foods, popular restaurants across the country, and what we can expect to see more of in the second half of the year.

Unlike 2020, diners opted for the plant-based versions of delivery classics so far in 2021. And while last year's top food, the wildly popular...

Consumer Confidence Improved Further in June 

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® improved further in June, following gains in each of the previous four months. The Index now stands at 127.3 (1985=100), up from 120.0 (an upward revision) in May. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions—rose from 148.7 to 157.7. The Expectations Index—based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions—improved to 107.0, up from 100.9 last month.

“Consumer confidence increased in June and is currently at its highest level since the onset of the pandemic’s first surge in March 2020,” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “Consumers’ assessment of current conditions...

Fourth of July Cookout Cost Stable Compared to Year Ago

U.S. consumers will pay just a few cents more for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods compared to last year, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, pork & beans, strawberries, potato chips, fresh-squeezed lemonade and vanilla ice cream with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Farm Bureau analysis reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people remains affordable at $59.50, or less than $6 per person. The cost is up just 16 cents (less than 1%) from last year, but...

DoorDash and Beyond Meat Introduce Limited Edition Summer Grilling Kits for On-Demand Delivery

DoorDash announced a partnership with Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based meat, to offer limited-edition, July 4th grilling kits to help customers host the ultimate BBQ featuring the new Beyond Burger®. The kits are available exclusively on DoorDash for on-demand delivery from DashMart, a new type of convenience store owned, operated, and curated by DoorDash.

As many people prepare for a summer of grilling and gathering, the kit also provides a seamless way for consumers to get their grilling essentials without taking a last-minute trip to the grocery store. According to a national consumer survey that polled 1,000 U.S. adults...

Technomic's Take: Roadblock to Recovery for Restaurants

By all accounts, the restaurant industry is roaring back to life as vaccination distribution spreads, dine-in restrictions are lifted and improved weather throughout most of the country sends consumers flocking to restaurants to dine with friends and family. Operators are reporting same-store sales approaching, and in some cases exceeding, pre-pandemic levels as pent-up demand drives the dine-in surge and off-premise orders remain strong.

For restaurant operators eager to return to full capacity, however, significant headwinds remain as the restaurant industry struggles to fill jobs to meet this booming demand. The biggest challenge facing operators in this current recovery period is finding staff willing to work. There are numerous other factors that are impacting...

Nearly Half of Canadians Plan to Dine On-Premises Now that Pandemic Restrictions are Relaxed

Canadians were anxiously awaiting COVID lockdowns and restrictions to be eased and lifted, and so were restaurant operators. It’s been a long 15 months and 46% of Canadians told The NPD Group that they plan to physically eat at a restaurant, bar, or coffee shop now that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased. Restaurant operators are eager to greet them back and pick-up their dine-in business, which was most impacted by mandated pandemic restrictions.

Dine-in or on-premises restaurant orders/visits have improved since the beginning of the pandemic but, as a basis for comparison, were still down -85% in April 2021 compared to April 2019. Off-premises orders and visits, which include...

US Foods Summer Scoop Lineup Takes Aim at Restaurant Labor Shortage

US Foods Holding Corp. announced the launch of Summer Scoop™. Themed “Dining Out Is In Again,” Summer Scoop features 18 on-trend, versatile, profit-driving products designed to reduce back-of-house preparation and skilled-labor demands. With 62% of operators saying they are concerned about finding skilled workers during the pandemic, restaurant operators struggle to balance the resurgence of on-site diners and existing take-out and delivery operations ramped up during the pandemic. Summer Scoop helps address these challenges with innovative products that can drive higher profits and help operators save approximately 85-95% in back-of-house preparation time compared to making from scratch, helpful for restaurants operating with fewer and less experienced kitchen staff.

“Through each phase of the pandemic, our commitment to helping our restaurant operators ‘Make It’ with product innovation and expert resources has remained our number one priority,” said Stacey Kinkaid, vice president of product development and innovation for US Foods. “As restaurants quickly move closer to...

The Road to Recovery for U.S. Restaurant Chain Customer Transactions Varies by Market

Geography matters when it comes to pandemic recovery for U.S. restaurant chains. A mix of factors, like pandemic-related restaurant restrictions, the closing or opening of units, or chain performance, even the weather or event, can impact restaurant chain customer transactions in a specific market area, reports The NPD Group.

For example, restaurant chain customer transaction declines in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) designated market area improved from double-digit declines last year to -4% in May 2021 compared to May 2019, a pre-pandemic basis of comparison. DFW ranks in the top 10 markets to recover from the steep customer transaction declines caused by the pandemic last year. In addition to Texas lifting COVID restaurant restrictions in March, the market's May customer transactions reflect...

Most British Online Grocery Shoppers Plan to Continue Online Grocery Shopping After the Pandemic 

The great online grocery shopping boom is here to stay as 90% of current online grocery shoppers plan to keep shopping for their groceries online once the peak of COVID-19 passes. Meanwhile, just 5% of these shoppers say they are planning to stop doing so.

An impressive three in five (59%) Brits are online grocery shoppers, up from 50% in 2019 – this represents the highest level of growth recorded in the past decade. In addition to user growth, the category is experiencing increased usage from existing users, with over half (53%) of online grocery shoppers doing...

Instacart Releases Plant Power Trends Report Examining the Consumer Migration to Plant-Based Items

Instacart released its "Plant Power" report, a new data-driven examination of the mainstream consumer migration to plant-based alternatives. According to Instacart sales data, one in three Instacart customers has purchased a plant-based meat or milk product. Further, according to a recent Instacart survey conducted by The Harris Poll, when asked about the grocery and food habits adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic that they'll keep for the long term, 30% of survey respondents said they plan to continue eating healthier by preparing lighter, plant-based meals.

"Plant-based food has grown from a niche category into a grocery staple over the past two years," cites Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart's Trends Expert and Senior Product Manager. "Searches for terms like...