The Retail Rundown: Grocers Vie with Foodservice During Peak Travel Season

Summer is usually the peak demand period for foodservice, as warmer weather encourages vacation plans and out-and-about activities. As more consumers embark on trips, spending is typically increased at restaurants and bars.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday showed that restaurant business rose 0.3 percent last month, likely supported by the summer travel season. Overall retail sales in June remained unchanged from May, outpacing expectations for a decline. Stock futures climbed following the stronger-than-expected data, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to... 

January AI and Mars Leverage AI to Generate Product and Consumer Insights

January AI has developed an AI platform, based on digital twin technology, that enables the prediction of consumer reactions to foods without the need for consumption. Working together with Mars, known for snacking, food, and pet care brands, through its research arm, the Mars Advanced Research Institute (MARI), January AI will leverage their artificial intelligence tools to generate new insights that could be used to shape future research and development efforts.

The collaboration combines January AI's advanced digital twin technology with Mars’ significant R&D...

Gen Z Discovers Costco , Sam's Club and the Joy of Buying Groceries in Bulk

With food prices still high, shoppers look for ways to team up with roommates, neighbors and family

Young adults are battling sticker shock at the grocery store by supersizing their groceries. They are turning to bulk purchases, splitting their food costs with friends, roommates, family and neighbors.

Shoppers in their 20s and 30s are trying to fight higher prices by joining warehouse-store giants such as Costco and Sam's Club.

Generation Z shoppers represent the fastest-growing member group at Walmart-owned Sam's Club...

Rubix Foods Launches Influencer Network to Inspire QSR Concept Development

Rubix Foods, a premier culinary and food science-focused provider of flavor and functional ingredients to restaurants, announced today its new insights generator: the NEXT Flavor Network. This exclusive group of taste-making social influencers will collaborate with the Rubix team by channeling the ideas, wants and cravings of their Gen Z audiences, supplying this insight directly to the company's roster of quick-serve restaurant (QSR) customers. This newly established Network will serve as an extension to Rubix's already robust market research and consumer insights department...

Americans Are Planning on Dining out More: Doggy Bags, Happy Hours and Value Meals Surge

With dining costs on the rise, Americans are getting creative to save a few bucks when eating out, according to the latest research from Lightspeed Commerce Inc., the one-stop commerce platform empowering merchants to provide the best omnichannel experiences.

Lightspeed surveyed more than 7,500 dining consumers globally, with 1,500 respondents in the U.S. to better understand how dining trends have evolved in the past year. Some good news for restaurants on the horizon: 51% of respondents said they will either...

Reaching the Consumer: New Research Helps Identify the Future Pork Consumer

Research shows pork consumption is declining across every generation and is at risk of becoming a protein of the past. Baby Boomers have been the primary consumers of fresh pork and they are aging out. Gen Z and Millennials don’t buy fresh pork at the same rate as older generations. The good news is the decline in pork sales is reversible. The pork industry needs to unite around a common goal of making pork relevant to younger consumers.

Following one of the worst years of profitability for pork producers...

Consumers Remain ‘Willing to Spend’ Even as Growth Slows

Shoppers are still willing to buy even as smaller job and wage gains and high interest rates are slowing the growth of consumer spending, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.

“U.S. economic growth for the remainder of this year will depend on several factors but particularly the pace of job growth, inflation and what actions will be taken by the Federal Reserve,” Kleinhenz said. “The good news is that the economy is growing, inflation is moderating, and overall fundamentals look fine as increased consumer spending supports underlying momentum.”...

Specialty Food Association Releases New Research, Understanding the Real Value of Specialty Foods 

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has released a second edition of its groundbreaking research report, Understanding the Real Value of Specialty Foods. Built on interviews with 1,000 shoppers, 100 retailers, and other data points, the new report outlines the positive impact of specialty products on retailer profitability and shopper loyalty, impact that has only increased in importance since the first edition came out in 2014.

Describing the current moment as "an era of specialty food prominence," the report notes that sales of specialty products have...

2024 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Series: How Consumers Are Finding Value at the Grocery Store, FMI

Shoppers enjoy food shopping as much as ever, according to the latest annual survey by FMI – The Food Industry Association, conducted by The Hartman Group. The analysis kicking off this 2024 series, U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: Finding Value, provides a crucial snapshot of consumer behavior and sentiment in the most frequently purchased consumer category amid ongoing concerns about the impact of inflation on the cost of groceries.

While consumer concerns about food inflation persist, FMI’s newly launched U.S. Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index, which accounts...

Packaged Facts Illuminates the State of the U.S. Food Market

Propriety survey shows that 53% of consumers are still very concerned about rising food prices.

In a dynamic landscape where food and beverage trends evolve faster than ever, Packaged Facts’ latest report, U.S. Food Market Outlook 2024: Opportunities & Challenges With Pricing, Convenience, Sustainability & More, provides a compass for industry players navigating uncharted waters.

The food industry faces unprecedented tests—from supply challenges and rising labor costs to changing consumer preferences and increasing need to address sustainability issues. Packaged Facts’ new report equips retailers, service providers, wholesalers, food processor...

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Shows Retail Sales Grew in March Amid Wage Gains and Easing Inflation 

Retail sales grew at a steady pace in March, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation.

“As inflation for goods levels off, March’s data demonstrates steady spending by value-focused consumers who continue to benefit from a strong labor market and real wage gains,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “In this highly competitive market, retailers are having to keep prices as low as possible to meet the demand of...

Mintec's 2024 US Easter Index

Mintec’s US Easter Index measures price fluctuations across key food commodities that are typically consumed in the US during the Easter period. The US Easter Index compares the commodities’ prices in March 2024 against March 2023 to determine whether consumers will be hypothetically better or worse off this Easter. The Index is comprised of three sub-indices: the US Easter Protein Index represents a selection of meats, fish and eggs that will typically be eaten as part of a main Easter dinner; the US Easter Chocolate Index compares the main...

Circana Announces Top 50 U.S. Restaurants

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released its 2024 Definitive U.S. Restaurant Ranking Report, offering insights into evolving consumer habits, performance trends, and the top players in the industry.

While restaurant traffic saw a modest growth of 1% in 2023 compared to the previous year, a 5% increase in consumer spending was recorded, surpassing the 4% growth observed in 2022. Notably, the industry now stands as a half-a-trillion-dollar juggernaut, with dollars exceeding 2019 levels by 12%, despite traffic remaining 8% below prepandemic levels...

ANALYSIS: A Look at Steak Cuts That Are Soaring and Sinking in 2024

Through nearly the first quarter of the year, the steak cuts within the boxed beef market have traveled down strikingly different paths. While there are several factors impacting the market, there are a handful of key standouts that have impacted some popular cuts as we near the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Let’s start with ribs and tenderloins. These items saw the bulk of seasonal discounting early in the year. Winter storms swept across the nation in January and those helped provide a floor and...

19th Annual Power of Meat Reports Strong Meat Consumption, Evolving Consumer Trends

The number of Americans who describe themselves as meat eaters (80%) and the number of households that purchase meat (98%) remain steady from 2023, while the number seeking to decrease meat consumption has fallen by 20% since 2020, according to the 19th annual Power of Meat report released today by the Meat Institute and FMI—The Food Industry Association.

According to data cited from Circana, overall household penetration averages above 97% for all incomes, ethnicities, household sizes and ages...

Texas Foodservice Industry Surpasses $100 Billion in Sales for the First Time

According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Texas foodservice industry has achieved two major milestones, crossing the $100 billion sales threshold for the first time and graduating to the largest private sector employer in the state, surpassing the healthcare industry. These milestones and new data collected from a diverse group of restaurants across Texas reflect the resiliency of the industry that continues to grapple with the economic shock waves caused by the COVID-19 pandemic...

The Habit Burger Grill Introduces $6 Grown-Up Meal After Discovering Adults Love Kids' Menu Savings

The Habit Burger Grill, known for its flame-fresh chargrilled Charburgers, signature sandwiches, salads, and shakes, has sponsored a study on Americans' dining habits amidst inflation. Conducted by OnePoll and surveying 2,000 adults nationwide, the study revealed a surprising trend: while 75 percent of Americans support adults ordering from kids' menus to save money, many feel too embarrassed to do so. In fact, only 20 percent reported they actually have ordered a kid’s meal for themselves...

Market Force Study Reveals America's Top Grocers, and What Feeds Consumers Choice of Where to Shop

Market Force's newest syndicated research covering grocery retailers suggests that consumers are still focused on pricing and promotions, but that slowing inflation has allowed them to also choose grocers based on convenience, cleanliness, and variety of merchandise available. H-E-B, Fry's, King Soopers, Brookshire Grocery and Food Lion rank at the top of consumer preference, receiving the highest proportion of consumer spending across 40+ grocery brands named in the study. Interestingly, "loyalty" to a grocery brand, doesn't necessarily translate to higher...

February CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Numbers Show Consumers Continued Spending in February

Retail sales continued to grow in February, building off solid gains from January, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation. Click here to access February’s retail data.

Total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gasoline, were up 1.06% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 6.3% unadjusted year over year in February, according to the Retail Monitor. That compared with a decrease of 0.16% month over month and an increase of 2.34% year over year in January...

Q4 Trends Report: Catering Orders Surge with New Digital Ordering Channels, Food & Alcohol Insights 

Toast, the all-in-one digital platform built for restaurants, today announced its Q4 2023 Restaurant Trends Report, providing insight into the overall state of the U.S. restaurant industry through an analysis of aggregated data from selected cohorts of restaurants and in select U.S. metropolitan areas on the Toast platform, which serves approximately 106,000 restaurant locations as of December 31, 2023. Read more details about our methodology below.

This report looks into catering and large event transactions on the Toast platform, trends in...

Circana Report Reveals Private Brands Surge Amidst Inflation 

Supporting shoppers by investing in innovation and promotions is key for retailers.

Circana™, the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, ​​today released a new report on the state of private brands (also referred to as store brands or private labels). Despite high inflation, private brands have experienced growth, surpassing $217 billion in sales in the United States market. The report, “CPG Private Brands Update,” provides an update on the store brand landscape, and identifies retailer opportunities to increase demand for their own brand and private brand...

New Research Identifies Opportunities for Aligning on Consumer Eating Occasions

Insights revealed today from FMI – The Food Industry Association, Oliver Wyman and Circana demonstrate new opportunities for food industry trading partners to cater to shoppers’ expanding definitions of value. The research, Finding Growth for Food & Beverage at Retail: Winning Eating Occasions throughout the Day, supports go-to-market strategies and ways in which grocers can attract more shopper relevance regarding needs, experiences, tastes, rewards, health – and especially convenience.

Mark Baum, senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer, FMI said, “The research showcases how food and...

New FMI Report: Food Industry Committed to Health and Well-Being Initiatives

Most food industry companies are operating with established nutrition, health and well-being strategies to meet increased shopper focus on healthy eating

As Americans’ interest in nutrition and healthy eating has increased in recent years, companies across the food industry have implemented numerous initiatives to support consumers’ health needs and priorities, according to FMI – The Food Industry Association’s new Food Industry Contributions to Health and Well-Being 2024 report. The survey, conducted in October 2023, includes insights from both retailers and product suppliers... 

Podcast: Agri-Food for Thought on Valentine's Day and "Hot" Cocoa Prices in 2024

Jamie and Simon gear up for Valentine's Day with insights on consumer spending and the price tag on the food products they love. Featuring special guest, Andrew Moriarty! Listen Now. 

Cargill “Protein Profile” Finds Shrinking, Time-Strapped U.S. Households Demand Easier Meal Options 

Annual trends report reveals top industry insights, including consumers’ desire for more diverse and globally inspired foods on their menus

North American consumers need protein solutions that are right-sized, simple, globally inspired and affordable. That’s according to the newly published “Protein Profile,” an annual report produced by Cargill’s North American Protein business. The comprehensive findings are compiled by Cargill’s Marketing and Insights team, based on their own proprietary research and market intelligence gleaned from working with North America’s top retailers, food manufacturers and restaurants...

Americans to Eat 1.45 Billion Chicken Wings for the Big Game

With the second biggest eating day of the year after Thanksgiving upon us, there’s no hotter time for chicken wings. According to the National Chicken Council’s 2024 Wing Report, Americans will devour 1.45 billion wings while watching Kansas City and San Francisco battle for the championship trophy.

“Football is great. Wings are great. But they’re even better together,” said Council spokesman Tom Super. “Sure, you can have your chips, your guacamole, your pizza. But when it comes to menus next Sunday, wings rule the roost...

Rise of Ketogenic Dietary Preference Spurs High Protein Launches in Asia, says GlobalData

Growing awareness of the significance of a ketogenic diet for weight loss and weight management is driving consumers to read labels and ingredient lists when shopping for food and drinks. Brands are therefore focusing on innovations to keep up with changing consumer demands for high protein products, says to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Parthasaradhi Reddy, Consumer Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Health is an important motivator for Asian shoppers when buying food and drinks, given the high obesity levels and the need for...

Pizza Hut Releases Report on 2024 Pizza Trends

To kick off the New Year, Pizza Hut is revealing its latest research on pizza trends and top predictions of what's to come in the pizza category for 2024. Pizza Hut has led the way with culinary innovation and iconic pizzas since 1958, from the Original Pan® Pizza to Original Stuffed Crust® to its latest category innovation, Pizza Hut Melts®. The leading pizza destination continues to push boundaries, always staying on the pulse of the latest trends and consumer behaviors to introduce new...

Americas Food and Grocery Sector Projected Growth and Competitive Landscape Through to 2027

The "Americas Food and Grocery Sector Overview, Market Size, Competitive Landscape and Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Recently published data provides an extensive analysis of the Food and Grocery retail sector across the Americas, with robust growth forecasts and market shares of leading retailers.

A comprehensive databook offering groundbreaking insights into the Food and Grocery sector within the Americas has been added to our vast repository of industry research. This resource is poised to be invaluable for stakeholders looking to navigate the...

Mintec Releases "Christmas Dinner Index 2023" Report

2023 Restaurant & Delivery Data Report by Otter

2023 was a year of mixed performance for the global restaurant industry. While restaurants generally recovered from pandemic-era losses, record-breaking inflation took a bite out of many eateries’ profit margins. Now more than ever, restaurant tech is critical to help eliminate redundant costs and maximize returns on every order served. That’s what more than 275,000 businesses have been doing with Otter’s Restaurant Operating System.

In this report, you’ll find the most vital (and most timely) data points for the success of today’s restaurants across the United States and Canada...

Consumer Spending in U.S. Restaurants Continued to Rise in November

Household spending is being supported by consumers' positive sentiment about their local economies.

Restaurant sales rose steadily in recent months, as resilient consumers maintained their willingness to spend on experiences.

Eating and drinking places* registered total sales of $94.7 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis in November, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That was up a solid 1.6% from October’s upward-revised volume of $93.2 and represented the ninth consecutive month of sales growth...

Heavy Restaurant Breakfast Buyers Drive Both Commercial Restaurant Visits and Retail Sales

Continuing its cross-channel analysis to gain the most robust Complete Consumer™ insights, Circana™, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, today released new findings on morning tradeoffs happening across consumer packaged goods (CPG) and foodservice purchases. The latest insights highlight consistent growth in commercial restaurant visits for morning meals (+4% in the last 12 months), driven primarily by Tuesday to Thursday visits, when people are most likely to be commuting to the office.

The key driver of this restaurant growth, the heavy...

Fast Food & Quick Service Restaurants Take Off: Market to Reach US$318 Billion by 2034

The fast food and quick service restaurant market is expected to continue its upward trajectory, fueled by convenience, affordability, technological advancements, and evolving consumer preferences. Addressing health concerns and offering innovative, healthy options will be key for market players to thrive in the future.

The valuation for the global fast food & quick service restaurant market was around US$ 1 87,774.1 million in 2023 and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.90% over the forecast period...

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Shows Strong Retail Sales Gain for First Half of Holiday Season

The holiday shopping season got off to a good start in November as retail sales showed strong gains, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation. Click here to access November retail data.

“November Retail Monitor data shows that consumers are embracing the holiday season and promotions being offered by retailers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Value conscious shoppers are out looking for deals as they purchase gifts for family and friends, and...

DoorDash’s Dash From the Past 2023 Trend Report and a Look Back at Ten Years of Deliveries

2023 was all about milestones. While DoorDash celebrated its 10th anniversary and a decade of empowering local communities, we know our customers celebrated special moments, too. Whether it was a birthday, graduation, holiday, game day or just because – this year, customers celebrated the moments that mattered. From serving up the best of your local neighborhood cuisine to coming in clutch with the perfect gift that you definitely didn’t forget about, no matter how big or small these moments were, DoorDash was there to...

U.S. Pork a High-Quality, Convenient Option for Consumers in Korea

USMEF is partnering with Korean retailers to develop and promote U.S. pork in new home meal replacement products.

Korean processors, retailers and restaurants are working aggressively to develop new ideas to satisfy the needs of fast-growing, single-person households in Korea, which now account for 41% of all households.

Consumer demand for quality and convenience is booming and USMEF is partnering with retailers to develop and promote new products with U.S. pork for as home meal replacement (HMR) options.

One such partnership has been an ongoing collaboration with...

Experts at Columbus Craft Meats Welcome the Holiday Season with Insight on Latest Charcuterie Trends

While no one holiday gathering is the same, certain traditional elements are consistent with parties this time of year. Lights and decorations adorn roofs, walls and fixtures, surrounded by beloved friends and family in the warmth of an inviting home. And of course, what holiday party is complete without an appetizing spread of delicious food?

Charcuterie has become an integral part of holiday celebrations for people throughout the country, as charcuterie boards — consisting of meat, cheese, acid, crunch and a "wow" factor — are especially popular...

More People Than Ever Expected to Shop During Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend

An estimated 182 million people are planning to shop in-store and online from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This figure is 15.7 million more people than last year and is the highest estimate since NRF began tracking this data in 2017.

“The Thanksgiving holiday weekend marks some of the busiest shopping days of the year, as consumers enjoy the tradition of shopping for the perfect gifts for friends and loved...

Amazon Leads U.S. Grocery Retailers in Personalization Followed by H-E-B and Kroger, dunnhumby Finds

Dunnhumby, the global leader in customer data science, today released a special edition of the dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index (RPI), designed to determine which retailers in the $1 trillion U.S. grocery market personalize the shopping experience best for their customers. In this inaugural RPI for Leadership in Personalization, dunnhumby found that Amazon stands apart from all other retailers followed by H-E-B in second and Kroger rounding out the top three. These three retailers are at the top of the rankings because...

Holiday Grocery Shopping Habits

Though technology has undeniably evolved the way we communicate, I’ve found that no text, call, or video chat can replace the warmth of hugging my mom. The holiday season for me is a time of strengthening familial bonds, gifting joy, and indulging in the “Superbowl” of meals. Raised by a large village of multigenerational family and friends, these moments spent together come few and far between and are deeply cherished. Whether hosting or traveling home, our U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends, Holiday Season report finds more than 90% of Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving and the December holidays...

Census Says Retail Sales Grew Year Over Year in October But Growth Continued to Slow

Retail sales kept up a long streak of year-over-year gains in October even though the rate of growth continued to slow, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said in response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s release of monthly retail sales data today.

“Fourth-quarter consumer spending stepped off on a more moderate pace, as expected,” Kleinhenz said. “The staying power of the American consumer has been the story of 2023, but financial conditions have...

OpenTable Debuts Annual Top 100 Restaurants List Alongside 2023's Biggest Dining Trends

As 2023 comes to a close, bringing holiday and year-end celebrations, OpenTable is helping diners select the perfect venue with the debut of its Top 100 Restaurants in America list for 2023. Featuring an updated methodology using OpenTable diner reviews and new metrics, the list uncovers some of the most in-demand restaurants by OpenTable diners this year.1

Additionally, OpenTable insights from the year (January 1 – September 30) compared to 2022 reveal shifts in diner behaviors and cravings. Highlights include...