FreshDirect Reveals Top Food Trends for 2021; Online Grocery and Home Cooking Boom to Continue

FreshDirect, a leading pure-play online fresh food grocer serving the Northeast, announced its top food trends for 2021. This year’s predictions were curated by FreshDirect’s in-house team of food experts. As food retailers at the forefront of the industry, FreshDirect has a unique and early view of cutting-edge grocery, ecommerce, and customer trends.

“As a leading online grocer, we have a unique and unmatched ability to understand the ever-changing buying habits of our customers. Our view on past orders, as well as those placed in the future, allows us to spot changes in trends quickly and react to them in real-time. The rapid increase in demand for online grocery and the boom in...

Kroger Shares Top 10 Trending Foods of 2020 

The Kroger Co. announced the top 10 trending foods of 2020, as well as its food trend predictions for 2021.

Based on year-over-year sales growth across Kroger's business, including nearly 2,800 retail stores and pickup, delivery and ship, the trending foods and beverages of 2020 included:

1. Zero-Calorie Soft Drinks
2. Four-Cheese Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
3. Flavored...

Kroger Launches Chefbot to Help Consumers Reduce Food Waste 

The Kroger Co. launched the first generation of Chefbot, its AI-powered Twitter recipe tool that helps users' pair the groceries in their fridge and reduce food waste by providing mealtime inspiration and personalized recommendations.

Developed in partnership with integrated creative and media agency 360i, and technology partners Coffee Labs and Clarifai, Kroger's Chefbot offers an innovative and user-friendly conversational solution for breaking away from mundane mealtime routines and unwanted at-home food waste—common challenges for many as families continue to enjoy more meals together at home. Chefbot's AI analyzes photographs to recognize nearly...

China Declares War on Waste in Food Catering

Ongoing anti-food waste campaigns in China aim to reduce food loss in catering. Although China seems to have no immediate worries about food shortage, the coronavirus pandemic, the geopolitical turmoil, and the escalating trade tensions with leading exporters have the potential to restrict China’s access to edible oil and protein meals. China is highly dependent on these imports, often in the form of oilseeds, which are then domestically processed.

Based on Rabobank’s analysis, eliminating waste in food catering (including restaurants, group dining and food deliveries) could make up to 5% of the nation’s soybean imports (5m metric tons) and 6% of the palm oil imports (0.4m metric tons) unnecessary. In addition, 10m metric tons of feed grains, mostly corn, could also be ‘saved’ this way. As China’s corn is experiencing...

Kroger Provides Resources to Help Families Prevent Food Waste While Enjoying More Meals at Home

In September 2017, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced the launch of Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, the company's bold social impact plan aimed at ending hunger in the communities it calls home and eliminating waste across the company by 2025.

Three years later, Americans are more conscious of food waste than ever before. A recent national survey of Kroger shoppers conducted by 84.51˚, Kroger's data analytics subsidiary, revealed that food waste prevention is top of mind for many families as they continue to enjoy more meals together at home...

Ranking Member Stabenow Introduces Legislation to Protect America’s Food Supply

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced legislation to help protect the food supply after the COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on farmers, workers, food banks, and families.

“The COVID-19 crisis has tested the strength of our nation’s food supply chain, creating a ripple effect that’s harming our families, farmers and workers,” said Senator Stabenow. “This bill will help strengthen our food supply by redirecting food to families and helping farmers and processors retool their operations.”

The shift in demand from restaurants and food service to retail and food donations has caused bottlenecks in the supply chain. Meanwhile, outbreaks of COVID-19 in food processing plants have...