Based in Mintel’s Chicago office, Bentz is responsible for Mintel’s North and South American Advisory business, including Mintel CPG & Beauty Consultancy, Comperemedia Consultancy, and Mintel Field Services.

Covid-19 has affected bakery players in different ways. With foodservice representing as much as 70% of their sales, frozen bakery players have seen reduced orders as food consumption changes from restaurants to home kitchens.

Quarantine snacking has seen wide variance in consumption between relishing in comfort food and enhanced diligence to healthier habits. Flavorchem revealed some of the most prominent bakery and snack trends taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Mintel, the experts in what consumers want and why, released new research analyzing the current economic environment compared to that of the Great Recession, including insight on the economic indicators that will play a role in predicting consumer spending in the months and years ahead.

The US consumer packaged goods industry increased by 2.2% in 2019, outpacing 2018 growth of 2.0%, according to the eighth annual Boston Consulting Group (BCG)/IRI CPG study released at the end of March. The growth was driven exclusively by pricing adjustments in the face of declining average volumes across measured channels. Despite the volume drop, top growth leaders saw their volumes increase over 2018.

While early stage infant nutrition is firmly focused on the developmental needs of babies, it is evident that parents’ interests shift as their children grow and that adult themes become increasingly important in post-weaning categories.

The CPG industry has never been under more pressure as it faces a global pandemic, an impending recession, soaring unemployment, ubiquitous social distancing and unparalleled consumer fear across the US.

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, grocery shopping behavior changed seemingly overnight. The question for many retailers and manufacturers is how the current crisis will impact future shopping behavior once the country returns to a new normal.

Many of today’s busy consumers are juggling their careers, families and social lives while striving to maintain healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally. Food and diet plays an essential role in this, with innovation increasingly looking to support consumer choices as many endeavor to balance the benefits and costs of these hectic lifestyles.

Food and beverage industry reports about consumer attitudes and purchase behavior in the face of the COVID-19 crisis are piling up by the dozens. Brand managers are currently dealing with massive swings in demand, closures, new operating procedures and other shifts in business operations. TAKE THE SURVEY!