2021 Food and Beverage Trends

RSS

To better help its readers with initial new product evaluation and development Prepared Foods asked Nancy Jo Seaton, owner and president of Seaton Food Consultants, to create a thought leadership series. Seaton has more than 30 years of food industry experience and most recently led global product evaluation for the Subway restaurants.

To address these major issues, Business for Impact at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business is launching a new industry leadership initiative that will bring together food executives, non-profit leaders, government regulators, and the public health community to put teeth into advancing actionable, real world solutions.

Despite significant hurdles created by the COVID-19 pandemic, many new products managed to beat the odds and emerge as winners, making their way into shoppers' carts during unprecedented times and resulting in multiple $100 million launches. More than a quarter of the New Product Pacesetters launched in the fourth quarter of 2019 or January 2020 saw big performances, accounting for 51 of 200 Pacesetter products, with 27 in the food and beverage sector.

The program, which launched in 2018 in collaboration with KitchenTown, a San Francisco based incubator, selects a small group of young companies from around the world to work directly with Barilla teams in developing and implementing innovative business solutions.

Welcome to my monthly series where we cover the most common mistakes suppliers make when calling on national foodservice accounts. This month we’ll discuss mistake No. 4, which is, “Not asking for feedback.”

SKU, an accelerator for consumer packaged goods (CPGs), announced six companies that will participate in the upcoming track of the Minneapolis program, ImpactSKU '21. Each was selected based on the basis of product innovation, market traction, and the passion of founders.

The 2021 edition, prepared in partnership with The Hartman Group, explores how the future of food retail will be colored by the pandemic – driven by shifts in the way consumers purchase groceries.

Although there may be a pandemic-related slowdown, there’s no stopping new product development. To help readers with new product development strategy, Prepared Foods asked Dave Lundahl, founder of InsightsNow, to create a thought leadership series connecting R&D with consumer insights. 

The program, sponsored by Gourmet Foods International, will enable Kroger to discover new suppliers to support the continued expansion of its fresh departments – including produce, deli, bakery, meat, seafood, dairy, specialty cheeses, and floral – and its commitment to being Fresh for Everyone™.

These industry-altering products will shape what’s new and next for the future of food and beverage with flavorful and marketable items designed to satisfy customers’ taste and boost sales for years to come.