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When the weather gets colder, comfort is top of mind – and nothing says “comfort food” like a delicious bowl of pasta. Whether consumers are dining in a restaurant, grabbing a prepared dish from the deli, whipping up a meal kit, or digging into a frozen entrée, it’s hard to go wrong with this Italian […]

Foodservice brands in the QSR, LSR, and fast-casual spaces are all hopping on this year’s most flavorful trend: taking their signature sauce from back-of-house to retail shelves and marketing these private label sauces directly to consumers. More and more restaurant brands are launching private label sauces to capture consumer interest, increase brand loyalty, introduce new

Surf’s up! Between health-conscious consumers, eco-friendly home cooks, and adventurous gourmets, there’s massive demand for value-added and prepared seafood in the retail sector. Total seafood sales shot up 30.2% in the last four years, with 61% of consumers enjoying seafood at least once a week (Circana, 2024). As shoppers get more and more comfortable enjoying

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? 21% of consumers report having a dessert every single day (Datassential, 2023). But with so many dessert brands wrestling for attention in today’s market, innovation has never been more important. Bakery and dessert customers want nostalgic flavors, but they also want desserts with a

Today’s grocery shoppers want the most bang for their buck, prioritizing nutrition, flavor, and value when they’re exploring new brands. That’s a lot to deliver! Fortunately, brands offering value-added protein have an instant leg up. Approximately 92% of shoppers agree that meat and poultry are a great value (Progressive Grocer, 2023) – and that perceived

Fact: 41 percent of consumers eat a vegan or vegetarian dish at least once per week (Technomic 2023). Fact: 40 percent of the general population is open to a plant-forward diet or eating pattern (Datassential 2023). Fact: Plant-based protein is nutritious and seriously delicious. So, why do consumers still hesitate to reach for plant-based protein

Value-added proteins – proteins that are pre-portioned, pre-sauced, or pre-seasoned – have never been more popular in the grocery sector. Why? It’s simple: Consumers are looking for quick, easy protein options that support their busy lifestyles without sacrificing flavor. As consumer tastes get more adventurous, sauces, dips, and marinades are an easy way to enhance your

Recent census data shows that 64% of U.S. households are made up of just one or two people (Statista/U.S. Census Bureau, 2023) – and if you’ve ever cooked for a household of one or two, you know exactly why small-format, pre-portioned protein makes sense. Value-added protein – protein available in the grocery store pre-portioned, pre-seasoned, pre-sauced,

The frozen food category is hot, hot, hot. Customers’ growing desire for convenience, easy meal planning, reliable nutrition, and stellar taste all contribute to the boom, and there’s nowhere to go but up. Of course, not all frozen ready meals are created equal. Truly outstanding frozen meals – the ones grocery shoppers reach for again

The votes are in: Today’s flavor-obsessed foodies are clamoring for frozen meals. But the increased demand for ready-to-eat meals isn’t just about convenience; four in ten consumers who regularly reach for ready meals do so because they like the taste, while a third choose them to satisfy a specific craving (Kantar Profiles/Mintel, 2023). As more