Weekly Roundup – Week of 9.19.2022
September 23, 2022
This week’s roundup covers the latest tech-related advancements helping to streamline grocery shopping experiences, plus a few other notable food-and-beverage-related news stories from the week—all curated by our team of strategists and food enthusiasts:
New App Allows Foodies to Watch, Shop, and Eat
Developed especially for people who “live to eat,” the new Flavrs platform provides a library of cooking videos, recipe how-tos, and shoppable integration that allows users to purchase ingredients instantly. Alejandro Oropeza, CEO of Flavrs told The Food Institute, “That very human need, along with the growing $130 billion creator economy, drove us to create [the] platform. Flavrs is built for people who enjoy food, who see it as an extension of themselves and a way of expressing themselves.” Integrating with Instacart enables users to shop for all ingredients needed for the recipes they view on the platform. Learn More.
Chef Creators’ New Hub For Food Content
A new shoppable website called Jupiter allows chef creators to post their recipe content for visitors to fill their “virtual shopping carts” with the ingredients they need to recreate their favorite chef influencer’s recipes. Visitors have a few options on how to shop on the site including automated ordering, personalized meal plans, and the ability to purchase ingredients from their social media feeds. Once a recipe is selected, all the ingredients are added to their cart and delivered via DoorDash. The chef creators can create storefronts that are integrated with their own social channels such as TikTok and Instagram and they are compensated when groceries are purchased from their recipes. Read Full Article.
New Electrified Cart Brings Efficiency In Online Grocery Order Fulfillment
General Motors has launched an eCart called the BrightDrop Trace Grocery – developed to assist supermarket employees to fulfill online orders more efficiently. Trace Grocery eCarts have a temperature management system that stores food at safe temps for up to four hours, uses propulsion assistance and auto-braking that allow employees to move up to 350 lbs. of groceries and match an employee’s walking speed, and nine compartments that organize food by order, temp, and product type. Read More.
Campbell’s Soup Introduces Flavor Boosters To Speed Meal Prep
To help combat consumers’ busy lifestyles as they continue to cook at home and experiment in the kitchen, Cambell’s Soup launched FlavorUp, a concentrated flavor booster for use in proteins, grains, and vegetables. The convenient squeeze bottles come in three savory flavors: Rich Garlic & Herb, Savory Mushroom & Herb, and Caramelized Onion & Burgundy Wine.
Linda Lee, chief marketing officer of Campbell Soup’s U.S. Meals and Beverage division, tells Food Dive that FlavorUp “is the newest way to cook up concentrated flavor with just a squeeze while elevating meals quickly and affordably.” Millennials who “enjoy restaurant-quality meals” but may not have time to mince fresh garlic, chop mushrooms, or caramelize onions are the primary target. Get The Details.
QSRs Innovate Menus with LTOs
Starting on October 13 in select locations, Taco Bell will be offering Beyond Carne Asada plant-based steak on its menu – the first plant-based whole-cut steak offering available to consumers in the U.S. Made from fava bean protein, vital wheat gluten, and Taco Bell’s spices, this new offering will cost the same as Taco Bell’s steak option. Beyond Meat says it delivers the same taste and texture as marinated steak. Also available this October through November 20, Jack in the Box will add ‘The Basic Witch Shake’ to its menu – made with pumpkin spice and Oreo cookies. The chain is adding a promotional kicker to the LTO. Consumers can receive a free 5-piece churro with the purchase of The Basic Witch Shake using the code ACTUALLYFALL.
Come back next week for more industry-related stories!
