Weekly Roundup – Week of 10.3.2022
October 7, 2022
This week’s roundup includes the latest food and beverage-related news stories featuring retailers, robots, and non-commercial programs curated by our team of strategists and food enthusiasts:
Hospitals Default to Plant-Based Meals
After receiving a 95% satisfaction rating from implementing a plant-based lunch program in NYC Health + Hospital’s (H+H) 11 campuses, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and New York City H+H CEO Dr. Mitchell H. Katz announced the expansion of “culturally diverse plant-based meals as the primary dinner option for inpatients in three of its area hospitals with plans to expand to all 11 by year’s end.” According to the Better Food Foundation, which partnered with NYC to launch the initiative, “Only 1% of patients identify as vegetarian or vegan, but over 50% of eligible patients are choosing one of the chef’s specials plant-based meals.” According to the article, over the course of one year, the initiative is expected to impact well over 600,000 meals. As Sodexo is the area hospitals’ foodservice provider, it will be interesting to see if other Sodexo locations start offering plant-based-by-default meal plans. Learn More.
Stop & Shop Opens A New Health & Wellness-Focused Store
Stop & Shop was looking to fulfill a community’s need for additional health and wellness services including “a source for education, for addressing food insecurity and for improving an area’s overall health and wellness” in addition to shopping for grocery staples. And they succeeded with the opening of a new Stop & Shop in Boston’s Grove Hall neighborhood. According to Grocery Dive, this location provides an on-site dietitian, a community wellness center, and resources that manage food pantries at two local schools. The community has experienced chronic health conditions and food insecurities. Jennifer Brogan, the grocer’s director of external communications and community relations states, “This project is not about money-making or profit. This is about investing in our community and helping our neighbors. About making sure our customers know that we’re caring for the community. Read Full Article.
Major Food Companies Share C-store Strategies and Initiatives
Along with all the delicious sampling that takes place throughout the NACS show, retailers were able to learn about innovative foodservice products and technologies making their way onto c-store shelves and countertops. Four leading F&B suppliers revealed their strategies to C-Store Dive on maximizing shopper conversions. Conagra looks to utilize c-store’s capacity for offering a greater assortment of options to introduce new selections of bold flavors and larger-sized bags for its snack lines. Ferrara, the creator of Nerds and SweeTarts, uses insights to help inform consumer impulse purchase decisions that have helped the company realize a “7% improvement in conversion in the c-store, specifically within candy,” said Adam Roscher, chief customer officer at Ferrara. Beverage giant, Coca-Cola, plans to aid retailers through food pairings, turnkey promotions, and smarter beverage dispensing. One solution is its Costa Smart Café that “can dispense over 100 hot and cold drinks without a human needed — a benefit for a business struggling to find labor.” Finally, Kellogg will focus on driving the growth of its core two to three brands with cross-category promotions and bundling options. Get The Story Here.
Will Delivery Robots Roam Chicago Streets?
Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection has approved permits for food delivery robots on city streets for the next two years. Delivery tech companies will be able to partner with local grocery stores and restaurants to deliver orders through an app-based platform. This pilot program stems from an initiative originating from the University of Illinois Chicago. The university reached out to city officials about expanding its program to the surrounding community. The delivery robots are believed to enhance urban life and will accommodate residents with physical challenges such as being visually impaired. And the robots are outfitted with audio warnings and tracking devices should someone try to vandalize or steal a unit. Read More.
For Food’s Sake
A recent TikTok video went viral after showing a recipe for breakfast noodles made from thin strips of pancake batter, named ‘squiggle cakes’. The application on the pancake spaghetti featured powdered sugar and maple syrup but TikTok viewers are finding other savory ingredients to add to the recipe. After the success of the video, the creator posted a tutorial that can be found here. Then, according to the Hustle article, ‘Liquid Death is Killing It,’ just three years after the launch of its canned water with punk-rock branding, Liquid Death Mountain Water has seen over 4,000% growth and is now valued at $700m. I think we can assume that this water’s popularity is not dying anytime soon.
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