Weekly Roundup – Week of 3.23.26
March 27, 2026
Tech glitches, caffeine boosts, and stadium hits fill the stories of the week – all curated by our team of strategists and food enthusiasts:
Fueling the Commute: C-Stores Double Down on Caffeine
Convenience stores are aggressively pivoting to becoming premium beverage destinations. By upgrading bean-to-cup coffee programs and expanding energy drink selections, retailers are successfully capturing a larger share of the morning and mid-afternoon “pick-me-up” market. For food and beverage brands, this trend signals a major opportunity to partner with C-stores on exclusive functional beverages and premium RTD (ready-to-drink) caffeine innovations. Read On
Future Food-Tech: Navigating the GLP-1 Era
As the popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss medications continues to climb, the industry is looking toward San Francisco for answers on how to pivot. Future Food-Tech: GLP-1, Health, and Food System Change explores the intersection of biotechnology and nutrition in addressing changing consumer appetites. For the food industry as a whole, this marks a moment to invest in nutrient-dense, smaller-portion innovations that cater to a biologically altered consumer landscape. Read Article
The Bulk Buy Boom: Groceries Drive Club Store Growth
Warehouse giants like Sam’s Club and Costco are seeing a significant sales lift as consumers increasingly look to bulk-buy essentials to combat inflation. Learn how fresh food and pantry staples have become the primary foot-traffic drivers for the club channel. This shift means food brands must reconsider their packaging strategies and value propositions to better fit the high-volume, “value-per-unit” demands of the club store environment. Learn More
Sweet Heat: The Mike’s Hot Honey Success Story
Go behind the scenes of a modern condiment empire in the latest podcast episode, From Side Hustle to Shelf Staple: The Building of Mike’s Hot Honey. Founder Mike Kurtz shares the journey of turning a Brooklyn pizzeria experiment into a global “swicy” phenomenon through strategic CPG partnerships and brand authenticity. This story serves as a masterclass for emerging food brands on the power of niche flavor profiles and the importance of finding the right “hero” use case for your product. Listen Now
The Silent Profit Killer: Managing QSR Tech Failures
While digital transformation is essential for modern speed, The Hidden Cost of QSR Technology Failures highlights how frequent system glitches can lead to massive revenue loss and fractured customer loyalty. Beyond the immediate loss of a sale, downtime creates a ripple effect of employee burnout and operational chaos. For foodservice operators, this emphasizes the critical need for “fail-safe” redundant systems and a shift in focus from simply acquiring new tech to ensuring its absolute reliability. Read More
Bonus Story: Did Stadiums Hit A Home Run With These Ballpark Foods?
From 128-ounce nachos to “chicken” ice cream, the top 5 craziest baseball stadium foods in 2026 prove that stadium concessions are no longer just about the game—they are the main event—and food brand should take notice when developing recipes for stadium customers. These over-the-top creations show that foodservice venues are leaning heavily into “Instagrammable” novelty to drive foot traffic and social media buzz. Whether it’s a “brisket donut” or a ferry boat full of fries, the goal is clear: make the meal as memorable as a walk-off homer. See List
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