Weekly Roundup – Week of 10.27.25
October 31, 2025
Explore this week’s most newsworthy food and beverage stories – all curated by our team of strategists and food enthusiasts:
Category Management Meets Consumer Demand In Retail
Retailers are closing the gap between in-store execution and strategic planning by using real-time shopper data to better understand consumer behavior and optimize assortments, as noted in this Consumer Goods article. Collaborative planning between category, brand, and store teams allows campaigns to be more efficient and performance-driven, reducing waste and improving ROI. For food brands and retailers, this means leveraging shared data and AI to align shelf strategy with digital engagement — ensuring the right products reach the right shoppers at the right time. Learn More
Candy Hits A Sweet Spot With Consumers
Non-chocolate candy sales — led by gummies and chewy varieties — have surged to $12.9 billion, making up one-third of all U.S. confectionery sales in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association. Flavor and texture innovation, such as freeze-dried candies from Ferrara and Mars’ crispy Skittles Pop’d, are driving consumer excitement, especially among younger generations. Gen Z candy spending jumped 47% year over year, while millennials are expected to surpass Gen X in unit sales soon. Snack and confectionery food brands may want to take notice of this shifting consumer behavior. Read On
How Technology Is Breaking Down Casual To QSR
In this episode of the Fast Casual podcast, host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Luke Wilwerding of Elo Touch Solutions, Inc. to explore how technology is completely redefining the restaurant scene, blurring the boundaries between fast casual, QSR and full-service operations. They dive into how innovations like AI-powered voice ordering, self-service kiosks, and computer vision are no longer “nice-to-haves” but table stakes for speed, accuracy, and personalization. Tune in and discover what the future of dining looks like when shelf, screen and service collide. Listen Now
Why Are Chefs Turning To Zero-Waste Menuing?
As foodservice operations grapple with rising input costs, unpredictable supply chains, and heightened sustainability demands, chefs are embracing zero-waste tasting menus as a strategic innovation — turning what were once constraints into creative assets.
Main messages from the Full Service Restaurant Article:
- Waste = opportunity: Kitchens are reframing scraps, trimmings, and excess ingredients as raw material for flavor, storytelling, and unique plated experiences.
- Strategic resilience: A zero-waste program isn’t just sustainability theatre — it supports cost control, supply variability, and brand differentiation in a competitive F&B landscape.
- Guest perception matters: These menus tell a compelling narrative of resourcefulness and purpose, appealing to diners who expect authenticity and environmentally mindful operations.
- Collaboration and systems: Success depends on cross-team alignment — from purchasing to kitchen to service — in tracking materials, rethinking formulations, and communicating the story to guests.
- Scalability & brand implications: While originally higher-end, the zero-waste approach offers relevance for broader formats (even restaurants or chains) by turning constraints into menu innovation, not compromise.
Digital Promotions Drive Stagnating Alcohol Sales
The alcohol category is evolving, and retailers can no longer rely on outdated print rebate models to drive engagement. As consumers increasingly expect mobile-first, value-driven experiences, digital cashback offers a more effective way to boost loyalty, protect margins, and access supplier funding. Recent regulatory changes in states like Pennsylvania and Missouri are expanding opportunities for digital alcohol promotions, accelerating adoption across the industry. Retailers that embrace digital cashback now can reverse category stagnation and lead the shift toward a more dynamic, consumer-centric marketplace. Read More
Get your weekly dose of the latest food industry news by reading our weekly roundup every Friday!
