Thought for Food™

And what it means for your business

20 Extravagant Foods in Times of Restraint

Just as comfort food is used to bring joy, curb anxiety and feed the soul, could extravagance do the same? We’ve found many examples of expensive or exclusive experiences via food, even while households are feeling food inflation. Here are some ways people are using premium food as a reward in times of restraint.

Food’s Role in Healing (or Celebrating) After Divorce

From “Divorce Chicken” recipes to break-up party spreads, marriage endings are creating new relationships with food. Here’s a collection of what we’re seeing around the growing trend of separation-sustenance and how food or beverage brands can help feed the healing—or the relief.

Get Inspired by the World of Culinary Tourism

There’s big opportunity in the pursuit of unique, immersive eating and drinking experiences: i.e., culinary tourism. Here are some of our top picks from the U.S. and around the world, giving you a look at where to draw inspiration for your own business.

The Overseas Brands & Products Succeeding in the U.S.

While the U.S. once held a monopoly on innovative ideas, overseas chains are moving on missed opportunity in restaurants, grocery aisles, liquor stores, and even retail. Here, we highlight some noteworthy brands and suggest ways to position yourself for success.

Nourishing the Mental Health of Your Consumers

From burnout to loneliness, nearly half of consumers cite mental health as a top issue. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we’re sharing ideas for both our industry and our personal lives—like sensorial experiences, functional ingredients and finding joy in cooking something weird!

Home-Run Stadium Food Trends

The MLB regular season opener on March 25 heightens our collective anticipation of spring, and with it, our craving for stadium food. To get an idea of the common denominators, we took a look at venue trends, noteworthy concessions across the globe, and opportunities to play.

The Foods and Trends Behind the Year of the Horse

February marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, defining 2026 as a year of action, energy and movement, where the overall spirit is about blazing a trail and taking bold risks. Let’s look at how food-oriented brands are participating in the festivities.

Exploring the Possibilities within Small-Plate Culture

The demand for smaller portions is becoming a space for menu-makers to play in. To spark inspiration, we’re putting a spotlight on small-plate culture, highlighting the uniqueness of dishes along with possibilities for interpretation.

Navigating the Evolving U.S. Food System

As the U.S. food system evolves and consumer behavior continues to shift, the effects on the food industry are becoming clearer by the day. Let’s explore the key topics that the country—and the world—currently have eyes on.

A Comprehensive Look at 2025 Alcohol Trends

In honor of summer fun, we’re exploring trends in the alcohol space. We’ll take you on a tour of global flavors, expose you to the next coffee drink craze, prove that good things come in small packages, touch on eco-friendly developments, share our favorite finds across the industry, and give 10 business-building ideas that span drink branding, food pairings, sponsorships, LTOs, exclusives, collabs and targeting.

Celebrity Chefs [Part 2]: How Kid Chefs Are Cooking Up Creativity

This month, we continue what we started in May: a deep dive on celebrity “chefs.” This time, we’re focused on famous kids who cook, and/or are pursuing a culinary path, whether they are the kid next door, or have a famous parent in the field.

Celebrity Chefs [Part 1]: Professionals and Amateurs

This month, we trace the celebrity chef from its roots in the 1500s to present day, acknowledging the contributions of both the classically trained and the amateur. Learn about their role, impact on consumer attitudes and behavior, and shocking claims from industry analysts. Plus, we’ll introduce you to our favorite “normies.”

The Growing Avenues of Coffee

This month, the buzz is around coffee: who’s drinking it, what’s driving it, and where we see innovation. So pour a cup and sit back as we introduce you to a YouTube coffee superstar, instant coffee paste, coffee for kids, coffee alternatives, and ideas to leverage coffee as an ingredient in…well, anything.

Getting Inspired by Mainland Hawaiian Fare

This month, we’re offering an island escape, sharing buzz on the restaurant concepts, chefs, cookbooks and flavors of Hawaii, especially those found on the mainland. Learn about proteins, cocktails, snacks, sauces and spice blends that could inspire your product pipeline—or home kitchen.

A Look into Responsible Food Packaging

This month, we revisit responsible packaging, and the demand created by new legislation, as well as controversy surrounding recycling. Take inspiration from recent innovations in the U.S. and overseas and consider our four recommendations to focus efforts.

Focusing in on Today’s Food Photography Trends

With food photography powering content in every area from websites to packaging, sales materials, and media, we keep our finger on the pulse of trends in this space. Here are 5 of our current favorite trends.

The Powerful Growth of Asian Grocery in America

We discuss the rise, significance and wide appeal of Asian grocery, as well as key players and formats. And inspired by social media, we shop nearby locations and “share our haul.”

A Recap of Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum

We recently attended the WSJ’s Global Food Forum, an event that brings together leaders from across the industry to discuss and explore the major forces shaping food and agriculture.

Tamarind: The Exotic Fruit with Exciting Potential

This month, we are pressure-testing a prediction for tamarind as “flavor of the year.” Learn more about this versatile, exotic fruit — including how it’s been “covered” within the industry, what new launches we see, and how our Culinary Specialist recommends using it.

Podcast Picks and Best Practices

Podcasts are no longer niche. Most adults are listening weekly. In our industry, brands from Trader Joe’s to Crumbl Cookie are getting in on it. This month, we’ll be sharing not only the food, beverage, and restaurant podcasts on our radar, but best practices from our experience in podcast development.

Expressions of Culture Via Food & Beverage

Attending restaurant pop-ups, posting pictures of what we create or consume, taking on taste challenges, binge watching “Taste the Nation”…all are common ways current culture is expressing itself through food and beverage. This month, we searched far and wide for more disruptive examples.

Gen Z: Figuring Them Out and Luring Them In

Interest in targeting Gen Z has grown as our “former darling” millennials age. Beyond their obvious youth and workplace stereotype, who are they, what do you need to know about them as food and beverage marketers, and how can you understand them better in 5 minutes or less?

Breathing Life into The Ghost in The Machine

While technology continues to take us “out of this world,” there’s amazing work being done to bring it back down to earth. Just as we build brands to be relatable to humans, so are robots, and virtual humans being built with characteristics so lifelike, that in time, they will be our mirror image.

Challenge for 2024:
A Balanced Digital Life

As we head into the New Year, we challenge brands to not only be more mindful – but to actively encourage and support the consumer need to unplug from devices and social. Doing so may require new thinking in relation to content, platforms, and brand experiences.

14 Examples of Retail Theater

The term “retail theater” has become synonymous with “in-store experience”. We subscribe to a more pure, undiluted definition – one that holds the term to a higher standard and should be reserved for engagements that meet more of the criteria for live theater. In our opinion, retail theater is rare, but we’ve located 14 examples across the globe that truly deliver.

2 Areas Where Tradition Is Being Upheld

What if resurrecting the past had less to do with novelty and more to do with preserving culture? What if the motivations were purer…say, saving something from extinction? That is precisely what we are seeing. The attempt to preserve “old world traditions” lest they be forgotten.

10 Pop-Up Experiences From 2023

Creating exclusive experiences is no easy task. Let’s explore a range of recent pop-up experiences, to see how they leverage everything from pop culture, to takeovers, and unconventional retail spaces to drive brand engagement and test new product ideas.

Catch the Girl Power Wave

After nearly a century of efforts designed to help young girls reimagine what it means to be one, girls – of all ages – are taking charge.

10 Antidotes to TikTok Food

One of the many common denominators to TikTok food trends is simplicity. Let us propose something a countertrend: things that are hard to make.

Natural Products Expo West 2023

We’ve been heading to Expo West for 5+ years and always walk away with new industry learnings and connections. This year proved no different, and while many of the trends aren’t new to the natural products space, there are key areas gaining momentum.

Nostalgia: 2 Ways In

The desire to reconnect with things from the past that once brought us joy is not a byproduct of the pandemic, it’s a desire that’s been here all along. What tends to change are the particular items (and decades) consumers yearn for.

What You Should Know About Hormonal Health Diets

In health and diet, consumers have a habit of chasing that next big thing – even when it’s controversial. Keto, Whole 30 and a host of other “lifestyle diets” have been scrutinized (and discouraged) by leading health experts like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard, and Prevention magazine, and yet they remain. New propositions under the dietary platform of “hormonal health” have physicians seemingly jumping out of their skin, and yet, they’re still turning consumers’ heads.

A Restaurant Prediction: Dog-Friendly

With dogs an integral part of the family, and extreme pet-bonding taking place while WFH during the pandemic, it’s no wonder we want to take them everywhere. And increasingly, that means out to eat.

A HANGOVER PSA

Inspired by the holiday season, we’ve looked at the many ways to “profit” from hangover remedies. Whether arming us in our personal lives or aiding us in business, these examples provide value.

The Food Trend That Keeps on Giving: Air

Air is increasingly connected to how we eat, cook and shop. It’s become an ingredient, a method of preparation, a ritual in dieting, a restaurant experience and a growing consideration in sustainability practices and claims.

12 Times Food Became Art

In honor of International Artist Day on October 25th, we’re showcasing art inspired by or made from food. From magic milk to AI generated art to paintings and sculptures, we’ve curated a gallery of food art just for you.

The Slow Ascent of Filipino Cuisine

We’re tapping into the potential of one of Southeast Asia’s most mysterious cuisines, Filipino food. Let us tell you why it’s worthy of your attention.

How to Set a Hard-Working Table

Breakthrough designs in cups, plates, and utensils to help elevate meals and improve the eating experience.

The Food Innovation Hub That May Surprise You

Get acquainted with a food brain trust in the Middle East.

The Industry Circuit

We’re feeling the excitement in the air at the first few in-person food industry events of 2022.

How to Win With Grocery Retail Giants

Align your organization with key retailer priorities.

8 Ways to Command Attention

Consumers want attention for their personal brand. Here’s how you can help.

Natural Products Expo West

f you’re in the food and beverage world, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an article (or 500!) about Natural Products Expo West 2022. There are a lot of great reasons for the coverage, and we can’t wait to share our experience at the show this year!

Unlocking An Unmet Need In Breakfast

Consumers want more excitement out of their first meal of the day. Global breakfasts can provide it.

An Emerging Idea in Sustainability: Powdered

Virtually any food can be reduced to powder. Learn more about how that benefits bottom lines, people and planet.

6 Ways to Be Relevant to Consumers Who Fast

Abstinence from food does not mean a food or beverage brand has to lose out. We’ll show you how to play.

The Right Way to Do Branded Apparel

Consumers have been wearing brand passions on their sleeves for years, but it’s now reached a fever pitch. Learn more about how to get in on the trend.

Are You Catering to the Asian Food & Beverage Demand?

Interest in culturally-diverse cuisines is higher than ever, specifically for Asian offerings. Learn what’s behind their popularity and how it’s showing up on menus, in stores and on social across America.

New Ideas for Retail Sampling

In the last year and a half, we’ve seen retailers adapt to create safer shopping experiences for consumers, and that includes sampling. From ghost kitchens to interactive direct mail, brands are getting creative with sample distribution to overcome obstacles brought on by the pandemic.

Natural Products Expo East

Anna Braun, VP of New Business and Operational Excellence, recaps her experiences and learnings from Expo East. Innovative plant-based products and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages stole the show, along with the excitement of a live, in-person event!

No big research budget? No big deal.

Knowing your consumer helps set your brand up for success. But what happens when there’s no time or budget for some much-needed research? Learn how you can get a good pulse on audience perceptions and pain points with very little investment.

Engaging Buyers Using Augmented Reality

Businesses in the food and beverage industry are employing augmented reality (AR) to bring elements of their brand to life for consumers. From retail to restaurants, creative uses of this tool continue to emerge.

How AI is Advancing Food & Beverage

CPG, retail, and restaurant companies alike are utilizing AI to gain a competitive edge. It’s quickly becoming a valuable tool for businesses in the food and beverage industry to boost customer relationship management, drive product development, forecast performance, and more.

How to Brand With Audio

When it comes to storytelling, the one thing audio can do that visual mediums can’t is: give the eyes a rest. With screen-time at a fever pitch, digital audio can be a welcome, engaging, and memorable solution. Podcasts, social audio, and sonic logos are just a few intriguing elements of this digital listening space.

Thought for Food™

And what it means for your business

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