We're excited today to announce a partnership with 1WorldSync, the leading multi-enterprise product information network, to provide the food supply industry with a supply chain traceability solution that delivers transparency while tackling food safety and compliance issues.
The “Grocerant”. Restaurant-quality, fresh food offered within the convenience of a grocery store setting. And unlike the catchy, hybrid names of famous celebrity couples, this concept is here to stay. Retail grocery chains are raising the bar on their foodservice offerings and by doing so are attracting the coveted Millennial generation, according to recently published research by The NPD Group.
In-store dining and take-out of prepared foods from retail grocers has grown nearly 30 percent since 2008, and accounted for 2.4 billion in foodservice visits and $10 billion of consumer spending in 2015, according to NPD’s recently released report, A Generational Study: The Evolution of Eating.
We can all recall a litany of consumer food trends of years past, from shunning carbohydrates, sodium or fat, to obsessing over the latest “superfood.” But as much as consumer preferences ebb and flow, they’re an important bellwether of buying habits and an opportunity for food retailers to cater to influential markets.
Although only one-third of the public thinks the agriculture community and food companies are transparent, a new FoodThink report states that nearly two-thirds of consumers want more information about how their food is produced.
The latest research appears in "Evolving Trust in the Food Industry" from Sullivan Higdon & Sink (SHS) FoodThink. The white paper contains insights into Americans' knowledge and trust of the food industry and how those perceptions have changed from 2012 to present.
"Food marketers should know that consumer perceptions of transparency in the food industry are consistently improving but there is plenty of room to grow," said Erika Chance, senior FoodThink researcher. "The good news is that consumers are turning to food companies and grocers for more information because they do have an interest in learning more about the food they eat."
Chick-fil-A is tapping the popular social media platform Instagram to share a "behind the menu" experience that promotes balanced-meal choices by educating customers about the chain's food transparency, according to a company press release.
"We're constantly looking for new and innovative ways to leverage our social channels for our fans," said Emily Randall, Social and Digital Marketing at Chick-fil-A. "Through this new level of menu transparency, every guest can find their own balance, as that means something different to everyone."
