Conference Beat™ – Private Label Manufacturers Association: Chicago, November 2016

  Over 12,000 food business professionals attended the 36th annual Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) tradeshow. The 2016 tradeshow was one of the largest in its history and featured more than 1,300 exhibitors from 40 countries. PLMA is largely focused on retail products, however there continues to be a growing trend of restaurants and chefsRead More

OxyModern – Cultural Contradictions Driving Foodservice Trends – September 2016

  Insight from a wide range of experts working in varied creative disciplines that are important to modern consumer lifestyles was used to form the basis of exploration for this year’s trend report. What emerged from this inquiry was awareness of the impact cultural contradictions have on trends. For any major trends indentified, equally powerfulRead More

Global Dining Study – August 2016

More than 3,000 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada were surveyed about their attitudes and behaviors related to meal choices at home, in the workplace and at restaurants. Consumer trust in restaurants and supermarket delis was explored, along with the desire for healthfulness at and away from the home and dining inRead More

Weeknight Dining Study – June 2016

This consumer study explored opportunities to create desirable and affordable meal options to make everyday experiences exceptional. Weeknight dinner is an opportunity for food marketers across all segments of the food industry, from grocers to convenience stores.  Consumers were asked about their weeknight dining experience (Sunday – Thursday), their attitudes toward cooking at home andRead More

Conference Beat™ – Les Dames d’Escoffier International: Washington D.C., October 2016

  Les Dames d’Escoffier, a diverse group of culinary professionals in the food, fine wine and hospitality business, met in Washington D.C. to explore the continuing evolution of consumers’ taste for global foods and flavors and the desire for local and sustainable foods. It was a week of tasting, exploring and debating the hot topicsRead More

Conference Beat™ – NACS: Atlanta, October 2016

  Buyers and sellers meet at the National Association of Convenience Stores Show to see the latest foodservice programs and equipment, retail candy and snacks, operational developments, merchandise, technology, and fuel equipment and related services. Nearly 24,000 attendees converged on the show floor to network, learn, buy and sell.… More

Conference Beat™ – SIAL: Paris, October 2016

    SIAL (Salon International de l’Alimentation) is the largest food innovation conference in the world, housing over 7,000 exhibitors throughout five consecutive days. Every two years, the Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte (just outside the city limits) is transformed into a city of culinary exploration. Leaders in foodservice, retail grocery and food ingredientRead More

Conference Beat™ – Institute of Food Technologists Expo: Chicago, July 2016

  The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual conference attracts over 17,000 experts from scientific, academic, foodservice and technological communities. Professionals gather to explore industry trends, innovations in technology and applications which affect the global food system.… More

Conference Beat™ – NACUFS: Anaheim, July 2016

  The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) conference allows foodservice directors to discover new products that will attract lifetime customers and uncover trends that will be important to foodservice consumers over the next decade.… More

Conference Beat™ – SNA National Conference: San Antonio, July 2016

K-12 School Foodservice Professionals gathered in San Antonio for the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC). These experts honed in on topics surrounding new products, services and programs to gain further education on their school’s meal curriculum.   Global Tastes School Foodservice Directors from across the country discussed the challenges of how toRead More