ACCORDING TO IBIS WORLD, THE NUMBER OF SUSHI RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S. HAS GROWN BY 4.8 PERCENT IN 2023 TO MORE THAN 19,600 BUSINESSES. In a 1991 episode of The Simpsons, Lisa convinces the family to try a new sushi bar restaurant—which was clearly a novelty not only for Homer but for the entire audience,… read more

Deliveries have been added on Saturdays and Sundays to provide more scheduling flexibility to employees, but customers have discovered a labor benefit as well Foodservice distributor US Foods is adding Saturday and Sunday deliveries in a handful of test markets as a potential plus for employees and customers. The three-market trial is intended to provide… read more

‘We always aim to get people talking: Kitschy merch continues to drive buzz for food brands Case in point: When Panera wanted to promote its new toasted baguette sandwich line, it chose to launch a Fendi Baguette-inspired handbag, tied to New York Fashion Week. Called “the BAGuette,” the bright green spoof bag is embossed with… read more

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed a new rule for “Product of USA” label claims on March 6. The rule would require that animals be born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States in order for meat, poultry, and egg products to bear the “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label… read more

Often it takes a deep dive to plunge into an unknown ocean of new product opportunities. For bakers and snack producers, exploring the endless possibilities for innovation beneath the surface may also require them to navigate a sea of changes to their standard product development processes. For Kerry, engagement and discovery form the foundation for… read more

Starbucks Corp. is introducing Oleato, a line of beverages that combine arabica coffee with extra virgin olive oil. Oleato launched in Italy on Feb. 22 as a platform featuring such varieties as latte, expresso, cold brew, and iced cortado. The company plans to introduce the new platform in Southern California this spring and to Japan,… read more

Extra virgin olive oil is the stealthy star ingredient in Wildgood, a new brand of non-dairy frozen desserts developed by a Greek artisanal ice cream maker. Sotiris Tsichlopoulos tapped his family’s olive groves to create a plant-based treat that has a creamy texture and low saturated fat content with no hint of olive oil taste…. read more

Accurately predicting commodity and ingredient prices in January for the year ahead is nearly impossible, but it is helpful to look at the factors that are expected to influence those markets. The three most obvious market movers are COVID-19 (still), war and weather, with the latter always a key factor on a regional if not… read more

The burger giant says it will reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 47% by 2030 . . . . In 2021, the chain said it would develop and validate a science-based target for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by the end of 2023. Today, Wendy’s has officially set and validated… read more