Starbucks claims that its U.S. sales have now fully recovered from the economic effects of the pandemic, reporting positive same-store sales growth of 9% for the second quarter ended March 28. It’s the first time Starbucks’ U.S. sales have trended positively since the pandemic began and represents a significant improvement over -5% same-store sales decline… read more
Food & Beverage News
US Affirms no Transmission of COVID-19 through Food or Packaging
A joint statement issued Feb. 18 by the Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscored “there is no credible evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the… read more
Sysco Sees Restaurant Recovery Accelerating
More than 17% of restaurants closed permanently or long-term in 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association. Sysco has worked with the organization to lobby for restaurant relief and guide operators through the process of applying for aid. “We were the first to offer educational webinars to our independent customers on how they can access… read more
When Normalcy Returns, don’t Expect Customers to Shift Completely Back to in-house Dining: Delivery has Become an Essential Growth Driver
Restaurant operators say the year of pandemic-related shutdowns has changed habits and preferences. And those changing consumer trends are reshaping the industry, from the way restaurants operate, to their dependence on off-premise and the design of brick-and-mortar locations. As the COVID vaccine reaches more people and the economy settles into a new post-pandemic sense of… read more
Inspection Systems Upstream Improve Food Safety
Food safety is more important than ever. Bakers can’t afford to introduce any additional risk, so many of them are incorporating inspection technology earlier in the process. Adding metal detectors to the front of production lines, such as for inspecting incoming ingredients, will ensure that no metal contamination enters the process where it could damage… read more
FDA Food Safety Programs see Increased Funding
The enactment in December of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, including approval of the US Food and Drug Administration budget for the fiscal year 2021, should ensure continuity in the nation’s food safety programs and initiatives as the Biden administration takes the nation’s helm. The overall fiscal 2021 FDA budget, which includes the agency’s… read more
Eating these Foods Regularly can be Disastrous for your Health
We all know that ultra-processed foods like candy, soda, pre-packaged microwave meals, and hotdogs aren’t healthy. That certainly isn’t breaking news. But, the true extent of their negative impact on the human body and lifespan will likely surprise many readers. It’s one thing to hear that sugary cereals or bags of chips are “bad for… read more
Inspire Brands Chief Information Officer Raghu Sagi on New Technology Innovations at Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby’s
Throughout the pandemic, Inspire Brands began rolling out new technologies to help ease digital customer convenience, from contactless payment which began testing at Buffalo Wild Wings in September, to an order-ahead platform with mobile app capabilities, which will roll out to all Arby’s restaurants in the first quarter of 2021 after a pilot test, which… read more
Leaders Emphasize Importance of Empathy, Flexibility and Safety During COVID
My team spends most of their days designing and deploying next-gen leadership-development tools for multiunit franchisees and above restaurant leaders. Naturally, we pay a lot of attention to the unique challenges facing multiunit leaders and the innovative ways they overcome them, especially in a global pandemic. Since COVID-19 hit, the foodservice industry’s area directors, district… read more
Is The Restaurant of the Future Already Here?
We’re all scrambling to materialize the so-called “restaurant of the future.” What COVID-19 trends are fleeting? Which aren’t? Will customers clamor for the same safety essentials months from now? Have protocols and tech dehumanized the experience? Does it even matter? Picture this environment, outlined by consulting giant Deloitte. A customer strolls into a restaurant with… read more