Food News & Trends
CiCi's, the pizza and buffet concept based in Coppell, Texas, is ramping up efforts to provide more choice and innovation to its customers. It recently launched "The Meltdown", the third in a series of new pizzas as part of its "Italiano line," designed to combine enticing flavors to the benefit of its custom buffet. The new pizza, weighing in at about 90 calories per slice, fuses Italiano sauce and a combination of three cheeses.
Jack in the Box expanded its Value Menu at its restaurants. Through its new Value Deal, it has added all-white-meat Chicken Nuggets, and three other value menu items.
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt will be one of the chains benefitting from the current appeal of self-serve frozen yogurt. The chain has 149 locations in the United States. In New England, it has more than a dozen planned
Demand for ice cream is increasing, and that's not all that's on tap with the frozen dessert category in foodservice. For frozen desserts, sales exceeded $25.1 billion in 2011, a 2.4 percent increase in both foodservice and retail channels.
The way of the sandwich is global, based on the latest trends in fast casual and casual dining. From the food truck spots in cities like Boston and New York, global sandwich cuisine is permeating the culinary setting of Americana. One doesn't have to go very far to draw inspiration.
The frozen yogurt craze is sweeping the quick-service restaurant (QSR) segment. Chains like Red Mango and Pinkberry have built upscale models on serving better-for-you frozen yogurt, but with a fair amount of manpower and wait times behind them. With additions like probiotics, protein and nutritional additives, fast casual frozen yogurt chains have succeeded in promoting products at higher price points and in smaller retail footprints.
It's not your mother's salad: Last fall, the Food Network released a recipe for Peruvian Purple Potato and Quinoa Salad. The mixture of chicken broth, purple potatoes and Quinoa is the featured ingredient in the salad. No chicken, no cheese. Gone are the days in which consumers trudged through
Fast casual bakery chain Au Bon Pain loaded its latest menu with 11 new sandwiches, a significant change and refresh for its customers, drawing attention to new flavors and new portion sizes. The Au Bon Pain Napa Chicken with Avocado features avocado, a new, widely-used ingredient in its new menu.
Bagels are part of a time-tested tradition. In New York, very few would dare to challenge that the origin of some of the best American bagels is Manhattan or Long Island. New York, after all, is where immigrants developed and transformed bagel production in the United States. In New England, the art of artisan bagel
Not all is fun and games in the sports and entertainment sector of U.S. foodservice sales. A new report points to the resurgence of this critical segment, but notes that this year's projected increase just more than makes up for a drop in 2009
For the Canadian market, diners are favoring soup and salad options more and more. A new report, produced by Technomic, Inc., a foodservice consulting and research firm in Chicago, also says that menus are including soup and salad options in increasing numbers.
Smashburger launched new limited-time offers (LTOs) in its Fresh Mex Burger and Fresh Mex Chicken Sandwich. The chain aims to capitalize on the warming trend, popularity of Mexican-inspired foods and its recent press popularity in its introduction of the Fresh Mex offerings, which will be available until April 29.
The breakfast category enjoys shifting trends in consumer behavior. According to a recent study, a total of 43 percent of morning eating and drink occasions involve beverages without food, says The NPD group, a market research firm based in Chicago.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen announced its limited-time offer of Butterfly Shrimp, available for the Lenten Season. The company's slow-marinated shrimp, which is then battered and fried
Consumers are becoming all-day eaters, says the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The demands of balancing 9-5 jobs with busy lifestyles are forcing consumers to eat throughout the day and rely more on restaurants, particularly QSRs, for their meals during the week.
If restaurants didn't have enough challenges already, consumers have added another. A recent survey by Technomic, Inc. shows that West Coast consumers see prepared foods from retailers as having comparable quality at lower prices.
The big three burger chains have used the past year to respond strongly to consumer demand for upscaled, quality burgers, and to compete effectively in the burger category. Fast casual burger chains like
Very few menu and expansion stories topped the buzz created by the story of the "better burger" this past year. This burger segment accelerated as America's love for burgers, and a dearth of truly better burgers, fueled incredible expansion and opportunities for new, and older chains
Panda Express has added back its Firecracker Chicken Breast. The menu option will be available at participating Panda Express stores across the country as a limited-time offer (LTO) January 4 - February 14. The Chinese-style fast food chain said it will also offer the Firecracker Chicken Breast on the catering menu.
Have mint on the mind? You're not alone. The aromatic leaf, from the genus of the Lamiacae family¹ of plants, that flavors everything from candy to ice cream, and even soaps and shampoos, is taking center stage for the holidays. But when Dunkin' Donuts introduced its Mint Hot Chocolate recently
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) released the results of its annual survey conducted in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Each year, the NRA seeks the wisdom of the ACF's chefs to look into next year’s crystal ball.
It may not be called the “breakfast of champions”–yet–but oatmeal is claiming a place on some quick-serve restaurant menus. And make no mistake, this hot cereal is nothing like the old standby. With fresh fruit, seasonal toppings and specialty sauces, this updated version is sure to emerge
Cooking up special treats for customers during the colder months can be challenging. The arrival of the holiday season sees the typical seasonal preparations, which include mint, cranberries and the indulgence in turkey and ham. Here we look at three twists on traditional comfort foods to heat up opportunities for restaurant operators.
With the growth of restaurants in the bakery cafe segment, it's no wonder that they account for annual sales of $5 billion according to a Technomic study¹. Those cafes are 3,600-strong in the United States
Restaurants looking to power up their menus for late fall and winter need look no further than a few sauces that have built a loyal following and created some excitement. Sure, this time of year marks the return of NFL football, and many Americans will succumb
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