Foodservice Industry

Industry Roundup

Baked Goods

Executive Perspective: Flowers Foods has observed low-income bread consumers trading down to lower price points due to inflation, while premium brand sales are actually accelerating, according to CEO A. Ryals McMullian
Baking Business (08/15)

Albertsons recalls 18 store-prepared items made with King’s Hawaiian pretzel rolls because of potential Cronobacter sakazakii and Clostridium botulinum contamination
Business Wire (08/15)

Breakfast Foods

Chick-fil-A to begin testing new Chorizo Cheddar Egg Bites at select locations starting Aug. 22; menu item made with whole eggs, Mexican-style chorizo sausage, and a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
Chew Boom (08/15)

Hardee's now offering the Frisco Breakfast Sandwich nationwide for a limited time following successful debut at restaurants in the Midwest back in March; sandwich features thinly sliced ham, folded egg, and American and Swiss cheeses on sourdough toast
Chew Boom (08/15)

Coffee

GlobalData expects China's hot drinks sector to hit US$48.6B in 2026 from US$36.2B in 2021, bolstered by introduction of innovative tea, coffee and plant-based hot drinks; per capita expenditure on hot drinks to surge to US$17 in 2026 from US$12.7 in 2021
GlobalData Plc (08/12)

Aldi announces launch of new El Toro Coffee Liqueur Tequila, available online and in stores for £15.99 beginning Aug. 21
The Mirror (08/12)

Cold Cuts/Processed Meats

Century Pacific Foods' unMeat brand announces availability of its plant-based luncheon meat in the US; product comes in two flavors: Luncheon Style Meat and Burger Style Luncheon Meat
Business Wire (08/15)

Confectionery & Sweet Snacks

Mars Wrigley confirms it's discontinuing its Starburst candy in Australia, citing rising production costs
Herald Sun (08/15)

Hostess' Voortman brand announces limited-time return of Pumpkin Spice Wafers and S’mores Wafers; Pumpkin Spice Wafers feature wafers filled with creamy filling made with real pumpkin, and S’mores Wafers feature creamy filling made with real cocoa
Chew Boom (08/15)

Fried & Cooked Chicken

Panda Express tests new hand-breaded chicken strips with all-white meat chicken seasoned with custom seasoning blend, crispy crinkle fries, Creamy Sweet Chili Panda Sauce or Hot Habanero Honey sauce; three-piece costs US$6.95, four-piece costs US$7.95
Chew Boom (08/12)

Wingstop announces that its chicken sandwich will be permanent menu item starting Sept. 1 following successful test launch earlier this year; sandwich features fried chicken breast and pickle chips on a buttered and toasted bun in a choice of 11 sauces
Nation's Restaurant News (08/12)

Fruits, Vegetables & Salads

Researchers develop fresh fruit packaging design system using virtual prototyping method; VP accelerates design and development cycle times, results in more compact box with higher freight density and enhanced precooling process throughput, energy usage
Food Packaging and Shelf Life (08/15)

Little Leaf Farms announces launch of new Sweet Baby Butter Leaf lettuce, available in 4 oz.  packages and currently available at retailers throughout New England, with additional distribution planned for later this year throughout the US Northeast
PR Newswire (08/15)

Savory Snacks

New Trix Fruity Popcorn with Fruity Sweet Glaze now available at Sam’s Club in 20 oz. bags
Chew Boom (08/15)

Doritos announces limited-edition launch of new condiment-inspired flavors with the debut of Doritos Ketchup and Doritos Spicy Mustard tortilla chips
Chew Boom (08/15)

Coffee Shops & Juice Bars

Starbucks sends letter to National Labor Relations Board asking for temporary suspension of all union elections at its US stores in response to allegations of improper coordination between regional NLRB officials and the union
Associated Press (08/15)

US restaurant menu prices in July rise 7.6% year-over-year, with full-service meal prices rising 8.9% from a year ago and quick service menu prices increasing 7.2%; in June, menu prices rose 7.7% from a year ago, the largest increase since November 1981
QSR Web (08/12)

Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)

Checkers & Rally's announces signing of 32 signed franchise and multi-unit development agreements representing a total of 53 new restaurant locations in H1
PR Newswire (08/15)

Fast-Casual Restaurants

Culver's announces appointment of Jim Esposito as COO; Esposito most recently held the same role at BurgerFi International
Nation's Restaurant News (08/15)

Panera Brands appoints Konrad Meyer as CFO, effective Aug. 22, to replace Ted Stedem, who is stepping down from the role; Mark Wooldridge, SVP, Controller and chief accounting officer, assumes CFO responsibilities at Panera Bread
Business Wire (08/12)

Dining Out

Bon Appetit Management develops high-end restaurants, event spaces at multi-tenant business sites to offer amenities to companies with smaller footprints; concept has seen boom post-COVID with employers more likely to subsidize off-site restaurant dining
Restaurant Hospitality (08/15)

Foodservice Channel

Copenhagen, Denmark, to test refund system for takeaway food packaging; the city, along with Kleen Hub, NGOs and public and private institutions, previously tested washable recycling solutions instead of disposable plastic cups at events
Forbes (08/12)

Foodservice Packaging

Wagamama switches its delivery bowls to cPET, which will remove 330 tonnes of virgin plastic from its annual supply chain; the containers have also been moved into a lighter color, enabling them to be detected by near-infrared scanners at recycling plants
Packaging News (08/15)

Qatar commits to host first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup on Nov. 21-Dec. 17; Ministry of Municipality to target 60% of event's waste sorting for recycling, reusing by providing services such as marked waste containers, mobile waste transfer stations
The Peninsula (08/15)

On-Demand Local Delivery

Grocery Outlet to offer on-demand grocery delivery from over 398 locations via DoorDash; Grocery Outlet says partnership will help it reach more customers during a time where 'every penny counts'
GlobeNewswire (08/15)

Payment Systems

PayPal: Payment options using prevalent systems like Alipay, WeChat key to mobile commerce success in China; 96% of Chinese users shop via smartphone, outpacing other major markets, but only 43% purchase goods internationally, below global average of 60%
South China Morning Post (08/15)

Payment processor Forage raises US$22M in Series A funding round, with investors including PayPal, Instacart founder Apoorva Mehta; Forage, which makes it easier for grocers to accept SNAP EBT online, will use funds for product development, hiring
GlobeNewswire (08/12)

Single-Use

Greenlid to invest over C$14.8M to build new manufacturing facility in Ontario to produces compostable products, primarily one-time-use items such as plates, bowls, coffee cups and lids sold through retailers; Ontario government to provide C$500,000 grant
Office of the Premier (08/15)

Responsible Plastic Use Coalition, which comprises more than two dozen plastics firms, is suing to block the Canadian federal government's plan to ban single-use plastic straws, cutlery, takeout containers; ban is set to be phased in starting in December
Canadian Plastics (08/12)

Restaurants

Dine Brands completes replacement of its previous Series 2019-1, Class A-1 Variable Funding senior notes with a new series of Class A-1 Variable Funding senior notes; new notes allow for drawings of up to US$325M
Business Wire (08/15)

Dutch Bros Coffee swings to Q2 net loss of US$1.8M from net income of US$11.9M a year ago, with revenue increasing 44% to US$186.4M; company open 600th shop, reports it is on track to open 130 shops by year end and have 800 stores by end of 2023
Nation's Restaurant News (08/12)

 Stock