Our food industry friends over at IFT posted a fantastic 2013 recap/aggregation of food industry trends in America. Here are a few tidbits that we’ve been discussing internally and with some of our clients recently about eating in America. Trend: What’s most important to Americans when selecting food? Taste (89% of consumers), price (71%, down… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
As we look to the New Year, we look forward to new projects, new partnerships, and, of course, new food trends. Here’s a look at the food and beverage trends set to take center stage in 2014. 1) Donuts: Not only have these doughy delights taken 2013 by storm (move over, cupcake), they are set… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Transparency. It’s what consumers have come to expect from the brands they buy, especially when it involves their food. It’s why many brands have turned to transparency campaigns to communicate their commitment to consumers. From the geographic origin of ingredients to how – and by whom – they are grown and harvested, consumers expect more… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
A Thanksgiving menu with a trend-inspired twist While recalling classic dishes that make Thanksgiving meals memorable, we reimagined a classic turkey day menu with inspiration from some of our favorite food trends. From the donut domination of 2013 trends to the predicted popularity of ginger in 2014, here are a few dishes and drinks that we… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
During the power outage that halted Super Bowl XLVII, one tweet made a bright impression, becoming one of the most retweeted messages of all time. The tweet itself: “Power out? No problem.” It was accompanied by an image of a dimly lit Oreo and the caption “You can still dunk in the dark.” In addition… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
It seems that every few weeks, a little-known (often exotic) fruit or veggie is declared the next superfood. By moving so quickly from one proclaimed superfood to the next, we’re left to semi-seriously infer that the previous one failed to live up to its moniker and (innumerable) promises. This fact, however, doesn’t stop certain stripes of… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Our client IOI Loders Croklaan recently tasked us with the unveiling of their latest product, a line of colored and flavored shortenings called FuseRite™. Through solid communication and a strategic ingredients marketing plan, we established the following: Primary goals: Stress FuseRite’s versatility; clearly communicate that it makes the job of product development easier; and highlight… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
When I first took a bite of sushi when I was four years old, or should I say, after my mother shoved it into my mouth, I knew it was my new favorite. Growing up, when asked about what my favorite food was, I always took secret delight in the gasps of “gross!” or “you… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Starbucks has been slinging (can you sling a latte?) its incredibly popular Pumpkin Spice Latte for around a decade. While they didn’t invent the spice combination, they’re at least partially responsible for the increased pumpkin-spicing of our drinks and desserts every fall for the past ten years. Drinks and desserts are one thing, but now… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
When it comes to food ingredient labels, consumers are savvier than ever, and those shelf-smarts have, over the last few years, begun extending to ingredient lists for our pets’ food, but all is not yet perfectly clear, even for the shrewdest of label readers. As with human nutrition, pet ingredient lists, due to terminology, don’t… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
The holiday season is staring us down. Seeing Thanksgiving tchotchkes in stores already is stressful, but what’s more stressful about this season is budget planning. If, like us, you’re responsible for marketing products and building brands, this tends to be a precarious time of year, as you’re simultaneously carrying out the remainder of your marketing… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
From the samples to the demonstrations to the entertainment factor (yes, even the tchotchkes), trade shows make us happy. We especially love trade shows that combine the subject matter and disciplines that hit our collective sweet spot. Perhaps no show does that better than SupplySide West. If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware that we… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
I’ve had the pleasure of working with the food ingredient media for over 20 years, 11 years of which has been on behalf of MarketPlace. The media regularly tells me a version of “we love working with you because you really understand media.” At MarketPlace, our job is to provide value to our partners through… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
For businesses whose clients are other businesses, branding – or rebranding – isn’t often a top priority. There are always other tasks to tackle, other fires to put out. Who has time for branding with sales to make, supply issues to resolve, new products to launch, and marketing initiatives to fulfill? The way we see… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>
Developing a new website can be daunting, all-consuming, and intimidating. There are so many details to consider, and with the rate at which technology moves, keeping up can be taxing…and that’s not even considering the maintenance of the content! Because we go through the process regularly with our partners, we’re used to juggling all these… Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span>