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Innovation Spotlight: French Toast

Have you tried a French toast casserole? From upscale restaurants to fast-food chains, French toast is being reinvented in exciting ways. The appeal of French toast lies in its comforting texture - crispy on the outside, soft and custardy on the inside - and its ability to absorb a variety

Innovation Spotlight: prickly pear

The prickly pear cactus: what lies beyond its charming name and distinctive appearance? What is it, and how does it taste? The prickly pear cactus, or opuntia, has long been revered by indigenous cultures across the Americas for its medicinal and culinary uses. Widely used in Mexican and American Southwest

Innovation Spotlight: Chili Crisp

Chili crisp, a beloved Chinese condiment featuring chili peppers, oil, and various spices, boasts a deep history. Introduced to China in the 16th century, chili peppers were initially not favored but gradually became a culinary staple and cultural icon. The condiment symbolizes strength, with an enduring belief that those who

Innovation Spotlight: Smashburgers

Smashburgers, with their smaller, flattened patties and rich texture, are bringing new competition to the classic stacked, juicy hamburger. Unlike traditional burgers, which focus on a juicy, thick patty with varied toppings, smash burgers are thin, crispy-edged, and often topped simply with cheese, pickles, and onions. This preparation results in

Innovation Spotlight: Blue Raspberry

Ever wondered why blue raspberry is so irresistible? This bold flavor has been capturing hearts and taste buds since the 1970s, when it was first created to stand out from other red-colored candies. Its bright blue color and tart-sweet profile have made it a favorite among Millennials and Gen Z,

Innovation Spotlight - Trick Plays for Super Bowl and/or Swiftie Sunday

It is undeniable that buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing are the first flavors that come to mind for Super Bowl Sunday (followed shortly after by nacho cheese, pizza sauce, and artichoke dip), however there is always plenty of room on the party table for the sweeter side of things

Innovation Spotlight - Chicken Wing Flavored Lip Balm Weather

In the midst of midwinter skies and the reminders to keep up New Year’s Resolutions, the right collaboration comes along to remind us that anything is possible! Debuting January 17th and selling out within hours of release, the lip balm collaboration between Hidden Valley Ranch and Burt’s Bees

Innovation Spotlight - Coffee Lives Más in Irvine

For the first time ever, Taco Bell tosses its sombrero into the premium coffee ring and is releasing frozen coffee and shakes to test locations in Southern California! Coffee Chillers and Churro Chillers have rolled out in Mission Viejo, CA and Irvine, CA respectively, and are available all day while

Innovation Spotlight - Edible Flowers

Move last season’s poinsettias out of the way for the new trending wave of edible flowers! While poinsettias are not as deadly as rumor has it, the indigestion they provide when eaten are a far cry from the healthy benefits of other flower species such as elderflower, hibiscus, and

Innovation Spotlight - Chagaccino and Adaptogens

The interest in adaptogens has taken off into the stars, particularly when it comes to the functional mushrooms which include Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail! While any sort of herb, root, or other plant extract is considered an adaptogen such as other trend-setters like turmeric or ashwagandha,

Innovation Spotlight - CosMc's

Debuting earlier in this month in Bolingbrook, Illinois with more pilot locations planned in Texas for 2024, McDonald’s sets a course to more fully capture the premium beverage category with CosMc’s! The menu of trending lattes, cold brews, and energy drinks have fully transparent ingredient lists, intended to

Innovation Spotlight - 5 Learnings from the 2023 PLMA Conference

This year's PLMA conference was held in Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago and featured exhibitors in Food, Beverage, kitchenware and Home & health. Private Label is rapidly expanding into a $230 billion market, diversifying into numerous new categories - spreading across various channels and virtual platforms, transforming

Innovation Spotlight - Fall Flavors Ranked on TikTok

As the leaves change, so do the trending Food and Beverage hashtags on social media. Based on the highest number of generated content in the last week, users across all age groups are fully embracing everything pumpkin as well as soups and coffee ideas. While people switch up routines as

Innovation Spotlight - Candy Cap Mushrooms

Unlike the adaptogenic mushrooms reishi and chaga that are often incorporated into chocolate and chai mixes, others like the candy cap do not need to hide their distinct and exotic flavor. Weekly Bites🍽️ 🍔🚗🆕🔥 | A Drive Around Burger King's New "Sizzle" Prototype LINK 👩‍🔬📲🛍️ | Expert: TikTok Shop Offers

Innovation Spotlight - SOMI SOMI

Reel in the season and stay cool Korean style with the exciting dessert cornucopia known as the “Ah-Boong”! Fish are a symbol of good luck for many Asian cultures, and the vibrant colors and flavors in the Ah-boong are sure to lift up spirits and inspire. SOMISOMI continues to expand

Innovation Spotlight - Americas Food and Beverage Show

Miami’s stunning diversity lends itself to a natural home for the Americas Food and Beverage Show! With exhibition space for vendors from the Americas including Latin America (LATAM) and the Caribbean, and some from even farther east into Turkey, Thailand, and Japan there is bound to be something new

Innovation Spotlight - Kefir

Consumer awareness of Kefir is increasing rapidly with growing searches through Google. Educational content such as Dr. Berg’s analysis has over 500k views on Youtube while the Kefir hashtag has 111.7M views with many videos showing how to make Kefir at home. Kefir is a fermented dairy product

Weekly Insights - Pumpkin Spice in unexpected places

Pumpkin Season is upon us, and the warm spicy autumnal flavors are sprouting up in more places than ever before! Weekly Bites🍽️ BEHIND THE RISE OF 🥤POPPI—A GUT HEALTH SODA TAKING ON COKE AND PEPSI LINK 🐔 Chicken N' Pickle, growing 'eatertainment' chain, gets boost from Super

Innovation Spotlight - Craft Instant Coffee

“Coffee and love taste best when hot,” coffee sourcer Rediet Tadele of We the Origin remarks on the old Ethiopian saying. “It is our connection to our country’s history, an essential part of our family’s gatherings, and a way we catch up with friends and welcome guests.” Coffee

Innovation Spotlight - Sweet & Spicy

Celebrate Labor Day and the tail end of summer with new treats to enjoy with the heat! The sustained popularity of Asian chili sauces like Siracha and Thai sweet chili have changed flavor expectations to welcome combinations like Hot Honey as new trending flavors. Interested in our FREE Summer 23&

Innovation Spotlight - Food Mashups

At over 3 million views, one of the TikTok Foodie Community parts most dedicated to continued innovation and recipe experimentation has to be #foodmashup. Weekly Bites 🍽️ ⏰🎃☕ | Too early or not early enough? The Pumpkin Spice Latte is 🔄 BACK at Starbucks. Here’s how the 🍂 fall flavor became 💰 so lucrative. Link

Innovation Spotlight - Western Foodservice Expo 2023

It’s fun noticing the seasons change from within the convention booths at  the Anaheim Convention Center as we wrap up the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Coffeefest 2023 copromotion! Sheltering from the iconic Southern California heat we had an opportunity to indulge in fun refreshing mocktails as well

Innovation Spotlight - Tru Fru

The Trü is out there like never before! No longer just in the frozen aisle, Trü Frü's newest line of hyper-dried 54% dark chocolate melts can be taken anywhere for a delicious snack on-the-go for active lifestyles. Weekly Bites 🍽️ * Knockoff sriracha brands are grabbing Huy Fong’s market

The Art of the Food Mashup

Food innovation continues its evolution in 2023, as early adopters of trending flavors from previous years now have the head start incorporating them into flavor mashups - combinations of different culinary concepts, tastes, and textures that are not typically associated with each other. Exotic ingredients like ube and jamaica, as

Innovation Spotlight - Prime

No matter which side of the conversation one falls on surrounding Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Energy, the new highly caffeinated beverage provides an excellent case study on the dangers of fragmented information and loyalty behind knowledgeable consumers. Interested in our FREE Summer 23' GenZ Insights Report? Click

Innovation Spotlight - Shrimpish

Shrimpish and The ISH™ Food Company line of offerings represent the latest generation of plant-based products, where meticulous attention to cutting-edge science and a passion for sustainability attain even higher levels of quality and innovation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Bites 🍽️ * Burger King in Thailand with a cheeseburger with just 20 slices of

Innovation Spotlight - Pickle in a Blanket

Pickle and Dill flavors are trending on social media with home chefs and pizzerias ready to relish the moment! Want to get more insights? Click here to book a complimentary innovation session! With the #pickletok community boasting 493.9M views on all things pickle, the viral #pickleinablanket has surged in

Innovation Spotlight - Agua Frescas

The newest agua fresca offerings are getting ready for summer and aim to make the vibrant Latin American drink as accessible as ever! Want to get more insights? Click here to book a complimentary innovation session! With classic flavors ranging from flower infusions like the jamaica, fruit mixes like the

Innovation Spotlight - Yo Egg!

The 2023 recipients of the Food and Beverage (FABI) awards at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show together signified a growing trend in plant-based innovation even more so than the year before. Made primarily out of chickpea and soy protein, Yo Egg's line of poached and sunny

Innovation Spotlight - Heinz x Absolut

What can we learn from the The Kraft Heinz Company x Absolut Vodka collaboration to create a Gigi Hadid-inspired tomato vodka pasta sauce? In 2020, Gigi Hadid’s Vodka Sauce Pasta recipe went viral, and blew up on both Instagram and TikTok. Tiktok hashtag #gigihadidpasta amassed over 400 million views,

Innovation Spotlight - Mangonada

Mangonada is a popular Mexican treat that combines the sweet and tangy flavor of ripe mangoes with the spicy kick of exotic ingredients. This delicious concoction is a feast for the senses, with its bright colors, bold flavors, and unique combination of textures. At a respectable 380M views for #mangonada

Innovation Spotlight - Spirulina

Is your spirulina green or blue? Millions have turned to this algae blend for its reported health and beauty benefits whose market share in 2022 was valued at $540M and projected to reach $1.1 Billion by 2030. Different preparations of spirulina are available, the most popular being the self-contained

Behind the Bubbles - How Innovation and Creativity Propelled Bubble Tea to Global Popularity

Invented in the 1980s in Taiwan, Bubble Tea is a sweet drink commonly made with black tea, milk, sugar and the famous chewable tapioca pearls. Bubble tea has come a long way, consistently reinventing itself with innovative flavors, toppings, and technology. In this blog post, we will explore the fascinating

PizzaBowl - A Playbook to Defeat Inflation

Mochi Donuts: The Delicious Marriage of Mochi and Donuts

Susheel Khamkar Mochi donuts are the perfect fusion of two classic desserts. These delectable treats have been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly in major urban areas and are a unique combination of the chewy and sweet glutinous rice cake known as mochi, and the classic fried doughnut.   Boasting a

The Rise of Plant-Based Pizza

As plant-based meats, crusts & cheeses improve, pizzerias are experimenting with menus — and their sales are soaring. Susheel Khamkar Pizza has a long and fascinating history that spans thousands of years and has its roots in a number of different cultures and cuisines. In the United States, pizza has become

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