One major trend that always seems to come up when discussing the next big thing in food service is CBD. CBD is Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as the non-psychoactive compound of Marijuana extract. CBD infused drinks and food led the top trends voted on by chef’s in 2019 on the national restaurant Associations top trends. For 2020 they still were going strong, albeit not in the top 10 overall and focused more on coffee beverages desserts and sweets. We also know that fu

One of the really cool parts of my job is that I get to speak with so many people in different facets of the industry. Many of them are successful in segments other than foodservice. They can be startups from other countries looking to break into the US market, established ingredient companies who sell to industrial or to retail customers, equipment companies who are integral to product innovation, commodity boards, or finished goods manufacturers and even branded companies

Flavor & The Menu magazine does a wonderful trend forecasting issue every year, and this year I was honored to be among the distinguished panel of experts they chose to participate for their Top 10 Trends 2021! Here are 4 quotes of mine they chose to support the various trends in the issue, as well as a little additional context around why I think they’re important for 2021! Immunity “Operators need to lean into functionality across both food and beverage. Whether it’s emergi

What is your definition of innovation? I ask this question in presentations and get a variety of great answers. Some say it is a new, creative idea. Others shout out products like the iPhone or Tesla, where a transformational change is created in an industry. Still others have said any product that makes another industry obsolete, such as streaming video vs. video stores that are extinct like Blockbuster. I’m not going to say those definitions are wrong, but the definiti

How do you define your relationship with your customer? Do you think you have a strong, high-level relationship? If you asked them, would they say the same thing about you? Everyone likes to think they are a strategic partner. It can be common for suppliers to overestimate, and even take for granted their supplier classification with a big chain. Partnership Definition Everyone has a different definition of partnership. It does help to know how chains define a true partn

If you’re in business development, marketing or sales, you may be interested in an inside look at what it takes to sell to big chains. You have to know the foodservice landscape, know how to do your research on your key targets, be able to succinctly describe your value proposition and have the right presentation approach. Just doing the same thing you’re doing for retail or for industrial won’t work. Foodservice is a different animal altogether! My current business model is

If I were to ask you what the most important attribute of the product you are developing is what would you say?  Now if I asked your customer that question, would the answer line up?  Knowing your point of differentiation is key to creating world class menu items that set your products up for success, whether you are working for a brand that sells to consumers, or working for a supplier that sells to those brands. At a recent meeting with one of my clients, we were reviewing