SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

One of the hottest fast food trends this year has been the resurgence of quick-service breakfast. Many fast food companies have watched the successful launch of Taco Bell’s breakfast and McDonald’s all-day breakfast menu and wondered if they, too, might be able to get in on the bonanza.

But to capitalize on breakfast, a company must first master the basics that have made grab-and-go morning bites so attractive to the modern consumer. Today, let’s take a look at the 3 must-haves for any company that wants to succeed in the competitive AM daypart.

Predicting consumer trends in food, particularly at the drive-through window, has always been a task perhaps better suited to a soothsayer than a nutritionist or a corporate analyst. That's no reason to negate or discount the findings of studies that track consumer preferences, however, or to ignore hot new trends. While breakfast bacon and egg sandwiches served on glazed doughnuts haven’t become mainstream favorites and a breakfast oat and bacon combo spiced with turmeric sounds delicious to almost nobody, there are numerous new foodie options that capitalize on trends and appeal to taste preferences at the same time. With planning, they can be rolled out on menus and be a healthy source of revenue as well.

We hear a lot about farm-to-table eating. But what has been its impact on the fast food industry?

Adapting to the farm-to-table trend can be a tricky challenge for QSR chains. While value is still driving many fast food decisions for Americans, brands must make an effort to begin offering options that cater to diners’ more ethically driven and health-conscious decisions.

Today, let’s take a look at some of the challenges fast food chains face and at some of the practical ways that QSR supply chain managers and chefs are meeting them.

The competition between QSR businesses was cutthroat well before QSR-Plus entered the picture. Today, with QSR and fast casual duking it out for the same market share, keeping your fast food supply chain aligned with emerging trends is the best way to stay ahead of the pack. Using tools that are tuned into the rich rewards of big data streams help by adding accuracy and efficiency. If these four must-have tools aren't influencing your supply chain yet, it's time to get on board and start listening to what they have to say. 

Procurement specialists in the food supply chain have a lot of "ands" to contend with. The products they source and purchase must be delicious and readily available, affordable and safe. The near-explosive growth of boutique and specialty providers in the food industry have driven consumer demand beyond high-end markets in recent years. Coupled with consumer awareness steering ethical buying practices, there are far more "ands" to consider in today's procurement market. 

Are your procurement approaches ready to tackle this enticing new opportunity head on?

Imagine for a moment that you see a stage. On it, several other food brands are enthusiastically talking about their products, and they've amassed quite a crowd. You are considering climbing up on stage and doing the same. The crowd is already there, after all. However, a closer look may reveal that the stage isn't very well-constructed, and the people already on it might not be individuals you'd want to associate your brand with. This is the kind of situation a grocery chain can find itself in when dealing with foods that are marketed as "natural." It can align the priorities and practices of your brand with those of the largely-unregulated "natural" food industry and risks damaging your carefully-built customer trust and loyalty—especially if you’re using such marketing on store-brand products.

With the rise of social media, bad news in food safety has broken the speed of light and swiftly become a retailer's worst nightmare in the food industry. While potential issues can and should be communicated as quickly as possible to prevent illness, those conversations aren't limited to a single consumer-retailer sphere: the whole world is listening. An outbreak, or even a cautious recall, has the momentum to topple brand image and damage sales, if it's not closing doors entirely.

As 2016 marches steadily onward, three culprits lurk in the shadows, waiting for a gap in food handling and packaging procedures: e. coli, norovirus and salmonella. Here's how to learn from the mistakes of others, and prevent your brand from becoming an unfortunate infographic-bound statistic.

Do you ever feel that, despite many advances in supply chain management tools, keeping up is harder than ever? It's not your imagination. These days, most businesses are wrestling with a combination of modern and legacy systems that don't always mesh as they should. The result is inefficiencies, delays and other frustrations. Newer food supply chain technology brings hope for a supply chain that is more cost-effective and efficient than ever before.