SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

Consumers are no strangers to foodborne illness and product recalls. In 2015, outbreaks were reported in everything from organic spinach to Blue Bell ice cream. A listeria or E. coli outbreak can spell disaster for companies, especially fast food chains that fail to get out in front of the outbreak. A foodborne illness can cost operations millions of dollars in lost sales, lawsuits and legal fees and negative media exposure, not to mention the cost of identifying and removing infected ingredients from the supply chain. Consumers often avoid the affected chain long after the outbreak ends. That’s not the case for Chipotle, however. Despite being in the midst of a major E. coli outbreak, the chain continues to enjoy strong public support.

What is Chipotle doing right, and what does their successful approach mean for other quick service restaurants and their copacking partners?

Bacon is big business. Americans mow down pounds of the crispy pork product each year as strips, bits, and every other product imaginable. But as consumers become increasing concerned with the healthfulness and ethicality of the foods they eat, some food brands and co-packers worry that the American appetite for bacon may be on the wane. The good news for these companies is that eating bacon actually has quite a number of associated benefits.

Food fads like local eating and farm-to-table may seem like niche interests that only apply to a small group of young adult consumers or foodies. But, brands like Chipotle and Panera have seen skyrocketing popularity—enough, in fact to help Chipotle, at least, weather a major food safety incident—after embracing this and other all-natural trends. It has become clear: If you’re in the food industry, you need to be paying attention.

There's a lot of evidence that the greater interest in where the food we eat comes from has passed from fad to become a fixture in consumers' buying habits.

One of the food service success stories of recent years is bacon. This food, once priced so low it was nearly unsellable, continues to see its popularity grow quarter after quarter. And so, every bacon co-packer continues to see orders for all versions of this pork product—from bits and pieces to specialty bacons. But, there are reasons to believe that the trend could cool with at least a certain portion of consumers.

It’s long been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it turns out this adage couldn’t be more right. New research has suggested that people who skip breakfast are nearly 5% more likely to overeat at lunch, and the foods they choose are more likely to be unhealthy. It won’t be long until health-conscious consumers take these findings to heart, and we begin to see new breakfasting habits emerge.

While Americans still love their bacon—chowing down about 18 pounds of it every year—consumers are showing more interest in the nutritional impact of their food purchases. Healthier alternatives to traditional breakfast foods, like turkey bacon, are rising in popularity. Now, even health-conscious grocery shoppers can have their bacon and eat it, too. Healthier and gourmet breakfast options have been steadily gaining ground over the last decade, and brands that offer upscale updates on traditional flavors can build market share by capitalizing on consumer demand for healthier twists on their traditional favorites.

When it comes to food industry trends, bacon is one that will not die. The "bacon on everything!" phenomenon may be cooling down recently, but this smoky, umami-rich treat remains an essential part of many consumers' eating habits. And, this is a good thing for brands. Bacon sales soared to $4 billion last year. To use the power of bacon to bolster your brand's profits, it's important to pick the right bacon for your specific needs.

While grocery shoppers may still pick up a frozen pizza now and again, the heat-and-eat meals have fallen out of favor with consumers of late. Many shoppers are eschewing these frozen dinners in favor of other options they perceive as healthier or higher quality alternatives like protein bites and gourmet foods. But pizza itself is a timeless treat. By adapting to current food trends popular with consumers, food manufacturers can win back business and give their customers the food tastes that they love.

With the proliferation of bacon salad toppings, bacon burgers, bacon pizza, bacon candy, bacon ice cream, bacon-infused vodka, and more, bacon certainly isn’t just a breakfast side anymore. American consumers can’t seem to get enough bacon these days. Why the obsession? Bacon’s addictively delicious flavor profile is all thanks to the chemical makeup that’s an inherent part of the meat itself, rather than the curing, smoking, or slicing process. When fatty acids break down during the cooking process, they create a complex aroma and mouthfeel, reports The Daily Meal. It’s the reason bacon smells and tastes so delicious, and the reason we’re deep in the middle of full-on bacon-mania.

From bison burgers to quinoa power bowls, consumers across the United States are demanding healthier, lean protein options for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and fast casual dining. That’s good news for consumers’ hearts and their wallets: lean protein has long offered the “biggest bang for buck” when it comes to eating healthy, reports Kathy Hayden in QSR Magazine. RTE and fast casual chains are responding to this shift in consumer eating habits, offering specialty items that trim fat, cater to Paleo and gluten-free diets and pump up the lean protein—without sacrificing taste or mouthfeel. Are you prepared to adapt your recipes to meet consumer demand for lean protein?