Although U.S. consumers kept a recessionary mindset in the first quarter of 2013, they exhibited a cautious desire to spend money again, according to the Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions.
In the foodservice channel, 46.8 percent of companies are in the quick-service restaurant business, according to the 2012 Chain Restaurant Report published by Chain Store Publishing Corp.
Operating under the slogan “Beer is agriculture,” San Francisco-based Almanac Beer Co. has carved out its own niche in the burgeoning craft brewing industry with its “farm-to-bottle” beer model.
Consumer product goods (CPG) manufacturers continue to navigate the whims of undecided consumers, some of whom feel more optimistic about the economy while a similar-sized group expect continued deterioration of economic and personal financial health, according to Susan Viamari, editor of SymphonyIRI’s Times and Trends report. The Chicago-based market research firm released its “CPG 2011 Year in Review: The Search for Footing in an Evolving Marketplace” report that finds that consumers plan to continue their current path of frugality and conservatism this year.
Most of the time, people have a good idea about which types of beverages contain high amounts of sugar, sodium or calories. What they might not know is the extent of a product’s nutritional value — or lack thereof. For food and beverage consumers, seeing is believing.
We’ve heard of blind taste tests between competitive products. Oftentimes, consumers can’t tell the difference between a national brand and its private-label equivalent. However, in recent years, retailers have taken it to a whole new level. These days, consumers might find it difficult to pick out a private label product on-shelf because of the way it’s packaged and marketed.