Research Perspective and Analysis: Positive Outlook For Fresh Food Despite A Negative Year
By Giuseppe Parlato, Research Analyst Global sales of fresh food products have grown continuously in recent years, driven by increased demand for healthier, unprocessed products. In 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent restrictions on consumer movements led to negative volume growth. Although a greater degree of home seclusion led to increased […]
Fruits of Thought: Foodservice differentiation
With the pandemic receding, the restaurant industry is recuperating, and some degree of normalcy is returning. Many foodservice distributors found new strengths in being able to serve retail clients, and many foodservice operators became adept at preparing food for delivery. Still we would expect a lot of rebounding back to the norm. We’ve noticed restaurants, […]
Divine trinity: Fresh, with a Bite and a Zing
Food is a central theme during meetings between individuals who work in the fresh produce industry. In Croatia, I recently had a discussion with a French colleague, who told me about the love that the famous French chef Paul Bocuse had for cream, butter, and wine. Bocuse reputedly once said: “I like butter, cream and […]
Comments and Analysis: Post-pandemic Appreciation of Produce
Originally printed in the June 2021 issue of Produce Business. Nobody really knows what the future for online grocery shopping will be. With the COVID-19 pandemic receding, we can expect that habits developed as a result of the pandemic will also recede — but probably not totally. So, for example, people who avoided public places, such […]
Will the fresh produce office environment ever be the same?
It feels like a lifetime ago that we were able to walk into a restaurant and order a meal without having to think twice about disinfecting our hands on arrival, registering our health situation, and in certain cases having our temperature checked. Or walk the streets without a facemask. Or have family over for dinner. […]
UK retail food and grocery market growth to slow sharply
In its annual retail food and grocery market forecast, IGD predicts that the growth in 2020 will slow this year and the next, as shoppers economize and the foodservice industry reclaims sales. The unprecedented 8.5% growth last year is predicted to drop to 1.7% in 2021 and then to 0.9% in 2022. This sharp decline […]
Technology From Ocado, Others Drives Direct-to-Home Retail Deliveries, But Toronto’s Terminal Market Helps Independents Stay Competitive
Originally printed in the April 2021 issue of Produce Business. The Toronto marketplace is changing but what remains the same is the importance of fresh food and produce in particular at a time when health and wellbeing are of greater concern than ever. Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers of all dimensions, including the […]
In U.S. and across globe, retail success may be hard to sustain
Originally printed in the April 2021 issue of Produce Business. Though the produce category had a record year at retail in 2020, foodservice was, of course, way down as so many restaurants were closed as were institutions such as schools and their lunch and meal programs. The statistics are not all in yet, but there is […]
