food and foodservice

Mintel and the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) have once again collaborated to produce the ninth annual State of the Industry Report – The Market, following the first report which published in May 2004. The purpose of this report is simply to show changes in the industry ...

Milk processors face an uphill battle, including the dominance of private labels; consumer concerns over the presence of growth hormones in non-organic milk; fluctuations in commodity prices; supply shortages for organic milk; and growing consumer concern about the safety of animal products in ...

Chocolate confectionery posted modest year over year sales growth through the recession to reach $18.6 billion in 2011. A combination of product innovation and price increases led to a 16% gain in the category from 2006-11. Leading companies expanded their mainstay product lines by way of new ...

In 2011, the cookie/cookie bar category returned to positive territory in terms of sales growth, as total U.S. sales reached an estimated $6.4 billion. The 2.7% increase was a nice improvement from 2010, which saw sales drop by 0.7%.

Going forward, marketers will be challenged to build on the ...

The outdoor barbecue market is slowly recovering after the recession, and shipment volume is expected to grow 4% over the next five years to reach 13.9 million unit shipments in the U.S. by 2016.The outdoor barbecue market continues to be impacted by a variety of economic factors—including the ...

Recession-inspired frugality resulting in changing consumer purchase habits has conspired to soften sales in the $6.4 billion soup industry. After sales declines in prior years, the category showed minimal growth between 2010 and 2011, with sales essentially flat.

In spite of this challenging ...

The refrigerated and frozen dough market grew by 8.1% between 2006 and 2011. The market grew during the recession, but it faces challenges going forward, including increased competition from bakery products and restaurants as the economy recovers. To maintain the market, dough makers and retailers ...

The $5.1 billion dry pasta, rice, and noodles category is diverse consisting of three segments: dry pasta and noodles, dry rice and rice mixes, and dry macaroni and cheese, all offering consumers a myriad of choices of different types of products that can be eaten as meals, side dishes, or snacks. ...

Despite minimal growth in 2011, the cereal/snack bar category generated $3.7 billion in total U.S. sales. Of the two segments—granola bars, and breakfast/cereal/snack bars—granola bars accounted for the largest share of the market with $2.1 billion in sales for 2011. Breakfast/cereal/snack bars ...

Ethnic restaurants have proliferated as Americans’ palates have become sophisticated and diners have sought out new flavors and experiences. Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisines remain the most popular, with more than half of all respondents having visited one or more such restaurants in the ...

Studies have consistently shown that most Americans do not eat the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fiber. According to many studies, high-fiber diets can promote cardiovascular health and help one lose weight, both of which are important to millions of Americans. Indeed, it is becoming ...

While sales of many consumer products have seen declines in sales due to the poor economy, this has not been the case for the nutrition and energy bar market. While not entirely recession-proof, this sector has shown itself to have staying power even in the light of continuing economic woes ...

The face of university foodservice is changing as managed service and self-service providers raise the bar to meet the demands of an increasingly diverse student body, and one that has come to expect a higher level of service than generations past. This has created a challenging marketplace of ...

The breakfast cereal market generated an estimated $10.2 billion in total U.S. sales for 2011. While the market is substantial in size, the most pressing concern for marketers is that it has been in decline since 2009. This is due in part to the fact that with a household penetration rate in ...

Fruits and vegetables, whether fresh, canned, or frozen, are in the national spotlight as an important component of improving and maintaining health and curbing obesity. This may be the reason that the fruit and vegetable industry has been a growing category in retail channels, in spite of tough ...

Breakfast has been a notable trend in the restaurant industry as operators have either added breakfast platforms or revitalized breakfast offerings to counter declines in traffic and tepid consumer spending. Mintel Menu Insights shows a 24.2% increase in number of breakfast menu items available ...

An increasingly diverse population and more frequent home cooking helped the ethnic food market continue to grow in 2011, reaching nearly $3 billion in sales. However, the 3.5% growth during this time is the slowest seen in the category over the five years prior. Signs of an improving economy may ...

Strong growth in the $12 billion home baking industry at FDMx in 2008 and 2009 slowed to a halt in 2010 and 2011. Similarly, strong growth in consumer interest in home baking waned slightly in the period, having been driven in recent years in part by a desire to save money during the economic ...

With a household penetration rate of 97.1%, the salty snacks category is one of the most popular among U.S. households. In 2011, U.S. sales of potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels and corn snacks amounted to $13.6 billion, illustrating the relative recession-resistance of these snack segments. ...

In spite of the economic ups and downs of the past year, consumers have found a way to include dining out in their budget, perhaps becoming recession weary and finding restaurants a form of creature comfort. So much the more going forward as the economy begins to pick up.

In this report, Mintel ...