Food + Tech Connect

MAY 1, 2024

Image Credit: Green Queen Every week we track the business, tech and investment trends in CPG, retail, restaurants, agriculture, cooking and health, so you don’t have to. Here are some of this week’s top headlines. Foxtrot Market, once a promising venture, has abruptly ceased operations, filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. The merger with Dom’s, intended to bolster its financial standing, instead proved detrimental.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 8, 2024

Operators must weigh guest acceptance while making strategic decisions about integrating automation at many restaurant touch points, according to Software Advice’s 2024 Automated Customer Experience Survey. More than half (55 percent) of global consumers say automated food preparation is unacceptable for both quick service and table service restaurants, while nearly half (49 percent) say they’re likely to order food through an artificial intelligence tool, such as a chatbot or drive-

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Automated Food Prep Customer Service Customer Service Food Preparation 185

Restobiz

MAY 8, 2024

By Madan Kanala In the modern landscape of multi-unit restaurants, effective software system management is essential for streamlined operations and enhanced productivity. One crucial aspect of managing restaurant software is role-based user management, which empowers operators to tailor access permissions and functionalities according to staff members’ specific roles and responsibilities.

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Restaurant Management Restaurant Manager 130

Food Safety Magazine

MAY 2, 2024

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published the long-anticipated Preharvest Agricultural Water Final Rule, fulfilling Subpart E of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.

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FDA Food Safety 116

Hospitality Net

MAY 7, 2024

Cloud5 Communications, a leading provider of IT solutions and services for more than 5,000 hotels across the Americas, has announced the appointment of technology expert and managed IT veteran, Frank Ziller, as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

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Food Safety Tech

MAY 8, 2024

On three recent occasions, I have talked with food safety leadership at mid- to large-sized processors about their food safety testing and sanitation programs. While these organizations each face some unique challenges, there was a common theme that was clear among them all: The creation of meaningful and timely reporting that is communicated effectively is typically just too cumbersome and manual today.

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Food Safety Food Safety Regulations Food and Beverage Food and Beverage 96

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 1, 2024

Restaurants are complex businesses with many moving parts. Yet all of these parts must work together in harmony for the customer to leave the restaurant feeling satisfied, with their only hunger being to return for another visit. Unfortunately, the restaurant industry is notoriously known for being cliquish, and these cliques may not be as innocent and harmless as they may seem.

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Customer Experience Inventory Management Inventory Restaurant Management 179

FoodService Director

MAY 2, 2024

From day-to-day dining to Diwali, Chef Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC, HGT, has forged a culinary path that’s allowed a generation at Michigan State University to experience the truly fascinating flavors of Indian cuisine and given Indian students and faculty at taste of home.

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Chef 104

Sculpture Hospitality

MAY 7, 2024

The allure of entrepreneurship has always been strong, especially for individuals currently employed in the hospitality industry. The dream of being your own boss, running your own business, and reaping the rewards of your hard work is undeniably attractive.

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Hospitality Hospitality 78

Hospitality Net

MAY 8, 2024

Leading luxury hospitality company Four Seasons and Saudi-based development firm Dar Al Omran Company announce plans for continued expansion in the Middle East with Four Seasons Hotel Madinah, anticipated to open in late 2024.

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Hospitality Hospitality 97

MSU Agrifood Safety Produce Bites

MAY 1, 2024

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule does not give specifics on establishing no-harvest buffer zones, and it can be difficult for growers to determine the size of a no-harvest buffer zone when they find poop in the field. Laurel Dunn, assistant professor and food safety extension specialist at the University of Georgia, and Shirley Micallef, professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture & Center for Food Safety and Security Systems at the University of Maryland, have conduc

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Food Safety 98

Foodservice Equipment Reports

MAY 1, 2024

One of my favorite parts of the year comes when the Kitchen Innovations Award recipients take the stage at the National Restaurant Association Show in May. The showroom marks a convenient place to find the latest equipment for foodservice facilities. For highlights of this year’s program, I visited with Lenny Condenzio, CEO of Ricca Design Studios.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 1, 2024

Restaurant brands need to pay attention to evolving media consumptions in order to better engage with potential customers, according to results of a year-long study conducted by Digital Turbine in collaboration with Qrious Insight. While 91 percent of people use social media, the report finds that, among QSR brand consumers, nearly four in ten social users actually spend more time playing mobile games than they do on social media.

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Inventory Restaurant Management Restaurant Manager 167

FoodService Director

MAY 2, 2024

At Bryan Medical Center, Khan is leading a team that puts the “care” in healthcare dining, and the flavor, too. By educating the community, he’s making big strides, one healthy recipe at a time.

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Chef Recipes 96

ComplianceMate

MAY 2, 2024

Explore how AI transforms food waste management across commercial sectors, including restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.

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Hospitality Net

MAY 8, 2024

The Cornell University Nolan School of Hotel Administration’s Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship today announced the creation of a network and a series of events, resources, and convenings for entrepreneurial individuals and organizations throughout the hospitality industry. This network will facilitate the sharing of best practices, bridging of funding sources and investing opportunities, and identification of partnership and collaboration opportunities.

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Hospitality Hospitality 97

Food Safety Tech

MAY 6, 2024

On May 2, the FDA published a final rule on agricultural water developed to enhance the safety of produce. The revised requirements are intended to enhance public health by improving the safety of water used in produce cultivation. The revisions are also designed to be practical across various agricultural water systems, uses, and practices, while remaining adaptable to future advancements in agricultural water quality science.

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FDA Food Safety 82

Foodservice Equipment Reports

MAY 1, 2024

Warmer temperatures and blooming flowers mean spring has arrived and with it, our annual FER Top Dealers Report and preview of the National Restaurant Association Show. You’ll find both features in our May/June issue, and they mark two important topics. Dealers play a crucial role in the FE&S supply chain.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 7, 2024

The tightening labor market of 2024 presents a complex set of challenges for business owners, from a shrinking labor force to the increasing prevalence of counteroffers. The labor market landscape has shifted recently in ways that few could have predicted even a few years ago. As we press on into 2024, it's crucial for business owners to recognize the complexities and nuances of these shifts so they can stand the best chance of winning the talent race.

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Food Service Food Service Staffing 88

FoodService Director

MAY 1, 2024

Collegiate foodservice directors are often looking for ways to help busy students achieve more balance in their lives and make healthy food choices. That’s one reason so many campus dining programs now offer mobile ordering. College students love this time-saving convenience because it lets them order in advance and schedule pickup for whenever they have a break in their day.

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Campus Dining 92

Fast Casual

MAY 8, 2024

Noodles and Co, Mooyah, Clutch Coffee and Hyve execs discuss why successful loyalty platforms feature 1. Ease of use. 2. Engaging offers and new products. 3. Heavy adoption by customer base driven by employees actively promoting 4. Personalization. 5. Data analytics. 6. Seamless integration.

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Hospitality Net

MAY 8, 2024

Renowned for having some of the most spectacular properties across the globe, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition today announces the addition of the award-winning Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp in Kenya to its exquisite collection of unique retreats.

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Food Safety Magazine

MAY 6, 2024

Researchers at NC State University compared poultry broiler farms of various sizes and found higher rates of Salmonella at large commercial operations than at small backyard farms; however, multidrug-resistant Salmonella were found in samples from both types of farm.

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Foodservice Equipment Reports

MAY 1, 2024

When it comes to foodservice equipment, undercounter dishwashers play the classic supporting role. They may never take center stage—like an oven, a broiler or even a blender—but they help an operation’s overall performance shine. Tucked under a counter, these machines are understated equipment, even compared to conveyor or door-type dishwashers.

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Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 3, 2024

Ever-popular coffee is also proving to be an uber versatile ingredient for restaurants, bars and coffeehouses. More than half of North America’s 50 Best Bars have coffee cocktails on their signature menus, according to bar inventory resource, Backbar. According to a recent survey , one in four Americans like to drink espresso martinis, and in 2024, the cocktail trend remains strong, having experienced a 50 percent growth over the preceding 12 months.

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Inventory Catering Catering Restaurant Management 88

FoodService Director

MAY 2, 2024

The university held a competition between students and staff to see who could waste less food throughout April, in honor of Stop Food Waste Day.

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Fast Casual

MAY 2, 2024

The Restaurant Catering Workshop will provide a blueprint for restaurant operators focused on catapulting catering sales.

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Catering Catering 101

Hospitality Net

MAY 3, 2024

Is the “hush workcation” the new vacation trend? Nearly a third of Americans admitted they’ve worked remotely on vacation without telling their bosses.

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Hospitality Hospitality 116

Food Safety Tech

MAY 6, 2024

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , one in six Americans fall ill after consuming contaminated food or beverages, resulting in approximately 3,000 fatalities from foodborne illnesses per year. This highlights the critical need for restaurant traceability systems to ensure food safety and maintain quality standards. Without proper transparency, it becomes difficult to identify the source of contamination and take necessary actions to prevent the spread of foodborne

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Food and Beverage Food and Beverage Food Safety Nutrition 71

Foodservice Equipment Reports

MAY 1, 2024

Whether it’s a slice of tomato on a burger, pico de gallo on tacos or strawberries on a salad, every operator wants to put the best-looking ingredients in front of their customers. To prep fresh produce, there are three common tools: knives, manual food choppers and automatic food choppers. How do you know which is right for you?

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Food Preparation 98

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 3, 2024

Keeping health and wellness top of mind, consumers are increasingly choosing mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks at restaurants and at home. In fact, the market for non-alcoholic alternatives has seen consistent double-digit growth over the last five years and exceeded half a billion dollars in 2023, according to NielsenIQ. Celebrities such as Katy Perry, Blake Lively, Kylie Minogue and Bella Hadid are helping to boost the booze-free band wagon by launching non-alcoholic beverages.

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Food and Beverage Food and Beverage Purchasing 88