No real theme or thread this time, just random things that caught my attention the last week or so.
 
 
I often hear about race to the bottom when there are businesses that just keep cutting their prices in hopes of getting customers. And often I hear that that is not what you want to do, you are just cheapening your brand. They seem to say here that the consumer perceives the overall priciness of the brand or retailer as what they think in general, rather than the actual price of a particular item.
(link to MarketWatch: Why retail price cuts don’t always pay off)
 
 
Since WFM was in the news recently, about investors taking a large stake in them and looking to turn it around, there is all kinds of speculation. Here is one that ponders how a partnership with Target would fair.
(link on FoodDive: Would a Whole Foods-Target partnership work?)
 
 
I’ve recently been working on a few projects that are in the grab n go category of snacks, so when there are articles around that it gets my attention. Here is another Dive into portable snacks and mention of millennials.
(link on FoodDive: On the go is the way to go: Portable snacks gaining popularity)
 
 
I’ve been trying to be good and not do fast-food lately, but I am a sucker sometimes for hot and spicy stuff. Here is news of KFC bringing a super spicy sandwich from Trinidad to the US. Usually I’m disappointed, either the flavor just isn’t there and always the heat isn’t. I might have to try it. We’ll see.
(link on Restaurant News: KFC’s World Famous and Best Selling Zinger Chicken Sandwich is Coming to America)
 
 
This one has been hitting the social media feeds this week. The high tech crowdfunded juicer that it seems you can get the same results by hand.
(link on Bloomberg: Silicon Valley’s $400 Juicer May Be Feeling the Squeeze)
 
 
These guys first caught my attention 2 years ago at the ExpoWest, first because I saw they were from Western Mass (Pittsfield actually and I lived not far from there as a little kid) and because they had a spice filled drink, made with ginger, turmeric, and habanero. Cool to see them growing, building a new production facility, and getting wider distribution.
(link on BevNet: Fire Cider Secures New Production Facility, Inks GNC Partnership)
 
 
And one more about millennials and snacks.. (I guess maybe there was a bit of theme going in this post) The better for you snack category has been growing, mostly lead by millennials. This segment has been expanding fast, not just with natural food stores, but even with convenience marts and the flavor is important too. Reading thru this study, it shows that easy to understand ingredients resonates with this generation.
(link on FoodDive: Study: Millennials drive the better-for-you snacking trend)