Caught My Attention 024 (171212)


This year has flown by. I can’t believe that I have actually (kind of) kept up with this blog. This is my 24th Caught My Attention post. As the year winds down, I’m assuming that there will be less news and more year in review or trends articles – we are already seeing them. The year is not over yet and there’s always something going on, so just keep my head down and charge ahead!
  
  
Another brand, KIND, being invested in by a large conglomerate, Mars. We have been seeing several of these type of acquisitions recently (Nestle & Blue Bottle comes to mind, as does Kellogs buying RxBar). Here they are saying the main objectives will be to expand into China where Mars has big distribution and to expand the other product lines to fall more in line with KIND’s healthier category.
(link to NYTimes: Snickers Owner to Invest in Kind, Third-Biggest Maker of Snack Bars)
  
  
Best By. Sell By. Use by. It’s all so confusing isn’t it? There is a market chain in the UK that is now looking to sell products, even if past The Date.
(link to NPR the two-way: To Cut Waste, U.K. Grocery Chain Will Sell Products Past ‘Best Before’ Dates)
  
  
Mindfulness, the practice of bringing your attention to experience only what is happening in this moment. Usually associated with meditation. I am seeing it referred to more recently, or maybe I am just more aware of people talking about it. But then I wonder if it has, or is about to, jump the shark (or is it being used for clickbait). This headline did get my attention, on mindful eating.
(link to HuffPost: What Is Mindful Eating, And How Do You Practice It?)
  
  
We have seen vanilla prices soar the past year or so, but now news that it has stabilized. Whether prices start coming back down is yet to be seen.
(link to Baking Business: Madagascar vanilla crop improves, but prices may stay high)
  
  
Everyone has been waiting to see how the acquisition of WFM would affect the consumer. Some reports are starting to come in and it’s not great.
(link to Business Insider Singapore: Furious shoppers say Whole Foods’ produce has turned ‘depressing,’ ‘barren,’ and ‘bone-dry’ — and they blame Amazon)
  
  
Here’s a list of the best grocery stores for the year. A couple reactions I had first breeze thru the list were a couple surprises for me; surprised Wegmans wasn’t higher and that Jungle Jims was on the list, just because they only have 2 locations.
(link to The Daily Meal: America’s Best Grocery Stores 2017)
  
  
It is that time of year we start seeing all sorts of lists. Here are a couple early top trends lists, with a couple common topics, mindfulness and sustainable/upcycled. And then a list of quirky trends.
Links to:
Specialty Foods Assn: SFA’s Trendspotters’ Top Trends for 2018
Project Nosh: Report: 10 Trends to Watch in 2018
Daily Mail food&drink: Another slice of pink toast, darling? And ten other quirky food trends you won’t be able to avoid in 2018
  
  

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