Jim Jakala

Did you know that 3 in 5 On Premise consumers in the United States who enjoy a new drink in a venue say they actively seek it out for home consumption as well? 🍹➡️🏠 The US On Premise is an ultra-competitive landscape for beverage alcohol brands—and CGA by NIQ has the insights that are essential to stand out from the crowd. Explore the BevAl State of the Nation here - https://ow.ly/s5aR30sNAE1 #OnPremise #OnTrade #ConsumerTrends #BeverageIndustry #MarketMeasurement

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Better-For-You snacks are still the largest trend across CPG - but - keeping up with shopper flavor/taste preferences can be tough without real-time tracking and access to changing opinions. "“Health-conscious consumers demand more from their snacks — fewer additives, lower sodium and more natural ingredients — but taste needs to remain uncompromised,” said Daria Pashkova, product and marketing manager, Ohly, Hamburg, Germany. “Nutrient-dense snacks are only effective if people want to eat them.” Flavor innovation in better-for-you snacks gives consumers permission to indulge. If the base snack — say, a puffed chickpea — provides protein and fiber, go ahead and layer in some nacho flavor. Co-branded flavors are becoming more popular in salty snacks, too. Innovations promise the consumer something familiar, possibly in a new format."

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Circana’s December 2025 insights unpack how macroeconomic factors are influencing volume, pricing, and demand across Food & Beverage and Non-Food CPG. From easing food price growth to muted holiday shopping pressure on Non-Food categories, this update highlights where momentum is building, and where it’s slowing. Dive into the full update to see what these trends mean for the weeks ahead.

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Chicago-based Kraft Heinz made an excellent choice in appointing one of the most experienced and successful global CPG leaders, Steve Cahillane, as its new CEO. Cahillane previously served as CEO of Chicago-based Kellanova and brings deep industry expertise and proven leadership to the role. In 2026, Kraft Heinz plans to split into two companies, temporarily named "Global Taste Elevation" and "North American Grocery". Global Taste Elevation, led then by Cahillane, will include the faster-growing sauces, spreads, and seasonings portfolio, featuring iconic brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. North American Grocery will house legacy brands including Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables. The objective of this strategic separation is to increase speed to market, reduce complexity, and strengthen proximity to customers. Cahillane is a longtime Chicago resident and advocate for the city, having graduated from Northwestern University. In his first remarks following the announcement, he reaffirmed Kraft Heinz’s commitment to Chicago. Congratulations, Steve! Please read here the Chicago Tribune coverage by Robert Channick here: https://lnkd.in/gUvbH7hc

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Even the leading mac and cheese brand isn’t immune to the middle-market brand squeeze taking place across industries. How can Kraft Mac & Cheese restore its yummy, cheesy, gooey crown? The brand, which dominated its niche for decades, is facing a classic stuck-in-the-middle problem: cheap knockoffs below and differentiated premium products above, resulting in flat or declining sales for what once was a perennial winner. This WSJ piece catalogs the unforced errors that have caused market share to tank. More interesting is where the company takes the brand from here. Kraft has  tried ‘rococo strategy’—brand ornamentation that gets a second look and maybe trial but rarely adds up to lasting growth. Flavors like ranch and jalapeno and licensing deals with Spongebob feel more like table stakes than strategy. What now? Here are a few strategies that Kraft (and other CPG companies) can test to escape middle-market funk: Segmentation. Yeah, I know CPG companies spend gazillions surveying consumers to organize them into buckets. It’s too slow, it has a massive say-vs-do problem, and it’s often not instantly actionable. What works better: running segmentation experiments using ad platforms. Which wellness-focused segments respond best to Kraft Mac & Cheese’s new protein-plus-fiber offerings? Which Gen Z segments want nostalgia versions of this classic brand? Restart growth by mapping benefits to responsive groups and cultivating them. Size. Kraft’s big advantage is size; it has a huge distribution footprint and lots of shelf space. How do you use size as an advantage? By mapping high-potential segments to geographies and retailers and testing store-level product mix to drive trial and retention. Again, ad platforms offer real-time data pathways. Run some experiments. See what happens. What you ship to Target in Phoenix may look different from what you ship to Kroger in Columbus. Experimentation may also point the way to retailer-specific product opportunities. Speed. New entrants nip at the ankles of big brands because they can move a lot faster. Lumbering CPG behemoths can pick up the pace through regular experimentation. If you have a shelf-stable product like mac & cheese, run experiments via small-scale DTC. Offer new flavors, positioning, or collabs on a limited-edition basis and see what sells and to which targetable segments. Just make sure you have a rigorous experimentation framework, so that it’s clear which variables are driving success. Anyone seeing other strategies that are helping middle-of-the-road brands? #experiments #strategy #CPG https://lnkd.in/exmf9i9F

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭? The 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 size is predicted to reach 𝐔𝐒𝐃 𝟔.𝟒𝟖 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 by 2030, at a 𝐂𝐀𝐆𝐑 of 𝟑.𝟔% from 2024 to 2030. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: https://lnkd.in/ggvMcRFh It is not just serving the foodservice industry-it’s powering the backbone of America’s growing hospitality and restaurant sectors. As dining-out culture expands and quick-service restaurants gain traction, demand for energy-efficient, automated, and durable cooking solutions is accelerating. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 1. The surge in quick-service restaurants, cafeterias, and institutional kitchens is fueling equipment demand. 2. Smart and energy-efficient cooking systems are increasingly preferred for cost optimization. 3. Technological advancements such as IoT-enabled cooking equipment are transforming kitchen operations. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: ABB – A global leader delivering sustainable and energy-efficient cooking solutions. Duke Manufacturing Co. – Known for innovative equipment designs tailored to quick-service restaurants. Cambro Manufacturing – A trusted name in commercial kitchens, specializing in durable food storage, transport, and serving solutions that enhance efficiency and safety. The Middleby Corporation – A dominant force in commercial kitchen solutions, focusing on automation and smart cooking. GEA Group – Renowned for engineering excellence in food processing and commercial equipment. 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲: The U.S. Commercial Cooking Equipment Market represents a strategic investment zone, where innovation, sustainability, and the booming foodservice industry converge. With key players continuously evolving their portfolios, investors have the chance to tap into a resilient and high-demand sector. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: https://lnkd.in/gxHS4tpX 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: The U.S. Commercial Cooking Equipment Market is on a growth trajectory, driven by innovation, sustainability, and the rising demand for efficient foodservice operations. With leading players reshaping the industry through smart and energy-efficient solutions, this market offers investors a resilient and future-ready opportunity. #USMarket #CommercialCookingEquipment #FoodserviceIndustry #RestaurantGrowth #KitchenInnovation #SmartKitchens #HospitalitySector #MarketTrends #InvestmentOpportunity #FoodTech

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👀 Do these hashtags sound familiar? #ShiftingDemos, #Digital, #Loyalty, #AffordableLuxury, #EmergingChains... If these trends resonate with you, don’t miss the recent conversation between my colleague Vince Sgabellone (Circana) and Chris Elliott, where they unpacked the key forces shaping the future of the restaurant industry in Canada. While the focus was on the Canadian market, many of the challenges and opportunities discussed are just as relevant across EMEA. The trends may be global, but the actions must be local, #glocalization is key to success. 🌶️ Will the Spicy trend make its way to EMEA too? Place your bets! #Foodservice2025 #RestaurantTrends #Glocalization #EMEA #Innovation #HospitalityIndustry

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New eating habits, old CPG problems? As GLP-1s continue to rise, we’re starting to see ripple effects across #CPG and #food. This Food Dive piece digs into some early changes in consumer behavior—including a drop in impulse purchases and a shift toward smaller portions. But what I find most interesting is this: While people on GLP-1s are changing how they shop and eat, the bigger wave might be in how the rest of us respond. If your best friend stops ordering apps, or your office mate skips lunch, do you adapt too? Some big questions brands should be asking: - What categories, brands and SKUs are most vulnerable to this shift—and which ones could ride the wave? - Are there white space opportunities for brands focused on portion control, protein, or digestive comfort? - How do you build brand loyalty when “cravings” are no longer driving purchases? GLP-1s aren’t just a healthcare story anymore. They’re a culture story, and a consumption story—and that means they’re a brand story too. #GLP1 #consumerbehavior #CPGtrends #foodandbeverage #marketresearch https://lnkd.in/gzw7tEt9

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