Jessica Longshore

Beginning July 1 2024, salaried workers earning less than $43,888 a year will qualify for 1.5 times pay if they work more than 40 hours a week That is a 23% increase from the current threshold The threshold will expand to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025 That is a 65% increase from the current threshold Amongst other industries, this is a huge deal for managers in the QSR, retail, and overall hospitality space I predict this change combined with minimum wage increases will continue to drive up menu prices across the country #economics #pricing #consumers #QSR #fastfood

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Chipotle Mexican Grill - Anamoly in this economy even with continued price increases and hardly any innovation (they once showed a spicy chocolate shake in one of their documents a long long time ago). Stock is +30% YTD and +60% past year....... comps +5%, transactions +3% and avg check +2% "Chipotle has become the rare restaurant chain to report rising transactions despite higher menu prices. The company once again raised its prices in October, citing inflation. Others in the restaurant industry have turned to limited-time offers and deals to appeal to customers, particularly those with lower incomes." https://lnkd.in/gXuVhgUn

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Mischievous creativity or dedication to a brand partnership -- maybe both? Coors Light wants to collaborate with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patricks Mahomes, but NFL players aren't allowed to endorse alcoholic beverages. To remedy this, the brand decided to put the ad in a "time capsule" and it won't air until AFTER he retires, working around the regulation. Or, waiting it out, rather. Love this unique spin on traditional advertising from Mischief agency. This will catch the eye of Mahomes fans, Coors drinkers, and the general public, who will be curious even if they don't watch the NFL. For a great campaign, you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but you SHOULD get creative. This is a masterclass in creativity. #NFL #CoorsLight #CreativeAdvertising #Branding

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Someone is always watching… When people observe, listen, and watch you, and you do not even realize it, what impact are you making? I met Brian Smith very early in my CPG career.  I learned a lot from you observing how he conducted himself. I recently had the pleasure of spending time with Brian. I asked him how this seemed to come so naturally to him. Watch this short clip to hear his response. Who do you observe? Who deserves a shoutout from you for their impact on your development? #ProfessioanlDevelopment #Growth #Mentors

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Summer selling season is fast-approaching! But could clutter put a chill on your beverage sales? See what Joe VonderHaar and Bump Williams had to say about the biggest beer cave challenges (and access our free "State of Beer Caves" report for more valuable insights: https://hubs.ly/Q02kZ3Zv0)

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In our youth focused culture, and industry, it's often easy to assume that younger consumers are fundamentally and irrevocably different from older consumers. In many ways, of course, they are. But as I've talked about in past posts, the new older consumer is vastly different from older consumers of previous generations. Case in point, in a survey Mike Kostyo and I fielded to power custom content for Menu Matters LLC we found that Boomers are as likely as younger consumers to research products and restaurants before purchasing. What varies is the source. While Gen Z focuses on social media, Boomers look to review sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor. And here's something that will likely shock some - Boomers are significantly less likely to turn to TV advertising. Which generation is most likely to take TV advertising into account...Millennials. I'll let you sit with that for a minute. Boomers are also as likely as any other generation to look for restaurant menus before visiting, though they do it less frequently than other generations. What is really beginning to separate the generations is not technology broadly but AI and algorithms. The acceptance and use of these evolving technologies is beginning to create far greater rifts than social media ever has. Reach out if you'd like to learn more or if you'd like to be added to our mailing list to be notified when our next report is published featuring these and many more unique new findings. #menumattersllc #consumerinsights #foodservice #consumerbehavior #innovation #trends2024 #restaurants #foodandbeverageindustry #cpg

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The moderation trend is continuing to accelerate! The NA segment of on-premise beer sales in the U.S. jumped 33.7% over the last 52 weeks with broad-based gains in all 50 states! 💪 📈 🍻 At Partake Brewing we are seeing on-premise operators move from offering 1 NA beer option to now several with macros and craft represented in addition to house mocktails. 🍺 🍷 🍹 This is an exciting time for the non-drinker and moderator alike! Gone are the days of water, juice, milk, and soda as the non-alcoholic options. 🤩 https://lnkd.in/gibbdbPB

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Ad Age rounded up the top summer 2024 beverage alcohol trends, one of which being around the continued interest in low- and no- alcohol beverages.   At EIGHT Brewing Co., we've been all about a lower alcohol offering that complements your life without compromise since day one. With only 4% ABV, our low carb, low cal light lager is the perfect option, not only for the summer but every season.   I'm curious to watch the wider trend as it plays out across both the alcohol and traditional beverage categories. As and since we launched, we've watched more players roll out lower alc. / lower calorie offerings across wine, beer and spirits in an effort to continue to meet ever-evolving drinkers where they are. It will be interesting to see if this is a lasting trend and shift in consumer preferences, a passing phase, or the growth of a niche consumer that was previously overlooked.   To read the full piece, click the link below: https://lnkd.in/gmp6SVra

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Don't listen to me, listen to Molson Coors Beverage Company... ✓ Beer displays are key to driving sales in grocery and liquor stores ✓ Brands on display build incremental sales ✓ Displays can be customized to fit large and small formats If you take one thing away from this blog post, it should be "cart stopper." If you're not consistently executing cart stoppers, give me a call! #NVISION #beer #beveragemarketing

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So it continues...another big player coming to the already crowded retail media landscape 👇 It's a nobrainer for retailers to monetize the treasure trove of consumer data at their finger tips, but another challenge for CPGs attempting to spread limited media $ efficiently. Another signal CPGs should be building out their own 1st party data strategy to assert some control over their ability to efficiently access their consumer. #retailmedia #cpg #1stpartydata

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Coke vs. Pepsi? Not so fast.   For the first time, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. has now claimed the #2 soda spot in America, surpassing PepsiCo, who had held the position for over two decades. Their innovative marketing initiatives and unique blend of flavors have truly set them apart from the competition. I had the chance to discuss Dr. Pepper's remarkable rise with The Food Institute, emphasizing their strategy and how they have particularly resonated with the younger demographic, who crave diverse flavors beyond traditional cola.   In the article, I mentioned: "Dr. Pepper has distinguished itself through effective marketing campaigns that emphasize its unique flavor and individuality. This strategy resonates particularly well with younger demographics seeking alternatives to traditional cola drinks."   With Dr. Pepper's leap to the #2 position, do you think they have a shot at dethroning The Coca-Cola Company from the #1 spot? In which other categories do you think a shift like this is possible? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g572y5jv   #MarketingStrategy #BeverageIndustry #Innovation #DrPepper

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How I almost screwed up Betty Crocker - a 2 part tale of failure and redemption Many years ago (too many) I was an innovation associate at General Mills in the convenience division. That meant my job was to take our awesome brands and create new items in convenience stores. The current playbook most successful companies were using was to take well established grocery items and make them bigger - super size it baby! The convenience channel wasn’t typically one where consumers spent a lot of time browsing - the average in and out time was less than 5 minutes. That’s gotta be just small thinking right? So I launched Betty Crocker Devils Food Bites and Cookie Bars. These things tasted amazing and I committed nearly every innovation sin in the process. I say nearly because they did taste great - thanks R&D team! So where did I F up? 1. There was no frame of reference. Consumers weren’t buying these items at their grocery store so they couldn’t walk in to a c-store and say ‘wow, how cool for me to be able to get these here’ - I was relying on a consumer to discover something new in a channel that was already more $$ where they were time constrained 2. We wanted to be in the confection set because these tasted like ‘sweet rewards’ - problem is Betty wasn’t known for confection, we didn’t have any relationships to get them in there so we ended up in the warehouse set with things like Chips Ahoy. This meant we were now a fish out of water. Future me would have stopped right here when we found out it was a no go. But I was new with an MBA so why let that stop us. 3. The brand fit was off. Berry is known for accessible, easy to make, homemade treats. These were already made and seemed fancy. Not the traditional offering so even for Betty super fans it was a stretch. We even had fancy gold packaging. So… suffice to say. It didn’t work. It was short lived and I learned a lot. 1. It’s hard to break channel and category norms. If you want to break from the pack you need a lot of time, $, and a dash of luck. 2. If you can’t land in the aisle you need to, it’s going to be an uphill battle. Don’t just take distribution to get it. Not all distribution is good and the turns data for like items in the space should have stopped us from shipping out of the gates. 3. If you’re going to take a 100 year old brand and extend it to a new channel - start by doing a job it does well. And then, maybe only then, get fancy with the gold packaging. :) Stay tuned tomorrow for how I learned my lesson and made it up to Betty Crocker. But first, I can’t be alone here. What innovation sins have you made and what did you learn. Comment 👇🏽 ----- Enjoying these posts? Don't miss out! Click the 🔔 on my profile, I post every day around 7 central. And be sure to follow me for the latest and greatest. #innovation #consumerproducts #brandbuilding #brandidentity #positioning

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Working in marketing turns all of us into accidental anthropologists. For the last 6 months I've gotten a bit addicted to studying #GenZ and the impact they're having on our industry, and more specifically, the food industry. The proliferation of food influencers is just one byproduct of this fascinating generation and who better to spill my guts to on that topic than Elizabeth Green + Food Ingredients First!? tysm 🧡↓ #foodindustry #influencermarketing #marketing

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"Thanks Kaleigh Theriault, great play by play on the first half, let’s take a look at what’s going to be needed to win the year." 🏈 Halftime Report: Preparing for the second half in the Beverage Alcohol Industry! 🏆 As we take a breather at the halfway point of 2024, it's clear that the beverage alcohol industry has seen some major plays and strategic moves. Let's huddle up and look at the game plan for the rest of the year: 🍺 Beer: The price increases in 2023 are putting pressure on consumers, with long-term inflation effects and multiple drivers pointing to lower volumetrics. To stay in the game, deeper price subsidization for core Beer categories is essential. However, Imports show potential for a positive finish. Maintaining consumer loyalty will be our MVP move here. 🍷 Wine: The $15-$25 range continues to be the sweet spot, driving consumer interest. But to achieve positive trends by year-end, we need to capitalize on Q4 gifting. A big comparable period is coming up, so some price adjustments might be necessary, especially for infrequent Wine shoppers. 🥃 Spirits: We're seeing a continued shakeout as consumers transition from traditional products to RTDs. Flavor and turn-key cocktails are the winning plays, making Q4 critical for gifting and entertaining. Price discounting is already in motion to boost revenue. 🍹 RTD (Ready-to-Drink): RTDs remain a game-changer this year. With their share of total Alcohol growing, we expect more stability in growth rates as the shift from Seltzers slows. Building consumer brand loyalty for Spirits RTDs is crucial, and we need to watch out for potential flavor fatigue in the second half. Let's get ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead! Here's to a successful second half of 2024! 🥂 "Why did the football team go to the bank at halftime? To get their quarterback!" 🏆 #BeverageIndustry #AlcoholTrends #Beer #Wine #Spirits #RTD #MarketInsights #SecondHalf #HalftimeReport Note: This report looks at the 26 week ending period thru July 6th, 2024

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In-store displays play an important role. What I know for sure is: * They build both awareness and consideration among shoppers. * They remove products from the shelf, functioning like in-store billboards. * They trigger higher sales, primarily from regular shelf placements. What else?

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Got a minute? How about a “Macro” minute? Our short form update to the Beverage Alcohol business has been getting positive feedback and we appreciate it. Kaleigh Theriault and I have the latest 4 week ending 5/18/24 NIQ reporting available. One of the views that many of you seem to enjoy is what the business looks like when we create a 4th mega category for Ready to Drink. 🍸 RTD – continues to show some positive impact this period with dollars +1.3% but volume is down over -2%. When viewed on its own, RTD is well over a 12 share of the total alcohol dollars off trade. FMB and Spirits based cocktails are driving momentum while Seltzers are declining growth. This view shows you how volume challenged the Beer, Wine and Spirits segments remain when we exclude RTD.  Most category dollar revenue continues to flirt with flat growth, going into the pivotal summer selling season. 💡 Let me know if you want to get the update details, and please continue to share your thoughts and commentary. 😂 And just because …. Why did the data analyst go broke?  Because he lost his cache! 😆 OK, back to my day job.

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Year after year I’m impressed with the number of innovative, new beverage brands that enter the market. As always, #BevNet provides an amazing opportunity for these brands to be seen, to learn, and to network. There were so many takeaways, but here are three to share from this year’s conference: 1. If you’ve been waiting for the #Hemp-#THC infused beverage category to take off, it’s here. We saw lots of great new brands and very impressive data on sales volume and consumer demand. 2. Interesting advice from Whole Foods Market: It’s no longer enough to just present a great brand. You need a great brand with a strategic plan for success. 3. With #NIL there’s a growing opportunity to use student athletes as influencers and brand endorsers. If you’re looking to reach GenZ this is a great way to go. Thanks again to the team at #Bevnet for making every show invaluable. #beverageindustry #entrepreneur #innovation #kickstartflorida SAS Sales and Marketing

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When the March retail #freshproduce numbers posted, most thought..."yeah but" meaning an early Easter boosted March, but come April it would be a stiffer climb to maintain those gains. Well as Gomer Pyle so famously said, "surprise, surprise, surprise". The April numbers reveal that fresh produce was resilient in the month gaining +2.5% on dollars vs 2023, and maintained volume at +0.1%. It may be modest but consider the hurdle of comping against a holiday that wasn't there this time. From a category perspective it was grapes which took the top spot in absolute dollar gains of +$56.9M while berries even though were going up against a major berry promotion period still had +$26.3M in absolute dollar gains. The strength of fresh produce sales in April is very telling for the rest of the year. Consumers are clearly dialed into fresh produce with its many benefits. Consumers are shopping the department more often this year and that means produce has a chance to do what produce does best: impress and drive impulse and incrementalily. Another metric which I always watch is the share of the dollar going to fresh, vs, shelf stable and frozen. In April the fresh share was 80.1%...that is a healthy number and one which is a good indicator of how consumers are thinking in how they engage with fruits and vegetables as we head into the ever important summer selling season. What I am looking for in the May report California Cherries have arrived and we will have at least two weeks of numbers to report on, also retailers seem to be getting out early with their summer sets and promotions. This is an excellent indicator that retailers are ready to SELL. And everyone along the supply chain should get excited about that. Anne-Marie Roerink International Fresh Produce Association Happy Selling to all https://lnkd.in/gSYpNwWZ

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