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It's too early to say if Big Foodâs recent resurgence will last longer than the lockdown, but some legacy brands could benefit from work theyâve put in recently to upgrade/reformulate their wares as new consumers discover them for the first time, and lapsed shoppers give them a second try, says Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly.

Spice and flavor giant McCormick & Co. is tweaking its advertising to better support consumers who are new to or unfamiliar with cooking at home, but who have limited options now that many restaurants and foodservice options have shuttered to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Kroger started to see a âsignificant shift in customer behaviorâ during the last few days of February as shoppers started stocking up, with sales accelerating sharply in March, generating a 30% rise in identical (same store) retail supermarket sales without fuel compared to March 2019.

While the number of women launching businesses is growing at an exponential rate, their access to venture capital, mentors and other resources still lags far behind that of their male counterparts â a unique challenge that will require players across industries to work together to overcome.

Looking at shopping behavior during previous recessions and natural disasters may provide some insight into how consumer purchasing habits could change during a global health pandemic, although there are several factors that make the coronavirus situation unique, say experts at IRI and FMI.

Stevia supplier PureCircle has delayed the publication of its results for the first half of 2020 âin view of the current difficult COVID-19 situation, which has caused some disruption to our working practices,â but belatedly published results for the year to June 30, 2019, which reveal a significant ($79.7m) net loss.

Bolthouse Farms â a fresh food business specializing in packaged carrots and juices & smoothies â is gearing up for a sustained lift in demand as food consumption shifts to the home, potentially for months, beginning a âa huge sociological experiment,â says CEO Jeff Dunn.

Processor JBS USA has temporarily reduced production at its beef facility in Souderton, Pennsylvania following concerns that staff members have become unwell.

Hard-hit e-commerce players, including Amazon, saw a slight reprieve in orders last week, but marketing consultants with the collective Right Side Up predict that there will be a resurgence in sales in the coming weeks that will require brands to re-think their online strategy once again.

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2020 annual meeting & expo - scheduled to take place in Chicago July 12-15 - will transition to a virtual event, the organizers confirmed Monday, citing the need to "prioritize the health and safety of participants and the broader community throughout current and anticipated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Check out FoodNavigator-USAâs latest gallery of new products, from oatmilk pops and CBD-infused tea, to keto cookie mixes, rice krispy treats for kids, and crispy salmon skin snacks from the founders of Harmless Harvest.

Americansâ fears about accessing essential products, including food and beverages, during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic may be ebbing slightly, even as their concern about the virus generally continues to rise, according to new data from the Consumer Brands Association.

Consumers seem to be turning to hemp and cannabis products during the current crisis, which has buoyed the near term outlook for Curaleaf, one of the largest companies in the sector, which posted strong revenue growth in its recent annual report.

Umami, referred to as the â5th tasteâ in the culinary world (in addition to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter), and kokumi, characterized as a âtaste enhancerâ that heightens and lengthens flavors, could be the next winning savory flavor combination in packaged food, says global ingredients supplier Kerry.

Still smarting from the sting of pivotal trade shows cancelling due to the coronavirus, many natural and better-for-you brands are pivoting to deliver their message of healthy eating straight to shoppers rather than relying on retailers to communicate their benefits to consumers.

Historically, functional shots have been relegated either to the âdark back corners of the store with the supplementsâ or by the cash register as an impulse product rather than mindful destination item, but as consumers increasingly seek immunity-boosting products amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the format could earn more prominent placement, suggests the founder of Ethanâs.

Coronavirus has provoked the food packaging debate, with some using the crisis to hammer home the message that plastic is vital for protecting food from germs and extending its shelf life, while others stress that the pandemic highlights the fact that disposable plastic is unsustainable and a carrier of harmful bacteria.

In the wake of Indiaâs nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, Coca-Cola India, Nestle India and various other big MNCs in the country have called for F&B manufacturing to be made an âessential serviceâ in order to keep shelves stocked and avoid further panic.

With consumers approaching every food shopping trip âlike SEAL Team Sixâ (going in, extracting the target, and getting out) new brands and products âare sitting on shelves ignoredâ as shoppers grab trusted brands and make for the exit, behavior that could continue for some time, predicts one cultural anthropologist turned business strategist.

Emerging brand HighKey is betting on the next wave of growth coming to the cereal category, which co-CEO Joe Ens says will be the expansion of low-carb, sugar-free, high-protein products.