Association News | Industry News | Regulatory News
The smarts that earned restaurant executives a Silver Plate have put them in demand as board of director appointees. Recent weeks have led to at least three past winners being named to the lofty advisory positions.
The celebrated achievements of two former Silver Plate winners are earning the veritable hall-of-famers a shot at new notoriety via the bookcase.
Purchases of goods and services from food-away-from-home suppliers will increase by an inflation-adjusted 1.1% in 2026, with the most appreciable uptick coming from the onsite sector of the market, according to IFMA The Food Away from Home Associatio
A roundup of regulatory developments affecting the food-away-from-home business, including policy changes that are part of the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
Economic uncertainties may have consumers ordering less often from restaurants and other sources of prepared meals, but the squeezed businesses are far from panicking.
Restaurants in California would be required to flag menu items containing a potential allergy-triggering ingredient under a bill slated for a vote in the state Senate next month.
With a merger off the table, 7-Eleven is counting on a stronger presence in the food-away-from-home business to help maintain its dominance of the U.S. convenience-store market.
Amid all the anxiety about tariffs and consumer belt-tightening, other currents are shaping the food-away-from-home business with far less attention. Here’s a sampling of those forces packing a more subtle influence.
On December 9, 2013, the food-away-from-home world was shocked to hear that Sysco and US Foods had agreed to “merge.” Although it was technically called a merger, it was clear that Sysco was buying US Foods. Behemoth #1 was buying Behemoth #2.
Fearful that tariffs will trigger another spike in inflation, 58% of consumers intend to cut their spending over the next 12 months, according to the latest research on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.
A new study confirms what many food-away-from-home establishments say they’ve already seeing on their P&Ls: Americans are significantly cutting back their alcohol consumption.
The Trump Administration is embarking on a campaign to roll back state laws perceived as dampening business beyond a jurisdiction’s borders, with a measure blasted by the food-away-from-home industry cited as a prime example.
Food-away-from-home advocates ranging from the James Beard Foundation to several state restaurant associations are joining forces to secure permission for the employment of immigrant food workers.
With sales of fanny packs and digital cameras soaring again, is there any mystery as to why nostalgia is driving so many current food-away-from-home promotions?
The gap between food-away-from-home and grocery prices widened during July, according to newly released government figures, giving restaurants and other foodservice outlets more reason to stress value.
Illinois has expanded its restaurant food-safety certification requirements to include training on accommodating and protecting customers with food allergies and sensitivities.
If there was an overall theme to Go2MarketEdge, a new conference focused on the technologies changing food-away-from-home marketing and sales, it might well have been the need for even the tech-challenged to take deep a breath and relax about AI.
Rebuffed so far in its efforts to forge some sort of combination with arch-rival Performance Food Group (PFG), foodservice distributor US Foods acknowledged last week that it’s still open to a merger.
The discussion of AI’s potential shifted from the theoretical to the practical during Day Two of Go2MarketEdge, hosted by Instacart. Speakers from operations ranging from McDonald’s to Nestlé Professional Solutions highlighted benefits they’re alread
The National Restaurant Association plans to survey its members to calibrate the impact on the restaurant industry of the Trump Administration’s so-called reciprocal tariffs, which went into effect today.
If you missed Day One of Go2MarketEdge, you missed Jon Miller speaking about AI. He unpacked how AI is transforming the game—but also why it won't replace human creativity, connection, or experience.
Once-praised initiatives to promote diversity in the food-away-from-home workforce are turning into a potential regulatory issue for two businesses that have maintained the effort.
President Donald Trump has given importers seven days to pack U.S. warehouses with foods and other products from abroad before the goods are subject to tariffs ranging as high as 41%.
Facilities that feed pre-school children under the federal Head Start program can now apply for one-time grants from the Trump Administration to upgrade their kitchens and menus.
Welcome Upper Crust Enterprises for premium panko, TRC Companies for energy-saving rebates, and Legacy Food Group for independent distribution solutions—all helping FAFH thrive sustainably and efficiently.
With President Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs about to take effect, the National Restaurant Association has formally requested that imported foods and beverages be exempted from the protective duties.
Food-away-from-home employers warned that steep increases in the pay of restaurant workers would ultimately hurt the intended beneficiaries. Now they’re wielding research that shows they weren’t crying wolf.
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) has tapped a foodservice veteran to serve as its next CEO and president: former Aramark Northern Europe CEO Frank Gleeson.
Strong relationships may be as crucial to getting a manufacturer’s product on a menu as the caliber of the item itself, according to a new study of the menu ideation process.
The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and Agriculture have issued a joint Request for Information seeking public input on defining ultra-processed foods (UPF).
Foodservice distribution’s use of advanced technology is proving both a blessing and a curse, as recent news from the sector attests. Here’s a sampling of developments where the digital revolution posed either a vulnerability or a new opportunity.
In a rare instance of a supply-chain veteran rising into the top management ranks of a major restaurant chain, Wendy’s supply chain co-op CEO Pete Suerken has been appointed President of the No. 2 burger concept’s U.S. operations.
A roundup of regulatory developments affecting the food-away-from-home business, including policy changes that are part of the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative
A little-noticed omission in the 1,000-plus-page federal budget could spell trouble for business-and-industry foodservice operators.
IFMA The Food Away from Home Association has added the noted food scientist, nutritionist, and regulatory expert Dr. Joy Dubost to its roster of subject matter experts.
A new study has underscored another challenge for Starbucks in its ongoing effort to reverse slumping traffic: Reversing a loss of younger customers to convenience stores.
The Trump Administration has proposed revoking 52 standards governing what’s in food products ranging from canned peaches to specialty pastas, saying the requirements are obsolete and unnecessary.
The Trump Administration said it intends to levy a 17.01% duty within 90 days on all tomatoes imported from Mexico, asserting the move will stop exporters from dumping product on the U.S.
Dozens of ice cream makers have agreed to stop using artificial dyes in their frozen dairy products by the end of 2027, according to joint announcements Monday by the producers’ trade association and the Trump Administration.
Foodservice distribution giant US Foods is exploring the possibility of acquiring competitor Performance Food Group (PFG), the Bloomberg news service reported Friday.
The Trump Administration has filed a lawsuit to stop California from enforcing an animal-welfare regulation mandating more cage space for egg-laying chickens, saying the measure did nothing for humans except raise prices to historic levels.
An emerging wave in packaging regulation is giving new currency to the old maxim about the devil being in the details. But even with the particulars largely undetermined, food-away-from-home businesses can sense an impending mess.
Food-away-from-home giant WK Kellogg Co. has agreed to be acquired by candymaker The Ferrero Group for $3.1 billion.
In the wake of the flashfloods that killed well over 100 people Friday in Texas, businesses from all sectors of the food-away-from-home industry are stepping up to aid survivors and the rescuers searching for the nearly 200 people missing.
Summer is one of the busiest seasons for food-away-from-home businesses, with operators often so focused on sales that they miss key developments occurring around them. Here are a few of the under-the-radar news items that shouldn’t escape attention.
Most countries that ship foods and other food-away-from-home supplies into the United States will be informed starting today of how much of a tariff will be levied on those imports, with the implementation date now pushed back to Aug. 1.
Everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence. But understanding the breakthrough technology is a different matter, as studies and anecdotal evidence readily attest.
Food giant Del Monte Foods Corp. II said it is seeking a buyer after filing for Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection. The company has also committed to a financial restructuring in collaboration with several holders of its debt.
The White House is developing a way to keep the administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants from hampering the nation’s food production, President Donald Trump revealed over the weekend.
One of technology’s challenges for food-away-from-home executives is the sheer speed of change. Today’s stunning advance is tomorrow’s fodder for a history reel.
The nation’s leading health officer has demonized it as a dire threat to American health. Scientists and nutritionists counter that it’s been a wellness breakthrough for a nation that loves its fried foods.
Sales within the lodging and food-away-from-home industries fell by $4.8 billion during the first quarter as consumers shifted dollars to stockpiling imported goods, according to revised data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Skeptical of all the breathless assertions that AI is about to revolutionize business? Then risk having your socks blown off by a test-drive of the near-term capabilities for the food-away-from-home industry.
Meet the newest members of our community! Learn about Mike’s Hot Honey and Curion, two innovative companies joining our network. Discover how membership connects you with exclusive insights, resources, and collaboration opportunities.
Blame it on the heat. Whatever the cause, the food-away-from-home business gave rise to some unusual developments over the last week or so. Here’s what we mean.
A bill signed into law Sunday by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will require packaged foods sold within the state to carry a warning if the products contain dyes, additives or other chemicals banned by nations other than the United States.
The second quarter is proving a hot one for news about distributors serving the food-away-from-home business. Here’s a sampling of recent developments.
Top college dining leaders gathered at UMass-Amherst to explore the future of campus foodservice, from electric kitchens and wellness trends to shifting Gen Z tastes and the evolving plant-based movement.
Food-away-from-home giants Kraft Heinz and General Mills both pledged Tuesday to complete the elimination of artificial dyes from all their products.
The Women’s Foodservice Forum is searching for a new chief executive after Therese Gearhart announced she will retire from the position after a successor is hired.
When Laura Jones mentions taking a plunge, the CMO of the Instacart food-delivery service isn’t always referring to a dive into unfamiliar marketing endeavors, though she professes to do that often these days.
The Trump Administration has directed immigration authorities to ease their roundup of undocumented workers employed by food growers, meat and seafood processors, restaurants, and hotels.
Forget every tenet you’ve learned about B2B email marketing and filling the sales pipeline with qualified prospects. Those onetime killer practices have lost their power, says serial tech disruptor Jon Miller.
Gold & Silver Plate winners were out in force at the Culinary Institute of America’s 18th Annual Leadership Awards, a celebration of what the “Harvard of Foodservice” calls the industry’s tastemakers.
Deliveries to the food-away-from-home customers of distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) have been disrupted by a cyberattack on the company’s technology systems, executives have confirmed. The distributor said Monday in a securities
After climbing to the loftiest heights of the chain-restaurant business, former IHOP and Applebee’s chief Julia Stewart is back in an entrepreneurial role. The 2005 Silver Plate winner (Chain-Full Service) has founded a healthcare technology business
Minah's head-turning work would earn him a Silver Plate in the College & Universities category in 1968.
Peter Romeo's new status clears the way for a partial revelation of what happens in the jury room. But don’t expect a motherlode of insider gossip about any nominee. The imperative to keep the deliberations secret still stands. And part of the jury’s
The nation’s second-largest wine and spirits distributor is pulling out of California, citing the high costs and frustrations of supplying the nation’s largest food-away-from-home market.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is advising the food-away-from-home industry to check its coolers and kitchens for whole brown eggs supplied by August Egg Co., which is warning of a possible salmonella contamination.
The heavy hand of government may be feeling a little lighter this week to the food-away-from-home business, a sign lawmakers and regulators are hearing the trade’s complaints about well-intentioned initiatives delivering unforeseen negative consequen
The National Restaurant Association has added a veteran product-development executive and a seasoned association manager to its c-suite in what CEO Michelle Korsmo described as key moves to keeping the trade group relevant.
GLP-1 appetite suppressant drugs are reshaping dining-out behaviors, with users opting for smaller portions, healthier foods, and fewer indulgent drinks. New research reveals a shift in consumer choices that could significantly impact the food-away-f
Broadline distributor Performance Food Group (PFG) has grown rapidly in recent years through a combination of acquisitions and deeper penetration of the food-away-from-home market.
Meet innovative manufacturers like Long Weekend and MyForest Foods, and service providers like Oracle NetSuite. See how these companies are shaping the future of foodservice and explore the benefits of joining our growing membership network.
Everyone agrees that artificial intelligence will have a profound effect on the food-away-from-home industry, but that’s where the consensus ends. Will it prove as disruptive as smart phones or computers? Or is everyone hyperventilating over nothing
Amid the uncertainty over tariffs and taxes, the food-away-from-home industry has scored several clear legislative victories at the state and local levels.
As if the tariff situation wasn’t confusing enough, the picture has been further scrambled by Wednesday’s court ruling that President Trump lacked the authority to impose most of the current and planned import duties he’s set.
Here’s the second half of our interview with ChatGPT on the projected impact it will make on the food-away-from-home industry.
Brand loyalty is slipping among limited-service restaurant patrons, as half now switch brands due to price, quality, or menu appeal—trends that vary by generation, according to new research.
Hospitality employers near LAX are pushing back on a plan to raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2028, citing rising costs and concerns over affordability during the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics.
Texas is set to become the first state to roll back the legalization of recreational THC products, including the hemp-infused packaged beverages that have become popular additions to convenience-store coolers.
During my first National Restaurant Association Show, fellow attendees were all but exclaiming hallelujahs over one of the products being hawked. An exhibitor who might have trained as a carnival barker was touting an advance certain to revolutionize
USA Today ranked Kwik Trip the top gas station for food in 2025, highlighting its fresh bakery and grab-and-go options. Other top picks include Royal Farms, Casey’s, QuikTrip, and Maverik—all praised for quality, freshness, and value.
Foodservice royalty came out in their finest on Saturday to recognize eight new inductees into the ranks of winners of the Silver Plate Awards.
Food distributors have struggled for years to recruit enough drivers for their trucks, but unions representing the diminished labor pool are pushing back hard on the adoption of driverless vehicles as a solution.
Students pursuing a career in the food-away-from-home business got a high-def picture of what their future might be like—and practical advice on plotting the journey—during a day-long event with leaders from the supplier side of the trade.
Kevin Hochman, CEO & President of Brinker International, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Gold Plate Award. Honored for his leadership and industry impact, Hochman was selected from eight Silver Plate winners representing excellence.
Menu prices continued to climb in April as grocery prices fell by the steepest margin since 2020, according to newly released federal data, widening a gap that has the food-away-from-home business struggling to pull consumers out of their home kitche
President Trump’s campaign pledge to exclude workers’ tips from their taxable income has moved a giant step closer to becoming a reality, with Republican lawmakers incorporating the break in the tax reform bill they released Monday.
A summary of recent government actions, including U.S.-China tariff changes, universal school meals in New York, federal water regulation rollbacks, immigration audits in D.C., and new FDA-approved natural food dyes.
Breakfast offers a vast array of options, but the occasion has changed dramatically over 25 years. While some operators have evolved, others still serve the same old fare, missing the mark with today’s more dynamic and demanding consumers.
Midway through the career that earned him this year’s prestigious Legends Award from the National Restaurant Association, Ted Fowler remarked to a gathering of fellow industry leaders that he felt like the turtle who finds itself perched atop a fence
Fancier lemonades are flooding food-away-from-home menus as major chains like McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, IHOP, and Taco Bell refresh the classic drink with exotic flavors and dessert-style twists to tap into consumer cravings.
Convenience stores have significant gripes about their foodservice suppliers and distributors, with more than 1 in 10 blaming a lack of support as the reason they’re unable to capture more of the food-away-from-home market.
In an early victory for the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, dairy suppliers have agreed to remove artificial dyes from products they provide to schools participating in federal nutrition programs.