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October 31: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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How well do you know the chain restaurant market?

The Datassential 500 is a key product of the well-known researcher, traditionally available only to paid subscribers. But the 159-page report is now available free of charge to suppliers with a Tier II or Tier III membership in IFMA The Food Away fr

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School foodservice pros give MAHA plan a bad grade

School nutrition leaders say the federal Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) plan misses the mark. Critics argue the initiative offers few real solutions to improve student meals, lacks school input, and overlooks funding and infrastructure needs essen

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October 27: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Latest CPI report brings good news for the FAFH business

Grocery prices rose at three times the rate for meals prepared outside of homes in September, tempering what restaurants and other ready-to-eat food outlets have cited as a major reason for a decline in customer traffic.

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What is halal food and why is it appearing in more places?

The Arabic word “halal” translates into English as “permissible.” A more appropriate definition for the food-away-from-home industry may well be “surging opportunity.”

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New FAFH coalition aims to set one nationwide set of ingredients regulations

Lobbying groups and suppliers from across the food-away-from-home industry have joined forces to push for federal pre-emption of the food-ingredient regulations that are beginning to proliferate at the state level.

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Peanut allergies drop as new prevention method is validated

The number of pre-school-aged children with an allergy to peanuts dropped by 43% between 2017 and 2020, a result of introducing the legume into the youngsters’ diet as soon as they could consume solid foods, according to a groundbreaking new study.

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Krista Pohlman gets the nod to permanently head Wendy’s purchasing co-op

Quality Supply Chain Co-Op (QSCC), the independent purchasing arm for the Wendy’s quick-service chain, has named Krista Pohlman CEO and president.

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Trump says he might halt imports of cooking oils from China

President Trump said Tuesday that he’s considering a complete shutoff of cooking oil imports from China as retaliation against the Asian mega-power for halting its purchase of soybeans from U.S. farmers.

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California broadens its menu-labeling requirements to include allergens

California has become the first state in the nation to mandate the disclosure of common allergens as part of its menu-labeling requirements.

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Regional distributor What Chefs Want is buying Premier Produce

On Friday, the multi-regional distributor What Chefs Want (WCW) said it has agreed to buy vegetable and dairy-products provider Premier Produce. The agreed-upon price and other details of the deal were not disclosed.

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Restaurant industry sues to keep seafood imports flowing

The legal arm of the National Restaurant Association has filed a lawsuit in collaboration with members of the fishing industry to stop the Trump Administration from severely limiting imports of seafood starting Jan. 1.

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October 13: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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California defines ‘ultra-processed foods,’ starts eliminating them from school meals

California is embarking on a 10-year effort to reset the standards for what foods and beverages can be offered in school foodservices for children in grades 12 and below.

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Federal shutdown cuts deeply into a key business source for the FAFH industry

As the shutdown of the federal government enters its second week, the food-away-from-home industry is facing the severe erosion of a key source of business: travel.

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Supreme Court to decide if FAFH customers need permission to come armed

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case aimed at allowing the patrons of restaurants, bars, convenience stores, and other food-away-from-home sources to carry a gun onto the premises without the establishments’ permission.

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West Coast operators face possible Sysco strikes

The food-away-from-home business of Portland, Ore., is facing more of a break from the usual than the possible dispatch of federal troops to patrol the streets.

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October 6: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Possible penny shortage fosters support for guest-tab rounding

Several associations that lobby on behalf of the food-away-from-home industry have joined a coalition aiming to secure legislative permission for restaurants and other merchants to round off customers’ charges to the nearest nickel.

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Ikea assembles program to cut food waste, eyes EPR initiatives

Ikea furniture stores in the U.S. are piloting a new program for turning food waste from their in-store foodservice facilities into low-carbon fertilizer and natural gas.

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If past is prologue, a federal shutdown would severely hurt the FAFH business

If the last federal shutdown is a preview of what the food-away-from-home industry can expect this time around, a resolution of the political stalemate can’t come soon enough for dining-out businesses in and around the nation’s capital.

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MAHA initiative calls for spending $62 million more on Head Start foodservice upgrades

The U.S. Health & Human Services Department (HHS) has earmarked an additional $61.9 million to upgrade the foodservice operations of more than 290 facilities participating in the federal Head Start childcare program.

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Relations between operator and distributor still have ample room to improve, new study finds

Foodservice distributors still have a long way to go in their stated quest of being seen as true partners by the food-away-from-home operators they service, according to a newly released research report.

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4 emerging FAFH segments you may not know about

Trend-watchers wondering what type of restaurant might be the next sort to take off as a market darling. Here are some possibilities drawing attention.

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Food regulation update September 29: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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How consumers’ reasons for dining out are changing

Throw out the old go-to-market strategies for landing a product on restaurants’ menus. New research shows the opportunities are shifting as consumers yield to different motivators for dining out.

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Some questions frustrated operators have for distributors

Relations between distributor and operator have always afforded what a tactful person might characterize as considerable opportunity for a smoother partnership. The less-diplomatic use language that propriety prohibits us from recounting here.

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3 food-away-from-home newcomers worth noting

Difficult times in the restaurant industry aren’t discouraging some of the best-known brands in other fields from giving the business a try. Then again, many of the big-name recent entrants are aiming more for marketing benefits than a straight finan

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Food regulation update September 22: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Diet and price concerns bring a rollback in portion sizes

The desire of consumers to tighten their belts—literally and figuratively—is prompting a wide array of restaurant operations to reduce their portion sizes.

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Lawmakers eye legislative curbs on Trump’s food tariffs

With prices already rising because of President Trump’s tariffs, Congressional lawmakers from both political parties are drafting legislation that would exempt foods and beverages from the import duties.

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Executive Summary: Seven key takeaways from Go2MarketEdge

The inaugural Go2MarketEdge conference lived up to its promise of being unlike any event the food-away-from-home business had seen before.

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PFG, US Foods agree to talk, but through a 3rd party

Performance Food Group (PFG) and US Foods have formed a committee of third-party advisors to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of merging the two distribution giants.

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Food regulation update September 15: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Food inflation accelerates as effect of tariffs begins to be felt

Grocery prices rose sharply last month, increasing at double the rate of food-away-from-home prices, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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MAHA Commission Report: Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy

On September 9th, The Trump Administration released its anticipated Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy which includes 128 specific strategies and recommendation to address childhood chronic disease.

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Senior living opportunities in California draw another operator into the field

After developing more than 70 senior and assisted-living facilities, the real estate firm Gallaher Cos. is bringing operation of its residential complexes in-house.

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Food regulation update September 8: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Activist investor pressures PFG to merge with US Foods

An activist shareholder is seeking four of the 12 seats on Performance Food Group’s board of directors in hopes of forcing the distributor to seek a merger with arch-rival US Foods.

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Trump raises the possibility of exempting many FAFH supplies from tariffs

President Trump said he’s poised to lift the tariffs on many of the imported supplies routinely used in the food-away-from-home business, provided the source nation has a standalone trade deal with the U.S.

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Food regulation update September 2: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Food-away-from-home forecast shows growth for suppliers in 2026

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

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Food regulation update August 22: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Despite consumers’ caution restaurants are betting on sales growth in 2026

Economic uncertainties may have consumers ordering less often from restaurants and other sources of prepared meals, but the squeezed businesses are far from panicking.

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California eyes allergy-focused menu labeling requirements

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.

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7-Eleven plans to open 1,100 instore restaurants

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.

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Sleeper trends affecting the FAFH business

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.

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Case Volume Trends Point to Changing Landscape Among Top Distributors

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.

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New report underscores the drop-off in American drinking

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.

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Tariffs’ impact may not yet be clear, but consumers are already planning to cut back

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.

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Food regulation update August 18: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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New alliance presses for a break on hiring immigrant workers

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.

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Nostalgia is emerging as the way to market without cutting price

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?

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FAFH prices continue rising as grocery shoppers find some relief

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.

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Illinois mandates allergy sensitivity training for food handlers

Illinois has expanded its restaurant food-safety certification requirements to include training on accommodating and protecting customers with food allergies and sensitivities.

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Answers to the FAFH industry’s pressing AI questions

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.

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US Foods confirms it’s courting PFG

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.

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Food regulation update August 11: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Foodservice Leaders Showcase Tangible AI Wins at Go2MarketEdge

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

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FAFH industry is about to gauge tariffs’ impact on food costs

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.

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Anti-DEI group with White House ties goes after Texas Roadhouse, Cracker Barrel

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.

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Food regulation update August 4: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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Tariffs move a big step closer to becoming a reality, but with an asterisk

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%.

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National Restaurant Association asks for tariff exemptions

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.

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Feds offer to pay for Head Start foodservice upgrades

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.

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NACS taps FAFH vet Frank Gleeson as its next CEO

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.

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Research shows wage hikes can backfire for FAFH workers

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.

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Food regulation update July 28: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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.

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New study highlights a key ingredient in getting a supplier’s products on menus

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.

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Federal Government Issues Call for Comments on Ultra-Processed Food Definition

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).

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Supply-chain veteran Suerken named Wendy’s U.S. president

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.

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Distribution roundup: UNFI’s $400M sales hit, Gordon’s deal with DoorDash, Pepper’s ‘endless aisles'

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.

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Food regulation update July 22: The latest on MAHA and related developments

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

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B&I facilities lose a big tax break in the federal budget bill

A little-noticed omission in the 1,000-plus-page federal budget could spell trouble for business-and-industry foodservice operators.

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New study shows coffee shops losing business to c-stores

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.

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FDA proposes dropping 52 food production standards

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.

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White House plans to levy a 17% duty on tomatoes from Mexico

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.

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Ice cream makers pledge to remove artificial dyes

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.

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US Foods, PFG said to be considering a merger

Foodservice distribution giant US Foods is exploring the possibility of acquiring competitor Performance Food Group (PFG), the Bloomberg news service reported Friday.

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White House sues California, blaming it for high egg prices

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.

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New packaging regulations pose big challenges for the FAFH industry

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.

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Candymaker Ferrero to buy Kellogg for $3.1B

Food-away-from-home giant WK Kellogg Co. has agreed to be acquired by candymaker The Ferrero Group for $3.1 billion.

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FAFH businesses rally to help Texas flood survivors and rescuers

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.

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ICYMI: This week’s sleeper developments in the FAFH business

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.

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Trump stirs up more uncertainty on the eve of tariffs’ D-Day

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.

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If AI is still Greek to you, here’s an explanation in plain English

Everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence. But understanding the breakthrough technology is a different matter, as studies and anecdotal evidence readily attest.

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Food producers will get some protection from immigration crackdown, Trump says

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.

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Del Monte Foods files Ch. 11 bankruptcy

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.

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Here’s what’s happening at the forward edge of FAFH technology

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.

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What’s the real story on seed oils?

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.

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Still on the fence about AI? How about taking a test-drive?

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.

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Tariff fears had more effect on FAFH sales than initially revealed

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.

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News roundup: Odd developments in the FAFH universe

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.

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Texas imposes a new labeling requirement on food manufacturers

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.

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Distribution roundup: Sysco settles, SpartanNash acquired, UniPro’s Strull to exit

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.

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5 takeaways from UMass-Amherst's Chef Culinary Conference

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.

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Kraft Heinz, General Mills pledge to eliminate artificial dyes

Food-away-from-home giants Kraft Heinz and General Mills both pledged Tuesday to complete the elimination of artificial dyes from all their products.

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Therese Gearhart to step down as CEO of Women’s Foodservice Forum

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.

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Instacart CMO Laura Jones: Staying chill on what’s happening in marketing

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.