Innovations by Big Food Brands

Innovation in the food industry is a big task and may include everything from changing suppliers to restaurant billing software.

Big brands are revamping their menu for the right reasons by tapping into something that people actually want. Lockdowns and the lack of full-service restaurants has contributed to a fast-food renaissance.

Fast food chains are changing their menus and pricing, and are digitally innovating.

With the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine,  businesses are starting to look beyond the pandemic by launching new products and limited time offerings. Food companies are also looking for ways to make healthy, nutritious offerings that are not only unique and accessible but also sustainable.

Enumerated below are examples of technologies, services, and products that will shape the way we eat for years to come.

Using Innovative Technology

Farther farms, based in New York, used an innovative technology that leverages supercritical carbon dioxide to naturally pasteurize food.

This method does away with the need for freezing, refrigeration, and artificial preservatives.

This increases the shelf-life of fresh-cut produce and decreases the energy used in its processing and distribution by 70%. This can not only lead to superior food products but also has massive supply chain and logistic implications.

Ghost Restaurants

With food delivery becoming increasingly popular, ghost restaurants that are designed chiefly for delivery are making an appearance.

For instance, Taster operates a series of kitchens in London, Paris, and Madrid, where it prepares meals that are only available for delivery. This has a number of immediate advantages.

There is no need for a pickup counter or dining room, which entails real estate savings. The focus is on food preparation and kitchens can be used to launch additional virtual brands if opportunities emerge.

Sustainability and Celebrity Endorsement

McDonald’s has also committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and has teamed up with Target and The Nature Conservancy to help reduce their collective greenhouse gas emissions. Together, the brands have invested $8.5 million in improving the quality of soil in farmland across Nebraska, where McDonald’s sources a substantial amount of its beef. Although this change is not visible on the menu, it affects the quality of menu options. For the first time in 30 years, the company has introduced a celebrity-endorsed meal on its menu, The Travis Scott Meal, inspired by the rapper’s love for McDs.

Seeking the Help of Bloggers

More and more brands are reaching out to bloggers to revamp their image. Pizza Hut took the help of bloggers to give the company a humanized image. They flew bloggers to Austin to promote their new 3 cheese crust pizza. The bloggers were given a tour of the Pizza Hut in the area and even driven to a party sponsored by them.

Personalization

Customers are more inclined towards personalization these days and PepsiCo realized this. The company launched its Drinkfinity program to offer greater choice and flexibility to its customers. It allows customers to customize their drinks by mixing pods of different flavors together with water. The pods contain ingredients which claim to offer different benefits. For instance ‘Charge’ pods feature coffee extract.