Datassential

Openness to plant-forward eating has returned to four-year highs. The share of consumers who are generally open to a plant-forward eating pattern has rebounded after a brief dip to above a majority of U.S. consumers in 2026, with Millennials and Gen Z leading the way as the most receptive cohorts. Familiar flavors and recognizable formats remain the strongest motivators for plant-forward trial. Learn more about what consumers truly want from plant-forward menu options in the just-published 2026 Plant-Forward Opportunity Report released by Datassential, BITE: Building Impact Through Eaters, The Culinary Institute of America, and Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, which offers a special focus on New Consumer Perspectives on Value.  👀 Read the report: https://hubs.la/Q04rvqnh0 ▶️ Watch the recording: https://hubs.la/Q04rsG7g0 #plantforward #sustainability #menutrends #foodtrends #foodservice

Cheers from London! 🍻 Our UK team recently traded the office for a tour of Mondo Brewing Company — we couldn't pass up the chance to explore our own Todd Matteson's brewery firsthand. Staying close to the industry is core to everything we do, and days like this are a good reminder: as we grow across Europe and deepen our partnerships with food & beverage manufacturers, the best insights come from great people.

What does the QSR landscape look like right now? QSR Magazine's Top 50 report, in partnership with Datassential, breaks down the numbers behind America's biggest fast-food chains. Join us on Tuesday, August 4 at 1pm CT as hosts Huy Do, Danny Klein, and Sam Danley dig into the data — systemwide sales, average unit volumes, unit growth, and more. You'll discover how McDonald's, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and other leaders performed, what category trends are emerging for 2027, and which brands are worth watching. Register now: https://hubs.la/Q04rnkc30 #Datassential #QSR #Foodservice #RestaurantChains #FoodIndustry

The value landscape is shifting fast: fast casual is doubling down on combo and value offerings while full-service pulls back, and pricing alone no longer determines what consumers perceive as true value. Choice, presentation, and execution have become the real differentiators. Join us Thursday, August 13 at 12 pm CT for our State of Value webinar and get the full picture of how value strategies are evolving across the industry. Datassential hosts Claire Conaghan and Megan Lynberg will guide you through the data on what's working, where strategies differ by segment, and which offerings are resonating most with consumers right now. What you'll learn about: • The evolution of combo/value strategies across restaurant segments • What high-performing value items have in common • Segment-by-segment breakdown of what's driving consumer value ratings • Actionable insights you can apply to your next value launch Whether you're developing the next value menu item or competing against emerging value players, this webinar will give you the competitive edge you need to get ahead. Register here ➡️ https://hubs.la/Q04rn3B50 All registrants receive the recording so sign up even if you can't make it live. #Datassential #ValueMenus #Foodservice #MenuInnovation #QSR #FastCasual

Next week, we're headed to IFMA The Food Away from Home Association's Go2MarketEdge in San Francisco, August 4-6, and we'd love to connect! Don't miss Datassential's Adam Friedman and Shara Orem on the ground, and catch our session: ➡️ Thursday, August 6 at 8:55 am — Join Adam Friedman for "MCP, What? AI Essentials for F&B Leaders" alongside Jeff W. from Dart Container. In this session, we're cutting through the hype and demystifying the buzzwords around AI and data strategy. You'll hear real-world stories from the field and learn why having a trusted data source of truth is non-negotiable and what actually moves the needle for F&B leaders. Leave with clarity on what matters most for your business. Going to be there? Reach out to our team today. View the full session lineup and event details: https://hubs.la/Q04r4H2X0 #Datassential #Go2MarketEdge #IFMA #foodservice #AI #datastrategy #foodserviceindustry

Learn from Datassential's Adam Friedman, Director of F&B Solutions, and Jeff W., EVP Strategic Insights & Revenue Management at Dart Container Corporation — discover what the buzzwords mean, why your data source of truth matters most, and hear real-world stories from the field. Learn more >> https://foodaway.org/g2m

One of AI's biggest wins? Democratizing access to great data. With Datassential, you can now pull our insights directly into your own AI tools, models, and workflows. No manual exports or middleware required. Whatever team you're on, however tech-savvy you are, you can ask a question and get an expert answer in seconds. And this is just the beginning. See Datassential AI in action below. 👇 #foodandbeverage #datassential #datadriven #innovation

With summer in full swing, it's a great time to explore fresh opportunities in food & beverage. Whether you're eyeing a career move or simply keeping a pulse on the market, take a look at the latest roles in our F&B Career Spotlight — and feel free to share them with your network! • Aspire Bakeries – VP, Brand & Marketing https://lnkd.in/egQBn9ZT • B&G Foods Inc. – Brand Manager https://lnkd.in/eRa8XzGU • ButcherBox – Corporate Chef, Quality and Innovation https://lnkd.in/ehqmQQxA • Home Chef – Category Manager, Tempo https://lnkd.in/eMADpSSu • Hormel Foods – Foodservice Corporate Chef https://lnkd.in/eGkqvw44 • IFF – Vice President of Sales, North America, Food Biosciences https://lnkd.in/eqTuqTdV • IRCA Group – Senior Marketing Manager https://lnkd.in/eExSnVYp • Liquid Death – Senior Manager, Consumer Insights https://lnkd.in/ed3rDe-x • Monogram Foods – Account Executive https://lnkd.in/eckbPYNx • OLIPOP PBC – Director, eRetail & Retail Media Networks https://lnkd.in/e6VWJdQ3 • sweetgreen – Sr. Manager, Marketplace Marketing https://lnkd.in/eWi3MBeb Know a great role that's not here? Drop the info in the comments. And explore openings at Datassential here: https://lnkd.in/gPHSKTxt #foodandbeverage #hiring #datassentialone

We're headed to The Flavor Experience, August 2-4, and we'd love to connect! Don't miss Datassential's Megan Lynberg, Shara Orem, and Sydney Smith on the ground, and the Datassential's sessions: • Sunday, August 2 at 3:30 pm — Join Megan on the main stage for "The State of the Menu: Navigating Innovation, Value and Change." Get a data-driven look at the forces reshaping today's menu landscape: value pressures, shifting demographics, and the tension between innovation and simplification. Expect actionable takeaways you can bring straight back to your team: a sharper view of consumer behavior, the trends opening real revenue potential, and practical ways to act on both. • Monday, August 3 at 12:00 pm — Join Megan and Shara for breakout session "From Viral to Valuable: How to Separate Hype from Opportunity." In this workshop, we'll explore how operators can separate fleeting hype from real opportunity, using a practical lens around the underlying trend, brand fit, operational feasibility, customer appeal and business impact. Attendees will leave with a smarter framework for deciding when to jump in, when to sit one out, and how to turn social buzz into meaningful results. Going to be there? Reach out to our team today. And view the full session lineup and event details: https://hubs.la/Q04q6-nY0 #Datassential #TheFlavorExperience #foodservice #foodtrends #menutrends #foodindustry

Most teams can only review so many data sources before research time runs out. Acxion Foodservice used AI to blow past that ceiling without sacrificing quality. By building proprietary AI tools on top of Datassential's intelligence, they now: - Support 400+ menu concepts annually with AI-assisted scoring - Review 10x more data sources in the same research time - Power it all through 2 proprietary AI tools built on real, factual data "The sweet spot with AI is how we can use content from Datassential to make AI stronger. It starts at a foundation of real, factual data — not AI slop, not a blog someone wrote ten years ago." — Rachel Royster, Director, Strategic Planning Read the full case study 👇 https://hubs.la/Q04pPmjT0 #Foodservice #AI #FoodTech #DataDriven