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For this reason, Chambers used organic green (unroasted) coffee as her source of caffeine. Additionally, she used her design background to create a beautiful, straightforward label which highlights the product’s simple ingredients. The Rise Of The Wellness Trend “People want to understand what’s on the ingredient list,” says Chambers. “How much sugar is in it, how many ingredients.” If Chambers’ hypothesis is correct, gone are the days when consumers want to see Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, and Pyridoxine HCI (three ingredients in Red Bull) on the back of a can. The label of Gojai’s Grapefruit water reads more simply: carbonated water, organic natural flavors, organic lemon juice concentrate, and organic caffeine. After testing over twenty caffeine sources, Chambers settled on green coffee because “raw green coffee at forty-five milligrams of caffeine gave me the same lift as synthetic caffeine at ninety milligrams.” As an homage to the products origins, Chambers settled on forty-five milligrams — about half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee — because it’s the same amount of caffeine in a Diet Coke. The Importance Of Purpose-Driven Business As the wellness trend continues, expect to see more creative entries in the alternative beverage space, especially those that focus on clean labels, transparent sourcing, and the stories behind the brand. “Purpose-driven” has also become a buzzword in the modern marketing playbook, with brands looking to connect their products with philanthropic social trends. In this respect, Gojai is no different — in April, Chambers donated all Gojai proceeds to feed frontline workers in Los Angeles. To help medical workers in areas particularly hard hit by coronavirus, she also gave 10,000 cans of Gojai product to hospitals in Southern California and another 10,000 cans to hospitals in New York City. Check out my website or some of my other work here. 3/4

Kenny Gould Founder of Hop Culture Magazine and author of The Brewing Cloud. I contribute to Forbes, Men’s Health, and Thrillist, among others. PGH-based. E: [email protected] IG: … Reprints & Permissions 4/4

Claims About Risks Of Caffeine Consumption In Pregnancy Misleading forbes.com/sites/helenalbert/2020/08/29/claims-about-caffeine-and-pregnancy-misleading August 29, 2020 You may have seen claims in the news over the last week that pregnant women should avoid all caffeine, as it puts their unborn baby at risk, but are these claims really true? The news coverage is based on a recently published academic 'review' article. The author — Jack James, a professor of psychology at Reykjavík University in Iceland — concludes in his article that \"maternal caffeine consumption is reliably associated with major negative pregnancy outcomes\" and suggests pregnant women should avoid all caffeine during pregnancy. The review, which was published in the medical journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, has been widely covered by international media such as The Guardian and The New York Times, among many other publications. However, an analysis of its contents by Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, an epidemiologist from the University of Wollongong in Australia, suggests its conclusions are misleading. Meyerowitz- Katz, who has written about this topic before, called out some of the article’s claims in a Twitter thread he published this week. While it can’t be denied that high levels of caffeine intake by pregnant women can be dangerous for unborn babies, it is widely accepted, and indeed advised by health advisory bodies such as the World Health Organization, that drinking less than 300 mg caffeine per day (approximately 2-3 cups coffee) is associated with minimal health risks to mother and baby. 1/5

Pregnant woman drinking coffee. getty James' article suggests that, contrary to this advice, all caffeine should be avoided in pregnancy. But, as highlighted by Meyerowitz-Katz, there are several problems with the review. First, it is not based on new findings from a recent clinical study. It is a review of the already published medical literature by one person. “This is a narrative review, which basically means that it is subject to the opinions of the author. To a great extent, narrative reviews are the academic version of opinion pieces,” Meyerowitz-Katz explained. “What this means is that calling the paper new evidence is wrong. This review represents the opinions and expertise of Prof James, and while he seems to have read a lot that still doesn't make it new evidence.” Second, when Meyerowitz-Katz looked more closely at the 40 plus studies included in the review the conclusions drawn by James did not seem to align with the findings of all the original study authors. 2/5

For example, the biggest study included in the review that looked at links between pre- pregnancy caffeine intake and miscarriage was stated by James as evidence supporting his theory that all levels of caffeine consumption are harmful. But, the study actually stated that only higher levels of coffee consumption (400 mg per day or more) could increase miscarriage risk. It should also be noted that the researchers in this study found that women who drank decaffeinated coffee had the same risk for miscarriage as those drinking caffeinated coffee and there were no links found between miscarriage and caffeinated tea or soda consumption. Similarly, Meyerowitz-Katz pointed out two other studies — included in the analysis to back up claims that very small amounts of caffeine are harmful in pregnancy — that actually concluded that sticking to the WHO recommendation of less than 300 mg per day should be fine for pregnant women. The third, and arguably most concerning, issue with the review article is that a table (table 2) included in the article to summarize its findings contains significant errors. Tweet from Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz (published on 26 Aug 2020) showing 'table 2' in James' study. Twitter screen shot - H. Albert 3/5

There are several mistakes, and you can see the details clearly outlined in Meyerowitz-Katz’s Twitter thread. But a couple of examples include: The first column is titled ‘Risk per 100mg’ caffeine consumed – which should actually read relative risk increase per additional 100mg consumed. This may not mean much to a non-statistician, but Meyerowitz-Katz explains that the result is that all the risk estimates in the next column ‘Risk at 200mg’ caffeine consumption are wrong and overestimated. The author then uses these incorrect estimates of risk to calculate the number of ‘negative pregnancy events' associated with caffeine intake in the last column – again leading to a massive overestimate of the number of miscarriages linked to caffeine. Meyerowitz-Katz and other researchers in the field agree that evidence suggests that high amounts of caffeine intake in pregnancy are a bad idea. It's hard to predict what the results of future research might show, but it does seem that small amounts of caffeine intake during pregnancy may not be as damaging as implied in James’ review. “My main take-home for anyone who is pregnant is to try not to worry about headlines, because they are usually misleading, and talk to your doctor if you're worried,” said Meyerowitz-Katz. Helen Albert I’m a freelance science and health journalist based in Berlin. I have more than 10 years’ experience writing about all aspects of life sciences, including digital 4/5

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How To Make Irish Coffee The Foolproof Way forbes.com/sites/karlaalindahao/2020/12/22/how-to-make-irish-coffee-the-foolproof-way December 22, 2020 GLASS ACTS: Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier toast with Irish coffee in 1946. Bettmann Archive If I wasn’t so concerned about the potential liver diseases one could contract by way of excessive alcohol consumption, I’d be drinking Irish coffee several times a day, especially in the dead of winter—in addition to my usuals: Scotch, Cognac, and bourbon. You see, I’ve always had a thing for Irish coffee. There’s something familiar and comforting about its boozy caffeine kick and creamy sugariness that makes me feel like everything’s going to be just dandy in the world—no matter how dreadful it may seem at the moment. And yes, I’m under no illusion that it’s a rather unconventional way to romanticize a cocktail—but that’s pretty much how it is with me. The heart wants what the heart wants. The funny thing is, a delicious and well-prepared Irish coffee is nearly impossible to find—no matter how ubiquitous it is in New York City’s bar scene. And believe me, I’ve tried countless iterations in numerous upmarket and dingy sports bars alike (many of which are now shuttered, no thanks to COVID-19). 1/6

QUALITY CREAM: Homemade pouring cream, which takes 30 seconds to make, is the secret to every great ... [+] getty That, to me, is the most surprising thing of all: All things considered, the coffee-forward cocktail is supposedly easy to make. After all, it only requires four ingredients, not including garnishes (which usually involve either a fine dusting of grated nutmeg or even cocoa powder). So it “shouldn’t” be a great hardship to prepare. But alas, many versions don’t deserve to be in drink menus at all. I’ve had some topped with whipped cream from a can (my personal no-go zone). Others are essentially lattes with a stiffer-than-usual cream topping and over-the-top garnishes such as candy canes, which, in my humble opinion, are more acceptable in hot chocolate—whether spiked or not. And the absolute worst I’ve ever had listed a generous pour of Kahlua (egads) in its recipe. To be clear, I’m not saying the above iterations are wrong per se. They’re just not for me. And if I’m being honest, they’re abominations—to my palate. (But hey, if that’s your jam, don’t mind me.) So during a trip to Ireland last year, I decided to drink as many Irish coffees as my constitution could handle. And I can report back to say that every single Irish coffee I tasted in the Emerald Isle was superb. So I took the opportunity to ask the barkeeps as many questions as they could tolerate from a nosy American: I was determined to unlock the secret, if any. 2/6

Turns out, every pub and bar had its own way of doing things: some used sugar cubes, some used dark roast coffee, and some used plain white sugar. A good friend who was with me at the time asked as well, and she was told that instant coffee was often used too. (That came as a surprise. But the results were delicious.) GIVE A DRAM: The quality of the Irish whiskey you choose will play role on how your cocktail turns ... [+] Kilbeggan But there was one thing every watering hole had in common. They all used something that sounded alien to me: pouring cream. We (technically) don’t have that Stateside—at least not ready-to-buy ones. And Bailey’s only recently released one in the United Kingdom this year. To the uninitiated, pouring cream is essentially lightly whipped heavy whipping cream— something that’s not quite fluffy or stiff as actual whipped cream. As its name implies, it needs to be “pourable.” And since we’re all unable to fly to Europe anytime soon, I decided to ask for help on how to recreate my beloved Irish cocktail at home with the help of Michael Egan, Kilbeggan’s U.S. brand ambassador. “There are a couple of crucial techniques one must have when crafting the perfect Irish coffee. I am not too fancy by any means, so I like to make mine the traditional way. First off, the ingredients are key: brown sugar, coffee of choice, Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, and cold heavy whipping cream. I also like to start out with a piping hot Irish coffee glass, so I’ll pour boiling water in and leave it rest for a minute,” says Egan. “I'll then combine a 3/6

tablespoon of brown sugar and my freshly brewed coffee in the glass. Stir to allow sugar dissolve. The next step is to add one and a half ounces of Irish whiskey. (I like to use Kilbeggan Original ($31) or Kilbeggan Single Grain ($29)—as the fruity notes in these whiskey’s stand up beautifully in the coffee.” Now, the secret to perfect hand-whipped cream is surprisingly easy: Simply shake your heavy cream for 30 to 45 seconds in a shaker or squeeze bottle, until you feel it get heavier,” Egan continues. “To finish, I use a spoon and gently pour the freshly whipped cream over the coffee until reaching the brim of the glass. A small bit of grated nutmeg over the top of the cream adds flavor and is aesthetically very pleasing!” TRADITIONAL IRISH COFFEE RECIPE getty Ingredients: 1.5 parts Kilbeggan Single Grain Irish Whiskey 1 tbsp. brown sugar syrup** 4/6

3 parts freshly-brewed coffee 3 parts lightly whipped heavy cream** Grated nutmeg **Brown Sugar Syrup: mix 2 parts brown sugar and 1 part water in a small pot over medium–high heat, bring to a simmer, and stir regularly until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to fully cool at room temperature and store in fridge for up to two weeks. (Optional: add 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks and/or a vanilla bean. Vanilla bean extract works just as well too. ) **Lightly Whipped Cream: The secret to perfect hand-whipped cream is using a squeeze bottle. Pour the heavy cream in the squeeze bottle and shake for approximately 30 to 45 seconds, until it feels thick and heavy in the bottle. Method: Rinse coffee glass with hot water; then add brown sugar syrup and Kilbeggan Single Grain to glass. Fill mug with coffee. Stir. Pour lightly whipped cream on top, through the squeeze bottle and over the back of a spoon. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired. Follow me on Twitter. Follow me on Instagram (@kalindahao) and Twitter (@karlaalindahao) Karla Alindahao 5/6

I cover all things luxury lifestyle—with a focus on food, spirits, and travel. I'm the former digital director of the Haute Media Group. I've also done time at The New … Reprints & Permissions 6/6

What’s The Future Of Reusable Cups? —What Cupclub Learnt From Its Pandemic Pivot forbes.com/sites/mariannelehnis/2020/12/14/the-covid-19-edit-what-we-can-learn-from-cupclubs-product-expansion- plans December 14, 2020 Safia Qureshi, Cubclub Founder, is trailblazing solutions to the disposable cup crisis Cubclub 2020 was set to be the year Cupclub would take the world by storm. Founder of Cupclub, Safia Qureshi, was trialling her end-to-end reusable cup service with some of the biggest multinational food and beverage names - MacDonalds and Starbucks. Cubclub had launched a pilot in the US Bay Area with a new operations partner across eight locations - bringing an urgently needed circular economy alternative to the world’s annual 16 billion discarded single-use coffee cups. “We had launched in the US market for the first time with next-gen consortium brands - Starbucks, McDonald's, Coca Cola. Cupclub was selected to help identify and design a reusable system that would be able to scale for some of these major restaurant players and coffee brands, bringing the opportunity of reuse in the everyday takeaway space,” says Qureshi. But the looming pandemic threw a monkey wrench into Cupclub’s expansion plans, forcing the business to delay operations for about nine months. The award-winning architect turned greentech entrepreneur engaged her team in a new brief: how might we best adapt to the lockdown and lay the groundwork for a stronger 2021? Start with a ‘how might we’ question 1/3

By the end of March, two weeks after the WHO declared the Covid-19 outbreak a global pandemic, Qureshi and her team sat down and workshopped, treating the evolving landscape as a new brief: “You have to figure out, what is the new brief? How might we cater to the new needs of our customers and their end-users? Who is needed to deliver it? How much time is it going to take? What is the impact of it on business? What is going to happen with your existing customer base, and how do you manage them?” says Qureshi. With certain customers, she says, they kept continuous lines of communication open to see how things would pan out. Pausing operations sped up product expansion plans For Cupclub, Covid-19 paused and delayed actual operations for about nine months, but behind the scenes, it sped up product expansion plans: “We were not in any hurry to develop our food-to-go; it was in our pipeline for 2021. We’ve ramped everything up so we can deliver it quickly and respond to new customer needs,” says Qureshi. Cupclub hasn’t since resumed in the Bay Area, but it’s taken all the data gathered from pilot projects into its product lines. It will be relaunching within the US market in 2021. Respond to shifting trends in market demand Covid-19 has accelerated digitalisation, driving more brands online than ever before. For Cupclub, this created more opportunities to offer reuse solutions: “We know food and beverage are essential; the market won't disappear. Our approach was: people need to eat and drink, and they need to be sustained. What are the trends we can see and what are people’s aspirations? We have been developing return-on-the-go systems, but now we are adding return-from home systems so people can experience our service in the home,” says Qureshi. Cupclub is now working with a food delivery platform tool to expand into home delivery, giving people the opportunity to opt into reusable dishes with their takeaways. New partnerships can enable innovative growth opportunities Throughout the Covid-19 lockdown, Cupclub went to work to build new partnerships with some of the most supportive and sector-specific government organisations – the London Waste and Recycling Board County Council, and the main owner of King’s Cross estate. “Our ambition is to create the first Zero Waste destination in London - in King's Cross,” says Qureshi, “we’ll be launching across several restaurants and cafes in that area - combining a hyperlocal return on-the-go experience with return-from-home. “There will be a visible network of drop-off points across the entire estate and participation from offices. It’s a great testing nucleus, and then we’ll expand it out, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.” 2/3

Covid-19 became the catalyst for scaling new service lines With less focus on operations, Cupclub used the last six months to accelerate product and service line expansion: “Covid-19 enabled us to focus more on the product side and get things ready, when the market opens up, it's going to be an incredible time to see it all come out,” says Qureshi. “We'll be scaling our new service lines - zero-waste city launches, and bringing our return- from-home option to takeaways. 2021 is going to be a very, very big year for us.” Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here. Marianne Lehnis I am a solutions-focused writer and video journalist, deeply interested in disruptive technology, entrepreneurship, the environment, and how it all fits together. I’m the … Reprints & Permissions 3/3

10 Inspiring Restaurant And Food Service Business Model Pivots To Survive And Thrive Since Covid forbes.com/sites/michellegreenwald/2020/12/17/11-inspiring-restaurant--food-service-business-model-pivots-post-covid December 17, 2020 Wandering Barman's Portable, Single-Serve Craft Cocktails in Intriguing, Arty, Descriptive Packaging Wandering Barman It’s no secret restaurant and food service businesses in America have been devastated by the pandemic. In mid-September, the National Restaurant Association announced that 6 months after the onset of Covid-19, sadly nearly 1 in 6 restaurants (almost 100,000) had closed permanently; nearly 3 million employees were still out of work; and the industry was on track to lose $240 billion in sales by the end of the year. Those who survived have combined flexibility, imagination, and good communication to create new revenue streams. Here are 11 different business models pivots that are succdeeding. Aside from shifting to more take-out and sidewalk dining, these firms developed new channels of distribution, product forms, items and sizes, audiences, geographies in which to sell, and packaging. These new lines of business are likely to endure and continue to grow post-Covid. From Restaurant & Bar Prepared Cocktails, to Canned & Bottled Craft Alcoholic Drinks Wandering Barman’s portable product line idea started with the founder’s all draft cocktail bar in Bushwick, Brooklyn. It evolved into a company that produces and sells all natural, high-end, single-serve, pre-made, original craft cocktails for bars and restaurants. While the line was in development prior to Covid, since March, it has been embraced by bars and restaurants that have had to shift primarily to take-out. The establishments now have a portable, high quality, take-out, craft cocktail option, and Wandering Barman has infinitely more outlets to sell to. And since many bars and restaurants have fewer employees who are kept further apart from each other, Wandering Barman’s pre-made, single-serve bottles save labor, training, workspace, and provide beverage consistency. 1/10

Their cocktails are best served over ice, and can either be pre-poured by bartenders, or guests can pour their own. The intriguing, arty labels explain each drink’s flavor profile, just as waitstaff or bartenders would, and make the act of pouring it yourself in-home, more experiential. In February, if all goes well, Wandering Barman will open their new production space with a tasting room in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It will be the very first “cocktail brewery”. Other bars around the country are bottling and canning their own signature cocktails for take-out and distribution in liquor stores. www.wanderingbarman.com From Queens, New York, Chinatown Restaurant, to Frozen, Take-Home Chinese Dumplings Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, from Flushing, Queens Chinatown, considered to have among the best soup dumplings in New York, is selling frozen versions for consumers to steam at home. The frozen dumplings can be picked up at the restaurant or ordered via a food delivery service. Other Chinese and Korean restaurants are doing the same. www.nanxiangxiaolongbao.com Their famous soup dumplings can now be purchased frozen directly from the restaurant Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao Restaurant From Bulk Milk Supplier to Dairies, to Retail Farm Store As a result of Coronavirus and closings of school cafeterias and restaurants, Whoa Nellie Farm in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, a 500-acre dairy farm that’s been in the same family since the 1700s, had contracts cancelled from suppliers they sold bulk raw milk to, who pasteurized and packaged it. Rather than waste the milk and have no income, they decided to buy pasteurizing equipment and sell milk directly to consumers at their farm, eliminating 2 middlemen levels: the processor/business-to-business seller, and the school or restaurant 2/10

selling the finished product to consumers. Whoa Nellie posted on their Facebook page they would now be selling from the farm, and there are long lines of cars each day along the country road. In addition to their own dairy products, they also sell other local farmer’s goods including jams, honey, maple syrup, eggs, chicken and soap. It’s a fun outing for customers who like the freshness and quality, and the idea of helping independent farmers. Long lines of cars waiting to shop at Whoa Nellie Farm Store in Pennsylvania Whoa Nellie Farm Store From Restaurant & Prepared Meals, to Farm Grown Ingredients Dig, that operates 30 healthy, fast-casual restaurants in New York, Philadelphia and Boston and the vegetable-forward, sit-down restaurant 232 Bleecker, launched Dig Acres Farm Boxes and Crates. Larry Tse, farm program manager, explained the boxes are ordered by customers and picked up at the restaurants or are delivered to their homes. They contain products grown by Dig on land leased in upstate New York, as well as other products from farmers in the region. Dig Acres Farm Crates are sold through Fresh Direct and exclusively carry products grown by Dig. The well-received crates and boxes were offered during the late Spring, Summer & Fall growing seasons. Dig is now contemplating an expanded program for next year and looking into crops & products that can sell year-round. www.diginn.com 3/10

Farm Box available last Spring, Summer and Fall at Dig Inn restaurants and through home delivery Dig From Hot Bar & Deli Foodservice, to Frozen Grocery at Whole Foods Prior to March, Global Village Foods, based in Vermont, sold it’s African inspired foods primarily in deli foodservice and hot bars, with additional snacks and a frozen food line sold through natural food co-ops and select Whole Foods Markets across New England. When the deli and hot bar sales plummeted due to Covid, they had to rethink foodservice given new concerns for consumer safety. Global Village moved their samosas to individually packaged & sealed containers for both grab-and-go deli and grocery freezer sections. They also rebranded and redesigned their frozen meal packaging for stronger shelf-impact. Based on early success, Whole Foods recently expanded the frozen meal line to more stores across New England, and going forward, expanding distribution to other outlets and geographies will be a major focus for the company. www.globalvillagecuisine.com 4/10

Line of African Inspired Frozen Foods Available At Some Whole Foods in the Northeast Global Village Foods From Catering to Gift Baskets & Ready-to-Heat, Home Delivered Meals Eat Offbeat's Immigrant Chefs From Africa, The Middle East and South America Eat Offbeat Eat Offbeat, is a Queens New York based caterer that hires immigrant chefs from countries with less familiar cuisines: Sri Lanka, Senegal, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Venezuela. Pre-Covid, the chefs prepared a range of dishes from their countries for offices, meetings, parties and special occasions. They’ve pivoted to offering curated holiday boxes, and ready-to-heat meal boxes that include 8 dishes from a variety of countries. Eat Offbeat delivers to customers homes in the New York metropolitan area. Holiday gift boxes are a collection of gourmet holiday eats and treats like pastries, jams, teas, spices, nuts and dried fruits from around the world, hand-crafted by the chefs. Gift boxes ship nationwide. www.eatoffbeat.com 5/10

Eat Offbeat's Ready to Serve Meal Boxes & Holiday Gift Boxes Eat Offbeat From Restaurant Flavors, To Home Cooks Via E-Commerce David Chang's Momofuku launched a line of 3 different salt/spice blends that capture signature flavors from the restaurants, and Chili Crunch, a multi-sensory, crunchy hot sauce condiment for sprinkling over anything you might use hot sauce for. They’re are a way for people to experience the restaurant from wherever they are in the country or world, and even in New York, now that Covid is limiting restaurant visits. The Savory is like salt and pepper except deeper, rounder, and more umami. Tingly has Sichuan peppercorns, is lightly numbing and has sort of a lemon-pepper flavor. Spicy has gochugaru in it which is a Korean pepper flake. It's not super spicy! The condiments are available solely on the shop.momofuku.com website. New line of seasoning salts and condiments from Momfuku, available from shop.momofuku.com Momofuku From Bakery & Restaurant, to Fabulous Homemade & Curated Provisions 6/10

Homemade Breads, Pastries, Jams, Chocolate Sauce & Seasonings from Bourke Street Bakery, NYC Bourke Street Bakery NYC Bourke Street Bakery, the New York outpost of the wonderful Sydney, Australia bakery café, hands down offers the best provisions I’ve seen anywhere. I was enchanted by the bakery in Sydney, ate my way through their pastry and little savory pies the entire flight back to the U.S., and was thrilled to discover they’d relatively recently opened in Manhattan. While many restaurants and bakeries have pivoted to sell provisions, they’re often limited, overpriced and not that interesting. Bourke Street Bakery has done an exceptionally good job curating an extensive mix of unusual, high quality, reasonably priced provisions, many of which are homemade. They include jams in fun flavor combinations, Ultimate Aussie Ketchup, granola, seed & spice mixes to sprinkle on salads, avocado toast, and almost anything, Ultimate Chocolate Sauce, marinated sheep’s milk feta cheese in olive oil, wonderful frozen items like their signature sausage rolls, mini meat and veggie pies, sourdough short rib lasagna, seasonal items like mince pies, challah stuffing, and panettone, a nice selection of wines, and their wonderful range of interesting breads, muffins, pastries and cookies. You can shop online, or at the bakery café, where the products are laid out beautifully, and it’s so much fun to browse. www.bourkestreetbakery.com Gingerbread Men, Homemade Jams, Aussie Ketchup & Seasonings & Sprinkles from Bourke Street Bakery ... [+] Bourke Street Bakery, NYC 7/10

Artisanal Baked Goods Delivery From Restaurant & Grocery, to Homes Bread Basket NYC was formed by the team behind Featherstone Foods, a wholesale distributor of artisanal New York baked goods, to hotels, restaurants and high-end grocery stores, from Philadelphia to New Haven. For many of these bakeries, Featherstone is their largest customer. After Covid hit, industry sales declined significantly, and the Featherstone team wanted to do more to help these independent bakeries survive. Bread Basket curates unique combinations of products from New York partner bakeries, delivered free to people within a certain radius of Manhattan, and through FedEx overnight shipping outside the area. Customers can choose individual basket combinations or flexible subscriptions. Bakeries represented include Orwashers, BAKED, Amy’s Bread, Pain d’Avignon, New Yorker Bagel and Leaven & Co. Sales are going well and they anticipate adding items like jams, honey and butter, and possibly extending the concept to the West Coast. For each basket purchased, a loaf is donated to Food Bank for New York City, a part of Feeding America. www.breadbasketnyc A basket of breads and cookies from New York artisanal bakeries delivered by Bread Basket NYC to ... [+] Bread Basket NYC From Food Service Distributors, to Home Delivery of Top Restaurant Quality Provisions 8/10

Baldor, The High-End Restaurant Ingredient Supplier Launched Home Delivery Post Covid Baldor Baldor, for decades, distributed a huge selection of the finest quality ingredients sourced from all over the U.S and the world, to high-end restaurants from Virginia to Maine, and to gourmet food stores like Eataly and Union Market. They provided unusual meats, produce (200 different micro-greens), 1055 different cheeses, exotic spices, and other ingredients from small independent farmers and producers. Baldor and its suppliers were devastated when Coronavirus hit. Almost immediately they pivoted, for the first time in their history, to selling directly to consumers for home consumption. Initially minimum orders were $200. They have since come down to $150 in all but the densely populated New York metropolitan area, where it’s $100. Baldor’s new Home Delivery tagline is “The Restaurant World’s Freshest Foods Are Coming Home”. Sales have been climbing since word got out to foodies, who can now easily buy unusual meats like capon, quail, goose, venison and guinea hens, rare imported produce, hard to findcheeses, a range of international doughs and pastry shells, and for the first time, wines. There are website tabs for “Peak Season” items and a “Restaurant Series” with kits from popular restaurants, where consumers finish and assemble dish components at home. Home Delivery is a win for Baldor with lasting impact post Covid because there’s huge consumer sales potential for these items, uniquely available to home chefs for the first time. Many consumers are willing to spend a little more, since they’re not eating out or traveling as much. Cooking more at home will likely at least partially stick, since many will continue to work from home, at least part time. Home delivery is a win for Baldor’s vendors who are reaching new markets and creating future loyal customers. Many of the vendors had to develop smaller packages and quantities. Since the pivot, Baldor’s non-restaurant sales have gone from 12% of the business to 50%, and their suppliers appreciate them all the more for helping them develop new opportunities in this difficult time. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here. 9/10

Michelle Greenwald Michelle Greenwald is CEO of Catalyzing Innovation, a global, cross-sector innovation hub that includes: - The book Catalyzing Innovation: 63 different types of innovation … Reprints & Permissions 10/10

This Entrepreneur’s Communication Skills Helped Her Turn An Idea Into A $150M Brand forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2020/11/24/this-entrepreneurs-communication-skills-helped-her-turn-an-idea-into-a- 150m-brand November 24, 2020 Nov 24, 2020,05:00am EST|5,198 views Carmine GalloSenior Contributor Leadership Strategy I write about leadership communication to grow sales and build brands. 1/5

Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Hint/Chris Andre Kara Goldin, the founder and CEO of Hint Water, turned an idea that struck her one day at the kitchen table into a $150 million a year business. Along the way to building a popular lifestyle brand, Goldin discovered the power of storytelling to grab attention and attract loyal customers. “It’s really important to bring your personal story into the brand identity,” Goldin told me during a recent conversation about her new book, Undaunted. “People associate the brand with a human being and that person’s story. It adds tremendous meaning and value.” The Hint story began in 2005 with a simple idea: to make water that tastes good. After leaving a demanding role at AOL, Goldin felt unhealthy. She was overweight, had low energy, and developed adult acne. She had been drinking diet soda for years—8 to 10 cans a day—without giving it a second thought. One day she noticed that the soda had thirty ingredients. Goldin decided to experiment. She replaced diet coke with plain water. “In two and a half weeks, I had lost 24 pounds,” Goldin told me. “My skin skin cleared up and my energy returned.” The only obstacle to continuing her new habit was the fact that she found water to be, well, boring. Goldin stumbled upon a simple solution. She sliced up fruit and dropped it into the water to improve its taste. 2/5

Goldin soon discovered that she couldn’t find unsweetened fruit-infused water in a bottle. The category didn’t exist. In that moment, Hint was born. Goldin turned a quick and simple solution to a health problem into a product which has grown into a healthy lifestyle brand. In September, 2010, Goldin shared her story on a CNBC program called “How I Made My Millions.” After the program aired, Goldin was sitting near a pool when a woman approached her to ask about the water she was drinking. The woman didn’t recognize Kara from the segment, but she remembered the product and the story. According to Goldin, storytelling is a way for startups and entrepreneurs to stand out. “Beyond the brand promise, consumers want to know who is behind the brand,” says Goldin. “Consumers really gravitate toward the story because they want to understand what they’re buying into.” Goldin majored in communication at Arizona State University and spent part of her career working in the media and magazine industry. She instinctively understands the power of an authentic founder’s story to create a stronger connection between a product and its consumers. In the food and beverage industry, storytelling was named the top “product trend” of 2020. One survey found that 56% of consumers globally said stories around a brand influence their purchase decision. Stories can explain how a product is sourced, how it started, who’s behind it, and how the brand lives improves people’s lives and the communities it serves. “One reason that Hint became so popular in Silicon Valley is the founder story….people love to connect with a brand with a real human being, especially if the person has an interesting and authentic personal narrative that directly relates to the product,” Goldin writes in her book. Your customers don’t just buy a product; they buy into the story behind the product. If you have a genuine, authentic origin story that speaks to your product’s promise, share it and share it often. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here. 3/5

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Undaunted by Kara Goldin HarperCollins Leadership Carmine Gallo I am a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and communication advisor for leaders at the world’s most admired brands. I’ve written nine books that have been published in … Reprints & Permissions 5/5

What The Pros Learned About Dry January forbes.com/sites/lanabortolot/2019/01/31/what-the-pros-learned-about-dry-january January 31, 2019 The many bottles you won't have during Dry January. Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg © 2016 Bloomberg Finance LP It started as a public health campaign by the British government five years ago, but now Dry January has morphed into a worldwide event, challenging people to go on the wagon for a month. The concept has actually been around longer: In 2008, Australia launched Dry July as a fund-raiser for cancer organizations. And, even further back, in 1942 the Finnish government created Raitis tammikuu (Sober January) as part of its war effort against the Soviet Union. But it wasn’t until the Britain organization, Alcohol Change UK, trademarked the name in 2014 that it became an annual drying out ritual. Last year, Alcohol Change reported “88% of participants saved money, 71% had better sleep and more energy, and 58% lost weight.” A similarly minded effort in the U.K. called Go Sober October followed in 2018. 1/5

Lacking a similar national effort in the U.S., many grassroots groups formed their own efforts to provide support and ideas for a hangover-free month. In December 2018, Tom Halaska created the “Dry January Crew” Facebook group, which has 451 members. Halaska, a brand manager at WellBeing Brewing, which makes non-alcoholic craft beer, quit drinking some 500 days ago. “I’ve been in the bar business for 20 years and can’t walk into a bar in St. Louis without someone pouring me a drink,” he said. “I hit rock bottom and I had to tell the world I needed help. I wanted to normalize my issues and publicize them and thought it made sense to create a group of people with mixed interests and reasons for quitting.” The group focuses on the positive side of sobriety with notes on best places for mocktails, shared story links, and members’ own stories. “It’s not just about how you feel physically, but mentally [it’s] an exploration about what moderation means,” Halaska said. Rebecca Hopkins, a San Francisco based wine executive, created an online community based on that very idea. A Balanced Glass was founded to “support the physical and mental health and wellness” of industry professionals. “This last year we have certainly seen a rise in the social acceptance of Rebecca abstinence for wine professionals,” says Hopkins. “I dare say an overall Hopkins awareness and mindfulness around consumption is a driver, but if that means people are paying more attention to the quality and quantity of what abalancedglass.com they are drinking, then I’m all for it.” Louise Jordan DipWSET, a public relations manager at E & J Gallo in Napa, says after her third or fourth Dry January, she was more relaxed about the process. “When I first did it years ago, it felt like a bigger thing—I put more pressure on myself and I was more anxious about it,” she said. “Now I’m happy to skip a month here or there. I slept better. And I felt like I accomplished something that’s not easy in this line of work.” As the month of abstinence ends, I queried others in the drinks industry Louise Jordan who dried out for the month. Here are their takes on taking time off from alcohol. Courtesy Louise Jordan Suzie Kukaj-Curovic, director of public relations and communications at Freixenet Mionetto USA, New York, just completed her second year of Dry January. 2/5

“I kept hearing about the health benefits and increased energy levels, so I wanted to try it out for myself. I made a conscious effort to prepare mentally. How am I going to handle business lunches and events? Meeting clients for drinks? Will it be awkward? Will I be judged? “It was not nearly as difficult as I anticipated, especially in group settings where you blend in as long as you’re holding a glass, and in the company of industry folks who are familiar with this concept. The true challenge was meeting one-on-one for drinks. At times I sensed levels of discomfort from my company, especially after their second drink. The greatest difference, for me, was time. Most of my friends and peers were aware of my Dry January, so my calendar was far less active than usual. This allowed for greater family and ‘me’ time.” Julie H. Case, beverage journalist in New York City, said she tried it for the first time because “I had a curiosity about sober drinks and how my body would respond to no alcohol over a period of time.” “The most difficult thing was ordering a beverage while out with friends. I don't like overly sweet beverages and there weren't many savory options. Sober drinkers want the ceremony of a drink, too, and not many restaurants or bars offer these. Outside of that, I found my pacing a bit off when everyone else was drinking a lot. As the sober person, I found the languid pace and distracted social interactions a bit less intriguing than other times. Plus, when you don't have a nice non-alcoholic beverage to sip on, you don't have that as a prop to rely on during interactions.” Elise McCracken, director of sales in the beer division of Best Brands in Nashville, participated for the first time because “It was time to SLOW DOWN! And this gave me the perfect opportunity.” “Of course, there have been times that I really wished I could have a beer or drink. My favorite local pub picked up a case of WellBeing [non alcoholic beer] for me to ensure I would still hang out. By setting my mind to not drink, I realized how much and how often I did drink. And it was too much. And while I may start having drinks again here in a few days, I can honestly say that they will be much fewer and farther between. It will for sure be a January ritual.” Taylor Eason, a Sonoma-based wine blogger and principal of Cork & Fork Digital Media, started the ritual in 2015 for health reasons and to mitigate her “widening array of food intolerances.” “The first time not having wine almost every day was excruciatingly difficult. Taylor Eason The habit was firmly entrenched. But, driven by a possible cure to my Courtesy: Taylor ailments, I was dedicated, courageous (in my own mind) and a bit obsessive. Eason The regime worked and alleviated many of my symptoms. I’m like a junkie now. When ‘on cleanse,’ I sleep WAY better, feel 1000% better, have better concentration, and am more productive. Not all of that is attributed to the lack of alcohol but that definitely 3/5

plays a part. Since I feel so good when I don’t drink, I never went back to my everyday glass. Now, I make every glass count… drink the treasured bottles, choose carefully on wine lists and often splurge since it’s one of the two nights I allow myself to indulge.” Lauren Mowery, JD, DWS andthe New York based contributing travel editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine, completed her second Dry January to “reset” her post-holiday consumption. She said she lost weight and gained mental clarity, but found dining out a challenge. “Going to dinner [was] difficult since I want to try food and wine pairings if Lauren it’s a notable restaurant. But I remind myself how often I get to enjoy such Mowery things so that a few weeks shouldn’t be a big deal. Bart Gutierrez “It’s most difficult when traveling as most of my assignments require tasting wine. [T]he effect one or two glasses has on me the next day becomes apparent after not drinking. My mind is sharper, I’m less tired since I sleep better. I feel less bloated. One might ask why return? Because there are so many wonderful aspects of enjoying wine, too.” Doreen Winkler, a sommelier in New York City, prepared for her first Dry January by doing a raw cleanse for the first 10 days and working out several days a week. “I think in this industry it’s only healthy to take a break and January seems to be a perfect time. I think it’s crazy that we meet our friends over drinks mainly—why not take a walk in Central Park, try a new gym class, take a pottery class? It definitely made me think. There were so many benefits: I felt well rested, had great sleep, was in a very good mood. My complexion improved and I lost weight.” Chelsie Petras @chelloveswine Chelsie Petras, Jersey City based creator of the wine-focused site, Chel Loves Wine, completed her second year, calling it “a detox for my body but also a mental challenge to see if I could take [time] off from something that has become a regular occurrence.” “Emotionally I feel stronger knowing I could do this for 31 days. Physically I am sleeping better, my skin is clearer, I’ve lost almost 10 pounds and my body is less bloated. It made me realize how much alcohol I was actually consuming and when I was consuming it. Going forward I’ll be more conscious of what it does to my body and mind. Being around wine everyday you can lose track on how much you’re actually consuming.” 4/5

Information about alcohol use can be found at The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out some of my other work here. Lana Bortolot A career journalist, I turned my attention (and tastebuds) to wine reporting in 2009 and have covered trends, products, regions and the business of wine ever since. I … Reprints & Permissions 5/5

Ghost Kitchens: Reasons To Adopt This Type Of Food Delivery Model forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/12/11/ghost-kitchens-reasons-to-adopt-this-type-of-food-delivery-model December 11, 2020 Dec 11, 2020,09:20am EST|269 views CEO and Founder of the Profitable Restaurant Owner Academy, the ultimate resource in starting a profitable restaurant. getty Ghost kitchens, sometimes also called cloud or virtual kitchens, are essentially commercial kitchens optimized for food delivery. This means no storefront, no dine-in area and no front- of-house. While some offer takeout, delivery is the main focus, with nearly all orders routing through third-party apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grubhub. Although this business model didn’t even exist 5 years ago, it has taken the industry by storm. 1/3

The pandemic has only skyrocketed ghost kitchens’ success, becoming one of the only growth areas in the industry and a saving grace for many struggling restaurants. While the stats about small business closures are already staggering, just imagine how many more would fail without offering delivery. Diversifying income is one of the four tips I’ve uncovered to help keep restaurants afloat in these uncertain times. Why are they so successful? Everyone’s eating habits and priorities have drastically changed. People aren’t interested in visiting a physical restaurant anymore because of social distancing. Even if they wanted to, government regulations are always changing, and dine-in is no longer a guaranteed or sustainable option. What people do want is a restaurant-quality meal on their own table in their own home. The safety, convenience and popularity of these third-party apps put ghost kitchens in a great position for success both now and after the pandemic. This is why offering food delivery can determine a restaurant’s success in today’s economy. What are the benefits? From a business standpoint, opening a ghost kitchen is a far safer venture than a traditional restaurant. A smaller footprint and no location constraint means cheaper rent, while having no front-of-house saves big on staffing and interior design budgets. Objectively, a lower investment cost equals lower risk. They’re also faster to build, which means faster profits. The third-party apps’ infrastructure can automatically expose ghost kitchens to a wide customer audience, especially if you partner exclusively with one service. Some even test and serve multiple food brands from one location. What if Donna’s Donuts and Pete’s Pizza were delivered from the same kitchen? This potentially can appeal to twice as many people, doubling profits. Why should I be interested? Regardless of the pandemic, customers have already become accustomed to the accessibility of food delivery; their habits have fundamentally changed. I predict this will have a huge effect on the traditional food service industry and its supplementary services like marketing and design. The restaurant business is already extremely competitive with razor-thin profit margins. On top of this, Covid-19 has left thousands struggling, making this cultural shift extra threatening for mom-and-pop shops and owners who are less than tech-savvy. 2/3

The scary truth is: I believe you’ll lose an edge in the industry if you’re not prepared to adapt to this future. How can I adapt? The good news for restaurant owners is that it’s not very difficult to integrate delivery into your existing business. With the ghost kitchen’s model and the logistics and efficiency of third-party apps, this new reality offers a tremendous opportunity for success to those who know what they’re doing. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify? Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website. Wilson K Lee CEO and Founder of the Profitable Restaurant Owner Academy, the ultimate resource in starting a profitable restaurant. Read Wilson K Lee's full executive profile here. … Reprints & Permissions 3/3

5 Trends Defining The Food And Beverage Industry, And Retail In General forbes.com/sites/gregmaloney/2018/04/10/five-trends-defining-the-food-and-beverage-industry-and-retail-in-general April 10, 2018 This article is more than 2 years old. Riffs Urban Fare restaurant at the Pearl Street Mall. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty... [+] If you’re in the retail real estate business, there are likely two words you’ve heard incessantly over the past year: “dining” and “entertainment.” But while they are certainly buzzy terms at this point, they are not in the same league as the most dreaded buzz word of all. That, dear reader, is because food and entertainment options, in various forms, are actively being implemented across the industry. New food uses in particular are serving up (couldn’t help myself) some of the most interesting concepts for shopping centers to pay attention to, which is particularly important given that American now spend more money on dining out than they do on groceries. 1/4

Dating back to the days of the Greek agora, shopping centers have been social, well, centers of their local areas. While food has always played a role in shopping centers, as more channels evolve to handle the mere transactional nature of commodities, shopping centers would be wise to place greater focus on the experiential. According to a study released from JLL, shoppers who stop to eat spend 35 minutes and 12% more at a property, than those who forgo a bite. That’s quite a lot of dough (ok, I’ll stop … promise), when you extrapolate it over thousands of shoppers. To take advantage of that, the report outlined five mega-trends in consumerism that are impacting the F&B and retail real estate industries. 1. The Experience Economy I used to collect baseball cards. Today, people have moved away from collecting “things” in favor of collecting “experiences.” Those experiences can range from glamorous trips to a simple night out at a new restaurant with family or friends. In fact, U.S. spending dedicated to experiences has increased by 70% compared to 30 years ago – and nearly 80% of millennials would choose to spend money on an experience over an object. Therefore, expect eating and things like art, gaming, sports or concerts to collide through virtual and augmented reality. Oh, and in case you're wondering – yes, my mother also threw out my baseball card collection too. 2. Supply Unchained The “Eat Local” mantra is very much alive and well. From 2007 to 2017, farmers markets in the U.S. grew by 100%, eclipsing 9,000 in total. Consumers in general have been clamoring for greater authenticity – and they certainly want it in their food options. Sustainable consumption, supporting small businesses, and just getting closer to a brand are chief concerns that are driven by a sense of community pride and eco-preservation. Whether it is a farmer’s market, farm-to-table restaurant or a fresh food conscious chain, expect the fixation on sustainable sourcing and production to be present across the supply chain…or lack thereof. 3. Better Business We know that consumers are increasingly aware of the negative impacts that their consumption has on the planet and society. Roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is wasted and, as a result, governments, businesses and consumers alike are pushing for change in how we use and manage resources. More and more, consumers are connecting to brands that have social and environmental value. In fact, 62% said they want brands to help them make a difference in the world. Helping reduce the negative impact of waste in the foodservice industry will continue to spark great initiatives and drive profits for those that are able to prove success. 2/4

4. Youniverse Through social media, everyone now has the ability to be a food critic in the palm of their hand. It’s no longer just about fashion, what you eat (or where you ate) has become an important form of self-expression and people collect Michelin-star dining experiences like, well, baseball cards. Going forward, expect marketing initiatives in restaurants to encourage social media engagement as chefs serve up Instagram-worthy dishes. 5. Conveni-Tech Throughout history, inventors have responded to pain points and un-met demands to make our lives more convenient (except for the pet rock, that was just a money grab). Through innovation, expectations change, and the food industry is no different. The meal delivery service market is expected to grow by 15% per year through 2020. Expect delivery driver access, short-term parking, and delivery-specific menus to be commonplace at your favorite eateries very soon. One trend that didn’t quite make the cut as it is currently underdeveloped, is big data. Mall and shopping center owners are instituting new ways to bring the same levels of data to the physical store that e-tailers currently enjoy. As with all other components of retail, having a better understanding of the customer is going to be of paramount importance in the food service industry as well. Greg Maloney 3/4

I have spent 35 years in the retail industry, moving from my start as a Sears employee to the President and CEO of JLL’s Americas Retail business. JLL is the largest … Reprints & Permissions 4/4

Health-Boosting Foods Trending In Food & Beverage Industry And Why forbes.com/sites/juliabolayanju/2018/06/13/3-health-boosting-foods-trending-in-food-beverage-industry-and-why June 13, 2018 © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. All Rights Reserved Jun 13, 2018,02:19pm EDT Julia B. OlayanjuFormer Contributor ForbesWomen I drive innovation towards a healthier & sustainable food future. 1/5

Discovering the health benefits in food Picture via Pixabay 2/5

According to research reports by Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) there has been a 202% increase in the number of new food and beverage products recently launched containing components termed , “superfruit” ,“supergrain”or “superfood” between 2011 and 2015. The report also published information showing a 70% increase in the number of food and drink products containing chia between 2014 and 2015. Research and Markets also reported that the global markets for functional food which has grown consistently is projected to exceed 304.5 billion by 2020. What is driving consumer demand for products enriched with functional food? Is this worth paying attention to? This article seeks to answer these two questions. While there are many functional foods out there this article is focused on shedding light on only 3 poised to change the food and beverage industry in the coming years. Turmeric In recent years there has been a lot of excitement around turmeric. Mintel GNPD reports a 359% increase in launches of hot beverages containing turmeric in Europe between 2013 and 2017. The increase in demand for products containing turmeric is not unfounded. Different scientific studies highlighting the health benefits of turmeric have been published. Specifically, curcumin a compound found in turmeric has been studied for its anti- inflammatory properties and treatment of related diseases. Several studies have also investigated its anti-cancer activities. While publications continue to emerge shedding light on the health benefits of turmeric, locals in different parts of the world have used turmeric for centuries to treat a wide array of diseases. As the scientific community continue to understand the molecular basis for curcumin’s activity in the human body and the wide array of pathways it interacts with to combat diseases, we can only expect the demand for products containing turmeric to increase. Moringa - Compared to turmeric, Moringa oleifera is not as popular in the US. Kuli kuli was the second company to introduce nutritional bars enriched in moringa to the US market. Now more startups are incorporating this plant into their products, these includes Remedy Organics and Feramoringa. While this vegetable is not common in Western diets, moringa oleifera which is native to parts of India and Pakistan is a popular staple in different parts of Asia. It is popular for both its nutritional and medicinal benefit, some of these benefits are highlighted here. 3/5

An important compound found in this vegetable known as moringa isothiocyanate has been of interest to scientist lately. Studies led by Dr. Ilya Raskin, Professor at Rutgers University showed that components in moringa isothiocyanates reduces inflammation, the anti-cancer properties of the moringa isothiocyanates is also been explored. While some may never read scientific findings published in these journals they discover the health benefits of these food types on their own. Founders have started companies because they personally experienced the health benefits of food such as moringa and desire to share the experience with the world. An example is Jacquelyn Turner Haury who founded her company Feramoringa after discovering moringa in her fight against Crohn's disease. As more people discover the health benefits of different food types, the products we see on aisle in the grocery store will continue to change. Chia Walking around a grocery store it will not be hard to find beverage fortified with chia seeds or nutritional bars enriched with chia seeds. According to the Mordor Intelligence the global chia seed market is projected to reach 2 billion USD in sales by 2022. Chia ( Salvia hispanica) which is native to Central America has been described by many as the go to food type for appetite and weight control as well as blood sugar levels management in type 2 diabetes. These health claim are not unfounded as there are scientific studies showing evidence for health benefits of chia seeds continue to increase. In a study led by Dr Hanna of University of Toronto, a possible explanation for appetite control as well as blood glucose level reduction in type 2 diabetes observed in study participants as a result of of a 12 week diet supplementation with chia seeds was provided. Chia seeds are rich in omega -3 fatty acids, they also contain high linoleic and alpha-linolenic fatty acids and the health benefit of these can not overlooked. While much known about the health benefits of these different food types, there is so much more yet to be discovered However one thing is obvious, as knowledge of health benefits of different food types continue to emerge, consumer demand for products enriched with functional foods is likely to increase . 4/5

Julia B. Olayanju Julia Olayanju PhD is a scientist, entrepreneur and strategic consultant. She is the founder and President at FoodNiche Inc. a company that leverages thought leadership … Reprints & Permissions 5/5

Beverage Wars: How To Find Success In The Hard Seltzer Category forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/10/15/beverage-wars-how-to-find-success-in-the-hard-seltzer-category October 15, 2020 Oct 15, 2020,09:20am EDT|1,146 views Grant McDougall is the CEO and Co-Founder of BlueOcean, an AI brand strategy platform that helps companies outmaneuver the competition. getty Competition in the beverage industry has always been hard-fought. These battles' modern era is notably marked by the neverending \"Beer Wars\" that have played out on TV, in sports stadiums and during nearly every other live and broadcasted event in the past 50 years. If there's one thing to take away from this war, it's that branding and marketing make or break a beverage's success. Now, a new category in the alcoholic beverage industry is threatening to challenge both beer and spirits brands with explosive growth only dreamed of in established industries. That challenger? Hard seltzers. 1/4

How popular is this growing category? According to a recent report, in the month of August 2020, hard seltzer brands White Claw, Truly and Bon & Viv outsold the top six beer brands combined. In fact, the recent growth of the hard seltzer market is projected to continue, with the industry growing from a value of $4.5 billion today to $14.5 billion by 2027. How Did We Get Here? While distribution, product assortment and pricing are factors as the brands vie for consumer preference, other attributes will likely be the real drivers in this emerging lifestyle category. As health-conscious consumers turn to hard seltzer over beer for its lower carbs, hard seltzers are also winning and distinguishing themselves as \"occasion\" beverages. Simply put, right now, they align better with people's perceptions about themselves, who they want to be and how they want to spend their time. Upstart brands such as Truly and White Claw have been able to lean in hard on the lifestyle aspects, quickly gaining market share. The challenge these early entrants face will come from multiple fronts as beer companies, including Corona and AB InBev, look to gain back some of the losses their traditional beer products are suffering at this category's hands. AB InBev is taking a multipronged approach, on the one hand leaning on the strength of the Bud Light brand, but also looking to appeal to the nonbeer audience with its Bon & Viv brand. While beer companies have the infrastructure to shift gears to hard seltzer quickly, it is more complicated, though not impossible, for distillers to play in this space as well. Smirnoff, which has done well with flavored vodkas, looks to replicate that success in the hard seltzer category with nearly a dozen flavor variants. Keys To Winning The Seltzer Wars So, what are the keys to winning the heart and minds (and mouths) of consumers either already in the hard seltzer market or those looking to try something new? Brands in the category may actually have a leg up during the pandemic, as consumers shy away from mixed drinks that require communal bottles. Nielsen data shows that during the 15-week \"pandemic period\" ending June 13, sales of hard seltzer quadrupled compared to the previous year. Several key factors are likely to hold sway: • Segmentation: Brands need to target the consumer with pinpoint accuracy. Hard seltzer has carved out a space on store shelves, and in the consumer's mind, by connecting with a particular type of lifestyle: healthier, outgoing, social. Truly and White Claw clearly and effectively explaining what their brands are all about while Smirnoff has struggled to make the same connection. Messaging, packaging, flavors and all other aspects must speak to this lifestyle. • Development and Distribution: If traditional brand extensions and product roll-outs happen on an annual basis, it feels like change happens closer to quarterly in the hard seltzer category. New competitors and innovative flavor and alcoholic combinations all combine to 2/4