Association News | Industry News | Regulatory News
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.
The series will run through July, the 250th anniversary of that initial step toward the creation of the United States of America. Interested in sponsoring installments of our special report on 250 years of American dining?
The massive soccer event is a chance for brands across many segments to market to a global stage.
Not to mention cows, Quakers and tigers with a booming voice. Join us for a look back at some of the mascots who’ve shaped the business.
The lodging giant intends to develop a string of properties that specifically target college-campus visitors, including visiting sports teams.
Datassential’s new ranking of the 500 biggest restaurant chains shows that nine new beverage options were added for every food extension.
Here’s the news you may have missed this week in the world of c-store and grocery foodservice.
Here’s a quick look at industry stories that may have slipped past.
Welcome The Vita Coco Company, a leading coconut water brand; Redaptive, a provider of scalable infrastructure modernization solutions; and SafeScan, offering X-ray inspection services for foreign material detection.
Amid signs of trouble, a federal court is demanding an update from the Trump Administration on how the reimbursement is going.
Consumers want to see more high-protein options for away-from-home dining, according to the Association’s latest Consumer & Operator Research Group report.
The new Datassential 500 report finds LSR burger specialists still on top, but with the other segments eroding their lead.
Some places are charging $50 or more for a lobster roll.
The industry superstars regaled attendees of the Association’s Education Summit with tales of resiliency and determination as they rose through the FAFH industry ranks.
The event brought industry standouts together with students considering a career in one of the many channels afforded by the business.
A dead-end industry of last resort? Not to the stellar successes who gathered Saturday night.
He was born into the industry and a famous family, but the affiliation earned him a spatula instead of a silver spoon.
Chip Wade, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, wins the prestigious 2026 Gold Plate Award from IFMA, recognizing outstanding leadership in the foodservice industry.
Running a company while its founder is still actively involved can be a challenge. If that founder happens to be Danny Meyer, the Yoda of fine dining, a successor would have to be dumber than a rock to shun the input. And Chip Wade, CEO of Meyer’s U
He earned his award for bringing innovation to his management of the foodservices of Harvard
No other event is quite like it. Here are some of the reasons why.
Consumer prices overall spiked for the month, signaling continued top-line challenges for the food-away-from-home business.
The White House is widely expected to appeal Thursday’s court ruling, but its options are narrowing.
The foodservice management firm announced a strategic alliance with Mill Industries to deploy high-tech machinery on its campuses that can turn kitchen scraps into animal feed.
Parties ranging from a Georgia official to rank-and-file operators are asking the FTC to scuttle the merger.
Three recent developments have the FAFH business cheering instead of cursing.
Team work between IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, catering partner Entertaining Company, event sponsors and more is essential to pulling off the gala’s feast.
A company will no longer need to sell through Amazon.com to have its products shipped to customers.
This month we welcome three new members: manufacturers Texas Pete and California Custom Fruits and Flavors, plus supply chain member Edward Don & Company.
This week’s update focuses on the planned foodservice upgrades coming to the country’s largest convenience retailer.
From the time he was 6, the scion of the famed family has strived to leave his mark on the U.S. hospitality industry through smarts and hard work.
A pivotal force in forming the United States 250 years ago, the philosopher-farmer also helped American dining break free from Britain’s influence.
The family dining chain said it intends to make further MAHA-driven changes to its recipes and menu later this year.
Chains including Pokeworks, Bojangles, Panera Bread and more are jumping on the latest trends to meet consumer desire for high-protein snacks around the clock.
Ben Wexler sits down with Phil Kafarakis to discuss his career and longstanding service to the industry.
Phil sits down with Herb Ring, Honorary Silver Plate Award recipient and two-time IFMA The Food Away from Home Association Board Chair.
From innovative dishes at the opening reception to chef-led creations at Menu-a-thon, immerse yourself in the flavors that defined IFMA COEX 2026 in Atlanta.
Considerable color is added to the event by its adherence to traditions, one of them being a token bet on who’ll win the Gold Plate award. Here’s how to engage in that time-honored custom.
Welcome to a new feature recapping the latest FAFH developments at convenience and grocery stores.
The 72nd edition of the Gold & Silver Plate Awards are coming up soon. Test your knowledge of the FAFH industry's biggest night and see how you stack up.
The European nation is updating its student nutrition standards for the first time in more than 10 years, with significant departures from the approach planned for U.S. schools.
Orders of the products from broadline distributors fell in 2024 after years of growth, the report found.
The former manager of Microsoft’s foodservice operations wants to air solutions to common problems across the six siloed sectors of “everyday foodservice.”
The annual unofficial celebration of cannabis culture is kicking into high gear, with chains like Jimmy John’s, Wingstop, Insomnia Cookies and more joining with punny marketing and menu items.
The Supply Chain Resiliency Hub will help U.S. manufacturers find new and alternative suppliers while flagging disruption risks, according to the University of New Haven.
The surcharges, imposed after the Supreme Court rejected the Administration’s first round of duties, have been challenged by 24 states.
Welcome to a new feature recapping the latest food-away-from-home-related developments at convenience and grocery stores.
The dynamics widened the expense gap between cooking at home and frequenting a food-away-from-home establishment.
Kevin Hourican said the added buying power will provide the purchasing leverage to hold the line. That’s not such good news for suppliers.
In The country’s largest convenience-store owner cited ongoing consumer uncertainty in its decision to stall its go-public effort by a year “at the earliest.”
The latest Consumer & Operator Research Group report offers insight into the demographic groups most likely to change the way they eat based on new nutritional information.
Here’s a roundup of food-away-from-home news that might have slipped past even avid media watchers.
Patterned after a 2-year-old program in Kentucky, the initiative obliges participating facilities to spend 5% of their food budgets on supplies from local farms.
The once-vertically-integrated chain is closing three more of its dough manufacturing facilities and increasing its reliance on outside suppliers.
Long before Indian cuisine caught on in the foodservice mainstream, colleges and universities were regularly serving the Asian fare in their dining halls.
Brands roll out pickle cookies, cheddar Pop-Tarts, name changes and more. Just be sure to double-check the date.
Once approved, the $45 billion transaction would bring together brands including McCormick spices and flavorings, Knorr, Hellmann’s and Cholula.
Sodexo and The Princeton Review plan to canvass school administrators about the correlation between foodservices and school loyalty.
A new study says half of consumers aged 18 to 34 are considering what’s in fryers when choosing a restaurant.
The broadliner said the deal will instantly make it the largest player in the cash-and-carry market.
Welcome our newest manufacturer members for March 2026! Discover Aquamar, Bay State Milling, BelGioioso Cheese, Chelten House, Cordillera, Legacy Foods, Mrs. Gerry's Kitchen, Nadura*, Savannah Foods, and Tiger Packaging.
Procurement policies and practices will need to be brought in line with the nutritional guidelines set out in the new DGAs for hospitals to continue receiving federal funding, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced.
The Silver Plate winner has brought new success to his theater chain by having it function more as a restaurant.
15 books by Silver Plate award winners, the food-away-from-home industry's elite. Learn their secrets to success, from building iconic brands like Wendy's and Popeyes to pioneering hospitality, offering invaluable insights for aspiring leaders.
Danielle Bock, director of nutrition services for Greeley-Evans School District and this year's K-12 Silver Plate winner, has spent her career fighting for students and staff — and she's not done yet.
Jeff Palmer, exec director of dining at UC San Diego and this year's College & University Silver Plate winner, is using data, sustainability, and a passion for culinary authenticity to redefine what campus dining can be.
Leisa Bryant, executive director of Food and Nutrition Services at MD Anderson Cancer Center and this year's Healthcare Silver Plate winner, is redefining hospital food — one act of compassionate leadership at a time.
Convenience stores are getting more strategic with bundle deals to compete with QSRs.
Jerry Morgan, CEO of Texas Roadhouse and this year’s Silver Plate winner in the Chain Full Service category, is widely known as Kent Taylor’s successor. But that doesn’t reflect all he’s doing for the company and brand.
A name like Clementine Paddleford isn’t easy to forget. Nor is a long professional life of piloting her own Piper Cub from one backwater location to another, looking for local dishes that were as enticing as anything the swells of New York City.
Regional grocer Stop & Shop this week announced a major upgrade of its in-store hot bars. The refreshed self-serve dinners and sides feature comfort food options and globally inspired proteins, which will be served from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Starbucks on Tuesday announced a major reorganization of its licensed business.
Anyone waiting for a mention of Taco Bell or Starbucks might have been surprised by what the teenagers participating in an onstage focus group at COEX revealed as their top dining preferences.
It’s clear that the way customers make their dining choices is changing. How they decide whether a brand has earned their next visit, or their next dollar, can be complicated. As an industry, we need to understand, and anticipate, our consumers like
Though hailing from different segments, Freddy’s Custard and Steakburgers and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery both offered accounts of how they lost silver-haired patrons through well-intentioned efforts to help the brands and their franchisees. Their ca
Before Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor died in 2021, he scribbled a name on a legal pad atop his desk: J-e-r-r-y M-o-r-g-a-n. He tore off the strip of paper and set it aside, in effect answering the question he knew every employee of the
Longtime attendees of the annual Gold and Silver Plate Awards ceremony will see some familiar faces accompanying the 2026 winners at this year’s gala. It’s now a tradition for the current honorees to be escorted to the dais by a mentor of their choos
It’s typical for conferences in the food business to preview menu trends via slides and expert commentary. COEX 2026 opted to use knives and forks instead.
Sales growth for the food-away-from-home industry should accelerate moderately in 2026 from last year’s 0.8% gain, but the war in the Middle East could turn that projection into wishful thinking, according to a business update aired at COEX.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. kept his jeans on during a recent video proving his physical fitness, but he couldn’t avoid a full Monty at COEX. A critical look at his pet MAHA projects suggested the health emperor is wearing no clothes.
Leah Chase, longtime chef-proprietor of New Orleans’ Dooky Chase
IFMA The Food Away from Home Association is pleased to announce the hiring of Heather Lalley as its new Director of Communications.
Moving with court-ordered haste, the Trump Administration has drafted a detailed plan for dispersing more than $165 billion it collected under the protective tariffs that were struck down last month by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Anyone in chef’s whites might feel at home inside the buzzing kitchens that landed a Silver Plate this year for Brad Haga, SVP of Prepared Foods and Dispensed Beverages for the Casey’s General Store convenience-store chain.
If Scott Murphy’s business card listed all the roles he fills for Dunkin’ and its multi-brand parent, it’d have to be some sort of fold-out model to fit everything.