Brian Choi

In 2025, consumers are stretching their dollars differently. Food prices are approximately 25% higher than they were three years ago, which is forcing consumers to consider cutting back on discretionary food purchases like high-end specialty items. “As consumer spending habits adjust, they’re choosing ‘fewer, better’ items; specialty foods that serve multiple roles – like a sauce used across several meals – are performing better,” said Alon Chen, the CEO of Tastewise.

Sheleena Jain, senior specialist at The Smart Cube consultancy, has studied GLP-1 weight-loss drugs at length. She feels food and beverage companies are well-prepared to face the test that drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy present. “F&B companies have long been focused on aligning their products with the better-for-you trends, anticipating shifts in consumer behavior due to the growing focus on health,” Jain told The Food Institute.

Home > Food Retail Game the System: Gamification in Grocery & Retail Most brands and services have companion apps for mobile devices. These apps auto-update, often know where you are, and are poised to sync email and seasonal offers with pop-up notifications, pinging and dinging away.