Dennis Botts

The Future of Food: Simpler, Healthier, and Transparent Over the past week we have witnessed the star power of CPG launches. Yet, the ingredient list ... is ... well ... garbage. At best, it's not even close to what our bodies need from true healthy ingredients. Start with fueling yourself with real nourishment from nature. MY PREDICTION: The next 3 years will see a major shift toward simpler food and beverages. Consumers are more informed than ever, and the demand for clean, understandable ingredients is rising fast. 📈 This isn’t a new trend, but the problem is ... ... true options are still scarce in the CPG world. HOWEVER ... What’s new is that people are getting smarter about the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of what they consume. As the demand grows, “Big Food” will have to respond. Reality Check (from Anthony Vennare's post below):    - Nearly 60% of the calories Americans consume come from ultra-processed foods like soft drinks and snacks.   - 86% of products from major US food manufacturers are ultra-processed.   - 95% of advisors for the 2022–2025 US dietary guidelines have conflicts of interest with food or pharma. With 70% of Americans overweight or obese, it’s time to rethink our food choices. The future is clear: true food that nourishes and sustains. Let's do better. Let's be better. #yeswecan (Attaching a powerful repost here that dives deeper into this issue.)

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Beer Drinkers Have the Unhealthiest Diet A study presented at 'The Liver Meeting' and published in 'Nutrients' reveals that beer drinkers in the U.S. have the poorest diet quality among alcohol consumers. Based on a survey of over 1,900 adults, beer drinkers scored the lowest (49) on the Healthy Eating Index, compared to wine drinkers (55) and spirits/mixed-drink consumers (53). Beer drinkers were found to consume the highest daily calories, exercise the least, and were more likely to smoke and have low incomes. The research highlights that beer is often consumed with high-carb, processed, and low-fiber foods, unlike wine, typically paired with balanced meals. Lead author Dr. Madeline Novack emphasized the rising risks of alcohol-related illnesses, particularly cirrhosis and liver diseases like MASLD, linked to poor dietary and lifestyle habits. The study suggests that food choices and drinking environments significantly influence the type of alcohol consumed, with fried and salty foods increasing beer preference. However, it clarifies that no direct cause-effect relationship was established between beer and poor health outcomes. Subhash Arora https://lnkd.in/dFyBeMuJ

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Operators, When you spend capital to buy a Draft Beer System understand what you are buying. When you chose a Brand of Draft Beer Equipment ask questions. Did the manufacturer actually design, manufacture, or configure all the equipment? Or did they buy common available parts and pieces, consolidate the equipment, mark it up, and sell it as their own? Know and understand what you are buying. It's your money!

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𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦: 𝐀 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: The backbone of the beef industry. With increasing regulatory pressures and global competition, American #ranchers need a unifying brand. Beef.com could become the flagship for leadership, vision, and growth. 2️⃣ 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲: Think of Wendy's legendary “Where’s the Beef?” campaign—a 31% market share boost! A major player could leverage Beef.com to highlight sustainable, hormone-free beef, positioning fast food as a healthier choice. Even a 1-2% market share increase translates to billions in revenue. 3️⃣ 𝐄-𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬: For brands like Omaha Steaks and Snake River Farms, owning Beef.com could revolutionize online sales, driving #ROI and customer trust like never before. 4️⃣ 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: With billions at stake in global beef markets, countries like #Brazil, #Canada, #Australia, #Japan, #China, #Argentina and #India....and major industry giants like JBS USA, Cargill, National Beef Packing Company LLC, Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods in the mix, owning Beef.com will surely gain a competitive edge and expand market share. 💡 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐎𝐈 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐟.𝐜𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐨-𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫. We’re thrilled to be connecting with visionaries across these industries and expect exciting news soon. High seven-figure to low eight-figure deals like this take time, but we’re confident the right home for Beef.com is just weeks away. And as you can see by our graphic, we are having fun along the way!!! 📩 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝@𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚.𝐜𝐨𝐦 Let’s make history. 🚀 #Beef #PremiumDomains #DigitalRealEstate #CattleIndustry #ECommerce #FastFood #GlobalDistribution

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As I make my way to Bentonville, it feels like the perfect moment to share this insightful article by Lukas Southard of BevNET.com When he wrote it back in July, I’ll admit—it took me by surprise. About a year and a half ago, an investor told me, "You sure know how to handle the hard stuff—but can you manage the easy things?" That question stuck with me. What does "easy" mean? In an environment of cheap, undisciplined capital, I think he meant “marketing”—in other words, doing your best to convince the public that your incrementally different widget is worthy of their time, attention, and hard-earned dollars. "Easy"? Yeah, I can do that... but I think I lost him in my explanation of why that would also be a waste of my time. "Simple"—now that’s something worthy of pursuit. Early in my career, I learned that simplicity is often misunderstood, and designing for simplicity is rarely “easy.” Take fish jerky, for instance. It’s been around since the 1400s under different names, yet it hasn’t become mainstream because traditional methods often lead to mold, listeria, and other risks you don’t want incubating in your gut. So, no—speed to market using the old ways, while easy, didn’t seem like a worthwhile nor responsible pursuit. So my journey started in something that more resembled an engineering lab than a kitchen, figuring out how to produce safe, delicious, healthy seafood protein snacks, and then understanding the rest of the business process needed to build around and scale a new innovation. Is it easy? Absolutely not. But is the result elegantly simple? Yes. And I often hear, "Why hasn’t anyone done this before?" Which, I must admit, delights me. There was a lot more hard work that came after our product design. You can read about some of that in Lukas’ article, along with the systemic and structural challenges we’ve had to overcome, such as re-educating the marketplace about persistently mischaracterized and misunderstood supply chains in a post-Seaspiracy world. Today, as I reflect on that investor’s question after a weekend of back-and-forth with my team preparing for this pitch, I’ve come to appreciate the ‘easy’ part: sharing our innovations with world-class customers like Walmart and eventually, the world. There were no shortcuts, and I see why people enjoy the ‘easy’ part—just don’t forget, you have to take care of the ‘simple’ things first. Read more about Pescavore's journey: Pescavore’s Long Road To Scaling Tuna Jerky https://lnkd.in/gbMHktaR #emergingbrand #foodinnovation #seafood #sustainableseafood #manufacturing #foodmanufacturing #snacks #opencall2024 #walmart #scaleup #startup #tuna

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When developing new menu items for NFL stadiums, culinary teams focus on three key factors: Flavor and Appeal: New items must be visually appealing and shareable. Unique and creative combinations that look great on social media can generate buzz. Feasibility and Practicality: Items need to be easy to prepare quickly during busy game times. The item should be able to be prepared in current kitchen equipment and there should be little to no new training for the staff Cost and Relevance: Ingredients should be cost-effective to ensure profitability while providing good value to fans. Incorporating local ingredients and current food trends can enhance the appeal of the offerings. Each season, culinary teams strive to introduce successful and exciting new menu items that resonate with the fans.

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In craft food production installing Technology could alter the process and story of how you make the product. Brian Fiscalini about their family business and how they make cheese for chefs and consumers across the US. There are things that as a company or business you won't do because of your values. There are so many great practices that Fiscalini Farmstead has chosen to do because it sets them and their cheese apart. Doing things with time honored tradition while evaluating how to improve the process is how companies can create opportunities to thrive and grow. Listen to our conversation on Apple Podcast and do yourself a favor and find a wedge of their cheese, it is delicious!

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"Thanks Kaleigh Theriault, great play by play on the first half, let’s take a look at what’s going to be needed to win the year." 🏈 Halftime Report: Preparing for the second half in the Beverage Alcohol Industry! 🏆 As we take a breather at the halfway point of 2024, it's clear that the beverage alcohol industry has seen some major plays and strategic moves. Let's huddle up and look at the game plan for the rest of the year: 🍺 Beer: The price increases in 2023 are putting pressure on consumers, with long-term inflation effects and multiple drivers pointing to lower volumetrics. To stay in the game, deeper price subsidization for core Beer categories is essential. However, Imports show potential for a positive finish. Maintaining consumer loyalty will be our MVP move here. 🍷 Wine: The $15-$25 range continues to be the sweet spot, driving consumer interest. But to achieve positive trends by year-end, we need to capitalize on Q4 gifting. A big comparable period is coming up, so some price adjustments might be necessary, especially for infrequent Wine shoppers. 🥃 Spirits: We're seeing a continued shakeout as consumers transition from traditional products to RTDs. Flavor and turn-key cocktails are the winning plays, making Q4 critical for gifting and entertaining. Price discounting is already in motion to boost revenue. 🍹 RTD (Ready-to-Drink): RTDs remain a game-changer this year. With their share of total Alcohol growing, we expect more stability in growth rates as the shift from Seltzers slows. Building consumer brand loyalty for Spirits RTDs is crucial, and we need to watch out for potential flavor fatigue in the second half. Let's get ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead! Here's to a successful second half of 2024! 🥂 "Why did the football team go to the bank at halftime? To get their quarterback!" 🏆 #BeverageIndustry #AlcoholTrends #Beer #Wine #Spirits #RTD #MarketInsights #SecondHalf #HalftimeReport Note: This report looks at the 26 week ending period thru July 6th, 2024

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What do you see here? Some will say Tuna! But if you sell fish, so does your seafood competitor. You need to tell the story. Of the fish, your company and yourself to win that business. How we've been trained to sell in foodservice: *Drop business cards, PDF's and price lists *Try to get meetings *Drop pricing to get business *Run around taking orders and just popping in to say hi *Be in front of a computer by cut off and frantically worry How you actually should be selling in foodservice: *Producing educational content around your products via (email, text, social) *Offer consultative sales tips to customers about products and why it might be relevant to their business *Deliver a mutually beneficial business relationship *Becoming a product expert by studying your products and sharing them *Get to know the customers business, ask questions and research things that can make them better Selling in foodservice has changed, running around busy won't cut it anymore and our customers are strapped for time. Make people WANT to work with you. That becomes exponentially more simple when you start with their needs in mind and sharing that story. This tuna shows: Delivery frequency Cut off time Origin roots Quality Access to complimentary products Your ability to articulate that can help you win in the long term.

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- add a pinch of salt to your coffee. It reduces the bitterness and enhances the flavor. Even adding unflavored salt is fine, but adding Caravel Gourmet’s espresso sea salt is amazing. My favorite recipe salted coffee recipe is an espresso vanilla cappuccino. To make one serving, you’ll need: - 1 cup of milk - Brown sugar to taste - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract - 1/2 cup hot coffee - A pinch of espresso sea salt Combine the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until the milk begins to bubble. Remove it from the heat and stir in the brown sugar. I suggest starting with a 1/2 tsp and increasing from there. Using a blender whisk or frother, whisk the milk until frothy. Fill a coffee cup about halfway, then add the hot milk on top and dust with espresso sea salt. Get the espresso salt here ☕️ https://lnkd.in/gjP-shAh #CaravelGourmet #EspressoSeaSalt #GourmetSalt #FlavoredSalt

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Chipotle Mac N Cheese. Creamy, cheesy, and smoky, with just enough heat to ignite your taste buds! You'll never go back to the same old dish again!  https://lnkd.in/gpS478n Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 pound elbow macaroni, or pasta of choice 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2-3 cups milk 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, or more/less to taste 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, or a combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses Salt and ground black pepper Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional INSTRUCTIONS Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter is bubbly, whisk in the flour until blended. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the chipotles chilies, onion powder, and garlic powder and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Reduce the the heat to low and stir in the cheese. When the cheese is melted, stir in the cooked pasta. If you want a thinner sauce, add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Top with parsley (if using) and serve. 

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Have you tried #LavenderSeaSalt? This slightly floral and aromatic #salt is more versatile than most people realize. I like to sprinkle it over roasted butternut squash, goat cheese/arugula pizza, and chocolate chip cookies while they're still warm. How do you like to use this #SpecialtySalt? #SeaSaltSuperstore #FlavoredSalt

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Tyson Foods Reports Record Profits After Major Turnaround Tyson Foods has achieved a significant financial boost, with third-quarter profits reaching the highest level in eight years. The company saw a remarkable 174% increase in adjusted operating income, totaling $491 million, thanks to a successful turnaround in its chicken and pork sectors. This turnaround follows a period of plant closures and cost-cutting, which helped Tyson benefit from lower feed costs and improved operational efficiencies. Tyson remains optimistic for the rest of the year, forecasting adjusted operating income between $1.6 to $1.8 billion for fiscal 2024. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/e-9DwRYZ Food Dive Hospitality Hangout Podcast Branded Hospitality Ventures #Marketing #Hospitality #Technology Ron Link Rahul Ray Derek Smith Brady Stewart Andrea McGovern Galo Douglas Kulka Alex Abernathy

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What's your production horror story? For Sara at Sarilla, it was losing 10,000 filled cans in a bad manufacturing run. I talk with her and Russ Taylor, on the Startup to Scale podcast about how this happened and how to avoid it happening to you. Share your experience in the comments and listen to our episode on your favorite podcast app or here: https://lnkd.in/gv-bcMBn

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People don't need to eat 30% of their calories from refined seed oils. The best case scenario with refined seed oils is that they're essentially empty omega-6 calories. Even if you ignore any evidence or mechanisms of harm that's the best possibility. "But linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid." Sure, but with a requirement of at most 1-2% of energy, and deficiencies are nearly impossible if eating a reasonable diet without starvation-level malnutrition or specific medical issues not relevant to the general public, like bowel resection.

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You want to hear something simple that will create systemic change in our food system? Simply don't buy your kiddo Lunchly or Lunchables. Leverage your purchase power at a parent. Become an advocate instead of a hater. Add in more delicious options. We bake cookies at home so we know what goes in them instead of store bought options. Mark A. Samuels promotes an 80/20 way of eating. So 80% of the time, support your kiddos in healthy food options. 20% of the time, don't worry so much. #lesshate #morenutritiousfoodoptions #letschangetheworldonefoodchoiceatatime

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2023 saw, non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits sales over $565M. That’s a 35% boost in dollar sales vs. the year before—but who’s buying these options? Gen Z is leading the trend in the sense that they are opting out of drinking alcohol. However, they are not the demographic purchasing off your NA menus. So, who is buying? Mostly women ages 34-55. They are looking for products that provide inclusivity. They want to participate in celebrations and feel included in social gatherings with their friends and loved ones. According to NIQ’s 2023 Consumer Outlook, 46% of consumers identified physical or mental wellness as one of their top priorities. And, with 47% of Americans having at least one of three risk factors that contribute to heart disease, it’s no surprise that consumers are increasingly seeking beverages that do more than just quench thirst. Healthy, low sugar options are being requested. Sober October is coming. My community and I want at least 15 solid locations to send our following/customers to for low sugar, crafted non-alcoholic beverage menus. Who's in? Email me to get your menu set, products in and offerings promoted. Andrew Schools Brian Neubauer Zaneta "Zee" Peragine William Harrison George Beattie Buddy Edwards George Beattie Tish Atkins Oatis Smith Priscilla Eich

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