Maeve Webster has been a foodservice industry consultant for more than 17 years, running hundreds of studies focused on trend analysis, opportunity assessment, new product concept development, and consumer behavior evaluation. In 2015, Webster founded an independent consultancy, Menu Matters, which helps foodservice professionals identify, evaluate, and leverage industry trends. Readers may contact her at menumattersnow@gmail.com.

Top Growing Alcoholic Beverages in Savory/ Sweet Food Applications

Changing Consumer Behavior Shifts Spirits from the Glass to the Menu

As alcohol consumption by the glass declines, alcohol is increasing as a flavor in savory and sweet items

Maeve Webster

June 5, 2019

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Despite the growth of consumers at or over the legal drinking age, the share of consumers drinking alcohol with any regularity is declining. Interestingly however, although alcohol consumption in the glass declines, alcohol is increasing as a flavor in savory and sweet items.

Food, Beverage Menu Innovation Shifts to Embrace 'Instagrammability'

Food and beverage innovation has as much focus on visual appeal as on any other attribute

Maeve Webster

March 4, 2019

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Perhaps the most significant effect social media has had on the food industry involves the visual narrative around food and beverages.

How Will Gen Z Consumers Affect Food?

It's too early to say—but they are different than Millennials

Maeve Webster

November 5, 2018

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After a decade or more of focusing largely on the needs, preferences, and behaviors of Millennials, the food industry is ready to focus its attention on Gen Z.

Most Commonly Menued Terms Suggesting Authenticity

Manufacturers Explore Challenges of "Authentic" Food Tastes, Experiences

Traditional Tastes

Maeve Webster

July 20, 2018

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For the last several years, there's been a culinary shift and belief that food derived from foreign cultures should seek to be authentic or feature authentic elements.

Pink Drink from Starbucks' 2017 "Cups of Kindness" Collection

Inspiring Food Product Development from Beyond Industry Borders

Look beyond the menu—and even outside food—for new product ideas

Maeve Webster

April 10, 2018

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For the industry to truly be innovative, and continue to be relevant well beyond the Millennial boom, insights professionals will need to look well outside of food to better anticipate consumers' changing relationship with food.

New Products Conference

Prepared Foods' 37th annual New Products Conference will focus its efforts on how companies in the Food and Beverage industry can re-think their business efforts to help them obtain an edge on their competition. With the latest information and trends presented by the industry's top experts, this powerful 3-day event will allow companies to do just that.

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2019 September

Check out the September 2019 issue of Prepared Foods, featuring new applications for chocolate and vanilla ingredients, new approaches to diabetes, and much more.

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