Articles
As inflation reshapes consumer habits and restaurant margins tighten, the produce distribution industry is under more pressure than ever. This high-touch, low-margin, logistics-heavy business is facing rising freight costs, labor shortages, and evolving food safety standards — all while trying to deliver perishable products across a fragmented national landscape. Between 2020 and 2024, the…
Latest
Articles
How Hughes is Powering the Future of QSR Connectivity & Fast Food Tech
Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are under increasing pressure to enhance speed, efficiency, and customer experience—all while managing a growing network of digital systems. From AI-powered ordering kiosks to real-time kitchen automation, modern QSRs are more connected than ever. The restaurant AI market was valued at $9.68 billion in 2024, and expected to reach $49…
Articles
Value Meals Are Fast Food’s Summer Strategy. What’s the Long Game Amid Persistent Inflation?
This summer, fast food chains are responding with a competitive push towards value meals in an effort to combat the rising cost of living and inflation, which has hit wallets worldwide. And $5 dollar value meals seem to be the magic answer. As families seek ways to stretch their budgets further, the fast food…
2024 Retail Refined
The Rise of Regenerative Agriculture and Strategies for Generating Capital with Steward CEO Dan Miller
As the global conversation around sustainable food systems intensifies, regenerative agriculture has emerged as a transformative approach to farming that prioritizes ecosystem health, soil vitality, and nutritional quality. This episode of Retail Refined explores why regenerative agriculture is capturing the attention of consumers, policymakers, and investors alike. With nearly 90 regenerative farms funded and…
Articles
Grocery Retailers Need to Adopt Adaptive Supply Chain Strategies to Stabilize Rising Grocery Prices
As recent reports highlight a cooling in overall inflation rates, the grocery sector tells a different story. Over the past three years, grocery prices have surged by 21%, outpacing the general inflation rate of 18% during the same period. This divergence is particularly pronounced in certain food items, where price increases have reached as…
Articles
With 800 New Stores in the Offing, How Will Aldi’s Massive Expansion Impact the Grocery Industry?
Grocery chain Aldi recently announced plans to add 800 new stores in the U.S. within five years, focusing on the Northeast, Midwest, western U.S., and Southern California, with a debut in Las Vegas. In the Southeast, Aldi’s massive expansion plans include converting a whopping 400 Winn-Dixies and Harveys locations into Aldi stores, starting with about…
Articles
Domino’s Pizza’s AI and Robotics Investments Forge a Path for Other QSRs to Follow in 2024
The QSR (quick service restaurant) industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by AI and robotics automation advancements. Among those leading the charge, Domino’s Pizza is launching its own strategy for evolving its operations and customer service ecosystem to take advantage of robotics, AI-powered software, and more proactive tools that elevate the Domino’s experience….
Latest
From Freshmen to Founders: Michigan Students Take on Higher Ed’s Summer Melt Crisis with MeetYourClass
A growing number of colleges are struggling to convert applicants into enrolled students—and to keep them engaged through graduation. With Gen Z students relying heavily on familiar digital platforms like Instagram and Discord for social interaction, traditional college tools for orientation, enrollment, and community-building often miss the mark. According to research, between 10 to 40…
The Future of Flight Depends on Mechanics, Not Machines: How Jets MRO is Solving the Aviation Maintenance Talent Gap
Private aviation is booming—but behind the sleek jets and luxury cabins lies a hidden crisis. A looming shortage of qualified aviation maintenance technicians threatens to ground growth. According to Boeing’s 2023 Pilot and Technician Outlook, the industry will need about 690,000 new maintenance technicians by 2042. While private jet usage is skyrocketing, the infrastructure to…
Stride at 25: Redefining the Digital Learning Ecosystem for Today’s K–12 Learners
As virtual learning matures and school choice accelerates across the U.S.,the 25th anniversary of Stride Inc. offers a moment to reflect on how far the digital learning ecosystem has come and where it’s headed.. Once known as K12 Inc., the company helped pioneer online education at scale. But in a landscape shaped by evolving…
From Search (SEO) to Answers with Generative AI
In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma—founder of Spark Novus, which partners with marketing leaders to adopt AI responsibly and strategically—hosts Mike Ensing, Founder and CEO of Revere AI. They explore how LLMs are revolutionizing search, shifting the customer journey, and forcing a new marketing playbook where brand discovery is increasingly…
