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 Deloitte to Startup CEO: Johnnie Akin on Risk, Faith, and Reinvention
Success today looks different—defined less by stability and more by the freedom to adapt and evolve. Professionals across industries are reimagining their careers, moving away from predictable ladders toward paths that reflect purpose and balance. What once meant climbing steadily toward partnership or promotion now often means taking bold pivots or pursuing second acts…
From Caregiver to Changemaker: How Purpose and Community Create Lasting Impact
Resilience isn’t just about enduring challenges — it’s about leading with compassion, patience, and faith, even when the path feels uncertain. It’s a quality embodied by every caregiver, whose daily acts of care and commitment reflect the essence of true leadership — helping others grow stronger through empathy, service, and understanding. In this episode…
Great Leaders Share Knowledge, Build Trust, and Empower Future Talent
The conversation around skilled trades is shifting fast. After decades of “college for all” messaging, trade school enrollment is climbing steadily, signaling a renewed respect for hands-on, high-skill careers that literally keep the world running. In commercial HVAC and mechanical service, this change is not just academic — it’s shaping the next generation of leaders…
Slow Stories in a Fast League: Why the NBA Still Deserves Real, In-Depth Journalism
In a sports world increasingly defined by short-form clips, social algorithms, and viral takes, long-form storytelling remains a vital counterweight — the place where depth, nuance, and narrative still matter. The NBA, perhaps more than any other league, sits at the center of this tension: every quote can become a meme, every story a highlight…
