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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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….
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The Secret to Brand Loyalty: Why Storytelling Is the Best Way to Be Heard in a Crowded Market
In today’s fast-evolving digital marketplace, attention is scarce, and trust even more so. In an era of remote work, AI-driven marketing, and constant digital noise, storytelling has emerged as one of the most powerful tools to cut through the clutter. In fact, research shows that people who used storytelling techniques to remember information recalled seven…
Leaders Driving Hospitality Career Development Must Embrace Tech, Inclusion, and Risk
The hospitality industry is under mounting pressure to modernize to meet guest expectations for seamless, tech-driven experiences and also develop leaders who can drive that transformation. According to Rackspace Technology, only 28% of travel and hospitality companies qualify as “AI leaders”— those aligning strategy, compliance, and training with real-world deployment. Another 28% remain in…
Seeing What Others Miss: The Art of Problem Solving in HR Compliance
In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Andrea Kilburn, the HR EEO and Affirmative Action Compliance Manager at EssilorLuxottica. Andrea has built her career on problem-solving, advocacy, and the power of precise thinking. Andrea shares her unique path from mortgage underwriting to HR compliance, and…
Icom’s Germany Trip Highlights the Power of Portability at Friedrichshafen’s Ham Radio Showcase
In an era where digital communication happens at the speed of light, it’s easy to overlook the enduring charm and ingenuity of amateur radio. Yet, events like the Ham Radio fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, remind us that radio isn’t just a relic—it’s a thriving, inventive community built on experimentation and exploration. One striking example is…
