Luxury grocery is emerging as one of the most attention-grabbing new frontiers in food retail. While Erewhon may have defined the modern luxury grocery playbook, the concept is no longer confined to Los Angeles and is increasingly taking shape as a coast-to-coast retail trend. Over…
Amazon has been particularly busy over the last several months, and while the announcements span grocery, physical retail, delivery, and logistics, they point in a fairly consistent direction. The company is continuing to build around what it does best: fast delivery, supply-chain scale, and a…
Retail and restaurant leaders spent the past several years navigating a brutal cost environment. Labor costs have risen. Food costs—particularly beef—have been volatile and elevated. Many operators have struggled to maintain margins while keeping traffic stable. Yet one brand has continued to outperform: Texas Roadhouse. The…
As food prices continue to rise, shoppers in Chicago are feeling the squeeze. McMillanDoolittle Director Amanda Lai joined NPR’s Chicago affiliate, WBEZ, on Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons for a recent segment exploring how consumers are adapting to grocery inflation and what it means for the…
With discretionary spending under pressure, capturing consumer attention, and their wallets, is becoming increasing challenging and essential. Retailers tapping into innovation are creating must-visit experiences and must-purchase products, especially for younger generations seeking discovery and relevance (see our recent Gen Alpha research). “Newness” has become…
Amanda Lai, Director of McMillanDoolittle’s Food Industry Practice, will headline the Niagara University Food Industry Center of Excellence Summit next week as the opening keynote speaker on Tuesday, September 24, at the Hyatt Regency in Buffalo, New York. This year’s theme, “Built to Thrive: Agility and…
Plant-based pioneer Impossible Foods opened its first restaurant this week in Chicago. Dubbed Impossible Quality Meats, the restaurant pop-up offers a fully plant-based menu of burgers, hot dogs, salads, appetizers, and dessert that will be available through the fall. Nestled in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood at…
Quick service restaurants (QSR) are experimenting with next-gen concepts as consumers increasingly prioritize convenience, value, and experience and as business demands new models to address rising labor and food costs. This week, we showcase three concepts by Raising Cane’s, Whataburger, and McDonald’s. Each location differs…
Whole Foods Market announced plans to introduce a new “quick-shop store format” named Whole Foods Daily Shop, with the first location slated to open later this year on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Ranging between 7,000-14,000 square feet in size, the new small format…
McMillanDoolittle recently visited Aldi’s first-of-its-kind automated checkout store in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, IL. Located about 8 miles away from company’s U.S. headquarters in Batavia, IL, the store is adorned with signage inside and outside promoting the trial of its new automated checkout technology,…
