Caitlyn LuBell

-- Broken Food Recall Processes within the United States -- In January 2024 alone, the FDA issued a staggering 46 food and beverage recalls, marking a concerning 31% increase from the previous year. From kielbasa to frozen dumplings, recent recalls have raised alarms about food safety and the effectiveness of the recall processes. What's causing these recalls? Listeria, Salmonella, and even foreign objects like lead, glass, plastic shards, etc. have contaminated various products. Labeling errors, including mislabeling of allergens, are exacerbating the issue. But here's the kicker ---> current recall processes in the US are falling short. Individual companies are operating in isolation, leading to delays and confusion during recalls. There is also a lack of standardization in data and processes, hindering swift action. The solution discussed in this article is a paradigm shift towards "Recall Ready Communities." Some companies are trying to unite supply chains and standardize data which will help to enhance collaboration and response efficiency, but most are still a ways off. It amazes me that as advanced as we are in the US in so many ways that we are so far behind when it comes to food safety. It's time for the industry to modernize its approach to recalls to help solve a fixable problem. #foodsafety #supplychain #foodindustry #foodsafetyculture https://lnkd.in/eRtH-_3K

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Over 10,000 jobs lost in the QSR/fast food space in California alone according to the California Business and Industrial Alliance (CABIA) Operators needed to raise prices and lay off workers to avoid shutting down Some still shut down These 10,000+ workers need to be repositioned in the workforce because QSR/fast food operators will turn to automation to stay afloat Food/beverage operators can't fight economics and math with heads in the sand Any job or repetitive task that can be automated will be so let's focus on how we can leverage workers in other roles that can't be automated #automated #repetitivetasks #workforce #operations

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As #FunFoodFactFriday guy when I read this my head spins. Is there about to be another creme-filled cookie skirmish or is this another cookie war? As many of you #FunFoodFactFriday followers know, Hydrox paved the way 4 years earlier before Oreo even stepped onto the scene! But let's face it, while Hydrox may boast superior ingredients, the name just doesn't resonate like Oreo does. What comes to mind when you hear "Hydrox?"  After all, remember Starbucks was not originally named such (Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice to Starbucks), and did you know neither was Pepsi (Brad's Drink to Pepsi-Cola) or Eggo (Froffles to Eggo)? Now, here's the scoop: it's not just about ingredients; it's about branding and strategy. IMHO Hydrox needs a shake-up, a reinvention! --> Remember when Dave Thomas flipped the script in the hamburger business with Wendy's? He didn't challenge, McDonalds, the burger behemoth head-on, he carved out a niche with square patties and made-to-order goodness. It's a tale as old as time: the thin line between triumph and tumble. ----->Do you agree, or am I way off here? -----> What are your thoughts on the Hydrox name? Do you kill like it Mr Peanut or keep it? #foodmanufacturing #marketing #nowthatyouknow  

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latest Snaxshot are you even ready?! 🌶 Momo-fuk-u takes everything back, best naive acting goes to Momofuku and marguerite mariscal just agreeing to everything, WOW! 📈Boisson retail is no more but NA continues to grow 🛒 Erewhon's RTD is apparently debuting in over 100 stores in SoCal 🍻Liquid Death, Not Beer and the vice-fication of water 👀Dr Smood Group's doubling down in CPG CURATION OF NEW BRANDS + MORE! immi's ramen-ventions: a category outlook

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Tequila!   Many large players such as White Claw, and The Boston Beer Company (maker of Truly) are expanding their offerings and releasing tequila-flavored ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails as consumers are increasingly turning to tequila offerings in the beverage alcohol sector.   I had the opportunity to share my insights and thoughts on this surging trend with The Food Institute. In the article, I emphasized how innovations in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, including tequila-based seltzers and margaritas, are meeting consumer demand for novel flavors. Additionally, I pointed out that tequila production has remained stable despite global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the increasing consumer preference for high-quality artisanal spirits.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB9f-3Ci   #Tequila #BeverageIndustry #MarketTrends #ConsumerInsights #RTDCocktails

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https://lnkd.in/edxFibjV Ok, so someone ate over 100 shrimp at the Red Lobster's "all you can eat" shrimp fest! I love shrimp, but that deserves a medal or a hospital visit! Seriously, restaurant's like retailers need to focus on price, but experience, service and quality and the difference maker to me. Not just price. Whether it's fast food, Fast Casual, Casual or Fine Dining, it's the service level and experience that makes the difference IMHO. Service seems to suffer the most in this market. What can the industry do to attract and keep talent in this highly demanding industry in a challenging labor market? #recruitmentexpert #recruitmentconsultant #restaurantrecruitment

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Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK) Posts Q1 Sales In Line With Estimates 😄💰 Summary: Shake Shack, the popular fast-casual restaurant chain, recently released its first-quarter sales report, which was in line with market expectations. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, Shake Shack managed to maintain steady revenue growth, showcasing its resilience and ability to adapt. This positive performance is an encouraging sign for investors looking to grow their Health Savings Account (HSA) and capitalize on the recovering restaurant industry. Key Highlights: - Q1 sales figures met estimates: Shake Shack reported revenues of $155.3 million for the first quarter, aligning with analysts' predictions. This demonstrates the company's stability and potential for future growth. - A testament to adaptability: Despite operating restrictions and social distancing norms, Shake Shack successfully adjusted its business model to cater to evolving customer preferences, including expanded delivery options and digital order platforms. This flexibility allows the company to target a broader customer base and drive long-term profitability. - Recovery in the restaurant industry: As vaccination rates rise and economies reopen, the restaurant sector is showing signs of strong recovery. Shake Shack's consistent performance in Q1 reaffirms its position in the market and suggests that it is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. With the healthcare landscape rapidly evolving, investing in companies like Shake Shack can be a strategic move to grow your HSA. By engaging in the stock market, you can maximize your health and financial wellness while securing a promising future for yourself and your family. Don't let the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) hold you back! Take action now to explore the potential of investing in Shake Shack and other healthcare-related stocks to boost your HSA. 💪💼📈 #hsa #investing #healthcare #health #family #wellness

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#FunFoodFactFriday On June 14, 1892, Nathan Handwerker was born. He was the founder of a small hot dog stand that became Nathan’s Famous. Handwerker immigrated to the United States from Poland with his family in 1912. One of his first jobs was slicing bread rolls for a restaurant in Coney Island.   The restaurant, Feltman’s, served hot dogs for 10 cents each. Legend has it that two of the singing waiters at Feltman’s, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante, talked Handwerker into opening a competing hot dog stand at 5 cents a frank. In 1916, Handwerker started a small stand with $300 in savings. His wife, Ida, created the hot dog recipe using her grandmother’s secret spice recipe. People initially were skeptical of the cheaper hot dogs, but Handwerker had an idea to fix that. He invited workers from the nearby Coney Island Hospital to eat for free as long as they wore their hospital uniforms to do so. The ploy worked. People perceived the new food as “healthy” when they saw healthcare workers eating them, and the business took off. The original Nathan’s Famous still stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island and is open 365 days per year. The company now grosses over $100 million annually. Other Fun Facts: *** Handwerker termed his all-beef dogs “Kosher style” because they weren’t made from pork or other meats. However, the meat wasn’t technically rabbi-supervised Kosher. *** One of Nathan’s biggest promotions is their 4th of July hot dog eating contest, which began in 1972. It happens every year at the original Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island, and is even televised by ESPN. *** In 2017, Nathan’s Famous officially became the hot dog brand of Major League Baseball – the first time the MLB had named an official hot dog sponsor. #foodmanufacturing #cpgindustry #forhireresults #nowyouknow

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How many of you, at least on occasion, shy away from intimidating things? Admit it. We’ve all been there. I’ve been there. It’s simply human nature to prioritize things that come easy to us. To do otherwise, to push yourself outside your comfort zone, takes determination, focus, often with a goal in mind, and perhaps even some serious grit. Cathy Huyghe (CEO at Enolytics) wrote a truthful, transparent piece about how wine and data both fall into this “intimidation camp”. They’re scary to many because they’re unknowns. They’re going to take time and effort to get to a general baseline understanding, and only then can you really mature in your comprehension to where it starts bringing you value and joy. As a winemaker turned technologist, I am already an outlier. The importance of data-driven winery operations was always painfully obvious to me. In the early years of InnoVint, I was perplexed by how many modern wineries were resistant to even have a conversation with me about technology. “Why would someone leave winemaking to start a software company?” I was an anomaly. They were shocked by the career decision. The sentiment was that wine producers “don’t speak data.” Why would they need to? Today, those that are winning in wine absolutely do, and honestly, it’s an easier language to learn than ever before. During the last 10 years running InnoVint I’ve seen progress, albeit not as much as I’d like to see for the sake of our industry. There's so much good wine these days, so how do you stand out and continue to grow? You need to put data to work for you - to drive business efficiencies, to target and woo consumers in ways that have shown repeatable success, to accurately understand your financial health, and so much more. Don’t shy away. Lean in. Cathy agrees by saying “I am concerned what will happen if we as an industry continue to procrastinate around applying the most up-to-date technologies to our business challenges.” You simply can’t afford to be left behind. Put forth the time and effort to get over the first big learning hump. I promise the view from the top is quite nice, and you’ll really enjoy the pick up of pace cruising down the other side passing others by. https://lnkd.in/g_6rS8rS

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🌟 A recent analysis has revealed that New Jersey holds the dubious distinction of having the dirtiest restaurants in the United States 🏴. Data compiled from TripAdvisor reviews show an overwhelming number of complaints regarding restaurant cleanliness, far surpassing other states 🍽️. The study, conducted by Affordable Seating, analyzed reviews mentioning hygiene issues such as "dirty restaurant," "rats," "roaches," and "hair in food" 🦠. New Jersey led the pack with 320,520 complaints about dirty restaurants — 854 percent higher than the average across the Top 10 dirtiest states! New Jersey had 1,883 reviews mentioning hair in food and 810 complaints about rats and roaches 🪳🪲🐀. This report highlights the alarming cleanliness issues within the state's dining establishments. It serves as a wake-up call for restaurants to drastically improve their hygiene standards to ensure the safety and satisfaction of patrons 🍴💧🧼. #Food #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyCulture #FoodSafetyMatters #Restaurants

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I can think of no better trend than culinary professionals, influencers, and tastemakers finally saying out loud that high-quality processed foods are as good, if not better, than made-fresh-from-scratch ingredients. Just as I don't expect others to agree with me on politics, books, and movies, I don't expect everyone to enjoy repetitive cooking tasks. What I find meditative and satisfying others find tedious, boring, and pointless. Fair enough! We need high-quality processed goods so that everyone can enjoy exceptional food every day for every meal. IT IS POSSIBLE! It's time to demand that our food processing infrastructure deliver fresh, flavorful, nutritious ingredients that are both affordable and save time. https://lnkd.in/gCcwZBPY

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⌛ Time to brush up on those interview skills and best practices? 💡 👀 Check out our newest blog article! "How to Answer Common Interview Questions in the Food and Beverage Industry." Be sure to Follow Kinsa Group for more #foodindustry #career and #hiringtips! 

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HIRING POST >> ATTENTION Food Safety recruiters, hiring managers and C-Suite executives: Need to get your food safety under compliance? You truly MUST connect with Frank Curto, CFS! He is an innovative and strategic, data-driven VP of Food Safety and Quality. Review some of his Career Highlights: - Created a new upstream/QA-focused process controls eliminated the need for routine finished product testing which led to: $120K reduction in operating costs, 80% increase in product released time, Reduced environmental hazard incidents by 28% - Implemented fresh, grab-and-go meal kits (MRE’s) for US military and achieved a $15M revenue growth with new compliance strategy - Through his Food Safety and Quality Management System design, achieved a 35% reduction of new production partner vetting and onboarding time. This implementation of the order fulfillment process led to the onboarding of 3 new platform partners and a 15% increase in revenue. This contributed to a 40% increase in fulfillment throughput and extensive reduction in labor costs. Are you seeking your next VP of Food Safety and Quality? Consider his elevator pitch: - I help food industry companies scale revenue growth to manufacture quality, safe and innovative food as an industry executive.  - My leadership experience has also included navigating regulatory compliance complexities. - I’m excited to create products that change lives for an industry-leading and growing organization in my next role. His resume is in the first comment, below. ____ Repost ♻️ with your thoughts for greater reach +Follow me, hit the 🔔 get notified of my posts #CareerCoach | #ResumeWriter | #CareerUpgrader | #ReverseRecruiter | #hiringpost | #hr | #foodsafety

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We officially launched F&B Insights to market nationally --now working with over 40 operators. F&B Insights announces public launch   F&B Insights, a platform that helps bars, restaurants and hotels streamline partnerships with suppliers, monetize sales data, reduce turnover and raise profits, officially announced its public launch on Thursday.   The company aims to turn restaurant data into revenue streams for operations, working to transform the way establishments in the food-and-beverage industry make decisions about the prices on their menus.   During its pilot phase, F&B Insights serviced more than 40 businesses. The work was shown to add 1% to 3% more revenue per total beverage spend for each customer.   "F&B Insights has a great vision for operator and supplier relationships and undoubtedly will help us streamline and strengthen our partnerships while looking out for our best interests," Anthony Hitchcock, COO of Flagship Restaurant Group, said in a statement about the launch. F&B Insights

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In recent years the beverage industry has witnessed a remarkable shift driven by the preferences of younger consumers. Two emerging trends, non-alcoholic spirits, and boba, have captured the attention of younger folks and are experiencing significant growth as a result. According to the article, one-third of consumers ages 18 to 24 abstain from alcohol altogether. This shift in drinking habits has paved the way for the emergence of non-alcoholic drinking options, providing consumers with sophisticated and flavorful alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages. #DrinkingTrends #YoungConsumers #Boba #NonAlcoholicSpirits

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“What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same and nothing that you did mattered?” Does anyone else other than me feel like it is always a version of Groundhog Day? Per Yahoo Finance (article in comments section) The Great Resignation phase has transitioned into the Great Talent Stagnation, with employers struggling to find qualified applicants. A University of Phoenix study reveals dissatisfaction among workers, feeling replaceable and overlooked for advancement. Employers fixate on external hires due to a perceived lack of internal talent growth. Despite this, most workers aspire to advance and acquire necessary skills. The disconnect between employer and employee perceptions highlights the need for internal development programs. Neglecting internal talent could cost companies trillions, emphasizing the importance of investing in existing workforce potential. Does anyone else feel like we've been here before?

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Excited to share one of our blog's... Exploring the importance of cross-cultural leadership in the global fresh produce industry. From navigating communication styles across borders to mastering complex regulations, these leaders are fueling collaboration and propelling growth! Read the full blog here: https://buff.ly/49bepAj LCR International can assist in connecting you with top talent to join your teams, wherever you are in the world! Let me know if you have any hiring requirements, i'd be happy to discuss 😊 #FreshProduceCareers #GlobalLeadership #ExecutiveSearch

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