Considering the spending power of children and teens, it should come as no surprise that major manufacturers are focusing their sights on this valuable demographic. With young people registering 4.4 eating occasions per day, snack makers have ample opportunities to reach them.
Though often lumped together as a single demographic, the eating habits of children 12 and older differ significantly from their younger peers, according to “U.S. Kids’ and Teens’ Eating Habits,” a report by Mintel International Group (Chicago).
The 12-14 group demonstrates eating patterns that are more “teen-like” (i.e., less fruit, more chips and candy, eating more with friends). Those 11 and younger, however, primarily are influenced by what their parents want them to eat. As a result, the under-12 demographic consumes a wider range of foods. While they still eat sweets and salty snacks, they also have a much greater incidence of healthful food consumption Read the rest of this entry »
HSMAI Survey of 7,000 Members Reveals the
“Top 10 Issues of Concern Facing Sales
and Marketing Executives in 2004
MCLEAN, VA (Feb. 2, 2004) – While the economic outlook is generally improving in the marketplace, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) just-released membership survey of its 7,000 members revealed the “Top 10 Issues of Concern facing sales and marketing executives and staff with the number one issue being the current travel environment and the economy.
Read the rest of this entry »
Hoteliers are working in a new reality. The theme for 2004 is not about recovery; it is about managing fundamental changes in the travel market. When or even whether economies recover will not erase what the traveling public has learned since September 11, 2001: everything is negotiable; they can book at the last minute; and hoteliers still need their business badly enough to over-compete with value-added services and personalized attention. Put simply, the challenges of the last three years are not going away.
Read the rest of this entry »
It’s not quite Star Trek, where food can be made to materialize just by talking into a machine. But restaurant guests at a new Holiday Inn in Duluth, Ga., can now place their meal orders electronically. The so-called Emenu — really a tablet PC connected wirelessly to a computer in the hotel — provides photos and nutritional info on menu items. Customers can tally the calories, carbs, and price of their meals before they order, then zap the request to the kitchen. The Emenu also translates that data into Spanish and into euros. Read the rest of this entry »
Restaurants have introduced many a great combo. Sweet and sour. Coke and fries. But roast turkey and cheeseburgers? Pizza and fried chicken?
Fuddruckers became the latest to combine two concepts, popping up in Koo Koo Roo in the past month. Late last year the burger specialist bought the chicken purveyor, which operates 18 fast-casual spots throughout Southern California, and now at least six of the stores sell both burgers and chicken. The move reflects a growing movement in the restaurant business as chains strive to fill out menus and grab more dollars. Those that successfully combine concepts bring in new customers and add sales, leading restaurant experts to expect the trend to continue. Read the rest of this entry »
