Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., an Atlanta subsidiary of Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, Inc. said it hired Warren Chang to the newly created position of chief innovation officer.
Schwan's Food Service, Marshall, Minn., said more focused new product development helped the company rise in a recent independent ranking of processors providing new offerings to the foodservice industry.
Kraft Foods Inc., Northfield, Ill., said it will introduce more than 20 new foods and beverages in the first few months of the new year "that boast trendy, restaurant-inspired flavors."
There's no place like a meal to talk about new food product development. In fact, McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner talked about product innovation as a strategic goal.
MolliCoolz Shakers, made with tiny ice cream beads, hit thousands of stores this year, but overall, new food and beverage product launches are down along with the economy.
They say that speed kills. Then again, I’m convinced that the pace of change in today’s food industry - driven by technology and consumer demographics - bodes well for new business opportunities. So, in my scenario: speed thrills.