Today it seems like every brand is doing it: content marketing. Gone are the days of simply taking out an ad with a product as the hero image and some expressively, and expensively, crafted benefits copy to sell. Now brands need to tell stories about their products and what unique differences they offer to the customer. So content marketing has become the medium to deliver the message.

Americans' longstanding love for cheese — and the wider availability of premium natural cheeses at lower price points — spurred growth in the natural and specialty cheese market to sales of $17.4 billion in 2015.

Both adults and children alike eat cheese throughout the day, and Millennnials and Gen Xers are eating more than they were a few years ago. Read our blog post and check out our infographic to learn about the U.S. cheese market.

The proliferation of startups that have achieved “unicorn status” — with valuations over $1 billion — raises concerns of a possible tech bubble. In January 2014, 45 private companies were valued at $1 billion or more; by June 2016, 148 companies reached the billion dollar mark, according to the Wall Street Journal.

During the last quarter, many top news organizations predicted “the era of the unicorn” would soon be coming to an end. However, after Twilio’s solid performance during its recent IPO, CNN Money voiced renewed optimism announcing, “Unicorns live!” Opinions about the future of tech startups continue to shift.

Services for self-storage and moving — fixed storage, mobile storage, climate-controlled, and not climate-controlled, full-service moving, and DIY truck rentals — are expected to reach $71 billion in revenues in 2020. Advances will be driven by increased mobility nationwide, as people and businesses are starting to relocate at higher rates following the recession and extended slow recovery. Growth will also stem from the lack of storage space in many US homes. 

As one might guess, revenues for these services vary significantly by region, state, and municipal area. Regional markets are primarily influenced by local factors such as population size, density, age distribution, mobility, homeownership rates, and growth trends. 

The publishing divisions at MarketResearch.com are frequently cited in top publications and trade journals. In June, research by Kalorama information appeared in articles on direct-to-consumer laboratory testing, the market for electronic medical records, and outsourcing in drug discovery. A variety of media outlets turned to Packaged Facts for its expertise on pet litter products, coffee creamer trends, and meal kit delivery services.

Take a look at press highlights from June below. To access more information, click the link to the report page.

Macy’s stock plunged 47 percent in the last year. Gap, Nordstrom, and Kohl’s also reported a drop in sales. What’s causing the slump? According to Business Insider, “Executives from nearly every company blamed a spending pullback in one common category for the declines: apparel.”

Although many consumers are reluctant to purchase new clothes, footwear is a different story. Footwear has outpaced apparel, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6 percent over 2010-2015 in comparison to 4 percent for apparel, according to a report by Euromonitor. 

Once heralded as an economic miracle, the Chinese economy continues to slow from its torrid growth during the early part of this decade and last decade. Although officially reported economic figures still reflect a growth rate multiples higher than those of western economies, it has become more and more apparent to business managers and leaders that the economic reality on the ground paints a different picture.

Interest in drones from the retail sector is growing rapidly as competitive pressures push retailers and distributors to develop new ways to make their supply chains more efficient, to automate warehouses, and to reduce delivery costs. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, recently announced plans to use drones for inventory management in its warehouses. Amazon, the nation’s largest internet retailer, is researching the use of drones to deliver packages to consumers. Global e-commerce giant Alibaba is testing delivery drones in China while DHL is already using drones to deliver packages in Germany.

While the potential of autonomous vehicles should not be underestimated, it would be a mistake to ignore other fast-growing technologies in the transportation industry.

Before self-driving cars become the norm, a host of other innovations will change how people move. Read on to learn about four global transportation markets that are poised to achieve exponential growth by 2020.

Last Updated: May 15, 2017 According to Packaged Facts, the U.S. meal kit delivery services market will generate $1.5 billion in sales in 2016 and grow to a multi-billion dollar market over the next five years. With fresh food, little waste, and foolproof recipes and directions, easy meal kit delivery services offer time-saving, stress-free options that solve the problem of "what's for dinner" for today's busy consumers.

Given the growing popularity of subscription boxes, it’s no surprise that this niche market has many competitors. But what differentiates these subscription services from one another? Here’s a closer look at the top competitors in the market for meal delivery services.