Grocery retail has never been more cutthroat. With razor thin profit margins and new pricing pressure from Amazon, Lidl, and ALDI, U.S. food retailers must adapt quickly in order to remain competitive and appeal to shifting consumer preferences. 

Based on the latest studies by the market research firm Packaged Facts, here are four disruptive food industry trends to keep on an eye on in the coming months and years. 

Many health-conscious consumers have started adding grass-fed meat into their repertoire, and grass-fed dairy products are also rapidly growing in popularity as well. This includes grass-fed milk, yogurt, ice cream, and butter.

Since more and more people treat their pets as family, it’s no surprise that pet Halloween costumes have become a popular tradition.

Check out a new infographic by the research firm Packaged Facts to learn about recent pet Halloween costume trends, and find out which dog costumes are favorites.

MarketResearch.com has five in-house publishing divisions that produce quality market intelligence for top industry decision makers. 

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Consumers are not only looking for free-from products that eliminate pesticides, chemicals, and toxins from their diets, they are also seeking nutrient-dense foods that offer additional health benefits. In response to growing demand, many different companies are incorporating funtional foods into their product lines.

Increasingly people want the freshest and most natural products made from the fewest ingredients without artificial additives — and the dairy aisle is no exception.

Consumers are closely examining nutrition labels and factoring them into their purchase decision, often favoring clean-label foods and beverages made with natural and organic ingredients. 

Note: The following is an excerpt from the new white paper "Terminology Tempest in the Dairy Case" by David Sprinkle, Research Director of Packaged Facts. To read the entire white paper, download it here for free.

The recent European Union Court of Justice ruling against marketing of non-dairy soy / soya products in dairy terms (such as soy “milk” or tofu “butter”) was the right call, narrowly speaking.

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Nearly 60 percent of U.S. consumers say they are more concerned about animal welfare, specifically as it relates to the food supply, than they were just a few years ago, according to a groundbreaking new report by Packaged Facts, a leading market research firm.

Most U.S. consumers believe livestock should be treated humanely and slaughtered in the least painful way possible. Key concerns include how animals are housed, fed, and handled. Antibiotic use is another top issue.

Packaged Facts is a premier source of market information for top industry decision makers in the food and beverage industry. Packaged Facts reports are frequently quoted in leading news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes Magazine, and the Associated Press, in addition to many trade journals.

So far this year, Packaged Facts has released four new market research reports on the food industry that are packed with current insights to help drive business growth.