Last week we introduced our new blog series covering the top trends that are driving the market for sandwiches in the United States. As international cusine becomes more popular among foodies, beloved flavors from around the world are appearing in a variety of food, including sandwiches. In this week’s series, we'll take a closer look at tortas and cemitas, Mexican sandwiches, and garden tartines, French-inspired sandwiches. 

Within the credit card sector, innovative technologies are changing the way people make purchases.

Mobile and alternative payments are experiencing significant growth, with a range of payment providers in the mix including PayPal, MasterPass by MasterCard, Apple Pay, Amazon Payments, and Google Wallet.

In addition, co-branded credit cards continue to lure affluent households and millennial shoppers — which are prime demographics in the payments industry.

The modern concept of a sandwich can be traced back to eighteenth century Europe. The first written usage of the word appeared in a historian’s journal, referring to “bits of cold meat” as a “sandwich.” Today, sandwiches are a staple in restaurants and homes throughout the U.S. With so many varieties to choose from, it’s no surprise that 79 percent of adults say they have eaten a sandwich in the past seven days.

In the latest edition of its Culinary Trend Tracking Series, Packaged Facts covers the top trends in the U.S. sandwich industry. Over the next few weeks, we are going to explore these trends and provide an overview of the sandwich types that are gaining importance in U.S. restaurants.

What’s a simple, easy way to keep employees happy and productive? You guessed it — coffee.

Citing its performance-improving qualities, low cost, and ability to boost morale, Business Insider listed coffee as the one perk employers must splurge on.

Sales-wise, the impulse to give treats to pets is the gravy of the pet food market. According to Simmons National Consumer Survey data from Experian Marketing Services, 79% of dog owners and 47% of cat owners buy pet treats. Among U.S. households overall (total households, not just pet-owning households), 38% buy dog or cat treats—for perspective, that’s about the same percentage as those that buy crackers.

Digital technologies have disrupted industry after industry, and consumer packaged goods are up next. Amazon, notably, continues to launch new services and sales platforms such as Prime Pantry and Subscribe & Save—along with its Prime Air plans for delivering products by drones to consumers, notwithstanding recent regulatory setbacks from the FAA. Traditional retailers are thinking more boldly as well, with Walmart focused on “winning at the intersection of digital and physical.”

Looking ahead to 2015, it’s clear that the changes in consumer preferences will influence new trends in food retailing. The types of trends consumers will be seeking in restaurants will change as well as the way consumers buy their groceries. We viewed two research reports from Packaged Facts, leading food and beverage industry experts, Future of Foodservice: Food and Beverage Menu Trends & Opportunities and Online Food Shopping and Grocery Delivery in the U.S.: Future of Food Retailing, to determine what the biggest trends of the new year will be.

By the close of 2014 in the next couple weeks, sales of coffee in retail and foodservice are expected to hit $48 billion. To capture some of those sales, coffee shops and brands are going to have to be innovative, embrace change, and get creative with their business decisions. One company that has truly grasped these concepts is none other than K-cup creator, Keurig.

With the busy lives of Americans today, as well as the movement towards Thanksgiving being a consumer-driven holiday, it isn’t surprising that the traditional golden-brown, 20-pound turkeys are not the most important aspect of Thanksgiving dinner anymore. Families are branching out and purchasing new alternatives to the beautiful bird.

As popularity of natural and organic food has increased, so has the number of stores that carry natural and organic products. Over the past few years, leading retailer of natural and organic foods, Whole Foods, has experienced declining sales as new competitors continue to enter and claim stake in the market. A specific store that has increased their market share is Trader Joe’s, a quirky, smaller store filled with unique and organic products.