Food & Drink

It’s been a difficult time for Champagne producers recently, no doubt due to the COVID crisis. Below average sales across the board have been due to several reasons including restaurant closures around the world, and the uncertain economy in many nations. As Champagne is thought of by many as a celebratory beverage, many consumers have

Constellation’s STZ sell-off of its lower-priced wine brands to E&J Gallo seems to be paying off in terms of promoting their “premiumization” strategy in the wine arena. In an earnings call with investors today, President and CEO Bill Newlands reported, “Our retained wine and spirits portfolio, excluding divested brands, delivered net sales growth of 5%

The vast majority of the billionaires on this year’s Forbes list hail from these 10 sectors. There are a record-smashing 2,755 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes’ 2021 World’s Billionaires list. How did they make their mega-fortunes? By doing everything from starting hedge funds and tech companies to breeding pigs and brewing kombucha.  But

Hopscotch, a unique, immersive art experience that opened in San Antonio last fall, announced the launch of a new restaurant incubator series, Hop-Up. The interactive art gallery, created by entrepreneurs Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman, is currently soliciting proposals for unique pop-up food concepts to be included in its inaugural Hop-Up series benefiting the San

Cellar 503, an Oregon-focused wine club that helps wine lovers discover the state’s many cutting-edge producers, holds the annual Pour Oregon tasting event, which is one of wine’s most compelling explorations of a single state. This year, the event is moving to an online format for the first time, which is sad for those of

Much has been said about ‘Superfoods’ over the past decade, some of it has been positive and some has been controversial but it is a widely held belief today that having some foods with this label in your diet is extremely valuable. A couple who met at university and have built a business that started

If Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe was any indication, dining al fresco was obviously alluring way before 2020. But if the pandemic taught restaurants anything, it’s how to pivot and do things even better—and diners, in turn, have certainly learned how to appreciate their third places more. So for those seeking something beyond a fancy “streetery,” OpenTable—one

Early this week, the Audubon Society, one of the oldest bird conservation organizations in the world, announced that they will be entering into a partnership with the Perdue-owned Panorama Organic Grass-fed Meats which will add almost a million acres to Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative (ACR). “Over the last 50 years, no ecosystem has been more

Spirits from “ghost” distilleries are meant to haunt you. And it’s safe to say that Brora—as one of my five Holy Grail Scotches—haunts me quite a bit. Consider the half-drunk bottle of 35-year-old Brora from 1977 in my kitchen counter, which I expect to last for another 35 years—mainly because replacing it would set me back at

In 2020, McDonald’s introduced its McPlant burger and Burger King its Rebel Whopper, both plant-based burgers, to meet the demands of a growing number of consumers cutting down on meat consumption. Veggie Grill, a chain of 29 vegetarian eateries, launched Stand-Up Burgers in Berkeley, California on March 10, 2021, specializing in plant-based burgers. It replaced

Do Americans need to drink more water? A growing list of private equity firms, venture funds, strategics, athletes, and celebrities sure think so. An estimated 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. To help combat that, there are now several brands marketing better-for-you electrolyte powders, many of them formulated around the World Health Organization’s recipe

Coffee Project New York operates three coffee bars plus a counter in New York City, roasts coffee as a wholesaler, and runs a training center in Long Island City, where it teaches baristas how to make cappuccino and espresso. It gives new meaning to the term multi-taskers or generating multiple revenue streams. And it’s owned by

A bar opening event in rural Illinois resulted in 29 cases of Covid-19 in people who were there, as well as 17 further cases in people who didn’t attend the bar, but had contact with those who did. The event was held in February of this year and cases included 26 patrons, 3 staff members

I remember the first time we served 1000 people in my restaurant. It was exhilarating but at the end of the night, we could barely speak. We wanted to give each other a “high five” but we couldn’t even raise our arms. We were physically and mentally spent. Well, apparently, that was nothing! The team at Freshly

Plant-based foods are more popular than ever.  For instance, one study by Packaged Facts estimated 2020 plant-based dairy and egg sales at $4.3 billion. And through Oct. 3, 2020, Nielsen reported that alternative meat sales were up 129% compared to the first nine months of 2019. The plant based protein market is projected to reach $15.6 Billion

It’s clear that agrochemicals that are highly lethal to insects and weeds can also be extremely dangerous to people. And much of that human harm involves self-poisoning. Most deaths by suicide are carried out impulsively, using means that are close at hand. And most survivors of suicide attempts don’t try again. Thus, reduced availability of

In 1987, a little-known New York lawyer became a master of the universe when he led a takeover of the food conglomerate Beatrice International, creating the first Black-owned billion-dollar company. Robert Smith, Michael Milken, Henry Kravis and others recall the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis. On November 30, 1987, an army of 180

While visiting Florida’s Panhandle city Destin over several 70-degree days in mid-March, longtime Waffle House chairman Joe Rogers Jr. checked in on fry cooks and managers at three of his 24-hour diners, all just steps from dunes, a sunset or a boardwalk. He coached his workers through some of the biggest crowds they’ve experienced in

When most private equity companies invest in restaurants, they take a piece of ownership based on providing capital. But inKind Financing, an Austin, Texas based restaurant financing and marketing firm, has found a way to provide capital for restaurants, without  taking any equity. It acquires food and beverage credits from the restaurant, prepaying for these goods.

Francine Segan is a renowned food historian and author who is passionate about Italy’s food, people, and traditions.    Forbes.com spoke to Francine to find out more about her work and how she got started on a fascinating career that seamlessly blends food, travel, and history.  How did you wind up doing what you do? Actually,