Today In Food: Consumers Order More Takeout, Fewer Meal Kits

Today in restaurant and grocery news, PYMNTS data finds that off-premise channels make up the bulk of quick-service restaurants’ business, while Blue Apron is losing ground with its customer base. Plus, Athletic Brewing’s CEO discusses the rise of nonalcoholic beer.

New Data: Average Quick Service Restaurant Now Takes up to 75 Pct of Orders Remotely

Necessity, as we’ve often heard, is the mother of invention, although one could exchange “innovation” for “invention” and the point is made just as well. The 2021 edition of the Restaurant Readiness Index, a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration, puts a fine point on it, looking at how eateries are frontrunners of commercial creativity 16 months into the pandemic.

With New Fee, Amazon Risks Losing Online Grocery Shoppers to Competitors

As many grocery delivery services compete to offer the lowest prices, Amazon is taking a very different approach. The company informed shoppers on Monday (Aug. 2) that it is adding a $9.95 service charge for Prime members ordering from Whole Foods Market in five U.S. cities, where previously these deliveries were included with customers’ Prime memberships for orders over $35.

Blue Apron Struggles to Hold Its Own Against Restaurants

Meal kit subscription service Blue Apron is losing customers as consumers return to restaurants, contrary to the company’s assurances in 2020 that its investments in creating value for customers would enable it to retain its early-pandemic growth. The company reported on Tuesday (Aug. 3) that it had 375,000 customers in Q2 of 2021, down 16,000 from the previous quarter.

Athletic Brewing CEO: 20 Pct of Beer Market Will Be Non-alcoholic by 2026

With the quick growth of the wellness market, nonalcoholic beer has been gaining popularity. Bill Shufelt, CEO of non-alcoholic beer brand Athletic Brewing Company, argues that removing the alcohol can turn beer into a healthy drink for wellness customers.

McCormick Boosts Sustainability Efforts With IFC, Citi Collaboration

International Finance Corp (IFC) is teaming up with McCormick & Company and Citi to advance social and environmental sustainability by offering financial incentives to suppliers. The initiative has already rolled out in Indonesia and Vietnam, and plans are in place to introduce the incentive program to more countries. It gives suppliers the opportunity to get discounts on financing to assist with short-term working capital needs in exchange for adhering to McCormick’s sustainability standards.