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The reasons behind seasonal food marketing
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageMcDonald’s McRib, the famous fast-food "barbecue" sandwich with a cult following, is back for a limited time. This is one of the most popular seasonal items on the American menu along with Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Similar endeavors of other fast-food chains include seasonal turkey sandwiches from Subway, Dunkin’s slew of pumpkin-flavored treats, Coca-Cola’s Christmas trucks, and others. So, why are seasonal items all the rage?
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Will convenience outweigh privacy when it comes to using facial recognition…
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementFacial recognition technology is convenient. Many of us use it numerous times a day to unlock our smartphones. Although people often access their phones with Face ID or fingerprints, many still worry about their privacy when their biometric data are used in the public space. There is a fine line between consensual identity verification and non-consensual surveillance. Here are some examples.
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Innovative urban farming can meet the demand for fresh produce
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageRecent research from Arizona State University gives us hope for a sustainable agricultural future. Researchers assessed the benefits of urban agriculture and found that it can lead to food sustainability. The case study was that of urban agriculture in Phoenix, and the conclusion was that the city needed to use only 5% of its urban spaces to meet its sustainability goal. The study pointed out that this experiment can be adopted quickly by other cities that wish to develop their own sustainability goals through urban agricultural methods.
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Study: Groundwater supplies in peril as irrigation, pumping decimate aquifers
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalAccording to a recent study published in the journal Nature, water stored in aquifers underground makes up the vast majority of accessible freshwater on Earth. Its abundance has fueled forays into drier locales, enabling a boom in crop production. People and livestock are not the only things relying on aquifers. While about 70% of all groundwater used worldwide goes to agriculture, surface waterways, including rivers and streams, need groundwater, too. The Nature study shows the water is at an "ecological tipping point" that scientists call the "environmental flow limit."
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Infographic: Optimizing reputation management with AI
Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCustomers read the reviews, but it's not enough to have good reviews. Those reviews also have to be believable. Your company's online reputation can make or break your business, and your ratings even influence your ranking in searches. Increasing your company's ratings from three to five stars can increase your visibility on Google by up to 25%. Learn more with this infographic.
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Mocktails, low-alcohol cocktails bring innovation to beverages
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageFirst, it was craft cocktails. Now, it is mocktails that are inspiring beverage innovation. The latest Culinary + Cocktail Trend Forecast survey from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants says that inventive craft mocktails are the newest attractions to many menus. As more people move towards spirited beverages that do not lead to a hangover the following day, mocktails and "lighter" adult-only drinks are creating a new beverage trend. These are lower in calories and fit in perfectly with the no- and lower-alcohol beverage movement.
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Infographic: Understanding marijuana laws, state-by-state
Brian Wallace Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityMarijuana laws are changing across the country. On an almost daily basis, more states are discussing the legalization of marijuana, especially related to drug testing in the workplace. Some states have fully legalized marijuana while other states have only legalized it medicinally. Do you know if your state allows employers to drug test for marijuana? This infographic includes more information on the most lenient and strictest marijuana laws, state by state.
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CBD: Beyond the hype
Victoria Fann RetailIs CBD going mainstream? It sure appears that way. I live in the Western North Carolina mountains near Asheville, and CBD seems to be everywhere. Every time I turn around, I see another store selling some form of the beloved remedy. In the midst of all the buzz and media frenzy, many of us are wondering: Is there really something to CBD? Or is it just the latest health craze that, like lots of fad diets and quick-fix remedies, will come and go?
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The future of food and beverage lies in online behavior analysis
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageMarketing effectiveness is now predicated on analyzing online consumer behavior. We are digitally immersed, and our buying behavior is reflected in our digital footprint across all channels from emails to social media. AI-driven back-end tools are continually assessing our likes so that marketers can be more efficient in their targeting. The same is true of the food and beverage industry, which is increasingly looking at online consumer conversations for the next step in its journey. A recent consumer insights report by Social Standards shows distinct shifts in this regard.
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Worldwide antibiotic resistance in farm animals is on the rise
Scott E. Rupp Food & BeverageAs worldwide demand grows for products delivered through animal husbandry, the industry has increasingly become more reliant upon antimicrobials to treat and prevent infections for animals raised in crowded conditions. These drugs rapidly increase weight gain for quicker delivery of products to market, thereby improving profitability. The use of antimicrobials has several downstream impacts, including prolific advancement of bacteria resistant to these compounds, which is a severe problem showing increased signs around the world.
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