Technology is everywhere and advancing daily. Some recent developments that will impact the food industry include robotic pills, data-driven Netflix dining experiences and viral social media eating trends.
Now, It’s Personal
It’s on all our iPhones by popular demand—the Health App can track your steps, sleep, nutrition, weight loss, medications and more. It’s a one-stop shop to help you know yourself. That’s because consumers want to optimize their life. From rings to watches, easy-to-use-and-understand, wearable tech has flourished in this space. You might say consumers want knowledge that’s easily digestible…
One recent technological innovation going to clinical trial is Endiatx’s swallowable robotic pill, PillBot. This device is equipped with cameras, sensors and wireless communication capabilities to allow doctors to examine your gastrointestinal tract. Endiatx envisions a future where PillBots are fully autonomous and guided by AI and even sold over-the-counter at pharmacies for just $50. This heralds a new future for food—a future where consumers can access, monitor and amend their health based on their personal profile. This will bring new meaning to “going with our guts.”
Coming Soon: Movies on the Menu
According to Datassential, 46% of consumers want to see immersive experiences from food and beverage brands they are loyal towards. This has led to an explosion in pop-ups and partnerships driven by technology to create a memorable interaction that fans won’t soon forget.
Nothing is more memorable than IRL. So, Netflix has been investing in immersive experiences based on their programming. At the heart of some of their more recent innovations is food. Located in Toronto and inspired by the Knives Out series, The Perfect Bite is a dinner party full of intrigue. It features a thrilling murder mystery and menu. This opportunity was in no small part encouraged by the success of a previous endeavor based on the hit program, Bridgerton. The Queen’s Ball fit like a glass shoe for fans of show, and it featured live music, theatrical performances and specialty cocktails and drinks.
With companies like Netflix entering the food experience fold, AI-supported features aren’t far behind. It’s because AI isn’t just a matter of optimizing recommendations, it’s about interactions. The future is full of applications like AI-powered virtual reality experiences, and there’s more to consider. Imagine pop-up restaurants featuring not just AI-inspired concepts and recipes, but AI-inspired concepts and recipes with timely references to top ten shows and movies happening in this very moment.
At The Press of a Button
It’s not only sit-down restaurants getting a new operating system update. Innovations are coming to how to eat on our feet and customize our drinks and condiments. Mircromarkets are resonating with audiences—convenience is part of a modern lifestyle. As labor issues continue to challenge operators and the food industry, tech-forward vending machines (like these specially featuring Lunchables and Hot Pockets) can help provide great food experiences without much hired help.
Like, Subscribe and Share (Then Purchase)
Social media has become so ingrained in our culture that we often don’t think about it as technology. But it is—and it’s one of the most powerful vehicles to promote your brand. More than any other generation, 55% of Gen Z consumers have purchased food and/or beverages that have gone viral on social media from restaurants or grocery stores. That’s according to Datassential.
If you’re on social, you’ve seen some products breaking the algorithm. Swedish Candy went viral and caused Bub’s Brand to sell out for a limited time. Lasagna Soup stole headlines. Check out this recipe by Stouffers! Chocolate-covered strawberries caught on and pushed the 1978 song “What You Won’t Do for Love” back to the top of the Billboard Top 50. Dr. Pepper won the internet so many times, and we highlighted several in our blog.
Courtesy of Esrock Partners, a food marketing agency located near Chicago, Illinois that specializes in the food, beverage and foodservice industries and their current market trends. For a close-up of our capabilities, see our services.