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Just when folks thought the pandemic was winding down, another variant occurs, and folks are suddenly wondering if they will be able to eat out again like they used to. No surprise, a lot of the food trends and approaches for 2022 are expected to be influenced by social distancing and everything we had to do for the last year and a half adjusting lifestyles. Fortunately, some of the trends are definitely focusing on why food is such a draw, and bringing the experience to people's doorsteps.

Staying on your projected growth pattern for 2022 means identifying the latest food service software industry trends. After all, tech is where it is at in terms of getting customers the food choices they want when they want it. A couple of new trends are especially beneficial to businesses of all sizes right now. Check out how online food delivery and ghost kitchens are increasing growth for businesses in the food service industry.

Rising food prices, along with escalating energy costs, helped push U.S. inflation to a 31-year high in October with the Consumer Price Index jumping 6.2 percent.

“Food prices for both groceries and dining out rose by the most in decades,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Nov. 10, 2021, that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.9 percent in October on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4 percent in September.

A decade ago, the U.S. Grocery Manufacturers Association estimated that food fraud cost the global food industry between $10 and $15 billion per year and the problem has only accelerated since then.

“Fraud drains an estimated $30 to $40 billion every year from the global food industry. The Consumer Brands Association claims that roughly 10 percent of commercially produced food and beverage products are affected by fraud,” wrote TraceGains content marketing specialist Denis Storey in 2020. “But these figures only point to the initial economic cost of food fraud. There are the health costs to consumers poisoned by tainted food, not to mention the cost of the reputation hit on a brand when adulteration occurs.”

The global supply chain’s mission of moving food from farm to market, and onto our nightly tables, sounds simple but can be quite complex with government regulations, transportation, communication, and other logistical issues at play.

A call for more transparency and tracking, previously pegged to food safety issues, has been reinforced as the food supply chain is challenged to creatively meet new sustainability goals and initiatives.

Food supply shortages could last well into the upcoming holiday season thanks to a combination of supply chain bottlenecks, transportation woes, labor shortages, and product and packaging availability.

CNN reported on Oct. 10, 2021 that “many of the country’s biggest food makers are telling grocers that they will have limited quantities of a number of their products, including items such as Rice Krispies Treats, Sour Patch Kids, some Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors, McCormick gourmet spices and Marie Callender's pot pies because of labor, commodity and transportation constraints throttling supply chains, according to emails viewed by CNN and interviews with grocers.”

Extreme weather events in Texas, such as the February freeze earlier this year that knocked out power across the state, or Hurricane Harvey in 2017 that wreaked havoc with wind and rain, make it more important than ever for companies to consider their business continuity plans.

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA), the trade organization representing companies from every segment of the global fresh produce and floral supply chain, argues that artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way our food is produced.

“Advancements such as machine learning, image recognition, and predictive modeling are being used in food production to boost productivity and efficiency,” writes Vonnie Estes, PMA Vice President Technology.

Ransomware hit the news this year when the Colonial pipeline was attacked — showing that no one is safe from criminal attackers. Every year, countless companies lose millions of dollars to cybersecurity breaches. Every company needs to be concerned about ransomware and cybersecurity, and every company needs to be prepared.

Wholesale seafood vendors are under immense pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic as they find themselves in a marketplace driven by product shortages and pent-up demand.