Food Brands Research Articles

Classifiability analysis of spectroscopic profiling datasets in food safety related discriminative tasks.

Discriminative tasks, i.e., the identification of different food materials, brands, and origins, have become an essential part of food safety control. In recent years, spectroscopic profiling combined with machine learning is becoming popular for food-related discriminative tasks, but finding an appropriate classification model can be challenging. Compared to the current "trial-and-error" practice, this paper proposes a dedicated two-step classifiability analysis framework to address this issue. The first step collects more than 90 diversified metrics to measure the dataset separability from different perspectives. The second step synthesizes these metrics into a quantitative score using meta-learner and decomposition-based strategies. Finally, two Raman spectroscopic profiling case studies were conducted to validate the method, demonstrating higher scores for the easily separable liquor dataset (around 1.0) compared to the more challenging table salt dataset (< 0.5). This score can guide researchers to determine the required model complexity and assess the adequacy of the current physio-chemical profiling instrument. We expected the classifiability analysis framework proposed in this research to be generalized to a wide range of machine learning applications within the realm of food, where data-driven classification or discriminative tasks are involved.

Estimating young children’s exposure to food and beverage marketing on mobile devices

BackgroundFood and beverage marketing drives poor diet quality and obesity risk among children. However, it is unknown how much young children are exposed to digital food and beverage marketing on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. ObjectiveEstimate how frequently young children, who are particularly vulnerable to advertising, view food and beverage marketing while using mobile devices. MethodsSeventy-five 2-11 year-olds and their parents from Massachusetts participated in this cross-sectional study from 2022-2023. Average estimated exposure to food and beverage advertisements and food/beverage brand appearances was calculated for 5 consecutive days using a combination of battery screenshots and average estimates of marketing collected from children’s devices. Generalized estimating equations tested for sociodemographic differences in advertising exposure. ResultsYoung children’s estimated exposure to food and beverage advertisements and brand appearances on mobile devices was highly variable, with many children seeing none on a given day but a substantial minority viewing large amounts. Estimated exposure depended on how much a child used either YouTube or a gaming app; there was no exposure on other apps used by children. Higher parental educational attainment was associated with substantially reduced risk of a child viewing two or more food or beverage advertisements or brand appearances on a given day (aOR=0.26, 95%CI: 0.10, 0.70). ConclusionsCertain children, particularly those from households with lower parental educational attainment, may be at risk for high exposure to digital food and beverage marketing, while other children may have minimal risk. Future research should explore exposure in more diverse samples with valid, feasible measures. SummaryAmong n=75 2-11 year-olds, children’s estimated exposure to digital food/beverage marketing on digital screen devices varied widely. Lower parental education was associated with higher child exposure to food/beverage marketing.

Individual and combined occurrences of the prevalent mycotoxins in commercial feline and canine food.

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FBs), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 toxin (T-2), and zearalenone (ZEN), can contaminate animal feeds and pose risks to animal health and production performance. These mycotoxins are commonly found in cereals and grains, with the increased use of cereals in pet food, there is a rising concern about mycotoxin contamination among pet owners. To address this, we analyzed imported brands of feline and canine food from the Chinese market produced in 2021-2022. Ninety-three samples were analyzed, comprising 45 feline food and 48 canine food samples. Among them, 14 were canned food and 79 were dry food. The results indicate that AFB1, DON, FBs, OTA, T-2, and ZEN occurred in 32.26%, 98.92%, 22.58%, 73.12%, 55.91%, and 7.53% of the samples, respectively. The most prevalent mycotoxin was DON, followed by OTA, T-2, AFB1, and FBs, whereas ZEN was less frequently detected. The mean concentrations of the six mycotoxins in pet feed samples were 3.17μg/kg for AFB1, 0.65mg/kg for DON, 2.15mg/kg for FBs, 6.27μg/kg for OTA, 20.00μg/kg for T-2, and 30.00μg/kg for ZEN. The levels of mycotoxins were generally below the limits of the Pet Feed Hygiene Regulations of China and the EU. Notably, a substantial majority of the pet food samples (88 out of 93) were contaminated by two or more mycotoxins. AFB1, FBs, OTA, and ZEN occurred slightly more often in feline food than in canine food. Except for OTA, the contamination rates for the other five mycotoxins in canned food were lower than those in dry food. Moreover, except for AFB1, the levels of the other five mycotoxins in canned foods were lower than those in dry foods. This study highlights the widespread contamination of pet foods with mycotoxins, which poses a significant risk to pets from continuous exposure to multiple mycotoxins.

Normalizing junk food: The frequency and reach of posts related to food and beverage brands on social media.

Food and beverage marketing on social media contributes to poor diet quality and health outcomes for youth, given their vulnerability to marketing's effects and frequent use of social media. This study benchmarked the reach and frequency of earned and paid media posts, an understudied social media marketing strategy, of food brands frequently targeting Canadian youth. The 40 food brands with the highest brand shares in Canada between 2015 and 2020 from frequently marketed food categories were determined using Euromonitor data. Digital media engagement data from 2020 were licensed from Brandwatch, a social intelligence platform, to analyze the frequency and reach of brand-related posts on Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, and YouTube. The 40 food brands were mentioned on Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, and YouTube a total of 16.85M times, reaching an estimated 42.24B users in 2020. The food categories with the most posts and reach were fast food restaurants (60.5% of posts, 58.1% of total reach) and sugar sweetened beverages (29.3% of posts, 37.9% of total reach). More men mentioned (2.77M posts) and were reached (6.88B users) by the food brands compared to women (2.47M posts, 5.51B users reached). The food and beverage brands (anonymized), with the most posts were fast food restaurant 2 (26.5% of the total posts), soft drink 2 (10.4% of the total posts), and fast food restaurant 6 (10.1% of the total posts). In terms of reach, the top brands were fast food restaurant 2 (33.1% of the total reach), soft drink 1 (18.1% of the total reach), and fast food restaurant 6 (12.2% of the total reach). There is a high number of posts on social media related to food and beverage brands that are popular among children and adolescents, primarily for unhealthy food categories and certain brands. The conversations online surrounding these brands contribute to the normalization of unhealthy food and beverage intake. Given the popularity of social media use amongst of children and adolescents, policies aiming to protect these vulnerable groups need to include the digital food environment.

A Study on Comparative Analysis Regarding Gen-Z’s Perception Over Domino’s Pizza and Pizza Hut in Ahmedabad City

This study investigates Generation Z's perceptions of Domino’s and Pizza Hut in Ahmedabad, focusing on factors such as food quality, pricing, and brand reputation. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research tests eight hypotheses related to the influence of age on these perceptions. The findings reveal that age does not significantly impact how Generation Z evaluates these brands, leading to the rejection of all null hypotheses. This suggests a shared perspective among this demographic, indicating that factors beyond age—such as overall experience and brand engagement—are crucial in shaping their preferences. The study highlights the need for targeted marketing strategies that resonate with Generation Z's values, particularly in terms of health, sustainability, and digital engagement. Furthermore, enhancing customer experiences and effectively communicating brand value are essential for building loyalty. The findings also emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibility initiatives in improving brand reputation among socially conscious consumers. The study concludes by offering recommendations for future research, including broader demographic analyses and qualitative approaches to gain deeper insights into consumer motivations.

수정된 IPA를 활용한 외식 브랜드 선택속성에 관한 연구 : A 외식 프랜차이즈 기업을 대상으로

Objective : The study selected a restaurant company to find out its selection attributes and figure out what attributes consumers consider important when using each brand and how they evaluate each attribute. Methods : This study conducted an empirical analysis targeting a total of 221 consumers who have experience with three brands of restaurant franchise company A located in Seoul and the metropolitan areas. Results : According to the importance and satisfaction analysis, it was found that the taste of the food was the most important for Korean and Chinese food brands, and the shape of the food was the most important for pub brands. Implications : This study aims to lay the theoretical foundation necessary to establish operational strategies for each element according to brand characteristics.

EXPRESS: Understanding Unitized Food Choice – The Role of Social Context and Marketing Factors in Mitigating Overconsumption

The unit bias, which asserts that consumption decreases as a food unit size decreases, is a prominent effect studied in psychology, health, and obesity research domains; yet, little is known about when or why this effect occurs, or how marketing plays a role in the effect. To address this gap in the literature, this research extends the current understanding of the unit bias by proposing the Social Unitization Effect (SUE), which posits that consumers’ selection of discrete unitized foods is dependent on impression management motives. That is, when impression management motives are low, consumers choose a greater number of small (vs. large) food units; however, in social (public) settings, when impression management motives are higher, this difference between small and large food units selected is attenuated. This effect is driven by a reduction in the number of small units selected when consumers are with others (vs. when they are alone). The research then demonstrates how the SUE manifests in various marketing contexts via marketing-related factors like servicescape design (e.g., in-store surveillance), food branding (e.g., branding food as ‘mini’), and food design (i.e., the shape of food units). These findings offer novel and actionable implications for marketers, health advocates, and consumers.

Proportions and types of different sweeteners in the Hungarian packaged food supply

Abstract Branded food databases facilitate the analysis of sweetener use in commercial packaged food products. The purpose of this study was to map the use of sweeteners in relevant packaged food categories and to assess and compare the nutrient profile of non-sugar (including sugar alcohol) vs. added sugar sweetened food products in Hungary. The foodDB software, developed by University of Oxford, enables automated online data collection, and was used to compile data of all foods and drinks available from four major Hungarian supermarket websites, selected by market share in March 2021. Only products containing either added sugar and/or non-sugar sweeteners were included in the study. These were categorized into 12 food groups using specific search terms. After data cleaning the final product number was 2016. 72% of the products was sweetened with added sugars only, 15% of them with non-sugar sweeteners only and 13% contained both sugars and non-sugar sweeteners. Chewing gums (92%), soft drinks (60%), energy drinks (50%) and pickles (35%) contained non-sugar sweeteners in the largest proportion. More than 90% of flavoured alcoholic beers, chocolate bars, breakfast cereals and yogurts were sweetened with added sugar only. Nine categories included food items containing multiple non-sugar sweeteners per product. The most common non-sugar sweeteners were acesulfame-potassium, sucralose, aspartame present in 15%, 10%, 9% of the total products respectively. Muesli bars with non-sugar sweeteners contained less energy but also less fibre than muesli bars with added sugars only; whereas pickles with non-sugar sweeteners contained less energy but were significantly higher in salt than those products with added sugars only. The presence of non-sugar sweeteners is widespread in the Hungarian food supply; however, their use does not guarantee a more beneficial nutrient profile. Branded food databases are useful tools to analyse the nutrient composition of packaged foods. Key messages • Branded food databases are useful tools to monitor the composition of the packaged food supply. • The nutrition profile of foods with non-sugar sweeteners can be less favourable than foods with added sugars.

Testing a nutrient composition threshold model to classify brands for marketing restrictions.

Food marketing restrictions often apply nutrient profile models (NPM) to distinguish unhealthy products that should not be advertised, however brand-only marketing remains largely unaddressed. We sought to test a threshold method for classifying packaged food, beverage, or fast-food brands as (non)permitted for marketing, based on the nutrient profile of their product-lines. We retrieved nutrient information from the Nutritrack databases for all products sold by the top 51 packaged food, beverage and fast-food brands in New Zealand, selected by market share. All products under each brand were classified as permitted (or not) to be marketed to children, using the NPM for WHO Western Pacific. The 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% threshold of brands' products permitted to market were compared. The 50% and 75% thresholds were compared to the WHO CLICK method, which is based on assessment of the brand's leading product. The 90% threshold permitted 13% of the brands to be marketed to children. The 25% threshold permitted the marketing of 62% of brands. The 50% and 75% thresholds remained highly sensitive in identifying brands that should not be marketed to children. Comparison to the WHO CLICK method identified that a threshold method is more comprehensive and less arbitrary. A threshold model based on product-line nutrient profiling provides a robust and option for brand classification. The 50% and 75% thresholds may be the most politically preferred options for use in regulation, while remaining highly effective. Brand marketing (e.g. sponsorship) remains largely unaddressed in existing restrictions on unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children.An established Nutrient Profile Model can be applied to a brand's entire product line, allowing calculation of the proportion of products that would not be permitted to be advertised to children.Restricting brand marketing for food and beverage brands with less than 50% or 75% of their products classified as 'permitted to be marketed to children' is a robust and evidence-based method that can be applied in regulation, with potential to mitigate industry challenges.

Comparison of the nutritional composition and calculated Nutri-score classifications of the Dutch food retail supply in 2018 and 2020.

In the Netherlands, reformulation strategies have been established for several years, whereas Nutri-Score was implemented in 2024. Besides being a helpful tool for consumers to make healthier food choices, Nutri-Score also aims to stimulate food reformulation by food manufacturers. The present study investigates whether changes in food composition could have led to different calculated Nutri-Score classifications. Food compositions and Nutri-Score classifications were calculated using the updated Nutri-Score algorithm. Food groups with the largest change in the distribution of Nutri-Score classifications were analysed in-depth by plotting frequency distributions and calculating median contents for nutrient contents that relatively changed the most in 2020. Food composition data were available from the Dutch Branded Food database in 2018 (n 38 295) and 2020 (n 48 091). Not applicable. In general, median nutrient contents and calculated Nutri-Score classifications were similar for 2018 and 2020. The median sugar and SFA contents were lower for some food groups (e.g. breakfast cereals, meat preserves, sweets and sweet goods) in 2020 compared to 2018. The median SFA content for meat preserves and sweets and sweet goods was relatively low in Nutri-Score classification A ascending towards higher median content in Nutri-Score classification E. Although food reformulation was not substantial in the Dutch food retail supply in 2018 and 2020, some differences in Nutri-Score classifications were observed. When implemented, Nutri-Score may encourage food manufacturers to increase their reformulation efforts. Repeated monitoring of food compositions and Nutri-Score classifications is recommended to establish reformulation efforts by food manufacturers.

Influence of Corporate Environmental Responsibility on Dimensions of Brand Equity in the Sustainable Food Industry

The objective of this study is to propose a theoretical model where corporate environmental responsibility (CER) influences brand loyalty (BL), perception of brand quality (PQ), brand awareness (BA), and the comparison brand (BC). A survey was carried out using an online questionnaire, and information was collected from 267. The research focuses on people who stated they were consumers of the sustainable food brand in Lima. To test the hypotheses of the proposed research model, the data were analyzed using the partial least squares path modeling method with SmartPLS software. The results showed a significant positive effect of CER on BL, PQ, BA, and BC. In conclusion, it can be stated that organizations that adopt sustainable practices and promote corporate environmental responsibility (CER) not only contribute to caring for the environment but can also improve essential aspects such as the equity of their corporate brand. Therefore, organizations must recognize the importance of taking transparent actions to strengthen the perception of their brand equity related to corporate environmental responsibility. This can translate into stronger customer loyalty and a more prominent position for sustainable food products. This study encourages prioritizing environmental responsibility, understanding that beyond contributing to the care of the environment, it also strengthens relevant aspects within the brand identity.

Food for Thought in Malaysian Borneo: Data Mining and Sentiment Analysis of Tripadvisor Reviews for Online Destination Branding

Unique destination branding in tourism is crucial to gaining a competitive advantage. Local food is a significant component of a destination brand which Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) must integrate into their official marketing efforts. DMOs must monitor the popularity and perception of their food promotions against the competition. Online promotion and management are challenging due to the rise of user-generated content. Automatic data mining techniques were used to determine the extent to which tourist food choices on TripAdvisor matched foods promoted by DMOs and how distinct these choices were from a rival DMOs’ promotion. We compared online food promotion between the Sabah Tourism Board and the Sarawak Tourism Board. We developed a software system to automatically extract food branding business intelligence from TripAdvisor restaurant reviews. The application of web crawling and scraping technology was applied to extract data and use Sentiment Analysis for interpretation. Online foods promoted by DMOs for each region were found to contain only a few common dishes, but these were more popular than region-specific foods. Significantly different distributions of food choices were found for each region. Some potentially useful differences between foreign and domestic tourists and locals were also identified. Sentiment analysis revealed hidden information in reviews useful for potential food destination branding. Findings from TripAdvisor confirm practical suggestions for improving brand distinctiveness found in the literature. This study is the first to develop an actual system that DMOs could use to estimate the online popularity of their promoted foods and those of their competition.

Do healthy and environmentally sustainable inflight foods matter to international flight passengers? Frequent vs. occasional flyers

Airlines continuously seek strategic ways to impress their passengers and build memorable experiences. Inflight food services as an imperative interaction, the research included healthy and environmentally sustainable attributes (e.g., production method, product origin), reflecting the emphasis on longevity/well-being and sustainability to design optimal inflight food bundles as well as the brand and taste attributes. This exploratory research investigated differences in inflight food preferences between frequent and occasional flyers. A total of 16 full-profile pairwise comparison questions of mixed levels for five attributes were given to the sample of international flight passengers (n = 490). The participants were asked to rate inflight food bundles using a 9-point Likert scale. The results indicate that healthy and environmentally sustainable inflight foods will be preferred over brand-named or tasty foods when served onboard. There were notable differences in inflight food preferences between occasional and frequent flyers. While both flyers preferred low-calorie and tasty foods made with nationally sourced ingredients, frequent flyers highly preferred branded foods made with organically grown ingredients. In contrast, occasional flyers desired generic branded foods made with conventionally grown ingredients. The study findings are discussed further to help airline marketers build a desirable inflight food bundle.

Signals of change: eating trends shaping the future of food service

Food security is a problem across the world, as prices rise under pressure from climate change, geopolitics, demographics and de-globalisation. These factors, when combined, will impact on the food service sector. In this trends article, the authors identify ten trends that reflect the changes occurring in the food service sector. The trends analysis is based upon the predictive paradigm in futures studies which draws upon evidence, facts and observational research. The ten trends are: (1) climate change diets; (2) escapist indulgence; (3) moderation mantra; (4) evidence-based eating; (5) mood food; (6) digital food; (7) sustainable dining; (8) ethnic and fusion food; (9) local food; and (10) adventurous dining. The contribution of this article is that it clearly identifies the changes occurring in our eating patterns and food purchase decisions and provides a signal to food service operators and brands about the changes that are occurring and why.

A dog food brand, OV status, certifying zoo animals for export…this vet's done them all!

Instead of joining the family vinegar business in Bulgaria Veneta Kozhuharova qualified as a vet. Finding her skills in export certification in high demand, she opened a practice in the UK, Associated Veterinary Services.

Perceptions of Food Marketing and Media Use among Canadian Teenagers: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Despite the prevalence of digital food marketing to teenagers and its potential impact on food preferences and consumption, little is known about the specific food advertisements teenagers see in Canada and how they perceive them. Further, few studies consult teenagers directly about their perceptions of teen-specific food marketing content. To shed light on such issues, this study examines perceptions of food marketing and self-reported media use of Canadian teenagers via an online survey. Four hundred and sixty-four teenagers (ages 13-17) participated. Overall, teenagers identified Instagram and TikTok as the most popular social media platforms. The top food or beverage brands that teens felt specifically targeted them were McDonald's, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Tim Hortons, while Instagram was deemed the most important media platform when it comes to teen-targeted food marketing. Teens deemed "celebrity" and "visual style" as the most important (food and beverage) advertising techniques when it comes to persuading teenagers to buy. Overall, the study provides insights into teen media use and brand preference, including the brands teens feel target them most directly and what they consider to be salient in terms of the food advertising they see. It also provides valuable details for researchers seeking to further identify and measure elements of teen-targeted food marketing.

Nigerian adolescents’ exposure to fast food marketing via Instagram

ObjectivesTo explore the promotion of fast food to lower-income adolescents on Instagram with the specific aims of (i) identifying the marketing strategies used by fast food brands on Instagram to promote fast food to Nigerian adolescents and (ii) examining the influence of these strategies on user engagement.DesignA content analysis of posts from a 90-day period of the Instagram accounts of five fast-food brands in Nigeria was conducted. Overall, 576 posts were analysed, using a codebook developed based on the relevant literature, to identify adolescent-targeted strategies. User engagement was measured by number of likes each post received.ResultsThe observed brands frequently utilised adolescent-targeted marketing strategies, with the most popular strategies being emotional appeal, ‘teen language’ and product appeal. The results of Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significant associations between the use of these promotional strategies and user engagement. Adolescent-aimed strategies like product appeal and competitions resulted in higher user engagement with fast food promotional content.ConclusionFast food companies heavily target lower income adolescents through the use of Instagram. This raises health concerns related to the consumption of unhealthy food that arises from regular advertising in that demographic. Further, this exposure increases ad interactions that could cause adolescents to view fast foods more positively. Overall, findings indicate the need for actions aiming to limit and reduce the effect of adolescents’ exposure to fast food marketing on social media, to target the features of social media platforms which affords users the ability to interact with fast food advertisements.

Analysis of Multiple Marketing Strategies and their management in food and beverages brands in India

Over the years, the changing purchasing habits of Indian consumers have seen a tremendous transition. A better state of the economy, exposure to international media, travel abroad, the degree of urbanisation, educational attainment, and the introduction of new employment prospects in the service sector, such as in information technology. Some of the drivers include call centres and shopping that affects consumer habits. Due to economic changes implemented two decades ago, the middle class has grown significantly. In India, altering spending habits are occurring as disposable income rises. For international beverage manufacturers, India's beverage industry is a significant market. The food sector in India is extremely profitable thanks to rising standards of living and population expansion. Indian society's traditional economic environment was different from its current environment. The majority of Indian consumers gave home-cooked cuisine a strong preference. Contrarily, the current practise of eating out is quickly altering Indian society's perspective. Due to the fast-paced modern lifestyle, hectic schedules, competition, rise in the number of working women, nuclear family concept, etc., many fast-food franchises have now established themselves in India.

Revitalising Packaging Design of Children Food Brand for Marketing Strategy in China

This study examines the revitalization of packaging design for a children's food brand as a strategic tool for effective marketing in the Chinese market. With a focus on the dynamic landscape of consumer preferences and behaviors, this research underscores the significance of packaging design in capturing the attention of young consumers and their parents. By amalgamating culturally resonant elements with contemporary design trends, the study endeavors to uncover strategies that enhance brand visibility and engagement. The Chinese market, characterized by its rapid changes and distinct cultural nuances, necessitates a nuanced approach to packaging design. This study delves into the visual, sensory, and emotional aspects of packaging that contribute to brand perception. Through the analysis of case studies and consumer surveys, it elucidates the crucial role of colors, imagery, typography, and material choices in eliciting positive associations and fostering brand loyalty. The study recognizes the power of storytelling through packaging design. Children's food brands can leverage culturally relevant narratives and characters to establish an emotional connection with young consumers and their parents. This narrative-driven approach not only enhances brand recognition but also aligns with the Chinese value of family-oriented decision-making. This research highlights the strategic importance of packaging design in the context of children's food brands' marketing endeavors in China. By bridging the gap between cultural resonance and contemporary aesthetics, brands can create a lasting impact on consumers' minds. As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, an adept packaging design strategy can prove instrumental in navigating this dynamic landscape and achieving sustained market success.

Analysis of Problems and Countermeasures in China's food Industry: Taking Fast Food Restaurants as an Example

The fast-food industry in China is crucial, as it meets the dietary needs of fast-paced life and promotes the rapid development of the catering industry. The fast-food industry not only provides convenient and delicious meals but also creates a large number of job opportunities, which helps economic growth and becomes an indispensable part of modern society. However, there is very little research related to the Chinese food industry, which brings trouble to those who want to inquire about this information. Therefore, the content of this study is the market situation of China's food industry. The research in this article shows that there are the following problems in China's food industry at present: firstly, the problem of product monotony, followed by food safety issues and brand issues. This study can provide some help for investors and operators who invest and operate fast food restaurants in China now and in the future.