This month's blog post digs deeper into consumer and food industry data to reveal the complexity of consumer preferences - and how agrifood companies can help solve the problems many consumers face in finding healthy foods at the grocery store.

The concept of “Food as Health” has entered the everyday language of agrifood. Executives across the value chain discuss it, consumers signal growing interest in healthier food choices, and regulators are beginning to weigh in. But recognition and action are not the same. What holding companies back and how can leaders turn awareness into impact?

How do consumers view "healthy" food and what do agrifood industry professionals believe are consumers’ demands? This blog post delves into the results of two surveys conducted by Purdue's Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability (CFDAS) and the Digital Innovation in Agrifood Systems Lab (DIAL) that suggest differences between what consumers expect and what the industry thinks they want.

The Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability launches a new tool that tracks the average cost of a cheeseburger and the cost of each ingredient of the cheeseburger over time. The National Cost of a Cheeseburger Dashboard features the average cost of a cheeseburger over time, the cost of each ingredient of the cheeseburger over time and the inflation-adjusted cost of a cheeseburger over time, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This month, the Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability introduces a new tool that measures national diet quality on a monthly basis. Purdue's American Diet Quality Index provides near-real time information about adult consumers' diets and, combined with our other research efforts, will give insight into how diet quality interacts with the broader food system, consumer behavior and economic conditions.

The debate over plant-based versus traditional meat consumption is growing louder as consumers, producers and policymakers grapple with sustainability and dietary shifts. While entirely plant-based meat alternatives have captured headlines, hybrid meat products —blending plant-based proteins with traditional meat — might offer a compelling middle ground.

Recent data reveals fascinating trends in how Americans perceive and predict food inflation. The findings highlight not only the gap between official estimates of inflation and what consumers experience in the marketplace but also show how political ideology shapes these perceptions.

As families across America plan their Thanksgiving gatherings for 2024, new survey data reveals a holiday defined more by connection than division.

Caitlinn Hubbell discusses findings from a recent center study on how hurricanes can impact consumer spending and food supply chains.