This Episode is Sponsored by: City National Bank

Several economic headwinds indicate the consumer is being financially stretched, but we all need to eat – so what are consumers actually buying at the grocery store? Nik Modi of RBC returns to The Food Institute Podcast to discuss channel differentiation, consumer product selection, and other macro trends.

More About Nik Modi:
Nik Modi is a Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets, where he has responsibility for coverage of Beverage, Household Personal Care, Packaged Food and Tobacco industries. The companies under Nik’s coverage total over $1 trillion in combined market value.

Nik has consistently been ranked as one of the top analysts across the consumer space by Institutional Investor’s All Star Analyst Survey. He has also been top rated across various analyst polls, including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Forbes.

More About City National Bank:
City National Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada since 2015. RBC’s Market Cap of $174 Billion is one of the Top 15 largest global banks with $1.1 Trillion in assets and Moody’s/S&P Ratings of Aa1/AA-. As a subsidiary of one of the largest and strongest financial institutions in the world, City National Bank offers a unique combination of highly personalized services with a full range of tailored financing solutions. CNB’s Food & Beverage Group is a national vertical that supports owners and c-suite executives and is a proud sponsor of the Food Institute. Learn more at http://cnb.com/foodandbeverage.

Grocery Grit: What’s in the Cart When Money’s Tight?

Food for Thought Leadership co-host Chris Campbell sits down with Robyn Carter, founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation, to explore the concept of the “return to real” in today’s food industry. With so much of life filtered through screens, algorithms, and ad-driven messaging, consumers are now seeking real food, real stories, and real connection. Robyn lays out how this trend is reshaping not only what we eat, but how we shop, dine, and engage with brands.

Looking ahead, Robyn highlights the next frontier of the trend: longevity and women’s health, and deeper provenance through farm-to-table narratives. Whether you’re a CPG brand, a retailer, or a food-service operator, this conversation offers timely insights and actionable ideas to align your strategy with a consumer mindset that values what’s real.

More About Robyn Carter:
Robyn Carter is the founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation, a best-in-class trends and innovation consultancy based just outside NYC. Founded in 2005, Jump Rope brings a human-centered approach to innovation through immersive research, trend insights, and co-creation techniques.

Beginning her career in advertising, Robyn held roles in Account Management and New Business, working on iconic brands including Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, and Red Stripe. She was a Partner and Account Supervisor at Ogilvy, where she helped develop and implement communications strategy for the global Maxwell House brand.

Robyn is a co-founder of IT! Factor, a groundbreaking Influencer research and innovation tool. She is also a host of the Ask an Influencer podcast, sharing insights and advice for brands based on learnings from category influencers. She is a renowned moderator and has been a featured guest on numerous panels and podcasts, including BevNet Community Call.

Connect with Robyn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-carter-72b4391/
Listen, Share and Subscribe to Ask An Influencer here or anywhere you listen to podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qfOAuHGyzIEznmwBnAX8D?si=2606fb21856e403d

More About Jump Rope Innovation:
At Jump Rope Innovation, we’re a team of curious, collaborative problem-solvers. We’re strategists, researchers, and creative thinkers, driven by the thrill of discovery and a commitment to true understanding. We specialize in uncovering insights that spark breakthrough innovation, activation and communication. We help our clients to develop their gut for the consumer and to use this understanding to develop bold, meaningful strategies that resonate today—and tomorrow.

Find us online at https://jumpropeinnovation.com/
And follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jumpropeinnovation/
on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@jumpropeinnovation

Learn More:

LinkedIn: 
Jump Rope Innovation: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jump-rope-innovation/
Robyn Carter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-carter-72b4391/


Podcast:
Ask An Influencer: https://www.instagram.com/jumpropeinnovation/


Instagram:
Jump Rope Innovation: https://www.instagram.com/jumpropeinnovation/
Ask an Influencer: https://www.instagram.com/askaninfluencerpodcast/


TikTok:
Jump Rope Innovation: https://www.tiktok.com/@jumpropeinnovation?lang=en

Food for Thought Leadership: The Return to Real with Robyn Carter

This Episode is Sponsored by: Performance Foodservice

How important is it as a food distributor to build a brand for foodservice – especially since consumers may never see or recognize it? Mike Seidel, vice president of procurement at Performance Foodservice Corporate, shares how the company views the development of its existing foodservice brands, including Roma and Contigo, and how they helped in the creation of its most recent Mediterranean concept Zebec. 

More about Mike Seidel:
Michael Seidel is the corporate Vice President of Procurement for Performance Foodservice, one of the largest broadline foodservice distributors in the country. “Mike” brings to his role 28 years of sales, procurement, and leadership experience within the foodservice industry. In 2025, Mike is celebrating his fourteenth year with Performance Foodservice.  

Over the course of 14 years from 1997, Mike held multiple sales and procurement roles at a Sysco operating company including Marketing Associate and Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing.  

Mike served as a member of the Executive Board of Directors for the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and was recently reappointed to the Board of Directors for NFI, to a term ending in late 2027. Mike currently serves as a board member of Circana Supply Track. Mike is an elected Manager of NFI’s Better Seafood Board and is on the planning committee for the Global Seafood Market Conference (GSMC). Mike, annually, co-hosts or participates in GSMC panelist discussions. Mike is a delegated member of the Procurement Council for the Independent Procurement Alliance Program (IPAP).  

During his career, Mike has testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission, on three occasions, regarding certain ripe olives and shrimp. Mike is an active speaker/presenter for various foodservice industry events. 

He is married, lives in the Richmond, Virginia area, and has four children and one grandchild.  

More About Performance Foodservice:
Performance Foodservice is one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors, delivering quality ingredients, reliable service, and on-time consistency. With 125,000+ products and 67 distribution centers, we serve over 100,000 customers coast to coast. From restaurants and hotels to schools and healthcare, operators trust us for both food and non-food essentials that keep kitchens running. Backed by a best-in-class fleet and passionate associates, Performance Foodservice is more than a distributor—we’re your partner in growth and success. 

Learn more: http://performancefoodservice.com/  

More About Zebec:
Zebec is Performance Foodservice’s exclusive brand of specialty Mediterranean foods and ingredients, inspired by the 16th-century sailing ships that once carried flavors and traditions across the sea. Just like those fast, agile vessels, Zebec delivers authentic spices, bold flavors, and versatile ingredients that make it easy for operators to bring the Mediterranean to their menus. From falafel to grilled chicken skewers, every item is crafted with quality and convenience in mind—helping passionate restaurateurs, whether inspired by global traditions or family roots, add an exciting Mediterranean twist to their offerings. With Zebec, a bold upgrade to the menu is always within reach. 

Learn more: https://www.performancefoodservice.com/Products-and-Services/Our-Family-of-Brands/Zebec

The Art of Building a Brand for Foodservice

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the roots of the deadly Listeria outbreak that has impacted several U.S. states. 

FI Fast Break News - Nov. 5, 2025

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the latest in the vertical farming category. 

FI Fast Break News - Nov. 12, 2025

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the latest Gen Z drinking trend that's poised to impact the alcohol industry.  

FI Fast Break News - Nov. 19, 2025

In this episode of The Food For Thought Leadership podcast, CEO Mike Messersmith unpacks how Lasso’s SpinTech — dubbed “an advanced cotton candy machine” — could revolutionize food texture, ingredient flexibility, and sustainability. 

About Mike Messersmith:
Mike Messersmith is the CEO of Lasso, a new food tech company redefining consumer packaged foods. He joined the company in October 2024, deploying its proprietary Lasso SpinTech across new applications and partners to create a generation of healthier foods. Before joining Lasso, Mike served as President of Oatly North America where he oversaw the brand’s U.S. launch in 2017 and led all facets of business and brand development surrounding its vegan, plant-based food and beverage products made out of oats. Prior to Oatly, Mike held a variety of marketing and commercial roles at The Nature’s Bounty Co, Chobani, and PepsiCo. Before starting his career in CPG, Mike served as an officer in the Navy in a variety of roles including nuclear engineering management on aircraft carriers. He has his MBA from Harvard Business School, a masters in engineering management from Old Dominion University, and his undergraduate degree from Duke University. Mike lives in NYC with his wife Laura and their dog Kelce.

More About Lasso:
Stop compromising on texture, nutrition, or taste. Our machines make food, better. Your brand makes the headlines.

Learn More: https://lassolabs.com/

Food For Thought Leadership: How Lasso is Reinventing Food Manufacturing

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are reshaping consumer habits in rather unique ways heading into 2026. 

FI Fast Break News - Nov. 25, 2025

In this episode of Food for Thought Leadership, Food Institute vice president of content and client relationships Chris Campbell sits down with Barry Thomas, senior thought leader at Kantar, to unpack the rapid rise of agentic AI — a new class of AI systems that don’t just generate information, but take action on behalf of the user. Thomas explains why agentic AI represents a foundational shift in how consumers discover, evaluate, and shop for products. He explores how AI-powered shopping apps, answer-engines, and agentic browsers are reshaping the digital journey, and why businesses should prepare now for changes that will accelerate through 2026.

The conversation also dives into how this technology impacts retailers, CPG manufacturers, and foodservice operators — from the rise of metadata marketing and AI-optimized product visibility to the growing influence of user-generated content in agentic shopping environments. Thomas outlines the challenges ahead: data governance, shifting retail media dynamics, consumer trust, and the delicate balance between authenticity and automation. With younger demographics adopting AI at record speed, the companies that invest in upskilling and AI-readiness today stand to gain the strongest competitive advantage tomorrow.

More About Barry Thomas:
Barry is one of Kantar’s foremost global commerce experts with a distinguished history of serving customers, partners, and people throughout his more than 30 years in the retail, food service, and FMCG industries. His 25-year career with The Coca-Company featured landmark achievements in the areas of customer leadership, customer marketing, ecommerce, innovation, consumer insights, category management, and future strategies. Before joining the Coca-Cola system, Barry worked for Pfizer (formerly Wyeth-Ayerst) for seven years in commercial, customer, marketing, and insights roles. Barry earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of North Florida and an MBA from Mercer University. He is currently on the advisory boards of the Digital Marketing Institute, George Washington University Digital Marketing Program, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

More About Kantar:
Kantar is a data and evidence-based agency providing insights and actionable recommendations to clients, worldwide. We combine the most meaningful attitudinal and behavioral data with deep expertise and technology platforms to track how people think and act.

To learn more, visit https://retailiq.kantar.com/.

Food for Thought Leadership: AI Agents Are on the Rise in the Food Industry and Here's Why

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine Starbucks' intensifying labor issues. 

FI Fast Break News - Dec. 3, 2025

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we touch on Circana's revised 2026 outlook for the F&B sector, which projects continued volume tightness. 

FI Fast Break News - Dec. 10, 2025

The Food Institute Podcast leverages the Food Institute's 90-plus-year history to provide actionable information and insight to food industry professionals.