The Food Institute Podcast

• FI Fast Break News - Dec. 3, 2025

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

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

  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/.

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• FI Fast Break News - Nov. 25, 2025

  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.

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• Food For Thought Leadership: How Lasso is Reinventing Food Manufacturing

  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/

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• FI Fast Break News - Nov. 19, 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.

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