Goop Kitchen, Gwyneth Paltrow's takeout-only food business, has expanded to San Francisco and New York City, gaining praise for its nutritious and affordable menu. Paltrow is deeply involved in menu development, ensuring all dishes align with her vision of healthy, flavorful food. The expansion aims to bring high-quality food to more people, with plans for further growth in cities like Miami.

BagelFest West made its debut in Los Angeles, drawing more than 1,000 attendees for tastings, panels and competitions. Winners included Hey Bagel in Seattle, Wash.; Rise Bagels in Irvine, Calif.; Belle's Bagels in L.A.; and others. The event, presented by King Arthur Baking Company, highlighted the innovation and creativity of West Coast bagel makers.

Jonathan Krieger, co-founder of coffee concept Bluestone Lane, has launched Rosto, a fast-casual rotisserie chicken concept in Tenafly, N.J. The 800-square-foot restaurant features a wood-fired rotisserie and courts families seeking affordable, high-quality meals. Chef Nitzan Raz, known for his work at SushiSamba and Nobu Tribeca, oversees the culinary offerings, focusing on clean ingredients and distinctive flavors. 

Taco Bell has brought back the Triple Double Crunchwrap after an eight-year hiatus in response to customer demand. The Crunchwrap line celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, and various versions, like the Breakfast and Veggie Crunchwraps, underscore its lasting popularity. In recent years, the brand has also launched new Crunchwrap variants, such as the Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme in 2024 and the upcoming Crème Brulee Crunchwrap Slider.

Oat milk and almond milk are popular dairy-free alternatives, but they differ nutritionally, according to registered dietitians Natalie Rizzo and Frances Largeman-Roth. Oat milk contains more protein and fiber, with 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per 8-ounce serving, compared to almond milk's 1 gram of protein and no fiber. However, oat milk has more calories per serving. Both provide essential vitamins and minerals, but almond milk naturally provides vitamin E and magnesium, whereas some oat milks are fortified with B12.

A study led by Wageningen University & Research and published in Nature Food highlights the potential food safety risks of large-scale fertilizer recycling in agriculture. The study finds that while fertilizer use can reduce soil acidification and the need for mineral phosphorus fertilizers, it also leads to the accumulation of cadmium in soil, which rice crops then absorb. This poses a long-term risk to food safety, as cadmium levels in rice could exceed safety thresholds.

Foodservice operators are inundated with trends and ideas, but the real challenge is identifying which ones will succeed at scale, a task made harder as AI tools prioritize speed over accuracy and often rely on unstructured, open-web data, writes Raji Behniwal of Datassential. To make reliable decisions, teams must use AI built on structured, industry-specific data that reflects real menu activity, not just online buzz, ensuring insights are grounded in how the industry actually operates.