Today in Food Commerce: Subscriptions Take Off; Kroger Opens Virtual Kitchen

Taco Bell

Today in food commerce, Taco Bell rolls out its subscription program nationwide, while Kroger opens its first location in partnership with Kitchen United. Plus, how restaurant brands are refreshing their digital operations for 2022.

Taco Bell Rolls Out ‘Taco Lover’s Pass’ Nationwide as Restaurant Subscriptions See Mixed Results

Increasingly, major restaurant brands are leveraging subscription commerce to draw in digital consumers and build loyalty. On Thursday (Jan. 6), leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Taco Bell announced that, after piloting the program in September in Tucson, Arizona, the brand is launching its “Taco Lover’s Pass” daily taco subscription nationwide.

Restaurant Brands Aim to Get Their Mojo in 2022 with New Digital Investments 

Aiming to get off on the right foot for 2022, major restaurant brands including Friendly’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Taco Bell and sweetgreen are stepping up their digital efforts.

How Data, B2B Payments and Logistics Keep Fresh Produce Out of the Trash 

While working in supply chain and then in the food industry, Christine Moseley, who is now founder and CEO at Full Harvest, saw waste, inefficiencies — and a lot of work being done offline. While the rest of the world was digitizing and streamlining, the food supply chains hadn’t.

Uber Eats Ending in Brazil March 7

Uber is ending its Uber Eats restaurant delivery service in Brazil March 7 to focus on store delivery service Uber Direct and deliveries by online groceries platform Cornershop, according to a Reuters report Thursday (Jan. 6) that cites sources close to the matter.

Restaurant Roundup: Kroger Moves into Restaurant Space; Papa John’s Goes All in on China

Kroger and Kitchen United open their first in-supermarket restaurant together; industry-wide employment rises but stays well below what it needs to be; and Papa John’s announces a major expansion in China.