Welcome to the first edition of Fish Insights! We’re excited to give you a little glimpse into the stories we’re talking about around our (sparkling) water cooler, via email, and in the Fishies group Skype.
Of course we talk about all the big stories (you know, like that one from Taco Bell), but the true Fish Insights are the stories that are big news, but don’t get big coverage. It’s the inside look into an industry that you’ll miss if you’re not looking closely enough. But don’t worry — we have you covered.
Starting today, Fish Insights will be featured in our monthly e-newsletter and on our blog, so keep an eye out for it! We hope it’ll become a trusted source of industry news for you.
In January, we’re starting off with some juicy insights from the industries we represent the most — restaurants, fitness, health, and wellness, home services, retail, and beauty. If there’s anything you want to see in a future edition, give us a shout! You can email me at adavidson@fish-consulting.com with any suggestions, comments, feedback, or just to say hey. (I love a good “What’s up?”)
So, *drumroll*, here’s our very first Fish Insights. Enjoy!
Restaurants
- Restaurant Business broke a two-part story about the “disaster” that is Burgerim and the franchisees that lost everything. ????
- Our favorite grocery store down here in South Florida (❤️Publix❤️) is piloting online meal ordering and delivery. Will it cut into restaurants’ sales?
- USA Today reported plant-based foods will continue to grow in 2020 and “mood-boosting” ingredients will help us all stay relaxed and happy.
Fitness, Health, & Wellness
- Strength training is officially the most popular workout in America, based on ClassPass’ analysis of 100 million workouts.
- Speaking of ClassPass, it’s the first unicorn of 2020 — and membership-based fitness concepts should be paying attention.
- The concept of “muscle confusion” has long been thought to build strength, but it may actually have a bigger impact on our minds and motivation, says The New York Times.
Home Services
- FINALLY, Apple, Google, and Amazon are working together to make this smart home stuff less confusing.
- A proposed bill Montgomery County, Maryland, would make air conditioning mandatory in rental units — but still allow tenants to opt out of having AC. (What?!)
- If your dog damages your home, insurance won’t cover it. And this woman has spent over $25,000 on home repairs thanks to her fur babies.
Retail
- Robots are cool and everything, but 64% of shoppers still prefer to engage with humans, according to Retail Dive.
- 2020 is looking to be another grim year for retail as J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Papyrus, Express, Pier 1 Imports, and more announced store closures.
- In exciting retail news, technology like contactless payments, mobile POS, and biometrics are expected to grow this year.
Beauty
- People are starting to talk about simpler, more sustainable beauty routines. The “clean beauty” trend is expected to generate nearly $25 billion by 2025.
- Hairstylists are predicting a shift to more natural looks this year. So it’s buh-bye to “super blondes” and over-processed hair and hello to natural highlights, embracing our grays, and low- or no-heat styling.
- Ulta shares took a hit in 2019 as consumers moved their money away from makeup and into skincare.
