The coronavirus pandemic-related increase in omnichannel shopping will increase this year and beyond, particularly in the grocery space, said Jon Halvorson, vice president of consumer experience at Mondelez. "This pandemic is going to teach and engrain new behaviors," added Halvorson.

Americans have increased between-meal snack occasions over the past five years, with frozen desserts and salty snacks topping preferences of consumers who prioritized having snacks available during the pandemic, according to a study from The NPD Group. Including snack foods with meals grew from 21% in 2010 to 26% last year, the report found.

An update on discount grocer Save A Lot's turnaround efforts and Post's new snack line based on two cereal brands made this week's Top 10 list. Ben & Jerry's new dessert for dogs and Pepsi's Super Bowl advertising game plan also interested SmartBrief's food and beverage readers.

The 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo is now accepting reservations for booths! Taking place June 22-25 in Indianapolis, the show has already received hundreds of applications to fill its show floor. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of the largest candy and snack trade show in North America. Reserve your booth today using the show's online form or by calling 833-336-3206 ext. 2.

NCA welcomed five young confectionery industry professionals to the 2021 class of its Future Leadership Program, which is dedicated to helping young professionals across the confectionery industry access networking and professional development opportunities to grow their careers. Congratulations to Serena Bitzer of The Hershey Company; Nisha Desai of 1-800-Flowers.com; Mark Puch, Jr., of Primrose Candy Company; Sandi Santa Ana of Ferrara Candy Company; and Becky Silberfarb of Bazooka Candy Brands.

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay unit has recruited actor Ashton Kutcher to star in a teaser spot for its Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix Super Bowl ad. Kutcher appears shocked while rifling through evidence photos and discovering an empty Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix bag.

Unilever's Magnum ice cream brand has proven its commitment to a circular economy by using more than 352,000 pounds of recycled plastic in its tubs since August. Unilever partnered with chemical producer SABIC to develop the first food-grade packaging solution that incorporates recycled polypropylene content, said Sanjeev Das, Unilever's global packaging director of foods and refreshment.

The Fresh Market is launching a new curbside pickup program at all 159 of its stores in an initiative called the "Friendliest Curbside Experience in America." The effort features designated personal shoppers, orders verified with the store manager's signature, a satisfaction guarantee and some surprises, such as using a costumed Santa Claus to bring orders out to customers during the recent holiday season.

As e-commerce demand continues its explosive growth, it is vital for retailers to look closely at their digital capabilities and find the right methods for fulfilling online orders, says Jordan Berke, who helped Walmart build its e-commerce program in China. Berke outlines six approaches that can work based on the size of typical orders, including in-store picking to handle less than 50 orders a day and automated dark stores that can fill more than 1,000 orders each day.

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, SmartBrief will not publish Monday. Publication will resume Tuesday.

A summary in Thursday's issue of NCA SmartBrief should have stated that PepsiCo's 2040 target carbon neutrality goal is 10 years earlier than the Paris Agreement requirements. PepsiCo did not issue a carbon neutrality goal for 2050. SmartBrief regrets the error.