Food Allergy Research & Education announced on June 1 that it will lead a session addressing the rise of the food allergy consumer at the Culinary Institute of America’s Menus of Change Leadership Summit in Hyde Park, New York. The featured session, titled “Hospitality 2035: The Rise of the Food Allergy Consumer,” is scheduled for June 3 and will focus on how food allergies are influencing hospitality industry practices and guest expectations.
The Menus of Change Leadership Summit brings together leaders from industry and public policy to discuss future trends in dining and consumer behavior. FARE’s session will examine how food allergies have become an operational and business priority for restaurants, hotels, venues, institutional dining, and foodservice brands across the country. According to FARE, more than 33 million people in the United States live with a food allergy, with over 85 million affected through caregiving relationships.
Sung Poblete, chief executive officer of FARE, said, “Because of the sheer number of people impacted, food allergy is affecting business outcomes whether it’s recognized or not. Walk into any restaurant, hotel lobby, airport, or event, and 1 in 10 people will have at least one food allergy. Forward-looking organizations will find ways to reach out to this consumer group, curate experiences that keep them safer, earn their loyalty, and capture the opportunity this large and growing consumer segment represents. In turn, greater focus on the food allergy consumer creates safer, more welcoming experiences for those with food allergy—the definition of a win-win for this community and those who serve us.”
Craig Fontenot—FARE chief of mission integration—will lead the session alongside hospitality leaders including Andrew Mayne from Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises and Jennifer Roberts from Compass Group North America. The discussion aims to address topics such as menu design changes driven by ingredient transparency requirements as well as staff training improvements related to digital ordering systems and guest loyalty strategies.
Fontenot said, “Hospitality is fundamentally about trust, care, and creating experiences where people are welcome and safe. The food allergy consumer is accelerating an important evolution across hospitality where transparency, communication—and operational considerations—influence guest decisions and brand loyalty. The organizations leaning into this today are determining what hospitality will look like in 2035.”
FARE also plans to highlight its ongoing work through the FARE PACT Alliance—a collaboration among stakeholders in hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and packaged goods sectors aimed at improving communication, ingredient transparency, and trust among consumers managing food allergies.
