“It breaks our heart when we don’t see delivery done right—like soggy fries,” declared a Domino’s commercial released in February. The spot said Domino’s wouldn’t be introducing fries to its delivery menu, instead introducing Loaded Tots with pizza toppings, which it claimed are still crispy when delivered.

The commercial highlighted a problem all too familiar to restaurants: The beloved french fry can go limp in delivery orders.

But companies are attacking the soggy-fry dilemma, both by developing crispier fries and packaging solutions that keep them that way. And in a world obsessed with french fries, when someone comes up with a solution that really takes hold, glory—and riches—could await.

Playing ketchup: For all the challenges involved, french-fry delivery has been booming:

• In 2022, french fries were part of 14.8% of deliveries by US restaurants, up from 6.8% in the year that ended in December 2019, according to Circana/Crest data provided by Lamb Weston.

Lamb Weston, the Idaho-based potato processor that supplies french fries to national and regional chains (but declined to name them), thinks a french fry line it developed has something to do with that bump.

In 2018, the brand introduced Crispy on Delivery, a fries line with a batter containing corn, potato, and other starches that enhance crispiness.

“We focused a tremendous amount of our R&D and market research around coming up with a better product that would hold up for at least 30 minutes in any kind of package, except one that’s completely sealed,” Kim Cupelli, vice president of marketing and innovation at Lamb Weston, told us.

The problem with a sealed box, Cupelli said, is that it can trap the steam and condensation inside.

“That is no good for a fry,” Cupelli said. “That is putting a fry into a sauna—and that means soggy fries.”

Keep reading here.—AAN

“Cosmetics brand Lush Cosmetics announced earlier this month that it would slash its ad spending with Big Tech companies, citing concerns around their ‘ethical credentials.’ During the brand’s SXSW activation, Lush Chief Digital Officer Jack Constantine explained why the company is cutting its spending with Big Tech companies, including Google, by a third,” writes Marketing Brew’s Jasmine Sheena:

The reduction in Google Ads spending is part of the company’s larger goal to cut its Big Tech spending, he said, due to concerns over how these platforms have become increasingly focused on advertising over the years.

A number of major businesses have, at least temporarily, pulled ad spend from major platforms in recent years. Several companies paused advertising on Facebook and Instagram in July 2020 as part of the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign led by a coalition of civil rights organizations including the Anti-Defamation League; many have since returned (some, including Patagonia, have not).

Read the whole story here on Marketing Brew.

Today’s top retail reads.

Changing the game: The Federal Trade Commission is working on new rules that will force companies known for their almost-impossible-to-cancel subscriptions to change their processes. (Vox)

A retail conundrum: E-commerce growth slowed in 2022 leading some brands into charging customers for returns, which helps them recover costs. But eliminating free returns also pushes away repeat customers. So what’s the solution? (Business of Fashion)

Command and control: While Costco controls the lion’s share of the warehouse club industry, rival Sam’s Club is investing in robotics and automation to get ahead of the competition. (CNBC)

Customers this: “Thanks! It warmed my heart that the creator reached out to me on video directly. No other company does that.”—real customer quote. Use Maverick: Record once and send AI-generated, personalized videos at scale.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

Our analysts predict retail media will be the next big wave of digital advertising, following in the footsteps of search and social. Download the report on one of this year’s biggest topics.

Three of the stories below are real...and one is most definitely not. Can you spot the fake?

1. Stanford has introduced a new course called “Laysology” that studies each Lays flavor and its link to eating patterns.
2. DiGiorno has created an all-onion “Cry Pie” to help basketball fans “mask” their heartbreak during the NCAA Tournament.
3. Starbucks is letting customers order drinks based on their zodiac sign.
4. Snoop Dogg is introducing his own coffee brand, inspired by his travels to Indonesia, and is calling it INDOxyz.

Keep reading for the answer.

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• This cannabis retailer has high hopes, but hurdles to clear
• Magnolia Bakery is entering grocery
• Supply-chain issues: Where are they now?