Abbie Westra

Whether you’re making them to order, selling them from a grab-and-go cooler, using a commissary or leaning on suppliers for product development, salads are polarizing, pricy and extremely perishable. Carefully consider flavor trends, food costs, customer demographics and execution to ensure a fresh, safe and appetizing offering.

Industry experts share 20 opportunities for innovation—chances for manufacturers and retailers to meet new demands and maybe even surprise the consumer.

The spark of innovation is a sneaky thing. It rarely comes to you when you’re looking for it—or if it does, it happens in a roundabout way.

It’s noon, and I’ve already eaten two bars today. I grabbed a Luna fiber bar from an airport kiosk on the way to a 6 a.m. plane, and I swiped a Nature Valley protein bar from the CSP kitchen an hour before lunch. I have a few other bars packed in my suitcase from my pantry at home—a gluten-free bar from my husband’s stash, and a dark-chocolate-something-or-other that was floating around on the shelves for a late-day indulgence.