By Alan J. Liddle and Ron Ruggless, Nation's Restaurant News.  

CHICAGO (May 25, 2010) Technomic Inc. has revised upward its forecast for U.S. foodservice industry sales this year, citing such factors as increased consumer spending and job creation.

The Chicago-based research firm said this week that it now expects foodservice sales in 2010 to grow 0.6 percent on a nominal basis, which assumes an inflation rate of 1.5 percent. Technomic had earlier projected industry sales to fall 1.6 percent.


In 2009, the industry’s sales contracted 3.5 percent in nominal terms, with an assumed inflation rate
of 2.5 percent, according to Technomic.


Joe Pawlak, vice president for Technomic, said in an interview Tuesday that the revised outlook was based on several factors, including improved spending among consumers with incomes of $100,000 or more a year.

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