Citing further contraction in the economy, a continuing slowdown in consumer spending and accelerated job losses, foodservice consulting agency Technomic expects 2009 to be the worst year for foodservice since it began tracking performance in 1972.
The Chicago-based firm revised its 2009 U.S. foodservice nominal growth forecast downward to -2.2 percent.
Technomic acknowledged that lower commodity prices will help operators reduce the need to take price increases. However, even if the economy were to improve quickly in the second half of the year, real growth is expected to be negative.
In January of last year, Technomic revised its 2008 growth forecast from 5.1 percent to 3.6 percent. Then, in May, the company lowered its calculation again, from 3.6 percent to 2.2 percent.
