Marcum LLP released an inaugural survey of food and beverage industry executives, who revealed strong optimism in their outlook, with more than two-thirds projecting increased revenues in the coming year. Conducted by the firm’s national Food & Beverage Services group, the survey polled executives at food manufacturers, restaurant facilities, distributors, retailers and agriculture/aquaculture producers on almost a dozen topics. Among the survey’s key findings: 69% project revenue rising over the next 12 months; 64% have a positive/very positive outlook for the industry over the next year; 69% anticipate inflation, rising commodity and other costs among the industry’s greatest challenges; 72% place product/service expansion and innovation as their top business strategy; 35% place geographic expansion as their top business strategy; and 63% say the pandemic permanently changed the way they manage their supply chain.