By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience
Born out of the pandemic when product availability was unpredictable or limited and when a premium was placed on immunity-boosting, consumers in 2023 increasingly are seeking positive nutrition – both for themselves but also for the planet and workers...
Dollar sales of foods and beverages in IRI-measured multi-outlet stores in the US rose 8.7% to $753bn in 2022 vs 2021, driven by double-digit inflation, while unit sales dropped -3.3%, although units are still above pre-pandemic levels, according to IRI...
Unilever is steadily gaining market share, boosting sales in fast-growing categories, lowering the cost of experimentation and improving its consumer engagement by doing more with less, CEO Alan Jope touted during the company’s investor day last month....
Despite concerns that high energy prices, supply chain and labor challenges, and geo-political strife will continue at least through the end of the year if not longer, many CPG executives remain optimistic about their companies’ performance, according...
Procurement intelligence and analytics provider Beroe predicts that corn prices will remain high due to supply chain disruptions and increasing production costs.
In an effort to streamline its portfolio, ingredient manufacturer Kerry has entered into exclusive negotiations to sell its sweet ingredients business to food ingredient company IRCA for €500m ($538m).
Taste may be considered king by most food and beverage makers, but at Unilever it no longer reigns supreme after the CPG giant adopted a new ‘holistically superior’ product testing framework and ‘boldly healthier’ food commitments for 2025 – a move that...
United Natural Foods Inc. plans to remain on the sidelines rather than enter a bidding war against existing clients if and when anti-trust concerns force Kroger and Albertsons to divest retail locations as part of their proposed $24.6bn merger expected...
Like most grocery categories, sales of snack and bakery products are up over the last year in line with inflation, but units are down slightly across omni channel and brick and mortar as consumers look to hold their grocery budgets in check in the face...
Within the $1.7 trillion spending bill signed by President Joe Biden late last week is a substantial increase in funding to boost food safety activities and “infrastructure investments” at FDA, including directions to “strongly consider” the Reagan-Udall...
While economists predict inflation will ease slightly in the coming quarters, this year could easily become a “groundhog day version of 2022” if the weather takes a turn for the worse and triggers a domino effect that strains transportation, commodity...
Even though consumers increasingly are looking for ways to lower their grocery bill as the economy continues to tighten, research from Glanbia Nutritionals suggests many are unwilling to cut corners when it comes to their health – potentially giving better-for-you...
After a scathing review published earlier this month by the Reagan-Udall Foundation criticized FDA for its scattered and inefficient approach to food safety and applied nutrition, the agency says it is committed to “building a world-class human foods...
The sale of snack brand Back To Nature to Barilla Group by B&G Foods for an undisclosed sum marks the next phase in B&G’s reorganization intended to clarify the company’s focus, pay-off debt as interest rates rise and lower its dividend to a more...
While the European Commission recently banned the use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in foods in the EU, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has just warned consumers to avoid it, the FDA tells us it has reviewed the scientific opinion...
The “three-headed monster” of rising inflation, product shortages and labor challenges continues to wreak havoc across the food industry with little sign of relief on the horizon – prompting many consumers to shift their shopping habits and forcing manufacturers...
Higher than expected increases in wholesale prices in November announced Friday – driven primarily by surging food prices – suggest CPG players may face tough choices in the months ahead as they try to offset extra costs either through additional price...
Danish enzyme and cultures suppliers Novozymes and Chr. Hansen plan to merge their businesses in a move they say will create a ‘leading global biosolutions partner’.
Frustrated by “stubborn” double-digit inflation driving up prices of shelf stable groceries, Walmart is rethinking its approach to stocking the center of the store – potentially asking existing suppliers to creatively cut costs or risk reducing their...
The German ingredients supplier is investing in UK-based Clean Food Group (CFG) – a start-up developing a bio-equivalent cultivated alternative to palm oil – via its investment arm, Doehler Ventures.
It's got a population of under nine million, but in the food innovation stakes, Israel punches way above its weight. FoodNavigator-USA headed to Tel Aviv for the Food Tech IL annual innovation event organized by The Strauss Group’s The Kitchen FoodTech...
Dragon fruit is making the shift from niche to mainstream, says flavors giant Firmenich, which has selected the fruit as its flavor of the year for 2023 after it exhibited “one of the fastest growth rates of any ingredient we’ve tracked in recent years.”
Uncharacteristically quick bipartisan action by Congress this week to pass a bill forcing an agreement between railroad workers and managers and avert a strike “spared this country a Christmas catastrophe in our grocery stores,” according to President...
From breeding carrots with greater color intensity to using filtration to increase dry matter content in fruit concentrates before deploying energy-intensive evaporation techniques, coloring foodstuffs specialist GNT is exploring a multi-pronged approach...
Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle promise to push forward this week legislation to divert a looming national freight rail strike that threatens significant job and financial losses and which could snarl still fragile supply chains, including...
The stressful one-two punch of pandemic lockdowns followed by runaway inflation has many consumers looking for comfort and escapism from their food and beverages, which industry leaders say is driving demand for new flavor combinations that are nostalgic,...
Utilized in everything from lipsticks and moisturizers to baked goods and confectionery, palm oil comes with environmental and societal costs – displacing tropical forests across Asia, Latin America and West Africa, and destroying the habitats of endangered...
As climate talks conclude in Sharm El Sheikh, for the first time ever a deal has been reached that will see agriculture integrated into the UN’s climate action body. The result of lengthy talks and a significant process of negotiation, does the so-called...
Is there such a thing as ‘climate positive’ food, and can we compare products at a glance and determine which is the more environmentally-friendly choice based on claims made on pack?
Consumers feeling pinched by rising inflation are shifting where they shop for food, what they buy and how many items they place in their carts – prompting retailers to rethink and often reduce their product mix, reveals IRI sales data crunched by 210...
Caught between providing value for its increasingly price sensitive shopper and generating healthy profit margins, Target is identifying new ways to optimize and simplify its business to drive positive long-term growth.
Despite “overwhelming evidence” demonstrating dietary health impacts, and growing consumer interest in nutrition as a wellness tool, widespread adoption of food as medicine in the West faces significant structural challenges that will require stakeholders...
Tate & Lyle has expanded its sweeteners toolbox with ERYTESSE erythritol, which provides 70% of the sweetness of sucrose, a similar temporal profile, and zero calories.
As temperatures drop across the country and consumers allocate a larger portion of their budget to heating and fuel, experts predict spending will cool across other categories, including food, which has been relatively resilient despite double-digit inflation.
As Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in a week, many are worried they won’t be able to afford a traditional meal – prompting some to look for alternatives, including plant-based options, and triggering massive promotions by retailers eager for...
Between Americans’ hectic on-the-go lifestyles pre-COVID, the pandemic prompting everyone to hit pause followed by hybrid work schedules, inflation rates at 40-year highs, and increased expectations that food not only nourish the body but also the soul,...
While still rising, grocery prices appear to be cooling while those at restaurants are stabilizing – reinforcing industry leaders’ optimism that input costs are cresting and the macro environment is beginning to stabilize.
Shoppers at Sprouts Farmers Market may be putting fewer items in their cart per visit to manage their budgets as inflation drives up prices but what they are buying tends to be higher margin grab-and-go items illustrating the need for convenience as on-the-go...
William Reed – the publisher of award-winning B2B brands including FoodNavigator and NutraIngredients - has acquired a majority stake in agri-food summit organizer Rethink Events.
Ingredient Communications’ 2022 price sensitivity survey reveals the severity that consumers are going to cope with the rising costs of living, with the majority switching to cheaper brands and retailer’s own labels, or even stopping the purchase of their...
Kellogg’s plant-based business “remains in good condition with excellent prospects” despite plummeting sales and ongoing supply chain struggles that represent the only “softness” in the company’s otherwise strong third-quarter earnings report released...
While consumers are tightening their purse strings and cutting down on many discretionary purchases, snacking is one area many are not, according to Mondelēz International, which continues to see consumers opt for name brands over private label and value-priced...
Contrary to the growing chorus of critics pigeonholing ultra-processed packaged food as innately unhealthy for people and the planet, a group of food system and nutrition experts gathered by Clif Bar & Co. argue some could play a “crucial” role in...
By 2025, Nestlé expects to be a few percentage points off its goal of achieving 100% packaging designed for recycling. Jodie Roussell, Public Affairs Lead, Packaging & Sustainability, explains what’s gone right, and where its focus now lies.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential election win in Brazil will make it easier for food and beverage companies to comply with their zero-deforestation commitments, it has been claimed.
While the industry waits to see if the $24.6bn mega merger of Kroger and Albertsons will hold up against scrutiny from regulators, brands and suppliers are also standing by to see what the consolidation of the second-largest and fourth-largest US supermarket...
Sustainability has rapidly evolved from a check box exercise for many food companies to something that impacts decision making throughout the supply chain. But how are firms measuring sustainability, how reliable is industry data in this respect, and...
