Mexico is eager to follow America’s growing demand for more protein, probiotics and fiber, but lower income levels could hold back consumers and create challenges for manufacturers, according to one industry insider.
Plant-based proteins are creeping into a dizzying array of foods and beverages, from dairy-free ‘milks,’ ‘cheeses’ and ‘yogurts’ to protein bars, chips, powders and meat analogs. But what are they like to work with? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with experts...
Albertsons’ deal to acquire meal kit company plated was a smart move for both parties, and will likely be the first of many strategic partnerships in the food ecommerce space as “brands are seeking out their dance partner before the music stops"...
Plant-based meats account for less than a quarter of 1% of meat sales in the US, while plant-based milks have gobbled up almost 10% of the fluid milk market, says the Good Food Institute (GFI). But why is this? Are they simply not cutting it, or is it...
Elmhurst Milked is hoping to make a splash in the burgeoning plant-based dairy arena with ‘milked peanut’ beverages that offer more protein, less sugar, a creamier mouthfeel and a noticeably shorter, cleaner, label than other nut milks, with products...
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, spanning everything from chocolate peanut butter Cheerios to ‘milked peanuts’ and pea- and cashew-fueled protein fueled beverages, to meat snacks, ‘fig salami,' HPP...
Meat-free brand Quorn – which has a big presence in the UK chilled food market, but has historically focused on the frozen segment in the US – has developed a new line of meat- and soy-free refrigerated sausages and chicken strips that will roll out across...
What began as a hobby for a 15-year-old girl, now is blooming into a bustling family business as Abby’s Better Nut Butter rapidly gains sales and distribution thanks in part to its clean labels, better-for-you angle and unique flavor combinations that...
Consumers are notoriously fickle, but their ongoing demand for beverages that are healthy and natural is paving the way for several sustained sub-trends that not only show immediate growth potential but also long-term payout, according to Google trends...
Plant-based Greek-style yogurts from Ripple Foods – slated to hit the market by the end of this year – will have a higher protein content (12g/serving) and superior texture to brands currently on shelf, which have improved, but can still look “gelatinous”...
When it comes to meeting consumers’ growing demand for protein, animal-based products continue to reign supreme in the US and Canada for now – but plant-based options are gaining traction and hold significant sales potential, according to the market research...
Natural ingredients giant Naturex has struck a global distribution deal with MycoTechnology, the fungi-fueled start-up behind Pure Taste fermented shiitake vegetable protein: a high-profile new entrant to the ‘alternative’ protein market.
A new coalition of US and Canadian produce companies hopes to protect the North American Free Trade Agreement from potentially “traumatic” revisions based on “protectionism and a very narrow view of trade,” according to one co-founder.
FDA is pushing back the compliance dates for most agricultural water testing standards outlined in the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule to “simplify our approach to make compliance less burdensome and less costly, while still being...
US retail sales of plant-based foods and beverages rose 8.1% to $3.1bn in the 52 weeks to August 12, according to Nielsen data compiled for the Plant Based Foods Association and The Good Food Institute.
Whether it is trying to raise money, build brand awareness or convince a buyer to stock your product on store shelves, knowing how to successfully pitch your company, and yourself, to potential business partners and consumers is essential.
Does selling up mean selling out? Quite the opposite, says the co-founder of plant-based brand Sweet Earth, who says teaming up with the world’s biggest food company is one of the most effective ways of accelerating the kind of change many activists want...
Nestlé has gained an “immediate entry” into the plant-based foods category via the acquisition of fast-growing California-based brand Sweet Earth for an undisclosed sum.
Much of the focus for growth of plant-based proteins in the US to date has been on alternatives to meat and cow’s milk, but new research from Euromonitor International suggests significant potential lies in the frozen desserts and emerging protein snacks...
Recognizing most Americas have a love-hate relationship with vegetables, Garden Lites is introducing a series of new products that either celebrate or hide vegetables to help ensure all consumers can hit their recommended five a day.
US beverage startup, Canvas, has developed a way to convert unused grain leftover from the beer brewing process into a line of sustainable plant-based beverages.
The shelf-stable plant-based protein market is ripe for disruption, says Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF), which is hoping to bring incremental growth to the segment with a category-first: fully prepared vegetarian and vegan microwaveable meals in “healthy,...
Plant-based formulations for bars, beverages, and powders made up about 60% of all orders to California-based manufacturer Nellson in 2016, compared to just 25% last year, and a negligible amount in 2014, the company’s SVP of commercial development Bart...
Rising sales and household penetration of organic is a double-edged sword for the industry in the US as more Americans have started looking for lower prices, bulk packaging and easier access through direct to consumer channels, according to purchasing...
In the early days, the news about Hampton Creek was almost universally positive. A man on a mission to disrupt the food system, founder Josh Tetrick emerged victorious from spats with Unilever and the FDA, raised bucketloads of cash from Silicon Valley’s...
After efforts earlier this year to use a stick to discourage SNAP beneficiaries from buying unhealthy products was met with resistance and doubt, the government is trying another approach – a carrot in the form of $16.8 million in grants to boost purchases...
Hope Foods has raised $7.4m by selling the 59,000sq ft industrial building in the Colorado Technology Center in Louisville, Colorado, where it manufactures its organic hummus and dips, to California-based Adler Realty Investments – and has struck a long-term...
A minority equity investment from Encore Consumer Capital could help fast-growing Veggie Noodle Co. spring to new levels by funding the startup's expansion into a larger facility in East Austin that will allow it to produce more than five times its...
Consumers seeking more functional benefit from their foods and beverages are increasingly turning to the color purple, but according to recent research from Welch Foods, Inc. only 18% of Americans can name more than three types of purple produce – a gap...
After years of knocking on the doors of top tier retailers and hearing no, baby and toddler food company NuturMe is finally hearing yes from major players including Target, Kroger and Costco – a change the company’s CEO attributes to the brand’s new “Tummy...
With its “chameleon-like” versatility, nutrient-density and strong structural integrity, the ancient grain freekeh is a triple threat to many modern day eating woes that plague time-crunched consumers seeking something healthy and fast, according to the...
Mung bean protein has potential applications in everything from egg substitutes to pasta and ice cream, says Hampton Creek, which has just received a 'no questions' letter from the FDA responding to its determination that its proprietary mung...
Despite Aramark’s ambitious five-year plan to improve the health of Americans 20% by 2020, the public health non-profit Balanced wants the food service giant to do more to improve the nutrition of the meals it serves more quickly.
Consumers who begrudgingly endure the medicinal taste and multisyllabic, chemical-sounding ingredients in some energy drinks in exchange for the boost the beverages provide no longer need to make that trade off thanks to the launch of Zola’s purely plant-based...
New parents who remember enjoying classic fruit snacks growing up but who struggle to justify giving them to their children in the current era of clean eating and better-for-you foods now have a new option from Veggie Go’s that the company says they can...
Much of the punditry immediately following the Amazon/Whole Foods announcement focused on how the tie up might impact Whole Foods stores. Will they become test beds for Amazon Go-style technology and fulfilment centers for Amazon's broader grocery...
Looks may not be everything, but they matter a lot – especially in the produce section, which can be a pivotal driver for foot traffic and subsequent sales throughout the entire store, according to new research from the Food Marketing Institute.
Impossible Foods – a Bay-area-based start-up on a mission to precisely replicate the taste and texture of meat – has closed a $75m financing round,* bringing its total investment to date to a jaw-dropping $257m, a reflection of the belief investors have...
The FDA – which has continued to maintain radio silence over plant-based ‘milk’ labeling despite mounting frustration from stakeholders – should clarify its position in the face of increasing commercial, legal and political pressure, says the Good Food...
Daiya Foods has carved out an enviable slice of the fast-growing plant-based foods market since its 2008 launch, but did not attract the valuation it was looking for when it first explored a sale in 2014/15. Fast forward to 2017, however, and its value...
With the acquisition of three competitors, healthy snack subscription box company UrthBox hopes to better shine a light on organic and natural brands that otherwise may be caught in the shadow of more broadly recognized but less nutritious conventional...
FDA’s decision to greenlight a qualified health claim connecting macadamia nuts to the reduced risk of heart disease despite the ingredient’s saturated fat content suggests the agency may give manufacturers a little slack to make health claims as long...
For many Americans grilling is more than a means to put dinner on the table – it is a way to celebrate special occasions and everyday joys with friends, family and neighbors – creating an extended marketing opportunity for brands and retailers alike,...
As the summer days heat up, so is the market for frozen desserts, including dairy- and nut-free options, high-protein ice creams, ice cream sandwiches, ice pops and indulgent flavors specially designed for adults – all of which showcased at the Summer...
Household penetration of protein bars has continued to increase as more retailers have moved them from the OTC/supplement aisles to the main snack bar fixtures, prompting shoppers to ‘trade up’ from sugary cereal bars to higher protein, lower sugar nutrition...
Nutrition-packed, environmentally sustainable and already notoriously well-known – although partly for the wrong reasons – hemp is well positioned to become one of the next big superfood superstars in the US.
Despite recent innovations and strong sales in the plant-based milk category, many products are low in desirable nutrients and high in unwanted “superfluous ingredients,” such as gums and starches, which leave the category vulnerable to an exodus but...
In the third and final part of our trendwatching tour of the IFT 2017 expo floor, we discovered how the growth in plant-based foods and high protein beverages is creating new opportunities for ingredients suppliers, and caught up with a couple of key...
Competition in the roasted chickpea snack segment is heating up as more players enter the field, including newcomer Lebby Snacks, which stands apart from the others by offering a soft and chewy – but still roasted – version of the legume rather than the...
A whopping 65% of a representative sample of Brazilian consumers, representing the world’s fifth most populous country, said they wanted to have less sugar in their diets.
