From new sources of plant-based protein (pongamia, bambara) to novel biomaterials extending the shelf life of foods (Cambridge Crops), the Winter Fancy Food Show – organized by the Specialty Food Association - showcased a wide range of innovations, although those expecting a raft of hemp/CBD launches may have to wait until Expo West...
Tapping into demand for more sustainable protein sources, TerViva has developed high-yielding cultivars of the ultra-hardy pongamia tree, which produces seed pods rich in protein and high oleic oil that have interesting applications in the food industry, say its founders. Watch our video later this week for full details!
Believe in Bambara - a start-up working with smallholder farmers in Ghana - is hoping to draw attention to bambara, a "nutritious, underutilized, and climate-smart legume" that can be used in stews, milled into flour, or explored as a source of plant-based protein, says founder Tamara Cohen.
The Abbot's Butcher is targeting the foodservice market with pea-protein based chorizo, chicken, and ground beef, boasting a shorter, cleaner label, no soy or gluten, and less sodium than rivals, claimed founder Kerry Song, who has just struck a deal with Chef's Warehouse to distribute her wares.
The Fancy Food Show - not the place you might expect to see a Bay area startup developing the world’s first animal-free egg white via a yeast bio-fermentation process - but there you go. Aside from the animal welfare benefits, Clara Foods can also adapt its process to engineer egg whites with the functional properties food manufacturers are looking for.
Cambridge Crops has developed an odorless, tasteless, invisible edible coating for produce, meat, seafood and ready to eat salads made from silk fibroin that makes it harder for oxygen to get in and moisture to get out, dramatically extending shelf-life.
The ultra-thin (c.30 microns) silk fibroin membranes effectively slow down the respiration rate of the produce, said CEO Adam Behrens.
Miyoko's Kitchen - which produces vegan cheese and butter from cultured cashew nuts and coconut oil - is exploring new plant-based ingredients including butter beans for its next line of products, launching at Expo West in March. Checkout our video with founder Miyoko Schinner later this week!
Monk fruit-sweetened Yoconut (MSRP $3.29) is seeking to carve a niche in the burgeoning plant-based yogurt category with a product with 8g fiber (from chicory root) and no added sugar, featuring coconut water as the first ingredient, followed by coconut milk. The brand - which is in around 80 stores in Northern California, is now expanding into Oregon and Washington.
Moving into the snacks category, one product that caught our eye was this protein and fiber packed baked broad bean snack from gourmet Asian snack firm HTY Foods featuring three simple ingredients: broad beans (also known as fava beans), soybean oil, and seasonings.
Mushrooms are increasingly making their way into a broad range of snacks and beverages, from jerky to bars.
LiveKuna (Kuna means ‘to give’ in Quechua, an indigenous language from the Andes), a vertically-integrated company working directly with Ecuadorian farmers to produce superfood-packed products was showcasing its new Kuna Pops! chia- and quinoa-packed superfood cereal in three skus: apple & cinnamon; banana; and chocolate. Watch our video next week!
Billed as a healthier alternative to fruit gummies and roll ups for kids' lunchboxes, Perfectly Free fruit bites from Incredible Foods - which have a ‘grape-like’ skin made from seaweed - are refrigerated fruit bites made from fruit and veggie purees.
Vegan Rob's is a snack food brand built by Rob Ehrlich, a former commodities trader with a passion for snacks who turned Pirate’s Booty into a multimillion dollar brand. His latest products include popcorn with collagen, spinach chips, and turmeric puffs.
The latest innovation from This Bar Saves Lives targets kids, and comes in three flavors: Rockin' straw-beary, S'mores Blast, and Chocolate Chip Dino-mite said CEO Paul Yoo: "Our new bars are 100 calories each, allergen-free, with fewer than 5 grams of sugar, and made with clean ingredients."
Launching in the Los Angeles area this month, Lumen hemp elixir is a HPP (high pressure processed) superfood shot featuring hemp juice and on-trend ingredients such as amla extract, ginger juice, ashwagandha, and turmeric. Find out more later this week in our video with founder and CEO Jacob Freepons.
Turveda sparkling turmeric tonics (MSRP $2.99-$3.49) feature meaningful amounts of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, which also takes center stage in its new line of superfood protein powders.
Deep Rose lemonade features water, lemon juice, sugar, rose extracts, stevia and monk fruit extracts, and green bean coffee extract. Each 10oz bottle contains 50 calories, while the pink hue comes from fruit and veg juice.
Billed as the lowest carb ice cream on the market, Keto boasts 3 net carbs per serving and is made with cream, whole milk, egg, erythritol, stevia extract, chicory root fiber and milk protein concentrate.
Acquired by Kenex Holdings in January 2017, Hawaii-based brand Bubbies claims its mochi ice cream bites have a creamier, denser texture than rival offerings owing to their higher butterfat content. The brand - which is opening a new plant in Phoenix in March - has grown dramatically since the acquisition, said CEO Rick Schaffer, who has just launched a dairy-free version made from coconut.
Grain-free cauliflower tortillas (in the red package) - the latest innovation from Caulipower - contain 7g protein and 3g fiber per serving and feature cauliflower as the #1 ingredient, followed by chickpea flour, cassava flour, pea protein, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, salt, yeast, guar gum and xanthan gum. (The green SKU also features cauliflower as the #1 ingredient, but includes Non GMO corn masa.)