Clean-label children snack brand Happy Wolf is leaning on brand ambassadors to spread awareness of its Whole Foods Market launch and where the product can be located, Jana Goodbaum, co-founder of Happy Wolf, shared in a recent Startup Spotlight interview....
As peanut butter brand One Trick Pony celebrates its second anniversary, co-founder Lucy Dana acknowledges how few startups reach this milestone and she reflects on lessons she learned to achieve this rare success, including the concept that “done is...
In its sixth year, the Real California Milk Excelerator powered by VentureFuel brought together a diverse cohort – or herd – of startups, students and processors that are “harnessing the nutritional benefits of real dairy” to improve digestion, boost...
Pistachio spread brand Pistakio landed key retail partnerships despite a last-minute formula change driven by logistical challenges — a feat made possible by the founders’ pistachio expertise and their commitment to filling a gap in the nut butter market.
Mood food for mental wellbeing – How can industry capitalize?
Many Americans are eating their feelings or turning to drink to manage their mood, but that isn’t necessarily bad as innovative manufacturers leverage nootropics, adaptogens and botanicals alongside packaging and branding to create products that proactively...
Mood food for mental wellbeing – How can industry capitalize?
A good night's sleep could be a functional product away, as consumers swap their alcoholic nightcap for a nonalcoholic option or their favorite comfort food to ease their mind after a long day, Scott Dicker, director of insights at SPINS told FoodNavigator-USA...
Knowing when to say ‘no’ to a retailer, distributor or broker can be just as powerful of a growth driver for emerging brands as saying yes, as illustrated by the initial success of the clean-label barbeque sauce startup Tamarind Heads.
The holiday season is here bringing a slew of food and beverage launches to help consumers celebrate with seasonal products featuring nostalgic fall and winter flavors that make entertaining easier and warm consumers as the weather cools.
Belly Brand Foods is delivering gut and skin health benefits with its collagen-infused and gluten-free bakery mixes, as the company gears up to spread brand awareness in 2025 with trade shows.
Today’s marketing strategies need flexible adjustments and a blend of channels to keep pace with rapid shifts in media consumption, unlike the fixed annual media plans of yesteryear.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances' new Consumer Science Sensory Center provides CPG companies with a space to develop innovative new flavors and products that resonate with consumers.
The dairy case is no longer a limited selection of fat-free, low-fat or whole milk in generic white bottles or a bare-bones choice between just “orange” or “white” cheese – rather an explosion of innovation in recent years has dramatically multiplied...
Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...
Tinned fish brand Fishwife launched in response to the lack of innovation and bold branding in the multi-billion-dollar canned fish category, with a strategic focus on culinary-inspired flavors and artistically-driven packaging, CEO and Co-Founder, Becca...
What do food and drink start-up businesses get wrong? It’s the big question facing many fledgling businesses. FoodNavigator speaks to nine industry experts to find out.
Long gone are the days when a deal was sealed with a handshake and verbal commitment, which is why the co-founder of veggie snack startup Theo’s advises entrepreneurs to be persistent – but not annoying – about securing commitments in writing before acting.
When a delayed flight could have ruined her day, Bumpin Blends' founder, Lisa Mastela, used the downtime to network with fellow travelers and, in doing so, connected with representatives from toymaker Mattel that ultimately landed the smoothie brand...
Biotech company, Novonesis, addresses core taste, texture and nutritional challenges in plant-based meat and dairy with its biosolution technologies, potentially reducing the ingredient label deck.
Beekeeper Coffee's co-founders leveraged their extensive brand-building expertise from giants like Nike and Beats by Dre to stand out in the crowded RTD coffee market with a distinct honey-sweetened brew, emphasizing authenticity and sustainability...
New pumpkin spice products continue to hit store shelves as other food and beverage product launches in September usher in the holiday season from Halloween to Rosh Hashanah to Christmas.
Consumers increasingly want more from their beverages – more benefits, more flavor and more fun, but they do not want more sugar nor do they want to compromise on taste, which creates a challenge for manufacturers to find the sweet spot between shoppers’...
Fast-growing pantry staples brand SIMPLi is reinvigorating sleepy center-store categories and unlocking additional distribution in thousands of regional and independent grocers nationwide after growing nearly 500% year-over-year at Whole Foods Market...
Building a net zero, water secure future in food & beverage
Increasing water scarcity is prompting stakeholders across the food industry to rethink and reup their stewardship practices, and in doing so they not only are reinforcing supply chains and the health of the planet, but market research suggest they could...
Coffee is not just for adults thanks to Kiid Coffee, a functional beverage mix designed to help children hit their daily recommended intake of iron, magnesium, calcium and other important nutrients, the brand's co-founder David Sanborn told FoodNavigator-USA...
Nature’s Fynd is expanding into the dairy-free yogurt category with its proprietary Fy Protein to deliver nutritious solutions that meet consumer demand for plant-based alternatives that deliver taste and texture without compromise.
NutraIngredients-USA is inviting early-stage active lifestyle brands to enter its "Start-up Stars" competition which will see three pioneering entrepreneurs gain industry notoriety at the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit 2025.
milkadamia’s flat-pack oat milk, a format made from a proprietary 2-D printing process that takes oat paste and prints it out in sheets, has potential to cut down on packaging waste and carbon emissions due to lighter shipping weights, according to milkadamia’s...
West African frozen meal and sauce brand Ayo Foods’ expanded from 200 retail doors to more than 20 retailers nationwide through a combination of cold calling and working with brokers to land shelf space.
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.
Long gone are the days when salt and pepper were sufficient seasonings for most Americans – now US consumers want bold flavors that will take their tastebuds on a global adventure, giving rise to a new class of frozen meals, sauces, spice blends and even...
Big advertising budgets are not a requirement for big sales or an indicator of how successful a marketing campaign will be as illustrated by a viral video on social media by functional beverage newcomer Yesly, which generated more than 16 million views...
The waning days of summer bring a colorful lineup of food and beverage launches featuring bold purples and blues, along with nostalgic flavors that welcome the promise of cooler weather and seasonal partnerships that celebrate traditional fall activities.
Children's snack brand Mission MightyMe is taking its first big step beyond ecommerce, launching in select Target stores, after raising $2.3 million earlier in the year to fuel growth and raise awareness on reducing peanut allergies by introducing...
FUL Foods is a social impact company focused on sustainable nutrition solutions using microalgae. Julia Streuli and her co-founders first met in business school and became interested in decarbonizing the food sector due to its significant impact on global...
Much like Gen X before them, Gen Z consumers have grown disillusioned with traditional marketing that over-promises and under-delivers, prompting energy drink brand OK Energy to take a more authentic—yet still playful—approach Evan Nied, CEO, OK Energy,...
Plant-based milks offer great potential to not only mimic the nutritional profile of dairy milk, but also distinguish itself through taste, texture, functionality and technologies like precision fermentation, Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovations and...
Passion, experience and market insights are essential to launching a business, but they are far from enough to ensure enduring success, according to long-time CPG industry expert and first-time entrepreneur Douglas Yu, who earlier this month launched...
Lever VC is zeroing in on innovative companies within the alternative protein space, backing those with strong technological potential and the ability to scale, Nick Cooney, founder and managing partner, Lever VC, told FoodNavigator-USA during Future...
For cultivate meat companies to hit ambitious goals of scaling production from a few kilograms a year currently to tons annually within the next three years, the industry must overcome manufacturing, regulatory and funding challenges by embracing AI,...
Kellanova is optimizing digital marketing through a test-and-learn approach, and leveraging AI capabilities to create assets more efficiently, Lauren Freedman Autry, senior director of integrated marketing and ecommerce at Kellanova, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Who says no to distribution at Whole Foods? Brightland shares its strategy behind its launch into the natural foods retailer after declining two previous offers, as the company seeks to differentiate itself from the olive oil category with a modern design...
Even though most Americans consume enough protein, they continue to want more and companies at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City are delivering with increasing innovation and sophistication across categories and occasions, including snacks,...
Creating a successful alternative protein company is not just about developing an innovative ingredient or product, but it also is about scalability — from building the right size facility in budget to hiring the right personnel and meeting regulatory...
Strategic partnerships with restaurateurs and CPG brands in adjacent categories helped Poi Dog transform from a food service business into a up and coming packaged food brand available on retail shelves, founder Kiki Aranita told FoodNavigator-USA in...
The buzz around weight-loss drugs has “turbo-charged” the food as medicine movement creating opportunities and challenges for which one expert warns the food industry is unprepared to address, resulting in far more “losers” than “winners” – but he added...
Mondelēz is investing in new omnichannel shopping capabilities and educating employees on digital shopping best practices, the snack giant’s Global Ecommerce Director Abhishek Ahluwalia said at the 2024 Digital Food and Beverage event in Palm Springs,...
Using proprietary technology that mimics the “miracle” inside an egg for a chick to develop, startup Hatchless says it can make real poultry meat from infertile eggs without applying chemicals, growth factors or genetically modified cells and without...
Some legislators worry general political discord and uncertainty about the presidential election could aggravate food insecurity in the US and threaten investments in food as medicine as well as other initiatives and pledges made at the historic White...
Given how little time entrepreneurs have during most pitches, intentionally ending the meeting a few minutes early may sound counterintuitive, but the founder of the bakery and packaged cookie company Sugar Bliss says this gives potential buyers or investors...
