CPG startups on 2024: Tierra Negra, RMBR, Mez Foods share high, low moments of the year
Startup CPG hosts emerging Chicago-based startups at annual holiday event
Brands & manufacturers
Which food and beverage predictions came true in 2024 - and which didn’t?
How accurate were predictions on food and beverage this year?
New Culture cuts casein use by 50% in animal-free mozzarella
New Culture reached a key milestone on its path to achieving price parity with traditional mozzarella
Startup Spotlight
BAKR Cookies collaborates with co-manufacturers to scale clean-label brand
Former Proctor & Gamble director Alexa Ryan is using her logistic and supply chain know-how to expand her clean-label frozen cookie dough brand, BAKR Cookies, beyond the Midwest in 2025.
Quaker Oats lawsuit sparks debate: Is ‘Simply Granola’ too simple?
Should food brands be held to higher standards of transparency in their marketing?
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
2025 sustainability trends: Food players ‘pump breaks’ on environmental goals
The Coca-Cola Co.’s recent decision to extend by five years its timeline to reach several voluntary environmental sustainability goals could portend a broader trend for food and beverage companies in 2025, according to one industry insider.
Can Nestlé’s new snack strategy rival the soaring demand for weight-loss drugs?
The maker of Kit Kat, Haagen-Dazs and Cheerios is once again addressing the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs with a protein shot designed to curb appetite. But can it hold its own in the booming market for targeted health-focused solutions?
Exclusive
Agilitas’ AI platform speeds up food, beverage R&D
Silicon Valley AI-based startup Agilitas is helping food and beverage makers speed up research and development (R&D) and release products faster.
2025 M&A trends in grocery retail: The impact of the blocked Kroger-Albertsons merger
The failed merger may bolster regional M&A in the grocery landscape.
SkinnyDipped CEO celebrates revenue, rebranding & distribution wins
Better-for-you confection brand SkinnyDipped capitalized on a rebrand, consumer demands and production innovation to double revenues in 2024, all while navigating a volatile cocoa market.
How brands can balance health, indulgence & convenience in the morning
Convenience wakes up the morning routine for consumers, with 90% of morning meals prepared in under 15 minutes, according to Circana.
Sojo Industries' mobile manufacturing tech cuts packaging, freight costs
Sojo Flight addresses manufacturing complexities for multi-packs with flexible, mobile lines.
Three new sustainability initiatives transforming the cocoa and sugar sectors
Are brands and organisations sweetening their climate conscious efforts to win over concerned consumers?
Unilever, Nestlé, EUDR, UPF and commodity hikes. FoodNavigator reviews 2024
Food and beverage was not short of drama or two in 2024, with some of the biggest stories gripping the sector almost from day one.
Startup Spotlight
Eat Senza builds its pasta brand one dollar at a time
The pasta makers’ crowdfunding approach to organic growth.
National Advertising Division Case Reivew
Fruit snack advertising wars: When must manufacturers verify third-party reviews?
The advertising war continues between Welch’s Fruit Snacks’ maker Promotion In Motion (PIM Brands) and Mott’s Fruit Flavored Snacks’ maker General Mills with the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division weighing in on the second dispute...
Founders’ Fundamentals Podcast
Startup CPG, Emil Capital Partners, SPINS share tips for success in 2025
To break out in 2025, CPG founders must conserve capital, strategically plan promotions and offer value and premiumization, according to experts during an episode of the Founders' Fundamentals podcast.
Breakfast matters: How Silk is smashing plant-based stereotypes and winning over kids
Toasted Coconut Pancakes, Golden Milk Overnight Oats, Strawberry Banana Bread, Protein Smoothie Bowl – does it get any better to start the day?
Opinion
Mondelēz’s Hershey interest is a defensive move against Mars Kellanova
Mondelēz International’s rumoured bid for The Hershey Company would create a big business, but would it be big enough to counter the potential threat of a dominating Mars Kellanova?
Mondelēz explores Hershey acquisition
The Oreo and Ritz brand owner is reportedly eyeing a gamechanging acquisition of The Hershey Company
Food-Tech In Focus
Vertical farm Oishii expands into Harris Teeter stores, plans to unveil Tokyo R&D hub
Oishii’s retail expansion into Harris Teeter locations across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia this fall, along with the planned 2025 opening of its R&D center in Tokyo, Japan, highlights the company’s dynamic growth and its role in increasing...
Can beverages be made less sweet?
The easiest way to reduce sugar in beverages is simply to put less in. But how far can you go before consumers no longer accept the taste?
Lifeway turns down second Danone bid
The kefir manufacturer feels its strong financial metrics warrant a higher offer if it is to sell up
Will PepsiCo’s acquisition of Sabra, Obela kickstart its slumping North American snack business?
PepsiCo continues its buying spree with the acquisition of hummus brands Sabra and Obela from Israeli food manufacturer Strauss Group, further bolstering its better-for-you portfolio as its traditional snack business continues to face headwinds.
The Yoghurt Shop eyes North America for global expansion after Saudi launch
Australian premium yoghurt brand The Yoghurt Shop will soon enter North America as the next step of its global expansion, on the back of encouraging responses for its recent Middle East debut.
FoodNavigator-USA’s glow up: Our new look gives you more of what you love
Our site has moved to a new platform to improve your reading experience. Here is what is new.
Startup Spotlight
Happy Wolf’s Whole Foods expansion is a ‘make or break’ moment for kid’s snack brand
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.
Apothékary secures additional funding, bridges beverage, beauty categories
Apothékary continues its expansion in the wellness space, securing additional funding for its Series A round from global Japanese beauty brand Shiseido and launching on Ulta.com as the retailer’s first alcohol alternative product.
Ben & Jerry's, Unilever in fresh legal clash
The ice cream maker and its parent are back in the courtroom over censorship allegations.
Founders’ Fundamentals podcast shares strategies for enduring CPG brands
Building a successful food and beverage CPG business often requires the right mix of ingenuity – knowing where the market is heading before it is there – and carefully expanding retail distribution while keeping an eye on margins, velocities and cash...
One Trick Pony bucks CPG industry’s high failure rate to celebrate second birthday
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...
Fresh from the freezer: Dorot Gardens’ rebrand highlights fresh taste of frozen herbs
Dorot Gardens’ rebrand emphasizes the fresh taste of its flash-frozen, pre-portioned garlic and herbs, positioning the brand as a convenient and healthy option with a two-year shelf life — a differentiator for its retail partners.
A force for good: The successful beverage brands driving positive change in the world
How can beverage brands embrace a solid, focused mission to be a driving force for good – yet balance that with being a commercially successful business with long-term potential?
How to choose a name for a new beverage brand
For some, it's the most difficult part of beverage NPD...
Nestlé to spin off water brands into a standalone business
Nestlé's water brands will be separated into a standalone business as of January 1, 2025, the company announced this morning.
ADM reveals 2025 strategy – healthy indulgence takes centre stage
Ingredients giant ADM has revealed the NPD and consumer trends driving its business forwards, including healthy indulgence.
Top food tech trends for 2025 revealed
Innovation in the food space has seen a boom in recent years. But this is just the beginning.
Kroger partners with bitewell to ‘opt up’ its nutrition program
Kroger’s OptUP nutrition program in collaboration with food data technology company bitewell will use bitewell’s Food Health Score algorithm to help consumers make healthier choices and strengthen shopper loyalty.
Silk Kids’ patented oat milk blend targets children's’ nutritional needs
Silk Kids’ oat milk blend is formulated with kids’ nutrition in mind featuring a proprietary vitamin and mineral blend that differentiates the brand within the booming plant-based milk category, according to Kallie Goodwin, SVP plant based beverages at...
Dairy innovation trends: From weight management to protein
We narrow down the most important market and consumer trends that could influence dairy product innovation in 2025.
Startup Spotlight
Pistakio secures retail deals with last-minute recipe pivot
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.
New Product Development from Toblerone to Hotel Chocolat
Staying up to date with the newest confectionery products, trends and flavour combinations on the market is key to keeping on top of the fast-paced and competitive sweet sector.
Tyson’s turnaround: ‘We have a fundamentally different and better chicken business’
Tyson Foods’ chicken business is booming once again and investors are flocking back to the company, which has spent years reenvisioning its poultry business to focus more on fundamentals, value-added products and “operational improvements.”
Founders' Fundamentals Podcast
Karen Anderson on identifying, capitalizing on whitespace innovation
Delivering on whitespace innovation can propel a CPG food and beverage startup into mainstream success, and filling a gap in the market might be simpler than some startups think, explained Karen Anderson, CEO of Purple Peak Marketing, during a recent...
Gopuff integrates SNAP, expands private label & fresh food offerings
Gopuff’s Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) integration for its e-grocery platform will also include its recently introduced Basically Premium private label line, reaching millions of eligible households.
Innovation watch: Natural clean energy drinks
Health conscious consumers don’t want sugar-laden, taurine energy drinks: but they still want a burst of energy to keep them powering through their day. How are brands providing that better-for-you buzz?
Yo Mama’s sauce leverages Amazon growth, secures Albertsons’ retail partnership
When going up against legacy players that dominate the shelf, new brands can justify shelf space by highlighting the unmet consumer demand they fill, as illustrated by low-sodium, high-flavor pasta sauce startup Yo Mama's.
Beyond Meat grows in Q3 despite demand dip
Beyond Meat’s strategic decision to reposition its products as premium and rely less on discounts helped the company return its revenue to growth for the first time since 2022, but it cost the company volume, which continued to slide.
Startup Spotlight
An unexpected strategy for startups to land retail shelf space: Saying ‘no’
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.
Hummus for children? Little Sesame addresses lemon supply chain issues to dip into new segment
Little Sesame navigated supply-chain issues — including climate change-related sourcing challenges — to expand its core lineup of products with a child’s version of its hummus, as the brand uses recent government and venture funding to fuel growth in 2025.