Revive Kombucha is taking a direct shot at the center aisle carbonated soft drink (CSD) consumer with a shelf-stable sparkling kombucha in 12-ounce cans that contains less sugar (5g) and lower calories (20 calories) than its raw refrigerated kombucha....
Are we approaching ‘peak plant milk’? Will ‘designer proteins’ created via synthetic biology catch on? And should dairy milk serve as the nutritional benchmark for plant-based ‘milk’? Elaine Watson caught up with Ripple Foods cofounder Adam Lowry at the...
While US household penetration of hummus has soared over the past decade, there is still a significant opportunity to increase consumption through new usage occasions, says Jason Levine, who has joined the nation’s leading hummus brand Sabra as chief...
Beverage startup mogul Lance Collins is making his first shift into food after snapping up small snack firm Core Foods for a namesake to continue the 'legacy' of his recently sold water brand, and says he's on a mission to create a $100m...
Mondelēz International is already a powerhouse in snacking (parent company to Ritz, Wheat Thins, Triscuit, and allergen-friendly brand, Enjoy Life Foods). In November 2018, however, the company decided to pour more efforts into its snack business strategy...
“Disheartened” but “not surprised” that so little venture capital currently is invested in startups led by women and minority entrepreneurs, Chobani Incubator’s new program director Zoe Feldman says she wants to more intentionally support founders from...
Since launching exclusively at the Whole Foods Market Pearl Street store in Boulder, Colorado, in late 2017, Beyond Meat's Beyond Sausage has expanded its distribution to over 4,000 grocery stores, restaurants, and sports stadiums across the US....
While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, says German startup Harvest Moon, its founder was not amused when he saw the packaging of Chobani’s new coconut-based non dairy range, which he claims is the “spitting image” of his coconut dairy...
Chosen Foods -- which was acquired by Mexico-based specialty oils and ingredients producer Sesajal S.A de C.V. in 2017 -- processed over 300 million avocados last year used mainly for avocado oil sold across 40,000 stores in the US.
CBD far and away stole the show as the hot new ingredient at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week, but it wasn’t the only notable trend with promising market potential or significant recent development.
Emerging brands in the plant-based frozen food space are plentiful, but not many have proven their value in international markets as Strong Roots has in the UK and its home base of Ireland.
Growpacker Inc., a contract manufacturer of THC- and CBD-infused edibles and beverages based in Canada with a presence in the US market, has launched a brand incubator and accelerator program designed to fast-track CBD and THC brands sold in California.
'People want to reflect their values in everything they do'
While the ‘buy one give one’ business model underpinning This Saves Lives presents obvious (margin-crushing) challenges for start-ups, its ‘go big or go home’ approach to conscious consumerism has been instrumental to its success, says co-founder Ryan...
Clio Snacks, which makes chilled Greek yogurt bars dipped in chocolate, sees itself as supplementing a declining Greek yogurt category by expanding usage occasions and answering the consumer call for a permissibly indulgent snack.
Frustrated that 8 million metric tons of plastic go into the ocean every year, the founder of the sustainable seafood company LoveTheWild is ditching the plastic in her packaging and downsizing her carton as part of a relaunch of her meal kits and to...
Following the lead of many other established food & beverage players, Mars, Incorporated is launching a new accelerator to help early stage food-focused companies fast-track growth in exchange for access to the energy and ground-level market insights...
Over half (61%) of Americans following an exclusion diet (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, keto) believe that following a restrictive diet means having to pay more for food and nearly half (47%) say that it takes a toll on their social life, according...
Outer Aisle is doubling down on its grain-free, low-carbohydrate mission with redesigned packaging and three new 'bread-like' cauliflower products, all while ramping up for a national and global launch with Whole Foods.
As Tillamook County Creamery Association marks its 110th anniversary, the farmer-owned cooperative is growing faster than ever with new products, a fresh look and rapidly expanding distribution.
In recent years the idea of doing well by doing good has grown beyond a few niche brands with pet projects to become a must-have for startups and established companies alike as consumers increasingly shop based on their values.
The battle of the snack bar brands continues as 100% organic snack bar brand LivBar throws down a gauntlet of its own, challenging all bar manufacturers to move to 100% compostable wrappers.
We clocked a number of brands using terms from 'clean candy' to 'clean protein' on the showfloor at Expo West, but what does 'clean eating' mean, is 'clean' a term that brands should use on product labels, and where...
Consumers are making fewer unplanned, impulse snack purchases than they did five years ago, according to Euromonitor International's "Meeting the Needs of the New Age Snacker" webinar held last week.
While snacking has become more acceptable, many consumers still bring some baggage to the trend – usually in the form of guilt – but a new ad campaign for Whisps cheese crisps wants to relieve shoppers of this burden.
Checkout who is moving onwards and upwards in FoodNavigator-USA's latest new hires gallery, featuring PepsiCo, Tyson, Nestle Waters North America, The Jackfruit Co, KIND Snacks, ROAR Organic, PureCircle, Icelandic Provisions, Litehouse, BrightFarms,...
'What we're wrestling with is whether CBD is an ingredient play, or something huge brands can be built around'
The fact that CBD is not a legal ingredient in foods and supplements - at least not yet - did not deter scores of exhibitors at Expo West, who added it to everything from soda to protein bars (absent any claims), with some opting for isolates, but most...
Mondelēz International has taken a minority investment in Uplift Food, a startup focusing on prebiotic functional foods, marking the first investment of Snack Futures, the snacking giant's independent innovation and venture hub.
The USDA and the FDA have provided more clarity on who will be responsible for what when it comes to regulating cell-cultured meat, but have not – yet – offered their thoughts on appropriate terminology with which to describe it on food labels.
When it comes to improving sustainability, most of the focus is placed on reducing packaging, especially if it is plastic, but according to the co-founder of snack brand Prana, companies could see a greater impact if they focused first on their agricultural...
With newcomers launching practically every day in the food and beverage industry, the pressure is on for legacy brands to up their innovation game – and according to industry giant Unilever the best way to do this is to start with modern consumers’ core...
The frequency with which food and beverage startups in the US secure multi-million dollar investments in early fundraising rounds might lead some entrepreneurs to believe earning capital is easy – but the founder of the moringa company Kuli Kuli says...
Brooklyn-born Square Roots, an urban indoor vertical farming startup, is taking its ultra-scalable, modular model to new markets through an exclusive partnership with Gordon Food Service (GFS).
JUST Egg - a plant-based scrambled egg alternative from Just Inc made with mung bean protein – is rolling out nationwide at Sprouts this month and Whole Foods Market next month, says CEO Josh Tetrick, who claims the product is “largely incremental to...
The advocates for the reformation of the regulation of hemp derivatives in nutritional products were clinging to the hope that the abrupt resignation of FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb will not mean the initiative will be stillborn.
Springboard – a Kraft Heinz platform dedicated to nurturing and scaling ‘disruptive’ US brands - has unveiled its second incubator class, spanning lupini bean snacks, seed-packed bars, plant-based yogurt, ancient grain snacks, and cold pressed almond...
The number of class action filings against food and beverage companies rose 9% to 158 in 2018, with firms vulnerable to legal action on a host of fronts, from slack fill to natural claims, says law firm Perkins Coie.
US sales of beverages infused with hemp-derived CBD are predicted to reach $600m in 2019, and approach $1bn in 2020, with water accounting for two thirds of the market, predict analysts at Cowen, which believes that “US CBD can conservatively generate...
Kite Hill – a leading player in the fast-growing plant-based dairy category utilizing cultured almondmilk to create cream cheeses, yogurts and filled pastas – will be unveiling a new logo, package design and strapline (‘plant based artisans’) at the Natural...
RightRice, the brainchild of Popchips co-founder Keith Belling, has closed a $5.5m minority investment led by Strand Equity and a roster of celebrity investors and industry veterans, including Impossible Foods, COO David Lee, and celebrities Karlie Kloss,...
Coconut Collaborative has expanded distribution to more than 1,000 stores since launching in the US last year, and according to co-founder Edward Averdieck, the brand is hitting its stride just as the plant-based yogurt market is showing signs of becoming...
Nitro cold brew company RISE Brewing Co. is hoping the same strategies it used to successfully carve out a niche in the highly competitive ready-to-drink-coffee segment will help it win again, but this time in the increasingly crowded oat milk category.
After helping to pioneer the nascent drinkable soup segment, the startup ZÜPA NOMA is ready to expand into adjacent categories with a fresh look, different name and new products.
Tests from Florida-based lab Beta Analytic prove that the allegations in a recent lawsuit challenging LaCroix’s all natural claims are “false and devoid of legal and factual merit,” claims LaCroix brand owner National Beverage Corporation (NBC).
Ingredion has acquired privately-held potato starch producer Western Polymer in Washington state, expanding the company's potato starch manufacturing capacity and processing capabilities.
Despite being around since 2010, bean chip brand Beanfields is now experiencing the kind of growth (i.e. triple digit sales growth in January 2019) most food and beverage startups see in their first few years on the market.
Whether through multi-million dollar investments in startups or high dollar mergers and acquisitions of larger, established companies, the food and beverage industry currently is being flooded with funding, and with it many opportunities as well as challenges.
Armed with $5 million in series B financing and the belief that moringa will follow the lead of matcha and turmeric to become the next big superfood, Kuli Kuli plans to take the ingredient beyond its diverse portfolio of CPGs and into foodservice as well...
The moving target of what qualifies as 'clean label' among consumers can throw food marketers for a dizzying loop, however there are a few general constants food brands and manufacturers can follow to appeal to consumers' clean label ideal....
With the development of novel technology that more efficiently produces natural food colors, the Israeli-startup Phytolon one day hopes to help manufacturers replace unwanted synthetic colors without compromising on the visual appeal, taste or cost of...