A New York federal judge has dismissed most claims in a lawsuit accusing Nestlé Waters North America of “deceptive, fraudulent and predatory behavior” in a bid to drive a small competitor out of business, but allowed two claims to proceed.
Many consumers are cautiously optimistic that their financial situation is improving, but they continue to buy groceries based primarily on price and value – creating friction between manufacturers and retailers, IRI research reveals.
PopCorners manufacturer BFY Holdings is on a mission to become a global leader in the booming better-for-you snack category and to help it the company has tapped an industry veteran with substantial leadership experience as its new president and CEO.
FIT CRUNCH - baked protein bars developed by celebrity chef Robert Irvine and FortiFX founder Sean Perich – are sold in “packages nearly identical” to Nestlé’s CRUNCH chocolate bars, alleges Nestlé USA in a lawsuit accusing FIT CRUNCH brand owner Pervine...
If current trends continue, almondmilk will account for an astonishing 19% (dollar share) of the US retail dairy and dairy alternative beverages market in 2019, predicts Packaged Facts. However, plant-based products still only account for a tiny fraction...
Sweetmyx 617, a novel sweet taste modifier developed by flavor innovator Senomyx, is being used in PepsiCo brands Manzanita Sol nationally and Mug Root Beer in two US test markets, the company has confirmed.
J.M. Smucker Co.’s aggressive efforts to wake up its sleepy coffee segment are working, resulting in a 12% increase in the segment’s sales and a 13% increase in its profits in the firm’s first quarter, executives announced Aug. 27.
First came Siggi’s, then Smári Organics. But can the husband and wife team behind Saga Dairy (Viking Icelandic Yogurt) – the latest entrants to the niche, but growing ‘Icelandic-style’ yogurt category in the US – emulate their success?
Well-known fresh cookie-maker Otis Spunkmeyer is expanding its empire beyond food service and into the retail segment for the first time with the launch of a line of sweet baked goods that will hit store shelves nationwide in 2016.
Probiotic specialist Yakult USA has challenged allegations in a class action alleging it is misleading US shoppers about the digestive health benefits of its fermented drinks and says it is confident of "eventual and ultimate vindication at trial,...
Increasingly adventurous consumers may say that they want a wide selection of flavors from which to select, but if manufacturers provide too many options they may actually deter shoppers, warns the CEO of a leading market analytics firm.
Gourmet food and gift company Harry & David has an ambitious goal to make its iconic and decadent Moose Munch popcorn line a $100 million brand within the next two to three years in part by expanding distribution and fine-tuning its flavors to create...
Heartland Food Products Group, one of the largest private label sweetener manufacturers, scores one of the most well-known brands in the category with the acquisition of Splenda from McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.
Increasing consumer interest in bitter flavors could help manufacturers regain momentum on sodium reduction initiatives, many of which are stalled due to the common perception that less salt equals less flavor, suggests market research from Mintel.
Letter shows FDA is serious about enforcing standards of identity, says lawyer
While Unilever dropped a false advertising lawsuit over egg-free spread Just Mayo last year amid an avalanche of bad PR, the FDA has picked up where Unilever left off with a warning letter advising brand owner Hampton Creek it is playing fast and loose...
The cliché of pizza lovers as beer-pong playing frat boys or men sharing a slice while watching sports is all wrong – and as a result, so are many manufacturers’ marketing and formulation strategies, according to recent research.
General Mills seeks to lead the charge to remove artificial colors and flavors from artificial sources from the fruit flavored snack category, just as it is doing in the cereal category.
MycoTechnology – which has developed a pioneering new food processing platform using mushroom roots (mycelium) – has secured $6.7m in a Series A round of financing, with a second round expected to close before the end of the year.
Taylor Collins on reclaiming meat as a superfood, finding ‘badass investors’ and managing triple-digit growth
Revenues at EPIC Provisions more than tripled to $6.8m in 2014, and are on course to triple again to $20m in 2015 as the EPIC brand - which first hit shelves in 2013 – continues to lure new consumers to a category (premium meat snacks) that has rapidly...
After successfully raising $627,644 from 8,015 supporters via Kickstarter, Minneapolis-based Hidrate Inc will launch its HidrateMe smart water bottle product in December.
The dog days of summer are here and to help cool off consumers are reaching for ice cream, which a recent Yahoo Food survey found is 41% of American’s favorite dessert.
A new hybrid grocery delivery and meal solution service from food-tech start-up Handpick, Inc., claims to offer a more affordable and sustainable way for consumers to shop and cook than other online grocery shopping or meal kit delivery services.
Co-founder: 'The deal we have done means we retain control'
While news that Coca-Cola and Goldman Sachs’ merchant banking division have invested in organic juice brand Suja probably didn’t shock anyone that’s been tracking its jaw-dropping growth trajectory, it’s hard to believe that Suja is still less than three...
With the launch of Fruit Essence and the rebranding of Agua Enerviva as Energy Water, the beverage company Agua is going after consumers who increasingly are rejecting sugar-sweetened sodas and beverages, but who also are bored with plain water.
In a ruling that will be read with interest by food manufacturers worried about being sued for using partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a judge in California has stayed a PHO-related class action vs General Mills until the FDA decides whether certain...
Players in the protein category – especially those focused on the center of the plate – are behind the curve when it comes to flavor and need to rethink their strategy to capture and hold modern consumers’ attention, according to flavor and seasoning...
A key part of Target’s strategy to ‘reinvent’ its food offering will involve offering more local products, from specialty foods to craft beer, chairman and CEO Brian Cornell told analysts yesterday.
Hormel Foods “balanced business model” allowed it to raise its profit outlook by taking advantage of lower pork prices to offset sales losses in its turkey operation related to the avian flu, executives said Aug. 19.
The US Food and Drug Administration has censured Frito-Lay for a leaky roof, dirty facility and possible cross contamination of manufactured food at a Tennessee snack food facility.
Natural and organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group continued its five year streak of earning double-digit quarterly sales growth thanks in part to a “channel agnostic go-to-market strategy,” according to the firm’s president and CEO.
Most Americans eat meat. But only a small percentage eats meat snacks. So does this disconnect simply reflect the fact that beef doesn’t pair too well with a mid-morning mocha-latte, or is it proof of a huge, still largely untapped, market opportunity?
Coca-Cola is taking a minority stake in super-premium organic juice firm Suja and will distribute the San-Diego-based firm’s products through its Odwalla chilled direct store delivery system.
Starbucks is “widely outpacing” the competition in the US coffee pods market, delivering “robust unit growth and ongoing pod share gains”, while market leader Keurig Green Mountain’s share continues to decline owing to “persistently weak dollar sales”,...
A recent FDA warning letter reminds food and beverage manufacturers that whole stevia leaf is not generally recognized as safe for conventional foods, even though many extracts of the plant are.
We’ve all heard of the 80:20 rule, but new research* from digital marketing expert Catalina shows that just 0.7% of shoppers are driving 80% of the volumes of new food and beverage products, while just 11% of shoppers that try a new product are still...
As consumer demand for spicy food increases, it also is evolving beyond that for just eye-watering and mouth-burning heat to include a desire for more complex blends of pungent flavors, a recent survey by Kalsec reveals.
Antioxidant- and fiber-rich baobab is on the verge of stealing the crown from acai, goji berries and pomegranate as the “queen of superfruits,” thanks to awareness raised by recent and upcoming product launches featuring the ingredient, according to a...
Bolthouse Farms is advancing its on-trend mission to make fresh products more available by expanding its fresh juice and salad dressing offerings under a new president and general manager.
New research showing high protein breakfasts can prevent weight gain, curb hunger pangs and stabilize glucose levels reveals unmet needs in the marketplace and opportunities for packaged food manufacturers, according to the lead investigator.
LA-based Soylent says it “stands by the quality and safety” of its meal substitutes, after being threatened with legal action alleging its Soylent 1.5 powders contain risky levels of heavy metals and that the company failed to warn consumers of the risks.
Oldways Whole Grains Council is spearheading an effort to set standards for increasingly popular sprouted grains, which are popping up exponentially in more products as manufacturers try to catch consumers’ attention with better-for-you claims.
How about a glass of red wine, crackers… and some vegan cheese? If the prospect fills you with horror, says Miyoko’s Kitchen founder and TV chef Miyoko Schinner, you’re not alone. But try some of hers, and you’ll never look back, she insists.
Will Dave's Killer Bread retain its edgy appeal without its co-founder and namesake? FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with CEO John Tucker after bakery giant Flowers Foods coughed up a cool $275m in cash to buy the organic baker from the founding...
