Extensive distribution and strong memorability are two main drivers for CPG growth – unfortunately for most startups the first is often out of their financial reach, at least at first, forcing to them to go all in on the second.
While venture capital is a popular choice to fund food and beverage brands, other options – such as revenue-based financing* – can provide entrepreneurs with capital necessary to grow without diluting their equity, according to the founder and CEO of...
As a specialty, responsibly-sourced national coffee brand, Peet's is launching four blended, shelf-stable RTD coffee products intended for unabashed indulgence, said Peet's senior director of marketing & innovation, Gretchen Koch.
As food retail competition rises with the entrance of more nontraditional formats, omni-channel players, pure play eCommerce and stepped-up conventional supermarkets, some retailers are leveraging product differentiation and services to gain a competitive...
Large food and beverage suppliers and manufacturers are aggressively reducing their use of plastic in response to rising concerns about the material’s negative environmental impact by consumers who increasingly shop based on their values.
As widely predicted, the plaintiff’s bar has turned its attention to the burgeoning CBD category with a series of lawsuits alleging that products contain “significantly lower levels of CBD than advertised.”
GT’s Living Foods is going after the non-kombucha drinker with its newly-launched aqua kefir line, a variety of fermented beverages with a less acidic taste profile than kombucha.
One of 15 companies selected to pitch at Rabobank’s FoodBytes! competition in Chicago last month, Yolélé Foods is on a mission to introduce Americans to a nutrient-packed, gluten-free ancient African grain called fonio. But is this a niche opportunity...
Investing in food never used to be cool. But with retail buyers increasingly tripping over investors as they walk the floor at food trade shows, and trending diets and ingredients catching fire – and then fizzling out – just as quickly, how do investors...
After almost five years of rescuing so-called ‘ugly’ produce from being wasted and instead selling it at a steep discount to consumers in a conveniently delivered subscription box, Imperfect Produce is ready to level up and sell a wider variety of food...
A strong economy and technological advances often are good for business, but a recent study conducted by the Food Marketing Institute suggests that these factors also can have negative repercussions on food retailers’ bottom line and as an extension the...
Once the stuff of science fiction or far-flung futuristic dreams, the ability to eat juicy sausages, fish fillets or a sizzling steak without having to first slaughter an animal is rapidly becoming a reality as the cultured-meat and -seafood industries...
With a new logo and vision that will serve as a ‘rallying cry,’ the Specialty Food Association wants everyone to know that it is more than the host of the widely popular semi-annual Fancy Food Show, but also a platform for connecting key players and nurturing...
The vast majority (87%) of hemp grown in the US is expected to be used for CBD processing in 2019, according to a new report from cannabis researcher Brightfield Group, which estimates that 285,000 acres of industrial hemp were planted in the US in 2019,...
Joining forces with Hershey will help protein bar maker ONE Brands reach new audiences in club, foodservice and international markets; help support moves into new product categories; and crank up marketing; says ONE Brands president and CEO Peter Burns.
Exclusively breastfeeding children for the first six months of their lives has long been recognized as a gold standard for improving infant health, but new research suggests it also could dramatically benefit the health of the planet as well – reinforcing...
Wanting to fix the “broken in-store and online grocery experience,” food subscription service Hungryroot is rebranding, expanding its product selection, and enhancing consumer engagement to offer a more personalized, streamlined shopping experience.
Check out FoodNavigator-USA’s latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, from a slew of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives to caffeinated dairy beverages, boba-packed Bubble Fruit cups, prebiotic-laced ‘Gut Happy’ cookies, ketchup with added...
Over two-thirds of parents (67%) worldwide said they want to improve their child’s eating habits, according to Euromonitor International's 2019 Health and Nutrition Survey.
Continuing to ride the rising wave of consumer interest in bold global flavors, healthy eating and sustainability, spice giant McCormick & Co. reported higher than expected earnings yesterday for its third quarter ending Aug. 31 and raised its outlook...
Given the frequency of headlines touting the near vertical year-over-year growth or surging revenues of some brands in the first year, an entrepreneur or investor in the food and beverage space could easily believe that this is the norm – when in reality...
The Impossible Burger, which is sold in more than 17,000 restaurants nationwide, is now seeing explosive demand for its products at retail stores, new territory for the brand.
While media and investor interest in ‘alternative proteins’ is focused on plant-based meat, cell-cultured meat, and proteins produced via microbes, demand for cricket protein is still growing, claims Cowboy Cricket Farms, which will open a new edible...
With Nielsen data showing dollar sales of plant-based foods in the US growing more than 20% in 2018 over the prior year to top $3.3bn, it is clear the industry is booming, but to sustain this momentum, a leader for the meat-alternative brand Quorn says...
As protesters and activists filled the streets of New York City last week to draw attention to climate change, many food and beverage companies around the globe also touted existing and new commitments to reduce their impact on the planet.
Over one-third of consumers are looking for functional benefits from food and beverages, and are turning to specific nutrient-dense, superfood ingredients to achieve their specific wellness goals, according to AI-powered food trend and analysis company...
The sports and fitness consumer has expanded beyond hard-core body builders and elite athletes to a more general profile of someone looking to transition to a more active lifestyle and eat healthier, noted panelists from last week's Sports &...
Plant-based protein is a hot ingredient in the food industry right now, as formulators experiment with everything from mung beans to sacha inchi. But how does almond protein square up vs the competition?
Cell-cultured or ‘cultivated’ meat offers the promise of ‘real meat’ – not a plant-based approximation – without raising and slaughtering millions of animals. But is it attracting the same level of investment, and how soon might it realistically come...
Starting in January, the Grocery Manufacturers Association will become the Consumer Brands Association and in doing so will continue its dramatic transformation that began when Geoff Freeman took the helm as president and CEO in August 2018 after several...
Plastic tea bags can release billions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles into a cup of tea, according to Canadian researchers. But while the scientists say some brands have shifted to plastic tea bags instead of paper ones, the industry counters...
Hemp and CBD continued to reign as one of the top food and beverage trends at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore last week, just as they did at the event’s counterpart Expo West last March – but also just like at West they were far from the only...
Bulletproof 360 Inc., maker of Bulletproof Coffee, has appointed Larry Bodner as its new CEO, who will be focused on running the day-to-day business and growing the company's omnichannel retail presence.
A lawsuit alleging that Nestlé USA is misleading shoppers with its ‘No GMO Ingredients’ seal has been allowed to proceed, although legal experts stress that this doesn’t mean that the plaintiffs will ultimately prevail.
As more category sales continue to shift online, the fresh department remains a strong source of foot traffic for brick-and-mortar retailers and will serve as a key way to lure more consumers into stores, says Nielsen in a new report.
Snack brand Peatos has unveiled a new look, a new product (crunchy onion rings), and new distribution deals with Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts and Whole Foods, taking its store count to around 6,200 stores by early 2020: a 50% increase on its current footprint.
How should you begin an elevator pitch, and what raises red flags for potential investors? FoodNavigator-USA editor Elaine Watson headed to Chicago to quiz the judges at Rabobank's FoodBytes! pitch competition.
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit from the basic principles of sports nutrition, says Dr Dana Ryan, Herbalife Nutrition’s director of sports performance and education.
Beyond Meat has struck a deal with McDonald’s to test its plant-based patties in a 12-week trial in 28 restaurants in Ontario, Canada, starting September 30.
From Perdue’s Chicken Plus nuggets combining chicken, plant proteins and veggies, to Tyson’s Raised & Rooted burgers combining regular and plant-based beef, a new wave of ‘hybrid’ or ‘blended’ products is hitting the meat case. But are these the meaty...
To meet the demands of today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world, consumers everywhere are looking for shortcuts to be better, faster and stronger – fueling the emergence of so-called biohacking, a term coined by the CEO of Bulletproof and made easier by...
An updated website filled with images of bright white counters topped with plates of bountiful and varied pastries aim to reposition the iconic specialty foods brand Wolferman’s as a ‘warm and inviting’ online bakery with a broad assortment of goods for...
After a successful launch in 27 Gelson’s stores in southern California, the Impossible Burger is making its East Coast grocery-store debut at all 100 Wegmans grocery stores in seven states and at two Manhattan locations of Fairway Market (MSRP $8.99/12oz...
Food industry stakeholders have pushed back hard on the FDA’s proposal to permit the term ‘potassium chloride salt’ on food labels as an alternative to ‘potassium chloride,’ arguing that anything with the word ‘chloride’ in it is not consumer-friendly...
The US House of Representatives is expected to vote today on a bill that would clear the way for full banking services for companies dealing in hemp/CBD products.
Selling direct-to-consumer online either through a branded website or trusted ecommerce retailer has emerged in recent years as way for startups to prove a concept and lay the groundwork for eventual brick-and-mortar distribution, but this once nice-to-have...
Modern airplanes can take people across the world in a matter of hours, rather than the days, weeks or even months once required, but flying also can take a toll on travelers’ health – a side effect that the co-founder of startup Flightfūd hopes to offset...
Standing out in the protein bar category is tough with many brands all vying for shelf space and consumer attention, which is why Arla Food Ingredients is offering a new premium protein solution using a blend of whey protein isolate and casein to help...
