A new survey found that there was disconnect between what consumers think labels like organic, antibiotic-free, or ‘no added hormones’ mean, and what the labels actually mean.
The world is getting fatter and unhealthier - are smaller portions and diet drinks really going to help when they sit next to full-sugar, supersized products? Is it time to tax or is industry doing enough? Catch the highlights from our live debate.
Spring has finally sprung, which means birds are chirping, crops are blooming and bees are pollinating – at least those that survived the winter, and the varroa mites, damage from pesticides, the dearth of natural food sources and problems related to...
Califia Farms has rolled out its almond beverage and cold brew coffee ranges into Canada: a market where non-dairy alternative milks grew by 225% during a three-year period, with almond milk projected as the fastest growing segment, according to Allied...
As carbonated soft drinks’ long supreme reign over the beverage industry continues to slip amid fears of consuming too much sugar, sales and distribution of healthy, better-for-you and functional alternatives are gaining traction to fill the void.
Bipartisan legislation introduced this week in both the House and Senate seeks to overhaul commodity checkoff programs, which critics say have been “hijacked” by corporate interests so that they no longer benefit small family farmers and entrepreneurs.
Despite the emerging trend of blurring category lines in the functional beverage sector, many consumers still hesitate to believe the claims and attributes on pack, let alone make a purchase, a new study from Mintel reveals. But it's not stopping...
Every year $8 billion is invested in new products or processes in the food and beverage industry each year, according to a new report released earlier this month that looked at how the food and beverage industry impacts the overall US economy.
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has launched legal action against several US biscuit manufacturers and retailers for allegedly failing to warn consumers about the high levels of acrylamide (AA) in their products.
Startup Misfit Juicery is taking a two prong approach to the growing threat to the juice category posed by consumers’ increasing concern about sugar, and in doing so is setting itself apart from the competition.
Twenty-four public health advocates and organizations are calling on the Canadian government to levy a significant tax on manufacturers of sugary drinks to discourage consumption and help fund healthy living initiatives.
Out of the multitude of new product launches in the food and beverage space, how many actually stay on shelves for the long-run? It’s less than half, Nielsen says, and they’ve created a new system to help with that.
What made a practicing doctor give up medicine to create and supply a high-fibre flour? “I saw an opportunity to be infinitely more effective in preventing disease in the first place. Fibre is the only option to transform our staple comfort foods from...
A new Whole Grain Stamp from Oldways Whole Grains Council gives manufacturers another tool to standout on store shelves and tap into consumers’ rising interest in products made with whole grains, and in particular ancient grains.
For Cissé Cocoa Co. selling baking mixes, hot chocolate and crunchy bites of super thin brownies is about more than just helping consumers satisfy their chocolate cravings, it is about making life sweeter for farmers, too.
From certification seals to romance text to website blog posts, many packaged food and beverage brands put a lot of thought (and resources) into creating convincing nutrition-related arguments to persuade buyers. But among Millennials, only 26% of them...
Despite increasing competition in the meat snacks category, startup and recent graduate of the Chobani incubator Chops Snacks sees significant potential for its soft-chew jerky and future products, according to the co-founder.
Döhler, FrieslandCampina Riedel, Refresco and Verbruggen Juice Trading Sustainable Products have signed an agreement to supply 100% sustainable juice and puree by 2030.
If anyone is doubting protein’s staying power as a sought-after call-out on packaged products, let the growth of Powerful Yogurt (soon to be just Powerful) be an indicator.
Local is as popular of a call-out for food as non-GMO, organic, or ‘free from.’ But there’s no legal definition of what local means (50-mile radius? 150-mile radius?), and it definitely doesn’t always mean better.
Starting and growing a company is hard – especially in the highly competitive food and beverage industry, but Austin, Texas-based accelerator SKU is tipping the odds of success in favor of entrepreneurs with its “proven blend of mentorship, community,”...
Americans may be becoming more adventurous in what they eat – seeking international flavors and products – but some retailers and buyers are hesitant to stock these types of new products for fear that they won’t sell once they are on store shelves.
Annie's sales set to reach $400m in fiscal 2017, says president
While some commentators baulked at the $820m General Mills parted with to get its hands on Annie’s, the brand has gone from strength to strength since the deal closed in late October 2014, with sales set to reach $400m this fiscal year, and household...
McDonalds, Panera and other high profile food service companies took notable steps last year to introduce “healthier” chicken products, but frozen poultry product producer Hip Chick Farms thinks more can done and it is stepping up the plate to push change...
Health organizations in Canada are calling for a sugary drinks levy, with new research suggesting the measure would save 13,000 lives over the next 25 years. But the Canadian Beverage Association questions the data used by the research: and says that...
As animal welfare concerns become increasingly mainstream, farmers and manufacturers, such as the natural and organic meat brand Applegate, are optimistically rethinking the scale of and their approach to humanely raised animal agriculture.
British brand Beet It is bringing the benefits of its beet juice products to the US with a nation wide retail launch to accompany its existing online sales.
Synthetic biology, or GMO 2.0 as some are calling it, has vastly more penetration in the marketplace than was previously believed. That’s the takeaway from the assembly of the first list of such ingredients.
Growing awareness of the powerful health benefits of mushrooms as well as increasing demand for their rich umami flavor, is quickly elevating the ingredient from the lowly status of the occasional pizza topping or meat substitute for vegetarians to one...
From the sheer number of third-party watchdog organizations out there that observe and rate the impact corporations make to their surroundings, one can tell the importance consumers today put on making sure they purchase products from ethical companies.
Many successful entrepreneurs extol the value of work-life balance when they talk about getting a business off the ground, but at the recent graduation of Chobani Food Incubator’s first class of food and beverage companies, the yogurt company’s CEO and...
There are 15 federal agencies that have 30 different statutes related to food safety, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed in January.
An electric vehicle uses a very different propulsion system to the internal combustion engine, but it also has four wheels, and gets you from A to B, which to most consumers, makes it a 'car.' So isn't it time to apply the same logic to...
After years of struggling to balance energy drinks and sleep aids, Americans are beginning to turn to adaptogens in herbal teas to help meet and “harmonize” their bodies’ needs, according to the co-founder of Pukka, an herbal tea and supplement company.
There is a “tremendous parallel” between the emerging consumer demand for improved animal welfare in the US and the organic food movement, including notable business opportunities and significant challenges, according to Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey.
Looking at global product launches, the world is craving for hot and spicy, according to the HeatSync Heat Index tracked by food ingredient company Kalsec.
Market research company IRI has partnered with financial data firm Experian to add more dimension to IRI ProScores, a database of household purchase data that predicts the likelihood of consumers to purchase specific consumer packaged goods brands and...
With a goal to become “the Little Debbie of the natural snacks industry,” Nature’s Bakery is expanding its portfolio beyond its flagship Fig Bar line, and overhauling its branding to ensure the company name isn’t lost among the multiplying stock-keeping...
Chicken soup may be good for the soul, but hot cereal can fill it, and those who are food insecure, at least if it comes from The Soulfull Project – a startup that launched this summer with a mission to wipe hunger off the map.
LonoLife – the first brand to put bone broth in a recyclable K-Cup, and a fast-growing player in the burgeoning bone broth stick-pack market – has rolled out to 2,500 stores just over a year after launch, and expects to be in 6,000 stores by the year...
KIND Snacks expands into the children’s food segment for the first time with a riff on fruit snacks that directly tackles many parents’ complaints about the category.
Pea based ‘milks’ represent a significant incremental growth opportunity in the plant-based beverage market as consumers look for allergy-friendly options with more protein, says the chief marketing and innovation officer at Campbell Soup’s C-Fresh division,...
Despite organic’s strong appeal with double-digit year-over-year growth since the early 1990s, and the promise of a significant premium price over that of its conventional counterparts, many American farmers are hesitant to jump on board – creating a...
To better support its transition from online-only sales to distribution at brick and mortar stores, wellness brand Aloha is unveiling at Expo West a massive rebranding along with new, reformulated and recategorized products that better align with consumers’...
Snacklins started out as “a joke gone too far,” according to a co-founder, but the growth of the plant-based take on pork rinds is nothing to laugh at – thanks in part to its ability to bring together two booming, and seemingly polar opposite trends:...
Baltimore-based Mobtown Fermentation wants to make kombucha – known for its sharp flavor profile and inconsistent texture – “more approachable to the general consumer,” starting with a more familiar shaped bottle, as well as a smoother taste, according...
Even as commerce continues to digitize, consumer patronage keeps brick-and-mortar grocery stores alive. ‘Grocery is a key stronghold for brick-and-mortar because of the sensory habitual nature of food buying,’ one expert says.
What keeps US food & beverage retailers awake at night? Amazon? Deflation? Competition from new channels? The prospect of a border adjustment tax? We quizzed retail experts to get their take on the biggest challenges facing grocers today.
