The US chocolate confectionery market is set for a 1% volume decline between 2016 and 2021 as Americans’ GDP per capita is set to fall while the category is caught in an “anti-sugar crossfire”.
In today’s highly competitive landscape, many food and beverage manufacturers try to set their brands apart by tapping into consumers’ desire for products that not only are better for them but also better for the planet or for society.
Even though a final USDA rule strengthening animal welfare standards squeaked into the Federal Register today before the new administration takes control of country, the rule may not be safe from repeal, like so many others finalized under Obama’s leadership.
MAIO, an indulgent tasting yet better-for-you alternative to conventional mayonnaise, is the latest test product to come out of C-Fresh's innovation team and its unique approach to incubating products on a small scale before expanding.
It’s been a long time coming, but President elect Trump has chosen his agriculture secretary - former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue – pleasing some food and farming associations, but alarming Friends of the Earth.
Often dominated by candy, soft pretzels, nachos and highly processed meats, concession stands at school events could be fertile ground for better-for-you snack and beverage manufacturers to boost sales and exposure to young consumers who are developing...
Two-thirds of shoppers plan to buy products online more in 2017 than last year, but this uptick may not materialize for companies that fail to offer strong web content beyond a checkout cart, suggests a study recently released by digital marketing provider...
Snackfood firm Rhythm Superfoods has closed a $6m Series D financing round filled through the CircleUp platform, with 301 INC - General Mills' new business development and venturing unit - as the lead investor (additional investors include Blueberry...
The rumors are true: Former USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack will take the helm of the US Dairy Export Council Feb. 1 after serving the Obama Administration as one of the longest serving agriculture secretaries in history.
The US Department of Agriculture’s call today for public comment on the Organic Trade Association’s application to create an organic check-off program comes at a time when sales of organic products in the US are soaring but hampered by limited domestic...
Consumers have moved on since dairy standards of identity first hit the statute books, says Miyoko's Kitchen founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, and it's time regulators did too.
A “striking” increase in the consumption of no- and low-calorie sweeteners over 13 years combined with conflicting data on their connection to obesity, diabetes and other health issues escalates the need for more research on their chronic health effects,...
With an investment of $2.5 million from Aqua-Spark, startup seafood meal kit maker Love The Wild hopes to change the way Americans eat fish and perceive aquaculture farming, which has a notoriously bad reputation.
Vermont-based Runamok Maple acquired Brattleboro, the maple candy operation of fellow Vermont company Bascom Maple Farms, one of the largest producers of pure maple syrup in North America.
While Americans are becoming more adventurous in what they eat, they often still need a lot of convincing to try something new – especially if they haven’t heard of it before and don’t know what it will taste like, how it will impact their health, how...
While growth in the US yogurt category fell into negative territory in 2016, Chobani's US operation notched up double-digit sales and volume growth last year, driven by a strong performances from Flip and the core cups range and a successful move...
'The process that we had for process discovery before was quite clunky and manual'
Easy-to-use online tools that enable busy category managers to rapidly identify and compare new products from smaller suppliers will gain traction as retailers try to stay ahead of the curve on product selection, predicts Ahold USA.
US trade representatives have heeded calls from the country’s meat industry to act on ‘unfair and discriminatory’ rules on US beef imports to the EU – threatening to reopen a 20 year dispute and put sanctions on European products.
Kellogg Company’s venture capital fund eighteen94’s inaugural investment and lead position in a $4.25 million raise for the fast-growing startup Kuli Kuli will help the moringa superfood supplier and manufacturer expand its presence in retailers with...
Farmers transitioning to organic soon could more easily sell their products at a premium even during the transition period before they are fully certified thanks to a new USDA program announced today.
Manufacturers and retailers soon could find themselves between a rock and a hard place as the trend to source slower growing broiler chickens gains momentum with retailers and restaurants.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released shipments of refined stevia from PureCircle coming in from China that had been held at the border based on allegations that they contained stevia produced using forced labor.
Healthcare concerns likely are behind the steep drop in Americans’ spending at restaurants in 2016 and the uptick in consumers who say they will cook at home more in the New Year, according to recent research.
The US Department of Agriculture’s recent selection of a diverse group of national and independent retailers to sell online groceries to Americans using food stamps not only potentially expands the retailers’ consumer base, but it could be a “lifeline”...
Sustainability wins another vote for the “most important” trend to watch in 2017, followed closely by plant-based protein, according to a small, but well-educated group of nutrition experts, surveyed by Ketchum’s Global Food and Beverage Practice and...
Ongoing development of ready-to-drink tea and growing awareness of the health benefits and cultural importance of tea continue to drive sales of the beverage in the US, but future growth will also rely on new products and innovative marketing, according...
Consumers are increasingly interested in functional foods, and enthusiasm for protein won’t trail off anytime this year, predicts the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation.
The supply of industrial hemp is ramping up quickly, as a company formed by growers in Kentucky reported $2 million in payments to farmers for the 2016 crop. But demand for CBD still far outstrips supply, a company officer said.
Despite a rising nationalism in the US born out of the contentious presidential election cycle, Americans remain open to global cuisine and as such, in 2017, international flavors and cultures will continue to heavily influence what’s hot and what’s not...
Ice cream cravings among shoppers on the online service Instacart are strong—the brand topped Instacart’s trending brands of 2016 list, with a 919% increase of searches year-over-year ending December 2016.
A growing awareness of the environmental impact of food production and a desire to shop sustainably will heavily influence how consumers plan, shop for and prepare meals in the coming year, predicts a leading food influencer and national retailer.
Boston Burger Co. is an institution for Beantown residents, especially for the city’s many university students and tourists who learned about the joint from Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives TV show.
By blurring the line between subscription boxes and home delivery meal kits, industry newcomer SoBakeable takes the best parts of each category to create a unique business model that promises sustained consumer engagement – an essential component that...
New research suggesting a connection between consuming cured and processed meat and worsening asthma symptoms is "reckless" and "flies in the face of real clinical medical knowledge," according to the North American Meat Institute.
New data from Nielsen outlining the fastest-growing categories in grocery in 2016 reveals rapid growth in deli items and meal solutions, pre-prepared fruits and veggies, and ready-to-drink tea and coffee.
Ancient Nutrition takes the burgeoning bone broth category in a new direction by bringing it into the well established and wildly successful protein powder segment with the creation of a more versatile Bone Broth Protein powder.
Drinkable organic soup brand Tio Gazpacho is gearing up for a significant expansion in 2017 as it starts to reap the benefits of partnerships with General Mills and Michelin-Starred Chef José Andrés, and prepares to launch a new, lower-priced line targeting...
General Mills experienced another lackluster quarter in Q2 2017, with a 9% decline in net sales in US retail, although operating profit in the division was up due to margin expansion initiatives.
Chocolate sales peak around holiday season, and while Euromonitor analysts in Western Europe notice an increasing trend in ‘ethical label’ chocolate sales, the same can’t be said for its American counterparts.
From sour and heat combinations to charred flavors and California garlic, Sensient Natural Ingredients outlines key flavor/ingredient trends to watch in the snacks category in 2017.
Shifting 10% of promotional spending to media advertising would boost firms’ ROI on marketing spend by 10-25%, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI and global media company Turner.
The US market for packaged and ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee sold at retail was up 10% from the year before to an estimated $13.6bn in 2015, says a new Packaged Facts report. It forecasts the category to continue to grow.
What keeps food & beverage industry CEOs awake at night? Declining returns on promotional spending? Lackluster topline growth? An uninspiring innovation pipeline? Anxiety about how to tap into the e-commerce revolution?
As snacking continues to encroach on mealtime in the US, industry newcomer Farmer’s Pantry wants to ensure that the grab-and-go options consumers reach for are well-balanced, sufficiently filling and worthy of their new elevated position in the American...
Thought food deflation was finally easing? Apparently not, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reveal that while protein deflation eased off very slightly, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food-at-home — a proxy...
There is no denying that vegan is on the rise with consumers looking for more plant-based options, and manufacturers eager to meet that demand with a wide variety of new products -- some of which even are aimed at and winning over carnivores and omnivores.
With each new year comes new trends in ingredients, cooking styles and eating patterns, but in 2017 the incoming presidential Administration could fundamentally change the way Americans eat by changing how food gets from farm to fork and the safety measures...
