From the impact of the Safeway Albertsons deal to dubious alcohol levels in kombucha, the CEOs in our beverage entrepreneurs debate on Feb 4 did not hold back. Here are some of the highlights from our 60-minute session, which is now available on demand as...
FMC Corporation reported revenues in its health and nutrition sector of $828 million for its 2014 fiscal year. Soft omega-3 demand for the year was a blemish on an otherwise robust sector performance, the company said.
As U.S. sales growth of yogurt slows, marketers need to shift their focus to potential category drivers beyond protein-dense Greek yogurt, such as new consumer segments and packaging innovation, according to market analysis from Packaged Facts.
From the GMO labeling debate and food litigation trends to new strategies to revitalize the Greek yogurt category, FoodNavigator-USA’s 2015/16 editorial calendar of special editions (once a month), online forums/events (once every two months) and face-to-face...
Authentic Foods’ latest gluten-free flour blend, Steve’s Blend, promises to “revolutionize” gluten-free baking by creating a fast-rising dough that can be kneaded for real-bread texture without using any binders.
Executives at Hain Celestial are optimistic that a slew of upcoming product launches, including many in the booming better-for-you snack category, will help buoy the firm’s full year sales in the face of a trio of expensive events.
As more consumers avoid genetically modified organisms, manufacturers that fail to label whether their products contain GMOs are at an increased risk of losing consumer trust and relevance, according to The Hartman Group.
More supplement companies likely will expand into the food space in 2015 as consumers continue to shift towards functional and fortified foods and away from traditional pills and powders, predicts a leading analyst with Euromonitor International.
As the only crowdfunding website in the U.S. focused exclusively on consumer goods, CircleUp may be better positioned than other more broadly focused fundraising websites to help food and beverage companies reach appropriate investors who can take them...
The niche market for sprouted grains and seeds is primed to shoot up in the next five years with sales in the U.S. increasing eight times the current level as more products featuring the trendy ingredients launch, predicts food and nutrition expert Julian...
The last quarter of 2014 was pretty positive (+5.9%) for sales of non-alcoholic beverages in US convenience stores as shoppers spent cash they saved at the pumps on ‘treating themselves’ and ‘trading up’, according to Wells Fargo.
Lack of scalability still prevents algae and plant proteins from being used as major food sources, according to Mars chief agricultural officer Howard-Yana Shapiro.
The mega-merger between AB Acquisition LLC *(parent company of Albertson’s LLC and New Albertson’s Inc) and Safeway Inc was formally completed Friday. But should suppliers crack open the champagne, or drown their sorrows?
Sales of frozen foods will hold their own in the next few years despite increased competition from retailers selling more ready-made foods and consumer preference for fresh ingredients, according to Packaged Facts.
The need for an organic check off program is growing as consumer confusion about “lesser claims,” such as “natural,” and an emerging preference for “local” threaten sales of organic products, an executive at the Organic Trade Association says.
The Malaysian government has launched its own sustainable palm oil certification standard – but will this add to or detract from sustainability and transparency efforts in the sector?
Jon Sebastiani: 'It was always going to be a bittersweet moment'
The day when any entrepreneur decides to sell his business is “always bittersweet” KRAVE jerky founder Jon Sebastiani tells FoodNavigator-USA. But joining a company with the horsepower of Hershey will enable it to lead, rather than follow, the renaissance...
You can make money out of online grocery shopping if you have a scalable business model, a targeted range of high quality fresh foods, and the tools to help you build meaningful relationships with consumers, says Door to Door Organics, which has proved...
Dietary sugars intakes are decreasing or stable in most countries, according to a data review of ten European countries, Australia, New Zealand and the US.
More consumers are seeking healthy foods and beverages at convenience stores, creating an opportunity in a previously often overlooked channel for manufacturers of these products to expand their reach, according to new market research from Technomic.
The Food Vision 2015 programme centres on the theme of responsible innovation, and includes parallel sessions on food and nutrition for the first time.
Will Pepsi True & Coca-Cola Life revitalize the cola market, or are today’s more demanding and sophisticated consumers looking for more than refreshment and ‘no-artificial’ claims from their beverage calories these days?
Trendwatchers at Sensient Flavors have identified eight up-and-coming flavor trends for 2015 using the company's proprietary ‘Trends to Taste’ program, a predictive process that filters trends from the broad, consumer, macro level down to finished...
Latest trends on beverages, gluten-free, clean-label, snacks
From the perils of putting ‘all-natural’ on your label to what beverage execs really think about plummeting sales of diet soda, FoodNavigator-USA’s online discussion forums and face to face events tackle some of the hottest topics in food and beverage,...
Thanks to traditional plant breeding techniques, a fourth generation farmer in Kentucky is successfully growing chia in the U.S. for the first time – creating a new valuable crop opportunity for farmers and a reliable, traceable – and local – supply of...
The meat jerky industry is growing steadily thanks to innovative flavors, new all-natural options and an intentional repositioning of the food as a source of healthy, lean protein, market research from IBISWorld reports.
While uncharitable observers have described Soylent as “only slightly more appealing than an IV bag”, news that the LA-based food substitute firm has just secured $20m in funding and is now generating “millions of dollars per month in subscription revenues”...
When infants first eat gluten does not appear to influence whether they are diagnosed with celiac disease, but their socioeconomic status likely does, according to two recently published studies.
There is room for new players in the burgeoning super-premium juice category, but the barriers to entry are pretty high, says San Diego-based Suja Juice, which exploded onto the scene in 2012, generated revenues of $18m in 2013, $45m in 2014 and is forecasting...
Technology is reshaping how consumers discover, evaluate and select food – creating dichotomies to which manufacturers must adapt their marketing and product positioning, a recently released white paper evaluating consumer trends in 2015 by Euromonitor...
Private label penetration rates have not budged since 2011
Dollar sales of foods and beverages edged up a modest 2.1% to $470bn in the US retail market in 2014, but unit sales (an indication of volumes) were pretty flat (up just 0.9%), according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI.
Improving the quality and selection of gluten-free foods available in mainstream channels will help sales in the category grow nearly 1.5 times through 2019, according to market analysis by Packaged Facts.
Field Roast Grain Meat Co. expands its portfolio into the retail vegan cheese category with the Jan. 1 launch of Chao Slices, which it claims are “revolutionary” because they do not try to mimic dairy cheese like other players in the segment.
Are Americans falling out of love with Greek yogurt? No, says Three Happy Cows director of marketing Brian Twomey. But growth is slowing and space allocation in some stores is shrinking, so brands that want to stay on shelf need to “identify the white...
Minor changes in how packaged foods are presented could help them reclaim sales lost when consumers began favoring fresh and less-processed foods that they perceive as healthier and closer to nature, according to a wellness trend expert.
The rising popularity of drinking vinegar available in a wide variety of bold flavors could give soda a run for some of its money by tapping into consumer interest in sugar reduction.
Weak fourth quarter cocoa grinds in developed markets suggest that consumers have reacted negatively to wholesale chocolate price hikes from the major brands, according to an analyst.
Nutrition and health bars are stealing market share from the category leading snack and cereal bars in part because they tie into the health and wellness trend dominating many consumers’ purchasing decisions in a way snack and cereal bars don’t, according...
US sales of ready to eat popcorn grew 25% to an estimated $750m in 2014
“Tired brands and off-trend categories should take inspiration from the astonishing turnaround in the fortunes of popcorn,” according to a new report from Rabobank International, which reveals that US sales of the bagged, pre-popped, ready-to-eat (RTE)...
Peeled Snacks: If you don’t take time to understand retail buyers, why should they take time to understand you?
Which retail channel is right for your brand? Natural? Club? Convenience? And once you’ve jumped through all the buyers’ hoops, will you still be able to make any money? It all depends on whether you’ve done your homework, one snacking sales expert told...
Chinese authorities have announced a ban on all imports of US poultry and egg products, including processed and unprocessed products and breeding stock, after the detection of avian flu in America’s pacific states.
Companies hoping to appeal to consumers interested in the heart health benefits of dark chocolate now have another marketing tool at their disposal: the percentage of cocoa labeled on their bars.
New consumers continue to enter the organic category for the first time, but the health halo cast by the US Department of Agriculture’s certification is dimming as it becomes more mainstream and as shoppers’ interpretation of the standard evolves.
Before a new food comes to market, the idea of that new food must be planted and pruned. How to fashion that idea so that it has the best chance of success? That’s were the data machine of Bulu Box comes in.
Consumers’ shifting preference for snacks as meals are changing how retailers, restaurants and packaged food manufacturers market food, according to data from Packaged Facts and Dupont Nutrition & Health.
Despite popular resolutions to eat healthier, manufacturers do not need to fear a drop in sales of less healthy foods at the start of the New Year compared to during the holidays when many people indulge, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE.
