WeWork is helping to level the playing field between emerging and established brands in the competitive food and beverage space with the recent unveiling of its flagship Food Labs in New York City and the graduation of its first food and ag focused accelerator...
While many Americans are trying to maintain diet and fitness regimes during the current crisis, and sales of vitamins and other ‘self-care’ products are up, three big CPG category winners in recent weeks are frozen pizza, ice cream, and liquor, which...
The convenience, practicality and comfort of offering food as tokens of recognition, appreciation and affection could help insulate the US food gifting market during the coronavirus pandemic, but it may not be enough to fully offset losses in 2020 from...
Consumers in Chicago craving restaurant quality meals but without the overhead of delivery fees while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic can enjoy internationally flavored soup kits created with local restaurants from the startup Soup Explorers....
The same day that Tyson Foods warned in full page newspaper ads that the coronavirus pandemic may disrupt the US food supply chain unless the government creates a “comprehensive, thoughtful” strategy for meatpacking facilities to remain open safely, the...
The US Department of Agriculture is making it easier for low-income participants in the Women, Infant and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program to fill their grocery carts despite lingering shortages of program-eligible food staples due to panicked...
As the pandemic unfolds, many investors are hitting pause on cash injections into early-stage brands. But for VC funds BFG Partners and BIGR Ventures, the crisis has made investment decisions more clear in terms of what separates an 'OK' brand...
As measures designed to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic continue to flatten the economy simultaneously, many companies are making tough decisions to survive, including whether to pull-back on expansion plans, lay off employees, rationalize...
Unlike many emerging brands, which have had to ramp up - on in some cases create from scratch - e-commerce capabilities during this pandemic, Magic Spoon has been a direct-to-consumer business from the outset, and sales are going through the roof, say...
Strong food & beverage brands with world class management teams will continue to attract funding, but valuations are “falling by the minute,” and the days of throwing money at emerging brands and seeing what sticks are over, at least for now, says...
As extensions and new inclusions have been made to many government-mandated social distancing policies, a majority of North American consumers indicate they expect the impact of COVID-19 will persist for up to six months, according to Nielsen.
While the federal government has taken several steps in recent weeks to help feed low-income children during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a leading public health advocate argues more must be done to protect the one in 10 children facing food insecurity...
Synapse, a ready-to-drink, stimulant-free, nootropic beverage brand which gained an early following with gamers and e-sports competitors, is now growing within a mainstream consumer audience who are looking for an alternative to caffeinated energy drinks...
The way consumers are shopping during the COVID-19 public health pandemic has changed drastically with significantly fewer trips being made to physical grocery stores and a rise in online shopping, according to a new survey of 2,012 US consumers conducted...
As wait times for delivery windows from traditional grocery retail ecommerce sites stretch further into the future, Americans increasingly are buying products directly from manufacturers’ websites during the coronavirus pandemic, creating an opportunity...
Kraft Heinz has closed, deep-cleaned, then rapidly re-opened, manufacturing facilities in Holland, Michigan, and Springfield, Missouri, after employees tested positive for COVID-19.
Nutrition and health ingredients supplier DSM is experiencing significant spikes in demand for vitamin C and other functional ingredients, reflecting higher overall sales of packaged foods and beverages as consumption switches to the home, coupled with...
Like many CPG companies trying to maximize efficiency and streamline supply chains during this pandemic, Coca-Cola has been “ruthlessly prioritizing to deliver on core SKUs,” in recent weeks. But it’s also signaled plans to streamline the innovation pipeline...
Verbiage contained in a revised stay at home order issued by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has led to the closure of some dietary supplement retailers in the state. It’s the second state after Nevada where such actions have been taken.
After discovering juice, juice drinks and flavored water labels and claims are “virtually indistinguishable” from one another, researchers recommend FDA revise labeling regulations for children’s beverages to help consumers make healthier choices.
While it is still too early to predict the long-term economic impact of measures designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Kroger Co. is bracing for the “high risk” that a recession is on the horizon by investing now in innovation and key partnerships,...
Ending its Q1 2020, Eat JUST, Inc. – makers of JUST Egg, the plant-based egg alternative made with mung bean protein – reported a +36% increase in unit sales for total US grocery for the four weeks ending March 29, 2020 vs the last four weeks ending...
The tech-forward distribution and logistics platform Pod Foods is offering a lifeline to emerging brands struggling to get on store shelves at a time when many retailers and traditional distributors are prioritizing more established, high-demand brands...
Where and when consumers grocery shop has shifted dramatically since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11 with consumers increasingly gravitating to dollar stores and limiting trips to club, drug and...
Kevin Kenny, COO at Decernis, a Foodchain ID company, has identified some key supply chain issues to watch going forward as coronavirus spreads across the globe.
In the space of four weeks, we’ve gone from “pure panic stock-up with a heavy focus on non-foods, to meal prep ingredients, to increased focus on comfort foods,” according to IRI and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). At the same time, spending on ‘self-care’...
At-home baking has exploded as a go-to quarantine activity among US households, causing a shift in consumer attitudes for overlooked pantry ingredients and heightened demand for highly-scrutinized ingredients such as 'refined' sugar.
As the infection rate and death toll of the novel coronavirus continue to climb, more Americans are re-thinking their diet to help ward off infection, as illustrated by the dramatic increase in sales of immunity products and people buying them in the...
Public health advocates are lauding a federal court decision that strikes down a final rule published by USDA in late 2018 that they say rolled back nutrition standards for school meals, but which the School Nutrition Association says provided much-needed...
Grocery shoppers’ concern about the health of other customers and store employees has eclipsed fears of running out of food as the death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to climb and high-demand items are restocked more quickly, according to...
Membership-only natural and organic online marketplace Thrive Market has seen a significant increase in demand during the coronavirus pandemic, with members buying more, and more often, putting pressure on the company’s supply chain.
As Americans adjust to home confinement, their confidence in the kitchen has soared with many saying they will carry on with their cooking habits even after the world returns to a new normal, according to a new study by food and beverage communications...
While there is something to be said about following your gut as an entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. advises that following the data often is a more reliable strategy for sparking retailer interest and launching products that...
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has vetoed a bill that would have limited the use of the term ‘milk’ on food labels to the lacteal secretions of hooved animals.
Kroger is adding its voice to the growing chorus of industry stakeholders asking elected officials to designate all grocery employees as ‘extended first responders’ and ‘emergency personnel’ to ensure they are protected and have access to healthcare during...
The Specialty Food Association’s (SFA's) Summer Fancy Food Show, scheduled for June 28-30 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York (which has recently been turned into a makeshift hospital), is the latest major food show to be canceled due to the coronavirus...
“Three months ago, everyone was focused on the next wave of CBD users, people that haven’t tried CBD yet, but I really think it’s those heavy users, those core users, that are going to be driving this market over the next few months,” predicts the managing...
Rather than hit pause during the ongoing pandemic like many other investors, global venture capital fund SOSV’s Food-X accelerator is moving full steam ahead by welcoming to its 11th cohort eight companies that are directly tackling challenges coronavirus...
Dairy groups are working to soften the blow the COVID-19 crisis has had on the industry with new strategies to move more milk and dairy products into the market.
While many Americans have only been sheltering at home for a relatively short period, they are already telling market researchers that some recent habits – scratch cooking, home baking, and increased supplement use – will likely become part of their routine...
When it comes to creating snacks that are irresistible to children and parents alike, the mission-based brand This Saves Lives says its recipe for success combines equal parts indulgent flavors and whimsical packaging for kids, plus for parents a pinch...
Now the initial grocery shopping ‘surge’ has calmed down somewhat, what can CPG companies expect in the next three to four weeks as consumers navigate the ‘new normal’?
New data from SPINS shows that avocado oil has continued to gain traction with US consumers, with sales in natural and conventional channels combined growing 24% in the year to March 22, 2020 on top of 28% growth the previous year, while coconut oil sales...
Even as packaged food and beverage companies scramble to meet increased consumer demand while also compensating for setbacks during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many are shifting already limited resources to employees, customers in need and the broader...
The generosity of the food and beverage industry is on full display as companies – some with limited resources – give what they can to those serving on the frontlines of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and to those in need, including many who unexpectedly...
Global ingredients giant Ingredion has struck a deal to acquire a controlling (75%) stake in stevia supplier PureCircle, which has been going through a period of extreme turbulence in recent months, prompting the suspension of its shares and the installation...
Now that the 'surge' has calmed down, consumers are entering a new stage of shopping behavior – ‘home-confined buying’ – characterized by higher sales of non-essential food items such as cookies, chocolate, and ice cream, with overall spending...
As economic uncertainty climbs alongside the spread of coronavirus, most Americans are trying – but often failing – to maintain the status quo with regards to grocery purchases, according to new research from Datassential.
With the release of its new YO-MIX PRIME yogurt cultures, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences says it has entered a new chapter of yogurt formulation offering manufacturers and consumers a more consistent product that maintains a mild taste profile throughout...
