ALDI has unveiled a $1.6bn plan to remodel and expand 1,300 US stores by 2020, while Whole Foods has abandoned its 1,200+ store goal and says its new focus is on "disciplined growth" and encouraging its core customers to spend more.
The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) has filed a motion to hold the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in contempt of court for disregarding a 2004 ruling that hemp fiber, stalk, sterilized seed and oil are specifically exempted from the definition...
Protein shows no sign of petering out in 2017 with many consumers still listing it as an “ideal attribute” for fortification across categories and an ever-growing list of sources from which manufacturers can choose, according to a product development...
Bolthouse Farms expands its footprint in the crowded dressing category with the launch of a new premium line that fills the whitespace in the unexpectedly bare overlap between organic and better-for-you options.
The dairy lobby is justifiably frustrated about the widespread use of dairy-terms (milk, cheese, yogurt) to describe plant-based products, but it also needs to focus on its own game to understand why sales of fluid dairy milk are declining, argues The...
Perhaps not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless to environmental, health and nutrition advocates is new research that ranks the US dead last, or very near the bottom, out of 25 countries on a long list of food sustainability indicators, including...
Food and beverage brands of all sizes and across categories are scrambling to reduce sugar in their products before FDA regulations mandating they indicate added and total sugar on the Nutrition Facts panel goes into effect in July 2018, according to...
According to retail data company Packaged Facts, “food industry marketers are astutely churning out a variety of healthier, yet still decadent, frozen treats to please modern American consumers.”
While most Americans remain unfamiliar with drinking vinegar, the category is gaining traction and could be the next kombucha if manufacturers work together to promote its many benefits and uses, according to one segment player.
With the new administration comes new opportunities for the food and beverage industry, from agriculture and scientists to manufacturers and public health advocates, to make their priorities heard by collectively raising their voices, stakeholders argued...
The energy drinks market is maturing and so too is its consumer base, prompting the category to expand its marketing position to better appeal to a slightly older demographic.
If 50% of eating occasions are now snacks,* do we have to rethink what a snack is? An occasional treat or an everyday healthy indulgence? A fresh mini-meal? A quick energy boost? And when it comes to snacks, what new formats, flavors, label claims and...
Pulse-based snacks are enjoying an “unprecedented popularity” thanks in part to a year-long marketing campaign spearheaded by the United Nations, but they still have a long way to go to catch-up with other alternative-ingredient snacks, according to Packaged...
The due date for the next Farm Bill may still be a year away, but stakeholders already are drawing up a laundry list of diverse requests that will require a “big tent approach” at a time when deeply divided political leaders appear unlikely to meet each...
Reese’s and Cookie Layer Crunch will be major investment focuses when Hershey’s next CEO Michele Buck takes office in March, 2017, according to the company’s Q4 earnings conference call.
You’ve got a great product, you’re bursting with entrepreneurial zeal, you’ve outgrown the space you’re renting in a commercial kitchen and you’re ready to look for a contract manufacturer/co-packer. Well steel yourself, says PartnerSlate founder and...
Once restricted to a handful of products, such as yogurt, probiotics are enjoying unprecedented popularity and are popping up in unexpected places with many bold health claims, but not everything consumers or manufacturers hear about probiotics is true.
An astronomical amount of money pours out of food and beverage companies into Super Bowl spots each year. This year, from coin toss till the end of play, there are nine food and beverage companies (excluding the foodservice sector advertisers KFC and...
It's February already, and the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day will see an uptick of chocolate sales. The National Confectioners Association surveyed 1,630 US individuals online and found that chocolate and candy were the most sought after...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
That’s It fruit bars were an immediate hit, but will the brand’s new veggie bars – which combine black beans with veggies such as peas, carrots, kale, and corn – be a tougher sell?
Days after President Trump signed an executive order that freezes some regulations and draft guidance documents, FDA offers to help food industry associations draft their own guidance documents to help “capture the best practices” and boost industry compliance...
As the deadlines for regulations painstakingly developed under the Food Safety Modernization Act begin to go into effect, compliance by producers, suppliers and manufacturers alone will not be enough to stop food borne illness outbreaks, a top FDA official...
The US dairy industry is continuing its fight against Canada’s policies, which they say are blocking American dairy imports into the country in violation of international agreements.
Taking advantage of butter’s current, albeit controversial, status as “back,” chefs and manufacturers are taking the ingredient to new levels with innovative flavors and formats.
From open letters to official statements, many US food and beverage industry entities stand firmly on keeping NAFTA and a barrier-free bilateral arrangement with Mexico.
Compass Group subsidiary Bon Appétit Management Company has teamed up with algae specialist TerraVia to use Thrive Culinary Algae Oil as its preferred cooking oil across more than 650 cafés in corporate offices (including Google), universities, and other...
It's been a tough few years for the meat sector, said Meagan Nelson, associate director for fresh growth and strategy at Nielsen. Despite the many new roadblocks for the category (think non-meat protein competition and meal kits), there are strategies...
Home shopping television easily might be overshadowed by food and beverage companies’ growing interest in online grocery shopping, but industry veterans say the venue offers compelling marketing opportunities – especially for startups or legacy brands...
CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT THE 2017 WINTER FANCY FOOD SHOW
Labeling conventions in plant-based ‘dairy’ are a hot topic right now, with two leading players (Almond Breeze and Silk) hit with false advertising lawsuits this week, and a Senate Bill urging the FDA to enforce standards of identity for milk, cheese...
The consumer packaged goods sector may lag behind other industries in terms of e-commerce, but IRI’s experts and analysts say shopping online is increasingly becoming the new norm, even for groceries.
Billed as a “product sampling community” and influencer marketing company, Social Nature wants to take the time-honored and go-to strategy of in-store demonstrations into the digital age for a “better, cheaper and more direct way to target and acquire...
The Trump Administration’s regulatory freeze announced last week could significantly impact how the Nutrition Facts Label final rule and regulations related to the Food Safety Modernization Act are interpreted and enforced even though they passed well...
The nonprofit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) has announced the availability of new online education programs and resources aimed at teachers and individuals to promote the benefits of a seafood-rich diet.
Consumers’ growing familiarity with the health benefits of nuts and seeds paired with their versatility is inspiring manufacturers to seek new varieties, uses and packaging for the ingredient – propelling it into a starring role in the American diet in...
Atkins Nutritionals Inc. might be best known for making low-carb foods and beverages for weight management, but a new marketing campaign that explains how carbs can lead to weight gain could breathe new life into the diet – and product sales – by connecting...
General Mills, Grupo Bimbo and Hostess post dramatically different sales results
Out of the 75 million Millennials (ages 18-34) living in the US, 42% are of African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic heritage—and according to Nielsen, trends and consumer groups once considered niche to these specific demographic groups have now...
Vegetables will shine as a rising star in the juice industry in 2017 as consumers look for ways to reduce sugar and increase functional benefits, predicts a top executive working with the international juice maker Biotta.
New guidance and an easy-to-use reference chart from EPA and FDA encouraging Americans – especially pregnant and nursing women and parents of young children – to eat more fish could boost sales of seafood products, including ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare...
In a turbulent 2016 that has seen major political upheaval in Europe and the US no one could’ve failed to notice how trusted voices of reason have given way to a louder, more headline grabbing form of communication.
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...
