Data from Label Insight* shows that one in five (21%) snack, energy or granola bars in the US now makes a non-GMO claim of some kind – making it the leading category for non-GMO claims, compared with an average of 4.2% for all the grocery products in...
While the meteoric growth of plant-based beverages such as almondmilk is well-documented, WhiteWave Foods has identified $2.7bn worth of business in other plant-based categories in the US retail market, including yogurt, creamers, and frozen desserts,...
New sources of protein from edible insects to hemp are being incorporated into a growing number of products from bars to beverages. But does microalgae have what it takes to become a serious player in the so-called ‘alternative proteins’ market?
'As awareness grows, more people get the chance to taste it and have that ‘aha’ moment'
With several new ready-to-drink cold brew coffee products in the pipeline and a growing retail footprint, private equity-backed Stumptown Coffee Roasters is betting on a big future for the hottest thing in cold coffee.
Campbell Soup Company continues to be impacted by restructuring costs and falling sales. But an uptick in organic sales buoyed the company as it embarks on a previously announced plan to restructure its portfolio as it released its fourth quarter 2015...
The trend toward high protein offerings shows no signs of losing steam. Innovation in protein sources and mixtures continues, but delivery mode innovation has not kept pace, at least not in the US market, said consultant Ralf Jaeger, PhD.
Start-up BrightFarms is helping retailers say goodbye to long supply chains that can compromise food quality by partnering with them to build and operate local greenhouses that provide an exclusive, steady supply of fresh produce.
Ongoing consumer interest in gluten-free foods has opened a door for less common ancient grains to step into the limelight that wheat, rye and barley have dominated for so long. But at the same time, lingering consumer confusion about the exact definition...
The Food and Drug Administration has taken another step in its war on powdered caffeine. The controversial ingredient linked to a pair of deaths was the subject of a slew of new FDA warning letters to companies selling the substance to consumers.
Preserving and strengthening the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which sets school lunch standards and makes free and reduced meals available to children, could lower the healthcare costs in the US and improve the country’s economic competitiveness and...
More consumers are choosing whole grains regularly thanks in part to more sophisticated formulating techniques that better balance flavor and health benefits, according to a survey conducted by the non-profit Oldways Whole Grains Council.
Many consumers are cautiously optimistic that their financial situation is improving, but they continue to buy groceries based primarily on price and value – creating friction between manufacturers and retailers, IRI research reveals.
PopCorners manufacturer BFY Holdings is on a mission to become a global leader in the booming better-for-you snack category and to help it the company has tapped an industry veteran with substantial leadership experience as its new president and CEO.
J.M. Smucker Co.’s aggressive efforts to wake up its sleepy coffee segment are working, resulting in a 12% increase in the segment’s sales and a 13% increase in its profits in the firm’s first quarter, executives announced Aug. 27.
Well-known fresh cookie-maker Otis Spunkmeyer is expanding its empire beyond food service and into the retail segment for the first time with the launch of a line of sweet baked goods that will hit store shelves nationwide in 2016.
Increasingly adventurous consumers may say that they want a wide selection of flavors from which to select, but if manufacturers provide too many options they may actually deter shoppers, warns the CEO of a leading market analytics firm.
Gourmet food and gift company Harry & David has an ambitious goal to make its iconic and decadent Moose Munch popcorn line a $100 million brand within the next two to three years in part by expanding distribution and fine-tuning its flavors to create...
Synthetic biology will become a “permanent and growing aspect of the flavors & fragrances landscape” predicts a new report from Lux Research, which says the approach is more sustainable than traditional techniques such as synthesizing flavors from...
Heartland Food Products Group, one of the largest private label sweetener manufacturers, scores one of the most well-known brands in the category with the acquisition of Splenda from McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.
Increasing consumer interest in bitter flavors could help manufacturers regain momentum on sodium reduction initiatives, many of which are stalled due to the common perception that less salt equals less flavor, suggests market research from Mintel.
Elaine Watson caught up with Anton Angelich, group VP marketing at New York-based flavor house Virginia Dare, to get the lowdown on new flavor trends and product concepts, from rooibos-based tea for kids and vodka that tastes of birthday cake, to banana...
The cliché of pizza lovers as beer-pong playing frat boys or men sharing a slice while watching sports is all wrong – and as a result, so are many manufacturers’ marketing and formulation strategies, according to recent research.
General Mills seeks to lead the charge to remove artificial colors and flavors from artificial sources from the fruit flavored snack category, just as it is doing in the cereal category.
The dog days of summer are here and to help cool off consumers are reaching for ice cream, which a recent Yahoo Food survey found is 41% of American’s favorite dessert.
A new hybrid grocery delivery and meal solution service from food-tech start-up Handpick, Inc., claims to offer a more affordable and sustainable way for consumers to shop and cook than other online grocery shopping or meal kit delivery services.
Americans are tucking into hotter and spicier fare by the day, but how is the trend evolving? And will savory yogurt take off? Elaine Watson caught up with Michael Swenson, director of business development at Sensient Natural Ingredients, to find out...
With the launch of Fruit Essence and the rebranding of Agua Enerviva as Energy Water, the beverage company Agua is going after consumers who increasingly are rejecting sugar-sweetened sodas and beverages, but who also are bored with plain water.
Players in the protein category – especially those focused on the center of the plate – are behind the curve when it comes to flavor and need to rethink their strategy to capture and hold modern consumers’ attention, according to flavor and seasoning...
60-second interview: Greg Kaminski executive research chef, Synergy Flavors
What's hot and what's not in the world of flavors? Elaine Watson caught up with Greg Kaminski, executive research chef at Synergy Flavors, to get the lowdown on Marcona almonds, rhubarb, ginger, and Shishito peppers.
A key part of Target’s strategy to ‘reinvent’ its food offering will involve offering more local products, from specialty foods to craft beer, chairman and CEO Brian Cornell told analysts yesterday.
Hormel Foods “balanced business model” allowed it to raise its profit outlook by taking advantage of lower pork prices to offset sales losses in its turkey operation related to the avian flu, executives said Aug. 19.
Natural and organic food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group continued its five year streak of earning double-digit quarterly sales growth thanks in part to a “channel agnostic go-to-market strategy,” according to the firm’s president and CEO.
Most Americans eat meat. But only a small percentage eats meat snacks. So does this disconnect simply reflect the fact that beef doesn’t pair too well with a mid-morning mocha-latte, or is it proof of a huge, still largely untapped, market opportunity?
Starbucks is “widely outpacing” the competition in the US coffee pods market, delivering “robust unit growth and ongoing pod share gains”, while market leader Keurig Green Mountain’s share continues to decline owing to “persistently weak dollar sales”,...
A recent FDA warning letter reminds food and beverage manufacturers that whole stevia leaf is not generally recognized as safe for conventional foods, even though many extracts of the plant are.
We’ve all heard of the 80:20 rule, but new research* from digital marketing expert Catalina shows that just 0.7% of shoppers are driving 80% of the volumes of new food and beverage products, while just 11% of shoppers that try a new product are still...
As consumer demand for spicy food increases, it also is evolving beyond that for just eye-watering and mouth-burning heat to include a desire for more complex blends of pungent flavors, a recent survey by Kalsec reveals.
An integrated marketing campaign to change the conversation on omega-3s and reverse declining sales has contributed to a 3% improvement in year-over-year monthly unit sales in the food/drug/mass channel, says GOED.
Bolthouse Farms is advancing its on-trend mission to make fresh products more available by expanding its fresh juice and salad dressing offerings under a new president and general manager.
Oldways Whole Grains Council is spearheading an effort to set standards for increasingly popular sprouted grains, which are popping up exponentially in more products as manufacturers try to catch consumers’ attention with better-for-you claims.
Omega Protein Corporation has received a harsh critique of its diversification strategy from a major investor. Wynnefield Partners filed a Form 13D with the Securities and Exchange Commission calling for the company to seek alternatives—up to and including...
Georgia-based Flowers Foods has struck a deal to acquire Oregon-based Dave's Killer Bread - the largest organic bread company in North America – for $275m.
A large consumer study* from market researcher Health Focus International spanning 16 major consumer markets includes this pretty jaw-dropping statistic: 87% of consumers globally think non-GMO foods are ‘somewhat’, or ‘a lot’ healthier.
The Nutrition Capital Network reports that mergers and acquisitions activity in branded natural and organic food & beverage companies is on a record-setting pace for 2015. In addition, NCN reports rapid growth in financings in the emerging world of...
Millennials are the first generation that has been switched on since birth. So while that means they are more sophisticated digitally, they are also more opinionated, too, something that marketers must keep in mind, according to research firm IRI.
