In a clear signal that plant-based meat is hitting the mainstream, Beyond Meat has announced global partnerships with two of the biggest players in fast food: McDonald’s, and Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut), a month after striking a deal with...
On a crusade to make buckwheat "cool" -- which has taken strong digital marketing efforts to educate the consumer in a demo-less landscape -- founder of sprouted buckwheat brand Lil Bucks, Emily Griffith, has made the leap from shared kitchens...
The plant-based seafood market is pretty small fry in dollar terms right now, but is poised to grow significantly in the next couple of years, predict the entrepreneurs behind a new wave of brands seeking to take plant-based tuna, shrimp, crab cakes,...
PepsiCo is making its first foray into the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers category with the launch of Neon Zebra, aimed at Gen Z and young Millennials (21-34-year olds) who like making cocktails at home, but are looking for more “fun and practical"...
The agriculture supply chain is long overdue for an overhaul, as illustrated by breakdowns early in the pandemic, the rising threat of climate change, and increasing pressure to feed a growing population, but the question of who will foot the bill remains...
Vertical indoor farming company Kalera has acquired Vindara Inc., a company developing non-GMO seeds specifically designed for use in vertical indoor farm environments.
Wild Tonic Jun Kombucha (fermented from honey and green tea instead of traditional cane sugar and black tea) is banking on several growth trends in the kombucha category this year including its refreshed slim cans and expanding line of hard kombucha.
In 2010, the Institute of Medicine urged the FDA to tackle sodium in processed foods. In 2016, the FDA proposed voluntary guidelines, setting two-year and 10-year goals for 158 food categories… but they were never finalized. So is 2021 – with a new administration...
Most startups have more questions than funding, which means when they come across something they don’t know they lose time, resources and occasionally their businesses finding the answer the hard way – but a new program from the food brand builders at...
Pacific Northwest hydroponic vertical farming startup Forward Greens is deploying what CEO and founder Ken Kaneko believes is an easy to replicate, scalable, and financially sustainable business model for the booming indoor vertical farming industry....
While Coca-Cola Co. is eager to restart innovation in 2021 after pulling back in 2020 to accommodate supply-constraints and heightened retailer demand for best-sellers, it is doing so with a shorter leash on experimentation and higher bar for financial...
Less than a year after taking the helm at Clif Bar & Co., new CEO Sally Grimes is spearheading the company’s first transformation in 30 years with an ambitious goal to double its business to $2 billion and double its positive impact on the world....
The US Hemp Authority has released the latest version of its certification standard whose aim is to promote best practices and heighten transparency among hemp companies.
Food allergy advocacy group, FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), has launched an action plan to broaden treatment, care, and education about food allergies, addressing systemic inequities when it comes to accessing these resources.
Nestlé reported ‘strong’ growth of its plant-based brands when it delivered its full year results. But, CEO Mark Schneider stressed, the opportunity is much bigger than meat-free burgers or bangers.
Upcycled foods and beverages made from ingredients traditionally not consumed by people are gaining popularity with consumers seeking more sustainable diets – creating a fast-growing market opportunity estimated to be worth more than $46 billion, which...
Danone – owner of dairy-free brands Alpro, Silk, and So Delicious Dairy Free - is expanding its presence in the burgeoning plant-based segment with a deal to acquire California-based Earth Island (owner of the Follow Your Heart brand) for an undisclosed...
The ice cream aisle used to be a lot less complicated. There were national brands, regional brands, a couple of super-premium players, and a smattering of dairy-free. Today, shoppers are presented with a bewildering array of options from lactose-free,...
Walmart generated a record $152.1bn in sales, an increase of $10.4bn or +7.3%, in Q4 (13 weeks ended Jan. 29, 2021). Looking towards FY22, the retailer said it will be investing heavily in its “next generation business model” to fuel further growth.
New US Department of Agriculture leadership optimistically is committed to launching a “a new era of climate smart practices” and “equity and fairness” in food and ag that will remove barriers, rebuild rural America, tackle climate change and control...
As the pandemic nears the one-year mark, food and beverage companies face increased pressure to maintain new consumers gained during the pandemic while also engaging additional shoppers over record household penetration increases in the last year – a...
Founders of Harmless Harvest, Justin Guilbert and Douglas Riboud, are aiming to take the success and consumer demand they built for sustainable and ethically-produced coconut water, and apply it to the salty snacks category with a brand of upcycled, crispy...
The great SKU rationalization last Spring caused by pandemic-related supply chain constraints and consumer stockpiling not only forced CPG companies to pause production temporarily of some products, but it prompted many to reevaluate their product mix...
Boston-based startup Slate Milk – which gives adults permission to keep drinking chocolate milk by dialing down the sugar, increasing the protein and packaging it as a functional beverage in shelf-stable cans - has raised $1.7m in a seed round (taking...
Hydroponic lettuce grower Little Leaf Farms has raised $90m in a recent funding round led by Equilibrium Capital to fully fund its East Coast expansion and build out new greenhouse sites in the region.
At the Consumer Analyst Group of New York 2021 conference yesterday, General Mills unveiled a four-prong strategy to “accelerate” its net organic sales growth 2-3%, expand mid-single-digit margins and deliver mid- to high-single-digit constant currency...
Nestlé will sell its Nestlé Waters North America business – including brands Pure Life, Poland Spring, Deer Park, Ozarka and delivery service ReadyRefresh – to One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co.
In the wake of the recent congressional report into heavy metals in baby food, the FDA says its goal is to reduce exposure to toxic elements in foods through research and collaboration, but has not said if it plans to issue guidance on upper limits for...
The functional beverage consumer and their purchase motivations are just as diverse as the functional beverage category itself, which encompasses everything from sports drinks and energy drinks to ionized/alkaline water and nutrient-infused coffee, says...
The number of Americans buying groceries online nearly doubled in 2020 as they looked for ways to safely stock their pantries during the pandemic, and while some will return to in-store shopping when it is safe, “a strong contingent” say they will continue...
The co-founders of the fast-growing banana-based Hakuna Banana and oat-milk based Totes Oats nice-cream brands are bringing their better-for-you pints and bars under the new umbrella brand Must Love to better communicate the company’s core values, leverage...
Nature’s Fynd - a Chicago-based startup growing protein from a micro-organism with origins in the geothermal springs of Yellowstone National Park – is giving consumers a first taste of the novel ingredient via dairy-free cream cheese and meatless breakfast...
Rule Breaker Snacks, an allergy-friendly snack brand featuring chickpeas as its star ingredient, has secured a minority investment from Bimbo Ventures, the venture capital arm of global baking company Grupo Bimbo.
As the second largest employer in the US (with 800,000 employees working in the US), Amazon is offering up to $80 to its front-line workforce who receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Plant-based milk is growing at an impressive clip, although not every subsegment is gaining momentum and not every new entrant has struck CPG gold. Barleymilk, however, has the potential to be a major player, and is every bit as exciting as current category...
While the nut butter category has evolved dramatically in recent years - with JIF and Skippy now competing with everything from almond and cashew butters to sunflower seed, mushroom, and chickpea butters - the jams and jellies category doesn’t look wildly...
Whether or not you believe in climate change or the food industry’s contribution to the greenhouse gasses wrapping the earth and changing weather patterns, plenty of consumers do, and they increasingly are buying products based on their environmental...
Updated: CRN urges public health establishments to issue guidance on vitamin D supplement benefits
US Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI) has introduced a House Resolution to recognize the significant role vitamin D may play in the fight against COVID-19.
Ingredion and Grupo Arcor -- a leading confectionery exporter in South America -- have signed a joint venture agreement to broaden food and beverage ingredient offerings in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
While there are plenty of beverages targeting young children, with recent launches from Kraft Heinz (Creative Roots) and Nestlé (Fruity Water) offering low or no-sugar options, there is a gap in the market for teens, claims PepsiCo, which says new launch...
Kellogg Co missed analysts' sales forecast for its fourth quarter of 2020, during which it faced pandemic-related headwinds, including unexpected supply constraints of multiple marque brands and the continued slowdown of at-home purchases as some...
PepsiCo expands its footprint in the burgeoning functional beverage category with today’s launch of bubly bounce – the first RTD extension of the company’s popular and playful sparkling water line that adds “just a subtle kick of caffeine” to help consumers...
As coronavirus continues to thwart businesses' best-laid plans, New Hope has decided to take Expo West – its annual trade show in Anaheim, California – virtual this spring, in the wake of “government restrictions, anticipated timelines around re-opening...
Kraft Heinz has ended 2020 on a high note reporting a 6.2% increase in organic net sales and a 27% lift in household penetration in Q4, driven by significant gains in Ketchup, Lunchables, and Ore-Ida.
Coca-Cola has been streamlining its portfolio: cutting down from 400 to 200 master brands. This doesn’t mean the company has abandoned NPD, says CEO James Quincey – rather, he sees the strategy as clearing the way for the ‘next generation of innovation’.
