Even as the pandemic continues to strain the food system and pressure manufacturers to balance increased demand with restricted supply, companies must still pursue sustainability goals, including minimizing their environmental impact and improving the...
In a Citizen’s Petition filed today, children’s health advocates are ramping up pressure on FDA to address the labeling of so-called ‘transition formulas’ or ‘toddler milks,’ which they say offer “no unique nutritional value,” threaten the health of young...
The Better Meat Co - a Sacramento-based startup supplying plant-based proteins that “blend seamlessly into ground meat products” at inclusion rates of 30-50% to create a new wave of ‘hybrid’ products - has closed an $8.1m seed round, bringing its total...
Geltor - a startup producing collagen proteins via microbial fermentation (without animals) – has closed a $91.3m Series B round led by CPT Capital with significant commitment from WTT Investment Ltd, and says it plans to launch its first ingestible products...
Despite growing interest in plant-based foods, the majority of meat eaters believe ‘real meat’ is the best source of protein, while nearly half of consumers who identify as flexitarians, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans – diets that limit or eliminate...
Food has become a way for consumers to ease their worries and anxiety in an increasingly stressful world, and they are looking for products that can answer their basic needs for control, community, and purpose, says Eve Turow-Paul, a writer and cultural...
The US must strengthen and increase funding for federal nutrition research to accelerate critical discoveries, and most importantly, improve public health, say a group of research, policy, and government experts in a new report.
Foods and beverages sweetened with miraculin, brazzein and curculin - proteins found in exotic fruits that can be produced far more efficiently via microbial fermentation - could hit the US market in less than two years, offering formulators intriguing...
Hybrid products combining meat grown from cells in bioreactors with plant-based proteins and fats could drive the first wave of cell-based product launches, predicts the founder of UK-based startup Higher Steaks, which unveiled the ‘world’s first’ cell-based...
Chobani has moved into new territory with the launch of Chobani Probiotic: a new line of organic, plant-based functional beverages; and Chobani Complete: a new line of protein- and fiber-packed lactose-free Greek yogurt cups and shakes with no added sugar,...
As with other aspects of American culture, racism has both deep and multiple roots in the food system, which CPG companies must address holistically, ranging from how they source materials and services to their hiring practices, marketing strategies and...
Trader Joe's indefinite commitment to remove "very soon" any store brand labels with "variations" of the name Trader Joe's, which the petition describes as 'harmful stereotypes,' could be too little too late late...
As consumers settle into living with the threat of the coronavirus and better understand their grocery needs while staying at home, their priorities inevitably will shift from panic purchasing any and all products to stocking their pantries more selectively...
A recent study showing that four out of five samples of commercially available avocado oils were either rancid or adulterated generated a few negative headlines, but probably passed most consumers by. But it should serve as a wake-up call for industry,...
Staying well has never been more important as Americans deal with unprecedented levels of anxiety and economic uncertainty. At the same time, budgets are tightening and consumers are looking for affordable foods and beverages that deliver the nutrition...
The second consumer product featuring Perfect Day’s dairy proteins (produced by microbes) has launched in the US, under the brand name Brave Robot, which is pioneering a new ‘animal free dairy’ category delivering the taste and performance of real dairy,...
The food and beverage industry has been a tale of two cities since the coronavirus pandemic was declared with some companies seeing surging sales reinforced by fresh rounds of high-dollar investments and other businesses grinding to a halt with both revenue...
Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, reducing average consumption from 13% of daily energy intake to just 6%, the equivalent of 30g for someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, according to the expert committee advising the...
‘Lab-grown’ seafood is a food marketer’s nightmare. ‘Clean’ seafood carries the tacit implication that the regular stuff is dirty. ‘Cultivated’ seafood – a term that performed well in recent research on meat & poultry – could be confused with farmed...
Perceived health benefits remain the #1 purchase driver for plant-based foods according to new consumer research from innovation consultancy Mattson, although environmental factors, taste (in the case of plant-based dairy), and the sense that ‘I feel...
PespiCo’s ambitious dream of a world “where plastics need no longer become waste,” is one step closer to becoming reality with the creation of the first fully-recyclable PET-free paper bottle made from sustainably sourced pulp.
While the coronavirus has hit hard the food and beverage industry over the past four months, players across the supply chain have worked closely with federal agencies and the government to improve manufacturing processes and temporarily ease what the...
“More rigorous methods” are necessary for developing, communicating, and disseminating recommendations for feeding children from birth to 24 months -- arguably the most critical window for nutrition for a child, according to new report by the private,...
Rabobank is updating its FoodBytes! platform with a redesign of its pitch competitions and its corporate innovation program (formerly known as the TERRA accelerator) in a bid to foster year-round engagement with its network of food and ag startups, investors,...
While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities and inequities in the current food system, ranging from supply chain fragility to worker safety, it also is opening minds – and doors – to promising sustainability solutions brought...
In a move that may not come as a huge surprise given executives' recent hints about “pruning” the portfolio, Coca-Cola is discontinuing the Odwalla juice brand and the refrigerated network of trucks supplying it to stores. So was the 40-year-old...
From plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging, managing food waste, using artificial intelligence to track consumer sentiment, and the latest developments in cell-cultured meat and keto diet trends, here are some of the education sessions that...
After years of steady decline, sales of cereal have rebounded dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic as consumers sheltering in place who once skipped breakfast in the face of long commutes now have time – and no other options – to eat at home.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic not only significantly accelerated the already steady consumer adoption of online shopping from grocery stores, it also drove business away from retailers to direct-to-consumer providers and online specialty product aggregators...
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has reshaped virtually every aspect of American’s lives, including what, when and how we eat, according to research from the flavor, ingredient and color company Flavorchem, which found our emotions are influencing our...
A new player has emerged in the burgeoning alternative protein space touting a novel protein sourced from a bacterium found in the human microbiome, which it claims can give traditional animal and plant proteins a run for their money.
With the regulatory path forward for hemp-derived CBD in foods and supplements no clearer a year after the FDA’s May 2019 public meeting, trade association The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has filed a citizen’s petition urging the FDA to regulate...
Children under the age of 2 years should avoid all added sugars in order to better make “every bite count,” according to the Dietary Guidelines advisory subcommittee tasked with creating the first ever dietary guidelines for children younger than 24 months....
With only 1% of venture capital going to Black led or founded companies last year, investors are being asked to finance more Black entrepreneurs as part of the anti-racism movement sweeping America, but to do so, the founder of TeaSquares advises, they...
Food giants PepsiCo, Mars and Conagra Brands have pledged to review or phase out three high-profile legacy brands amid continued criticism that they enshrine and perpetuate offensive racial stereotypes.
From growing interest in immune health to a sharp rise in online grocery shopping, how is COVID-19 impacting consumer behavior? Here are a few things that caught our eye in recent reports from The Hartman Group for FMI, the Food Industry Association*;...
Stevia specialist SweeGen has started commercial production of Reb B, a lesser-known and “highly soluble” steviol glycoside (stevia sweetener) that it says works particularly well in beverages.
Norway’s seafood industry has hit back after China halted imports from European salmon suppliers after a new wave of coronavirus at a Beijing market was said to have entered the city via salmon.
More Americans are dieting in 2020 than last year, but unlike in previous years their new favored eating pattern likely will provide little marketing fodder for food and beverage manufacturers hoping to appeal to followers with easy call-outs, the addition...
EPG (brand name: Epogee) – a new plant-based oil that has been restructured in such a way that virtually none of it is absorbed by the body – is attracting interest from formulators across the food industry, as firms see an opportunity to make significant...
New research from Unilever highlights the growing importance of health, wellness and immunity for consumers. “Our Foods and Refreshment business is uniquely positioned to lead purposefully in the space of holistic health and immunity,” nutrition R&D...
MycoTechnology – which is building a functional ingredients platform utilizing mycelia, the filament-like roots of mushrooms - has raised $39m in a series D financing round from investors* including plant-based meat specialist Greenleaf Foods to Tyson...
Miyoko’s has upped the ante in its legal dispute with the State of California over the use of the term ‘butter’ on a plant-based product, urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction against state ag officials, who it claims are violating its First...
As Americans tentatively emerge from lockdown, the industry is likely to face a very different consumer landscape. How might tighter household budgets change consumer priorities and behaviors? Will ‘Big Food’ really stage a comeback? Will habits (stress...
The FDA says it has made “substantial progress” in forging a regulatory path for ingestible CBD products, but has given no indication of when it might provide food and supplement makers with more clarity.
Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), the world’s largest private source of funding for food allergy research – has met with the FDA to share its concerns over the agency’s recent move to temporarily allow manufacturers to make minor formulation...
Many food and beverage companies are joining the fight against racism in America by temporarily pausing sales, using their voices and positions to raise awareness of systemic racism in the US, donating profits and pulling advertising from platforms that...
Even before the threat of the “quarantine 15” – or the idea that some Americans are at risk of packing on 15 pounds during the pandemic due to stress-baking, mindless snacking and reduced physical activity – the rate of obesity in America has been stubbornly...
When it comes to flavor, pistachios consistently rank as Americans' favorite nut, says trade association American Pistachio Growers (APG). However, new research suggests the green-hued nuts also have intriguing anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
