Which delivery formats for CBD are most successful at Vitamin Shoppe? How do you market a CBD beverage? And what will distinguish the winners from the losers in this nascent market? Checkout what our panel of experts had to say in our May 20 Where next...
Plant-based dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery – which built an artisan cheese brand based on cashew nuts but has since introduced new products featuring legumes and oats - is experimenting with a novel ingredient that’s naturally high in protein, and developing...
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused brands to look at their direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses with fresh eyes, including emerging brand PeaTos, which launched its own DTC site, BetterSnacks.com, to fulfill Americans' at-home snacking needs and desire...
How is COVID-19 impacting the hemp-derived CBD market? Are consumers turning to CBD to address anxiety during these times, or when it comes to functional foods, beverages and supplements, are they more likely to spend money on products they believe have...
While consumer interest in where food comes from and how it is produced has been growing in recent years, an organic industry leader says the coronavirus pandemic has turbocharged shoppers’ interest in local, organic and sustainably produced products...
While the coronavirus outbreak may have initially sidelined new food and beverage launches as retailers scrambled to stock the basics, and stay-at-home orders slowed research & development, one investor predicts “a burst of innovation” from existing...
Califia Farms is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based butters - its first foray into the fats & oils category - and Protein Oat, a line of plant-based milks with a comparable level of protein to dairy milk per serving.
While COVID-19 has upended the status quo for the entire food industry from growers and distributors, to retailers and consumers, it has also exposed the lack of resiliency within the food supply chain to handle something as disruptive as a global pandemic,...
Do essential businesses such as food manufacturers and retailers need some kind of liability shield to protect themselves from an anticipated wave of COVID-19-related personal injury litigation, or would this only encourage bad actors and deprive people...
Continued uncertainty over the regulatory status of hemp-derived CBD is a bigger roadblock for food and beverage brands than COVID-19 to market growth this year, say startups, but there are still opportunities to grow while they wait for the FDA to weigh...
A lawsuit alleging CBD American Shaman falsely advertised its wares as containing no heavy metals “raises more questions than it answers,” says one attorney. But it also highlights the challenges facing CBD firms looking to differentiate themselves from...
Creating a healthy food environment that allows children to choose what and how they eat encourages positive, long-term eating habits and maintenance of a healthy body weight, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.
A judge has dismissed a worker safety lawsuit* filed by an unnamed worker at the Smithfield meat processing plant in Milan, Mo., on the grounds that such matters are for federal regulators, not local courts, to decide.
From fewer containers and reduced shift work at harbors to delays in planned maintenance in factories, the coronavirus pandemic is impacting global supply chains in myriad ways. FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Jon Peters (JP), president at Beneo,...
Over the last month, online food marketplace BUBBLE has seen dollar sales grow 800% (vs the previous month), cart sizes quadruple, and a surge of interest from prospective vendors as new and emerging natural food brands without the bandwidth to set up...
The day any entrepreneur decides to sell his or her business is “always bittersweet” observed Jonathan Sebastiani after selling KRAVE Jerky to Hershey for $218m in January 2015. So how does it feel - five years later - to be back at the helm after buying...
By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Navigating coronavirus’ uneven impact to chart a path forward for groceries
While some food and beverage brands have enjoyed tremendous growth following the coronavirus outbreak, others have been completely "pummeled" by government and consumer response to the virus – revealing a division that could provide a road map...
As tensions – and lawsuits – mount in the meat industry as plants balance the need to protect workers with pressure to maintain the nation’s food supplies, food trade associations have urged Congress to move to protect essential businesses from ‘unfounded’...
The global market for collagen peptides grew 25%+ in volume in 2019 with continued double-digit growth expected in 2020, says Gelita, which says it’s seeing a steady rise in interest from food and beverage firms looking to make more tailored products...
COVID-19 patients with low vitamin K status tend to have worse outcomes, according to preliminary results of a study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands.
Just over half of food & beverage professionals surveyed by product innovation firm Mattson this month say projects and launches have been delayed due to coronavirus, but two thirds are still working on new concepts and products and 50% believe COVID-19...
While "banana bread is having a moment" during the lockdown, most consumers that didn't previously have great cooking skills are "not turning into gourmet chefs," and when it comes to dinnertime, they're looking for 'heat-and-eat'...
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...
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...
Organic ice cream brand Three Twins has ceased operations after a 15-year rollercoaster ride, with founder Neal Gottlieb thanking staff and ice cream fans for their support but explaining that he had been unable to get to the scale “where we could have...
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’...
“Coronavirus has us all rethinking how we will do research this year,” says Patricia Manos, VP marketing at consumer insights and product testing specialist Curion, who says there are multiple ways to glean insights from consumers remotely, from video...
While some food & beverage companies have hit the ‘pause’ button on innovation projects as priorities shift during this pandemic, others are finding creative ways to keep projects on track, which in some cases has involving transforming home kitchens...
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...
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.
“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...
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’?
Onboarding new brands is not top of the priority list right now at most food retailers, many of which are more focused on rationalizing SKUs than adding new ones. Meanwhile, R&D under lockdown isn't easy. So is innovation on pause, or are companies...
The food industry has moved remarkably quickly to adjust to a sudden and spectacular shift in food consumption towards the home as America goes into lockdown. But there could be significant challenges ahead if more countries block food exports, while...
While some shoppers have shared photos of empty meat cases next to fully-stocked shelves of plant-based meat on social media, the latest Nielsen data suggests that retail sales of meat alternatives increased significantly in March alongside their animal-based...
CEO of snacking company That's How We Roll, the parent company to national brands ParmCrisps and Thinsters cookie thins, feels cautiously optimistic about how the CPG industry will fare during and post COVID-19.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2020 annual meeting & expo - scheduled to take place in Chicago July 12-15 - will transition to a virtual event, the organizers confirmed Monday, citing the need to "prioritize the health and safety of...
Regulatory uncertainty coupled with the fact that retailers are not focused on onboarding new brands right now make this a tough time for new CBD brands. However, e-commerce sales of hemp-derived CBD have spiked, while a new survey from Brightfield Group...
Clearly, now is not a great time to raise money. But founders shouldn’t despair, said investors in a webinar hosted by FoodBytes! by Rabobank on Wednesday. Raising capital will take longer and investors are being more circumspect, but there is money available...
Businesses across the country are adapting with lightning speed to adjust business plans, and in some cases, change their business model overnight, in order to adapt and survive as large swathes of the population go into lockdown.
Last week, FoodNavigator-USA held its Beverage Trends webinar where we quizzed a panel of beverage industry insiders on what the future holds for the beverage market, especially amid a public health crisis such as coronavirus, which has no firm end date...
Meat giants Cargill Protein and Tyson Foods are flexing their supply chain muscles to adjust to a sudden shift in demand away from foodservice and towards retail as consumers stay at home.
While many packaged food firms have enjoyed soaring sales this month, startups that had planned to launch new brands, ramp up bricks & mortar distribution, and raise money this year are adjusting plans rapidly, while access to capital will get more...
Inventory planning is the name of the game right now in packaged staples as brands dealing with sudden surges in demand owing to COVID-19 try to predict how long current buying patterns might last.
Should prolonged social distancing measures generate mass unemployment, premium priced natural and organic products will likely not be top of most people’s shopping lists, while private label sales will likely rise, although packaged foods will continue...
While many packaged food brands are enjoying surging sales as shoppers stock up and hunker down as COVID-19 control measures kick in, emerging brands are having to rewrite business plans, modify marketing messaging, and reconsider go-to-market strategies...
‘In some cases, retailers have simply canceled the meetings and not rescheduled them as phone calls’
Coronavirus is creating significant challenges and opportunities for the food and beverage industry, with panic buying prompting mayhem in stores and a surge in online sales, while instore demo companies have seen business fall off a cliff and smaller...