We clocked a number of brands using terms from 'clean candy' to 'clean protein' on the showfloor at Expo West, but what does 'clean eating' mean, is 'clean' a term that brands should use on product labels, and where...
The advocates for the reformation of the regulation of hemp derivatives in nutritional products were clinging to the hope that the abrupt resignation of FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb will not mean the initiative will be stillborn.
The number of class action filings against food and beverage companies rose 9% to 158 in 2018, with firms vulnerable to legal action on a host of fronts, from slack fill to natural claims, says law firm Perkins Coie.
US sales of beverages infused with hemp-derived CBD are predicted to reach $600m in 2019, and approach $1bn in 2020, with water accounting for two thirds of the market, predict analysts at Cowen, which believes that “US CBD can conservatively generate...
US sales of in-store meal kits reached $93m in 2018, according to the latest Nielsen data, with 187 new retail meal kit items introduced during the year as high-profile brands sought to reach consumers that like the concept, but don’t want to commit to...
Tests from Florida-based lab Beta Analytic prove that the allegations in a recent lawsuit challenging LaCroix’s all natural claims are “false and devoid of legal and factual merit,” claims LaCroix brand owner National Beverage Corporation (NBC).
If Amazon is planning to launch a new retail offer with lower prices than Whole Foods, it would lend credence to the idea that “well-designed, well-located brick-and-mortar stores have an important role to play in the years ahead, even as e-commerce continues...
The food industry is gearing up for the Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim. But what is a 'natural' product? How are definitions of natural & clean label evolving, and is food tech changing the game? (Is the Impossible Burger ‘natural,’...
Lean fish could have significant advantages over other aquatic or terrestrial species for cell-cultured protein production, according to the founders of Clean Research, a new open science initiative created to accelerate the research and development of...
Like many emerging brands that began with a more narrowly functional look and feel to their packaging, protein-fueled Protes has refreshed its packaging, replacing the clinical white background of its popcorn and the black backdrop of its chips with bright...
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has filed a citizen petition with the FDA proposing “a practical solution to the dairy labeling problem [a problem that plant-based companies say does not exist] that is grounded in current law and addresses...
Good Karma – best known for its flaxmilk-based milks and yogurts – is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based sour cream, ranch dips, and French onion dips, categories currently underserved when it comes to dairy-free options, says CEO...
Canadian cannabis specialist Tilray is to buy Manitoba Harvest – the world’s largest hemp food manufacturer - from Compass Group and other shareholders in a deal that could be worth up to C$419m (US$317m).*
Former Campbell Soup executive Mark Alexander is moving into the yogurt aisle to take the helm at fast-growing skyr brand Icelandic Provisions, replacing outgoing CEO Steve Platt, who will retain an advisory position at the company.
As Amazon tests its cashierless checkout technology in bigger stores, it begs the question: what would a cashierless technology integration of this size and scale look like at its Whole Foods locations, and what would be required to make the integration...
Boulder-based organic kombucha brand Rowdy Mermaid – which has carved out a distinct niche in the category with its herb and botanical infused beverages - has raised $3.5m in a Series A round, led by KarpReilly and supported by high profile investors...
Consumers often say that if they’re going to indulge, they’d rather eat a small portion of something made with ‘real’ or familiar ingredients (butter, cane sugar, whole milk) than a more ‘processed’ low calorie/sugar/fat alternative.
Dairy giants Chobani and Danone North America both have a presence in the burgeoning plant-based dairy category, but have different ideas over how such products should be labeled.
No one likes factory farming. But most people still eat meat regardless. Put another way, persuading consumers to change their behavior hasn’t really moved the needle, says cell-cultured meat enthusiast and author Paul Shapiro. Offering a technological...
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that free snacks at work make up a weighty amount of the – empty – calories daily consumed by approximately 140 million working Americans.
While some retailers are more cautious than others about using the term 'CBD,' many leading food and drugstore chains are actively exploring building dedicated segments in store devoted to hemp/CBD following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill,...
Barlean’s is the latest brand to be hit with a lawsuit challenging the notion that coconut oil is a healthy choice, with plaintiffs alleging that the high-saturated fat oil is one of the least healthy options for consumers shopping the edible oils aisle.
Studies show the bio-availability of some nutrients is higher in sprouted grains. However, effects vary widely according to the grain, temperature, and sprouting period, while a lack of human clinical data makes it hard to make generic claims about whether...
Complaints lodged by 'professional liars' on a mission to 'falsely attack our brand integrity,' alleges LaCroix
LaCroix maker National Beverage Corp says third-party tests prove unequivocally that its sparkling waters contain “no trace of artificial or synthetic additives” after being hit with a second lawsuit alleging it falsely markets its wares as ‘100% natural.’...
What is piquing the interest of food & beverage investors as we approach Expo West? Not surprisingly, CBD is high on the list, along with brands disrupting the kids’ food category, according to New York based venture fund AccelFoods.
'People will start to see plants as filling and delicious, providing protein and satiety...'
High-profile launches notwithstanding (the Impossible Slider is now at White Castle and the Beyond Burger is at TGI Fridays) 45 out of the top 100 restaurant chains in the US still don’t offer a plant-based entrée, according to the Good Food Institute’s...
Almost half (48%) of Americans have purchased both dairy- and plant-based milks over the past six months, according to an IPSOS survey of 2,006 adults commissioned by Dairy Management Inc.
CBD (cannabidiol) isolates are off the menu for food, beverage and supplement companies until the FDA lays out some kind of regulatory pathway. But are ‘broad spectrum’ hemp extracts legal in all 50 states following the passage of the Farm Bill? And if...
While some of the luster has worn off the subscription-based meal kit market, Yumble's proposition – prepared meal delivery for kids - is inherently ‘stickier’ with busy parents, says Sonoma Brands, the lead investor in its Series A funding round.*...
New Age Beverages has unveiled CBD-infused beverages under the Marley brand, which it believes will give it first-mover advantage in the segment with a globally-recognized brand consumers already associate with relaxation. But it won’t be making any claims...
Om co-founder Sandra Carter has noticed a "dramatic change in the sophistication" of knowledge of mushrooms among natural product developers and consumers in the past 10 years.
The road from startup to category leader is not for the faint of heart, and there are few end-to-end resources available to an emerging brand that can guide food entrepreneurs on branding and packaging all the way through to sales and marketing strategy.
With cost saving opportunities already exhausted in many cases, big food companies turned their attention back to the top line in 2018 in an attempt to turn around sluggish growth with a flurry of innovation, says Bernstein. But how impressive were their...
Olipop – a sparkling soda featuring 9g fiber per 12oz can – is targeting consumers seeking low sugar beverages with functional benefits and a more accessible flavor profile (and price tag) than kombucha, say the founders, who recently raised $2.5m to...
The cereal giant has expressed confusion regarding a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that suggests preschoolers (3-5 years) who watch televisions advertisements for breakfast cereals consume more of the product.
Snackable egg brand PECKISH - the latest innovation to emerge from California-based brand incubator and investor Sonoma Brands – is expanding into the refrigerated snack section at select retailers, gyms, and corporate cafeterias across the country after...
While some commentators predict hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) could burn brightly and then fizzle out if consumers lose interest and plaintiff’s attorneys challenge product claims, the fact remains that consumers are buying it, and coming back to buy...
Crowdsourcing data from drivers in real time helps Waze app users avoid traffic and make smarter routing decisions. The Basket app – which crowdsources pricing data from an army of food shoppers across the country – is helping consumers save cash, says...
The FDA and USDA recently proposed a joint regulatory framework for cell-based meat, with the FDA to oversee cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation, and USDA to oversee the production and labeling of food products from the harvested...
Enacting new labeling rules for plant-based ‘milks’ “would create unnecessary, confusing, and costly label changes that likely violate the First Amendment and would be struck down in court,” members of the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) have told...
While the Farm Bill has removed industrial hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the use of CBD as an ingredient has many more hurdles to overcome especially with the FDA, according to attorney Todd A. Harrison.
Soylent – a meal replacement brand that gained a cult following among Silicon Valley programmers after its 2014 launch, but has since broadened its portfolio and its appeal – is launching Bridge, a new ready-to-drink beverage with 180 calories and 15g...
In its final GMO labeling rule - released this morning - the USDA says it will not mandate the labeling of highly refined ingredients from GM crops if no ‘modified genetic material’ is detectable, but it will allow manufacturers to make voluntary disclosures...
Frivolous lawsuits? Hiring challenges? Raising money? 'Mafioso-like business practices' from distributors? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what is keeping them awake at night as they head into...
Personalized nutrition? Keto diets? Cell-based meat? FoodNavigator-USA quizzed food & beverage entrepreneurs and CEOs to find out what trends they will be monitoring in 2019 …
A bill proposing to tackle government waste which stipulates that “no federal funds may be used for the development of insect-based foods for human consumption,” will make it even harder for the embryonic US edible insects industry to compete vs other...
It has surged in popularity in recent years as shoppers embrace florals in foods and beverages, and reflects “the trend towards curiosity in consumption,” says flavors giant Firmenich, which has selected hibiscus as its flavor of the year for 2019.
We quizzed leading food law attorneys to find out what food manufacturers should keep on the radar, from slack fill, CBD, malic acid, and Prop 65, to natural claims, as we enter the New Year ...
The United Nations adopted a draft resolution on improving global nutrition last week. Calling for a focus on improved education to combat obesity, the agency remained silent on the key issues of taxation and nutritional labelling.
![Jon Sebastiani on Yumble: ‘There is a wide open gap in the marketplace for a premium [kids’ food] brand’](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/publications/food-beverage-nutrition/foodnavigator-usa.com/news/people/jon-sebastiani-on-yumble-there-is-a-wide-open-gap-in-the-marketplace-for-a-premium-kids-food-brand/9046320-1-eng-GB/Jon-Sebastiani-on-Yumble-There-is-a-wide-open-gap-in-the-marketplace-for-a-premium-kids-food-brand.jpg)
