Improving the sustainability of the food system is no longer optional from an optics and long-term business perspective, but short-term challenges – including consumer engagement – threaten immediate and mid-range returns and margins, complicating the...
Unit sales of plant-based dairy products are sliding even as dollar sales are up in most categories as inflation-related price hikes simultaneously cushion companies’ margins and discourage some consumers from trying new products and paying premium products....
During the American Frozen Food Institute’s (AFFI) Government Action Summit on May 9-10, leaders and executives in the frozen food industry met with Congressional representatives and staff to discuss the potential reorganization of the FDA’s food division...
As a new anti-ESG era emerges, food and beverage businesses that set ambitious goals to reduce their environmental footprint, improve worker livelihoods, diversify leadership or enhance accountability could find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard...
The Federal Trade Commission should update its “Green Guides” to clarify the proper use of climate change claims, such as “net zero” and “carbon negative,” which have proliferated in recent years to meet rising consumer interest, but which are not standardized...
Sales of plant-based dairy, including milk, cheese and yogurt, continue to grow at a rapid clip despite challenging macroeconomic and market conditions, but units in some categories are dipping slightly, according to recently released SPINS data, raising...
Positioning cell cultured meat as a critical climate mitigation solution could help the nascent industry unlock much-needed additional funding – and engage a more diverse set of investors – at a time when traditional resources are ebbing and competition...
The Federal Trade Commission should withdraw or “at the very least narrow the scope of its proposed ban on non-compete agreements” to exclude those between businesses and executive-level or “highly skilled workers,” urges FMI, The Food Industry Association....
Retailers investing in private label to cater to consumers trading down as inflation rises, simultaneously are looking to offset lower dollar sales with a broader selection of premium offerings that can boost basket rings – creating an opportunity for...
Food-tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods’ plant-based, whole-muscle seafood made through biomass fermentation will launch in select restaurants this summer thanks in part to an infusion of $5.5 million in seed funding led by Stray Dog Capital announced this...
The era of food and beverage entrepreneurs scoring massive checks from investors with scant review to build and exit a business in three to five years is giving way to a new era of cautious consideration by venture capitalists seeking slower but more...
Upcycling food, or turning would-be wasted byproducts from one product into something delicious and nutritious for people, has emerged as one of the hottest trends in food and beverage in recent years with the market projected to grow at a compound annual...
At Natural Products Expo West this year, walking down an aisle without seeing a callout for prebiotics or probiotics was nearly impossible as more players race to meet consumer demand for each, which research from Coefficient Capital shows is climbing...
Better for you snack brand Simple Mills is taking is mission and products beyond its initial “free from” roots to embrace a “for more” approach that not only skips artificial ingredients that consumers are avoiding but gives them more of what they want...
As consumers look for foods and beverages to do more for them and the planet they are becoming more sophisticated and skeptical of unverified claims – demanding proof that products and companies can deliver what they promise.
Even as cellular meat companies continue to clear regulatory, technical and scientific hurdles, the timeline for when their products will launch remains a moving target as emerging challenges – ranging from the banal to black swan events – threaten to...
It is too soon to give up on the plant-based meat segment, which has seen sales and household penetration slip in the past year, but which is evolving to meet demand for products that are healthier, tastier and more convenient, argued industry stakeholders...
Grocery shoppers continued purchasing fresh produce in 2022 as inflation pushed up prices but bought less of it on a volume basis, shifting to more affordable fresh fruit and vegetable options as well as frozen and canned items.
Precision fermentation is emerging as one of the buzziest technologies in food, and even though it has been used safely for decades without raising eyebrows, new uses and broader awareness are prompting consumer questions that if left unanswered could...
Singapore-based WhatIF Foods looks to bring its line of products derived from the bambara groundnut to a wider audience in the coming year, focusing on educating consumers about the legume’s benefits and appealing to the “climate anxious GenZ consumer,”...
The food-as-medicine movement is at an inflection point, and Free From Market is gearing up to make its patient-driven, digital health platform a solution for improving health outcomes.
Rising inflation is taking a toll on natural and organic sales in the US, the growth of which slowed dramatically in 2022 and will likely continue to drop in the coming year before rebounding slightly in 2024, according to data presented at Natural Products...
The long-held and loudly voiced disapproval by some of science and technology in food production in favor of “idealized nostalgic narratives” of natural food is beginning to soften – opening the door for broader adoption of food-tech, including precision...
A proposed bill that would invalidate FDA’s recent guidance on plant-based milk alternatives has garnered the support of one of the largest dairy co-ops and opposition from the plant-based foods industry, suggesting a coming showdown on the definition...
Change is inevitable, and for most it is uncomfortable – but it isn’t necessarily bad given it can be a catalyst for tremendous growth, deeper connections and betterment, which is good news for the consumer packaged goods industry considering research...
Xiao Chi Jie (XCJ), the modern Chinese food brand that helped put authentic soup dumplings on the US map by cultivating a cult-like direct-to-consumer following during the pandemic is ready to expand into brick and mortar stores this April with a new...
Since Project Potluck was founded in 2020 to support people of color in the CPG industry, the landscape and conversation around diversity and inclusion has changed dramatically, but according to the grassroots group turned non-profit a lot remains to...
U.S. grocery retailers should be more empathetic toward their consumers at a time when shoppers believe both inflation and grocery retailer profits are significantly higher than they are in actuality, according to a new report from London-based dunnhumby.
‘Chocolate and salty snacks rank a two of the top three resilient treats that consumers are not willing to forgo’
Sweets and snacks giant Hershey will double down on advertising and production capacity for its fastest growing brands, including Reese’s and Skinny Pop, in the coming year to help offset price elasticity and meet consumer demand, which executives say...
Mondelez executives see no reason to lower prices or increase promotions for their iconic sweets and snacks despite reported retailer requests that brands across the board do so as some consumers begin pulling back on spending in the face of ongoing inflation.
As frozen pierogi maker Mrs. T’s celebrates 70 years of tucking ‘the stuff you love’ into a soft pasta pockets shaped ‘like a smile,’ the founder’s son and now company president reflects on what it takes to not only survive but thrive for seven decades...
Calls for a single, clearly defined leader over FDA’s food program with direct lines of authority and adequate funding are intensifying from former and existing agency officials, including Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy Frank Yiannas who cited the...
FDA’s long-awaited guidance for limiting lead concentrations in packaged food for babies and toddlers published yesterday estimates a reduced exposure risk upwards of 27%, but according to some stakeholders this isn’t high enough.
Food industry leaders are calling for the fast passage of bipartisan legislation introduced yesterday that seeks to ease ongoing supply chain challenges stemming from the nation’s historic 80,000 truck driver shortage, which is delaying deliveries and...
Private labeler Westrock Coffee expects to triple its profitability over the next three years as it aggressively builds out its flavors, extractions and ingredients business and finishes renovating what will be its largest production facility following...
A new start-up incubator and investment platform from the team that helped KIND climb from concept to a $5b business with only $5m in primary investment is throwing out the tried-and-true playbooks for growing a brand in favor of focusing on the values...
By Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Emerging demand for positive nutrition must balance functional benefits, taste, sustainability and convenience
Born out of the pandemic when product availability was unpredictable or limited and when a premium was placed on immunity-boosting, consumers in 2023 increasingly are seeking positive nutrition – both for themselves but also for the planet and workers...
Monster Beverage Corporation executives predict that sales growth across its energy drink portfolio will pick up and continue to outpace overall category growth in the coming months following a long-delayed and category-leading price increase that went...
Recognizing the cultural significance of seafood varies among different groups of Americans, FDA has asked an expert panel to consider health equity and environmental justice issues in their review of children’s exposure to toxins from seafood.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will step up oversight and enforcement of the production, handling and sale of organic products at the behest of industry and legislators who worry increasingly complex supply chains paired with the high price premiums...
Over the next three years, Unilever plans to expand its lead in ice cream sales by offering more premium products, expanding in emerging markets and leveraging digitization to boost sales online and out of home, a top executive recently revealed.
The idea of food as medicine is as old as food itself, but only recently has the mainstream US health care system begun to take notice, and action, as community-directed efforts to prevent, manage and treat diet-related illnesses through nutrition education...
Many packaged food and beverage manufacturers that have trimmed serving sizes without lowering cost in recent years to mitigate inflation have tried to do so in stealth mode for fear of losing value-seeking shoppers, but new research suggests if they...
A study published in the journal Nature Food outlining key production metrics at cultivated meat co Believer Meats, “shatters” some of the assumptions made in a high-profile article in The Counter, which argued that cell-cultured meat faced “intractable”...
Taste may be considered king by most food and beverage makers, but at Unilever it no longer reigns supreme after the CPG giant adopted a new ‘holistically superior’ product testing framework and ‘boldly healthier’ food commitments for 2025 – a move that...
United Natural Foods Inc. plans to remain on the sidelines rather than enter a bidding war against existing clients if and when anti-trust concerns force Kroger and Albertsons to divest retail locations as part of their proposed $24.6bn merger expected...
Working from a foundational belief that the era of ‘disruption’ is dead, an industry veteran wants to usher in a new age in which start-ups focus on “adding to everything” with the launch of The Ryl Company and a line of ready-to-drink tea that offers...
Multiple semi-finalists in the prestigious XPRIZE ‘Feed the Next Billion’ competition have pulled out following a rule change enacted mid-way through the process relating to title sponsor ASPIRE which contestants argue is “unrealistic for any venture-backed...
The US Department of Agriculture’s decision this summer to increase the benefits allotted under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program well beyond inflation is under fire after a government watchdog found the agency did not follow best-practices...
