News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
Startup Spotlight
Long gone are the days when a deal was sealed with a handshake and verbal commitment, which is why the co-founder of veggie snack startup Theo’s advises entrepreneurs to be persistent – but not annoying – about securing commitments in writing before acting.
Building a net zero, water secure future in food & beverage
Increasing water scarcity is prompting stakeholders across the food industry to rethink and reup their stewardship practices, and in doing so they not only are reinforcing supply chains and the health of the planet, but market research suggest they could...
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.
Despite a disappointing start to seasonal ice cream sales in Europe and China, Unilever expects the business to improve sequentially each quarter as it strategically improves “essentially … every metric” of the business ahead of a planned separation by...
Startup Spotlight
Big advertising budgets are not a requirement for big sales or an indicator of how successful a marketing campaign will be as illustrated by a viral video on social media by functional beverage newcomer Yesly, which generated more than 16 million views...
Family-held candy maker Mars Inc. could acquire snack giant Kellanova, according to media reports over the weekend, which, if accurate, could signal the beginning of a long-awaited return to M&A activity in the food and beverage industry following a...
Startup Spotlight
Given how little time entrepreneurs have during most pitches, intentionally ending the meeting a few minutes early may sound counterintuitive, but the founder of the bakery and packaged cookie company Sugar Bliss says this gives potential buyers or...
Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins
While most Americans are willing to swap meat for plant-based products and have done so at least once – only a quarter have done so repeatedly, according to industry research – begging the question: Why are more consumers not coming back?
Mega-viral social media trends promoting water “recipes” and consumption, including #watertok, #beveragegoblin and #sexywater, alongside surging demand for hard-to-find Stanley cups may lead one to believe that Americans are sufficiently hydrated – but a...
IFT FIRST
To foster the next generation of food scientists, technologists and innovators, the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association will host a series of competitions at the upcoming IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo in which college students will...
Summer Fancy Food Show
At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City last week, health claims were downplayed and flavor came first – for real – followed by personalization with more brands offering consumers ways to dial up or down the heat, tang, funk and other...
Summer Fancy Food Show
Crafted by a neurodivergent team with special skills for consumers with special diets in a facility where nothing goes to waste, startup Vêsucré is bringing to market decadent vegan desserts that are free from soy, gluten and refined sugar.
Startup Spotlight
The early retail success of functional beverage startup Crunchy Hydration shows sugar – or its low- and no-calorie counterparts – are not a necessary ingredient for success in a category that is laden with sweeteners used to mask the sometimes bitter or...
Summer Fancy Food Show
Building a packaged food or beverage business from scratch can be expensive and overwhelming for entrepreneurs, but Startup CPG is making it a little easier with a suite of free tools, extensive networking opportunities and a safe space for founders to...
An end may be in sight for the capital crunch that has slowed innovation, growth and M&A activity in the food and beverage space in recent years, according to one investment insider, but she warns the timeline is longer for closing deals and the bar is...
As the media landscape has become more fragmented in the past ten years, social media has emerged as one of the most influential sources of information on the consumer path to purchase and many companies are shifting advertising dollars accordingly – but...
FoodNavigator-USA won two distinctions for exceptional reporting in business-to-business journalism in the 2024 Azbee Awards of Excellence, hosted by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).
Winter Fancy Food Show
Sustainability may not be as highly prioritized as taste or price in purchase decisions for food and beverage, but research suggests it is increasingly important to consumers -- especially younger shoppers who are coming into their buying power.
Startup Spotlight
Better-for-you confection newcomer Rotten’s early distribution gains since it launched in September underscores an unmet consumer desire for candy that cuts back on sugar and artificial ingredients, but not the fun.
With the recent launch of an AI-powered Smart Assistant, leading business-to-business e-commerce platform Alibaba.com wants to help level the playing field and increase the odds of success for small and medium enterprises and solopreneurs by simplifying...
Startup Spotlight
The founder of startup Harken Sweets, which launched earlier this month, wants to “nutritionally overhaul” the candy bar category by using “the power of the date fruit,” like how she helped Caulipower reinvigorate the pizza category with the “power of...
Winter Fancy Food Show
The frozen dessert aisle may feel frozen in another time to some consumers who are looking for clean labels but who are often confronted by long ingredient lists with preservatives, additives, processing aids and emulsifiers that are unfamiliar and may...
Winter Fancy Food Show
A resounding theme of “better” emerged at the Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas last week, where more than 1,200 specialty food companies came together to showcase the latest innovations in cheese, condiments, baked goods, snacks and more.
Mentorship
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has announced the eight confectionery industry professionals selected for its 2024 Future Leadership Programme.
To expand organic’s market potential, reach and positive impact in the face of increased competition, consumer confusion and political pushback, the Organic Trade Association welcomes industry veteran Matt Dillon to its leadership team as co-CEO with Tom...
A trio of acquisitions and divestments in the packaged food industry at the turn of the new year suggest companies are taking a proactive and aggressive approach to rebuilding their businesses by reshaping their portfolios after industry stocks overall...
The New Year will bring a renewed focus on clean-label and better-for-you products, including a desire or the “best of both worlds” as consumers gravitate towards indulgent products making functional health claims, as well as products that are better for...
After Perdue Farms received unsolicited but ultimately what it characterized as “fair” criticism for its approach to animal care years ago, the protein producer began inviting annually animal welfare advocates, farmers, academics and stakeholders from...
Higher prices are not stopping consumers from buying JM Smucker’s iconic coffee, spreads and snack brands, unlike with many competitors that have struggled with sliding volumes in direct proportion to inflation-related price increases.
Tyson Foods celebrated the much-anticipated grand opening of a new 325,000-square-foot fully-cooked food production facility in Danville, Va., last week – marking a significant milestone in its “bold,” multi-point plan to improve its performance, which...
Just over a year after joining FDA as the agency’s top scientist, Namandjé Bumpus will rise to second in command as principal deputy commissioner early next year – replacing Janet Woodcock who, after nearly 40 years as a leader within the agency,...
Nearly 150 dairy industry stakeholders, including producers, entrepreneurs and investors, gathered at a winery in idyllic Livermore, Cali., earlier this month to celebrate the winners of the 5th Real California Milk Excelerator competition, which scoured...
Post Holdings will remain under the leadership of interim CEO Jeff Zadoks for the foreseeable future as CEO Robert Vitale undergoes radiation and chemotherapy for a recently discovered and removed malignant tumor.
Futureproofing The Food System
As the concept of “food as medicine” gains traction, doctors, dietitians and insurers already active in the space are keen to distinguish the difference between “better-for-you” products and those proven to effect a health change and therefore worthy of...
FDA’s massive reorganization to create a proposed unified Human Foods Program under one leader who will report directly to the agency’s commissioner may not be finalized until next June, but the program’s first Deputy Commissioner James ‘Jim’ Jones isn’t...
Contrary to high-profile headlines about sliding sales of meat alternatives, consumer demand for plant-based products across categories continues to climb, but for the segment to reach its full potential – and continue expanding its consumer base – new...
Futureproofing the Food System
This week, join FoodNavigator-USA and stakeholders across the supply chain, including Eat Just, The Hartman Group, Oishii, NotCo, Instacart, NIQ, Consumer Brands Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Cargill and more for our three-day...
Research showing consumer preferences for sweetness intensity may not be as easy to reduce as their preferences for sodium suggests a “stealth health” approach of slowly lowering added sugar across the food supply may not be an effective strategy for...
The potential for food as medicine to prevent, manage and treat diet-related diseases is tremendous, but consumer awareness of and access to it are still limited – prompting public health advocates, government leaders and stakeholders across the food...
As designer fat supplier Yali Bio's first senior vice president of engineering and biomanufacturing, Don DiMasi will focus on expanding the company's biomanufacturing capacity and developing new processes to economically scale up fermentation processes...
Women’s diverse nutritional needs have long been overlooked or pigeonholed to focus primarily on appearance, but a new class of products made by women, for women across life stages are on the rise as is research to support the development of sex-specific...
While Burlap & Barrel’s farm to kitchen model for its single origin spices may appear simple compared to traditional spice supply chains that are peppered with middlemen zig-zagging across regions and cultures, the process of establishing a direct...
Last week’s launch of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University marks an inflection point for food-based health care interventions, which have steadily grown from small community-driven and...
Food and beverage companies adopting more sustainable business practices, including more environmentally-friendly packaging and reducing emissions across their supply chain, are eager to share successes with consumers – but doing so can, and has, landed...
Natural Products Expo East
When most people think about protein, they think about meat, dairy – maybe legumes – but food-tech newcomer Equii wants them to also think about bread, including its portfolio of soft, sliced white and multi-grain loaves that are packed with 8 to 10...
Between FDA and USDA greenlighting the sale of cultivated chicken in the US, the ground-breaking of a large-scale precision fermentation facilities and advances in molecular farming, 2023 has been a banner year for novel protein production. But the path...
The virtual pitch competition on Nov. 1, 2023 is an opportunity for women founders in the plant-based and animal-free industries to gain more visibility and funding.
With the launch of a new AI-powered data engine, pioneering decarbonization emissions platform Planet FWD continues to accelerate CPG companies ability to evaluate and neutralize their environmental impact, including stubborn and hard-to-mange Scope 3...
Startups with little more than an idea and a compelling founder’s story may no longer be able to secure wild valuations or enough funding to blow millions a month proving a concept, but companies that have product-market fit in competitive categories and...
News In Brief
Kellogg Co. – the maker of iconic snacks, including Pringles, and cereal, including Froot Loops and Special K – officially no longer exists having completed today the separation of its North American cereal business into a new company named WK Kellogg Co...