Dairy-based ingredients

Maple Hill Creamery founder: Stop pitting plant-based vs animal agriculture… multiple farming systems will co-exist in future

18-Jun-2019 By Elaine Watson

Consumer interest in grass-fed meat/dairy and plant-based foods, stems from the same desire to find more humane and sustainable alternatives to factory farming, says Maple Hill Creamery CEO Tim Joseph, who was surprised to see Impossible Foods single...

Fairlife and Coca-Cola deal with Fair Oaks abuse fallout

11-Jun-2019 By Beth Newhart

Last week, an undercover video surfaced showing severe calf abuse at Fair Oaks Farms. The Indiana-based farm supplies milk to ultrafiltered milk brand fairlife, which is a Coca-Cola Company partner. Several retailers have pulled the products from shelves...

FOOD FOR KIDS: Ice-cream startup Peekaboo building a 'hidden veggie empire', says founder

06-Jun-2019 By Kacey Culliney

Miami-based startup Peekaboo is developing a range of vegan ice-cream variants to join its line of organic-certified, hidden veggie products targeting kids and adults looking for guilt-free indulgence.

Trendspotting at IFT 2019 part 1: From novel fat- and egg-replacers to CBD and plant-based innovation

06-Jun-2019 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based meat, dairy and egg alternatives got top billing at the IFT annual meeting and expo in New Orleans this year, while hemp-derived CBD also made its debut, regulatory uncertainty notwithstanding... Check out part 1 of our gallery of highlights...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast: As organic sales continue to climb stakeholders look for long-term success

31-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Members of the Organic Trade Association converged in Washington, DC, last week to celebrate the segment’s continuous improvement, and to brainstorm with each other and legislators potential solutions to ongoing challenges facing the industry.

Tyson Foods leverages external partnerships to tackle ambitious sustainability, hunger relief goals

23-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

As one of the largest food companies in the world, Tyson Foods recognizes that it must help create a stable and sustainable food system at a time when a growing population and climate change are straining already limited resources.

Investing in the Future of Food: Founding partner of VC Fifty Years shares 3 areas ripe for investment

22-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the past decade, venture capitalists have emerged as a primary gatekeeper for innovation in the food and beverage industry as the amount of money they are pouring into startups in the space continues to rise exponentially, and so-called big-food continues...

PepsiCo patents co-fermented oat and dairy product with 'unique' nutritional profile

20-May-2019 By Niamh Michail

PepsiCo has patented a process to co-ferment oats and dairy milk, creating a drinkable or spoonable product with "unique" metabolites and a versatile taste profile.

Lawsuit vs Miyoko's Kitchen challenging plant-based 'butter' is voluntarily dismissed

17-May-2019 By Elaine Watson

A high-profile lawsuit against Miyoko’s Kitchen taking issue with its use of the term ‘butter’ on a plant-based product, has been voluntarily dismissed with prejudice.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Symrise shares 4 ways that plant-based eating is becoming more sophisticated

17-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the rapid growth of the plant-based market in the US initially may have been fueled by demand for alternatives to animal-protein and -dairy, the trend is quickly evolving as consumers’ tastes become more sophisticated and they begin to embrace plants...

Better-for-you frozen food brand Luvo pushes forward the idea of food as medicine with new bundles

16-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the addition of an advisory board member who is a certified physician and chef, the better-for-you frozen meal company Luvo is creating new products that it hopes will help lay a foundation for packaged food to one day be considered a health management...

Investing in the Future of Food: RangeMe helps startups become shelf ready & business savvy

15-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Under pressure to beat the competition or secure returns for investors, most startups want to get on store shelf as fast as possible, but first they must checkoff a litany of minimum requirements that can turn into unexpected roadblocks if they don’t...

Food, politics, and the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

13-May-2019 By Elaine Watson

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines prompted a heated debate over the influence of industry lobby groups and the extent to which environmental factors should impact dietary advice, with some stakeholders insisting that sustainability has nothing to do with nutrition,...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Patented new culture helps fermented dairy brands deliver sweetness without so much added sugar, says Chr. Hansen

10-May-2019 By Elaine Watson

Sweety Y-1 – a patented new culture from Chr. Hansen with “superior pH stability” – enables dairy manufacturers to make yogurts and other fermented dairy products with less added sugar, claims the company.

FDA Acting Commissioner Sharpless promises ‘there will be no pause at FDA’ following Gottlieb’s departure

07-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA’s new Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Norman Sharpless, promised last week that he will pick up where outgoing Commissioner Scott Gottlieb left off in strengthening nutrition policy and regulation to improve the public’s health and implementing...

InnovoPro proffers chickpea as a protein that can overcome hurdles other plant-based options can’t

29-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the plant-based protein category is booming, none of the top-selling ingredients dominating the space offer a perfect solution in terms of function, nutrition, sustainability and consumer-experience – a gap in the market that the CEO of Israeli...

Keto products should embrace functional benefits and personalization options, says Mintel

25-Apr-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

'Keto' products -- from coffee creamers and ice cream to cheddar crisps and on-the-go nut butters -- are no longer a niche find for consumers, but is it wise to market a product solely around the keto diet, even it ticks all the right macronutrient...

Danone N. America marks first anniversary as B Corp with improved procurement, packaging & employee benefits

25-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Since becoming a Certified B Corp one year ago, Danone North America has made strides in improving its procurement process, meeting consumer demand for increased sustainability and rallying its employees to prioritize the company’s commitment to social...

A La Mode follows ‘customer-oriented approach’ to create allergy-friendly, all natural ice cream

19-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Operating on the premise that the best way to get ahead in today’s competitive to market is to “utilize a customer-oriented approach,” the founders A La Mode are tweaking their allergy friendly ice cream and packaging to meet the growing demand for all...

“Prescriptions” for healthy food help Pennsylvanians manage diabetes and lower health care costs

18-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Alarmed by the exponential increase of adults diagnosed with type II diabetes and disproportionate toll the chronic disease takes on food insecure individuals, a regional health care provider and food bank serving Pennsylvania decided to test whether...

Investing in the Future of Food: Effective branding challenges the competition – not the consumer

17-Apr-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

One of the main goals of effective branding and packaging is to set a product apart from the competition, but how this is achieved is fundamental to whether a product will be embraced or shunned by consumers.

Portion size has a 'powerful effect' on eating patterns among kids, study shows

15-Apr-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Young kids (aged 3 to 5) were found to be highly susceptible to overeating when given larger portion sizes, challenging the "self-regulation" theory, in which children are claimed to have a natural ability to respond to internal cues of hunger...

NEWS IN BRIEF

fairlife to build $200m production facility to meet mounting consumer demand

09-Apr-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Ultra-filtered milk brand fairlife (backed by Coca-Cola) is increasing its production and distribution capacity with plans to build a $200m, 300,000-square-foot facility in a suburb outside of Phoenix, Arizona. The new facility is slated to be operational...

Beckon Ice Cream takes premium lactose-free ice cream nationwide with Whole Foods: 'I could not believe there was not a better option out there'

08-Apr-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The options available to those with a lactose intolerance have expanded with the boom of non-dairy alternatives to lactose-free milk products, but until now, there hadn't been a premium lactose-free ice cream made with dairy ingredients and free...

Quevos egg white chips readies for next phase of growth with Kickstarter launch

04-Apr-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Quevos, a Chicago-area startup making egg white chips, is preparing to enter its next phase of growth through crowdfunding site Kickstarter, to build its customer base and brand awareness with further plans to enter the natural retail channel later this...

GOOD FOOD EXPO

What it takes to win shelf space, according to buyers and brands

29-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Emerging and new-to-market brands are all vying for precious shelf space at retail, so where should founders focus their time and energy to secure a spot in their desired store area?

Opportunities for digestive health products are moving beyond probiotics, embracing prebiotics

25-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

As consumers learn more about digestive health and all the implications that it has for the wellbeing of their bodies and minds, they are looking for products that go beyond probiotics – creating a booming digestive health category that is ripe for innovation....

Nutrition Index, Partnership for a Healthier America shine light on industry efforts to improve health

25-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite efforts by the largest food and beverage manufacturers in the United States to tackle obesity and diet-related disease in the market, nearly 40% of adults and 18.5% of children in the US are obese – putting them at risk of Type 2 diabetes, high...

Natural and clean label trends 101: From malic acid and glyphosate residues to ‘clean protein’

22-Mar-2019 By Elaine Watson

Consumers want more natural, less processed, ‘clean’ foods. But do they give certain brands – and categories – a pass? And what cues are they looking for? Checkout what our consumer and legal experts had to say in the opening session of our Natural and...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Mondelēz International invests in Chicago food incubator, The Hatchery

22-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Mondelēz International has made an investment in The Hatchery, a Chicago-based non-profit food business accelerator, as part of the CPG company's SnackFutures innovation and venture hub.

Partnership for a Healthier America will dive deep into what it takes to create a sustainable, healthy diet

22-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

In order to feed a nutritious, sustainable diet to the predicted 10 billion people who will populate Earth by 2050, environmental advocates and food & beverage industry stakeholders must work together rather than apart from – or even at times against...

VIDEO Meet Brainiac... brainfood for kids: 'We need to be Captain Obvious'

21-Mar-2019 By Elaine Watson

Food and beverage brands targeting kids often promote their low sugar content, or highlight calcium for bones and protein for growing bodies. But what about the nutrients kids need to support the development of arguably their most important asset: the...

Special Edition: Botanicals

Real Organic Project seeks to regain control of soul of movement

20-Mar-2019 By Hank Schultz

The splits in the organic movement have given birth to a new initiative to regain the soul of the concept, according to an executive with a major retailer.

Online grocery race narrows: It's 'anyone's game to win,' says Nielsen

20-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

For some time, Amazon has been the dominant player in online grocery, but that lead may be starting to slip as brick-and-mortar retailers have been steadily winning back share in the competitive ecommerce race, says Nielsen.

Investing in the Future of Food: Start with the consumer when rebranding, advises Endangered Species Chocolate

20-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

While modern wisdom may favor launching fast and iterating quickly based on consumer feedback, the director of innovation at Endangered Species Chocolate says when it comes to packaging and branding it is better to slow down and invest in consumer research...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bulletproof Coffee continues hiring spree, appointing new CFO and VP of ecommerce to support rapid growth

19-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Bulletproof360, Inc. (maker of Bulletproof Coffee) has named Cameron Kinloch (former CFO at Ripple Foods) as CFO, and Brian Watkins as the company's VP of ecommerce, reporting to Bulletproof president and COO, Anna Collins.

Chobani Incubator’s diverse new cohort illustrates new focus to lift up underrepresented entrepreneurs

18-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

“Disheartened” but “not surprised” that so little venture capital currently is invested in startups led by women and minority entrepreneurs, Chobani Incubator’s new program director Zoe Feldman says she wants to more intentionally support founders from...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Trendspotting at Expo West reveals upticks in keto, MCT oil, plant-based protein and better-for-you snacks & kids’ foods

15-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

CBD far and away stole the show as the hot new ingredient at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week, but it wasn’t the only notable trend with promising market potential or significant recent development.

Clio Snacks seeks to revive sluggish Greek yogurt segment with yogurt bars promising permissible indulgence

13-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Clio Snacks, which makes chilled Greek yogurt bars dipped in chocolate, sees itself as supplementing a declining Greek yogurt category by expanding usage occasions and answering the consumer call for a permissibly indulgent snack.

The downside of exclusion diets: Survey shows consumers perceive dieting as a strain on their wallet and social life

12-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Over half (61%) of Americans following an exclusion diet (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, keto) believe that following a restrictive diet means having to pay more for food and nearly half (47%) say that it takes a toll on their social life, according...

Tillamook County Creamery fuels rapid growth with new products, new distribution & new look

12-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

As Tillamook County Creamery Association marks its 110th anniversary, the farmer-owned cooperative is growing faster than ever with new products, a fresh look and rapidly expanding distribution.

Natural and clean label trends 2019: Have you registered yet?

11-Mar-2019 By Elaine Watson

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...

New ad campaign for Whisps crunchy cheese crisps seeks to ease consumers of their snacking guilt

11-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

While snacking has become more acceptable, many consumers still bring some baggage to the trend – usually in the form of guilt – but a new ad campaign for Whisps cheese crisps wants to relieve shoppers of this burden.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Unilever is doubling-down on purpose driven brands to fuel innovation

08-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

With newcomers launching practically every day in the food and beverage industry, the pressure is on for legacy brands to up their innovation game – and according to industry giant Unilever the best way to do this is to start with modern consumers’ core...

RISE Brewing Co. moves beyond nitro cold brew coffee with launch of clean-label oat milk at Expo West

04-Mar-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nitro cold brew company RISE Brewing Co. is hoping the same strategies it used to successfully carve out a niche in the highly competitive ready-to-drink-coffee segment will help it win again, but this time in the increasingly crowded oat milk category.

Ex TerraVia execs seek to disrupt kids yogurt segment with Brainiac Kids: ‘We’re the first food-based brain nutrition brand’

27-Feb-2019 By Elaine Watson

A Bay area-based start-up founded by two food industry veterans is injecting functionality as well as fun into the kids’ yogurt segment - one of the few bright spots in an otherwise sluggish category – with the launch of Brainiac Kids: whole milk yogurts,...

Good Culture closes $8m funding round, eyes new product categories: 'We never once thought of ourselves as strictly a cottage cheese company'

26-Feb-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Good Culture has closed an $8m funding round led by CAVU Venture Partners that will help the cottage cheese brand become an even stronger force in the cultured dairy aisle where the company has experienced +100% year-over-year growth in velocity across...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Organic Valley and Maple Hill create new standard for organic grass-fed dairy products

22-Feb-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Consumers will start to see a new certification showing up on grass-fed dairy products that aims to set a universal standard definition for grass-fed organic farming standards and products for farmers, processors, manufacturers, certification bodies,...

Plant-based 'milks' should be labeled as 'imitation,' 'alternative,' or 'substitute' products, says NMPF petition

22-Feb-2019 By Elaine Watson

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...

Where next for the US yogurt category? Chobani, Danone North America, General Mills, weigh in

21-Feb-2019 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of yogurt fell -3.4% in the 52 weeks to January 26, 2019, but there have been some signs of recovery in recent weeks, with category sales in the 12 weeks to Jan 26 down a more modest -1.9%, according to the latest Nielsen data (all outlets...