Dairy-based ingredients

USDA pushes to bring broadband to rural areas so more farmers, ranchers can use precision ag tech

04-Sep-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the coming months, the US Department of Agriculture will nearly double its current annual investment in rural telecommunications infrastructure to bring reliable, affordable high-speed Internet to underserved areas, including farmland and ranches,...

If goatmilk gets a pass, so should almondmilk, says nonprofit; NMPF counters: 'A goat produces milk; a bean or seed does not'

03-Sep-2018 By Elaine Watson

If dairy farmers are OK with the lacteal secretions of goats, sheep, and buffalo being described as ‘milk,’ provided the word is prefaced with a modifier (goat’s milk, sheep milk), they should accept the same tactics from firms selling almond and soy...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Coolhaus secures investment from Sunrise Strategic Partners

29-Aug-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Coolhaus, a super-premium ice cream brand, has received an investment from Sunrise Strategic Partners, a Boulder, Colorado accelerator of emerging brands.

General Mills boosts employee benefits: ‘We needed to shift and modernize’

29-Aug-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

General Mills has expanded some of its core employee benefits including more than tripling the paid time off period for birth mothers, birth fathers, partners, and adoptive parents following an industry trend of other major CPG companies boosting their...

Relief package & potential deal with Mexico could buoy US farmers negatively impacted by trade war

28-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

As the White House pushes forward with its hardline approach to international trade deals, including a bilateral proposal announced yesterday with Mexico that could replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, it also is taking steps to provide financial...

Back-to-school spurs sales of snacks, lunchbox staples and convenient breakfast options

27-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Back-to-school season is in full swing, which means parents are stocking up on convenient lunchbox favorites, after school snacks and filling-but-fast breakfast options – helping to fuel a summer high of nearly $15.9 billion worth of fast-moving consumer...

a2 Milk rolls out at Walmart: ‘It’s a real validation of our business proposition’

23-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Tummy-friendly brand a2 Milk is now in more than 6,000 stores in the US, including Walmart. However, the reception from the wider dairy industry has been "lukewarm at best," claims its US CEO Blake Waltrip: 'There's an irrational fear...

Ample Hills Creamery hopes square pints will build brand awareness, loyalty and community

22-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

By thinking inside the box, the husband and wife duo behind Brooklyn-based ice cream company Ample Hills Creamery hopes to better connect consumers to each other and the brand with the launch of unique square-shaped pints at retail.

Sparkling water Fizzique takes protein in a new, refreshing direction

21-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

With retail sales of protein expected to reach $21.5 billion globally by 2025, manufacturers are incorporating the ingredient in everything from the standard shakes, bars and smoothies to the unexpected, such as, pancakes, chips and now with the launch...

Drinkable yogurt, eggs & muffins are the fastest growing breakfast foods, Packaged Facts finds

20-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

As an iconic breakfast staple, cereal remains a morning favorite – but concerns about sugar are dragging down the category, while demand for protein and convenience are driving sales growth for drinkable yogurt, eggs and, somewhat surprisingly, muffins,...

Modern updates to cottage cheese could help it steal market share from yogurt

16-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

With sales of yogurt flattening but consumer demand for high-protein, high-fat foods that are convenient still on the rise, several brands are launching updated versions of cottage cheese as an easy side-step for yogurt-lovers who want something new....

Cacique preserves authenticity as it expands with a ‘make it better, not cheaper’ mentality

15-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

“Handmade” and “small batch” claims that attract the attention of consumers who are looking for “authentic” and “artisanal” products do not have to be self-defeating as a company automates production to meet increased demand as long as the company holds...

Nestlé USA lawsuit highlights confusion over Non-GMO claims, say attorneys

14-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

A lawsuit alleging that Nestlé USA is misleading shoppers with its ‘No GMO Ingredients’ seal is unlikely to make much progress, predict legal experts, but it does highlight the confusion surrounding Non-GMO claims given that the standards underpinning...

Protein2o continues expansion of protein water empire with new Publix deal

08-Aug-2018 By Adi Menayang

Protein water brand Protein2o is on an “amazing growth trajectory,” said its president Andy Horrow. It’s poised for more growth after securing a distribution deal in 900 Publix stores.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream closes Series A round aiming to take its pints to all 50 states by 2019

06-Aug-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, an artisanal ice cream brand from Brooklyn, has closed a Series A minority investment round led by Strand Equity, which the company will use to fuel its retail and wholesale businesses as well as make some major c-suite hires.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What is driving the $20.2 billion of cheese sales projected for 2022?

03-Aug-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Snacking on cheese is nothing new – whether it be on crackers, as part of a fancy pairing with cured meat and wine or pulled apart as ‘string’ – but consumers’ rising demand for higher protein and their fading fear of fat is taking the trend – and cheese...

‘We are often one of the only brands showing any positive growth at top retailers’

Siggi’s launches whole milk Simple Sides, says top line grew 36% in latest 52 weeks

01-Aug-2018 By Elaine Watson

Icelandic skyr brand siggi’s aims to expand its share of the US yogurt market with a move into the ‘mix-ins’ category via the launch of Simple Sides, a new line of whole milk skyr with a side of dried fruits and nuts containing no added sugar.

IFT 2018: NZMP sees 'permissible indulgence' trend as huge opportunity for whey protein

30-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Whey protein has now entered mainstream diets, and NZMP intends to lead the trend of incorporating its dairy protein ingredients into everyday products, from snacks to desserts, and does not see US consumers growing tired of the nutrient any time soon.

Chobani gears up for national rollout of low sugar, high protein, Hint Of yogurts

27-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Chobani is rolling out its Hint Of… low sugar, high protein, Greek yogurts nationwide in August following a successful debut in the Pacific, Northeast and Florida markets, with ‘new formats’ of the brand hitting stores in January 2019.

Plant-based ‘milk’ row heats up as FDA commissioner says ‘public health concerns’ inform the agency’s renewed interest in dairy standards of identity

26-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

The war of words over labeling conventions for plant-based ‘milk’ intensified this week as FDA commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb indicated that a “a new compliance policy” may be on the cards as the agency hosted a public meeting on its nutrition innovation...

Layn repositions stevia, monkfruit as ‘plant-based’ as part of multi-prong approach to drive use

26-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

With so many sweeteners of varying intensity and functionality available, reducing sugar in products can be a tedious trial-and-error process, but ingredient supplier Layn hopes to simplify the undertaking with the launch of two sweetener platforms that...

Perfect Day CEO talks vegan dairy: ‘I would call them animal free dairy proteins, but people might fight me on that’

25-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

If plant-based ‘milk’ is keeping some parts of the dairy industry – and the FDA commissioner – awake at night, what might milk producers make of the latest innovation to emerge from Silicon Valley: animal-free dairy (casein and whey made without cows)?...

Arla introduces skyr cream cheese line: 'We’re trying to get in early on that adoption curve...'

13-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

It’s not as big as Greek just yet, but the explosive growth of Icelandic skyr in the yogurt aisle could inspire a flurry of skyr-infused spin-offs in other parts of the store, predicts Arla Foods Inc, which has recently launched a skyr cream cheese in...

Complacency at Nestlé? Major investor sounds alarm on ‘muddled strategic approach’

06-Jul-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In a letter to Nestlé, the world’s largest food company by revenue, Third Point, a New York-based asset manager with $18bn in capital ($3bn in Nestlé), called out the food and beverage giant for falling short on its long-term, sustainable growth mission.

If shoppers don’t trust bioengineered labels, GMO labeling will be a huge waste of time and money, say CPG brands

06-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Public comments on USDA’s GMO labeling rule have exposed sharp divisions about whether it should include refined ingredients from GM crops, or foods produced via modern gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR. But they have also raised questions about...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What is driving sales of specialty food to outpace all food by 9 times?

06-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Specialty food used to be reserved for special occasions and accessible only to those who could afford its premium price, but increasingly specialty food is becoming everyday food sold at everyday prices that are accessible to more people.

Algama is using microalgae to disrupt how food is made – starting with mayo

05-Jul-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sustainably produced and packed with protein and vitamins, microalgae holds significant promise to help feed the growing population without exhausting the Earth’s limited resources, but its strong flavor has stopped many manufacturers from using it –...

Excluding refined ingredients from GMO labeling rule would confuse consumers and erode trust in brands, warns the GMA

03-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

Consumers will lose trust in the food industry if USDA does not mandate that refined ingredients such as oils and sugars derived from bioengineered crops are subject to GMO labeling, says the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

Got milk? Yes, but not as we used to know it, Jim

03-Jul-2018 By Elaine Watson

While sales of plain dairy milk have been declining for years, and US yogurt production has dropped off after peaking in 2014, new data shows the continued growth of cheese, butter, and ready-to-drink coffee, yogurt drinks and protein beverages featuring...

Hershey, Unilever: GMO labeling should apply to highly refined oils, sweeteners

30-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

If consumers are to believe that the food industry is serious about transparency, highly refined ingredients derived from GM crops must be included in the definition of 'bioengineered' enshrined in federal GMO labeling legislation, even if they...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How is the war on sugar impacting chocolate?

29-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the ongoing war on sugar is taking a toll on sales of conventional chocolate in the US, it is creating an opportunity for once-niche, better-for-you options, including sugar-free – as long as the taste and experience are not compromised in the trade-off,...

Halo Top routinely under-fills its pints, alleges lawsuit, ‘dramatically so, at times…’

25-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

A month after being hit with a lawsuit alleging it made false and misleading representations about its light ice cream, Halo Top has been targeted again, this time with a proposed class action alleging it routinely under-fills its pints, “and has been...

General Mills unveils ‘intentionally less sweet’ YQ by Yoplait: ‘It’s unlike anything that exists in the yogurt aisle today’

19-Jun-2018 By Elaine Watson

Following on from the success of its French-style yogurt Oui, General Mills has unveiled YQ by Yoplait, a 99% lactose-free yogurt made with ultra-filtered milk (milk filtered to concentrate the protein and reduce the lactose/milk sugar) that “delivers...

‘Big swings’ in consumers’ beverage preferences are reordering the category’s leaderboard

14-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the US beverage industry is “fundamentally strong” with double-digit sales growth in the last five years, it also is experiencing “big swings” that are reordering the leaderboard as consumers revamp their daily routines to focus more on their health...

Embrace elasticity over perfection and four other strategies from Coolhaus to build a successful brand

14-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Wanting everything to be perfect when launching a new brand is understandable – but it is also a huge detriment that can delay the initial takeoff or hold back a product or company from reaching its full potential long-term, according to the CEO of ice...

Atkins could see a boost from failed keto dieters looking for a less restrictive, low-carb option

13-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising consumer interest in the high-fat ketogenic diet, and the subsequent frustration many feel trying to adhere to the restrictive approach, could prompt a new wave of people to turn to the low-carb Atkins diet as a more flexible option that shares...

Organic stakeholders laud draft Senate Farm Bill for increased funding for research & oversight

12-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

“Much needed” federal funding for organic research, education and outreach could double in the next two years if measures in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s draft farm bill released June 8 make it into the final farm bill.

Private industry must reassure international partners to help preserve trade

12-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food and beverage manufacturers and suppliers must actively reassure their partners abroad that they are reliable even as the US pulls out of key international trade arrangements and negotiations around the North American Free Trade Agreement hit the...

IRI: Tapping into enormous CPG spending power of Hispanic consumers in the US

07-Jun-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The US Hispanic community spends more than $94.7bn on CPG products annually, making it the fastest-growing ethnic demographic which has key nuances and attitudes when it comes to food purchases, according to a new IRI report.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Which diets are hot and how do evolving perceptions of ‘health’ influence purchases?

01-Jun-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Americans’ obsession with dieting is nothing new, but which diets are in and which ones are out is constantly shifting – creating a marketing nightmare for food and beverage brands that want to link their products to consumers’ desired outcomes.

Could slower growth of organic dairy & eggs portend a larger threat to organic overall?

31-May-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Record organic sales of $49.5 billion last year are overshadowed by a slowdown of organic dairy and egg sales, which the Organic Trade Association attributes partly to USDA’s abrupt withdrawal of a widely popular rule that would have strengthened animal...

Organic stakeholders test pilot to root out fraud

29-May-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Starting next month, a small but diverse group of organic stakeholders from across the supply chain will test-drive a rigorous set of fraud prevention, detection and mitigation strategies that once fine-tuned will become subject to the annual inspection...

OTA asks legislators for increased oversight of organic, funding for ag research & NOSB protection

29-May-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Members of the Organic Trade Association went on the defensive last week when they met with Congressional leaders and their staff on Capitol Hill to lay out their legislative priorities for the coming year, and to ask for help protecting the integrity...

Consumers have trust issues with online shopping that can be remedied

22-May-2018 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Despite consumers spending more time and money online, more than three-quarters (78%) are wary of the freshness and 63% have food safety concerns for items that they buy online, according to Mintel.

Childhood obesity: 'Are we making progress or has progress stalled?'

Conflicting data spurs questions about effectiveness of efforts to reduce childhood obesity in the US

08-May-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

New data suggesting childhood obesity in the US is on the rise again may not tell the full story, but nevertheless serves as a call for manufacturers and public health advocates to redouble their efforts to improve the diet and health of young Americans,...

USDA proposed rule on GMO labeling raises more questions than answers

03-May-2018 By Elaine Watson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a long-awaited proposed rule to establish GMO labeling standards (the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard), but still leaves most of the key questions – including how to interpret its...

Addressing consumer confusion about healthy eating could help better-for-you brands succeed

02-May-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Companies that want to win over shoppers seeking a healthier life must do more than simply offer better for you brands – they also must clear up the widespread confusion about nutrition that holds consumers back from making meaningful dietary changes,...

Eggs should be able to make ‘healthy’ claims based on ‘modern science,’ petition argues

26-Apr-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fed up that “sugar-packed foods, such as toaster pastries and pudding cups” can claim to be ‘healthy,’ but eggs cannot, despite their high levels of protein and beneficial nutrients, Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs is petitioning FDA to modify its labeling...

US and European dairy groups at odds over EU-Mexico trade deal

26-Apr-2018 By Jim Cornall

The dairy industries on both sides of the Atlantic share quite different views on the recently negotiated trade deal between the European Union and Mexico.

PBFA: Changing course now could put the FDA in a legal bind

FDA commissioner weighs into plant-based ‘milk’ debate

26-Apr-2018 By Elaine Watson

FDA commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb says the agency is “actively” exploring whether consumers are being misled by the use of terms such as ‘milk’ or ‘yogurt’ to describe plant based products, but says the FDA's radio silence on this issue in recent...